Document:

Document

Exhibit 10.5

NEUROPACE, INC. 
STOCK OPTION GRANT NOTICE
(2020 STOCK PLAN)
NeuroPace, Inc.  (the “Company”), pursuant to its 2020 Stock Plan (as amended and/or restated as of the Date of Grant set forth below, the “Plan”), has granted to Optionholder an option to purchase the number of shares of the Common Stock set forth below (the “Option”).  The Option is subject to all of the terms and conditions as set forth in this Stock Option Grant Notice (the “Grant Notice”) and in the Plan, the Option Agreement, and the Notice of Exercise, all of which are attached to this Grant Notice and incorporated into this Grant Notice in their entirety.  Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Grant Notice but defined in the Plan or the Option Agreement shall have the meanings set forth in the Plan or the Option Agreement, as applicable. If the Company uses an electronic capitalization table system (such as Carta or Shareworks) and the fields below are blank or the information is otherwise provided in a different format electronically, the blank fields and other information (such as exercise schedule and type of grant) shall be deemed to come from the electronic capitalization system and is considered part of this Grant Notice.
						
	Optionholder:	
	Date of Grant:	
	Vesting Commencement Date:	
	Number of Shares Subject to Option:	
	Exercise Price (Per Share):	
	Total Exercise Price:	
	Expiration Date:	
	Exercise Schedule:	[Same as Vesting Schedule] [Early Exercise Permitted]
	Type of Grant:1
	[Incentive Stock Option] [Nonstatutory Stock Option]

Vesting Schedule:    [Sample Only:]  12/48ths of the total shares will vest on the one-year anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date, and 1/48th of the total shares will vest each month thereafter on the same day of the month as the Vesting Commencement Date (or if there is no corresponding day, on the last day of the month), subject to Optionholder’s Continuous Service as of each such date.
Optionholder Acknowledgements:  By Optionholder’s signature below or by electronic acceptance or authentication in a form authorized by the Company, Optionholder understands and agrees that the Option is governed by this Stock Option Grant Notice, and the provisions of the Plan and the Option Agreement and the Notice of Exercise, all of which are made a part of this document.
By accepting this Option, Optionholder consents to receive this Grant Notice, the Option Agreement, the Plan, and any other Plan-related documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.  Optionholder represents that he or she has read and is familiar with the provisions of the Plan and the Option Agreement.  Optionholder acknowledges and agrees that this Grant Notice and the Option Agreement may not be modified, amended or revised except in writing signed by Optionholder and a duly authorized officer of the Company.

1 If this is an Incentive Stock Option, it (plus other outstanding Incentive Stock Options) cannot be first exercisable for more than $100,000 in value (measured by exercise price) in any calendar year.  Any excess over $100,000 is a Nonstatutory Stock Option.

Optionholder further acknowledges that in the event of any conflict between the provisions in this Grant Notice, the Option Agreement, the Notice of Exercise and the terms of the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall control.  Optionholder further acknowledges that the Option Agreement sets forth the entire understanding between Optionholder and the Company regarding the acquisition of Common Stock and supersedes all prior oral and written agreements, promises and/or representations on that subject with the exception of other equity awards previously granted to Optionholder and any written employment agreement, offer letter, severance agreement, written severance plan or policy, or other written agreement between the Company and Optionholder in each case that specifies the terms that should govern this Option.
Optionholder further acknowledges that this Grant Notice has been prepared on behalf of the Company by Cooley LLP, counsel to the Company and that Cooley LLP does not represent, and is not acting on behalf of, Optionholder in any capacity. Optionholder has been provided with an opportunity to consult with Optionholder’s own counsel with respect to this Grant Notice.
This Grant Notice 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. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or other applicable law) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered will be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
															
	NeuroPace, Inc.		Optionholder:

	By:			By:	
		(Signature)			(Signature)
	Title:			Email:	
	Date:			Date:	

