Exhibit 10.1


 


SHARE ESCROW AGREEMENT


 


THIS SHARE ESCROW
AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is made and entered into as of March 19, 2021, by and among NB Merger Corp., a Delaware
corporation (“Purchaser”), Ted Smith, an individual (the “Stockholder Representative”) and
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation (the “Escrow Agent”).


 


BACKGROUND


 


A.  Purchaser
and the Stockholder Representative have entered into a Merger Agreement, dated as of November 11, 2020 (the “Merger Agreement”),
pursuant to which, among other things, Nuvve Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Purchaser,
will merge with and into Nuvve Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”). The Merger Agreement provides
that the Purchaser shall deposit the Escrow Shares (as defined below) with the Escrow Agent to serve as security for and a source
of payment with respect to the Purchaser Indemnified Parties’ (as defined in the Merger Agreement) rights to indemnification
under Article X of the Merger Agreement.


 


B. The
Escrow Agent has agreed to accept, hold and disburse the Escrow Shares in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.


 


NOW THEREFORE,
in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual covenants hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:


 


		1.	Appointment.



 


(a) The
Purchaser and the Stockholder Representative hereby appoint the Escrow Agent to serve as escrow agent for the purposes set forth
herein, and the Escrow Agent hereby accepts such appointment under the terms and conditions set forth herein.


 


(b) All
capitalized terms with respect to the Escrow Agent shall be defined herein. The Escrow Agent shall act only in accordance with
the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement and shall have no duties or obligations with respect to the Merger Agreement.


 


		2.	Escrow Shares.



 


(a)Simultaneously
with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, Purchaser shall deposit in escrow 912,297 shares of its common stock (the “Escrow
Shares”) with the Escrow Agent.  The Escrow Agent shall hold the Escrow Shares as a book-entry position registered
in the name of “Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company as Escrow Agent”.


 


(b)During the term
of this Agreement, neither the Stockholders Representative nor the Purchaser shall have the right to exercise any voting rights
with respect to any of the Escrow Shares. With respect to any matter for which the Escrow Shares are permitted to vote, the Escrow
Agent shall vote, or cause to be voted, the Escrow Shares in the same proportion that the number of common shares owned by all
other stockholders of the Purchaser are voted. In the absence of notice as to the proportion that the number of common shares ofowned
by all other stockholders of the Purchaser are voted, the Escrow Agent shall not vote any of the shares comprising the Escrow Shares.


 


(c) Any
dividends paid with respect to the Escrow Shares shall be deemed part of the escrow hereunder and be delivered to the Escrow Agent
to be held in a bank account and be deposited in a non-interest bearing account to be maintained by the Escrow Agent in the name
of the Escrow Agent.


 



     


     


    




 


(d) In
the event of any stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination,
exchange of shares, liquidation, spin-off or other similar change in capitalization or event, or any distribution to holders of
the common stock of the Purchaser, other than a regular cash dividend, the Escrow Shares shall be appropriately adjusted on a pro
rata basis and consistent with the terms of the Agreement.


 


		3.	Disposition and Termination.



 


(a) The
Escrow Shares shall serve as security for and a source of payment with respect to the Purchaser Indemnified Parties’ rights
to indemnification under Article X of the Merger Agreement. Claims under the foregoing rights to indemnification shall hereinafter
be referred to, individually as an “Indemnity Escrow Claim” and collectively as “Indemnity Escrow Claims”.
For the avoidance of doubt, Indemnity Escrow Claims shall be asserted and resolved solely as set forth in Article X of the Merger
Agreement, in each case subject to the time periods and other restrictions set forth in such Article X. The Purchaser shall notify
the Stockholder Representative and Escrow Agent in writing of any sums which Purchaser claims are subject to an Indemnity Escrow
Claim (an “Indemnity Escrow Notice”) and its calculation of the number of Escrow Shares needed to cover such
sums, calculated in accordance with the Merger Agreement. The Escrow Agent shall have no duty to determine whether any Indemnity
Escrow Notice accurately describes an Indemnity Escrow Claim or conforms to or is permitted under by or by virtue of the Merger
Agreement, but shall be entitled to assume conclusively and without inquiry that any such Indemnity Escrow Notice satisfies the
requirements of the Merger Agreement and this Agreement. The Escrow Agent shall not distribute all or a portion of the Escrow Shares
except in accordance with Section 3(b).


