World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp. - Annual Report: 2021 (Form 10-K)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021
☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from to
World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Cayman Islands |
001-40728 |
98-1588038 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Commission File Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
PO Box 309, Ugland House Grand Cayman |
KY1-1104 |
(Address of principal executive offices) |
(Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (345) 949 8066
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of Each Class: |
Trading Symbol: |
Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered: |
Units, each consisting of one Class A ordinary share, $0.0001 par value, and one-half of one warrant |
WQGA.U |
The New York Stock Exchange |
Shares of Class A Ordinary Shares included as part of the units |
WQGA |
The New York Stock Exchange |
Redeemable warrants included as part of the units, each whole warrant exercisable for one Class A Ordinary Share at an exercise price of 11.50 |
WQGA WS |
The New York Stock Exchange |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer, “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer |
☐ |
Accelerated filer |
☐ |
Non-accelerated filer |
☒ |
Smaller reporting company |
☒ |
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Emerging growth company |
☒ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☒ No ☐
As of September 30, 2021, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed third fiscal quarter, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s voting securities held by non-affiliates was approximately $204.97 million, based on the number of shares held by non-affiliates and the last reported sales price of the registrant’s Units as of that date.
As of March 30, 2022, 20,395,000 Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001, and 5,098,750 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001, were issued and outstanding.
Documents Incorporated by Reference: None.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND SUMMARY OF RISK FACTORS |
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Item 1. |
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Item 1A. |
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Item 1B. |
56 |
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Item 2. |
56 |
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Item 3. |
57 |
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Item 4. |
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Item 5. |
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Item 6. |
59 |
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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. |
66 |
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Item 9. |
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure |
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Item 9A. |
66 |
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Item 9B. |
66 |
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Item 10. |
67 |
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Item 11. |
79 |
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Item 12. |
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters |
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Item 13. |
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence |
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Item 14. |
84 |
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Item 15. |
85 |
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Item 16. |
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CERTAIN TERMS
Unless otherwise stated in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (this “Report”), or the context otherwise requires, references to:
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“amended and restated memorandum and article of association” are to the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that the company adopted on the date of our initial public offering; |
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“Companies Act” are to the Companies Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands as the same may be amended from time to time; |
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“founder shares” are to our Class B ordinary shares initially issued to our sponsor in a private placement prior to our initial public offering and the Class A ordinary shares that will be issued upon the automatic conversion of the Class B ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of the holders thereof (for the avoidance of doubt, such Class A ordinary shares will not be “public shares”); |
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“initial shareholders” are to the holders of our founder shares immediately prior to our initial public offering; |
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“management” or our “management team” are to our executive officers and directors; |
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“ordinary resolution” are to a resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes cast by the holders of the issued shares present in person or represented by proxy at a general meeting of the company and entitled to vote on such matter or a resolution approved in writing by all of the holders of the issued shares entitled to vote on such matter; |
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“ordinary shares” are to our Class A ordinary shares and our Class B ordinary shares; |
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“private placement warrants” are to the warrants issued to our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering and upon conversion of working capital loans, if any; |
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“public shares” are to our Class A ordinary shares sold as part of the units in our initial public offering (whether they were purchased in our initial public offering or thereafter in the open market); |
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“public shareholders” are to the holders of our public shares, including our sponsor and members of our management team to the extent our sponsor and/or members of our management team purchase public shares, provided that our sponsor’s and each member of our management team’s status as a “public shareholder” will only exist with respect to such public shares; |
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“public warrants” are to the warrants sold as part of the units in our initial public offering (whether they were purchased in our initial public offering or are purchased thereafter in the open market); |
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“special resolution” are to a resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of at least a two-thirds (⅔) majority (or such higher threshold as specified in the company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) of the votes cast by the holders of the issued shares present in person or represented by proxy at a general meeting of the company and entitled to vote on such matter or a resolution approved in writing by all of the holders of the issued shares entitled to vote on such matter; |
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“sponsor” are to World Quantum Growth Acquisition LLC, a Cayman Islands limited liability company; |
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“warrants” are to our public warrants and private placement warrants; and |
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“we,” “us,” “our,” “company” or “our company” are to World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company. |
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND SUMMARY OF RISK FACTORS
Some of the statements contained in this Report 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,” “intends,” “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. Forward-looking statements in this Report may include, for example, statements about:
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our ability to select an appropriate target business or businesses; |
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our ability to complete our initial business combination; |
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our expectations around the performance of a prospective target business or businesses; |
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our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination; |
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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; |
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our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination; |
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our pool of prospective target businesses; |
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our ability to consummate an initial business combination due to the uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic; |
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the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential business combination opportunities; |
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our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading; |
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the lack of a market for our securities; |
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the use of proceeds not held in the trust account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance; |
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the trust account not being subject to claims of third parties; |
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our financial performance following our initial public offering; or |
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the other risks and uncertainties discussed in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Report. |
The forward-looking statements contained in this Report 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, those factors described under the heading “Risk Factors.” 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
Item 1. |
Business |
Introduction
We are a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to throughout this Report as our initial business combination. Although we will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region in our identification and acquisition of a target company, we believe the financial services and the financial technology sectors in the U.S. and EMEA as well as relevant technology firms supporting these sectors present particularly attractive investment opportunities. We have not yet entered into a definitive agreement with any specific business combination target.
Based on publicly available data drawn from filings with the SEC as of the date of our initial public offering, it appears that approximately 40 special purpose acquisition companies listed on U.S. exchanges have indicated an investment focus on the FinTech sector in the U.S. and EMEA. A small percentage of these special purpose acquisition companies has indicated their expertise and/or focus being directed at Europe, the Middle-East and Israel. Activity of special purpose acquisition companies in Europe is relatively limited compared to the U.S., which leaves a large group of attractive targets in the financial services and FinTech sectors in Europe looking for long-term capital investments to scale-up their businesses regionally and globally. With an estimated daily equity turnover of approximately $69 billion (as of April 2021), Europe cannot match the depth and liquidity offered by U.S. equity markets, which have an estimated daily turnover of approximately $538 billion (as of June 2021). This relative illiquidity in the EMEA region also accounts for lower multiples afforded by high-growth EMEA businesses compared to their U.S. peers.
We plan to execute our strategy under the leadership of our seasoned management team, comprised of Xavier Rolet KBE, Serge Harry, Antoine Shagoury and Michel Brogard. The leadership team has had the opportunity to work together on numerous occasions, particularly at the London Stock Exchange Group (the “LSEG”) and, more recently, at CQS Management (“CQS”), one of Europe’s largest hedge funds. Together, we bring more than 105 years of combined experience as corporate executives, as accomplished merger and acquisition (“M&A”) professionals, and as operators of public, scaled businesses and rapidly growing financial services firms through economic cycles. Our team has a proven track record of creating shareholder value organically and through M&A, and has executed numerous transactions in a global setting, including large-scale investments and M&A efforts, IPOs and capital raises across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific.
We will seek to capitalize on the substantial board room and operational experience of our management team. Additionally, we believe that our management’s world-class network of industry contacts, which we expect will offer extensive access to transaction opportunities and professional guidance, particularly across our key focus areas, and will create a robust investment opportunity pipeline for the Company to evaluate.
Advisors
In addition to our independent directors, we will be supported by Mr. Robert Pierce, as well as Mr. Alan Guarino in a strategic advisory capacity. Mr. Pierce is the Founder of Tech Economy, a specialty consulting team consisting of experts spread across U.S. and Europe, with a particular focus on transaction advisory, including strategic analysis, tech and commercial due diligence and transaction execution. Mr. Guarino has served in various CEO and experienced consultant roles, working with corporate boards and executive teams to drive business and talent optimization strategies. He also launched the SPAC Solutions Centre of Excellence of his firm in 2020.
Robert N. Pierce
The leadership team of World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp. will be supported, in an advisory capacity, by Robert Pierce. Mr. Pierce brings over 30 years’ experience working with leading European and U.S. technology companies on financings, post investment road maps, and exit preparations. He is the founder of Tech Economy
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which supports global private equity investors and sovereign fund clients by helping them evaluate the technology capabilities of potential investments across a wide range of segments, including financial services, e-commerce, cybersecurity, e-learning, data analytics and artificial intelligence. As the leader of Tech Economy, he helps leading global investors assess how the technology capabilities of potential investee companies will enable the implementation of their investment thesis. In June 2021 Tech Economy was acquired by Bain & Company where Mr. Pierce is now a Partner and co-leads the Tech Insights practice.
Mr. Pierce’s previous experiences include leading the Software & IT Services investment banking franchises for Robertson Stephens, a West Coast technology investment bank acquired by Bank of America, and leading the Equity Capital Markets and Advisory business for Lloyds Bank. He started his career as an M&A lawyer with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in New York.
Mr. Pierce holds an MBA from INSEAD (1993) and an LL.M in Corporate Law from the NYU School of Law (1987) and is a member of the New York state Bar (inactive).
Alan Guarino
Alan Guarino is an advisor to World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp. He has over 20 years of experience as an executive and currently serves as Vice Chairman in Korn Ferry’s CEO and Board Services practice working between the New York and London practices. In this role, he leads major consulting initiatives across industries with deep expertise in FinTech, financial markets, digital assets, digital transformation, and disruptive technology. He also leads senior executive search and C-suite succession assignments for large Fortune 500 companies, as well as smaller growth companies. Mr. Guarino co-founded Korn Ferry’s CEO Succession Practice, launched the Execution Accelerator initiative and in 2020, launched the firm’s SPAC Solutions Center of Excellence.
Prior to Korn Ferry, Mr. Guarino founded and served as CEO & Chairman of, Cornell International, now an Adecco Group Business, from 1993 to 2007. He also served in the U.S. Army from 1982 until 1987 as Captain and commander of an Armor Troop.
Mr. Guarino currently chairs the Compensation Committee of The Chef’s Warehouse and the Saint Pio Foundation. Additionally, he serves as an advisor to NYCA, Axoni, R4, Censia, Sustainable Holdings, FinTech TV, and FTV Capital. Previously, Mr. Guarino served as founding Chairman of the Board of Boy’s and Girl’s Town of New York, president of the West Point Society of New York, and as finance chairman of the Capuchin Youth and Family Ministries. Mr. Guarino was appointed by the Secretary of the Army to serve on the Army Science Board to advise on talent strategy for the U.S. Army.
Mr. Guarino holds an MBA from Embry Riddle University (1985) and a BSc. in Economics and Chinese Language from the United States Military Academy at West Point (1982).
Business Strategy
Our business strategy is focused on identifying and completing an initial business combination with a company that can benefit from the leadership experience and operational expertise of our management team. We believe that our leadership team’s expertise in areas of financial services, market infrastructures, technology (particularly financial technology), specialty finance, asset and wealth management, asset services, payments, forward-looking technology transformation, applied computing and global regulations, will be valuable to a newly public, growth-focused company. We believe that our management’s breadth of experience in these sectors will bolster our ability to thoroughly evaluate prospective target companies and successfully complete our initial business combination.
We believe that our collective professional network, spanning the financial services and technology industries, will enable us to identify a broad spectrum of well-positioned and actionable targets. We believe that our leadership’s global network will provide early engagement know-how and insights into early-stage start-ups to mature industry players. Furthermore, we anticipate that our management’s familiarity with a myriad of business and
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ownership models, as well as extensive experience in financial, legal and technology due-diligence, will foster a rigorous and competitive process.
We also believe that our leadership team’s history of successful transformations of listed and private businesses of global scale will allow us to effectively collaborate with prospective target companies. Our leadership team has significant practical experience in accelerating growth agendas of listed and private companies, including in areas of technology transformation, talent management and operational excellence and in establishing leading strategic and financial partnerships. We believe that we can provide target companies the long-term support and commitment needed to achieve their growth potential and vision.
We anticipate that our search will primarily focus on mature businesses in need of restructuring as well as disruptors within the financial services and the financial technology sectors in the U.S. and EMEA as well as the technology industry supporting these sectors. These businesses will be selected for their global potential, strong brand and compelling financial profile with multiple paths for value creation (for instance, through expansion of product or service offerings, margin acceleration, new geographies, or strategic acquisitions), as well as talented, driven management team. We believe that the financial needs of several industries and consumers are unaddressed at present. We also believe that the application of technology and software provides a clear opportunity to target these markets given their size, breadth, and prospects for growth. Technology-enabled financial products and services filling this gap present meaningful opportunities to expand product or service offerings beyond their current scope and gain significant market share in the future. We also think that consolidation, cyclical tail-winds, technology and product innovation, infrastructure support and globalization are outstanding growth drivers for legacy financial services, technology and FinTech businesses looking to address the above gaps in the markets.
We believe we bring a substantive value proposition for effecting this strategy, including:
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Seasoned executives with extensive experience in public and private company leadership: |
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Proven track record of delivering growth and creating value for shareholders both organically and through M&A: |
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Demonstrated experience in business transformation to achieve global growth: |
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Vast, multi-disciplinary expertise across Financial |
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Broad international network of domain experts and capital providers: |
Investment Criteria
Consistent with our business strategy, we have identified the following criteria and guidelines that we believe will be pivotal in evaluating prospective target businesses. The following criteria and guidelines will be used when evaluating acquisition opportunities, but we may decide to proceed with our initial business combination with a target that does not meet one or more of the below criteria and guidelines. We intend to focus on target companies or assets with a significant proportion of the following characteristics:
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Category leader or disruptor with leadership potential: |
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Scalable business with global reach or potential for global reach: |
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Data / Technology enabled competitive advantages: |
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Attractive business model with strong growth profile and significant upside opportunity: |
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Committed and talented management team with growth-focused ambition: |
These criteria are not intended to be exclusive or exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular business combination may be based on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management team may deem relevant. Any business combination we undertake may not exhibit any or all of these characteristics. In the event that we decide to enter into an initial business combination with a target business that does not meet any of the above criteria, we will disclose that the target business does not meet all of our above criteria in our shareholder communications related to such initial business combination, which, as discussed in this Report, would be in the form of tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials that we would file with the SEC.
Acquisition Process
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a comprehensive due diligence review. That due diligence review may include, among other things, financial statement analysis, document reviews, meetings with the target’s management and other employees, consultations with relevant industry experts, competitors, customers and suppliers, as well as a review of additional information that we will seek to obtain as part of our analysis of a target company.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor or any of our officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions 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.
Certain of our officers and directors have, or may in the future have, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present business combination opportunities to such entities, subject to his or her fiduciary duties. As a result, 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, then, he or she may be required to honor such fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity, before we can pursue such opportunity. If these other entities decide to pursue any such opportunity, we may be precluded from pursuing the same. However, we do not expect these duties to materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that we renounce, to the fullest extent permitted by law, our interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in any business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for both us and our sponsor and another entity, including any entities managed by our sponsor or its affiliates and any companies in which our sponsor or such entities have invested or about which any of our officers or directors acquires knowledge and we will waive any claim or cause of action we may have in respect thereof. In addition, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association contain provisions to exculpate and indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, such persons in respect of any liability, obligation or duty to our
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company that may arise as a consequence of such persons becoming aware of any business opportunity or failing to present such business opportunity.
We have adopted a code of ethics requiring us to avoid, wherever possible, all conflicts of interests, except under guidelines or resolutions approved by our board of directors (or the appropriate committee of our board) or as disclosed in our public filings with the SEC.
To further minimize conflicts of interest, we will not consummate an initial business combination with an entity that is affiliated with any of our officers or directors unless we, or a committee of independent directors, have obtained an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA, or an independent accounting firm that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view.
In addition, our officers and directors may sponsor, form or participate in 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. In particular, Mr. Rolet is a member of the board of directors of Golden Falcon Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, which completed its initial public offering in December 2020. Golden Falcon Acquisition Corp., like us, may pursue initial business combination targets in a range of businesses or industries with a focus on technology and financial services, and has until December 22, 2022 to do so (absent an extension in accordance with its charter). Any such companies, businesses or investments may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an initial business combination. Our 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 management time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. However, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Initial Business Combination
So long as our securities are then listed on the NYSE, our initial business combination must occur with one or more target businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the net assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA or an independent valuation or appraisal firm with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of a target business or businesses, it may be unable to do so if the board is less familiar or experienced with the target company’s business, there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of the company’s assets or prospects, including if such company is at an early stage of development, operations or growth, or if the anticipated transaction involves a complex financial analysis or other specialized skills and the board determines that outside expertise would be helpful or necessary in conducting such analysis. Since any opinion, if obtained, would merely state that the fair market value of the target business meets the 80% of net assets threshold, unless such opinion includes material information regarding the valuation of a target business or the consideration to be provided, it is not anticipated that copies of such opinion would be distributed to our shareholders. However, if required under applicable law, any proxy statement that we deliver to shareholders and file with the SEC in connection with a proposed transaction will include such opinion.
We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-business combination 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-business combination 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-business combination company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-business combination 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-business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the
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business combination. 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, shares or other equity interests 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-business combination company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test. 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 addition, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor. If our securities are not then listed on the NYSE for whatever reason, we would no longer be required to meet the foregoing 80% of net assets test.
To the extent we effect our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in such company or business. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors.
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.
Status as a Public Company
We believe our structure will make us an attractive business combination partner to target businesses. As an existing public company, we offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering through a merger or other business combination with us. In a business combination transaction with us, the owners of the target business may, for example, exchange their shares of stock, shares or other equity interests in the target business for our Class A ordinary shares (or shares of a new holding company) or for a combination of our Class A ordinary shares and cash, allowing us to tailor the consideration to the specific needs of the sellers. We believe target businesses will find this method a more expeditious and cost-effective method to becoming a public company than the typical initial public offering. The typical initial public offering process takes a significantly longer period of time than the typical business combination transaction process, and there are significant expenses in the initial public offering process, including underwriting discounts and commissions, that may not be present to the same extent in connection with a business combination with us.
Furthermore, once a proposed business combination is completed, the target business will have effectively become public, whereas an initial public offering is always subject to the underwriter’s ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions, which could delay or prevent the offering from occurring or have negative valuation consequences. Once public, we believe the target business would then have greater access to capital, an additional means of providing management incentives consistent with shareholders’ interests and the ability to use its shares as currency for acquisitions. Being a public company can offer further benefits by augmenting a company’s profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented employees.
While we believe that our structure and our management team’s backgrounds will make us an attractive business partner, some potential target businesses may view our status as a blank check company, such as our lack of an operating history and our ability to seek shareholder approval of any proposed initial business combination, negatively.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to 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 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 non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval
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of any golden parachute payments not previously approved, If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.
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. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of any fiscal year for so long as either (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates did not exceed $250 million as of the prior June 30, or (2) our annual revenues did not exceed $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates did not exceed $700 million as of the prior June 30.
Until the completion of our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors. As a result, the NYSE will consider us to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NYSE corporate governance standards. Under the NYSE corporate governance standards, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a “controlled company” and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements. We do not intend to utilize these exemptions and intend to comply with the corporate governance requirements of the NYSE, subject to applicable phase-in rules. However, if we determine in the future to utilize some or all of these exemptions, you will not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the NYSE corporate governance requirements.
Financial Position
As of December 31, 2021, we had approximately $198,795,640 available to consummate an initial business combination, after payment of the expenses of our initial public offering and $7,138,250 of deferred underwriting fees. With these funds available for a business combination, we offer a target business a variety of options such as creating a liquidity event for its owners, providing capital for the potential growth and expansion of its operations or strengthening its balance sheet by reducing its debt ratio. Because we are able to complete our initial business combination using our cash, debt or equity securities, or a combination of the foregoing, we have the flexibility to use the most efficient combination that will allow us to tailor the consideration to be paid to the target business to fit its needs and desires. However, we have not taken any steps to secure third-party financing and there can be no assurance it will be available to us.
Effecting Our Initial Business Combination
General
We are not presently engaged in, and we do not expect to engage in, any operations until we complete our initial business combination. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of our initial public offering, over-allotment and the sale of the private placement warrants, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination (pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop agreements we may enter into following the consummation of our initial public offering or otherwise), shares issued
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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 or other sources. We may seek to complete our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, which would subject us to the numerous risks inherent in such companies and businesses.
If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt, 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 ordinary shares, 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-business combination 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.
Although our management will assess the risks inherent in a particular target business with which we may combine, we cannot assure you that this assessment will result in our identifying all risks that a target business may encounter. Furthermore, some of those risks may be outside of our control, meaning that we can do nothing to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely affect a target business.
We may need to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination, either because the transaction requires more cash than is available from the proceeds held in our trust account, or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of the business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination. There are no prohibitions on our ability to issue securities or incur debt in connection with our initial business combination. We are not currently a party to any arrangement or understanding with any third party with respect to raising any additional funds through the sale of securities, the incurrence of debt or otherwise.
