Document:

Form of RSU Agreement

 Exhibit 10.8 
 NANOSTRING TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 
 2013 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN 

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT 
 Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the NanoString Technologies, Inc. 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) will have the same defined meanings in this Restricted Stock Unit
Agreement (the “Award Agreement”), which includes the Notice of Restricted Stock Unit Grant (the “Notice of Grant”) and Terms and Conditions of Restricted Stock Unit Grant, attached hereto as Exhibit A. 

NOTICE OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT 
 Participant Name: 
 Address: 

Participant has been granted the right to receive an Award of Restricted Stock Units, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and
this Award Agreement, as follows: 
  

			
	 Grant Number
	  	 
		
	Date of Grant	  	 
		
	Vesting Commencement Date	  	 
		
	Number of Restricted Stock Units	  	 

 Vesting Schedule: 
 Subject to any acceleration provisions contained in the Plan or set forth below, the Restricted Stock Units will vest in accordance with the following schedule: 

[Twenty-five percent (25%) of the Restricted Stock Units will vest on the one (1) year anniversary of the Vesting
Commencement Date, and twenty-five percent (25%) of the Restricted Stock Units will vest each year thereafter on the same day as the Vesting Commencement Date, subject to Participant continuing to be a Service Provider through each such
date.] 
 In the event Participant ceases to be a Service Provider for any or no reason before Participant vests in the
Restricted Stock Units, the Restricted Stock Units and Participant’s right to acquire any Shares hereunder will immediately terminate. 
 By Participant’s signature and the signature of the representative of NanoString Technologies, Inc. (the “Company”) below, Participant and the Company agree that this Award of Restricted
Stock Units is granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Award Agreement, including the Terms and Conditions of Restricted Stock Unit Grant, attached hereto as Exhibit A, all of which are made a part of this
document. Participant has 

 
reviewed the Plan and this Award Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Award Agreement and fully understands all provisions
of the Plan and Award Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions relating to the Plan and Award Agreement. Participant further agrees to
notify the Company upon any change in the residence address indicated below. 
  

					
	 PARTICIPANT:
	  		 	NANOSTRING TECHNOLOGIES, Inc.
			
	 	  		 	 
	 Signature
	  		 	By
			
	 	  		 	 
	 Print Name
	  		 	Title
			
	Residence Address:	  		 	
			
	 	  		 	
			
	 	  		 	

  
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 EXHIBIT A 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT 
 1.     Grant. The Company hereby grants to the individual named in the Notice of Grant (the “Participant”) under the Plan an Award of Restricted Stock Units, subject
to all of the terms and conditions in this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. Subject to Section 19(c) of the Plan, in the event of a conflict between the terms and conditions of the Plan and the terms and
conditions of this Award Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Plan will prevail. 
 2.    
Company’s Obligation to Pay. Each Restricted Stock Unit represents the right to receive a Share on the date it vests. Unless and until the Restricted Stock Units will have vested in the manner set forth in Sections 3 or 4,
Participant will have no right to payment of any such Restricted Stock Units. Prior to actual payment of any vested Restricted Stock Units, such Restricted Stock Units will represent an unsecured obligation of the Company, payable (if at all) only
from the general assets of the Company. Any Restricted Stock Units that vest in accordance with Sections 3 or 4 will be paid to Participant (or in the event of Participant’s death, to his or her estate) in whole Shares, subject to Participant
satisfying any applicable tax withholding obligations as set forth in Section 7. Subject to the provisions of Section 4, such vested Restricted Stock Units shall be paid in whole Shares as soon as practicable after vesting, but in each
such case within the period sixty (60) days following the vesting date. In no event will Participant be permitted, directly or indirectly, to specify the taxable year of the payment of any Restricted Stock Units payable under this Award
Agreement. 
 3.     Vesting Schedule. Except as provided in Section 4, and subject to
Section 5, the Restricted Stock Units awarded by this Award Agreement will vest in accordance with the vesting provisions set forth in the Notice of Grant. Restricted Stock Units scheduled to vest on a certain date or upon the occurrence of a
certain condition will not vest in Participant in accordance with any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, unless Participant will have been continuously a Service Provider from the Date of Grant until the date such vesting occurs. 

4.     Administrator Discretion. The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the vesting of the
balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the unvested Restricted Stock Units at any time, subject to the terms of the Plan. If so accelerated, such Restricted Stock Units will be considered as having vested as of the date specified by the
Administrator. The payment of Shares vesting pursuant to this Section 4 shall in all cases be paid at a time or in a manner that is exempt from, or complies with, Section 409A. 

Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or this Award Agreement to the contrary, if the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of
the balance, of the Restricted Stock Units is accelerated in connection with Participant’s termination as a Service Provider (provided that such termination is a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A, as
determined by the Company), other than due to death, and if (x) Participant is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A at the time of such termination as a Service Provider and (y) the payment of
such accelerated Restricted Stock Units will result in the imposition of additional tax under Section 409A if paid to Participant on or within the six (6)

  
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month period following Participant’s termination as a Service Provider, then the payment of such accelerated Restricted Stock Units will not be made until the date six (6) months and
one (1) day following the date of Participant’s termination as a Service Provider, unless the Participant dies following his or her termination as a Service Provider, in which case, the Restricted Stock Units will be paid in Shares to the
Participant’s estate as soon as practicable following his or her death. It is the intent of this Award Agreement that it and all payments and benefits hereunder be exempt from, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A so that none
of the Restricted Stock Units provided under this Award Agreement or Shares issuable thereunder will be subject to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities herein will be interpreted to be so exempt or so comply. Each
payment payable under this Award Agreement is intended to constitute a separate payment for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2). For purposes of this Award Agreement, “Section 409A” means Section 409A of the
Code, and any final Treasury Regulations and Internal Revenue Service guidance thereunder, as each may be amended from time to time. 
 5.     Forfeiture upon Termination of Status as a Service Provider. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Award Agreement, the balance of the Restricted Stock Units
that have not vested as of the time of Participant’s termination as a Service Provider for any or no reason and Participant’s right to acquire any Shares hereunder will immediately terminate. 

6.     Death of Participant. Any distribution or delivery to be made to Participant under this Award Agreement
will, if Participant is then deceased, be made to Participant’s designated beneficiary, or if no beneficiary survives Participant, the administrator or executor of Participant’s estate. Any such transferee must furnish the Company with
(a) written notice of his or her status as transferee, and (b) evidence satisfactory to the Company to establish the validity of the transfer and compliance with any laws or regulations pertaining to said transfer. 

