EDGAR 10-K Filing

Company CIK: 1844419
Filing Year: 2023
Filename: 1844419_10-K_2023_0001213900-23-026466.json

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Item 1. Business.
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated in December 2020 as a Delaware corporation for the purpose of effecting our initial business combination.
While we may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any business, industry, sector or geographical location, we have focused and will continue to focus on technology-focused middle market and emerging growth companies operating in North America with total enterprise values from $200 million to $1 billion in industries that benefit from continuously evolving technology and the resulting shift in consumer and business purchase behavior, including Marketplace & Platforms, Financial Technology (“Fintech”) & Financial Services or Software as a Service (“SaaS”) & Technology.
Initial Public Offering
On May 7, 2021, we consummated our initial public offering of 16,000,000 units. Each unit consists of one share of Class A common stock, and one-half of one redeemable warrant, with each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one share of common stock for $11.50 per share. The units were sold at a price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $160,000,000.
Simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering, we completed the private sale of an aggregate of 551,000 placement units to our sponsor at a purchase price of $10.00 per placement unit, generating gross proceeds of $5,510,000.
A total of $162,400,000, comprised of $158,113,471 of the proceeds from the initial public offering and $4,286,529 of the proceeds of the sale of the placement units was placed in the trust account maintained by Continental, acting as trustee.
On May 10, 2021, the underwriters exercised their over-allotment option in part, and the closing of the issuance and sale of the additional 1,309,719 units (the “over-allotment units”) occurred on May 12, 2021, generating gross proceeds of $13,097,190. In connection with the closing of the purchase of the over-allotment units, the Company sold an additional 32,743 placement units to the sponsor at a price of $10.00 per placement unit, generating an additional $327,430 of gross proceeds.
It is the job of our sponsor and management team to complete our initial business combination. Our management team is led by Jeff Ransdell, our Chief Executive Officer, Guillermo Eduardo Cruz our Chief Operating Officer, Maggie Vo, our Chief Investment Officer and Jeronimo Peralta, our Chief Financial Officer. We must complete our initial business combination during the Combination Period, which ends May 7, 2023, 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering. If our initial business combination is not consummated during the Combination Period, then our existence will terminate, and we will distribute all amounts in the trust account.
Business Strategy
While we may pursue an initial business combination target in any industry or geographic location, we have focused and will continue to focus our search on middle market and emerging growth technology-focused companies in North America in industries that benefit from continuously evolving technology and the resulting shift in consumer and business purchase behavior. Most of these companies will ultimately need to consolidate to achieve the scale necessary to attain high revenue growth and attractive profitability. We believe that acquiring a leading high-growth technology company will provide a platform to fund consolidation and fuel growth for our company. Segments we are exploring and might continue to explore include, but are not limited to, technology enabled medical devices, horizontal and vertical SaaS, SaaS business-to-business, agriculture technology, genomics, peer-to-peer lending, insurance and payments. There is no restriction in the geographic location of targets we can pursue, although we intend to initially prioritize North America as the geographical focus.
We believe that there is a large pool of quality initial business combination targets looking for exit opportunities with an increasing number of private equity (“PE”) and venture capital (“VC”) activities in the Americas, which provides us opportunities given what we believe are the limited exit options for mid-market companies in the region. Also, we believe that the technology and tech enabled industries in the Americas represent a particularly attractive deal sourcing environment that will allow us to leverage our team’s skill sets and experience to identify an initial business combination which can potentially serve as a strong platform for future add-on acquisitions. Our investment thesis is supported by what we believe are the following trends in our target sectors:
● The Development of PE and VC Activities in the Americas: The total assets under management of North America-focused PE and VC funds reached in excess of $2.1 trillion in the first half of 2020 according to McKinsey Global Private Markets Review. The growth of PE and VC investments in the Americas is driving demand for exits the portfolio companies (meaning opportunities for PE and VC firms to monetize their investments in their portfolio companies).
● Strong Performance in the Tech and Software Industries: According to CompTIA, tech services and software account for nearly half of spending in the U.S. technology market, which represents a significantly higher rate than the rate in many other global regions. While emerging technologies currently account for only 19% of the overall global revenue, they are expected to drive nearly half of the growth in new revenue.