Sources of Target Businesses
We anticipate that target business candidates will be brought to our attention from our management team’s connections with businesses, as well as various unaffiliated sources, including investment market participants, private equity groups, investment banking firms, consultants, accounting firms and large business enterprises. Target businesses may be brought to our attention by such unaffiliated sources as a result of being solicited by us through calls or mailings. These sources may also introduce us to target businesses in which they think we may be interested on an unsolicited basis, since some of these sources will have read this Report and know what types of businesses we are targeting. Our officers and directors, as well as their affiliates, may also bring to our attention target business candidates that they become aware of through their business contacts as a result of formal or informal inquiries or discussions they may have, as well as attending trade shows or conventions. In addition, we expect to receive a number of proprietary deal flow opportunities that would not otherwise necessarily be available to us as a result of the business relationships of our officers and directors. While we do not presently anticipate engaging the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions on any formal basis, we may engage these firms or other individuals in the future, in which event we may pay a finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm’s length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction. We will engage a finder only to the extent our management determines that the use of a finder may bring opportunities to us that may not otherwise be available to us or if finders approach us on an unsolicited basis with a potential transaction that our management determines is in our best interest to pursue. Payment of finder’s fees is customarily tied to completion of a transaction, in which case any such fee will be paid out of the funds held in the trust account. In no event, however, will our sponsor or any of our existing officers or directors, or their respective affiliates be paid by us 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 (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). We have agreed to pay our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative support and to reimburse our sponsor for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination. Some of our officers and directors may enter into employment or consulting agreements with the post-business combination company following our initial business combination. The presence or absence of any such fees or arrangements will not be used as a criterion in our selection process of an acquisition candidate.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company
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that is affiliated with our sponsor or any of our officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions 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.
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, including entities that are affiliates of our sponsor, pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. 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, he or she may be required to honor such fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity before we can pursue such opportunity.
To address the matters set out above, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that we renounce, to the fullest extent permitted by law, our interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in any business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for both us and our sponsor and another entity, including any entities managed by our sponsor or its affiliates and any companies in which our sponsor or such entities have invested or about which any of our officers or directors acquires knowledge and we will waive any claim or cause of action we may have in respect thereof. In addition, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association contain provisions to exculpate and indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, such persons in respect of any liability, obligation or duty to our company that may arise as a consequence of such persons becoming aware of any business opportunity or failing to present such business opportunity.
Evaluation of a Target Business and Structuring of Our Initial Business Combination
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a comprehensive due diligence review. That due diligence review may include, among other things, financial statement analysis, document reviews, meetings with the target’s management and other employees, consultations with relevant industry experts, competitors, customers and suppliers, as well as a review of additional information that we will seek to obtain as part of our analysis of a target company.
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. The company will not pay any consulting fees to members of our management team, or their respective affiliates, for services rendered to or in connection with our initial business combination.
In addition, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor.
Lack of Business Diversification
For an indefinite period of time after the completion of our initial business combination, the prospects for our success may depend entirely on the future performance of a single business. Unlike other entities that have the resources to complete business combinations with multiple entities in one or several industries, it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations and mitigate the risks of being in a single line of business. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:
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subject us to negative economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact on the particular industry in which we operate after our initial business combination; and |
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cause us to depend on the marketing and sale of a single product or limited number of products or services. |
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Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target’s Management Team
Although we intend to closely scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with that business, our assessment of the target business’s management may not prove to be correct. In addition, the future management may not have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of members of our management team, if any, in the target business cannot presently be stated with any certainty. The determination as to whether any of the members of our management team will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination. While it is possible that one or more of our directors will remain associated in some capacity with us following our initial business combination, it is unlikely that any of them will devote their full efforts to our affairs subsequent to our initial business combination. Moreover, we cannot assure you that members of our management team will have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.
We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with the combined company. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
Following a business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that additional managers will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
Shareholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination
We may conduct redemptions without a shareholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, subject to the provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. However, we will seek shareholder approval if it is required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement, or we may decide to seek shareholder approval for business or other reasons.
Under the NYSE listing rules, shareholder approval would typically be required for our initial business combination if, for example:
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We issue (other than in a public offering for cash) ordinary shares that will either (a) be equal to or in excess of 20% of the number of our ordinary shares then-outstanding or (b) have voting power equal to or in excess of 20% of the voting power then-outstanding; |
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Any of our directors, officers or substantial security holder (as defined by the NYSE rules) has a 5% or greater interest (or such persons collectively have a 10% or greater interest), directly or indirectly, in the target business or assets to be acquired or in the consideration to be paid in the transaction or otherwise and the present or potential issuance of ordinary shares could result in an increase in issued and outstanding ordinary shares or voting power of 5%; or |
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The issuance or potential issuance of ordinary shares will result in our undergoing a change of control. |
The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination in those instances in which shareholder approval is not required by law will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on business and reasons, which include a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:
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the timing of the transaction, including in the event we determine shareholder approval would require additional time and there is either not enough time to seek shareholder approval or doing so would place the company at a disadvantage in the transaction or result in other additional burdens on the company; |
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the expected cost of holding a shareholder vote; |
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the risk that the shareholders would fail to approve the proposed business combination; |
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other time and budget constraints of the company; and |
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additional legal complexities of a proposed business combination that would be time-consuming and burdensome to present to shareholders. |
Permitted Purchases and Other Transactions with Respect to Our Securities
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, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase public shares or warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. Additionally, at any time at or prior to our initial business combination, subject to applicable securities laws (including with respect to material nonpublic information), our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may enter into transactions with investors and others to provide them with incentives to acquire public shares, vote their public shares in favor of our initial business combination or not redeem their public shares. 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 in the trust account will be used to purchase public shares or 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 non-public information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
In the event that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights or submitted a proxy to vote against our initial business combination, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares and any proxy to vote against our initial business combination. 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 be required to comply with such rules.
The purpose of any such transaction could be to (i) vote in favor of the business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination, (ii) reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination or (iii) 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. 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 ordinary shares or public 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.
Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates anticipate that they may identify the shareholders with whom our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates may pursue privately negotiated transactions by either the shareholders contacting us directly or by our receipt of redemption requests submitted by shareholders (in the case of Class A ordinary shares) following our mailing of tender offer or proxy materials in connection with our initial business combination. To the extent that our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates enter into a private transaction, they would identify and contact only potential selling or redeeming shareholders who have expressed their election to redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the trust account or vote against our initial business combination, whether or not such shareholder has already submitted a proxy with respect to our initial business combination but only if such shares have not already been voted at the shareholder meeting related to our initial business combination. Our sponsor, executive officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates will select which shareholders to purchase shares from based on the negotiated price and number of shares and any other factors that they may deem relevant, and will be restricted from purchasing shares if such purchases do not comply with Regulation M under the Exchange Act and the other federal securities laws.
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Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates will be restricted from making purchases of shares if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. We expect any such purchases would be reported by such person pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements.
Redemption Rights for Public Shareholders upon Completion of Our Initial Business Combination
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Class A ordinary shares 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 calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.10 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 we will pay to the underwriter. The redemption rights will include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our warrants. Further, we will not proceed with redeeming our public shares, even if a public shareholder has properly elected to redeem its shares, if a business combination does not close. Our sponsor and each member of our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and public shares held by them in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by February 13, 2023 or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares.
Limitations on Redemptions
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide 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 (so that we do not then become subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules). However, the proposed business combination may require: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all Class A ordinary shares 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, and all Class A ordinary shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof.
Manner of Conducting Redemptions
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Class A ordinary shares upon the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder 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 proposed business combination or conduct 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 require us to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement or whether we were deemed to be a foreign private issuer (which would require a tender offer rather than seeking shareholder approval under SEC rules). Asset acquisitions and share purchases would not typically require shareholder approval while direct mergers with our company where are not the surviving entity and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares or seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association would typically require shareholder approval. We currently intend to conduct redemptions in connection with a shareholder vote unless shareholder approval is not required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement or we choose to conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of
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the SEC for business or other reasons. So long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on the NYSE, we will be required to comply with the NYSE rules.
If we held a shareholder vote to approve our initial business combination, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association:
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conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules; and |
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file proxy materials with the SEC. |
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 initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we obtain the approval of an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law. In such case, our sponsor and each member of our management team have agreed to vote their founder shares and public shares in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares, we would need 7,648,126, or 37.5% (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted), or 1,274,689, or 6.25% (assuming only the minimum number of shares representing a quorum are voted), of the 20,395,000 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. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or vote at all. In addition, our sponsor and each member of our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and public shares held by them in connection with (i) the completion of a business combination and (ii) a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by February 13, 2023 or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares.
If we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association:
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conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers; and |
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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. |
Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, if we elect to conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, we and our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase Class A ordinary shares in the open market, in order to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act.
In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on public shareholders not tendering more than the number of public shares we are permitted to redeem. If public shareholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete such initial business combination.
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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 memorandum and articles of association 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 redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering, which we refer to as “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 the shares sold in our initial public offering 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 the shares sold in our initial public offering 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.
Tendering Share Certificates in Connection with a Tender Offer or the Exercise of Redemption Rights
Public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” will be required to either tender their certificates (if any) to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, mailed to such holders, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/ Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option, in each case up to two business days prior to the initially scheduled vote to approve the business combination. The proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate the applicable delivery requirements, which will include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, or up to two business days prior to the initially scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the business combination if we distribute proxy materials, as applicable, to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. Given the relatively short period in which to exercise redemption rights, it is advisable for shareholders to use electronic delivery of their public shares.
There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC System. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker a fee of approximately $80.00 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to tender their shares. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising redemption rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated.
The foregoing is different from the procedures used by many blank check companies. In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, many blank check companies would distribute proxy materials for the shareholders’ vote on an initial business combination, and a holder could simply vote against a proposed business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holder was seeking to exercise his or her redemption rights. After the business combination was approved, the company would contact such shareholder to arrange for him or her to deliver his or her certificate to verify ownership. As a result, the shareholder then had an “option window” after the completion of the business combination during which he or she could monitor the price of the company’s shares in the market. If the price rose above the redemption price, he or she could sell his or her shares in the open market before actually delivering his or her shares to the company for cancellation. As a
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result, the redemption rights, to which shareholders were aware they needed to commit before the shareholder meeting, would become “option” rights surviving past the completion of the business combination until the redeeming holder delivered its certificate. The requirement for physical or electronic delivery prior to the meeting ensures that a redeeming shareholder’s election to redeem is irrevocable once the business combination is approved.
Any request to redeem such shares, once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to two business days prior to the initially scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the business combination, unless otherwise agreed to by us. Furthermore, if a holder of a public share delivered its certificate in connection with an election of redemption rights and subsequently decides prior to the applicable date not to elect to exercise such rights, such holder may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically). It is anticipated that the funds to be distributed to holders of our public shares electing to redeem their shares will be distributed promptly after the completion of our initial business combination.
If our initial business combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public shareholders who elected to exercise their redemption rights would not be entitled to redeem their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any certificates delivered by public holders who elected to redeem their shares.
If our initial proposed business combination is not completed, we may continue to try to complete a business combination with a different target by February 13, 2023.
Redemption of Public Shares and Liquidation If No Initial Business Combination
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that we will have only 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering to consummate an initial business combination. If we have not consummated an initial business combination by February 13, 2023, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 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 income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation 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 the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) to our obligations under Cayman Islands 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 consummate an initial business combination by February 13, 2023. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that, if a resolution of the company’s shareholders is passed pursuant to the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands to commence the voluntary liquidation of the company, we will follow the foregoing procedures with respect to the liquidation of the trust account as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to applicable Cayman Islands law.
Our sponsor and each member of our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares they hold if we fail to consummate an initial business combination by February 13, 2023 (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame).
Our sponsor, executive officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by February 13, 2023 or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares 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
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trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares. However, we may not redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 (so that we do not then become subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules). If this optional redemption right is exercised with respect to an excessive number of public shares such that we cannot satisfy the net tangible asset requirement, we would not proceed with the amendment or the related redemption of our public shares at such time. This redemption right shall apply in the event of the approval of any such amendment, whether proposed by our sponsor, any executive officer or director, or any other person.
We expect that all costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, as well as payments to any creditors, will be funded from amounts remaining out of the approximately $710,270 held outside the trust account plus up to $100,000 of funds from the trust account available to us to pay dissolution expenses, although we cannot assure you that there will be sufficient funds for such purpose.
If we were to expend all of the net proceeds of our initial public offering, over-allotment and the sale of the private placement warrants, other than the proceeds deposited in the trust account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the trust account, the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders upon our dissolution would be approximately $10.10. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors which would have higher priority than the claims of our public shareholders. We cannot assure you that the actual per-share redemption amount received by shareholders will not be substantially less than $10.10. While we intend to pay such amounts, if any, we cannot assure you that we will have funds sufficient to pay or provide for all creditors’ claims.
Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers, 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, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would 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 an 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 perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third-party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third-party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. 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. In order to protect the amounts held in the trust account, 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 (other than our independent registered public accounting firm), or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amounts in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.10 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 $10.10 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest that may be withdrawn to pay our tax obligations, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third-party or prospective target business that executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account 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. In the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third-party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. 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. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
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In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.10 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 $10.10 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest which may be withdrawn to pay our income tax obligations, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its indemnification 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 may choose not to do so in any particular instance. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that due to claims of creditors the actual value of the per-share redemption price will not be less than $10.10 per public share.
We will seek to reduce the possibility that our sponsor will have to indemnify the trust account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the trust account. Our sponsor will also not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriter of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We have access to up to approximately $710,270 from the proceeds of our initial public offering, over-allotment and the sale of the private placement warrants (as of December 31, 2021) with which to pay any such potential claims (including costs and expenses incurred in connection with our liquidation, currently estimated to be no more than approximately $100,000). In the event that we liquidate and it is subsequently determined that the reserve for claims and liabilities is insufficient, shareholders who received funds from our trust account could be liable for claims made by creditors, however such liability will not be greater than the amount of funds from our trust account received by any such shareholder.
If 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, we cannot assure you we will be able to return $10.10 per public share to our public shareholders. Additionally, if 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. Furthermore, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, and thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only (i) in the event of the redemption of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by February 13, 2023, (ii) in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by February 13, 2023 or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares, or (iii) if they redeem their respective shares for cash upon the completion of the initial business combination. Public shareholders who redeem their Class A ordinary shares in connection with a shareholder vote described in clause (ii) in the preceding sentence shall not be entitled to funds from the trust account upon the subsequent completion of an initial business combination or liquidation if we have not consummated an initial business combination by February 13, 2023, with respect to such Class A ordinary shares so redeemed. In no other circumstances will a shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. In the event we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, a shareholder’s voting in connection with the business combination alone will not result in a shareholder’s redeeming its shares to us for an applicable pro rata share of the trust account. Such shareholder must have also exercised its redemption rights described above. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, like all provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, may be amended with a shareholder vote.
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Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our initial business combination, we may encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other blank check 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.
Facilities
We currently maintain our executive offices at PO Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman KY1-1104, Cayman Islands. The cost for our use of this space is included in the $10,000 per month fee we pay to our sponsor for office space, administrative and support services, since the date that our securities were first listed on the NYSE. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.
Employees
We currently have two executive officers. These individuals are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters, but they intend to devote as much of their time as they deem necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time they 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.
Periodic Reporting and Financial Information
We have registered our units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants under the Exchange Act and have reporting obligations, including the requirement that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with the SEC. In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, this Report contains and our subsequent annual reports will contain financial statements audited and reported on by our independent registered public accountants.
We will provide shareholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, sent to shareholders. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or reconciled to, GAAP, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances, and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the 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 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. We cannot assure you that any particular target business identified by us as a potential acquisition candidate will have financial statements prepared in accordance with the requirements outlined above, or that the potential target business will be able to prepare its financial statements in accordance with the requirements outlined above. To the extent that these requirements cannot be met, we may not be able to acquire the proposed target business. While this may limit the pool of potential acquisition candidates, we do not believe that this limitation will be material.
We will be required to evaluate our internal control procedures for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022 as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. 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 not be required to comply with the independent
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registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. A target business may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition.
On August 10, 2021, we filed a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we are subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.
We are a Cayman Islands exempted company. Exempted companies are Cayman Islands companies conducting business mainly outside the Cayman Islands and, as such, are exempted from complying with certain provisions of the Companies Act. As an exempted company, we received a tax exemption undertaking from the Cayman Islands government that, in accordance with Section 6 of the Tax Concessions Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands, for a period of 30 years from the date of the undertaking, no law which is enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations will apply to us or our operations and, in addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax will be payable (i) on or in respect of our shares, debentures or other obligations or (ii) by way of the withholding in whole or in part of a payment of dividend or other distribution of income or capital by us to our shareholders or a payment of principal or interest or other sums due under a debenture or other obligation of us.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to 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 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 non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.
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. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30, or (2) our annual revenues exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30.
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Item 1A. |
Risk Factors |
You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this Report, including the financial statements. If any of the following risks occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. The risk factors described below are not necessarily exhaustive and you are encouraged to perform your own investigation with respect to us and our business.
Risks Relating to our Search for, and Consummation of or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination
Our public shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, 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 before we complete our initial business combination if the business combination would not require shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement. For instance, if we were seeking to acquire a target business where the consideration we were paying in the transaction was all cash, we would typically not be required to seek shareholder approval to complete such a transaction. Except for as required by applicable law or stock exchange listing 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. Accordingly, we may complete our initial business combination even if holders of a majority of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares do not approve of the business combination we complete.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, after approval of the board our sponsor and members of our management team have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote.
Our initial shareholders beneficially own, on an as-converted basis, 20% of our outstanding ordinary shares following the completion of our initial public offering. Our sponsor and members of our management team also may from time to time purchase Class A ordinary shares prior to our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that, if we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a simple majority of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, voted at a shareholder meeting are voted in favor of the business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares, we would need 7,648,126, or 37.5% (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised), or 1,274,689, or 6.25% (assuming only the minimum number of shares representing a quorum are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised), of the 20,395,000 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. Accordingly, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, the agreement by our sponsor and each member of our 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.
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 were not provided with an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of any target businesses. 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 approval. Accordingly, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential 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.
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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 a prospective target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. 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 (so that we do not then become subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules). Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 or such greater amount necessary to satisfy a closing 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.
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 a large number of shares are submitted for redemption, we may need to restructure the transaction to reserve a greater portion of the cash in the trust account or arrange for additional third-party financing. Raising additional third-party financing may involve dilutive equity issuances or the incurrence of indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure. 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 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 funds in 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 our redemption of our public shares until we liquidate or you are able to sell your shares in the open market.
The requirement that we consummate an initial business combination by February 13, 2023 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 business combination 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 consummate an initial business combination by February 13, 2023. 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 time frame described above. In
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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.
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized the COVID-19 outbreak as a “pandemic.” The COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in, and a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases could result in, a widespread health crisis adversely affecting the economies and financial markets worldwide, potentially including the business of any potential target business with which we intend to consummate a business combination. Furthermore, we may be unable to complete a business combination at all if concerns relating to COVID-19 continue to restrict travel, limit the ability to have meetings with potential investors or make it impossible or impractical to negotiate and consummate a transaction with the target company’s personnel, vendors and service providers in a timely manner, if at all. 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 the actions to contain COVID-19 or its impact, among others. While vaccines for COVID-19 are being, and have been, developed, there is no guarantee that any such vaccine will be durable and effective consistent with current expectations and we expect it will take significant time before the vaccines are available and accepted on a significant scale. The disruptions posed by COVID-19 or other public health emergencies, diseases or matters of global concern could materially adversely affect our ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination.
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 and third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all.
Finally, the outbreak of COVID-19 may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section, such as those related to the market for our securities and cross-border transactions.
We may not be able to consummate an initial business combination by February 13, 2023, 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 consummate an initial business combination by February 13, 2023. 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 consummated an initial business combination within such 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 income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation 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 the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that, if a resolution of the company’s shareholders is passed pursuant to the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands to commence the voluntary liquidation of the company, we will follow the foregoing procedures with respect to the liquidation of the trust account as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to applicable Cayman Islands law. In either such case, our public shareholders may receive only $10.10 per public share, or less than $10.10 per public share, on the redemption of their shares, and our warrants will expire worthless. See Item 1A “Risk Factors—If third
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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 $10.10 per public share” and other risk factors herein.
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 preparing for an initial public offering, as well as many such companies currently in registration. As a result, at times, fewer attractive targets may be available 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, including between the U.S. and China and between Russia and Ukraine, 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.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates may elect to purchase public shares or warrants, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares or public warrants.
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, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase public shares or 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. 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 in the trust account will be used to purchase public shares or warrants in such transactions.
In the event that our sponsor, 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 transaction could be to (1) vote in favor of the business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination, (2) reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination or (3) 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. 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 ordinary shares or public 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. 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 Item 1 “Business—Permitted Purchases and Other Transactions with Respect to Our Securities” for a description of how our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates will select which shareholders to purchase securities from in any private transaction.
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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 solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, such shareholder may not become aware of the opportunity to redeem its shares. In addition, the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, 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 redeem or tender public shares. In the event that a shareholder fails to comply with these procedures, its shares may not be redeemed. See Item 1 “Business—Business Strategy—Effecting Our Initial Business Combination—Tendering Share Certificates in Connection with a Tender Offer or the Exercise of Redemption Rights.”
You are not entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of many other blank check companies.
Since the net proceeds of our initial public offering, over-allotment and the sale of the private placement warrants are intended to be used to complete an initial business combination with a target business, we are considered to be a “blank check” company under the United States securities laws. However, because we will have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001, 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 are not afforded the benefits or protections of those rules. Among other things, this means that 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 have prohibited 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.
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 ordinary shares, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares.
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 memorandum and articles of association 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 redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares,” without our prior consent. 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.
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 have not consummated our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.10 per public share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.
We have encountered and expect to encounter intense 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
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and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources or more local industry knowledge than we do and our financial resources are 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, over-allotment and the sale of the private placement warrants, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses that are sizable is 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 have not consummated our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.10 per public share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. See Item 1A “Risk Factors—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 $10.10 per public share” and other risk factors herein.