7.     Withholding of Taxes. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Award Agreement, no certificate
representing the Shares will be issued to Participant, unless and until satisfactory arrangements (as determined by the Administrator) will have been made by Participant with respect to the payment of income, employment, social insurance, payroll
and other taxes which the Company determines must be withheld with respect to such Shares. Prior to vesting and/or settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, Participant will pay or make adequate arrangements satisfactory to the Company and/or the
Participant’s employer (the “Employer”) to satisfy all withholding and payment obligations of the Company and/or the Employer. In this regard, Participant authorizes the Company and/or the Employer to withhold all applicable tax
withholding obligations legally payable by Participant from his or her wages or other cash compensation paid to Participant by the Company and/or the Employer or from proceeds of the sale of Shares. Alternatively, or in addition, if permissible
under applicable local law, the Administrator, in its sole discretion and pursuant to such procedures as it may specify from time to time, may permit or require Participant to satisfy such tax withholding obligation, in whole or in part (without
limitation) by (a) paying cash, (b) electing to have the Company withhold otherwise deliverable Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum amount required to be withheld, (c) delivering to the Company already vested and
owned Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount required to be withheld, or (d) selling a sufficient number of such Shares otherwise deliverable to Participant through such means as the Company may determine in its sole discretion
(whether through a broker or otherwise) equal to the amount 

  
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required to be withheld. To the extent determined appropriate by the Company in its discretion, it will have the right (but not the obligation) to satisfy any tax withholding obligations by
reducing the number of Shares otherwise deliverable to Participant. If Participant fails to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of any required tax withholding obligations hereunder at the time any applicable Restricted Stock Units
otherwise are scheduled to vest pursuant to Sections 3 or 4 or tax withholding obligations related to Restricted Stock Units otherwise are due, Participant will permanently forfeit such Restricted Stock Units and any right to receive Shares
thereunder and the Restricted Stock Units will be returned to the Company at no cost to the Company. 

8.     Rights as Stockholder. Neither Participant nor any person claiming under or through Participant will
have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder of the Company in respect of any Shares deliverable hereunder unless and until certificates representing such Shares will have been issued, recorded on the records of the Company or its transfer
agents or registrars, and delivered to Participant. After such issuance, recordation and delivery, Participant will have all the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to voting such Shares and receipt of dividends and distributions on
such Shares. 
 9.     No Guarantee of Continued Service. PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT
THE VESTING OF THE RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS PURSUANT TO THE VESTING SCHEDULE HEREOF IS EARNED ONLY BY CONTINUING AS A SERVICE PROVIDER AT THE WILL OF THE COMPANY (OR THE PARENT OR SUBSIDIARY EMPLOYING OR RETAINING PARTICIPANT) AND NOT THROUGH THE ACT
OF BEING HIRED, BEING GRANTED THIS AWARD OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS OR ACQUIRING SHARES HEREUNDER. PARTICIPANT FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THIS AWARD AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER AND THE VESTING SCHEDULE SET FORTH
HEREIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESS OR IMPLIED PROMISE OF CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE VESTING PERIOD, FOR ANY PERIOD, OR AT ALL, AND WILL NOT INTERFERE IN ANY WAY WITH PARTICIPANT’S RIGHT OR THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY (OR
THE PARENT OR SUBSIDIARY EMPLOYING OR RETAINING PARTICIPANT) TO TERMINATE PARTICIPANT’S RELATIONSHIP AS A SERVICE PROVIDER AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE. 
 10.     Address for Notices. Any notice to be given to the Company under the terms of this Award Agreement will be addressed to the Company at NanoString Technologies, Inc., 530
Fairview North, Suite 2000, Seattle, WA 98109, or at such other address as the Company may hereafter designate in writing. 

11.     Grant is Not Transferable. Except to the limited extent provided in Section 6, this grant and the
rights and privileges conferred hereby will not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated in any way (whether by operation of law or otherwise) and will not be subject to sale under execution, attachment or similar process. Upon any attempt
to transfer, assign, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of this grant, or any right or privilege conferred hereby, or upon any attempted sale under any execution, attachment or similar process, this grant and the rights and privileges
conferred hereby immediately will become null and void. 

  
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 12.     Binding Agreement. Subject to the limitation on the
transferability of this grant contained herein, this Award Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto. 

13.     Additional Conditions to Issuance of Stock. If at any time the Company will determine, in its
discretion, that the listing, registration, qualification or rule compliance of the Shares upon any securities exchange or under any state, federal or foreign law, the tax code and related regulations or the consent or approval of any governmental
regulatory authority is necessary or desirable as a condition to the issuance of Shares to Participant (or his or her estate) hereunder, such issuance will not occur unless and until such listing, registration, qualification, rule compliance,
consent or approval will have been completed, effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company. Where the Company determines that the delivery of the payment of any Shares will violate federal securities laws or other
applicable laws, the Company will defer delivery until the earliest date at which the Company reasonably anticipates that the delivery of Shares will no longer cause such violation. The Company will make all reasonable efforts to meet the
requirements of any such state, federal or foreign law or securities exchange and to obtain any such consent or approval of any such governmental authority or securities exchange. 

14.     Plan Governs. This Award Agreement is subject to all terms and provisions of the Plan. In the event of
a conflict between one or more provisions of this Award Agreement and one or more provisions of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan will govern. Capitalized terms used and not defined in this Award Agreement will have the meaning set forth in the
Plan. 
 15.     Administrator Authority. The Administrator will have the power to interpret the Plan
and this Award Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or
not any Restricted Stock Units have vested). All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator in good faith will be final and binding upon Participant, the Company and all other interested persons. No member of
the Administrator will be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Award Agreement. 
 16.     Electronic Delivery. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to Restricted Stock Units awarded under the Plan or future
Restricted Stock Units that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or request Participant’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and
agrees to participate in the Plan through any on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company. 
 17.     Captions. Captions provided herein are for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement. 

18.     Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision in this Award Agreement will be held invalid or
unenforceable, such provision will be severable from, and such invalidity or unenforceability will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of this Award Agreement. 

  
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 19.     Modifications to the Award Agreement. This Award
Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the parties on the subjects covered. Participant expressly warrants that he or she is not accepting this Award Agreement in reliance on any promises, representations, or inducements other than those
contained herein. Modifications to this Award Agreement or the Plan can be made only in an express written contract executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or this Award Agreement,
the Company reserves the right to revise this Award Agreement as it deems necessary or advisable, in its sole discretion and without the consent of Participant, to comply with Section 409A or to otherwise avoid imposition of any additional tax
or income recognition under Section 409A in connection to this Award of Restricted Stock Units. 