● Operator-Led SPACs outperform their Sectors: According to Wolfe Research, SPACs that are led by executives with past C-Suite experience tend to outperform other SPACs (by about 42%) and their industry peers (by about minus 20%) 12 months after the consummation of their respective initial public offering.
Competitive Advantages
We intend to capitalize on the following competitive advantages in our pursuit of a target company:
● Leadership of an Experienced Management Team. Our experienced management team has over 40 years of combined work experience as investment professionals in a variety of industries, such as technology and financial institutions. These years of experience have allowed us to gain not only extensive and deep expertise in our fields, but also vast networks of some of the most influential thought leaders and top performing companies in our target industries and region. This positions us as a unique and strategic player, and as an attractive alternative for the many companies in Mexico, the U.S., Canada and the rest of North America that seek to tap the equity capital markets, ensuring that we find the most attractive opportunities that maximize value to our stockholders.
● Established Deal Sourcing Network. We believe the strong track record of our management team enables us to get access to quality deal pipelines. In addition, we believe that we, through our management team and advisors, have contacts and sources from which to generate acquisition opportunities and possibly seek complementary follow-on business arrangements. These contacts and sources include those in government, private and public companies, private equity and venture capital funds, investment bankers, attorneys and accountants.
● Status as a Publicly Listed Acquisition Company. We believe our structure as a public company makes us an attractive business combination partner to prospective target businesses. As a publicly listed company, we offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering process. We believe that some target businesses will favor this alternative, which we believe is less expensive, while offering greater certainty of execution, than the traditional initial public offering process. During an initial public offering, there are typically underwriting fees and marketing expenses, which would cost more than a business combination with us. Furthermore, once a proposed business combination is approved by our stockholders (if applicable) and the transaction is consummated, the target business will have effectively become public, whereas an initial public offering is always subject to the underwriter’s ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions that could prevent the offering from occurring. Once public, we believe our target business would have greater access to capital and additional means of creating management incentives that are better aligned with stockholders’ interests than it would as a private company. It can offer further benefits by augmenting a target company’s profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented management staffs.
● Targeting of Fastest Growing Industries. The main industries we are targeting are: SaaS & Technology, Financial Services & Fintech and Marketplace & Platforms. This is not just a function of our expertise in these fields, but also a consequence of these currently being some of the fastest growing industries in the economy, with SaaS expected to grow at approximately 11% compound annual growth rate (“CAGR”) for the next two years; Fintech, approximately 9% CAGR expected over the next two years; and Marketplaces, approximately 32% CAGR through 2024.
Industry Opportunity
While we may acquire a business in any industry, our focus has been and will continue to be in the Marketplace & Platforms, Fintech & Financial Services or SaaS & Technology. We believe that our target industries are attractive for a number of reasons:
We believe we are currently in the midst of a secular shift in the SaaS subsegment of the technology industry, which is driving rapid growth in both annual spending and the number of actionable acquisition targets requiring a public market solution. This is driven in part by large corporations, which are constantly upgrading legacy technology and expanding their SaaS toolkits. We believe another major driver is new corporations which heavily rely on SaaS solutions given their cost-efficiency and scalability. Specifically, we see great opportunity in private technology companies. We believe that private technology companies are fundamentally changing the world at an unprecedented pace by establishing new markets, creating new experiences and disrupting legacy industries. Key technological advances and practices, such as cloud computing, data analytics and intelligence platforms, open-source software development, developer-focused software tools, and software-defined networking, storage and computing, are allowing technology companies to rapidly effect change in every major sector of the global economy. Agile private technology companies have embraced these advances and practices to create business models and address market needs that will enable them to reach significant financial scale and create shareholder value.
The number of technology company initial public offerings has diminished over time. An average of 160 technology companies went public each year during the 1990s, according to ongoing research performed by Professor Jay Ritter at the University of Florida. Since 2010, however, that yearly average of technology companies consummating initial public offerings decreased significantly to an average of 44 per year, a 73% drop. That smaller initial public offering market has also been predominantly focused on so-called “unicorn” companies (meaning start-up with valuations of over $1 billion, typically VC-backed companies and often focused on technology). The median market capitalization of technology companies that consummated initial public offerings was about $482 million in 2010; in 2020 it was roughly $1 billion. We believe this means that very promising, but non-unicorn companies (such as those we will likely target for our initial business combination) are in many instances missing out on the ability to do an initial public offering.