If the net proceeds of our initial public offering, over-allotment and the sale of the private placement warrants not being held in the trust account are insufficient to allow us to operate until February 13, 2023, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and our ability to complete our initial business combination, and we will depend on loans from our sponsor, its affiliates or members of our management team to fund our search and to complete our initial business combination.
As of December 31, 2021, we had approximately $710,270 in cash held outside the trust account to fund our working capital requirements. We believe that the funds available to us outside of the trust account, together with funds available from loans from our sponsor, its affiliates or members of our management team are sufficient to allow us to operate until February 13, 2023; however, we cannot assure you that our estimate is accurate, and our sponsor, its affiliates or members of our management team are under no obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Of the funds available to us, we expect to 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 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 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.
The amount held in the trust account will not be impacted as a result of such increase or decrease. If we are required to seek additional capital, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor, its affiliates, members of our management team or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. Neither our sponsor, members of our management team nor their affiliates is under any obligation to us in such circumstances. Any such advances may 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 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, its affiliates or members of our management team 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 have not consummated our initial business combination within the required time period 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 $10.10 per public share, or possibly less, on our redemption of our public shares, and our warrants will expire worthless. See Item 1A “Risk Factors—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 $10.10 per public share” and other risk factors herein.
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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 $10.10 per public 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, 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 perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third-party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third-party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative.
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 have not consummated an initial business combination by February 13, 2023, 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 be brought against us within the ten years following redemption. Accordingly, the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders could be less than the $10.10 per public share initially held in the trust account, due to claims of such creditors. Pursuant to the letter agreement the form of which is filed as an exhibit to our registration statement, our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third-party (other than our independent auditors) for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amounts in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.10 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 $10.10 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest that may be withdrawn to pay our tax obligations, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third-party or prospective target business that executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account 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. Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third-party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims.
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 $10.10 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) $10.10 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 $10.10 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest that may be withdrawn to pay our tax obligations, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its obligations or
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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 $10.10 per public 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 (except to the extent they are entitled to funds from the trust account due to their ownership of public shares). 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.
The securities in which we invest the funds held in the trust account could bear a negative rate of interest, which could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.10 per share.
The proceeds held in the trust account will be invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. 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 that we are unable to complete our initial business combination or make certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, 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 income taxes paid or payable (less, in the case we are unable to complete our initial business combination, $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses). Negative interest rates could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.10 per share.
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, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors.
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
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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.
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:
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restrictions on the nature of our investments; and |
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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:
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registration as an investment company with the SEC; |
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adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and |
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reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations that we are currently not subject to. |
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.
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 memorandum and articles of association to (A) modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by February 13, 2023 or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares; or (iii) absent our completing an initial business combination by February 13, 2023, 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
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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 have not consummated our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.10 per public share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.
Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.
We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we are required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments 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.
If we have not consummated an initial business combination within the prescribed time frame, our public shareholders may be forced to wait beyond such prescribed time frame before redemption from our trust account.
If we have not consummated an initial business combination by February 13, 2023, the proceeds 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 income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares, as further described herein. Any redemption of public shareholders from the trust account will be effected automatically by function of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior to any voluntary winding up. If we are required to wind up, liquidate the trust account and distribute such amount therein, pro rata, to our public shareholders, as part of any liquidation process, such winding up, liquidation and distribution must comply with the applicable provisions of the Companies Act. In that case, investors may be forced to wait beyond February 13, 2023 before the redemption proceeds of our trust account become available to them, and they receive the return of their pro rata portion of the proceeds from our trust account. We have no obligation to return funds to investors prior to the date of their redemption or any liquidation unless, prior thereto, we consummate our initial business combination or amend certain provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, and only then in cases where investors have sought to redeem their Class A ordinary shares. Only upon their redemption or any liquidation will public shareholders be entitled to distributions if we do not complete our initial business combination and do not amend certain provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that, if a resolution of the company’s shareholders is passed pursuant to the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands to commence the voluntary liquidation of the company, we will follow the foregoing procedures with respect to the liquidation of the trust account as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to applicable Cayman Islands law.
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.
If we are forced to enter into an insolvent liquidation, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed as an unlawful payment if it was proved that immediately following the date on which the distribution was made, we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. As a result, a liquidator could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to us or our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, thereby exposing themselves and our company to claims, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons. We and our directors and officers who knowingly and willfully authorized or permitted any distribution to be paid out of our share premium account while we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business would be guilty of an offence and may be liable for a fine of $18,292.68 and imprisonment for five years in the Cayman Islands.
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Holders of Class A ordinary shares will not be entitled to vote on any election of directors we hold prior to our initial business combination.
Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. In addition, prior to our initial business combination, holders of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason by ordinary resolution. Accordingly, you may not have any say in the management of our company prior to the consummation of an initial business combination.
We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders until after the consummation of our initial business combination.
In accordance with the NYSE 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. There is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or shareholder meetings to elect directors. Until we hold an annual meeting of shareholders, public shareholders may not be afforded the opportunity to elect directors and to discuss company affairs with management. Our board of directors is divided into three classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of shareholders) serving a three-year term. In addition, as holders of our Class A ordinary shares, our public shareholders will not have the right to vote on the election of directors until after the consummation of our initial business combination.
Because we are neither limited to evaluating a target business in a particular industry, sector or geographic area nor have we entered into a definitive agreement with 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.
We may pursue business combination opportunities in any industry, sector or geographic area, except that we will not, under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination solely with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations. Because we have not yet entered into a definitive agreement with 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 securities 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 holders who choose to retain their securities following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
We may seek business combination opportunities in industries, sectors or geographies which may or may not be outside of our management’s area of expertise.
We will consider an initial business combination in industries, sectors or geographies outside of our management’s area of expertise if an initial business combination target 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 target, 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 securities will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to investors than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in an initial business combination target. In the event we elect to pursue an initial business combination outside of the areas of our management’s expertise, our management’s expertise may not be directly applicable to its
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evaluation or operation, and the information contained in this Report 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 adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. Accordingly, any holders who choose to retain their securities following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such holders 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 applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other 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 have not consummated our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.10 per public share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.
We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent accounting or investment banking 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, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions 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 solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.
We may issue additional Class A ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares 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 memorandum and articles of association. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association authorize the issuance of up to 500,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and 5,000,000 preference shares, par value $0.0001 per share. There are currently 479,605,000 and 44,901,250 authorized but unissued Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares, respectively, available for issuance which amounts do not take into account shares reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding warrants or shares issuable upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares, if any. The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares (which such Class A ordinary shares delivered upon conversion will not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we fail to consummate an initial business combination) at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of the holders thereof as described herein and in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. There are no preference shares issued and outstanding.
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We may issue a substantial number of additional Class A ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares in connection with our redeeming the warrants or upon conversion of the Class B ordinary 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 as set forth herein. However, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide, among other things, that prior to or in connection with 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 on any initial business combination or on any other proposal presented to shareholders prior to or in connection with the completion of an initial business combination. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, like all provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, may be amended with a shareholder vote. The issuance of additional ordinary or preference shares:
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may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in our initial public offering, which dilution would increase if the anti-dilution provisions in the Class B ordinary shares resulted in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares; |
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may subordinate the rights of holders of Class A ordinary shares if preference shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our Class A ordinary shares; |
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could cause a change in control if a substantial number of Class A ordinary shares are 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; |
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may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; |
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may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, Class A ordinary shares and/or warrants; and |
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may not result in adjustment to the exercise price of our warrants. |
Unlike some other similarly structured blank check companies, our sponsor will receive additional Class A ordinary shares if we issue shares to consummate an initial business combination.
The founder shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares (which such Class A ordinary shares delivered upon conversion will not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we fail to consummate an initial business combination) at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of the holders thereof at a ratio such that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all founder shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of (i) the total number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding following our initial public offering, plus (ii) the total number of Class A ordinary shares 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 Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities exercisable for or convertible into Class A ordinary shares issued, deemed issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination and any private placement warrants issued to our sponsor, any of its affiliates or any members of our management team upon conversion of working capital loans. In no event will the Class B ordinary shares convert into Class A ordinary shares at a rate of less than one-to-one. This is different than some other similarly structured blank check 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 the initial business combination.
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 have not consummated our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may
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receive only approximately $10.10 per public share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account 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 have not consummated our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.10 per public share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.
Investment vehicles managed by our officers and directors or their affiliates, and special purpose acquisition companies managed or sponsored by our officers and directors or their affiliates or in which they otherwise participate, may compete with us for acquisition opportunities.
Certain of our officers and directors and their affiliates manage several investment vehicles and manage, sponsor or otherwise participate in special purpose acquisition companies. Such investment vehicles and special purpose acquisition companies may compete with us for acquisition opportunities. If these investment vehicles or special purpose acquisition companies decide to pursue any such opportunity, we may be precluded from pursuing such opportunities. In addition, investment ideas generated by Mr. Rolet within Towerbrook Capital Partners LP may be suitable for both us and for current or future investment vehicles managed by Towerbrook Capital Partners LP or its affiliates and may be directed to such investment vehicles rather than to us, subject to applicable fiduciary duties. Mr. Rolet does not have any obligation to present us with any opportunity for a potential business combination of which he becomes aware solely in his capacity as an officer or managing director of Towerbrook Capital Partners LP. In addition, Towerbrook Capital Partners LP or its affiliates may sponsor other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination, and members of our management team may participate in such blank check companies.
Moreover, Mr. Rolet is a member of the board of directors of Golden Falcon Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, which completed its initial public offering in December 2020. Golden Falcon Acquisition Corp., like us, may pursue initial business combination targets in a range of businesses or industries with a focus on technology and financial services, and has until December 22, 2022 to do so (absent an extension in accordance with its charter). Any such special purpose acquisition companies, including Golden Falcon Acquisition Corp., may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an acquisition target.
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 initial shareholders 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 initial shareholders, which may raise potential conflicts of interest. Our directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities, including, without limitation, those described under Item 10 “Conflicts of Interest.” In addition, one of our officers currently serves as a member of the board of another blank check company and our sponsor, officers and directors may sponsor, form or participate in other blank check companies similar to ours during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. 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 and guidelines for a business combination as set forth in Item 1 “Business—Effecting Our Initial Business Combination—Evaluation of a Target Business and Structuring of Our Initial Business Combination” and such transaction was approved by a majority of our independent and
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disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions 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 initial shareholders, 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 our underwriter or one of its affiliates to provide additional services to us after our 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 is entitled to receive deferred commissions that will be released from the trust only upon the completion of an initial business combination. These financial incentives may cause our underwriter to have potential conflicts of interest in rendering any such additional services to us after our initial public offering, including, for example, in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.
We may engage our underwriter or one of its affiliates to provide additional services to us after our initial public offering, 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 the 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 the underwriter or its affiliates and no fees or other compensation for such services will be paid to the underwriter or its affiliates prior to the date that is 60 days from the date of our initial public offering, unless FINRA determines that such payment would not be deemed underwriter’s compensation in connection with our initial public offering. The underwriter is also entitled to receive deferred commissions that are conditioned on the completion of an initial business combination. The underwriter’s or its 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.
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 15, 2021, our sponsor paid $25,000, or approximately $0.003 per share, to cover certain expenses on our behalf in consideration of 8,625,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001. On July 22, 2021, we effected a share surrender resulting in our sponsor surrendering 2,875,000 Class B ordinary shares. As a result of such share surrender, our initial shareholders currently hold 5,750,000 Class B ordinary shares. Each of Sharda Cherwoo, Peter K. Lenardos and Emer Timmons currently owns 25,000 Class B ordinary shares noted above, which were transferred to them from our sponsor on April 27, 2021. Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000 by our sponsor, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. The founder shares will be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. In addition, our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 8,618,500 private placement warrants, each exercisable to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment, at a price of $1.00 per warrant ($8,618,500 in the aggregate), in a private placement that closed simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering. If we do not consummate an initial business combination by February 13, 2023, the private placement warrants will expire worthless. 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 18-month anniversary of the closing of our initial public offering nears, which is the deadline for our consummation of an initial business combination.
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.”
In connection with the Company's assessment of going concern considerations accordance with FASB's Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, we have determined that if the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination by February 13, 2023, then the Company will cease all operations except for the purpose of liquidating. The date for mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution raise substantial doubt about the
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Company's ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements contained elsewhere in this prospectus do not include any adjustments that might result from our inability to continue as a going concern.
We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete an initial 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 Report to issue any notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur outstanding debt, 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, we do not expect any 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:
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default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
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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; |
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our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt is payable on demand; |
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our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt is outstanding; |
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our inability to pay dividends on our Class A ordinary shares; |
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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 ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; |
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limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; |
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increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and |
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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, over-allotment and the sale of the private placement warrants, 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.
The net proceeds from our initial public offering, over-allotment and the sale of the private placement warrants provided us with an aggregate of $201,351,250, consisting of net proceeds of $189,000,000 from the initial public offering (net of $11,000,000 in underwriting costs), $3,851,250 from the partial exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option (net of $217,250 in underwriting costs) and proceeds of $8,618,500 from the sale of private placement warrants.
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
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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:
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solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset; or |
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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.
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 (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 an initial business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
In pursuing our acquisition 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.
We may seek business combination opportunities with a high degree of complexity that require significant operational improvements, which could delay or prevent us from achieving our desired results.
We may seek business combination opportunities with large, highly complex companies that we believe would benefit from operational improvements. While we intend to implement such improvements, to the extent that our efforts are delayed or we are unable to achieve the desired improvements, the business combination may not be as successful as we anticipate.
To the extent we complete our initial business combination with a large complex business or entity with a complex operating structure, we may also be affected by numerous risks inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine, which could delay or prevent us from implementing our strategy. Although our management team will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business and its operations, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors until we complete our business combination. If we are not able to achieve our desired operational improvements, or the improvements take longer to implement than anticipated, we may not achieve the gains that we anticipate. Furthermore, some of these risks and complexities may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks and complexities will adversely impact a target business. Such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a smaller, less complex organization.
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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 do not agree.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association do 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 (so that we do not then become subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules). As a result, we may be able to complete our initial business combination even if 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 their affiliates. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all Class A ordinary shares 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, all Class A ordinary shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination.
In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check 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 memorandum and articles of association 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, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. For example, blank check companies have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds, 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 memorandum and articles of association requires a special resolution of our shareholders as a matter of Cayman Islands law, meaning the approval of holders of at least two-thirds (2⁄3) majority (or such higher threshold as specified in the company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at a shareholder meeting of the company, 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 memorandum and articles of association require 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 memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by February 13, 2023 or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares. To the extent any of such amendments would be deemed to fundamentally change the nature of any of the securities offered through our registration statement, 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 memorandum and articles of association that relate to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account) may be amended with the approval of a special resolution which requires the approval of the holders of at least two-thirds ( 2⁄3) majority (or such higher threshold as specified in the company’s amended and restated memorandum articles of association) of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at a shareholder meeting of the company, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other blank check companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support.
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Some other blank check companies have a provision in their charter which prohibits the amendment of certain of its provisions, including those which relate to the rights of a company’s shareholders, without approval by a certain percentage of the company’s shareholders. In those companies, amendment of these provisions typically requires approval by between 90% and 100% of the company’s shareholders. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that any of its provisions related to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of our initial public offering, over-allotment and the sale of the private placement warrants 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 special resolution and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of at least 65% of our ordinary shares, provided that the provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the appointment or removal of directors prior to our initial business combination may only be amended by a special resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at our shareholder meeting which shall include the affirmative vote of a simple majority of our Class B ordinary shares. Our initial shareholders and their permitted transferees, if any, who collectively beneficially own, on an as-converted basis, 20% of our Class A ordinary shares, will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association 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 memorandum and articles of association which govern our pre-business combination behavior more easily than some other blank check 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 memorandum and articles of association.
Our sponsor, executive officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to agreements with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by February 13, 2023 or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A ordinary shares 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 income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the 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 or directors 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.
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. If we have not consummated our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.10 per public share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.
Although we believe that the net proceeds of our initial public offering, over-allotment and the sale of the private placement warrants will be sufficient to allow us to complete our initial business combination, because we have not yet entered into a definitive agreement with any specific target business we cannot ascertain the capital requirements for any particular transaction. If the net proceeds of our initial public offering, over-allotment and the sale of the private placement warrants prove to be insufficient, either because of the size of our initial business combination, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, the obligation to redeem for cash a significant number of shares from shareholders who elect redemption in connection with our initial business combination or the terms of negotiated transactions to purchase shares in connection with our initial business combination, we may be required to seek additional financing or to abandon the proposed business combination. We cannot assure you that such financing will be available on acceptable terms, if at all. The current economic environment may make it difficult for companies to obtain acquisition financing. 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. If we have not consummated our initial business combination within the required time period, our
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public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.10 per public share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account 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.
Our sponsor controls 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 beneficially own 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares. Accordingly, they may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including appointment of our directors, amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approval of significant corporate transactions including our initial business combination. If our initial shareholders purchase any additional Class A ordinary shares 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, other than as disclosed in this Report. Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our Class A ordinary shares.
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 term of 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 sponsor, because of its ownership position, will control the outcome, as only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors and to remove directors prior to our initial business combination.
Accordingly, our sponsor will continue to exert control at least until the completion of our initial business combination. In addition, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor.
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 a proxy statement with respect to a vote on a business combination meeting certain financial significance tests include historical and/or pro forma financial statement disclosure in periodic reports. 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, or GAAP, or international financial reporting standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or 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), or PCAOB. These financial statements may also be required to be prepared in accordance with GAAP in connection with our current report on Form 8-K announcing the closing of our initial business combination within four business days following such closing. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such 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 a business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing a 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, 2022. Only in the event we are
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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. 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.
Risks Relating to the Post-Business Combination Company
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 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 post-combination debt financing. Accordingly, any holders who choose to retain their securities following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
The officers and directors of an initial business combination candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The loss of an initial business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
The role of an initial business combination 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 initial business combination candidate’s management team will remain associated with the initial business combination 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 and may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The loss of an initial business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
Our management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination. Upon the loss of control of a target business, new management may not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business.
We may structure our initial business combination so that the post-business combination 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-business combination company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business 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-business combination company owns 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to our initial 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 Class A ordinary shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock, shares or other
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equity interests 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 Class A ordinary shares, our shareholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our outstanding Class A ordinary shares 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 be able to maintain control of the target business. 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 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, which could, in turn, negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.
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 who choose to retain their securities following the initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
Risks Associated with Acquiring and Operating a Business in Foreign Countries
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:
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costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations; |
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rules and regulations regarding currency redemption; |
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complex corporate withholding taxes on individuals; |
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laws governing the manner in which future business combinations may be effected; |
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exchange listing and/or delisting requirements; |
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tariffs and trade barriers, including the impact of ongoing trade wars between the United States and foreign countries; |
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regulations related to customs and import/export matters; |
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local or regional economic policies and market conditions; |
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unexpected changes in regulatory requirements; |
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longer payment cycles; |
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tax issues, such as tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States; |
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currency fluctuations and exchange controls; |
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rates of inflation; |
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challenges in collecting accounts receivable; |
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cultural and language differences; |
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employment regulations; |
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underdeveloped or unpredictable legal or regulatory systems; |
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corruption; |
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protection of intellectual property; |
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social unrest, crime, strikes, riots and civil disturbances; |
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regime changes and political upheaval; |
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terrorist attacks, natural disasters and wars; and |
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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 combination, our operations might suffer, either of which may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination and such reincorporation may result in taxes imposed on shareholders.
We may, in connection with our initial business combination and subject to requisite shareholder approval under the Companies Act, reincorporate in the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located or in another jurisdiction. The transaction may require a shareholder or warrant holder to recognize taxable income in the jurisdiction in which the shareholder or warrant holder is a tax resident or in which its members are resident if it is a tax transparent entity. We do not intend to make any cash distributions to shareholders or warrant holders to pay such taxes. Shareholders or warrant holders may be subject to withholding taxes or other taxes with respect to their ownership of us after the reincorporation.
We may reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination, and the laws of such jurisdiction may govern some or all of our future material agreements and we may not be able to enforce our legal rights.
In connection with our initial business combination, we may relocate the home jurisdiction of our business from the Cayman Islands to another jurisdiction. If we determine to do this, the laws of such jurisdiction may govern some or all of our future material agreements. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the United States. The inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss of business, business opportunities or capital.
We are subject to changing law and regulations regarding regulatory matters, corporate governance and public disclosure that have increased both our costs and the risk of non-compliance.
We are subject to rules and regulations by various governing bodies, including, for example, the SEC, which are charged with the protection of investors and the oversight of companies whose securities are publicly traded, and to new and evolving regulatory measures under applicable law. Our efforts to comply with new and changing laws and regulations have resulted in and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from seeking a business combination target.
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Moreover, because these laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance becomes available. This evolution may result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and additional costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to our disclosure and governance practices. If we fail to address and comply with these regulations and any subsequent changes, we may be subject to penalty and our business may be harmed.
If our management following our initial business combination is unfamiliar with United States securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws, which could lead to various regulatory issues.
Following our initial business combination, our management may resign from their positions as officers or directors of the company and the management of the target business at the time of the business combination will remain in place. Management of the target business may not be familiar with United States securities laws. If new management is unfamiliar with United States securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws. This could be expensive and time-consuming and could lead to various regulatory issues which may adversely affect our operations.