20.     Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan. By accepting this Award, Participant expressly
warrants that he or she has received an Award of Restricted Stock Units under the Plan, and has received, read and understood a description of the Plan. Participant understands that the Plan is discretionary in nature and may be amended, suspended
or terminated by the Company at any time. 
 21.     Governing Law. This Award Agreement will be
governed by the laws of Washington without giving effect to the conflict of law principles thereof. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises under this Award of Restricted Stock Units or this Award Agreement, the parties hereby submit to
and consent to the jurisdiction of the State of Washington, and agree that such litigation will be conducted in the courts of King County, Washington, or the federal courts for the United States for the District of Washington, and no other courts,
where this Award of Restricted Stock Units is made and/or to be performed. 

  
 -7-2013 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

 Exhibit 10.9 
 NANOSTRING TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 
 2013 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

 1.     Purpose. The purpose of the Plan is to provide employees of the Company and its
Designated Companies with an opportunity to purchase Common Stock through accumulated Contributions. The Company’s intends for the Plan to have two components: a Code Section 423 Component (“423 Component”) and a non-Code
Section 423 Component (“Non-423 Component”). The Company’s intention is to have 423 Component of the Plan qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code. The provisions of the 423
Component, accordingly, will be construed so as to extend and limit Plan participation in a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis consistent with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code. In addition, this Plan authorizes the grant of an
option to purchase shares of Common Stock under the Non-423 Component that does not qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code; such an option will be granted pursuant to rules, procedures or sub-plans
adopted by the Administrator designed to achieve tax, securities laws or other objectives for Eligible Employees and the Company. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Non-423 Component will operate and be administered in the same manner as the
423 Component. 
 2.     Definitions. 

(a)    “Administrator” means the Board or any Committee designated by the Board to administer the
Plan pursuant to Section 14. 
 (b)    “Affiliate” means any entity, other than a
Subsidiary, in which the Company has an equity or other ownership interest. 
 (c)    “Applicable
Laws” means the requirements relating to the administration of equity-based awards under U.S. state corporate laws, U.S. federal and state securities laws, the Code, any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed
or quoted and the applicable laws of any foreign country or jurisdiction where options are, or will be, granted under the Plan. 

(d)    “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company. 

(e)    “Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events: 

(i)    A change in the ownership of the Company which occurs on the date that any one person, or more than one
person acting as a group (“Person”), acquires ownership of the stock of the Company that, together with the stock held by such Person, constitutes more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the stock of the
Company; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection, the acquisition of additional stock by any one Person, who is considered to own more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the stock of the Company will not be
considered a Change in Control; or 

 (ii)    A change in the effective control of the Company which occurs
on the date that a majority of members of the Board is replaced during any twelve (12) month period by Directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the members of the Board prior to the date of the appointment or
election. For purposes of this clause (ii), if any Person is considered to be in effective control of the Company, the acquisition of additional control of the Company by the same Person will not be considered a Change in Control; or 

(iii)    A change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets which occurs on the date
that any Person acquires (or has acquired during the twelve (12) month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such person or persons) assets from the Company that have a total gross fair market value equal to or more than
fifty percent (50%) of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Company immediately prior to such acquisition or acquisitions; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection, the following will not constitute a
change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets: (A) a transfer to an entity that is controlled by the Company’s stockholders immediately after the transfer, or (B) a transfer of assets by the Company to:
(1) a stockholder of the Company (immediately before the asset transfer) in exchange for or with respect to the Company’s stock, (2) an entity, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total value or voting power of which is owned,
directly or indirectly, by the Company, (3) a Person, that owns, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total value or voting power of all the outstanding stock of the Company, or (4) an entity, at least fifty
percent (50%) of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by a Person described in this subsection (iii)(B)(3). For purposes of this subsection, gross fair market value means the value of the assets of the
Company, or the value of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities associated with such assets. 
 For purposes of this definition, persons will be considered to be acting as a group if they are owners of a corporation that enters into a merger, consolidation, purchase or acquisition of stock, or
similar business transaction with the Company. 
 Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed a Change in
Control unless the transaction qualifies as a change in control event within the meaning of Code Section 409A, as it has been and may be amended from time to time, and any proposed or final U.S. Treasury Regulations and Internal Revenue Service
guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated thereunder from time to time. 
 Further and for the avoidance of
doubt, a transaction will not constitute a Change in Control if: (i) its sole purpose is to change the state of the Company’s incorporation, or (ii) its sole purpose is to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially
the same proportions by the persons who held the Company’s securities immediately before such transaction. 

(f)    “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Reference to a specific
section of the Code or U.S. Treasury Regulation thereunder will include such section or regulation, any valid regulation or other official applicable guidance promulgated under such section, and any comparable provision of any future legislation or
regulation amending, supplementing or superseding such section or regulation. 

  
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 (g)    “Committee” means a committee of the Board
appointed in accordance with Section 14 hereof. 
 (h)    “Common Stock” means the
common stock of the Company. 
 (i)    “Company” means NanoString Technologies, Inc., a
Delaware corporation, or any successor thereto. 
 (j)    “Compensation” means an Eligible
Employee’s base straight time gross earnings, commissions (to the extent such commissions are an integral, recurring part of compensation), payments for overtime and shift premium, but exclusive of payments for incentive compensation, bonuses
and other similar compensation. The Administrator, in its discretion, may, on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis, establish a different definition of Compensation for a subsequent Offering Period. 

(k)    “Contributions” means the payroll deductions and other additional payments that the Company
may permit to be made by a Participant to fund the exercise of options granted pursuant to the Plan. 

(l)    “Designated Company” means any Subsidiary or Affiliate that has been designated by the
Administrator from time to time in its sole discretion as eligible to participate in the Plan. For purposes of the 423 Component, only the Company and its Subsidiaries may be Designated Companies, provided, however that at any given time, a
Subsidiary that is a Designated Company under the 423 Component shall not be a Designated Company under the Non-423 Component. 

(m)    “Director” means a member of the Board. 