Attachments:  Option Agreement, 2020 Stock Plan and Notice of Exercise

ATTACHMENT I
OPTION AGREEMENT

NEUROPACE, INC. 
2020 Stock Plan
OPTION AGREEMENT
(INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION OR NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION)
Pursuant to your Stock Option Grant Notice (“Grant Notice”) and this Option Agreement, NeuroPace, Inc.  (the “Company”) has granted you an option under its 2020 Stock Plan (the “Plan”) to purchase the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock indicated in your Grant Notice at the exercise price indicated in your Grant Notice.  The option is granted to you effective as of the date of grant set forth in the Grant Notice (the “Date of Grant”).  If there is any conflict between the terms in this Option Agreement and the Plan, the terms of the Plan will control. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Option Agreement or in the Grant Notice but defined in the Plan will have the same definitions as in the Plan.
The details of your option, in addition to those set forth in the Grant Notice and the Plan, are as follows:
1.Vesting.  Your option will vest as provided in your Grant Notice.  Vesting will cease upon the termination of your Continuous Service.
2.Number of Shares and Exercise Price.  The number of shares of Common Stock subject to your option and your exercise price per share in your Grant Notice will be adjusted for Capitalization Adjustments.
3.Exercise Restriction for Non-Exempt Employees.  If you are an Employee eligible for overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended (that is, a “Non-Exempt Employee”), and except as otherwise provided in the Plan, you may not exercise your option until you have completed at least six months of Continuous Service measured from the Date of Grant, even if you have already been an employee for more than six months. Consistent with the provisions of the Worker Economic Opportunity Act, you may exercise your option as to any vested portion prior to such six month anniversary in the case of (i) your death or disability, (ii) a Corporate Transaction in which your option is not assumed, continued or substituted, (iii) a Change in Control or (iv) your termination of Continuous Service on your “retirement” (as defined in the Company’s benefit plans).  
4.Exercise prior to Vesting (“Early Exercise”).  If permitted in your Grant Notice (i.e., the “Exercise Schedule” indicates “Early Exercise Permitted”) and subject to the provisions of your option, you may elect at any time that is both (i) during the period of your Continuous Service and (ii) during the term of your option, to exercise all or part of your option, including the unvested portion of your option; provided, however, that:
(a)a partial exercise of your option will be deemed to cover first vested shares of Common Stock and then the earliest vesting installment of unvested shares of Common Stock;
(b)any shares of Common Stock so purchased from installments that have not vested as of the date of exercise will be subject to the purchase option in favor of the Company as described in the Company’s form of Early Exercise Stock Purchase Agreement;
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(c)you will enter into the Company’s form of Early Exercise Stock Purchase Agreement with a vesting schedule that will result in the same vesting as if no early exercise had occurred; and
(d)if your option is an Incentive Stock Option, then, to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the Date of Grant) of the shares of Common Stock with respect to which your option plus all other Incentive Stock Options you hold are exercisable for the first time by you during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and its Affiliates) exceeds $100,000, your option(s) or portions thereof that exceed such limit (according to the order in which they were granted) will be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options.
5.Method of Payment.  You must pay the full amount of the exercise price for the shares you wish to exercise.  You may pay the exercise price as follows:
(a)Cash or by check, bank draft, electronic funds transfer or money order payable to the Company.
(b)Subject to Company and/or Board consent at the time of exercise and provided that at the time of exercise the Common Stock is publicly traded, pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board that, prior to the issuance of Common Stock, results in either the receipt of cash (or check) by the Company or the receipt of irrevocable instructions to pay the aggregate exercise price to the Company from the sales proceeds.  This manner of payment is also known as a “broker-assisted exercise”, “same day sale”, or “sell to cover”.
(c)Subject to Company and/or Board consent at the time of exercise and provided that at the time of exercise the Common Stock is publicly traded, by delivery to the Company (either by actual delivery or attestation) of already-owned shares of Common Stock that are owned free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances or security interests, and that are valued at Fair Market Value on the date of exercise.  “Delivery” for these purposes, in the sole discretion of the Company at the time you exercise your option, will include delivery to the Company of your attestation of ownership of such shares of Common Stock in a form approved by the Company.  You may not exercise your option by delivery to the Company of Common Stock if doing so would violate the provisions of any law, regulation or agreement restricting the redemption of the Company’s stock.
(d)If this option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, subject to the consent of the Company and/or Board at the time of exercise, by a “net exercise” arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of your option by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the aggregate exercise price and, if permitted by the Company, your tax withholding obligations.  You must pay any remaining balance of the aggregate exercise price not satisfied by the “net exercise” in cash or other permitted form of payment.  Shares of Common Stock will no longer be outstanding under your option and will not be exercisable thereafter if those shares (i) are used to pay the exercise price pursuant to the “net exercise,” (ii) are delivered to you as a result of such exercise, and (iii) are withheld to satisfy your tax withholding obligations.
6.Whole Shares.  You may exercise your option only for whole shares of Common Stock.
7.Securities Law Compliance.  In no event may you exercise your option unless the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise are then registered under the Securities Act or, if not registered, the Company has determined that your exercise and the issuance of the shares would be 
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exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.  The exercise of your option also must comply with all other applicable laws and regulations governing your option, and you may not exercise your option if the Company determines that such exercise would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations (including any restrictions on exercise required for compliance with Treas. Reg. 1.401(k)-1(d)(3), if applicable).