After our initial business combination, substantially all of our assets may be located in a foreign country and substantially all of our revenue may be derived from our operations in any such country. Accordingly, our results of operations and prospects will be subject, to a significant extent, to the economic, political and social conditions and government policies, developments and conditions in the country in which we operate.
The economic, political and social conditions, as well as government policies, of the country in which our operations are located could affect our business. Economic growth could be uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy and such growth may not be sustained in the future. If in the future such country’s economy experiences a downturn or grows at a slower rate than expected, there may be less demand for spending in certain industries. A decrease in demand for spending in certain industries could materially and adversely affect our ability to find an attractive target business with which to consummate our initial business combination and if we effect our initial business combination, the ability of that target business to become profitable.
Exchange rate fluctuations and currency policies may cause a target business’ ability to succeed in the international markets to be diminished.
In the event we acquire a non-U.S. target, all revenues and income would likely be received in a foreign currency, and the dollar equivalent of our net assets and distributions, if any, could be adversely affected by reductions in the value of the local currency. The value of the currencies in our target regions fluctuate and are affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions. Any change in the relative value of such currency against our reporting currency may affect the attractiveness of any target business or, following consummation of our initial business combination, our financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, if a currency appreciates in value against the dollar prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, the cost of a target business as measured in dollars will increase, which may make it less likely that we are able to consummate such transaction.
Risks Relating to our 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.
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The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or executive officers could have a detrimental effect on us.
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, director 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.
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. In addition, pursuant to an agreement entered into simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering, our sponsor, upon and following consummation of an initial business combination, will be entitled to nominate three individuals for election to our board of directors, as long as our sponsor holds any securities covered by the registration and shareholder rights agreement
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. 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. For a complete discussion of our executive officers’ and directors’ other business affairs, please see Item 10 “Directors and Executive Officers.”
Our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have, additional fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities, including another blank check company, and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Until we consummate our initial business combination, we will continue to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses or entities. Each of our officers and directors presently has,
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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. 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.
In addition, our sponsor, officers and directors may in the future become affiliated with other blank check companies that may have acquisition objectives that are similar to ours. 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 such other blank check companies prior to its presentation to us. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that we renounce, to the fullest extent permitted by law, our interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in any business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for both us and our sponsor and another entity, including any entities managed by our sponsor or its affiliates and any companies in which our sponsor or such entities have invested or about which any of our officers or directors acquires knowledge and we will waive any claim or cause of action we may have in respect thereof. In addition, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association contain provisions to exculpate and indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, such persons in respect of any liability, obligation or duty to our company that may arise as a consequence of such persons becoming aware of any business opportunity or failing to present such business opportunity.
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 Item 10 “Directors and Executive Officers,” Item 10 “Conflicts of Interest” and Item 13 “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.”
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 would be a breach of their fiduciary duties to us as a matter of Cayman Islands 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.
Involvement of members of our management and companies with which they are affiliated in civil disputes and litigation, governmental investigations or negative publicity unrelated to our business affairs could materially impact our ability to consummate an initial business combination.
Members of our management team and companies with which they are affiliated have been, and in the future will continue to be, involved in a wide variety of business affairs, including transactions, such as sales and purchases of businesses, and ongoing operations. As a result of such involvement, members of our management and companies with which they are affiliated have been, and may in the future be, involved in civil disputes, litigation, governmental investigations and negative publicity relating to their business affairs. Any such claims, investigations, lawsuits or negative publicity may be detrimental to our reputation and could negatively affect our ability to identify and complete an initial business combination in a material manner and may have an adverse effect on the price of our securities.
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Risks Relating to our Securities
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 are entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earliest to occur of: (i) our completion of an initial business combination, and then only in connection with those Class A ordinary shares 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 memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by February 13, 2023 or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we have not consummated an initial business combination by February 13, 2023, subject to applicable law and as further described herein. Public shareholders who redeem their Class A ordinary shares in connection with a shareholder vote described in clause (ii) in the preceding sentence shall not be entitled to funds from the trust account upon the subsequent completion of an initial business combination or liquidation if we have not consummated an initial business combination by February 13, 2023, with respect to such Class A ordinary shares so redeemed. 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.
NYSE 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 currently listed on the NYSE. However, we cannot assure you that our securities will continue to be listed on the NYSE in the future or prior to our initial business combination. In order to continue listing our securities on the NYSE prior to our initial business combination, we must maintain certain financial, distribution and share price levels. Generally, following our initial public offering, we must maintain a minimum amount of 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’s initial listing requirements, which are more rigorous than the NYSE’s continued listing requirements, in order to continue to maintain the listing of our securities on the NYSE. For instance, our share price would generally be required to be at least $4.00 per share and our shareholders’ equity would generally be required to be at least $5.0 million. We may not be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time, especially if there are a significant number of redemptions in connection with our initial business combination.
If the NYSE 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:
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a limited availability of market quotations for our securities; |
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reduced liquidity for our securities; |
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a determination that our Class A ordinary shares are a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A ordinary shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities; |
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a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and |
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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 our units, our Class A ordinary shares and warrants are listed on the NYSE, our units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants
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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, 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.
A market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.
The price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions, including as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. 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.
Because we are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, you may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal courts may be limited.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon our directors or executive officers, or enforce judgments obtained in the United States courts against our directors or officers.
Our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act (as the same may be supplemented or amended from time to time) and the common law of the Cayman Islands. We will also be subject to the federal securities laws of the United States. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from English common law, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are different from what they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States, and certain states, such as Delaware, may have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholders derivative action in a Federal court of the United States.
We have been advised by our Cayman Islands legal counsel, that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (i) to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum, and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by management, members of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a United States company.
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After our initial business combination, it is possible that a majority of our directors and officers will live outside the United States and all of our assets will be located outside the United States; therefore investors may not be able to enforce federal securities laws or their other legal rights.
It is possible that after our initial business combination, a majority of our directors and officers will reside outside of the United States and all of our assets will be located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult, or in some cases not possible, for investors in the United States to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon all of our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of United States courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties on our directors and officers under United States laws.
Provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our Class A ordinary shares and could entrench management.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that shareholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions will include a staggered board of directors, the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preference shares, and the fact that prior to the completion of our initial business combination only holders of our Class B ordinary shares, which have been issued to our sponsor, are entitled to vote on the election of directors, 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.
Since only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors, upon the listing of our shares on the NYSE, the NYSE may consider us to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NYSE rules and, as a result, we may qualify for exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements.
Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors. As a result, the NYSE may consider us to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NYSE corporate governance standards. Under the NYSE corporate governance standards, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a “controlled company” and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including the requirements that:
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we have a board that includes a majority of “independent directors,” as defined under the NYSE listing rules; |
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we have a compensation committee of our board that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities; and |
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we have a nominating and corporate governance committee of our board that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities. |
We do not intend to utilize these exemptions and intend to comply with the corporate governance requirements of the NYSE, subject to applicable phase-in rules. However, if we determine in the future to utilize some or all of these exemptions, you will not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the NYSE corporate governance requirements.
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 our Class A ordinary shares purchasable upon exercise of a warrant could be decreased, all without your approval.
Our warrants were 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 correct any mistake, including to conform the provisions of the warrant agreement to the description of the terms of the warrants and the warrant agreement, or defective provision (ii) amending the provisions relating to cash dividends on ordinary shares
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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 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 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. 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, shorten the exercise period or decrease the number of Class A ordinary shares 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 do 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 of 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.
A provision of our warrant agreement may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination.
Unlike most blank check companies, if (i) we issue additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at a Newly Issued Price of less than $9.20 per ordinary share, (ii) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (iii) the Market Value is below $9.20 per share, then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger prices will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and
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the $10.00 per share redemption trigger price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price. This may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination with a target business.
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 ordinary shares 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.
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 ordinary shares 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 Class A ordinary shares determined based on the redemption date and the fair market value of our Class A ordinary shares. The value received upon exercise of the warrants (1) 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 (2) may not compensate the holders for the value of the warrants, including because the number of ordinary shares received is capped at 0.361 Class A ordinary shares 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 Class A ordinary shares and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.
We issued warrants to purchase 10,197,500 of our Class A ordinary shares as part of the units sold in our initial public offering and, simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering and the underwriter’s subsequent partial exercise of the over-allotment option, we issued in a private placements an aggregate of 8,618,500 private placement warrants, each exercisable to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment. In addition, if our sponsor, its affiliates or a member of our management team makes any working capital loans, it may convert up to $1,500,000 of such loans into up to an additional 1,500,000 private placement warrants, at the price of $1.00 per warrant. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares in connection with our redemption of our warrants.
To the extent we issue ordinary shares for any reason, including to effectuate a business combination, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional Class A ordinary shares 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 Class A ordinary shares and reduce the value of the Class A ordinary shares 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.
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Because each unit contains one-half of one redeemable warrant and only a whole warrant may be exercised, the units may be worth less than units of other blank check companies.
Each unit contains one-half of one redeemable 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 Class A ordinary shares to be issued to the warrant holder. This is different from other offerings similar to ours whose units include one ordinary share and one whole 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 whole 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 a unit included a warrant to purchase one whole share.
The requirements of being a public company may strain our resources and divert management’s attention.
As a public company, we are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Sarbanes Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the listing requirements of NYSE and other applicable securities rules and regulations. Compliance with these rules and regulations increase our legal and financial compliance costs, make some activities more difficult, time-consuming or costly and increase demand on our systems and resources, particularly after we are no longer an “emerging growth company.” The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. In order to maintain and, if required, improve our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting to meet this standard, significant resources and management oversight may be required. As a result, management’s attention may be diverted from other business concerns, which could adversely affect our business and operating results. We may need to hire more employees in the future or engage outside consultants to comply with these requirements, which will increase our costs and expenses.
We are not registering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time, and such registration may not be in place when an investor desires to exercise warrants, thus precluding such investor from being able to exercise its warrants except on a cashless basis and potentially causing such warrants to expire worthless.
We are not registering the Class A ordinary shares 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 20 business days after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the issuance of such shares, and we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days after the closing of our initial business combination and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed. 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 relating to our initial public offering, the financial statements contained or incorporated by reference therein are not current, complete or correct or the SEC issues a stop order. If the shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act in accordance with the above requirements, we will be required to permit holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis, in which case, the number of Class A ordinary shares that you will receive upon cashless exercise will be based on a formula subject to a maximum amount of shares equal to 0.361 Class A ordinary shares per warrant (subject to adjustment). However, no warrant will 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 is available. Notwithstanding the above, if our Class A ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, require holders of public warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, but we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an
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exemption is not available. Exercising the warrants on a cashless basis could have the effect of reducing the potential “upside” of the holder’s investment in our company because the warrant holder will hold a smaller number of Class A ordinary shares upon a cashless exercise of the warrants they hold. In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant, or issue securities 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 applicable state securities laws and no exemption is available. If the issuance of the shares upon exercise of the warrants is not so registered or qualified or exempt from registration or qualification, the holder of such warrant shall not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant 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 ordinary shares included in the units. There may be a circumstance where an exemption from registration exists for holders of our private placement warrants to exercise their warrants while a corresponding exemption does not exist for holders of the public warrants included as part of units sold in our initial public offering. In such an instance, our sponsor and its permitted transferees (which may include our directors and executive officers) would be able to exercise their warrants and sell the ordinary shares underlying their warrants while holders of our public warrants would not be able to exercise their warrants and sell the underlying ordinary shares. 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 Class A ordinary shares 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 their warrants.
The warrants may become exercisable and redeemable for a security other than the Class A ordinary shares, and you will not have any information regarding such other security at this time.
In certain situations, including if we are not the surviving entity in our initial business combination, the warrants may become exercisable for a security other than the Class A ordinary shares. As a result, if the surviving company redeems your warrants for securities pursuant to the warrant agreement, you may receive a security in a company of which you do not have information at this time. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, the surviving company will be required to use commercially reasonable efforts to register the issuance of the security underlying the warrants within 20 business days of the closing of an initial business combination.
The grant of registration rights to our sponsor 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 Class A ordinary shares.
Pursuant to our registration and shareholder rights agreement, our sponsor and its permitted transferees can demand that we register the resale of the Class A ordinary shares into which founder shares are convertible, the private placement warrants and the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans, and the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of such warrants. The registration rights will be exercisable with respect to the founder shares, the private placement warrants and the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of such private placement warrants. 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 ordinary shares. 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 securities that is expected when the securities owned by our sponsor or its permitted transferees are registered for resale.
General Risk Factors
We have 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 Cayman Islands and have no operating results. 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 with one or more target businesses. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning a business combination and
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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 members of our management team or their respective affiliates may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.
Information regarding performance is presented for informational purposes only. Any past experience or performance of members of our management team and their respective affiliates is not a guarantee of either (i) our ability to successfully identify and execute a transaction or (ii) success with respect to any business combination that we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record of our management team or their respective affiliates as indicative of the future performance of an investment in us or the returns we will, or are likely to, generate going forward. Our management has no experience in operating special purpose acquisition companies.
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 may be a passive foreign investment company, or “PFIC,” which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors.
If we are a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. Holder of our Class A ordinary shares or warrants, the U.S. Holder may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences and may be subject to additional reporting requirements. Our PFIC status for our current and subsequent taxable years may depend on whether we qualify for the PFIC start-up exception. Depending on the particular circumstances, the application of the start-up exception may be subject to uncertainty, and there cannot be any assurance that we will qualify for the start-up exception. Accordingly, there can be no assurances with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any subsequent taxable year. Our actual PFIC status for any taxable year, however, will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year. Moreover, if we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year, upon written request, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. Holder such information as the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) may require, including a PFIC Annual Information Statement, in order to enable the U.S. Holder to make and maintain a “qualified electing fund” election, but there can be no assurance that we will timely provide such required information, and such election would be unavailable with respect to our warrants in all cases. We urge U.S. investors to consult their tax advisors regarding the possible application of the PFIC rules.
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 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 ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds
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$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.
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. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30, or (2) our annual revenues exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30. To the extent we take advantage of such reduced disclosure obligations, it may also make comparison of our financial statements with other public companies difficult or impossible.
Item 1B. |
Unresolved Staff Comments |
None.
Item 2. |
Properties |
Our executive offices are located at PO Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman KY1-1104, Cayman Islands, and our telephone number is (345) 949 8066. Commencing on the date that the Company’s securities were first listed on the New York Stock Exchange through the earlier of consummation of the initial Business Combination and the Company’s liquidation, the Company began to reimburse the Sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to the Company in the amount of $10,000 per month. Upon completion of the initial Business Combination or the Company’s liquidation, the Company will cease paying these monthly fees.
Item 3. |
Legal Proceedings |
To the knowledge of our management, there is no material litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding currently pending or contemplated against us, any of our officers or directors in their capacity as such or against any of our property.
Item 4. |
Mine Safety Disclosures |
Not applicable.
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PART II
Item 5. |
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities |
(a)Market Information
Our units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants are each traded on the NYSE under the symbol “WQGA.U”, “WQGA” and “WQGA WS” respectively. Our units commenced public trading on August 11, 2021. Our Class A ordinary shares and warrants began separate trading on October 11, 2021.
(b)Holders
On December 31, 2021, there was 1 holder of record for our units, 1 holder of record for our Class A ordinary shares, 4 holders of our Class B ordinary shares and 2 holders of our warrants.
(c)Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of an 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 conditions subsequent to completion of an initial business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to an initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time. In addition, our board of directors is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any stock dividends in the foreseeable future. Further, if we incur any indebtedness, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
(d)Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
None.
(e) Performance Graph
Not applicable.
(f) Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities; Use of Proceeds from Registered Offerings
Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities
In March 2021, the Sponsor paid $25,000 to cover certain formation and general and administrative costs of the Company in consideration of 8,625,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001, (the “Founder Shares”). The issuance was made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
Simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering on August 13, 2021 (the “Initial Public Offering”), the Company completed the private placement of an aggregate of 8,500,000 private placement warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant to the Sponsor, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $8,500,000 (the “Private Placement”). The issuance was made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
Simultaneously with the closing of the partial exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option, on August 27, 2021 (the “Over-Allotment”), the Company consummated the second closing of the Private Placement, resulting in the purchase of an aggregate of an additional 118,500 Private Placement Warrants by the Sponsor, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $118,500. The issuance was made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
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Use of Proceeds
Of the gross proceeds received from the Initial Public Offering, the Over-Allotment and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, $205,989,500 was placed in the Trust Account. The net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and certain proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants are invested in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 180 days or less and in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations.
In connection with the Initial Public Offering, our sponsor had agreed to loan us an aggregate of up to $300,000 pursuant to a promissory note issued by the Company to the Sponsor (the “Note”). This loan was non-interest bearing and payable on the earlier of December 31, 2021 or the consummation of the Initial Public Offering. Through December 31, 2021, we had borrowed $300,000 under the Note, which was fully repaid on August 13, 2021.
We incurred a total of $11,217,250 in underwriting discounts and commissions related to the Initial Public Offering, of which the underwriters agreed to defer $7,138,250. Additionally, from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, we incurred approximately $983,043 for costs and expenses related to the initial public offering.
After deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions (excluding the deferred portion of $7,138,250, which amount will be payable upon consummation of our initial business combination) and offering expenses, the total net proceeds from the initial public offering, over-allotment and the sale of the private placement warrants were $207,506,457 of which $205,989,500 (or $10.10 per share sold in the initial public offering and exercise of the over-allotment option) was placed in the trust account.
(g)Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
None.
Item 6. |
Selected Financial Data |
Not applicable.
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Item 7. |
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations |
References to the “Company,” “World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp.,” “our,” “us” or “we” refer to World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp. The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this report. Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated on March 9, 2021 as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of our initial public offering (the “Initial Public Offering”) and the sale of the private placement warrants, our shares, debt or a combination of cash, equity and debt.
Our sponsor is World Quantum Growth Acquisition LLC, a Cayman Islands limited liability company (the “Sponsor”). Our registration statement for the Initial Public Offering was declared effective on August 10, 2021. On August 13, 2021, we consummated an Initial Public Offering of 20,000,000 units (each, a “Unit” and collectively, the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A ordinary shares included in the Units, the “Public Shares”), at an offering price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $200.0 million, and incurring offering costs of approximately $12.2 million, inclusive of approximately $7.1 million in deferred underwriting commissions. On August 25, 2021, the underwriter partially exercised the over-allotment option to purchase an additional 395,000 Units (the “Over-Allotment Units”). On August 27, 2021, we completed the sale of the Over-Allotment Units to the underwriter (the “Over-Allotment”), generating gross proceeds of $4.0 million and incurring additional offering costs of $79,000 in cash underwriting fees, none of which were deferred underwriting commissions.
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering on August 13, 2021, we completed the private placement (the “Private Placement”) of an aggregate of 8,500,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant to the Sponsor, generating proceeds of $8.5 million. Simultaneously with the closing of the Over-Allotment, on August 27, 2021, we consummated the second private placement (the “Second Private Placement”), resulting in the purchase of an aggregate of an additional 118,500 Private Placement Warrants by the Sponsor, generating gross proceeds to us of approximately $0.1 million.
Upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement, an aggregate of $202.0 million ($10.10 per Unit), consisting of $196.0 million of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and $6.0 million of the gross proceeds of the Private Placement, was placed in a trust account (“Trust Account”), located in the United States at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and is invested only in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting the conditions of paragraphs (d)(1), (d)(2), (d)(3) and (d)(4) of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by us, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account as described below. Upon closing of the Over-Allotment and the Second Private Placement, an aggregate of approximately $4.0 million ($10.10 per Unit) was placed in the Trust Account, for a total of approximately $206.0 million deposited in the Trust Account.
Our management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering, over-allotment, and the sale of Private Placement Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating an initial business combination. There is no assurance that we will be able to complete an initial 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 (excluding the amount of deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the signing of the agreement to enter into an initial business combination. However, we will only complete an initial 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
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sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
We will provide the holders (the “Public Shareholders”) of Public Shares, with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of an initial business combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder 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 an initial business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely at our discretion. The Public Shareholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially anticipated to be $10.10 per Public Share, plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to us to pay income taxes). 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 will proceed with a Business Combination if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation of an initial business combination and, only if a majority of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, voted at a shareholder meeting are voted in favor of an initial business combination. If a shareholder vote is not required by law and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, we will, pursuant to the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which we adopted upon consummation of the Initial Public Offering (the “Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association”), conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing an initial business combination. If, however, shareholder approval of the transactions is required by law, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, we will offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. Additionally, each Public Shareholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or vote at all. If we seek shareholder approval in connection with an initial business combination, the initial shareholders (as defined below) have agreed to vote their Founder Shares and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Initial Public Offering in favor of an initial business combination. In addition, the initial shareholders have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and Public Shares in connection with the completion of an initial business combination.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we seek shareholder approval of an initial business combination and do not conduct redemptions in connection with an initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association 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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the Class A ordinary shares sold in the Initial Public Offering, without our prior consent.
Our Sponsor, officers and directors (the “initial shareholders”) have agreed not to propose an amendment to the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (a) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Public Shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with a Business Combination or to redeem 100% of our Public Shares if we do not complete our Business Combination within 18 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering, or February 13, 2023 (the “Combination Period”) or with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of Public Shareholders, unless we provide the Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A ordinary shares in conjunction with any such amendment.