 


(b) Within
five (5) Business Days after receipt of either (i) a joint written instruction in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A
signed by both the Purchaser and the Stockholder Representative (a “Joint Written Instruction”) or (ii) a Final
Order (as defined below), in each case specifying the amount, if known, asserted by the Purchaser for such Indemnity Escrow Claim,
the Escrow Agent shall disburse the portion of the Escrow Funds as provided in the Joint Written Instruction or Final Order, as
the case may be. Any Joint Written Instruction shall contain all requisite information needed by the Escrow Agent in order to distribute
the Escrow Shares in accordance with this Agreement, including names, addresses, number of shares, and any other information requested
by the Escrow Agent. For the avoidance of doubt, the Escrow Agent shall make distributions of the Escrow Shares only in accordance
with a Joint Written Instruction.


 


(c) Within
five (5) Business Days after the date that is twelve (12) months from the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Merger
Agreement (the “Release Date”), the Purchaser and the Stockholder Representative shall deliver a Joint Written
Instruction to the Escrow Agent, instructing the Escrow Agent to disburse to the Stockholder Representative (on behalf of the stockholders
of the Company) the number of Escrow Shares, if greater than zero, equal to (i) the number of Escrow Shares less (ii) any Escrow
Shares that are subject to an Indemnity Escrow Claim with respect to which the Escrow Agent shall have received an Indemnity Escrow
Notice prior to the Release Date, but which remains unresolved or unsatisfied as of such date (the “Disputed Amount”).
With respect to any Disputed Amounts, the Escrow Agent shall continue to hold such amounts in escrow in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement until the resolution of such underlying Indemnity Escrow Claims. Such Disputed Amounts, once resolved, shall
be disbursed by the Escrow Agent pursuant to Section 3(b) of this Agreement.


 



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(d) Upon
the delivery of all of the Escrow Shares by the Escrow Agent in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and instructions, this
Agreement shall terminate, subject to the provisions of Section 6.


 


(e) For
the purposes of this Agreement, “Final Order” means a final and nonappealable order of a court of competent
jurisdiction (an “Order”), which Order is delivered to the Escrow Agent accompanied by a written instruction
from the Purchaser or the Stockholder Representative (as applicable) given to effectuate such Order and confirming that such Order
is final, nonappealable and issued by a court of competent jurisdiction, and the Escrow Agent shall be entitled to conclusively
rely upon any such confirmation and instruction and shall have no responsibility to review the Order to which such confirmation
and instruction refers.


 


		4.	Escrow Agent.



 


(a) The
Escrow Agent shall have only those duties as are specifically and expressly provided herein, which shall be deemed purely ministerial
in nature, and no other duties shall be implied. The Escrow Agent shall neither be responsible for, nor chargeable with, knowledge
of, nor have any requirements to comply with, the terms and conditions of any other agreement, instrument or document between the
Purchaser, the Stockholder Representative and any other person or entity, in connection herewith, including the Merger Agreement,
nor shall the Escrow Agent be required to determine if any person or entity has complied with any such agreements, nor shall any
additional obligation of the Escrow Agent be inferred from the terms of such agreements, even though reference thereto may be made
in this Agreement


 


(b) In
the event of any conflict between the terms and provisions of this Agreement with those of the Merger Agreement, any schedule or
exhibit attached to this Agreement, or any other agreement between the Purchaser, the Stockholder Representative or any other person
or entity related to the Escrow Agent’s duties hereunder, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.


 


(c) The
Escrow Agent may rely upon and shall not be liable for acting or refraining from acting upon any written notice, document, instruction
or request furnished to it hereunder and believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the Purchaser or
the Stockholder Representative without inquiry and without requiring substantiating evidence of any kind. The Escrow Agent shall
not be liable to any beneficiary or other person for refraining from acting upon any instruction setting forth, claiming, containing,
objecting to, or related to the transfer or distribution of the Escrow Shares, or any portion thereof, unless such instruction
shall have been delivered to the Escrow Agent in accordance with Section 9 below and the Escrow Agent has been able to satisfy
any applicable security procedures as may be required hereunder and as set forth in Section 10. The Escrow Agent shall be
under no duty to inquire into or investigate the validity, accuracy or content of any such document, notice, instruction or request.
The Escrow Agent shall have no duty to solicit any payments which may be due nor shall the Escrow Agent have any duty or obligation
to confirm or verify the accuracy or correctness of any amounts deposited with it hereunder.


 


(d)The Escrow Agent
shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith except to the extent that a final
adjudication of a court of competent jurisdiction determines that the Escrow Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct was
the primary cause of any loss to either the Purchaser, the Stockholder Representative or any beneficiary or the Escrow Shares.
The Escrow Agent may execute any of its powers and perform any of its duties hereunder directly or through affiliates or agents.