8.Term.  You may not exercise your option before the Date of Grant or after the expiration of the option’s term.  Except as set forth in your Grant Notice, the term of your option expires, subject to the provisions of Section 5(h) of the Plan, upon the earliest of the following:
(a)immediately upon the termination of your Continuous Service for Cause;
(b)three months after the termination of your Continuous Service for any reason other than Cause, your Disability or your death (except as otherwise provided in Section 8(d) below); provided, however, that if during any part of such three month period your option is not exercisable solely because of the condition set forth in the section above relating to “Securities Law Compliance,” your option will not expire until the earlier of the Expiration Date or until it has been exercisable for an aggregate period of three months after the termination of your Continuous Service; provided further, that if (i) you are a Non-Exempt Employee, (ii) your Continuous Service terminates within six months after the Date of Grant, and (iii) you have vested in a portion of your option at the time of your termination of Continuous Service, your option will not expire until the earlier of (x) the later of (A) the date that is seven months after the Date of Grant, and (B) the date that is three months after the termination of your Continuous Service, and (y) the Expiration Date;
(c)12 months after the termination of your Continuous Service due to your Disability (except as otherwise provided in Section 8(d)) below;
(d)18 months after your death if you die either during your Continuous Service or within three (3) months after your Continuous Service terminates for any reason other than Cause;
(e)the Expiration Date indicated in your Grant Notice; or
(f)the day before the 10th anniversary of the Date of Grant.
If your option is an Incentive Stock Option, note that to obtain the federal income tax advantages associated with an Incentive Stock Option, the Code requires that at all times beginning on the Date of Grant and ending on the day three months before the date of your option’s exercise, you must be an employee of the Company or an Affiliate, except in the event of your death or Disability.  The Company has provided for extended exercisability of your option under certain circumstances for your benefit but cannot guarantee that your option will necessarily be treated as an Incentive Stock Option if you continue to provide services to the Company or an Affiliate as a Consultant or Director after your employment terminates or if you otherwise exercise your option more than three months after the date your employment with the Company or an Affiliate terminates.
9.Exercise.
(a)You may exercise the vested portion of your option (and the unvested portion of your option if your Grant Notice so permits) during its term by delivering a Notice of Exercise (in a form designated by the Company) together with the exercise price to the Secretary of the Company, or to such other person as the Company may designate, during regular business hours.  If required by the Company, 
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your exercise may be made contingent on your execution of any additional documents specified by the Company (including, without limitation, any voting agreement or other agreement between the Company and some or all of its stockholders).
(b)By exercising your option you agree that, as a condition to any exercise of your option, the Company may require you to enter into an arrangement providing for the payment by you to the Company of any tax withholding obligation of the Company arising by reason of (i) the exercise of your option, (ii) the lapse of any substantial risk of forfeiture to which the shares of Common Stock are subject at the time of exercise, or (iii) the disposition of shares of Common Stock acquired upon such exercise.
(c)If your option is an Incentive Stock Option, by exercising your option you agree that you will notify the Company in writing within 15 days after the date of any disposition of any of the shares of the Common Stock issued upon exercise of your option that occurs within two years after the Date of Grant or within one year after such shares of Common Stock are transferred upon exercise of your option.
(d)By exercising your option you agree that you will not sell, dispose of, transfer, make any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or enter into any hedging or similar transaction with the same economic effect as a sale with respect to any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company held by you, for a period of 180 days following the effective date of a registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act or such longer period as the underwriters or the Company will request to facilitate compliance with the applicable FINRA rules or similar rules or regulations (the “Lock-Up Period”); provided, however, that nothing contained in this section will prevent the exercise of a repurchase option, if any, in favor of the Company during the Lock-Up Period.  You further agree to execute and deliver such other agreements as may be reasonably requested by the Company or the underwriters that are consistent with the foregoing or that are necessary to give further effect thereto.  In order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to your shares of Common Stock until the end of such period.  You also agree that any transferee of any shares of Common Stock (or other securities) of the Company held by you will be bound by this Section 9(d).  The underwriters of the Company’s stock are intended third party beneficiaries of this Section 9(d) and will have the right, power and authority to enforce the provisions hereof as though they were a party hereto.  You further agree that the obligations contained in this Section 9(d) shall also, if so determined by the Board, apply in the Company’s initial listing of its Common Stock on a national securities exchange by means of a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act (or any successor registration form under the Securities Act subsequently adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission) filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission that registers shares of existing capital stock of the Company for resale (i.e., a direct listing).
10.Transferability.  Except as otherwise provided in this Section 10, your option is not transferable, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable during your life only by you.  
(a)Certain Trusts.  Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, you may transfer your option to a trust if you are considered to be the sole beneficial owner (determined under Section 671 of the Code and applicable state law) while the option is held in the trust.  You and the trustee must enter into transfer and other agreements required by the Company.  
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(b)Domestic Relations Orders.  Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, and provided that you and the designated transferee enter into transfer and other agreements required by the Company, you may transfer your option pursuant to the terms of a domestic relations order, official marital settlement agreement or other divorce or separation instrument as permitted by Treasury Regulation 1.421-1(b)(2) that contains the information required by the Company to effectuate the transfer.  You are encouraged to discuss the proposed terms of any division of this option with the Company prior to finalizing the domestic relations order or marital settlement agreement to help ensure the required information is contained within the domestic relations order or marital settlement agreement.  If this option is an Incentive Stock Option, this option may be deemed to be a Nonstatutory Stock Option as a result of such transfer.