If we have not completed an initial business combination within 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 for our income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the then-outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any); and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining
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shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
The initial shareholders have agreed to waive their liquidation rights with respect to the Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants held by them if we fail to complete an initial business combination within the Combination Period. However, if the initial shareholders acquire Public Shares in or after the Initial Public Offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to such Public Shares if we fail to complete an initial business combination within the Combination Period. The underwriter has agreed to waive its rights to its deferred underwriting commission held in the Trust Account in the event we do not complete an initial business combination within the Combination Period and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the other funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares.
In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the assets remaining available for distribution (including Trust Account assets) will be only $10.10 per share initially held in the Trust Account.
In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, our Sponsor has agreed to 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 discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.10 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 $10.10 per Public Share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets. This liability will not apply with respect to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account or to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriter of the Initial Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. We will seek to reduce the possibility that our Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (excluding our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business, execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.
Going Concern
We anticipate that the $710,270 outside of the Trust Account as of December 31, 2021, might not be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next 12 months from the issuance of the financial statements, assuming that a business combination is not consummated during that time. Until consummation of a business combination, we will be using the funds not held in the Trust Account, and any additional Working Capital Loans from the initial shareholders, certain of our officers and directors, for identifying and evaluating prospective acquisition candidates, performing business due diligence on prospective target businesses, traveling to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses, reviewing corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, selecting the target business to acquire and structuring, negotiating and consummating the business combination.
We can raise additional capital through Working Capital Loans from the initial shareholders, certain of our officers, and directors, or through loans from third parties. None of the Sponsor, officers or directors are under any obligation to advance funds to, or to invest in, us. If we are unable to raise additional capital, we may be required to take additional measures to conserve liquidity, which could include, but not necessarily be limited to, curtailing operations, suspending the pursuit of our business plan, and reducing overhead expenses. We cannot provide any assurance that new financing will be available to us on commercially acceptable terms, if at all. These conditions raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern for a reasonable period of time, which is considered to be one year from the issuance date of the financial statements.
We have until February 13, 2023 to consummate a Business Combination. It is uncertain that we will be able to consummate a Business Combination by either date. If a Business Combination is not consummated by the required dates, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution. In connection with our assessment of going
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concern considerations in accordance with the authoritative guidance in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosure of Uncertainties About an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” management has determined that mandatory liquidation, and subsequent dissolution, should we be unable to complete a business combination, raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities should we be required to liquidate after February 13, 2023.
Results of Operations
All activity for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021 relates to our formation and the Initial Public Offering. We will not be generating any operating revenues until the closing and completion of our initial business combination.
For the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, we had net income of approximately $12.3 million, which consisted of unrealized gain in change in fair value of derivative liabilities of $18.5 million, interest income on trust account of $29,390, offset by formation and operating costs of $0.5 million, offering costs allocated to warrants of $1.0 million and excess of fair value over cash received from private warrants of $4.7 million.
Contractual Obligations
We do not have any long-term debt obligations, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations, purchase obligations or long-term liabilities, other than an administrative support agreement described below.
Registration and Shareholder Rights
The holders of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans, are entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration and shareholder rights agreement. 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 Business Combination. However, the registration and shareholder rights agreement provides that we will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until termination of the applicable lock-up period, which occurs (i) in the case of the Founder Shares, in accordance with the letter agreement our initial shareholders entered into and (ii) in the case of the Private Placement Warrants, 30 days after the completion of our Business Combination. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
We granted the underwriter a 45-day option to purchase up to 3,000,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments, if any, at the Initial Public Offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions. On August 25, 2021, the underwriter partially exercised the over-allotment option to purchase an additional 395,000 Units (the “Over-Allotment Units”) and on August 27, 2021, we completed the sale of the Over-Allotment Units to the underwriter.
The underwriter was paid a cash underwriting discount of $0.20 per Unit, or approximately $4.1 million in the aggregate, paid upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering and Over-Allotment. In addition, $0.35 per Unit, or approximately $7.1 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 an initial business combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
Administrative Support Agreement
Commencing on the effective date our securities were first listed on the New York Stock Exchange through the earlier of consummation of the initial Business Combination or our liquidation, we began to reimburse the Sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to us in the amount of $10,000 per month. We
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incurred $46,774 in expenses in connection with such services during the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021 as reflected in the accompanying statement of operations.
Critical Accounting Policies
This management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with US GAAP. The preparation of our financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in our financial statements. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates and judgments, including those related to fair value of financial instruments and accrued expenses. We base our estimates on historical experience, known trends and events and various other factors that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. We have identified the following as its critical accounting policies:
Warrant Liabilities
We evaluated the Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants (collectively, “Warrants”) in accordance with ASC 815-40, “Derivatives and Hedging — Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity,” and concluded that a provision in the Warrant Agreement related to certain tender or exchange offers precludes the Warrants from being accounted for as components of equity. As the Warrants meet the definition of a derivative as contemplated in ASC 815, the Warrants are recorded as derivative liabilities on the balance sheet and measured at fair value at inception (on the date of the IPO) and at each reporting date in accordance with ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” with changes in fair value recognized in the statement of operations in the period of change.
Offering Costs
We comply with the requirements of the ASC 340-10-S99-1 and SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) Topic 5A — “Expenses of Offering.” Offering costs consisted of legal, accounting, underwriting fees and other costs incurred through the Initial Public Offering date that are directly related to the Initial Public Offering. Offering costs directly attributable to the issuance of an equity contract to be classified in equity are recorded as a reduction of equity. Offering costs for equity contracts that are classified as assets and liabilities are expensed immediately. As of December 31, 2021, we incurred transaction costs amounting to $12,200,293, consisting of $4,079,000 of underwriting fees, $7,138,250 of deferred underwriting fees, $983,043 of other offering costs. Of the total transaction costs, $1,004,805 were allocated to expense associated with the warrant liability.
Net Income Per Ordinary Share
We comply with accounting and disclosure requirements of ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share.” Our statement of operations include a presentation of income per share for ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in a manner similar to the two-class method of income per share. Net income per share, basic and diluted, for Class A redeemable ordinary shares is calculated by dividing interest income earned and realized gains or losses on the Trust Account for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, by the weighted average number of Class A redeemable ordinary shares outstanding since original issuance. We have not considered the effect of the warrants sold in our initial public offering (including the consummation of the over-allotment option) and the private placement to purchase an aggregate of 20,395,000 Class A ordinary shares in the calculation of diluted net income per ordinary share, because their inclusion would be anti-dilutive under the treasury stock method. The Trust Account generated $29,390 interest and no realized gains or losses for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021. Net income per share, basic and diluted, for Class A and Class B non-redeemable ordinary shares is calculated by dividing the net income, adjusted for income or loss attributable to Class A redeemable ordinary shares, by the weighted average number of Class A and Class B nonredeemable ordinary shares outstanding for the period. Class A and Class B non-redeemable ordinary shares includes the Founder Shares as these shares do not have any redemption features and do not participate in the income or losses of the Trust Account. At December 31, 2021, we did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into
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ordinary shares and then share in the earnings of our company. As a result, diluted income per share is the same as basic income per share for the period presented.
Class A Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption
Class A ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as liability instruments and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable Class A ordinary shares (including Class A ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within our control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, Class A ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ deficit. Our Class A ordinary shares feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of our control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, at December 31, 2021, 20,395,000 Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption are presented as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of our balance sheet.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Our management does not believe that there are any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, that would have a material effect on our audited financial statements.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of December 31, 2021, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K.
JOBS Act
The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We qualify as an “emerging growth company” and under the JOBS Act are allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We are electing to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, the audited financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if, as an “emerging growth company,” we choose to rely on such exemptions we may not be 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 audited 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.
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. As of December 31, 2021, we were not subject to any market or interest rate risk. The net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering, including amounts in the Trust Account, will be invested in U.S. government securities with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds that meet certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, that invest only in direct
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U.S. government treasury obligations. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk.
We have not engaged in any hedging activities since our inception and we do not expect to engage in any hedging activities with respect to the market risk to which we are exposed.
Item 8. |
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data |
Reference is made to Pages F-1 through F-17 comprising a portion of this Report.
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
Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of December 31, 2021. Based on this evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that during the period covered by this report, our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) were not effective, due to the restatement of our financial statement as of August 13, 2021 for the classification of redeemable Class A Shares, as described below, which constitutes a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. In light of this material weakness, we performed additional analysis as deemed necessary to ensure that our unaudited interim financial statements were prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Accordingly, management believes that the financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K present fairly in all material respects our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the period presented.
Disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There was no change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period ended December 31, 2021 covered by this Form 10-K that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Management’s Report on Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting
This Report does not include a report of management’s assessment regarding internal control over financial reporting or an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by rules of the SEC for newly public companies.
Item 9B. |
Other information |
None.
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PART III
Item 10. |
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance |
Directors and Executive Officers
As of the date of this Report, our directors and officers are as follows:
Name |
Age |
Position |
Xavier Rolet |
62 |
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman |
Serge Harry |
62 |
Chief Financial Officer and Director |
Antoine Shagoury |
51 |
Chief Information Officer |
Michel Brogard |
60 |
Chief Development Officer |
Sharda Cherwoo |
63 |
Director |
Peter Lenardos |
47 |
Director |
Emer Timmons |
53 |
Director |
Xavier Rolet KBE
Xavier Rolet KBE is the Chief Executive Officer, Chairman and Co-Founder of World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp. Named as one of the 100 Best CEOs in the World in 2017 by Harvard Business Review, Mr. Rolet has over 30 years of experience as an executive and a demonstrated track record of successful turnarounds and continued growth in global financial services. Notably, as Chief Executive Officer of LSEG from 2009 to 2017, Mr. Rolet managed the transformation of the London Stock Exchange (the “LSE”) into one of the world’s largest exchanges by market capitalization. During his tenure, the LSE’s market value grew by approximately $15 billion, corresponding to an 8x increase in share price, delivering an average total shareholder return of approximately 30%. He also oversaw approximately $5 billion of landmark acquisitions by LSEG including, notably, MilleniumIT in 2009, FSA Transaction Reporting System in 2011, FTSE International in 2011, LCH.Clearnet in 2013, Bonds.com in 2014, Russell Investments in 2014, Mergent in 2017 and YieldBook in 2017.
Mr. Rolet has held various senior positions in the financial services industry throughout his career, with a focus on strategy & operations, technology & data investments and global growth. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer of CQS, between 2019 and 2020. He worked at Lehman Brothers from 2000 to 2008, as Co-Head of Global Equity & Derivatives Trading in New York, as Head of European & Asian Equities in London, and as Chief Executive Officer of Banque Lehman Brothers in Paris. He was also Global Head of Risk & Trading at Dresdner Kleinwort Benson between 1997 and 2000. Prior to that, he was Global Head of European Equities at Credit Suisse First Boston between 1994 and 1996. Mr. Rolet began his career on the International Risk Arbitrage desk at Goldman Sachs International Ltd. in 1984 where he stayed on until 1994, departing as Executive Director and Head of European Equities Trading in London.
Mr. Rolet has been a Board Member of Greater Yellowstone Coalition since June 2021, a Board Member of Golden Falcon Acquisition Corporation since 2020, Chairman of the Board of Shore Capital Markets since 2020, independent director and Chairman of the Risk Committee of Phosagro PJSC from 2018 to 2019 and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Phosagro PJSC from 2019 to 2022, Independent Non-Executive Director of Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc from 2020 to 2021 and Independent Non-Executive Director of Tadawul since 2019. He is also a Member of the Senior Advisory Board of Towerbrook Capital Partners LP since 2020 and an External Director to Portfolio Companies of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) since 2019. In addition, Mr. Rolet holds positions at a number of other privately held companies; notably, he is Managing Member of Grayling Centennial since 2017 and Senior Advisor to Ranchlands Inc. since 2017. Mr. Rolet previously served as a director of MTS between 2009 and 2017, as a director of Elite between 2012 and 2017 and as a director of LCH.Clearnet between 2013 and 2017.
After graduating from the École Supérieure de Commerce de Marseille (currently the KEDGE Business School) with an MSc in Management Science & Finance in 1981, Mr. Rolet served as a Second Lieutenant and Instructor at the French Air Force Academy. He then attended Columbia Business School, where he received an MBA in 1984 and where he currently serves as a Member of the Board since 2011. Mr. Rolet also completed his post-
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graduate studies from the Institut des Hautes Etudes de Defense Nationale in 2008. Mr. Rolet is an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE), a Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour of France, an Officer of the Royal Sharifian Order of Al-Alawi of Morocco and a Member of the Order of Friendship of the Russian Federation. Mr. Rolet has been awarded numerous awards and recognitions, including the Risk.Net Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.
Serge Harry
Serge Harry is the Chief Financial Officer, Director and Co-Founder of World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp. Mr. Harry has over 30 years of experience in capital markets and financial markets infrastructures, with an expertise in strategy & operations, M&A, restructurings, regulatory dialogue and engagement, investments, capital raisings and IPOs. Notably, during his time as Chief Financial Officer, Euronext’s market capitalization grew by approximately $9 billion, corresponding to a 4x increase in share price. He also helped deliver an average total shareholder return of approximately 45%, a revenue increase of 1.6x, an earnings increase of 2.8x and EBITDA margin expansion of 18 percentage points. He led over $1.6 billion of acquisitions and played a pivotal role in the $20 billion merger of Euronext with New York Stock Exchange.
Mr. Harry has served as a member of the Advisory Board of Blend My Day, a healthy food technology company based in the U.K., since July 2021. Since August 2020, Mr. Harry has served as Chief Executive Officer of Quaternion H Consulting, a boutique consulting firm specialized in Board strategy and M&A advisory. Previously, he was Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of CQS. He was also a Member of the Executive Committee of LSEG as well as Chief of Staff to the Group Chief Executive Officer and Head of European Operations & Post-Trade at LSEG from 2013 to 2019. Prior to this, he was a Senior Advisor to the LSEG Chief Executive Officer from 2011 to 2013, working on the successful acquisition of LCH Group. In addition, he served as Chief Executive Officer of SH Consulting, an investment, strategy and M&A Board Advisory Boutique in Financial Services, between 2011 and 2015. Before this, he held international executive positions as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BlueNext, a leading global carbon credits trading exchange, from 2007 to 2010, as Group Head of Strategy and Member of the Executive Committee at NYSE Euronext from 2007 to 2008, and as Chief Financial Officer of Euronext from 2000 to 2007, during which time he oversaw the IPO of Euronext in 2001 that resulted in a €400 million equity capital increase. Mr. Harry was also deputy Chief Executive Officer of Paris Stock Exchange from 1999 to 2000, which he joined from SICOVAM (now Euroclear France), where he held a number of positions from 1983 to 1999, including Chief Financial Officer and General Secretary.
Mr. Harry has had vast directorship experience across various roles, businesses, geographies and in highly regulated environments. He is currently Chairman of the Board of XTX Markets SAS, a leading algorithmic trading firm, since 2019, a Member of the Audit Committee of XTX Holdings Limited since 2019, a Member of the Boards of XTX Holdings (UK) Limited, XTX Markets Limited and XTX Markets Trading Limited since January 2022 and Chairman of the Risk Committee of XTX Holdings (UK) Limited since January 2022. He previously served as Chairman of MTS Markets France between 2014 and 2019 and as Chairman of globeSettle between 2014 and 2019. In addition, he was a Board Member and a Member of the Audit and Remuneration Committees of LCH SA Banque between 2013 and 2019, CurveGlobal between 2017 and 2019, GL Trade between 2004 and 2008, Marco Polo Network Inc. between 2008 and 2009, ATOS Euronext Market Solutions between 2003 and 2007 and Liffe between 2002 and 2007.
Mr. Harry was ranked second of the top-10 most influential French financial executives in the City of London by eFinancial Careers in 2016. He was also a recipient of The Economist CFO Europe Best Practices Award in 2002 and of the Club des Trente Award for Best Financial Transaction in 2001. Mr. Harry received his MBA from Institut Supérieur de Gestion Paris in 1984. In addition, he received a Certificate in Corporate Governance from IFA Sciences Po in 2020 and completed the CFA UK Certificate in ESG Investing in 2020.
Antoine Shagoury
Antoine Shagoury is the Chief Information Officer and Co-Founder of World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp. He has over 25 years of experience in driving disruptive change in the financial services industry, leading digital transformations at major U.S. and European stock exchanges, and one of the world’s largest custody and asset management banks.
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Mr. Shagoury has served as the Group Chief Technology Officer of Kyndryl since July 2021. Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) is the world’s largest IT infrastructure provider. Mr. Shagoury has served as Venture Partner in the Technology Practice of Ridge-Lane LP since May 2020. Previously, Mr. Shagoury was an Executive Vice President and Global Chief Information Officer at State Street Corporation between 2015 and 2019, where he was responsible for advancing and developing an enterprise-wide technology strategy. He managed all of State Street’s IT and enterprise data activities, directly supporting operations in 27 countries, including all major investment centers. During his tenure, the technology transformation and digitalization program delivered over $550 million of pre-tax net run-rate expense savings since 2017. Additionally, approximately $5 trillion of assets under custody were onboarded and over 40% of the institution’s systems were migrated to the private cloud by 2018. Prior to joining State Street, Mr. Shagoury spent five years at LSEG between 2010 and 2015, where he was the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer with responsibilities spanning capital markets, information and data services and post trade. During his tenure, LSEG achieved an unprecedented level of availability (100% for four of the five years), reduced execution latencies to less than 100 microseconds and also grew its Technology Services revenue by approximately 11%. Mr. Shagoury was also Chief Information Officer at the American Stock Exchange, and, after the American Stock Exchange was acquired by the New York Stock Exchange in 2008, at the New York Stock Exchange Alternext between 2003 and 2009, where he led the development of the Exchange’s trading systems as well as managed trading and floor operations. Before that, he held various technology leadership positions at Instinet between 1993 and 2003, most notably corporate Chief Technology Officer. Mr. Shagoury began his career at Datastream Corporation, where he spent two years between 1990 and 1992.
Mr. Shagoury currently serves as a Director to Wedbush Financial Services since August 2021, as Strategic Advisor to Manetu, a provider of cryptographic solutions for data privacy management, and as a Non-Executive Advisor to Cast Software since 2020. He previously served as a Non-Executive Advisor at SparkCognition between 2017 and 2019 and Non-Executive Advisor for Tadawul between 2008 and 2012. Mr. Shagoury served as Non-Executive Director at The Advanced Cyber Security Center between 2015 and 2019, Cloud Technology Partners between 2015 and 2017, National Stock Exchange (a subsidiary of the CBOE) between 2012 and 2014, and Non-Executive Director of SIAC between 2004 and 2007. In addition, during his time at LSEG, he was an Executive Director of various subsidiaries, including FTSE Russell, Russell Investments, Borsa Italiana, LCH Clearnet, MTS, GATElab, ExactPro, globeSettle, MilleniumIT and Turquoise.
Mr. Shagoury won a Gold Stevie® Award for Digital Executive of the Year 2018 at the American Business Awards. He was also listed on Institutional Investor’s The Tech50 for four years in a row between 2013 and 2017 and recognized by Financial News as CTO of the Year 2011. He earned a BSc in Business Administration, concentrating in Management Information Systems from Rochester Institute of Technology in 1993.
Michel Brogard
Michel Brogard is the Chief Development Officer and Co-Founder of World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp. He has over 20 years of experience in business building and fund-raising.
Between 2019 and 2020, Mr. Brogard served as Chief Executive Officer Americas and Senior Advisor at CQS. He was responsible for restructuring and expanding the firm’s U.S. operations, contributing to CQS’s over $1 billion of assets under management increase between 2019 and 2020. He also helped develop CQS’s Diversity and ESG strategy. Previously, from 2005 to 2015, he was a Managing Partner, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Head of Business Development at Amber Capital, a hedge fund that he co-founded in 2005 and which grew its assets under management by 4.7x, to $7.0 billion by 2008. He helped open and manage Amber Capital’s three offices in New York, London and Milan. Prior to that, Mr. Brogard was a Managing Director in European Equities at Credit Suisse First Boston / Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Inc. between 2000 and 2005. Before this, he held various senior positions at HSBC Securities between 1996 and 1999, Lehman Brothers between 1995 and 1996, Merrill Lynch between 1994 and 1995 and Banque Paribas between 1987 and 1994.
From 2007 to 2011, and also in 2019-2020, Mr. Brogard served as an elected Board Member of the Washington, D.C.-based Managed Funds Association (MFA), an advocate for the global hedge fund industry. He has served as Trustee, Executive Committee Member and Chair of the Finance and Investment Committees and committee member of the Employees’ Retirement Plan of the Lycée Français de New York since 2018 and between 2003 and 2016. Mr. Brogard has also been Chairman of the Investment Committee of the NY French American Chamber of
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Commerce since 2015 and a Board Member of the French American Chamber of Commerce Foundation since 2020. He has also been a member of the Investment Committee of the French American Aid for Children nonprofit organization since 2016. He has been a member of the Global Advisory Board of The Jerome A. Chazen Institute for Global Business at Columbia Business School since 2017. From 2017 to 2019, he was a member of New York Angels, a seeding platform which provides equity capital to early stage companies.
Mr. Brogard earned his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at INSA Strasbourg, France in 1984 and his MBA at Columbia University in 1986. In 2008, the French Minister of Education awarded Mr. Brogard the title of Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques.
Sharda Cherwoo
Sharda Cherwoo has served as an Independent Non-Executive Director of World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp. since August 2021. Ms. Cherwoo has over 25 years of executive experience as a strategic and innovative organizational leader with specialized industry focus in private equity, financial services, healthcare and emerging and disruptive technology.