 



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(e) The
Escrow Agent may consult with counsel, accountants and other skilled persons to be selected and retained by it. The Escrow Agent
shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in accordance with, or in reliance upon, the advice
or opinion of any such counsel, accountants or other skilled persons except to the extent that a final adjudication of a court
of competent jurisdiction determines that the Escrow Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct was the primary cause of any
loss to either the Purchaser, the Stockholder Representative or any beneficiary or the Escrow Shares. In the event that the Escrow
Agent shall be uncertain or believe there is some ambiguity as to its duties or rights hereunder or shall receive instructions,
claims or demands from hereto which, in its opinion, conflict with any of the provisions of this Agreement, it shall be entitled
to refrain from taking any action and its sole obligation shall be to keep safely all the property held in escrow until it shall
be given a direction in writing which eliminates such ambiguity or uncertainty to the satisfaction of the Escrow Agent, until an
Order or judgement of a court of competent jurisdiction agrees to pursue any redress or recourse in connection with any dispute
without making the Escrow Agent a party to the same.


 


		5.	Succession.



 


(a) The Escrow
Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties or obligations hereunder by giving thirty (30) days’ advance notice
in writing of such resignation to the Purchaser and the Stockholder Representative, specifying a date when such resignation a
date when such resignation shall take effect; provided that such resignation shall not take effect until a successor Escrow
Agent has been appointed in accordance with this Section 5. If the Purchaser and the Stockholder Representative have
failed to appoint a successor Escrow Agent prior to the expiration of thirty (30) days following receipt of the notice of
resignation, the Escrow Agent may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Escrow
Agent or for other appropriate relief, and any such resulting appointment shall be binding upon all of the parties hereto.
The Escrow Agent’s sole responsibility after such thirty (30) day notice period expires shall be to hold the Escrow Shares
(without any obligation to reinvest the same) and to deliver the same to a designated substitute Escrow Agent, if any, or in
accordance with the directions of an Order or judgement of a court of competent jurisdiction, at which time of delivery the
Escrow Agent’s obligations hereunder shall ease and terminate, subject to the provisions of Section 7. In accordance
with Section 7, the Escrow Agent shall have the right to withhold, as security, an amount of shares equal to any
dollar amount due and owing to the Escrow Agent, plus any costs and expenses the Escrow Agent shall reasonably believe may be
incurred by the Escrow Agent in connection with the termination of this Agreement.


 


(b) Any
entity into which the Escrow Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any entity to which all
or substantially all the escrow business may be transferred, shall be the Escrow Agent under this Agreement without further act.


 


6. Compensation
and Reimbursement. The Escrow Agent shall be entitled to compensation for its services under this Agreement as Escrow Agent
and for reimbursement for its reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses, in the amounts and payable as set forth on Exhibit
B. The Escrow Agent shall also be entitled to payments of any amounts to which the Escrow Agent is entitled under the indemnification
provisions contained herein as set forth in Section 7. The obligations of the Purchaser set forth in this Section 6
shall survive the resignation, replacement or removal of the Escrow Agent or the termination of this Agreement.


 


7. Indemnity.


 


(a) The
Escrow Agent shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Purchaser from and against any expenses, including counsel fees and
disbursements, or loss suffered by the Escrow Agent in connection with any action, suit or other proceeding involving any claim
which in any way, directly or indirectly, arises out of or relates to this Agreement, the services of the Escrow Agent hereunder,
other than expenses or losses arising from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Escrow Agent. Promptly after the receipt
by the Escrow Agent of notice of any demand or claim or the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, the Escrow Agent shall
notify the other parties hereto in writing. In the event of the receipt of such notice, the Escrow Agent, in its sole discretion,
may commence an action in any state of federal court located in New York County, State of New York.


 


(b) The
Escrow Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in the exercise of its own best judgement,
and may rely conclusively and shall be protected in acting upon any order, notice, demand, certificate, opinion or advice of counsel
(including counsel chosen by the Escrow Agent), statement, instrument, report or other paper or document (not only as to its due
execution and the validity and effectiveness of its provisions, but also as to the truth and acceptability of any information therein
contained) which is believed by the Escrow Agent to be genuine and to be signed or presented by the proper person or persons. The
Escrow Agent shall not be bound by any notice or demand, or any waiver, modification, termination or rescission of this Agreement
unless evidenced by a writing delivered to the Escrow Agent are affected, unless it shall have given its prior written consent
thereto.


 


(c) This
Section 7 shall survive termination of this Agreement or the resignation, replacement or removal of the Escrow Agent for
any reason.