Our management team believes that these factors present an intriguing paradox: a growing number of new companies have attracted more private capital. Yet once they flourish, they have a narrower exit route. In addition, that exit route is often reserved for larger companies, which leads to a substantial disadvantage for smaller private technology companies.
Ultimately, we believe this same paradox creates a long-term opportunity for stockholder return via an initial business combination with a smaller, high-performing private technology company or companies. Additionally, it provides a persuasive argument for such companies to partner with us, as we believe they have fewer exit options than presently exist for unicorns.
Acquisition Criteria
Consistent with our strategy, we have identified the following general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses. We have used and will continue to use these criteria and guidelines in evaluating acquisition opportunities, although we may decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that meets some but not all of these criteria and guidelines.
● Target Size: We target businesses of total enterprise value from $200 million to $1 billion in North American companies in the SaaS & Tech, Fintech & Financial Services and Marketplace & Platforms industries.
● Revenue and Earnings Growth Potential. We seek to acquire one or more businesses that have the potential for significant revenue and earnings growth through a combination of both existing and new product development, increased production capacity, expense reduction and synergistic follow-on acquisitions resulting in increased operating leverage.
● Potential for Strong Free Cash Flow Generation. We seek to acquire one or more businesses that have the potential to generate strong, stable and increasing free cash flow. We are focused on one or more businesses that have predictable, recurring revenue streams and definable low working capital and capital expenditure requirements. We may also seek to prudently leverage this cash flow in order to enhance shareholder value.
● Strong and Experienced Management. We seek companies that have strong, experienced management teams in place, or are a platform to assemble an effective management team with a track record of driving growth and profitability. We have spent and will continue to spend significant time assessing a company’s leadership and human fabric, and maximizing its efficiency over time.
● Benefit from Being a Public Company. We intend to acquire one or more businesses that will benefit from being publicly traded and can effectively utilize the broader access to capital and the public profile that are associated with being a publicly traded company.
● Defensible Market Position. We intend to acquire one or more businesses that have a defensible market position, with demonstrated advantages when compared to their competitors and which create barriers to entry against new competitors.
These criteria are not exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that from time to time our management may deem relevant.
Initial Business Combination
Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target’s assets or prospects. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.
We will have until 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering, or until May 7, 2023, to consummate an initial business combination. On November 4, 2022, at the Special Meeting, our stockholders approved the Extension Amendment by which we amended our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to extend the end of the Combination Period from November 7, 2022 to May 7, 2023. In connection with the approval of the Extension Amendment, our sponsor agreed to contribute to us the Contribution, with each such Contribution to be deposited into the trust account within five business days from the beginning of such calendar month (or portion thereof). Based on the outstanding 3,539,809 public shares following the redemption of 13,769,910 public shares in connection with the Special Meeting, each monthly Contribution will be $159,291. On November 14, 2022, we issued the Second Extension Note, a promissory note in the principal amount of up to $955,748 to the sponsor. As of April 3, 2023, an aggregate of $796,457 had been deposited into the trust account to support the first five months of the extension through April 7, 2023.
Prior to the date of the Special Meeting and the adoption of the Extension Amendment, we were required to complete our initial business combination by May 7, 2022, subject to the right to extend the period of time to consummate a business combination up to two times, each by an additional three months, without submitting such proposed extensions to our stockholders for approval or offering our public stockholders redemption rights in connection therewith. Pursuant to the terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the trust agreement entered into between us and Continental, in order to extend the time available for us to consummate our initial business combination, our sponsor or its affiliates or designees, upon ten days advance notice prior to the applicable deadline, were required to deposit into the trust account $1,789,347, ($0.10 per share) on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three-month extension (or up to an aggregate of $3,578,694, or $0.20 per share if we were to extend for the full six months). Any such payments would be made in the form of a loan, with any such loans being non-interest bearing and payable upon the consummation of our initial business combination. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. If we do not complete a business combination, we will not repay such loans. Furthermore, the letter agreement with our initial stockholders contains a provision pursuant to which our sponsor has agreed to waive its right to be repaid for such loans out of the funds held in the trust account in the event that we do not complete a business combination. Our sponsor and its affiliates or designees are not obligated to fund the trust account to extend the time for us to complete our initial business combination. Up to $1,500,000 of the loans made by our sponsor, our officers and directors, or our or their affiliates to us prior to or in connection with our initial business combination (including loans made to extend our time period for consummating a business combination) may be convertible into units at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender.