Ms. Cherwoo is an independent Board Director of World Fuel Services Corp. since 2020, and Doma Holdings Inc. since 2021, and a member of the Advisory Board of Land O’Lakes Inc. since 2020. Ms. Cherwoo has been a Board Director of Tax Analysts since 2020, a Board Director of the NACD, New York Chapter since 2021, and a member of the Board of Trustees of International House of New York since 2008, which are not-for-profit organizations.
Ms. Cherwoo is a former senior partner at Ernst & Young LLP (“EY”), where she garnered extensive operating experience serving global clients across EY’s four service lines - audit, tax, management consulting and transactions advisory (M&A) practices. In October 2015, Ms. Cherwoo launched and spearheaded EY’s Intelligent Automation program, with a focus on strategic direction, governance and risk management. As part of that role, she also directed EY’s investments in robotic process automation (“RPA”) and digital transformation initiatives. She also advised a number of Fortune 500 companies on their intelligent automation strategies, including operating models, digital and talent transformation planning. Ms. Cherwoo also served as a Senior Advisory Partner in EY’s Private Equity practice group since 2009 and served financial services clients as a Global Client Service Partner and Global Tax Account Leader since 1991. In those roles, she was responsible for serving select EY clients, advising on digital transformation, RPA initiatives, complex tax accounting and global tax planning, as well as mergers, acquisitions and divestitures and their impact on business and global tax strategies. From 2001 to 2004, Ms. Cherwoo served as the founding Chief Executive Officer of EY’s Global Shared Services operations in Bangalore, India, which was EY’s first global offshoring center for client-facing operations. Prior to that, Ms. Cherwoo held various senior leadership roles and other positions since joining EY in the U.S. in 1982 in the audit practice.
In addition to her strategic, operational and leadership roles, Ms. Cherwoo has been committed to mentoring and bringing innovative ideas to diversity and inclusiveness efforts. She has received the 2018 Silver Stevie® Award Most Innovative Woman of the Year; 2017 Best in Biz award for Innovator of the Year; 2017 Gold Stevie Award® for Innovation of the Year. In 2019, she received the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business award.
Ms. Cherwoo is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a B.Sc. in Accounting as Valedictorian from Sacred Heart University (1982). Ms. Cherwoo has also attended Executive Education programs at Harvard Business School for Strategic Leadership for EY Partners and at Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management.
Peter K. Lenardos
Peter K. Lenardos has served as an Independent Non-Executive Director of World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp. since August 2021. He currently serves as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director of U.K.-based OSTC Group Holdings Ltd., a global market-making and trading firm. Previously, he served as Chief Financial Officer and then Chief Executive Officer of Cinnober Financial Technology AB (“Cinnober”) between 2018 and 2019, a publicly-listed financial technology company with over 300 employees and a blue-chip client roster on six continents. At Cinnober, he was responsible for strategy, finance, sales/business development, client engagement,
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restructuring (including rightsizing the cost base) and funding. He led the $220 million sale of Cinnober to Nasdaq Technology AB, which resulted in a greater than 70% return on Cinnober’s share price during his tenure as CEO.
Prior to Cinnober, Mr. Lenardos spent the majority of his career between 2001 and 2018 in investment banking in both the U.S. and U.K., covering M&A advisory, capital raising, equity research and corporate broking, largely at William Blair & Co. and RBC Capital Markets. As an investment banker in the U.S., he advised clients on M&A deals and helped raise capital via public and private equity offerings collectively totaling in the billions of U.S. dollars. In the U.K., he worked on both IPOs and secondary capital raises, collectively totaling in the billions of British pounds.
Mr. Lenardos received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting summa cum laude from Mendoza Business School (University of Notre Dame) in 1997. He earned his MBA with Distinction from the Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University) in 2001. Additionally, in 2019, Mr. Lenardos completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
Emer Timmons OBE
Emer Timmons OBE has served as an Independent Non-Executive Director of World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp. since August 2021. Ms. Timmons has over 20 years of international experience within start-ups and multi-national organizations, combining P&L accountability, strategy conception and delivery as well as IPO management.
Ms. Timmons has served as Senior Advisor to the board of directors of Korn Ferry and CEO of Services Global Practice since September 2021. In January 2019, Ms. Timmons founded ET Solutions, a provider of strategic engagement professional services and programmes, delivered through consultancy and client focused experiences. In September 2019, she was appointed to Co-Chair the “Leaders as Change Agents” Board, a U.K. government-backed Board aimed at intensifying the campaign for greater diversity at senior levels of business. From 2017 to 2020, Ms. Timmons served as a Non-Executive Director of the FTSE 100 listed Flutter Entertainment, where she was a member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committees. Previously, between 2016 and 2019, Ms. Timmons was the Chief Marketing Officer and President of Enterprise Sales for Brightstar, a leading global mobile services company. Prior to this, she was the first female President in BT’s 175 year history, having joined the group in 2006. She was responsible for BT’s multi-billion Global Services U.K. and Product business and played an integral role in its successful turnaround, and helped restore strong profitability and significant market share growth.
Ms. Timmons is also the Vice-Chair of Maynooth University Industry Business Council for the School of Business, part of the National Universities of Ireland.
Ms. Timmons has received various industry recognitions over the last few years including: top places on the Financial Times and HERoes 100 Female Champions of Women in Business list for the last three consecutive years, U.K. Woman of the Year from the Women in IT Awards, the Stevie® International Awards for both Global Female Business Executive of the Year and Global Maverick of the Year, one of the Most Impactful B2B Marketing leaders in Europe and Female U.K. Corporate Leader. She was also awarded the CBI First Women Award for Business Services.
Ms. Timmons achieved a degree in Mathematics and Economics from the National University of Ireland in 1995.
Number and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors
Our board of directors consists of five members and is divided into three classes with only one class of directors being appointed in each year, and with each class (except for those directors elected prior to our first annual general meeting) serving a three-year term. In accordance with NYSE corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual general meeting until one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on NYSE. The term of office of the first class of directors, consisting of Emer Timmons, will expire at our first annual general meeting. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of Sharda Cherwoo and Peter K. Lenardos,
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will expire at the second annual general meeting. The term of office of the third class of directors, consisting of Xavier Rolet and Serge Harry, will expire at the third annual general meeting.
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 memorandum and articles of association. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that our officers may consist of one or more chairman of the board, chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, vice presidents, secretary, treasurer and such other offices as may be determined by the board of directors.
Director Independence
The rules of the NYSE 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 who, 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). Our board of directors has determined that each of Sharda Cherwoo, Peter K. Lenardos and Emer Timmons is an “independent director” as defined in the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules.
Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
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. Both our audit committee and our compensation committee are composed solely of independent directors. Subject to phase-in rules, the rules of NYSE and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors, and the rules of NYSE require that the compensation committee and the nominating and corporate governance committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors. Each committee operates under a charter that has been approved by our board of directors and has the composition and responsibilities described below. The charter of each committee is available on our website.
Audit Committee
We established an audit committee of the board of directors. Sharda Cherwoo, Peter K. Lenardos and Emer Timmons serve as members of our audit committee. Sharda Cherwoo serves as the Chairman of the audit committee. Under NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules, all the directors on the audit committee must be independent. Our board of directors has determined that each of Sharda Cherwoo, Peter K. Lenardos and Emer Timmons are independent under NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules.
Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our board of directors has determined that Sharda Cherwoo and Peter K. Lenardos qualify as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules.
We adopted an audit committee charter, which details the purpose and principal functions of the audit committee, including:
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meeting with our independent registered public accounting firm regarding, among other issues, audits, and adequacy of our accounting and control systems; |
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monitoring the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm; |
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verifying the rotation of the lead (or coordinating) audit partner having primary responsibility for the audit and the audit partner responsible for reviewing the audit as required by law; |
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inquiring and discussing with management our compliance with applicable laws and regulations; |
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pre-approving all audit services and permitted non-audit services to be performed by our independent registered public accounting firm, including the fees and terms of the services to be performed; |
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appointing or replacing the independent registered public accounting firm; |
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determining the compensation and oversight of the work of the independent registered public accounting firm (including resolution of disagreements between management and the independent auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work; |
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establishing procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by us regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or reports which raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies; |
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monitoring compliance on a quarterly basis with the terms of our initial public offering and, if any noncompliance is identified, immediately taking all action necessary to rectify such noncompliance or otherwise causing compliance with the terms of our initial public offering; and |
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reviewing and approving all payments made to our existing shareholders, executive officers or directors and their respective affiliates. Any payments made to members of our audit committee will be reviewed and approved by our board of directors, with the interested director or directors abstaining from such review and approval. |
Compensation Committee
We established a compensation committee of our board of directors. The members of our compensation committee are Sharda Cherwoo, Peter K. Lenardos and Emer Timmons, and Peter K. Lenardos serves as chairman of the compensation committee. Under NYSE listing standards, we are required to have at least two members of the compensation committee, all of whom must be independent directors. Our board of directors has determined that each of Sharda Cherwoo, Peter K. Lenardos and Emer Timmons is independent under NYSE listing standards.
We adopted a compensation committee charter, which details the purpose and principal functions of the compensation committee, including:
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reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation, 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; |
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reviewing and approving the compensation of all of our other Section 16 executive officers; |
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reviewing our executive compensation policies and plans; |
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implementing and administering our incentive compensation equity-based remuneration plans; |
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assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and/or annual report disclosure requirements; |
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approving all special perquisites, special cash payments and other special compensation and benefit arrangements for our executive officers and employees; |
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producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement, to the extent required; and |
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reviewing, evaluating and recommending changes, if appropriate, to the remuneration for directors. |
The charter also provides that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, 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 and the SEC.
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Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
We established a nominating and corporate governance committee of the board of directors. The members of our nominating and corporate governance are Sharda Cherwoo, Peter K. Lenardos and Emer Timmons, and Emer Timmons serves as chairman of the nominating and corporate governance committee.
We adopted a nominating and corporate governance committee charter, which details the purpose and responsibilities of the nominating and corporate governance committee, including:
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identifying, screening and reviewing individuals qualified to serve as directors, consistent with criteria approved by the board, and recommending to the board of director candidates for nomination for appointment at the annual general meeting or to fill vacancies on the board of directors; |
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developing and recommending to the board of directors and overseeing implementation of our corporate governance guidelines; |
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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 |
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reviewing on a regular basis our overall corporate governance and recommending improvements as and when necessary. |
The 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 will be 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 board of directors or compensation committee (or other committee serving an equivalent function) 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 Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees. A copy of the Code of Ethics will be provided without charge upon request from us. We intend to disclose any amendments to or waivers of certain provisions of our Code of Ethics in a Current Report on Form 8-K or on the Company’s corporate website to the extent required by SEC rules. The information that may be contained on or accessible through our corporate website or any other website that we may maintain is not incorporated by reference in, or otherwise a part of, this Report.
Conflicts of Interest
Under Cayman Islands law, directors and officers owe the following fiduciary duties:
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duty to act in good faith in what the director or officer believes to be in the best interests of the company as a whole; |
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duty to exercise powers for the purposes for which those powers were conferred and not for a collateral purpose; |
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directors should not improperly fetter the exercise of future discretion; |
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duty to exercise powers fairly as between different sections of shareholders; |
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duty not to put themselves in a position in which there is a conflict between their duty to the company and their personal interests; and |
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duty to exercise independent judgment. |
In addition to the above, directors also owe a duty of care which is not fiduciary in nature. This duty has been defined as a requirement to act as a reasonably diligent person having both the general knowledge, skill and experience that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by that director in relation to the company and the general knowledge skill and experience of that director.
As set out above, directors have a duty not to put themselves in a position of conflict and this includes a duty not to engage in self-dealing, or to otherwise benefit as a result of their position. However, in some instances what would otherwise be a breach of this duty can be forgiven and/or authorized in advance by the shareholders provided that there is full disclosure by the directors. This can be done by way of permission granted in the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or alternatively by shareholder approval at shareholder meetings.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law, no director shall be disqualified or prevented from contracting with the company nor shall any contract or transaction entered into by or on behalf of the company in which any director shall have an interest be liable to be avoided. A director shall be at liberty to vote in respect of any contract or transaction in which he or she is interested provided that the nature of such interest shall be disclosed at or prior to its consideration or any vote thereon by the board of directors.
Certain of our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have, additional fiduciary and contractual duties to other entities. As a result, 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, then, subject to their fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law, he or she will need to honor such fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity, before we can pursue such opportunity. If these other entities decide to pursue any such opportunity, we may be precluded from pursuing the same. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a 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 our company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue.
Below is a table summarizing the entities to which our officers and directors currently have fiduciary duties or contractual obligations:
Individual |
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Entity |
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Entity’s Business |
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Affiliation |
Xavier Rolet |
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Golden Falcon Acquisition Corporation |
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SPAC |
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Director |
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Grayling Centennial LLC |
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Hospitality |
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Managing Member |
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Greater Yellowstone Coalition |
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Nonprofit |
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Director |
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Public Investment Fund (PIF) |
(1) |
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Investments |
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External Director |
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Shore Capital Markets |
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Financial Services |
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Chairman |
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|
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Tadawul |
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Financial Services |
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Independent Non-Executive Director |
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Towerbrook Capital Partners LP |
(1) |
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Investments |
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Member of the Senior Advisory Board |
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Ranchlands Inc. |
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Private Company |
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Senior Advisor |
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SCEA Domaine de la Verriere |
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Private Company |
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Director |
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SCI La Verriere |
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Private Company |
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Director |
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SAS La Verriere |
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Private Company |
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Director |
Serge Harry |
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Blend My Day |
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Food & Beverage |
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Member of Advisory Board |
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Quaternion H Consulting |
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Consulting |
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Chief Executive Officer |
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XTX Holdings (UK) Limited |
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Financial Services |
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Director and Chairman of Risk Committee |
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XTX Holdings Limited |
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Financial Services |
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Member of the Audit Committee |
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XTX Markets Limited |
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Financial Services |
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Director |
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XTX Markets Trading Limited |
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Financial Services |
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Director |
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XTX Markets SAS |
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Financial Services |
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Chairman |
Antoine Shagoury |
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Cast Software |
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IT |
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Non-Executive Advisor |
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Kyndryl Holdings, Inc. |
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IT |
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Group Chief Technology Officer |
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Manetu |
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IT |
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Strategic Advisor |
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Ridge-Lane LP |
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Advisory |
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Venture Partner in Technology Practice |
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TPG Global, LLC |
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Investments |
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Consultant of TPG Global, LLC |
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Wedbush Financial Services |
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Investments |
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Director |
Michel Brogard |
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Columbia Business School |
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Education |
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Member of the Global Advisory Board of The Jerome A. Chazen Institute for Global Business |
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|
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French American Aid for Children |
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Nonprofit |
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Member of the Investment Committee |
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French American Chamber of Commerce Foundation |
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Business Network |
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Trustee |
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Lycée Français de New York |
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Education |
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Trustee, Executive Committee member and Chairman of both the Finance Committee and the Endowment Committee |
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NY French American Chamber of Commerce |
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Business Network |
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Chairman of the Investment Committee |
Sharda Cherwoo |
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Doma Holdings Inc. |
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Prop Tech Real Estate |
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Director |
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International House of New York |
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Nonprofit |
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Member of the Board of Trustees |
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Land O’Lakes Inc. |
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Private Company |
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Member of Advisory Board |
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NACD, New York Chapter |
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Nonprofit |
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Director |
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Tax Analysts |
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Nonprofit |
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Director |
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Trustees of International House of New York |
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Nonprofit |
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Director |
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World Fuel Services Corp. |
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Energy |
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Director |
Peter Lenardos |
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OSTC Group Holdings Ltd. |
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Financial Services |
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Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director |
Emer Timmons |
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ET Solutions |
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Consulting |
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Founder and Director |
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Leaders as Change Agents |
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Nonprofit Organization |
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Co-Chair of the Board |
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Korn Ferry |
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Consulting |
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Senior Advisor |
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Maynooth University School of Business |
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Education |
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Vice-Chair of Industry Business Council |
(1) |
Includes certain of its funds, other affiliates and portfolio companies. |
Potential investors should also be aware of the following other potential conflicts of interest:
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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 |
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compensation, and our executive officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. |
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Our sponsor subscribed for founder shares prior to the date of this prospectus and will purchase private placement warrants in a transaction that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. |
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Our sponsor and each member of our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and public shares held by them in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by February 13, 2023 or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares. Additionally, our sponsor has agreed to waive its rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to its founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame, the private placement warrants will expire worthless. Except as described herein, our sponsor each member of our management team have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until the earlier of (i) one year after the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) subsequent to our initial business combination, (A) if the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share 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 or (B) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. Except as described herein, the private placement warrants will not be transferable until 30 days following the completion of our initial business combination. In case of our executive officers and directors will own ordinary shares 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. |
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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 is included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination. In addition, one of our officers currently serves as a member of the board of another blank check company and our sponsor, officers and directors may sponsor, form or participate in other blank check companies similar to ours during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Any such companies may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an acquisition target, particularly in the event there is overlap among investment mandates. |
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor or any of our officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions 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 their respective affiliates, be paid by us 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 were first listed on the NYSE, we began reimbursing our sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to us in the amount of $10,000 per month.
We cannot assure you that any of the above-mentioned conflicts will be resolved in our favor.
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If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we obtain the approval of an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law. In such case, our sponsor and each member of our management team have agreed to vote their founder shares and public shares in favor of our initial business combination.
Limitation on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against willful default, willful neglect, actual fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide for indemnification of our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law, including for any liability incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own actual fraud, willful default or willful neglect. We entered into agreements with our directors and officers to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. We expect to purchase 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.
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 have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever (except to the extent they are entitled to funds from the trust account due to their ownership of public shares). Accordingly, any indemnification provided will only be able to be satisfied by us if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination.
Our indemnification obligations 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.
We believe that these provisions, the insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced officers and directors.
Item 11. |
Executive Compensation |
Officer and Director 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 were first listed on the NYSE through the earlier of consummation of our initial business combination and our liquidation, we began reimbursing our sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to us in the amount of $10,000 per month.
In addition, our sponsor, executive officers and directors, or 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 by us to our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or their affiliates. Any such payments prior to an initial business combination will be made using 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,
79
including finder’s and consulting fees, will be paid by the company to our sponsor, executive officers and directors, or 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.
80
Item 12. |
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters |
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares as of the date of this Report, based on information obtained from the persons named below, with respect to the beneficial ownership of our shares, by:
|
• |
each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares; |
|
• |
each of our executive officers and directors that beneficially owns ordinary shares; 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 ordinary shares 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 Report.
Name of Beneficial Owners(1) |
Class B ordinary shares |
Class A ordinary shares |
Approximate Percentage of Voting Control |
||
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned(2) |
Approximate Percentage of Class |
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned |
Approximate Percentage of Class |
||
World Quantum Growth Acquisition LLC(3)(4) |
5,023,750 |
98.53% |
— |
— |
19.76% |
Xavier Rolet(5) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Serge Harry(5) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Antoine Shagoury(5) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Michel Brogard(5) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Sharda Cherwoo(5) |
25,000 |
* |
— |
— |
* |
Peter Lenardos(5) |
25,000 |
* |
— |
— |
* |
Emer Timmons(5) |
25,000 |
* |
— |
— |
* |
All officers and directors as a group (seven individuals) |
75,000 |
1.47% |
— |
— |
* |
Coronation Investment Management International (Pty) Ltd.(6) |
— |
— |
2,060,881 |
10.10% |
8.10% |
HGC Investment Management Inc.(7) |
— |
— |
1,909,631 |
9.36% |
7.51% |
Highbridge Capital Management, LLC(8) |
— |
— |
958,392 |
4.70% |
3.77% |
Saba Capital Management, L.P.(9) |
— |
— |
1,029,094 |
5.0% |
4.05% |
* |
Less than one percent. |
(1) |
Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of our shareholders is PO Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman KY1-1104, Cayman Islands. |
(2) |
Interests shown consist solely of founder shares, classified as Class B ordinary shares. Such shares are automatically convertible into Class A ordinary shares at the time of the consummation of our initial business combination, or earlier at the option of the holder, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment, as more fully described under the heading “Description of Securities–Founder Shares” of our final prospectus (File No. 333-255890), filed in connection with our initial public offering. |
(3) |
The shares reported above are held in the name of our sponsor. Our sponsor is controlled by a four-member board of managers composed of Xavier Rolet, Serge Harry, Antoine Shagoury and Michel Brogard. The approval of a majority of the managers is required to approve an action of our sponsor. Under the so-called “rule of three,” if voting and dispositive decisions regarding an entity’s securities are made by three or more |
81
individuals, and a voting and dispositive decision requires the approval of a majority of those individuals, then none of the individuals is deemed a beneficial owner of the entity’s securities. This is the situation with regard to our sponsor. Based upon the foregoing analysis, no individual member of the board of managers of our sponsor exercises voting or dispositive control over any of the securities held by our sponsor, even those in which such manager directly holds a pecuniary interest. Accordingly, none of them will be deemed to have or share beneficial ownership of such shares. |
(4) |
Excludes 8,618,500 Class A ordinary shares which may be purchased by exercising private placement warrants that are not presently exercisable. |
(5) |
Does not include any shares indirectly owned by this individual as a result of his or her partnership interest in our sponsor or its affiliates. |
(6) |
Pursuant to the Schedule 13G/A filed by Coronation Investment Management International (Pty) Ltd. on February 10, 2022, Coronation Investment Management International (Pty) Ltd. may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of 2,060,881 Class A Ordinary Shares. The address of the principal business office of the reporting person is 7th Fl., Montclare Place, CNR Main and Campground Rd., Claremont, Cape Town 7708, South Africa. |
(7) |
Pursuant to the Schedule 13G filed by HGC Investment Management Inc. on February 14, 2022, HGC Investment Management Inc., a company incorporated under the laws of Canada, which serves as the investment manager to The HGC Fund LP, an Ontario limited partnership (the “Fund”), may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of 1,909,631 Class A Ordinary Shares held on behalf of the Fund. The address of the business office of the reporting person is 1073 Yonge Street, 2nd Floor, Toronto, Ontario M4W 2L2, Canada. |
(8) |
Pursuant to the Schedule 13G/A filed by Highbridge Capital Management, LLC on January 27, 2022, Highbridge Capital Management, LLC, as the trading manager of Highbridge Tactical Credit Master Fund, L.P. and Highbridge SPAC Opportunity Fund, L.P. (collectively, the “Highbridge Funds”), may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of the 958,392 Class A Ordinary Shares held by the Highbridge Funds. The address of the business office of the reporting person is 277 Park Avenue, 23rd Floor, New York, New York 10172. |
(9) |
Pursuant to the Schedule 13G filed by Saba Capital Management, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“Saba Capital”), Saba Capital Management GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Saba GP”), and Mr. Boaz R. Weinstein (together, the “Saba Reporting Persons”) on December 17, 2021, the Saba Reporting Persons may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of 1,029,094 Class A Ordinary Shares. The address of the business office of each of the Saba Reporting Persons is 405 Lexington Avenue, 58th Floor, New York, New York 10174. |
Changes in Control
None.