 



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8. Patriot
Act Disclosure; Taxpayer Identification Numbers; Tax Reporting.


 


(a) Section
326 of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of
2001 (“USA Patriot Act”) requires the Escrow Agent to implement reasonable procedures to verify the identity
of any person that opens a new account with it. Accordingly, each of the Purchaser and the Stockholder Representative acknowledge
that Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act and the Escrow Agent’s identity verification procedures require the Escrow Agent
to obtain information which may be used to confirm the identity of the Purchaser, Stockholder Representative or any of the stockholders
of the Company, including such person or entity’s name, address and organizational documents (“identifying information”).
The Purchaser and the Stockholder Representative agree to provide the Escrow Agent with and consent to the Escrow Agent obtaining
from third parties any such identifying information required as a condition of opening an account with or using any service provided
by the Escrow Agent.


 


(b) Such
underlying transaction does not constitute an installment sale requiring any tax reporting or withholding of imputed interest or
original issue discount to the IRS or other taxing authority.


 


9. Notices.
All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, except for Joint Written Instructions (which shall be governed by Section
10), all notices and communications hereunder shall be deemed to have been duly given and made if in writing and if (i) served
by personal delivery upon the party for whom it is intended, (ii) delivered by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested,
or by Federal Express or similar overnight courier, or (iii) sent by facsimile or email, electronically or otherwise, to the party
at the address set forth below, or such other address as may be designated in writing hereafter, in the same manner, by such party:


 


If to the Escrow Agent:


 


Continental Stock Transfer and Trust


One State Street — 30th Floor

New York, New York 10004

Facsimile No: (212) 616-7615

Attention: [●]


 


If to the Purchaser:


 


NB Merger Corp.


c/o Gregory Poilasne


2468 Historic Decatur Road


San Diego, CA 92106


Phone: (619) 456-5161


Email: gregory@nuvve.com


 


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


 


H. David Sherman


38 Homewood Road


Newton, MA 02168


Phone: (617) 851-8345


Email: h.sherman@northeastern.edu


 


If to the Stockholder Representative:


 


Ted Smith


2468 Historic Decatur Road


San Diego, CA 92106


Phone: (858) 531-4040


Email: ted@nuvve.com


 


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


 


Graubard Miller


The Chrysler Building


405 Lexington Avenue, 11th Floor


New York, NY 10174


Attn: David Alan Miller, Eric
Schwartz


Phone: (212) 818-8661, (212) 818-8602


Email: dmiller@graubard.com, eschwartz@graubard.com


 



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Notwithstanding the
above, in the case of communications delivered to the Escrow Agent, such communications shall be deemed to have been given on the
date received by an officer of the Escrow Agent or any employee of the Escrow Agent who reports directly to any such offer at the
above-referenced office. In the event that the Escrow Agent, in its sole discretion, shall determine that an emergency exists,
the Escrow Agent may use such other means of communication as the Escrow Agent deems appropriate. For purposes of this Agreement,
“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which the Escrow Agent located
at the notice address set forth above is authorized or required by law or executive order to remain closed.


 


10. Security
Procedures.


 


(a) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary as set forth in Section 9, any instructions setting forth, claiming, containing, objecting to,
or in any way related to the transfer distribution, including any Joint Written Instruction permitted pursuant to Section 3
of this Agreement, may be given to the Escrow Agent only by confirmed facsimile or other electronic transmission (including e-mail)
and no instruction for or related to the transfer or distribution of the Escrow Shares, or any portion thereof, shall be deemed
delivered and effective unless the Escrow Agent actually shall have received such instruction by facsimile or other electronic
transmission (including e-mail) at the number or e-mail address provided to the Purchaser and the Stockholder Representative by
the Escrow Agent in accordance with Section 9 and as further evidenced by a confirmed transmittal to that number.


 


(b) In
the event transfer instructions are so received by the Escrow Agent by facsimile or other electronic transmission (including e-mail),
the Escrow Agent is authorized to seek confirmation of such instructions by telephone call-back to the person or persons designated
on Exhibit C hereto, and the Escrow Agent may rely upon the confirmation of anyone purporting to be the person or persons
so designated. The persons and telephone numbers for call-backs may be changed only in writing actually received and acknowledged
by the Escrow Agent. If the Escrow Agent is unable to contact any of the authorized representatives identified on Exhibit C,
the Escrow Agent is hereby authorized both to receive written instructions from and seek confirmation of such instructions by officers
of the Purchaser (collectively, the “Senior Officers”), 

as the case may be, which shall include the titles of Chief Executive Officer, General Counsel, Chief Financial Officer, President
of Executive Vice President, as the Escrow Agent may select. Such Senior Officer shall deliver to the Escrow Agent a fully executed
incumbency certificate, and the Escrow Agent may rely upon the confirmation of anyone purporting to be any such officer.