(c)Beneficiary Designation.  Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, you may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form approved by the Company and any broker designated by the Company to handle option exercises, designate a third party who, on your death, will thereafter be entitled to exercise this option and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise.  In the absence of such a designation, your executor or administrator of your estate will be entitled to exercise this option and receive, on behalf of your estate, the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise.
11.Right of First Refusal. Shares of Common Stock that you acquire upon exercise of your option are subject to any right of first refusal that may be described in the Company’s bylaws in effect at such time the Company elects to exercise its right; provided, however, that if there is no right of first refusal described in the Company’s bylaws at such time, the right of first refusal described below will apply.  The Company’s right of first refusal will expire on the first date upon which any security of the Company is listed (or approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on a national securities exchange or quotation system (the “Listing Date”).
(a)Prior to the Listing Date, you may not validly Transfer (as defined below) any shares of Common Stock acquired upon exercise of your option, or any interest in such shares, unless such Transfer is made in compliance with the following provisions:
(i)Before there can be a valid Transfer of any shares of Common Stock or any interest therein, the record holder of the shares of Common Stock to be transferred (the “Offered Shares”) will give written notice (by registered or certified mail) to the Company.  Such notice will specify the identity of the proposed transferee, the cash price offered for the Offered Shares by the proposed transferee (or, if the proposed Transfer is one in which the holder will not receive cash, such as an involuntary transfer, gift, donation or pledge, the holder will state that no purchase price is being proposed), and the other terms and conditions of the proposed Transfer.  The date such notice is mailed will be hereinafter referred to as the “Notice Date” and the record holder of the Offered Shares will be hereinafter referred to as the “Offeror.”  If, from time to time, there is any stock dividend, stock split or other change in the character or amount of any of the outstanding Common Stock which is subject to the provisions of your option, then in such event any and all new, substituted or additional securities to which you are entitled by reason of your ownership of the shares of Common Stock acquired upon exercise of your option will be immediately subject to the Company’s Right of First Refusal (as defined below) with the same force and effect as the shares subject to the Right of First Refusal immediately before such event.
(ii)For a period of 30 calendar days after the Notice Date, or such longer period as may be required to avoid the classification of your option as a liability for financial accounting 
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purposes, the Company will have the option to purchase all (but not less than all) of the Offered Shares at the purchase price and on the terms set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) (the Company’s “Right of First Refusal”).  In the event that the proposed Transfer is one involving no payment of a purchase price, the purchase price will be deemed to be the Fair Market Value of the Offered Shares as determined in good faith by the Board in its discretion.  The Company may exercise its Right of First Refusal by mailing (by registered or certified mail) written notice of exercise of its Right of First Refusal to the Offeror prior to the end of said 30 days (including any extension required to avoid classification of the option as a liability for financial accounting purposes).
(iii)The price at which the Company may purchase the Offered Shares pursuant to the exercise of its Right of First Refusal will be the cash price offered for the Offered Shares by the proposed transferee (as set forth in the notice required under Section 11(a)(i)), or the Fair Market Value as determined by the Board in the event no purchase price is involved.  To the extent consideration other than cash is offered by the proposed transferee, the Company will not be required to pay any additional amounts to the Offeror other than the cash price offered (or the Fair Market Value, if applicable).  The Company’s notice of exercise of its Right of First Refusal will be accompanied by full payment for the Offered Shares and, upon such payment by the Company, the Company will acquire full right, title and interest to all of the Offered Shares.
(iv)If, and only if, the option given pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) is not exercised, the Transfer proposed in the notice given pursuant to Section 11(a)(i) may take place; provided, however, that such Transfer must, in all respects, be exactly as proposed in said notice except that such Transfer may not take place either before the 10th calendar day after the expiration of the 30 day option exercise period or after the ninetieth 90th calendar day after the expiration of the 30 day option exercise period, and if such Transfer has not taken place prior to said 90th day, such Transfer may not take place without once again complying with this Section 11(a).  The option exercise periods in this Section 11(a)(iv) will be adjusted to include any extension required to avoid the classification of your option as a liability for financial accounting purposes.
(b)As used in this Section 11, the term “Transfer” means any sale, encumbrance, pledge, gift or other form of disposition or transfer of shares of Common Stock or any legal or equitable interest therein; provided, however, that the term Transfer does not include a transfer of such shares or interests by will or intestacy to your Immediate Family (as defined below).  In such case, the transferee or other recipient will receive and hold the shares of Common Stock so transferred subject to the provisions of this Section, and there will be no further transfer of such shares except in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.  As used herein, the term "Immediate Family" will mean your spouse, the lineal descendant or antecedent, father, mother, brother or sister, child, adopted child, grandchild or adopted grandchild of you or your spouse, or the spouse of any child, adopted child, grandchild or adopted grandchild of you or your spouse.