On May 4, 2022, we issued a press release announcing that the sponsor had requested that we extend the deadline for consummating a business combination from May 7, 2022 to August 7, 2022 and that the sponsor had notified us that it intended to deposit an aggregate of $1,730,972 into the trust account on or before May 7, 2022. On May 3, 2022, the Company issued the First Extension Note, a promissory note in the principal amount of $1,730,972 to the sponsor in connection with Initial Extensions. On August 4, 2022, the First Extension Note was amended and restated solely to increase the principal amount thereunder to $3,461,944 in connection with the further extension of the deadline for consummating a business combination from August 7, 2022 to November 7, 2022.
We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public stockholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the prior owners of the target business, the target management team or stockholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock, shares or other equity interests of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our stockholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% fair market value test. If the business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% fair market value test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses and we will treat the target businesses together as our initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking stockholder approval, as applicable.
To the extent we effect our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in such company or business. Although our management endeavors and will continue to endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors.
In evaluating a prospective target business, we conduct a thorough due diligence review which encompasses, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information which will be made available to us.
The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination.
Sourcing of Potential Initial Business Combination Targets
Certain members of our management team have spent significant portions of their careers working with businesses in the technology industry and have developed a wide network of professional services contacts and business relationships in that industry. The members of our board of directors also have significant executive management and public company experience with technology related companies and bring additional relationships that further broaden our industry network.
This network has provided our management team with a flow of referrals that have resulted in numerous transactions. We believe that the network of contacts and relationships of our management team provides us with an important source of acquisition opportunities. In addition, target business candidates are brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment market participants, private equity groups, investment banks, consultants, accounting firms and large business enterprises.
Members of our management team and our independent directors directly or indirectly own founder shares and/or placement units and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
In addition, each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
In addition, our sponsor and our officers and directors may sponsor or form other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Any such companies, businesses or investments may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an initial business combination. However, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Status as a Public Company
We believe our structure as a public company makes us an attractive business combination partner to target businesses. As a public company, we offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering through a merger or other business combination with us. Following an initial business combination, we believe the target business would have greater access to capital and additional means of creating management incentives that are better aligned with stockholders’ interests than it would as a private company. A target business can further benefit by augmenting its profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented employees. In a business combination transaction with us, the owners of the target business may, for example, exchange their shares of stock in the target business for our shares of Class A common stock (or shares of a new holding company) or for a combination of our shares of Class A common stock and cash, allowing us to tailor the consideration to the specific needs of the sellers.
Although there are various costs and obligations associated with being a public company, we believe target businesses will find this method a more expeditious and cost-effective method to becoming a public company than the typical initial public offering. The typical initial public offering process takes a significantly longer period of time than the typical business combination transaction process, and there are significant expenses in the initial public offering process, including underwriting discounts and commissions, marketing and road show efforts that may not be present to the same extent in connection with an initial business combination with us.
Furthermore, once a proposed initial business combination is completed, the target business will have effectively become public, whereas an initial public offering is always subject to the underwriters’ ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions, which could delay or prevent the offering from occurring or could have negative valuation consequences. Following an initial business combination, we believe the target business would then have greater access to capital and an additional means of providing management incentives consistent with stockholders’ interests and the ability to use its shares as currency for acquisitions. Being a public company can offer further benefits by augmenting a company’s profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented employees.