 


(c) The
parties hereto acknowledge that the Escrow Agent is authorized to deliver the Escrow Shares to the custodian account of a receipt
of the Escrow Shares, as designated in a Joint Written Instruction.


 


11. Compliance
with Court Officers. In the event that any escrow property shall be attached, garnished or levied upon by any court order,
or the delivery thereof shall be stayed or enjoined by an order of a court, or any order, judgement of decree shall be made or
entered by any court order affecting the property deposited under this Agreement, the Escrow Agent is hereby expressly authorized,
in its sole discretion, to obey and comply with all writs, orders or decrees so entered or whether with or without jurisdiction,
and in the event that the Escrow Agent reasonably obeys or complies with any such writ, order or decree it shall not be liable
to any of the parties hereto or to any other person, entity, firm or corporation, by reason of such compliance notwithstanding
such writ, order or decree by subsequently reversed, modified, annulled, set aside or vacated.


 


12. Miscellaneous.


 


(a)Except for changes
to transfer instructions as provided in Section 10, the provisions of this Agreement may be waived, altered, amended or
supplemented, in whole or in part, only by a writing signed by the Escrow Agent, the Purchaser and the Stockholder Representative.
Neither this Agreement nor any right or interest hereunder may be assigned in whole or in part by the Escrow Agent, the Purchaser
or the Stockholder Representative, except as provided in Section 5, without the prior consent of the Escrow Agent, the Purchaser
and the Stockholder Representative. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the State of New York.
Each of the Purchaser, the Stockholder Representative and the Escrow Agent irrevocably waives any objection on the grounds of venue,
forum non-convenience or any similar grounds and irrevocably consents to service of process by mail or in any other manner permitted
by applicable law and consents to the jurisdiction of any court of the State of New York or United States federal court, in each
case, sitting in New York County, New York. To the extent that in any jurisdiction any party may now or hereafter be entitled to
claim for itself or its assets, immunity from suit, execution attachment (before or after judgement), or other legal process, such
party shall not claim, and it hereby irrevocably waives, such immunity. The parties further hereby waive any right to a trial by
jury with respect to any lawsuit or judicial proceedings arising or relating to this Agreement. No party to this Agreement is liable
to any other party for losses due to, or if it is unable to perform its obligations under the terms of this Agreement because of,
acts of God, fire, war, terrorism, floods, strikes, electrical outages, equipment or transmission failure, or other causes reasonably
beyond its control.


 



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(b) This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall
constitute one and the same instrument. All signatures of the parties to this Agreement may be transmitted by facsimile or other
electronic transmission (including e-mail), and such facsimile or other electronic transmission (including e-mail) will, for all
purposes, be deemed to be the original signature of such party whose signature it reproduces, and will be binding upon such party.
If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be prohibited or unenforceable by reason of any applicable law of a jurisdiction,
then such provision shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without
invalidating the remaining provisions thereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in such jurisdiction shall not invalidate
or render unenforceable such provisions in any other jurisdiction. A person who is not a party to this Agreement shall have no
right to enforce any term of this Agreement. The parties represent, warrant and covenant that each document, notice, instruction
or request provided by such party to the other party shall comply with applicable laws and regulations. Where, however, the conflicting
provisions of any such applicable law may be waived, they are hereby irrevocably waived by the parties hereto to the fullest extent
permitted by law, to the end that this Agreement shall be enforced as written. Except as expressly provided in Section 7
above, nothing in this Agreement, whether express or implied, shall be construed to give to any person or entity other than the
Escrow Agent, the Purchaser or the Stockholder Representative any legal or equitable right, remedy, interest or claim under or
in respect of this Agreement or the Escrow Shares escrowed hereunder.


 


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IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date set forth above.


 


	PURCHASER: 	 
	 	 
	NB MERGER CORP.	 
	 	 	 	 
	By: 	/s/ Wenhui Xiong	 
	 	Name:  	Wenhui Xiong	 
	 	Title:	President	 



  


STOCKHOLDER REPRESENTATIVE:


 


	/s/ Ted Smith	 
	Ted Smith 	 



 


ESCROW AGENT:


 


CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER AND TRUST COMPANY


 


	By: 	/s/ James F. Kiszka	 
	 	Name:  	James F. Kiszka	 
	 	Title: 	Vice President	 



 





[signature page to Share Escrow Agreement]