(c)None of the shares of Common Stock purchased on exercise of your option will be transferred on the Company’s books nor will the Company recognize any such Transfer of any such shares or any interest therein unless and until all applicable provisions of this Section 11 have been complied with in all respects.  The certificates of stock evidencing shares of Common Stock purchased on exercise of your option will bear an appropriate legend referring to the transfer restrictions imposed by this Section 11.
(d)To ensure that the shares subject to the Company’s Right of First Refusal will be available for repurchase by the Company, the Company may require you to deposit the certificates 
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evidencing the shares that you purchase upon exercise of your option with an escrow agent designated by the Company under the terms and conditions of an escrow agreement approved by the Company.  If the Company does not require such deposit as a condition of exercise of your option, the Company reserves the right at any time to require you to so deposit the certificates in escrow.  As soon as practicable after the expiration of the Company’s Right of First Refusal, the agent will deliver to you the shares and any other property no longer subject to such restriction.  In the event the shares and any other property held in escrow are subject to the Company’s exercise of its Right of First Refusal, the notices required to be given to you will be given to the escrow agent, and any payment required to be given to you will be given to the escrow agent.  Within 30 days after payment by the Company for the Offered Shares, the escrow agent will deliver the Offered Shares that the Company has repurchased to the Company and will deliver the payment received from the Company to you.
12.Option not a Service Contract.  Your option is not an employment or service contract, and nothing in your option will be deemed to create in any way whatsoever any obligation on your part to continue in the employ of the Company or an Affiliate, or of the Company or an Affiliate to continue your employment.  In addition, nothing in your option will obligate the Company or an Affiliate, their respective stockholders, boards of directors, officers or employees to continue any relationship that you might have as a Director or Consultant for the Company or an Affiliate.
13.Withholding Obligations.
(a)At the time you exercise your option, in whole or in part, and at any time thereafter as requested by the Company, you hereby authorize withholding from payroll and any other amounts payable to you, and otherwise agree to make adequate provision for (including by means of a “same day sale” pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board to the extent permitted by the Company), any sums required to satisfy the federal, state, local and foreign tax withholding obligations of the Company or an Affiliate, if any, which arise in connection with the exercise of your option.  
(b)If this option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, then upon your request and subject to approval by the Company, and compliance with any applicable legal conditions or restrictions, the Company may withhold from fully vested shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable to you upon the exercise of your option a number of whole shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value, determined by the Company as of the date of exercise, not in excess of the minimum amount of tax required to be withheld by law (or such lower amount as may be necessary to avoid classification of your option as a liability for financial accounting purposes).  If the date of determination of any tax withholding obligation is deferred to a date later than the date of exercise of your option, share withholding pursuant to the preceding sentence will not be permitted unless you make a proper and timely election under Section 83(b) of the Code, covering the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock acquired upon such exercise with respect to which such determination is otherwise deferred, to accelerate the determination of such tax withholding obligation to the date of exercise of your option.  Notwithstanding the filing of such election, shares of Common Stock will be withheld solely from fully vested shares of Common Stock determined as of the date of exercise of your option that are otherwise issuable to you upon such exercise.  Any adverse consequences to you arising in connection with such share withholding procedure will be your sole responsibility.
(c)You may not exercise your option unless the tax withholding obligations of the Company and/or any Affiliate are satisfied.  Accordingly, you may not be able to exercise your option when desired even though your option is vested, and the Company will have no obligation to issue a 
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certificate for such shares of Common Stock or release such shares of Common Stock from any escrow provided for herein, if applicable, unless such obligations are satisfied.
14.Tax Consequences. You hereby agree that the Company does not have a duty to design or administer the Plan or its other compensation programs in a manner that minimizes your tax liabilities. You will not make any claim against the Company, or any of its Officers, Directors, Employees or Affiliates related to tax liabilities arising from your option or your other compensation. In particular, you acknowledge that this option is exempt from Section 409A of the Code only if the exercise price per share specified in the Grant Notice is at least equal to the “fair market value” per share of the Common Stock on the Date of Grant and there is no other impermissible deferral of compensation associated with the option. Because the Common Stock is not traded on an established securities market, the Fair Market Value is determined by the Board, perhaps in consultation with an independent valuation firm retained by the Company. You acknowledge that there is no guarantee that the Internal Revenue Service will agree with the valuation as determined by the Board, and you will not make any claim against the Company, or any of its Officers, Directors, Employees or Affiliates in the event that the Internal Revenue Service asserts that the valuation determined by the Board is less than the “fair market value” as subsequently determined by the Internal Revenue Service.
15.Notices.  Any notices provided for in your option or the Plan will be given in writing (including electronically) and will be deemed effectively given upon receipt or, in the case of notices delivered by mail by the Company to you, five days after deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to you at the last address you provided to the Company.  The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to participation in the Plan and this option by electronic means or to request your consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means.  By accepting this option, you consent to receive such documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.
16.Governing Plan Document.  Your option is subject to all the provisions of the Plan, the provisions of which are hereby made a part of your option, and is further subject to all interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations, which may from time to time be promulgated and adopted pursuant to the Plan.  If there is any conflict between the provisions of your option and those of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan will control.