(n)    “Eligible Employee” means any individual who is a common law employee providing services to
the Company or a Designated Company and is customarily employed for at least twenty (20) hours per week and more than five (5) months in any calendar year by the Employer, or any lesser number of hours per week and/or number of months in
any calendar year established by the Administrator (if required under applicable local law) for purposes of any separate Offering or for Eligible Employee participating in the Non-423 Component. For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship
will be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on sick leave or other leave of absence that the Employer approves or is legally protected under Applicable Laws. Where the period of leave exceeds three (3) months and the
individual’s right to reemployment is not guaranteed either by statute or by contract, the employment relationship will be deemed to have terminated three (3) months and one (1) day following the commencement of such leave. The
Administrator, in its discretion, from time to time may, prior to an Enrollment Date for all options to be granted on such Enrollment Date in an Offering, determine (on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis or as otherwise permitted by Treasury
Regulation Section 1.423-2) that the definition of Eligible Employee will or will not include an individual if he or she: (i) has not completed at least two (2) years of service since his or her last hire date (or such lesser period
of time as may be determined by the Administrator in its discretion), (ii) customarily works not more than twenty (20) hours per week (or such lesser period of time as may be 

  
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determined by the Administrator in its discretion), (iii) customarily works not more than five (5) months per calendar year (or such lesser period of time as may be determined by the
Administrator in its discretion), (iv) is a highly compensated employee within the meaning of Section 414(q) of the Code, or (v) is a highly compensated employee within the meaning of Section 414(q) of the Code with compensation
above a certain level or is an officer or subject to the disclosure requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, provided the exclusion is applied with respect to each Offering in an identical manner to all highly compensated individuals
of the Employer whose Employees are participating in that Offering. Each exclusion shall be applied with respect to an Offering in a manner complying with U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(e)(2)(ii). 

(o)    “Employer” means the employer of the applicable Eligible Employee(s). 

(p)    “Enrollment Date” means the first Trading Day of each Offering Period. 

(q)    “Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. 
 (r)    “Exercise Date” means the first
Trading Day on or after March 1 and September 1 of each Purchase Period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the first Exercise Date under the Plan will be determined by the Administrator. 

(s)    “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date and unless the Administrator determines otherwise,
the value of Common Stock determined as follows: 
 (i)    If the Common Stock is listed on any established
stock exchange or a national market system, including without limitation the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ Global Select Market, the NASDAQ Global Market or the NASDAQ Capital Market of The NASDAQ Stock Market, its Fair Market Value will be the
closing sales price for such stock as quoted on such exchange or system on the date of determination (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems
reliable; 
 (ii)    If the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but selling
prices are not reported, its Fair Market Value will be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for the Common Stock on the date of determination (or if no bids and asks were reported on that date, as applicable, on the last Trading Day
such bids and asks were reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or 
 (iii)    In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value thereof will be determined in good faith by the Administrator. 

(t)    “Fiscal Year” means the fiscal year of the Company. 

(u)    “New Exercise Date” means a new Exercise Date if the Administrator shortens any Offering
Period then in progress. 

  
 4 

 (v)    “Offering” means an offer under the Plan of an
option that may be exercised during an Offering Period as further described in Section 4. For purposes of the Plan, the Administrator may designate separate Offerings under the Plan (the terms of which need not be identical) in which Employees
of one or more Employers will participate, even if the dates of the applicable Offering Periods of each such Offering are identical and the provisions of the Plan will separately apply to each Offering. To the extent permitted by U.S. Treasury
Regulation Section 1.423-2(a)(1), the terms of each Offering need not be identical provided that the terms of the Plan and an Offering together satisfy U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(a)(2) and (a)(3). 

(w)    “Offering Periods” means the overlapping periods of approximately twelve (12) months
during which an option granted pursuant to the Plan may be exercised, (i) commencing on the first Trading Day on or after March 1 and September 1 of each year and terminating on the first Trading Day on or after March 1 and
September 1 of the following year, approximately 12 months later; provided, however, that the first Offering Period under the Plan will commence as determined by the Administrator in its discretion, and provided, further, that the second
Offering Period under the Plan will commence as determined by the Administrator in its discretion. The duration and timing of Offering Periods may be changed pursuant to Sections 4 and 20. 

(x)    “Parent” means a “parent corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as
defined in Section 424(e) of the Code. 
 (y)    “Participant” means an Eligible
Employee that participates in the Plan. 
 (z)    “Plan” means this NanoString
Technologies, Inc. 2013 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. 
 (aa)    “Purchase Period” means
the approximately six (6) month period commencing after one Exercise Date and ending with the next Exercise Date, except that the first Purchase Period of any Offering Period will commence on the Enrollment Date and end with the next Exercise
Date. Unless the Administrator provides otherwise, the Purchase Period will have the same duration and coincide with the length of the Offering Period. 
 (bb)    “Purchase Price” means an amount equal to eighty-five percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Enrollment Date or on the
Exercise Date, whichever is lower; provided however, that the Purchase Price may be determined for subsequent Offering Periods by the Administrator subject to compliance with Section 423 of the Code (or any successor rule or provision or any
other Applicable Law, regulation or stock exchange rule) or pursuant to Section 20. 

(cc)    “Subsidiary” means a “subsidiary corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing,
as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code. 
 (dd)    “Trading Day” means a day on
which the national stock exchange upon which the Common Stock is listed is open for trading. 

  
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 (ee)    “U.S. Treasury Regulations” means the Treasury
regulations of the Code. Reference to a specific Treasury Regulation or Section of the Code shall include such Treasury Regulation or Section, any valid regulation promulgated under such Section, and any comparable provision of any future
legislation or regulation amending, supplementing or superseding such Section or regulation. 
 3.    
Eligibility. 
 (a)    Offering Periods. Any Eligible Employee on a given Enrollment Date will
be eligible to participate in the Plan, subject to the requirements of Section 5. 
 (b)    Non-U.S.
Employees. Eligible Employees who are citizens or residents of a non-U.S. jurisdiction (without regard to whether they also are citizens or residents of the United States or resident aliens (within the meaning of Section 7701(b)(1)(A) of
the Code)) may be excluded from participation in the Plan or an Offering if the participation of such Eligible Employees is prohibited under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction or if complying with the laws of the applicable jurisdiction would
cause the Plan or an Offering to violate Section 423 of the Code. In the case of the Non-423 Component, Eligible Employee may be excluded from participation in the Plan or an Offering if the Administrator has determined that participation of
such Eligible Employee is not advisable or practicable. 
 (c)    Limitations. Any provisions of the
Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, no Eligible Employee will be granted an option under the Plan (i) to the extent that, immediately after the grant, such Eligible Employee (or any other person whose stock would be attributed to such
Eligible Employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) would own capital stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company and/or hold outstanding options to purchase such stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the
total combined voting power or value of all classes of the capital stock of the Company or of any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company, or (ii) to the extent that his or her rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans (as
defined in Section 423 of the Code) of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company accrues at a rate, which exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) worth of stock (determined at the Fair Market Value of the stock at the time
such option is granted) for each calendar year in which such option is outstanding at any time, as determined in accordance with Section 423 of the Code and the regulations thereunder. 