Item 13. |
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence |
Founder Shares
On March 15, 2021, the Sponsor paid $25,000 to cover certain expenses of the Company in consideration of 8,625,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001, (the “Founder Shares”). On April 27, 2021, the Sponsor transferred an aggregate of 75,000 Founder Shares to the Company’s independent directors. On July 22, 2021, the Sponsor effected a share surrender resulting in the Sponsor surrendering 2,875,000 Founder Shares. The Sponsor had agreed to forfeit up to 750,000 Founder Shares to the extent that the Over-Allotment Option is not exercised in full by the underwriter, so that the Founder Shares will represent 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the Private Placement Warrants) after the Initial Public Offering. On August 25, 2021, the underwriter partially exercised the Over-Allotment Option to purchase 395,000 Over-Allotment Units and on August 27, 2021, the Company completed the sale of the Over-Allotment Units to the underwriter. On September 24, 2021, the Over-Allotment Option expired and 651,250 Founder Shares were automatically surrendered by the Sponsor to the Company for no consideration.
82
The initial shareholders agreed, subject to limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until the earlier of (i) one year after the completion of the Company’s initial business combination and (ii) subsequent to the Company’s initial business combination, (A) if the closing price of the the Company’s Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the Company’s initial business combination or (B) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the Public Shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
Private Placement Warrants
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company consummated the Private Placement of 8,500,000 Private Placement Warrants, each exercisable to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share, at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, generating gross proceeds to the Company of approximately $8.5 million. A portion of the proceeds from the Private Placement Warrants was added to the proceeds from the Initial Public Offering held in the Trust Account. In connection with the underwriter’s partial exercise of its Over-Allotment Option, the Company also consummated the sale of an additional 118,500 Private Placement Warrants at $1.00 per warrant, generating total proceeds of approximately $0.1 million.
The Sponsor and the Company’s officers and directors agreed, subject to limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of their Private Placement Warrants until 30 days after the completion of an initial business combination.
Related Party Loans
On March 15, 2021, the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company an aggregate of up to $300,000 to cover expenses related to the Initial Public Offering pursuant to a promissory note (the “Note”). This loan was non-interest bearing and payable upon the earlier of December 31, 2021, or the completion of the Initial Public Offering. Through December 31, 2021, the Company had borrowed $300,000 under the Note, which was fully repaid on August 13, 2021.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an initial business combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes an initial business combination, the Company may repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Working Capital Loans may be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. In the event that an initial business combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of the proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Except for the foregoing, the terms of such Working Capital Loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. The Working Capital Loans would either be repaid upon consummation of an initial business combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1.5 million of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into shares of the post Business Combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant. Such warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. The Company has no borrowings outstanding under this agreement to date.
Administrative Support Agreement
Commencing on the date that the Company’s securities were first listed on the New York Stock Exchange through the earlier of consummation of an initial business combination and the Company’s liquidation, the Company began to reimburse the Sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to the Company in the amount of $10,000 per month. Upon completion of the initial Business Combination or the Company’s liquidation, the Company will cease paying these monthly fees.
83
Policy for Approval of Related Party Transactions
The audit committee of our board of directors adopted a charter, providing for the review, approval and/or ratification of “related party transactions,” which are those transactions required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K as promulgated by the SEC, by the audit committee. At its meetings, the audit committee shall be provided with the details of each new, existing, or proposed related party transaction, including the terms of the transaction, any contractual restrictions that the company has already committed to, the business purpose of the transaction, and the benefits of the transaction to the company and to the relevant related party. Any member of the committee who has an interest in the related party transaction under review by the committee shall abstain from voting on the approval of the related party transaction, but may, if so requested by the chairman of the committee, participate in some or all of the committee’s discussions of the related party transaction. Upon completion of its review of the related party transaction, the committee may determine to permit or to prohibit the related party transaction.
Item 14. |
Principal Accountant Fees and Services |
The following is a summary of fees paid or to be paid to Marcum LLP, or Marcum, for services rendered.
Audit Fees. Audit fees consist of fees billed for professional services rendered for the audit of our year-end financial statements and services that are normally provided by Marcum in connection with regulatory filings. The aggregate fees billed by Marcum for professional services rendered for the audit of our annual financial statements, review of the financial information included in our Forms 10-Q for the respective periods and other required filings with the SEC for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021 totaled $84,178. The above amounts include interim procedures and audit fees, as well as attendance at audit committee meetings.
Audit-Related Fees. Audit-related services consist of fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to performance of the audit or review of our financial statements and are not reported under “Audit Fees.” These services include attest services that are not required by statute or regulation and consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards. We did not pay Marcum for consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021.
Tax Fees. We did not pay Marcum for tax planning and tax advice for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021.
All Other Fees. We did not pay Marcum for other services for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021.
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).
84
PART IV
Item 15. |
Exhibits, Financial Statements Schedules |
|
(a) |
The following documents are filed as part of this Form 10-K: |
|
(1) |
Financial Statements: |
|
(2) |
Financial Statement Schedules: |
None.
|
(3) |
Exhibits |
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 obtained from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Exhibit No. |
Description |
3.1 |
Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association.(1) |
4.1 |
Warrant Agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company and the Company.(1) |
4.2 |
|
10.1 |
Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement between the Company and the Sponsor.(1) |
10.2 |
|
10.3 |
|
10.4 |
Letter Agreement among the Registrant, the Sponsor and the Registrant’s officers and directors.(1) |
10.5 |
Administrative Services Agreement between the Registrant and the Sponsor.(1) |
21 |
|
31.1 |
|
31.2 |
|
32.1 |
|
32.2 |
|
|
|
85
Exhibit No. |
Description |
101.INS |
Inline XBRL Instance Document – the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.* |
101.CAL |
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document* |
101.SCH |
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document* |
101.DEF |
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document* |
101.LAB |
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document* |
101.PRE |
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document* |
104 |
Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
* |
Filed herewith |
** |
Furnished herewith |
(1) |
Incorporated by reference to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on August 13, 2021. |
Item 16. |
Form 10-K Summary |
Not applicable.
86
WORLD QUANTUM GROWTH ACQUISITION CORP
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
|
Page |
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID #688) |
F-2 |
|
|
F-3 |
|
|
|
F-4 |
|
|
|
F-5 |
|
|
|
F-6 |
|
|
|
F-7 |
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of
World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2021, the related statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ deficit and cash flows for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Explanatory Paragraph – Going Concern
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As more fully described in Note 1 to the financial statements, the Company’s business plan is dependent on the completion of a business combination and the Company’s cash and working capital as of December 31, 2021 are not sufficient to complete its planned activities for a reasonable period of time, which is considered to be one year from the issuance date of the financial statements. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. Management's plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 1. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ Marcum llp
Marcum llp
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2021.
Hartford, CT
March 31, 2022
F-2
WORLD QUANTUM GROWTH ACQUISITION CORP.
BALANCE SHEET
DECEMBER 31, 2021
Assets |
|
|
|
|
Current assets: |
|
|
|
|
Cash |
|
$ |
710,270 |
|
Prepaid expenses |
|
|
508,049 |
|
Total current assets |
|
|
1,218,319 |
|
Cash and marketable securities held in Trust Account |
|
|
206,018,890 |
|
Long-term prepaid expenses |
|
|
57,530 |
|
Total assets |
|
$ |
207,294,739 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities, Redeemable Ordinary Shares and Shareholders’ Deficit |
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
Accrued offering costs and expenses |
|
$ |
206,958 |
|
Due to related party |
|
|
46,774 |
|
Total current liabilities |
|
|
253,732 |
|
Warrant liability |
|
|
10,726,000 |
|
Deferred underwriting fee |
|
|
7,138,250 |
|
Total liabilities |
|
|
18,117,982 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Commitments and Contingencies (See Note 6) |
|
|
|
|
Redeemable Ordinary Shares: |
|
|
|
|
Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption, 20,395,000 shares at redemption value of $10.10 |
|
|
205,989,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shareholders’ Deficit: |
|
|
|
|
Preference shares, $0.0001 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding |
|
|
|
|
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding, excluding 20,395,000 shares subject to possible redemption |
|
|
— |
|
Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized, 5,098,750 shares issued and outstanding |
|
|
510 |
|
Additional paid-in capital |
|
|
— |
|
Accumulated deficit |
|
|
(16,813,253 |
) |
Total shareholders’ deficit |
|
|
(16,812,743 |
) |
Total Liabilities, Redeemable Ordinary Shares and Shareholders’ Deficit |
|
$ |
207,294,739 |
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-3
WORLD QUANTUM GROWTH ACQUISITION CORP.
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 9, 2021 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2021
Formation and operating costs |
|
$ |
519,840 |
|
Loss from operations |
|
|
(519,840 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
Other income (expense) |
|
|
|
|
Interest income on marketable securities held in Trust Account |
|
|
29,390 |
|
Offering cost allocated to warrants |
|
|
(1,004,805 |
) |
Excess of fair value over cash received for private warrants |
|
|
(4,740,175 |
) |
Change in fair value of derivatives |
|
|
18,512,800 |
|
Total other income |
|
|
12,797,210 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income |
|
$ |
12,227,370 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding of Class A ordinary shares |
|
|
9,631,426 |
|
Basic and diluted net income per share, Class A ordinary shares |
|
$ |
0.84 |
|
Weighted average shares outstanding of Class B ordinary shares |
|
|
4,932,135 |
|
Basic and diluted net income per share, Class B ordinary shares |
|
$ |
0.84 |
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-4
WORLD QUANTUM GROWTH ACQUISITION CORP.
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 9, 2021 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2021
|
Class A Ordinary Shares |
|
Class B Ordinary Shares |
|
|
Additional |
|
Accumulated |
|
|
Shareholders' |
|
||||||||||||||||
|
Shares |
|
Amount |
|
Shares |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Paid-in Capital |
|
Deficit |
|
|
|
Deficit |
|||||||||||
Balance as of March 9, 2021 (inception) |
— |
|
$ |
— |
|
— |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
|
|
||||||
Class B ordinary shares issued to Sponsor |
— |
|
|
— |
|
5,750,000 |
|
|
|
575 |
|
|
|
24,425 |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
25,000 |
|
||||||
Forfeiture of Class B ordinary shares by Sponsor |
— |
|
|
— |
|
(651,250 |
) |
|
|
(65 |
) |
|
|
65 |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
||||||
Accretion of Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption |
— |
|
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(24,490 |
) |
|
(29,090,623 |
) |
|
|
(29,115,113 |
) |
||||||
Net income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,227,370 |
|
|
|
12,227,370 |
|
|||||
Balance as of December 31, 2021 |
— |
|
$ |
— |
|
5,098,750 |
|
|
$ |
510 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
$ |
(16,813,253 |
) |
|
$ |
(16,812,743 |
) |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-5
WORLD QUANTUM GROWTH ACQUISITION CORP.
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 9, 2021 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2021
Cash flows from operating activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net income |
|
$ |
12,277,370 |
|
|
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Formation cost paid by Sponsor in exchange for issuance of Class B ordinary shares |
|
|
7,060 |
|
|
Allocation of offering costs to warrant expense |
|
|
1,004,805 |
|
|
Interest earned on cash and marketable securities held in Trust Account |
|
|
(29,390 |
) |
|
Fair value in excess of cash received for private warrants |
|
|
4,740,175 |
|
|
Change in fair value of derivatives |
|
|
(18,512,800 |
) |
|
Changes in current assets and liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Prepaid expenses |
|
|
(565,579 |
) |
|
Accrued expenses |
|
|
206,958 |
|
|
Due to related party |
|
|
46,774 |
|
|
Net cash used in operating activities |
|
|
(824,627 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from investing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Investment of cash in Trust Account |
|
|
(205,989,500 |
) |
|
Net cash used in investing activities |
|
|
(205,989,500 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from financing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from initial public offering, net of underwriting discount |
|
|
199,871,000 |
|
|
Proceeds from private placement |
|
|
8,618,500 |
|
|
Proceeds from issuance of promissory note to related party |
|
|
300,000 |
|
|
Payment of promissory note |
|
|
(300,000 |
) |
|
Payment of deferred offering costs |
|
|
(965,103 |
) |
|
Net cash provided by financing activities |
|
|
207,524,397 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net change in cash |
|
|
710,270 |
|
|
Cash, beginning of the period |
|
|
— |
|
|
Cash, end of the period |
|
$ |
710,270 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: |
|
|
|
|
|
Offering costs paid by Sponsor in exchange for issuance of Class B ordinary shares |
|
$ |
17,940 |
|
|
Deferred underwriting commission liability charged to accumulated deficit |
|
$ |
7,138,250 |
|
|
Initial fair value measurement of warrant liabilities. |
|
$ |
29,164,800 |
|
|
|
|||||
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-6
WORLD QUANTUM GROWTH ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2021
Note 1 — Organization and Business Operations
World Quantum Growth Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) was incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on March 9, 2021. The Company was incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (“Business Combination”).
As of December 31, 2021, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021 relates to the Company’s formation and the Initial Public Offering (as defined below) described below, and identifying a target company for a Business Combination. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents from the proceeds derived from the Initial Public Offering.
The Company’s sponsor is World Quantum Growth Acquisition LLC, a Cayman Islands limited liability company (the “Sponsor”). The registration statement for the Company’s Initial Public Offering (as defined below) was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on August 10, 2021 (the “Effective Date”). On August 13, 2021, the Company consummated the initial public offering (the “Initial Public Offering” or “IPO”) of 20,000,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A ordinary shares included in the Units sold, the “Public Shares”), at $10.00 per Unit generating gross proceeds of $200,000,000, which is described in Note 3. The Company granted the underwriter of the IPO a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 units at the IPO price to cover over-allotments, if any. On August 25, 2021, the underwriter partially exercised the over-allotment option to purchase an additional 395,000 Units (the “Over-Allotment Units”). On August 27, 2021, the Company completed the sale of the Over-Allotment Units to the underwriter (the “Over-Allotment”), generating aggregate gross proceeds of $3,950,000, and incurred $79,000 in cash underwriting fees.
Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, the Company consummated the sale of an aggregate of 8,500,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per warrant in a private placement to the Sponsor (the “Private Placement”), generating gross proceeds to the Company of $8,500,000, which is described in Note 4. Simultaneously with the closing of the Over-Allotment, the Company consummated the Private Placement of an aggregate of 118,500 additional Private Placement Warrants at a purchase price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant to the Sponsor, generating gross proceeds of $118,500.
Upon closing of the IPO, the Private Placement, and the sale of the Over-Allotment Units, a total of $205,989,500 ($10.10 per Unit) was placed in a trust account, with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee.
Transaction costs amounted to $12,200,293, consisting of $4,079,000 of underwriting fees, $7,138,250 of deferred underwriting fees (see Note 6), and $983,043 of other offering costs. Of the total transaction costs, $1,004,805 were allocated to expense associated with the warrant liability.
In addition, the Sponsor agreed to forfeit up to 750,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001, to the extent that the over-allotment option was not exercised in full by the underwriter. On August 25, 2021, the underwriter partially exercised the over-allotment option to purchase the Over-Allotment Units and on August 27, 2021, the Company completed the sale of the Over-Allotment Units to the underwriter. On September 24, 2021, the over-allotment option expired, and the Sponsor forfeited 651,250 Class B ordinary shares for no consideration (see Note 5).
Following the closing of the IPO on August 13, 2021, an amount of $202,000,000 ($10.10 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the IPO and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants was placed in a trust account (the “Trust Account”) and may only be invested in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account that may be released to the Company to pay its income taxes, if any, the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as discussed below and subject to the requirements of law and regulation, will provide that the proceeds from the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants held in the Trust Account will not be released from the Trust Account (1) to the Company, until the completion of the initial Business Combination, or (2) to the Company’s Public Shareholders, until the earlier of (a) the completion of the initial Business Combination, and then only in connection with those Class A ordinary shares that such shareholders properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein, (b) the redemption of any Public Shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to provide holders of the Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with the initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the Public Shares if the Company does not complete the initial Business Combination within 18 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of the Class A ordinary shares, and (c) the redemption of the Public Shares if the Company has not consummated the initial Business Combination within 18 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering, subject to applicable law.
F-7
The Company will provide the Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of the initial Business Combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek shareholder approval of a proposed Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require the Company to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement. The Public Shareholders will be entitled to redeem all or a portion of their Class A ordinary shares upon the completion of the initial Business Combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding Public Shares, subject to the limitations described herein.
The Company has only 18 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering (the “Combination Period”) to complete the initial Business Combination. If the Company has not completed the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company 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 the Company to pay its income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) divided by the number of the then-outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any); and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining shareholders and the board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the Company’s obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
The Sponsor and each member of the management team have entered into an agreement with the Company pursuant to which they have agreed to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to their Class B ordinary shares (the “Founder Shares”), (ii) waive their redemption rights with respect to their Founder Shares and Public Shares in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to provide holders of the Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with the initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the Public Shares if the Company does not complete the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of the Class A ordinary shares and (iii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any Founder Shares they hold if the Company fails to consummate the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any Public Shares they hold if the Company fails to complete the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period).
The Sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company (other than the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm),or a prospective target business with which the Company has entered into a transaction agreement, reduce the amounts in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.10 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 $10.10 per Public Share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest that may be withdrawn to pay its tax obligations, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third-party or prospective target business that executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account nor will it apply to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriter of the Initial Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, the Company has not asked the Sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor has the Company independently verified whether the Sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and the Company believes that the Sponsor’s only assets are securities of the Company. Therefore, the Company cannot assure you that the Sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
The Company’s liquidity needs prior to the closing of the IPO on August 13, 2021, were satisfied through a capital contribution from the Sponsor of $25,000 (see Note 5) for the Founder Shares and the loan under an unsecured promissory note from the Sponsor of up to $300,000 (see Note 5). The promissory note from the Sponsor was paid in full on August 13, 2021. Upon closing of the IPO on August 13, 2021, the Company had approximately $2.3 million in its operating bank account and working capital of approximately $1.5 million from the portion of the proceeds received and not held in the trust account. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had $710,270 in its operating bank account and working capital of $964,587.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide the Company Working Capital Loans (see Note 5). As of December 31, 2021, there were no amounts outstanding under any Working Capital Loans.
Going Concern
The Company anticipates that the $710,270 outside of the Trust Account as of December 31, 2021, might not be sufficient to allow the Company to operate for at least the next 12 months from the issuance of the financial statements, assuming that a business
F-8
combination is not consummated during that time. Until consummation of its business combination, the Company will be using the funds not held in the Trust Account, and any additional Working Capital Loans (as defined in Note 5) from the initial shareholders, certain of the Company’s officers and directors (see Note 5), for identifying and evaluating prospective acquisition candidates, performing business due diligence on prospective target businesses, traveling to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses, reviewing corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, selecting the target business to acquire and structuring, negotiating and consummating the business combination.
The Company can raise additional capital through Working Capital Loans from the initial shareholders, certain of the Company’s officers, and directors (see Note 5), or through loans from third parties. None of the sponsor, officers or directors are under any obligation to advance funds to, or to invest in, the Company. If the Company is unable to raise additional capital, it may be required to take additional measures to conserve liquidity, which could include, but not necessarily be limited to, curtailing operations, suspending the pursuit of its business plan, and reducing overhead expenses. The Company cannot provide any assurance that new financing will be available to it on commercially acceptable terms, if at all. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a reasonable period of time, which is considered to be one year from the issuance date of the financial statements.
The Company has until February 13, 2023 to consummate a Business Combination. It is uncertain that the Company will be able to consummate a Business Combination by either date. If a Business Combination is not consummated by the required dates, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution. In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with the authoritative guidance in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosure of Uncertainties About an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” management has determined that mandatory liquidation, and subsequent dissolution, should the Company be unable to complete a business combination, raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for the next twelve months from the issuance of these financial statements. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities should the Company be required to liquidate after February 13, 2023.