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ATTACHMENT II
2020 Stock Plan

ATTACHMENT III
NOTICE OF EXERCISE

NEUROPACE, INC. 
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
This constitutes notice to NeuroPace, Inc.  (the “Company”) under my stock option that I elect to purchase the below number of shares of Common Stock of the Company (the “Shares”) for the price set forth below.  Use of certain payment methods is subject to Company and/or Board consent and certain additional requirements set forth in the Option Agreement and the Plan.  If the Company uses an electronic capitalization table system (such as Carta or Shareworks) and the fields below are blank, the blank fields shall be deemed to come from the electronic capitalization system and is considered part of this Notice of Exercise.
						
	Option Information	
		
	Type of option (check one):	Incentive ☐       Nonstatutory ☐

	Stock option dated:	
	Number of Shares as to which option is exercised:	
	Certificates to be issued in name of:2	
		
	Exercise Information	
		
	Date of Exercise:	
	Total exercise price:	
	Cash:3	
	Regulation T Program (cashless exercise):4	
	Value of                    Shares delivered with this notice:5
	
	Value of                    Shares pursuant to net exercise:6
	

By this exercise, I agree (i) to provide such additional documents as you may require pursuant to the terms of the 2020 Stock Plan, (ii) to provide for the payment by me to you (in the manner designated by you) of your withholding obligation, if any, relating to the exercise of this option, and (iii) if this exercise relates to an incentive stock option, to notify you in writing within 15 days after the date of any disposition of any of the Shares issued upon exercise of this option that occurs within two years after the date of grant of this option or within one year after such Shares are issued upon exercise of this option.  I further agree that this Notice of Exercise may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or other applicable law) or other transmission method and will be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

2 If left blank, will be issued in the name of the option holder.
3 Cash may be in the form of cash, check, bank draft, electronic funds transfer or money order payment.
4 Subject to Company and/or Board consent and must meet the public trading and other requirements set forth in the Option Agreement.
5 Subject to Company and/or Board consent and must meet the public trading and other requirements set forth in the Option Agreement.  Shares must be valued in accordance with the terms of the option being exercised, and must be owned free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances or security interests.  Certificates must be endorsed or accompanied by an executed assignment separate from certificate.
6 Subject to Company and/or Board consent and must be a Nonstatutory Option.

I hereby make the following certifications and representations with respect to the number of Shares listed above, which are being acquired by me for my own account upon exercise of the option as set forth above:
I acknowledge that the Shares have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and are deemed to constitute “restricted securities” under Rule 701 and Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.  I warrant and represent to the Company that I have no present intention of distributing or selling said Shares, except as permitted under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws.
I further acknowledge and agree that, except for such information as required to be delivered to me by the Company pursuant to the option or the Plan (if any), I will have no right to receive any information from the Company by virtue of the grant of the option or the purchase of shares of Common Stock through exercise of the option, ownership of such shares of Common Stock, or as a result of my being a holder of record of stock of the Company. Without limiting the foregoing, to the fullest extent permitted by law, I hereby waive all inspection rights under Section 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law and all such similar information and/or inspection rights that may be provided under the law of any jurisdiction, or any federal, state or foreign regulation, that are, or may become, applicable to the Company or the Company’s capital stock (the “Inspection Rights”).  I hereby covenant and agree never to directly or indirectly commence, voluntarily aid in any way, prosecute, assign, transfer, or cause to be commenced any claim, action, cause of action, or other proceeding to pursue or exercise the Inspection Rights.
I further acknowledge that I will not be able to resell the Shares for at least 90 days after the stock of the Company becomes publicly traded (i.e., subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) under Rule 701 and that more restrictive conditions apply to affiliates of the Company under Rule 144.
I further acknowledge that all certificates representing any of the Shares subject to the provisions of the option will have endorsed thereon appropriate legends reflecting the foregoing limitations, as well as any legends reflecting restrictions pursuant to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws and/or applicable securities laws.
I further agree that, if required by the Company (or a representative of the underwriters) in connection with the first underwritten registration of the offering of any securities of the Company under the Securities Act, I will not sell, dispose of, transfer, make any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or enter into any hedging or similar transaction with the same economic effect as a sale with respect to any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company for a period of 180 days following the effective date of a registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act (or such longer period as the underwriters or the Company will request to facilitate compliance with the applicable FINRA rules or similar rules or regulations) (the “Lock-Up Period”) provided, however, that nothing contained in this paragraph will prevent the exercise of a repurchase option, if any, in favor of the Company during the Lock-Up Period.  I further agree to execute and deliver such other agreements as may be reasonably requested by the Company or the underwriters that are consistent with the foregoing or that are necessary to give further effect thereto.  In order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company may impose stoptransfer instructions with respect to securities subject to the foregoing restrictions until the end of such period.  I further agree that the obligations contained in this paragraph shall also, if so determined by the Company’s Board, apply in the Company’s initial listing of its Common Stock on a national securities exchange by means of a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act (or any successor registration form under the Securities Act subsequently adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission) filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission that registers shares of existing capital stock of the Company for resale (i.e., a direct listing).

Very truly yours,
						
		
		(Signature)
		
		
		Name (Please Print)
		
	Address of Record:	
		
		
		
	Email:Document

Exhibit 10.11

March 24, 2021
Michael Favet
NeuroPace, Inc. 
455 N Bernardo Ave, 
Mountain View, CA 94043
Re:       Amended and Restated Employment Agreement 
Dear Mike:
You are currently employed by NeuroPace, Inc. (the “Company”) under the terms of an offer letter between you and the Company dated July 23, 2019 (the “Offer Letter”). The Company is amending and restating the terms of the Offer Letter to reflect your new employment terms as set forth in this employment agreement (the “Agreement”). Once you accept this Agreement by signing and returning it to the Company, this Agreement shall supersede and replace your Offer Letter in its entirety, and this Agreement shall then govern the terms of your employment with the Company.  
1.Employment by the Company.
(a)Position.  You will continue to serve as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
(b)Duties and Location.  You will perform those duties and responsibilities as are customary for the position of President and Chief Executive Officer and as may be directed by Board of Directors, to whom you will report.  Your primary office location will be the Company’s offices in Mountain View, California.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company reserves the right to reasonably require you to perform your duties at places other than your primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel.  Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company may modify your job title, duties, and reporting relationship as it deems necessary and appropriate in light of the Company’s needs and interests from time to time.
(c)Outside Activities.  Throughout your employment with the Company, you may engage in civic and not-for-profit activities so long as such activities do not interfere with the performance of your duties hereunder or present a conflict of interest with the Company.  During your employment by the Company, except on behalf of the Company, you will not directly or indirectly serve as an officer, director, stockholder, employee, partner, proprietor, investor, joint venturer, associate, representative or consultant of any other person, corporation, firm, partnership or other entity whatsoever known by you to compete with the Company (or is planning or preparing to compete with the Company), anywhere in the world, in any line of business engaged in (or planned to be engaged in) by the Company; provided, however, that you may purchase or otherwise acquire up to (but not more than) one percent (1%) of any class of securities of any enterprise (but without participating in the activities of such enterprise) if such securities are listed on any national or regional securities exchange.
2.Compensation and Benefits.
Base Salary.  You will continue to be paid a base salary at the rate of $ 450,000.00 per year.  Effective commencing on the date of the underwriting agreement between the Company and the underwriters 