4.     Offering Periods. The Plan will be implemented by overlapping Offering Periods with a new Offering
Period commencing on the first Trading Day on or after March 1 and September 1 each year, or on such other date as the Administrator will determine; provided, however, that the first Offering Period under the Plan will commence on a date
determined the Administrator, and provided, further, that the second Offering Period under the Plan will commence on a date determined by the Administrator. The Administrator will have the power to change the duration of Offering Periods (including
the commencement dates thereof) with respect to future Offerings without stockholder approval if such change is announced prior to the scheduled beginning of the first Offering Period to be affected thereafter; provided, however, that no Offering
Period may last more than twenty-seven (27) months. 
 5.     Participation. An Eligible
Employee may participate in the Plan pursuant to Section 3(a) by (i) submitting to the Company’s stock administration office (or its designee), on or before a date determined 

  
 6 

 
by the Administrator prior to an applicable Enrollment Date, a properly completed subscription agreement authorizing Contributions in the form provided by the Administrator for such purpose, or
(ii) following an electronic or other enrollment procedure determined by the Administrator. 
 6.    
Contributions. 
 (a)    At the time a Participant enrolls in the Plan pursuant to Section 5, he
or she will elect to have Contributions (in the form of payroll deductions or otherwise, to the extent permitted by the Administrator) made on each pay day during the Offering Period in an amount not exceeding ten percent (10%) of the
Compensation, which he or she receives on each pay day during the Offering Period; provided, however, that should a pay day occur on an Exercise Date, a Participant will have any payroll deductions made on such day applied to his or her account
under the subsequent Purchase Period or Offering Period. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may permit all Participants in a specified Offering to contribute amounts to the Plan through payment by cash, check or other means set forth in the
subscription agreement prior to each Exercise Date of each Purchase Period. A Participant’s subscription agreement will remain in effect for successive Offering Periods unless terminated as provided in Section 10 hereof. 

(b)    In the event Contributions are made in the form of payroll deductions, such payroll deductions for a
Participant will commence on the first pay day following the Enrollment Date and will end on the last pay day prior to the Exercise Date of such Offering Period to which such authorization is applicable, unless sooner terminated by the Participant
as provided in Section 10 hereof. 
 (c)    All Contributions made for a Participant will be credited
to his or her account under the Plan and Contributions will be made in whole percentages only. A Participant may not make any additional payments into such account. 
 (d)    A Participant may discontinue his or her participation in the Plan as provided in Section 10. Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, a Participant may decrease
(but not increase) the rate of his or her Contributions during the Offering Period by (i) properly completing and submitting to the Company’s stock administration office (or its designee), on or before a date determined by the
Administrator prior to an applicable Exercise Date, a new subscription agreement authorizing the change in Contribution rate in the form provided by the Administrator for such purpose, or (ii) following an electronic or other procedure
prescribed by the Administrator. If a Participant has not followed such procedures to change the rate of Contributions, the rate of his or her Contributions will continue at the originally elected rate throughout the Offering Period and future
Offering Periods (unless terminated as provided in Section 10). Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, a Participant may make one (1) Contribution rate change in a given Offering Period. Any change in payroll deduction rate made
pursuant to this Section 6(d) will be effective as of the first full payroll period following five (5) business days after the date on which the change is made by the Participant (unless the Administrator, in its sole discretion, elects to
process a given change in payroll deduction rate more quickly). 
 (e)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, to
the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 3(c), a Participant’s Contributions may be decreased to zero percent (0%) at any time during a Purchase Period. Subject to Section 423(b)(8) of the
Code and Section 3(c) hereof, Contributions will recommence at the rate originally elected by the Participant effective as of the beginning of the first Purchase Period scheduled to end in the following calendar year, unless terminated by the
Participant as provided in Section 10. 

  
 7 

 (f)    Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in the Plan, the
Administrator may allow Eligible Employees to participate in the Plan via cash contributions instead of payroll deductions if (i) payroll deductions are not permitted under applicable local law, (ii) the Administrator determines that cash
contributions are permissible under Section 423 of the Code or (iii) for Participants participating in the Non-423 Component. 
 (g)    At the time the option is exercised, in whole or in part, or at the time some or all of the Common Stock issued under the Plan is disposed of (or any other time that a taxable
event related to the Plan occurs), the Participant must make adequate provision for the Company’s or Employer’s federal, state, local or any other tax liability payable to any authority including taxes imposed by jurisdictions outside of
the U.S., national insurance, social security or other tax withholding obligations, if any, which arise upon the exercise of the option or the disposition of the Common Stock (or any other time that a taxable event related to the Plan occurs). At
any time, the Company or the Employer may, but will not be obligated to, withhold from the Participant’s compensation the amount necessary for the Company or the Employer to meet applicable withholding obligations, including any withholding
required to make available to the Company or the Employer any tax deductions or benefits attributable to sale or early disposition of Common Stock by the Eligible Employee. In addition, the Company or the Employer may, but will not be obligated to,
withhold from the proceeds of the sale of Common Stock or any other method of withholding the Company or the Employer deems appropriate to the extent permitted by U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(f). 

7.     Grant of Option. On the Enrollment Date of each Offering Period, each Eligible Employee participating
in such Offering Period will be granted an option to purchase on each Exercise Date during such Offering Period (at the applicable Purchase Price) up to a number of shares of Common Stock determined by dividing such Eligible Employee’s
Contributions accumulated prior to such Exercise Date and retained in the Eligible Employee’s account as of the Exercise Date by the applicable Purchase Price; provided that in no event will an Eligible Employee be permitted to purchase during
each Purchase Period more than 80,000 shares of Common Stock (subject to any adjustment pursuant to Section 19) and provided further that such purchase will be subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 3(c) and 13. The Eligible Employee
may accept the grant of such option by electing to participate in the Plan in accordance with the requirements of Section 5. The Administrator may, for future Offering Periods, increase or decrease, in its absolute discretion, the maximum
number of shares of Common Stock that an Eligible Employee may purchase during each Purchase Period of an Offering Period. Exercise of the option will occur as provided in Section 8, unless the Participant has withdrawn pursuant to
Section 10. The option will expire on the last day of the Offering Period. 
 8.     Exercise of
Option. 
 (a)    Unless a Participant withdraws from the Plan as provided in Section 10, his or
her option for the purchase of shares of Common Stock will be exercised automatically on the Exercise Date, 

  
 8 

 
and the maximum number of full shares subject to the option will be purchased for such Participant at the applicable Purchase Price with the accumulated Contributions from his or her account. No
fractional shares of Common Stock will be purchased; any Contributions accumulated in a Participant’s account, which are not sufficient to purchase a full share will be retained in the Participant’s account for the subsequent Purchase
Period or Offering Period, subject to earlier withdrawal by the Participant as provided in Section 10. Any other funds left over in a Participant’s account after the Exercise Date will be returned to the Participant. During a
Participant’s lifetime, a Participant’s option to purchase shares hereunder is exercisable only by him or her. 