Risks and Uncertainties
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.
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.
Note 2 — Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements are presented in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) have been made that are necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.
Emerging Growth Company Status
The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “Securities Act”), as modified by the Jumpstart our Business Startups Act of 2012, (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statement with
F-9
another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period.
Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgement. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. One of the more significant accounting estimates included in this financial statement is the determination of the fair value of the warrant liability. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
As of December 31, 2021, the Company had $710,270 in cash. The Company considers all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company had no cash equivalents as of December 31, 2021.
Cash and Marketable Securities Held in Trust Account
At December 31, 2021, the company had $206,018,890 in assets held in the Trust Account which were held in U.S. Treasury Bills with a maturity of 185 days or less and in money market funds which invest in U.S. Treasury securities. During the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, the Company did not withdraw any of the interest income from the Trust Account to pay its tax obligations.
The Company classifies its United States Treasury securities as held-to-maturity in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 320 “Investments - Debt and Equity Securities.” Held-to-maturity securities are those securities which the Company has the ability and intent to hold until maturity. Held-to-maturity treasury securities are recorded at amortized cost and adjusted for the amortization or accretion of premiums or discounts.
A decline in the market value of held-to-maturity securities below cost that is deemed to be other than temporary, results in an impairment that reduces the carrying costs to such securities’ fair value. The impairment is charged to earnings and a new cost basis for the security is established. To determine whether an impairment is other than temporary, the Company considers whether it has the ability and intent to hold the investment until a market price recovery and considers whether evidence indicating the cost of the investment is recoverable outweighs evidence to the contrary. Evidence considered in this assessment includes the reasons for the impairment, the severity and the duration of the impairment, changes in value subsequent to year-end, forecasted performance of the investee, and the general market condition in the geographic area or industry in which the investee operates.
Premiums and discounts are amortized or accreted over the life of the related held-to-maturity security as an adjustment to yield using the effective-interest method. Such amortization and accretion are included in the “interest income” line item in the statement of operations. Interest income is recognized when earned.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Depository Insurance Coverage of $250,000. At December 31, 2021, the Company has not experienced losses on this account and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such account.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the balance sheet, primarily due to their short-term nature.
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company evaluates its financial instruments to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives in accordance with ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging”. Derivative instruments are initially recorded at fair value on the grant date and re-valued at each reporting date, with changes in the fair value reported in the statement of operations. Derivative assets and liabilities are classified in the balance sheet as current or non-current based on whether or not net-cash settlement or conversion of the instrument could be required within 12 months of the balance sheet date.
Warrant Liabilities
F-10
The Company evaluated the Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants (collectively, “Warrants”, which are discussed in Notes 3 and 7) in accordance with ASC 815-40, “Derivatives and Hedging — Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity”, and concluded that a provision in the Warrant Agreement related to certain tender or exchange offers precludes the Warrants from being accounted for as components of equity. As the Warrants meet the definition of a derivative as contemplated in ASC 815, the Warrants are recorded as derivative liabilities on the balance sheet and measured at fair value at inception (on the date of the IPO) and at each reporting date in accordance with ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurement”, with changes in fair value recognized in the statement of operations in the period of change.
Offering Costs
The Company complies with the requirements of the ASC 340-10-S99-1. Offering costs consisted of legal, accounting, underwriting fees and other costs incurred through the IPO that were directly related to the Public Offering. Offering costs are allocated to the separable financial instruments issued in the IPO based on a relative fair value basis, compared to total proceeds received. Offering costs associated with warrant liabilities are expensed as incurred, and presented as non-operating expenses in the statement of operations. Offering costs associated with the Class A ordinary shares were charged to temporary equity upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering. Transaction costs amounted to $12,200,293, of which $1,004,805 were allocated to expense associated with the warrant liability.
Class A Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption
All of the 20,395,000 Class A ordinary shares sold as part of the Units in the IPO contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such public shares in connection with the Company’s liquidation, if there is a shareholder vote or tender offer in connection with the Business Combination and in connection with certain amendments to the Company’s certificate of incorporation. In accordance with SEC and its staff’s guidance on redeemable equity instruments, which has been codified in ASC 480-10-S99, redemption provisions not solely within the control of the Company require ordinary shares subject to redemption to be classified outside of permanent equity.
The Class A ordinary shares are subject to ASC 480-10-S99. If it is probable that the equity instrument will become redeemable, the Company has the option to either accrete changes in the redemption value over the period from the date of issuance (or from the date that it becomes probable that the instrument will become redeemable, if later) to the earliest redemption date of the instrument or to recognize changes in the redemption value immediately as they occur and adjust the carrying amount of the instrument to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. The Company recognizes changes in redemption value immediately as they occur. Immediately upon the closing of the IPO, the Company recognized the accretion from initial book value to redemption amount value. The change in the carrying value of redeemable ordinary shares resulted in charges against additional paid-in capital and accumulated deficit.
As of December 31, 2021, the ordinary shares reflected on the balance sheet are reconciled in the following table:
Gross proceeds from IPO |
|
$ |
203,950,000 |
|
Less: |
|
|
|
|
Proceeds allocated to public warrants |
|
|
(15,806,125 |
) |
Class A ordinary share issuance costs |
|
|
(11,269,488 |
) |
Plus: |
|
|
|
|
Accretion of carrying value to redemption value |
|
|
29,115,113 |
|
Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption |
|
$ |
205,989,500 |
|
Income Taxes
The Company follows the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes under FASB ASC 740, “Income Taxes.” Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that included the enactment date. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.
FASB ASC 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. The Company’s management determined that the Cayman Islands is the Company’s only major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. As of December 31, 2021, there were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts were accrued for the payment of interest and penalties. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.
F-11
The Company is considered to be an exempted Cayman Islands company with no connection to any other taxable jurisdiction and is presently not subject to income taxes or income tax filing requirements in the Cayman Islands or the United States. As such, the Company’s tax provision was zero for the periods presented.
Net Income per Ordinary Share
The Company has two classes of shares, which are referred to as Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Earnings and losses are shared pro rata between the two classes of shares. The potential ordinary shares for outstanding warrants to purchase the Company’s shares were excluded from diluted earnings per share for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) to December 31, 2021 because the warrants are contingently exercisable, and the contingencies have not yet been met. As a result, diluted net income per ordinary share is the same as basic net income per ordinary share for the periods.
The following table presents a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator used to compute basic and diluted net income per ordinary share for each class of ordinary shares:
|
|
For the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021 |
||||
|
|
Class A |
|
Class B |
||
Basic and diluted net income per share: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Numerator: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Allocation of net income |
|
$ |
8,119,483 |
|
$ |
4,157,887 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Denominator: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted-average shares outstanding |
|
|
9,631,426 |
|
|
4,932,135 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted net income per share |
|
$ |
0.84 |
|
$ |
0.84 |
Recent Accounting Standards
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt-Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging-Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity (“ASU 2020-06”), which simplifies accounting for convertible instruments by removing major separation models required under current GAAP. The ASU also removes certain settlement conditions that are required for equity-linked contracts to qualify for scope exception, and it simplifies the diluted earnings per share calculation in certain areas. ASU 2020-06 is effective January 1, 2022 and should be applied on a full or modified retrospective basis, with early adoption permitted beginning on January 1, 2021. The Company is currently assessing the impact, if any, that ASU 2020-06 would have on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statement.
Note 3 — Initial Public Offering
Public Units
On August 13, 2021, the Company sold 20,000,000 Units, at a purchase price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $200,000,000. Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share, and one-half of one warrant to purchase one Class A ordinary share (the “Public Warrants”).
The Company paid an underwriting fee at the closing of the IPO of $4,000,000. As of August 13, 2021, an additional fee of $7,000,000 (see Note 6) was deferred and will become payable upon the Company’s completion of an initial Business Combination. The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriter from the amounts held in the Trust Account.
The Company granted the underwriter of the IPO a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 units at the IPO price to cover over-allotments, if any. On August 27, 2021, the Company completed the sale of a portion of the Over-Allotment Units to the underwriter (the “Over-Allotment”), generating an aggregate of gross proceeds of $3,950,000, incurred $79,000 in cash underwriting fees, and additional $138,250 deferred underwriters’ fee arising from the sale of Overallotment Units.
Public Warrants
Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as discussed herein. In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of the initial Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per Class A ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors and in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by the Sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross
F-12
proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of the initial Business Combination on the date of the consummation of the initial Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares during the 20-trading-day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates its initial Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $10.00 per share redemption trigger price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
The warrants will become exercisable on the later of 12 months from the closing of the IPO or 30 days after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, and will expire five years after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
The Company will not be obligated to deliver any Class A ordinary shares pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to settle such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to the Company’s satisfying its obligations described below with respect to registration, or a valid exemption from registration is available. No warrant will be exercisable and the Company will not be obligated to issue a Class A ordinary share upon exercise of a warrant unless the Class A ordinary share issuable upon such warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the warrants. In the event that the conditions in the two immediately preceding sentences are not satisfied with respect to a warrant, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless. In no event will the Company be required to net cash settle any warrant. In the event that a registration statement is not effective for the exercised warrants, the purchaser of a Unit containing such warrant will have paid the full purchase price for the Unit solely for the Class A ordinary share underlying such Unit.
Redemption of Warrants When the Price per Class A Ordinary Share Equals or Exceeds $18.00
Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants (except as described in Note 4 with respect to the Private Placement Warrants):
|
• |
in whole and not in part; |
|
• |
at a price of $0.01 per warrant; |
|
• |
upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption to each warrant holder; and |
|
• |
if, and only if, the closing price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or excees $18.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-division, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading-day period ending three trading days before the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. |
Redemption of Warrants When the Price per Class A Ordinary Share Equals or Exceeds $10.00
Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants:
|
• |
in whole and not in part; |
|
• |
at a price of $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, based on the redemption date and the “fair market value” of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares; and |
|
• |
if, and only if, the closing price of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $10.00 per Public Share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within the 30-trading-day period ending three trading days before the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. |
The “fair market value” of the Class A ordinary shares for the above purpose shall mean the volume weighted average price of the Class A ordinary shares during the 10 trading days immediately following the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. The Company will provide the warrant holders with the final fair market value no later than one business day after the 10-trading-day period described above ends. In no event will the warrants be exercisable in connection with this redemption feature for more than 0.361 Class A ordinary share per warrant (subject to adjustment).
Note 4 — Private Placement
Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 8,500,000 Private Placement Warrants at a purchase price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $8,500,000. Simultaneously with the closing of the Over-Allotment on August 27, 2021, the Company consummated the private sale of an aggregate of 118,500 private warrants at a purchase price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, generating gross proceeds of $118,500.
F-13
Upon closing of the IPO, the Private Placement, and the sale of the Over-Allotment Units, a total of $205,989,500 ($10.10 per Unit) was placed in a trust account with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee.
The Private Placement Warrants (including the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of such warrants) will not be transferable, assignable or saleable until 30 days after the completion of the initial Business Combination and they will not be redeemable by the Company so long as they are held by the Sponsor, members of the Sponsor or their permitted transferees. If the Private Placement Warrants are held by holders other than the Sponsor or its permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company in all redemption scenarios and exercisable by the holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Private Placement Warrants will expire worthless.
Note 5 — Related Party Transactions
Founder Shares
On March 15, 2021, the Sponsor paid $25,000, or approximately $0.003 per share, to cover certain offering costs in consideration for 8,625,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001. On July 22, 2021, the Company effected a share surrender resulting in its Sponsor surrendering 2,875,000 Class B ordinary shares. As a result of such share surrender, the Company’s initial shareholders held 5,750,000 Class B ordinary shares, 750,000 of which were subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriter’s over-allotment option was exercised. On August 27, 2021, the underwriters partially exercised the over-allotment option and purchased an additional 395,000 Units, and forfeited the remainder of the option when it expired. Accordingly, on September 24, 2021, the Sponsor surrendered to the Company for cancellation, 651,250 Class B ordinary shares, resulting in the initial shareholders holding an aggregate of 5,098,750 Class B ordinary shares, and none subject to forfeiture.
The Company’s initial shareholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of its Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of: (i) one year after the completion of the initial Business Combination and (ii) subsequent to the initial Business Combination, (A) if the closing price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading-day period commencing at least 150 days after the initial Business Combination or (B) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the Public Shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
Due to Related Party
The Company agreed, commencing on the date the securities of the Company were first listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (the “Listing Date”), to pay the Sponsor up to $10,000 per month for office space, utilities, secretarial and administrative support services. Upon completion of the initial Business Combination or the Company’s liquidation, the Company will cease paying these monthly fees. As of December 31, 2021, $46,774 was incurred and charged to operating expenses, all of which had been accrued in Due to Related Party.
Promissory Note — Related Party
The Sponsor agreed to loan the Company up to $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of the IPO. These loans were non-interest bearing, unsecured and due at the earlier of December 31, 2021 or the closing of the IPO. Through December 31, 2021, the Company had borrowed $300,000 under the promissory note, which was fully repaid on August 13, 2021 from the proceeds of the IPO not held in the Trust Account. At December 31, 2021, the promissory note is no longer available to be drawn upon.
Working Capital Loans
In order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (the “Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes the initial Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans. In the event that the initial Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds from the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Up to $1,500,000 of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into private placement warrants of the post Business Combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. Such warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. At December 31, 2021, no such Working Capital Loans were outstanding.
Note 6 — Commitments and Contingencies
Registration Rights
The holders of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants, Class A ordinary shares underlying such Private Placement Warrants, and Private Placement Warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans will have registration rights to require the Company to register a sale of any of its securities held by them pursuant to a registration rights agreement signed on August 13, 2021. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company registers such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration
F-14
statements filed subsequent to the completion of the initial Business Combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
The underwriter is entitled to a deferred underwriting discount of 3.5% of the gross proceeds of the Initial Public Offering, or $7,138,250, held in the Trust Account upon the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
Note 7 — Shareholders’ Deficit
Preference Shares — The Company is authorized to issue a total of 5,000,000 preference shares with par value of $0.0001 each. At December 31, 2021, there were no preference shares issued and outstanding.
Class A Ordinary Shares — The Company is authorized to issue a total of 500,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with par value of $0.0001 each. At December 31, 2021, there were no shares issued or outstanding, excluding 20,395,000 shares subject to possible redemption.
Class B Ordinary Shares — The Company is authorized to issue a total of 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares at par value of $0.0001 each. At December 31, 2021, there are 5,098,750 issued and outstanding.
The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares, which Class A ordinary shares delivered upon conversion will not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions if the Company does not consummate an initial Business Combination, at the time of the initial Business Combination or earlier at the option of the holders thereof at a ratio such that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Founder Shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of (i) the total number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon completion of the Initial Public Offering, plus (ii) the total number of Class A ordinary shares issued or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities (as defined herein) 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 Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities exercisable for or convertible into Class A ordinary shares issued, deemed issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial Business Combination and any Private Placement Warrants issued to the Sponsor, its affiliates or any member of the management team upon conversion of Working Capital Loans. Any conversion of Class B ordinary shares described herein will take effect as a compulsory redemption of Class B ordinary shares and an issuance of Class A ordinary shares as a matter of Cayman Islands law. In no event will the Class B ordinary shares convert into Class A ordinary shares at a rate of less than one-to-one.
With respect to any other matter submitted to a vote of the shareholders, including any vote in connection with the initial Business Combination, except as required by law, holders of the Founder Shares and holders of the Public Shares will vote together as a single class, with each share entitling the holder to one vote.
Note 8 — Fair Value Measurements
The Company follows the guidance in ASC 820 for its financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value at each reporting period, and non-financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value at least annually.
The fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities reflects management’s estimate of amounts that the Company would have received in connection with the sale of the assets or paid in connection with the transfer of the liabilities in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In connection with measuring the fair value of its assets and liabilities, the Company seeks to maximize the use of observable inputs (market data obtained from independent sources) and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs (internal assumptions about how market participants would price assets and liabilities). The following fair value hierarchy is used to classify assets and liabilities based on the observable inputs and unobservable inputs used in order to value the assets and liabilities:
Level 1 — |
Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access. Valuation adjustments and block discounts are not being applied. Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, valuation of these securities does not entail a significant degree of judgment. |
Level 2 — |
Valuations based on (i) quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities, (ii) quoted prices in markets that are not active for identical or similar assets, (iii) inputs other than quoted prices for the assets or liabilities, or (iv) inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by market through correlation or other means. |
Level 3 — |
Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement. |
The following table presents information about the Company’s liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2021 and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation inputs the Company utilized to determine such fair value:
F-15
|
|
December 31, 2021 |
|
|
Level 1 |
|
|
Level 2 |
|
Level 3 |
|
|
||||||
Liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Public Warrants |
|
$ |
5,813,000 |
|
|
$ |
5,813,000 |
|
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
Private Placement Warrants |
|
|
4,913,000 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
4,913,000 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
$ |
10,726,000 |
|
|
$ |
5,813,000 |
|
|
|
$ |
4,913,000 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
The Warrants are accounted for as liabilities in accordance with ASC 815-40 and are presented within warrant liabilities on the balance sheet. The warrant liabilities are measured at fair value at inception and on a recurring basis.
The Company established the initial fair value of the Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants on August 13, 2021, the date of the Company’s Initial Public Offering, using a Monte Carlo simulation model. The Warrants were classified as Level 3 at the initial measurement date. At December 31, 2021, the Company used the quoted price on the NYSE to establish the fair value of the Public Warrants and the quoted price on the NYSE for similar assets (the Public Warrants) to establish the fair value of the Private Placement Warrants. For subsequent remeasurement, the Public Warrants are classified as Level 1 due to the use of observable inputs and the Private Placement Warrants are classified as Level 2 due to the use of observable inputs for similar assets.
The key inputs into the Monte Carlo simulation model were as follows:
Input |
|
|
|
|
Initial Measurement |
|||
Risk-free interest rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.91 |
% |
Expected term remaining (years) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expected term until merger (years) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estimated probability of successful merger |
|
|
|
|
|
|
95.0 |
% |
Expected volatility |
|
|
|
|
|
|
29.0 |
% |
Implied Share price |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
9.18 |
|
Exercise price |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
11.50 |
|
The following table presents the changes in the fair value of Level 3 Warrant Liabilities for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021:
Fair value of Level 3 Warrant Liabilities as of March 9, 2021 (inception) |
$ |
— |
|
Initial measurement of warrants |
|
29,164,800 |
|
Change in fair value |
|
(18,438,800 |
) |
Transfer Public Warrants from Level 3 to Level 1 on December 31, 2021 |
|
(5,813,000 |
) |
Transfer Private Placement Warrants from Level 3 to Level 2 on December 31, 2021 |
|
(4,913,000 |
) |
Fair value of Level 3 Warrant Liabilities as of December 31, 2021 |
$ |
— |
|
Transfers to/from Levels 1, 2 and 3 are recognized at the end of the reporting period in which a change in valuation technique or methodology occurs. During the quarter ended December 31, 2021, the Public Warrants were actively trading on the NYSE. As such, the Public Warrants were transferred from Level 3 to Level 1 to recognize changes in fair value based on quoted prices in the active market. As the terms of the Private Placement Warrants are virtually identical to the Public Warrants, the Private Placement Warrants were transferred from Level 3 to Level 2 to recognize changes in fair value based on quoted prices of similar or identical assets in the active market. As of December 31, 2021, the market price of the Public Warrants on the NYSE was $0.57 per warrant.
F-16
The carrying value, excluding gross unrealized holding loss, and fair value of held to maturity securities on December 31, 2021 are as follows:
|
Carrying Value as of December 31, 2021 |
|
Gross Unrealized Gains |
|
Gross Unrealized Losses |
|
Fair Value as of December 31, 2021 |
||||
Cash |
$ |
93 |
|
$ |
— |
|
$ |
— |
|
$ |
93 |
U.S. Treasury Securities |
|
206,018,797 |
|
|
1,975 |
|
|
— |
|
|
206,020,772 |
|
$ |
206,018,890 |
|
$ |
1,975 |
|
$ |
— |
|
$ |
206,020,865 |
Note 9 — Subsequent Events
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date through the date the financial statement was issued. Based upon this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statement.
F-17
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Annual Report on Form 10-K to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
March 31, 2022
|
WORLD QUANTUM GROWTH ACQUISITION CORP. |
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|
|
|
/s/ Xavier Rolet |
|
|
|
Name: |
Xavier Rolet |
|
|
Title: |
Chief Executive Officer |
|
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this Annual Report on Form 10-K has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Name |
Position |
Date |
|
|
|
/s/ Xavier Rolet |
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman |
March 31, 2022 |
Xavier Rolet |
(Principal Executive Officer) |
|
/s/ Serge Harry |
Chief Financial Officer and Director |
March 31, 2022 |
Serge Harry |
(Principal Financial Officer) |
|
/s/ Antoine Shagoury |
Chief Information Officer |
March 31, 2022 |
Antoine Shagoury |
|
|
/s/ Michel Brogard |
Chief Development Officer |
March 31, 2022 |
Michel Brogard |
|
|
/s/ Sharda Cherwoo |
Director |
March 31, 2022 |
Sharda Cherwoo |
|
|
/s/ Peter Lenardos |
Director |
March 31, 2022 |
Peter Lenardos |
|
|
/s/ Emer Timmons |
Director |
March 31, 2022 |
Emer Timmons |
|
|