managing the initial public offering of the Company’s common stock (the “IPO”), pursuant to which such stock is priced for the initial public offering (the “IPO Date”), your base salary will be automatically increased to $517,000.00 per year and if the IPO Date occurs prior to October 1, 2021, such increase shall be automatically implemented retroactively to March 1, 2021.  In all cases, your base salary will be paid on the Company’s ordinary payroll cycle, less applicable payroll deductions and withholdings.  As an exempt salaried employee, you will be required to work the Company’s normal business hours, and such additional time as appropriate for your work assignments and position, and you will not be entitled to overtime compensation.
(d)Employee Benefits.  As a regular full-time employee, you will be eligible to participate in the Company’s standard employee benefits offered to executive level employees, as in effect from time to time and subject to the terms and conditions of the benefit plans and applicable Company policies.  A full description of these benefits is available upon request.  Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company may change your compensation and benefits from time to time in its discretion.
(e)Annual Discretionary Bonus.  You will also be eligible to earn an annual discretionary bonus with a target amount equal to 50% of your annual base salary. Following the IPO Date your target annual bonus amount will be automatically increased to 85% of your then current annual base salary.  The amount of this bonus will be determined in the sole discretion of the Company and based, in part, on your performance and the performance of the Company during the calendar year,  as well as any other criteria the Company deems relevant, as set forth in the Company’s Employee Cash Incentive Plan or any successor cash incentive program sponsored by the Company.
(f)Equity Compensation.  
(i)Outstanding Equity Awards.  Any and all Company equity awards previously granted to you will continue to be governed by the terms of the applicable equity plan, forms of award agreements and grant notices for such equity awards.  For purposes of this Agreement, “equity awards” shall mean all stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, and any other Company equity awards.
(ii)IPO Option Grant.  In the event that the Company completes an IPO, as soon as practicable after the IPO Date and no later than the first meeting of the Board’s Compensation Committee (the “Compensation Committee”) that occurs following the IPO Date, you will be granted an option to purchase shares of the Company’s Common Stock (the “Option”) subject to your continued employment with the Company through such applicable date of grant.  The Option will have an exercise price equal to the closing per share price on the applicable date of grant and will be for such number of shares of Company Common Stock and have such other terms and conditions as determined by the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion.
(g)Officer Severance Benefit Plan.  You will be eligible to participate in the Company’s Officer Severance Benefit Plan (the “Severance Plan”) subject to the terms and conditions of the Severance Plan, including but not limited to the “parachute payment best after-tax” treatment set forth in the Severance Plan, which shall be applicable with respect to any payments or benefits you may receive from the Company or otherwise in connection with any change in control of the Company, whether pursuant to the Severance Plan or otherwise.  A copy of the Severance Plan has been provided to you concurrently with this Agreement.
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(h)Expenses.  The Company will reimburse you for reasonable travel, entertainment or other expenses incurred by you in furtherance of or in connection with the performance of your duties hereunder, in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policies and practices as in effect from time to time.
3.Confidential Information. 
(a)Confidentiality Agreement.  As a Company employee, you will be expected to continue to abide by Company rules and policies including those rules and policies regarding the protection of the Company’s confidential information. You will remain subject to the terms of the attached Employee Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement that you signed when you joined the Company, which prohibits unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company’s proprietary information, among other obligations (the “Confidentiality Agreement”), and which is incorporated herein by reference.  
(b)Conflicting Obligations.  By signing this Agreement, you are representing that you have full authority to accept this position and perform the duties of the position without conflict with any other obligations and that you are not involved in any situation that might create, or appear to create, a conflict of interest with respect to your loyalty or duties to the Company.  You specifically warrant that you are not subject to an employment agreement or restrictive covenant preventing full performance of your duties to the Company. You agree not to bring to the Company or use in the performance of your responsibilities at the Company any information, materials or documents of a former employer that are not generally available to the public, unless you have obtained express written authorization from the former employer for their possession and use.  You also agree to honor all obligations to former employers during your employment with the Company.    
4.At-Will Employment Relationship.  Your employment relationship with the Company is at will.  Accordingly, you may terminate your employment with the Company at any time and for any reason whatsoever simply by notifying the Company; and the Company may terminate your employment at any time, with or without Cause or advance notice. If your employment is terminated by you or the Company for any reason, you agree to resign from any position you hold on the Company’s Board of Directors (“Board”), to be effective no later than the date of your termination (or such other date as requested by the Board).  
5.Compliance With or Exemption From Section 409A.  It is intended that the benefits set forth in this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (the “Code”) (Section 409A, together with any state law of similar effect, “Section 409A”) provided under Treasury Regulations 1.409A-1(b)(4), 1.409A-1(b)(5) and 1.409A-1(b)(9).  With respect to reimbursements or in-kind benefits provided to you hereunder (or otherwise) that are not exempt from Section 409A, the following rules shall apply: (i) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits provided, during any one of your taxable years shall not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefit to be provided in any other taxable year, (ii) in the case of any reimbursements of eligible expenses, reimbursement shall be made on or before the last day of your taxable year following the taxable year in which the expense was incurred, (iii) the right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.