(b)    If the Administrator determines that, on a given Exercise Date, the number of shares of Common Stock with
respect to which options are to be exercised may exceed (i) the number of shares of Common Stock that were available for sale under the Plan on the Enrollment Date of the applicable Offering Period, or (ii) the number of shares of Common
Stock available for sale under the Plan on such Exercise Date, the Administrator may in its sole discretion (x) provide that the Company will make a pro rata allocation of the shares of Common Stock available for purchase on such Enrollment
Date or Exercise Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as will be practicable and as it will determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all Participants exercising options to purchase Common Stock on such Exercise Date, and
continue all Offering Periods then in effect or (y) provide that the Company will make a pro rata allocation of the shares available for purchase on such Enrollment Date or Exercise Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as will be
practicable and as it will determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all participants exercising options to purchase Common Stock on such Exercise Date, and terminate any or all Offering Periods then in effect pursuant to
Section 20. The Company may make a pro rata allocation of the shares available on the Enrollment Date of any applicable Offering Period pursuant to the preceding sentence, notwithstanding any authorization of additional shares for issuance
under the Plan by the Company’s stockholders subsequent to such Enrollment Date. 
 9.    
Delivery. As soon as reasonably practicable after each Exercise Date on which a purchase of shares of Common Stock occurs, the Company will arrange the delivery to each Participant of the shares purchased upon exercise of his or her option in
a form determined by the Administrator (in its sole discretion) and pursuant to rules established by the Administrator. The Company may permit or require that shares be deposited directly with a broker designated by the Company or to a designated
agent of the Company, and the Company may utilize electronic or automated methods of share transfer. The Company may require that shares be retained with such broker or agent for a designated period of time and/or may establish other procedures to
permit tracking of disqualifying dispositions of such shares. No Participant will have any voting, dividend, or other stockholder rights with respect to shares of Common Stock subject to any option granted under the Plan until such shares have been
purchased and delivered to the Participant as provided in this Section 9. 
 10.     Withdrawal.

 (a)    A Participant may withdraw all but not less than all the Contributions credited to his or her
account and not yet used to exercise his or her option under the Plan at any time by (i) submitting to the Company’s stock administration office (or its designee) a written notice of withdrawal in the form

  
 9 

 
determined by the Administrator for such purpose (which may be similar to the form attached hereto as Exhibit B), or (ii) following an electronic or other withdrawal procedure
determined by the Administrator. All of the Participant’s Contributions credited to his or her account will be paid to such Participant promptly after receipt of notice of withdrawal and such Participant’s option for the Offering Period
will be automatically terminated, and no further Contributions for the purchase of shares will be made for such Offering Period. If a Participant withdraws from an Offering Period, Contributions will not resume at the beginning of the succeeding
Offering Period, unless the Participant re-enrolls in the Plan in accordance with the provisions of Section 5. 

(b)    A Participant’s withdrawal from an Offering Period will not have any effect upon his or her eligibility
to participate in any similar plan that may hereafter be adopted by the Company or in succeeding Offering Periods that commence after the termination of the Offering Period from which the Participant withdraws. 

11.     Termination of Employment. Unless a Participant’s ceasing to be an Eligible Employee, for any
reason, he or she will be deemed to have elected to withdraw from the Plan and the Contributions credited to such Participant’s account during the Offering Period but not yet used to purchase shares of Common Stock under the Plan will be
returned to such Participant or, in the case of his or her death, to the person or persons entitled thereto under Section 15, and such Participant’s option will be automatically terminated. A Participant whose employment transfers between
entities through a termination with an immediate rehire (with no break in service) by the Company or a Designated Company shall not be treated as terminated under the Plan; however, if a Participant transfers from an Offering under the 423 Component
to the Non-423 Component, the exercise of the option shall be qualified under the 423 Component only to the extent it complies with Section 423 of the Code. 
 12.     Interest. No interest will accrue on the Contributions of a participant in the Plan, except as may be required by Applicable Law, as determined by the Company, and if so
required by the laws of a particular jurisdiction, shall apply to all Participants in the relevant Offering under the 423 Component, except to the extent otherwise permitted by U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(f). 

13.     Stock. 
 (a)    Subject to adjustment upon changes in capitalization of the Company as provided in Section 19 hereof, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that will be made
available for sale under the Plan will be 281,250 shares of Common Stock, plus an annual increase to be added on the first day of each Fiscal Year beginning with the 2014 Fiscal Year equal to the least of (i) 281,250 shares of Common Stock,
(ii) one percent (1%) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock on such date, or (iii) an amount determined by the Administrator. 
 (b)    Until the shares are issued (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company), a Participant will only
have the rights of an unsecured creditor with respect to such shares, and no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder will exist with respect to such shares. 

  
 10 

 (c)    Shares of Common Stock to be delivered to a Participant under the
Plan will be registered in the name of the Participant or in the name of the Participant and his or her spouse. 

14.    Administration. The Plan will be administered by the Board or a Committee appointed by the Board, which
Committee will be constituted to comply with Applicable Laws. The Administrator will have full and exclusive discretionary authority to construe, interpret and apply the terms of the Plan, to designate separate Offerings under the Plan, to designate
Subsidiaries and Affiliates as participating in the 423 Component or Non-423 Component, to determine eligibility, to adjudicate all disputed claims filed under the Plan and to establish such procedures that it deems necessary for the administration
of the Plan (including, without limitation, to adopt such procedures and sub-plans as are necessary or appropriate to permit the participation in the Plan by employees who are foreign nationals or employed outside the U.S., the terms of which
sub-plans may take precedence over other provisions of this Plan, with the exception of Section 13(a) hereof, but unless otherwise superseded by the terms of such sub-plan, the provisions of this Plan shall govern the operation of such
sub-plan). Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, the Employees eligible to participate in each sub-plan will participate in a separate Offering or in the Non-423 Component. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
Administrator is specifically authorized to adopt rules and procedures regarding eligibility to participate, the definition of Compensation, handling of Contributions, making of Contributions to the Plan (including, without limitation, in forms
other than payroll deductions), establishment of bank or trust accounts to hold Contributions, payment of interest, conversion of local currency, obligations to pay payroll tax, determination of beneficiary designation requirements, withholding
procedures and handling of stock certificates that vary with applicable local requirements. The Administrator also is authorized to determine that, to the extent permitted by U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(f), the terms of an option
granted under the Plan or an Offering to citizens or residents of a non-U.S. jurisdiction will be less favorable than the terms of options granted under the Plan or the same Offering to employees resident solely in the U.S. Every finding, decision
and determination made by the Administrator will, to the full extent permitted by law, be final and binding upon all parties. 