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6.Indemnification Agreement.  You and the Company will remain subject to the terms of your indemnification agreement with the Company, as amended from time to time and as then currently in effect.
7.Dispute Resolution.  
(a)Arbitration Agreement.  To ensure the rapid and economical resolution of disputes that may arise in connection with your employment with the Company, you and the Company agree that any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action, in law or equity, including but not limited to statutory claims, arising from or relating to the enforcement, breach, performance, or interpretation of this Agreement, your employment with the Company, or the termination of your employment, shall be resolved pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. § 1-16, to the fullest extent permitted by law, by final, binding and confidential arbitration conducted by JAMS, Inc. or its successor (“JAMS”), under JAMS’ then applicable rules and procedures for employment disputes before a single arbitrator (available upon request and also currently available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/). You acknowledge that by agreeing to this arbitration procedure, both you and the Company waive the right to resolve any such dispute through a trial by jury or judge or administrative proceeding.  
(b)Individual Claims.  All claims, disputes, or causes of action under this section, whether by you or the Company, must be brought in an individual capacity, and shall not be brought as a plaintiff (or claimant) or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding, nor joined or consolidated with the claims of any other person or entity.  The arbitrator may not consolidate the claims of more than one person or entity, and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding.  To the extent that the preceding sentences regarding class claims or proceedings are found to violate applicable law or are otherwise found unenforceable, any claim(s) alleged or brought on behalf of a class shall proceed in a court of law rather than by arbitration.  This paragraph shall not apply to any action or claim that cannot be subject to mandatory arbitration as a matter of law, including, without limitation, claims brought pursuant to the California Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, as amended, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, as amended, and the California Labor Code, as amended, to the extent such claims are not permitted by applicable law to be submitted to mandatory arbitration and such applicable law(s) are not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act or otherwise invalid (collectively, the “Excluded Claims”).  In the event you intend to bring multiple claims, including one of the Excluded Claims listed above, the Excluded Claims may be publicly filed with a court, while any other claims will remain subject to mandatory arbitration.  
(c)Process.  You will have the right to be represented by legal counsel at any arbitration proceeding. Questions of whether a claim is subject to arbitration under this agreement shall be decided by the arbitrator.  Likewise, procedural questions which grow out of the dispute and bear on the final disposition are also matters for the arbitrator.  The arbitrator shall: (a) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of the dispute and to award such relief as would otherwise be permitted by law; and (b) issue a written statement signed by the arbitrator regarding the disposition of each claim and the relief, if any, awarded as to each claim, the reasons for the award, and the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions on which the award is based. The arbitrator shall be authorized to award all relief that you or the Company would be entitled to seek in a court of law. The Company shall pay all JAMS arbitration fees in excess of the administrative fees that you would be required to pay if the dispute were decided in a court of law.  
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(d)Injunctive Relief.  Nothing in this letter agreement is intended to prevent either you or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration.  Any awards or orders in such arbitrations may be entered and enforced as judgments in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction.
8.Miscellaneous.  This Agreement, together with your Confidentiality Agreement and Indemnification Agreement, forms the complete and exclusive statement of your employment agreement with the Company.  It supersedes any other agreements or promises made to you by anyone, whether oral or written, including but not limited to the Offer Letter.  Changes in your employment terms, other than those changes expressly reserved to the Company’s or the Board’s discretion in this Agreement, require a written modification approved by the Company and signed by a duly authorized officer of the Company (other than you).  This Agreement will bind the heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of both you and the Company, and inure to the benefit of both you and the Company, their heirs, successors and assigns.  If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, this determination shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement and the provision in question shall be modified so as to be rendered enforceable in a manner consistent with the intent of the parties insofar as possible under applicable law.  This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of California without regard to conflicts of law principles.  Any ambiguity in this Agreement shall not be construed against either party as the drafter.  Any waiver of a breach of this Agreement, or rights hereunder, shall be in writing and shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any successive breach or rights hereunder.  This Agreement may be delivered and executed via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or other applicable law) or other transmission method and shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and executed and be valid and effective for all purposes.
Please sign and date this Agreement and return a signed copy to me on or before March 24, 2021 to confirm your acceptance of this Agreement. 
															
	NEUROPACE, INC.			
					
	/s/ Frank M. Fischer			
	Frank M. Fischer				
	Chairman of the Board			
					
					
	Accepted and Agreed:			
					
	/s/ Michael Favet		March 24, 2021
	Michael Favet			Date	
	President and Chief Executive Officer			

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