15.    Designation of Beneficiary. 
 (a)    If permitted by the Administrator, a Participant may file a designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any shares of Common Stock and cash, if any, from the
Participant’s account under the Plan in the event of such Participant’s death subsequent to an Exercise Date on which the option is exercised but prior to delivery to such Participant of such shares and cash. In addition, if permitted by
the Administrator, a Participant may file a designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any cash from the Participant’s account under the Plan in the event of such Participant’s death prior to exercise of the option. If a Participant is
married and the designated beneficiary is not the spouse, spousal consent will be required for such designation to be effective. 
 (b)    Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the Participant at any time by notice in a form determined by the Administrator. In the event of the death of a Participant and
in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living at the time of such Participant’s death, the Company will deliver such shares and/or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant, or if
no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the 

  
 11 

 
Company), the Company, in its discretion, may deliver such shares and/or cash to the spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of the Participant, or if no spouse, dependent or
relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as the Company may designate. 
 (c)    All
beneficiary designations will be in such form and manner as the Administrator may designate from time to time. Notwithstanding Sections 15(a) and (b) above, the Company and/or the Administrator may decide not to permit such designations by
Participants in non-U.S. jurisdictions to the extent permitted by U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(f). 

16.    Transferability. Neither Contributions credited to a Participant’s account nor any rights with
regard to the exercise of an option or to receive shares of Common Stock under the Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution or as provided in
Section 15 hereof) by the Participant. Any such attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition will be without effect, except that the Company may treat such act as an election to withdraw funds from an Offering Period in
accordance with Section 10 hereof. 
 17.    Use of Funds. The Company may use all Contributions
received or held by it under the Plan for any corporate purpose, and the Company will not be obligated to segregate such Contributions except under Offerings or for Participants in the Non-423 Component for which Applicable Laws require that
Contributions to the Plan by Participants be segregated from the Company’s general corporate funds and/or deposited with an independent third party. Until shares of Common Stock are issued, Participants will only have the rights of an unsecured
creditor with respect to such shares. 
 18.    Reports. Individual accounts will be maintained for
each Participant in the Plan. Statements of account will be given to participating Eligible Employees at least annually, which statements will set forth the amounts of Contributions, the Purchase Price, the number of shares of Common Stock purchased
and the remaining cash balance, if any. 
 19.    Adjustments, Dissolution, Liquidation, Merger or Change
in Control. 
 (a)    Adjustments. In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether
in the form of cash, Common Stock, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Common Stock or other
securities of the Company, or other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Common Stock occurs, the Administrator, in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made
available under the Plan, will, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust the number and class of Common Stock that may be delivered under the Plan, the Purchase Price per share and the number of shares of Common Stock covered by each option
under the Plan that has not yet been exercised, and the numerical limits of Sections 7 and 13. 

(b)    Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, any
Offering Period then in progress will be shortened by setting a New Exercise Date, and will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed dissolution or liquidation, unless provided otherwise by the Administrator. The New Exercise
Date will be before the date of the Company’s 

  
 12 

 
proposed dissolution or liquidation. The Administrator will notify each Participant in writing or electronically, prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participant’s
option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the Participant’s option will be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in
Section 10 hereof. 
 (c)    Merger or Change in Control. In the event of a merger or Change in
Control, each outstanding option will be assumed or an equivalent option substituted by the successor corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary of the successor corporation. In the event that the successor corporation refuses to assume or substitute for
the option, the Offering Period with respect to which such option relates will be shortened by setting a New Exercise Date on which such Offering Period shall end. The New Exercise Date will occur before the date of the Company’s proposed
merger or Change in Control. The Administrator will notify each Participant in writing or electronically prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participant’s option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the
Participant’s option will be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 10 hereof. 

20.    Amendment or Termination. 
 (a)    The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may amend, suspend, or terminate the Plan, or any part thereof, at any time and for any reason. If the Plan is terminated, the
Administrator, in its discretion, may elect to terminate all outstanding Offering Periods either immediately or upon completion of the purchase of shares of Common Stock on the next Exercise Date (which may be sooner than originally scheduled, if
determined by the Administrator in its discretion), or may elect to permit Offering Periods to expire in accordance with their terms (and subject to any adjustment pursuant to Section 19). If the Offering Periods are terminated prior to
expiration, all amounts then credited to Participants’ accounts that have not been used to purchase shares of Common Stock will be returned to the Participants (without interest thereon, except as otherwise required under Applicable
Laws, as further set forth in Section 12 hereof) as soon as administratively practicable. 

(b)    Without stockholder consent and without limiting Section 20(a), the Administrator will be entitled to
change the Offering Periods or Purchase Periods, designate separate Offerings, limit the frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld during an Offering Period, establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency
other than U.S. dollars, permit Contributions in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Company’s processing of properly completed Contribution elections, establish reasonable waiting
and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of Common Stock for each Participant properly correspond with Contribution amounts, and establish such other limitations or
procedures as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion advisable that are consistent with the Plan. 

(c)    In the event the Administrator determines that the ongoing operation of the Plan may result in unfavorable
financial accounting consequences, the Administrator may, in its discretion and, to the extent necessary or desirable, modify, amend or terminate the Plan to reduce or eliminate such accounting consequence including, but not limited to: 

  
 13 

 (i)    amending the Plan to conform with the safe harbor definition
under the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor thereto), including with respect to an Offering Period underway at the time; 

(ii)    altering the Purchase Price for any Offering Period or Purchase Period including an Offering Period or
Purchase Period underway at the time of the change in Purchase Price; 
 (iii)    shortening any Offering
Period or Purchase Period by setting a New Exercise Date, including an Offering Period or Purchase Period underway at the time of the Administrator action; 
 (iv)    reducing the maximum percentage of Compensation a Participant may elect to set aside as Contributions; and 

(v)    reducing the maximum number of Shares a Participant may purchase during any Offering Period or Purchase
Period. 
 Such modifications or amendments will not require stockholder approval or the consent of any Plan Participants. 

21.    Notices. All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection
with the Plan will be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form and manner specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof. 

22.    Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares. Shares of Common Stock will not be issued with respect to an option
unless the exercise of such option and the issuance and delivery of such shares pursuant thereto will comply with all applicable provisions of law, domestic or foreign, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the shares may then be listed, and will be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such
compliance. 
 As a condition to the exercise of an option, the Company may require the person exercising such option to
represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation
is required by any of the aforementioned applicable provisions of law. 
 23.    Code
Section 409A. The 423 Component of the Plan is exempt from the application of Code Section 409A and any ambiguities herein will be interpreted to so be exempt from Code Section 409A. In furtherance of the foregoing and
notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, if the Administrator determines that an option granted under the Plan may be subject to Code Section 409A or that any provision in the Plan would cause an option under the Plan to be
subject to Code Section 409A, the 

  
 14 

 
Administrator may amend the terms of the Plan and/or of an outstanding option granted under the Plan, or take such other action the Administrator determines is necessary or appropriate, in each
case, without the Participant’s consent, to exempt any outstanding option or future option that may be granted under the Plan from or to allow any such options to comply with Code Section 409A, but only to the extent any such amendments or
action by the Administrator would not violate Code Section 409A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have no liability to a Participant or any other party if the option to purchase Common Stock under the Plan that is intended to be
exempt from or compliant with Code Section 409A is not so exempt or compliant or for any action taken by the Administrator with respect thereto. The Company makes no representation that the option to purchase Common Stock under the Plan is
compliant with Code Section 409A. 
 24.    Term of Plan. The Plan will become effective upon
the effective date of the first registration statement that is filed by the Company and declared effective pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act, with respect to any class of the Company’s securities, subject to
Section 25. It will continue in effect for a term of twenty (20) years, unless sooner terminated under Section 20. 
 25.    Stockholder Approval. The Plan will be subject to approval by the stockholders of the Company within twelve (12) months after the date the Plan is adopted by the
Board. Such stockholder approval will be obtained in the manner and to the degree required under Applicable Laws. 

26.    Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State
of Washington (except its choice-of-law provisions). 
 27.    No Right to Employment. Participation
in the Plan by a Participant shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained as an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate, as applicable. Furthermore, the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate may dismiss a
Participant from employment at any time, free from any liability or any claim under the Plan. 

28.    Severability. If any provision of the Plan is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or
unenforceable for any reason in any jurisdiction or as to any Participant, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as to such jurisdiction or
Participant as if the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had not been included. 

29.    Compliance with Applicable Laws. The terms of this Plan are intended to comply with all Applicable Laws
and will be construed accordingly. 
 30.    Automatic Transfer to Low Price Offering Period. To the
extent permitted by Applicable Laws, if the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on any Exercise Date in an Offering Period is lower than the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the Enrollment Date of such Offering Period, then all
participants in such Offering Period will be automatically withdrawn from such Offering Period immediately after the exercise of their option on such Exercise Date and automatically re-enrolled in the immediately following Offering Period as of the
first day thereof. 

  
 15 

 EXHIBIT A 

NANOSTRING TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 
 2013 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN 
 SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT 

             Original
Application                                       
                             Offering Date:
                                 

             Change in Payroll Deduction Rate 

1.
                                        
hereby elects to participate in the NanoString Technologies, Inc. 2013 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”) and subscribes to purchase shares of the Company’s Common Stock in accordance with this Subscription Agreement and
the Plan. 
 2. I hereby authorize payroll deductions from each paycheck in the amount of
        % of my Compensation on each payday (from 0 to 10%) during the Offering Period in accordance with the Plan. (Please note that no fractional percentages are permitted.) 

3. I understand that said payroll deductions will be accumulated for the purchase of shares of Common Stock at the applicable Purchase
Price determined in accordance with the Plan. I understand that if I do not withdraw from an Offering Period, any accumulated payroll deductions will be used to automatically exercise my option and purchase Common Stock under the Plan. 

4. I have received a copy of the complete Plan and its accompanying prospectus. I understand that my participation in the Plan is in all
respects subject to the terms of the Plan. 
 5. Shares of Common Stock purchased for me under the Plan should be issued in the
name(s) of
                                        
(Eligible Employee or Eligible Employee and Spouse only). 
 6. I understand that if I dispose of any shares received by me
pursuant to the Plan within two (2) years after the Offering Date (the first day of the Offering Period during which I purchased such shares) or one (1) year after the Exercise Date, I will be treated for federal income tax purposes as
having received ordinary income at the time of such disposition in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares at the time such shares were purchased by me over the price that I paid for the shares. I hereby agree to
notify the Company in writing within thirty (30) days after the date of any disposition of my shares and I will make adequate provision for Federal, state or other tax withholding obligations, if any, which arise upon the disposition of the
Common Stock. The Company may, but will not be obligated to, withhold from my compensation the amount necessary to meet any applicable withholding obligation including any withholding necessary to make available to the Company any tax deductions
or benefits attributable to sale or early disposition of Common Stock by me. If I dispose of such shares at any time after the expiration of the two (2)-year and one (1)-year holding periods, I understand that I will be treated for federal
income tax 

  
 16 

 
purposes as having received income only at the time of such disposition, and that such income will be taxed as ordinary income only to the extent of an amount equal to the lesser of (a) the
excess of the fair market value of the shares at the time of such disposition over the purchase price which I paid for the shares, or (b) 15% of the fair market value of the shares on the first day of the Offering Period. The remainder of the
gain, if any, recognized on such disposition will be taxed as capital gain. 
 7. I hereby agree to be bound by the terms of the
Plan. The effectiveness of this Subscription Agreement is dependent upon my eligibility to participate in the Plan. 
  

									
	 Employee’s Social

Security Number:
	 		 	 	  	
				
	Employee’s Address:	 		 	 	  	
				
		 		 	 	  	
				
		 		 	 	  	

  
 I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT WILL
REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGHOUT SUCCESSIVE OFFERING PERIODS UNLESS TERMINATED BY ME. 
  

									
					
	Dated:	 	 	 		 		 	 
		 		 		 		 	
		 		 		 		 	Signature of Employee

  
 17 

 EXHIBIT B 

NANOSTRING TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 
 2013 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN 
 NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL 

The undersigned participant in the Offering Period of the NanoString Technologies, Inc. 2013 Employee Stock Purchase Plan that began on
                    ,          (the “Offering Date”) hereby notifies the
Company that he or she hereby withdraws from the Offering Period. He or she hereby directs the Company to pay to the undersigned as promptly as practicable all the payroll deductions credited to his or her account with respect to such Offering
Period. The undersigned understands and agrees that his or her option for such Offering Period will be automatically terminated. The undersigned understands further that no further payroll deductions will be made for the purchase of shares in the
current Offering Period and the undersigned will be eligible to participate in succeeding Offering Periods only by delivering to the Company a new Subscription Agreement. 

 

									
		 		 		 	Name and Address of Participant:
				
		 		 		 	 
				
		 		 		 	 
				
		 		 		 	 
				
		 		 		 	Signature:
				
		 		 		 	 
					
		 		 		 	Date:	 	 

  
 18

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