While we believe that our structure and our management team’s backgrounds makes us an attractive business partner, some potential target businesses may view our status as a blank check company, such as our lack of an operating history and our ability to seek stockholder approval of any proposed initial business combination, negatively.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We are taking and intend to continue to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering (May 7, 2026), (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Rule 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the end of the prior June 30th, or (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th.
Financial Position
With funds available for an initial business combination in the amount of $37,570,177 as of December 31, 2022, after payment of $5,192,916 of deferred underwriting fees and before fees and expenses associated with our initial business combination (other than deferred underwriting fees), we offer a target business a variety of options such as creating a liquidity event for its owners, providing capital for the potential growth and expansion of its operations or strengthening its balance sheet by reducing its debt or leverage ratio. Because we are able to complete our initial business combination using our cash, debt or equity securities, or a combination of the foregoing, we have the flexibility to use the most efficient combination that will allow us to tailor the consideration to be paid to the target business to fit its needs and desires. However, there can be no assurance that third party financing will be available to us.
Effecting Our Initial Business Combination
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations until we consummate our initial business combination. We will effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the placement units, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination (pursuant to backstop agreements we may enter into following the consummation of our initial public offering or otherwise), shares issued to the owners of the target, debt issued to bank or other lenders or the owners of the target, or a combination of the foregoing. We may seek to complete our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, which would subject us to the numerous risks inherent in such companies and businesses.
If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination or used for redemptions of our Class A common stock, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital.
We may seek to raise additional funds through a private offering of debt or equity securities in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, and we may effectuate our initial business combination using the proceeds of such offering rather than using the amounts held in the trust account. In addition, we intend to target businesses larger than we could acquire with the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the placement units, and may as a result be required to seek additional financing to complete such proposed initial business combination. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would expect to complete such financing only simultaneously with the completion of our initial business combination. In the case of an initial business combination funded with assets other than the trust account assets, our proxy materials or tender offer documents disclosing the initial business combination would disclose the terms of the financing and, only if required by applicable law or stock exchange requirements, we would seek stockholder approval of such financing. There are no prohibitions on our ability to raise funds privately, or through loans in connection with our initial business combination. At this time, we are not a party to any arrangement or understanding with any third party with respect to raising any additional funds through the sale of securities or otherwise.
We have not engaged or retained any agent or other representative to identify or locate any suitable acquisition candidate, to conduct any research or take any measures, directly or indirectly, to locate or contact a target business. However, we may contact any targets if we become aware that such targets are interested in a potential initial business combination with us and such transaction would be attractive to our stockholders. Although our management will assess the risks inherent in a particular target business with which we may combine, we cannot assure you that this assessment will result in our identifying all risks that a target business may encounter. Furthermore, some of those risks may be outside of our control, meaning that we can do nothing to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.
Sources of Target Businesses
Target business candidates have been and may continue to be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment bankers and investment professionals, as a result of being solicited by us by calls or mailings. These sources have also introduced and may continue to introduce us to target businesses in which they think we may be interested on an unsolicited basis, since many of these sources will have read the prospectus in connection with our initial public offering or this Report and know what types of businesses we are targeting. Our officers and directors, as well as our sponsor and their affiliates, may also bring to our attention target business candidates that they become aware of through their business contacts as a result of formal or informal inquiries or discussions they may have, as well as attending trade shows or conventions. In addition, we have received and expect to continue to receive a number of deal flow opportunities that would not otherwise necessarily be available to us as a result of the business relationships of our officers and directors and our sponsor and their affiliates. We may engage the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions, in which event we may pay a finder’s fee, consulting fee, advisory fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm’s length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction. We will engage a finder only to the extent our management determines that the use of a finder may bring opportunities to us that may not otherwise be available to us or if finders approach us on an unsolicited basis with a potential transaction that our management determines is in our best interest to pursue. Payment of finder’s fees is customarily tied to completion of a transaction, in which case any such fee will be paid out of the funds held in the trust account. In no event, however, will our sponsor or any of our existing officers or directors be paid any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation by the company prior to, or in connection with any services rendered for any services they render in order to effectuate, the completion of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). None of our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be allowed to receive any compensation, finder’s fees or consulting fees from a prospective business combination target in connection with a contemplated initial business combination except as set forth herein. We entered into an administrative support agreement with ARC Group Ltd., our financial advisor, pursuant to which we agreed to pay up to total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. However, since our initial public offering, no services have been provided, and we have not made any payments under such administrative support agreement. Instead we reimburse our affiliates for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination. Some of our officers and directors may enter into employment or consulting agreements with the post-transaction company following our initial business combination. The presence or absence of any such fees or arrangements will not be used as a criterion in our selection process of an initial business combination candidate.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with an initial business combination target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors or making the initial business combination through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with an initial business combination target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that such an initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
If any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an initial business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may be required to present such business combination opportunity to such entity prior to presenting such business combination opportunity to us. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.
Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of our Initial Business Combination
Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. The fair market value of our initial business combination will be determined by our board of directors based upon one or more standards generally accepted by the financial community, such as discounted cash flow valuation, a valuation based on trading multiples of comparable public businesses or a valuation based on the financial metrics of M&A transactions of comparable businesses. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target’s assets or prospects. We do not intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination. Subject to this requirement, our management virtually has unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting one or more prospective target businesses, although we are not be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations.
In any case, we will only complete an initial business combination in which we own or acquire 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquire a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. If we own or acquire less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses, the portion of such business or businesses that are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company is what will be taken into account for purposes of Nasdaq’s 80% fair market value test.
To the extent we effect our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in such company or business. Although our management endeavors and will continue to endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors.
In evaluating a prospective business target, we conduct a thorough due diligence review, which encompasses, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial and other information that are made available to us.
The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination.
Lack of Business Diversification
For an indefinite period of time after the completion of our initial business combination, the prospects for our success may depend entirely on the future performance of a single business. Unlike other entities that have the resources to complete business combinations with multiple entities in one or several industries, it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations and mitigate the risks of being in a single line of business. In addition, we are focusing our search for an initial business combination in a single industry. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:
● subject us to negative economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact on the particular industry in which we operate after our initial business combination, and
● cause us to depend on the marketing and sale of a single product or limited number of products or services.
Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target’s Management Team
Although we closely scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with that business, our assessment of the target business’ management may not prove to be correct. In addition, the future management may not have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of members of our management team, if any, in the target business cannot presently be stated with any certainty. The determination as to whether any of the members of our management team will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination. While it is possible that one or more of our directors will remain associated in some capacity with us following our initial business combination, it is unlikely that any of them will devote their full efforts to our affairs subsequent to our initial business combination. Moreover, we cannot assure you that members of our management team will have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.
We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with the combined company. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
Following an initial business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that additional managers will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
Stockholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination
We may conduct redemptions without a stockholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC. However, we will seek stockholder approval if it is required by applicable law or applicable stock exchange listing requirements, or we may decide to seek stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons. Presented in the table below is a graphic explanation of the types of initial business combinations we may consider and whether stockholder approval is currently required under Delaware law for each such transaction.
Whether
Stockholder
Approval is
Type of Transaction Required
Purchase of assets No
Purchase of stock of target not involving a merger with the company No
Merger of target into a subsidiary of the company No
Merger of the company with a target Yes
Under Nasdaq’s listing rules, stockholder approval would be required for our initial business combination if, for example:
● we issue shares of Class A common stock that will be equal to or in excess of 20% of the number of shares of our Class A common stock then outstanding (other than in a public offering);
● any of our directors, officers or substantial stockholders (as defined by Nasdaq rules) has a 5% or greater interest (or such persons collectively have a 10% or greater interest), directly or indirectly, in the target business or assets to be acquired or otherwise and the present or potential issuance of common stock could result in an increase in outstanding common stock or voting power of 5% or more; or
● the issuance or potential issuance of common stock will result in our undergoing a change of control.
Permitted Purchases of our Securities
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial stockholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase public shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit on the number of shares our initial stockholders, directors, officers or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and Nasdaq rules. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will not make any such purchases when they are in possession of any material nonpublic information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions prior to completion of our initial business combination.
The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining stockholder approval of the initial business combination or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our shares of Class A common stock or warrants may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates anticipate that they may identify the stockholders with whom our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates may pursue privately negotiated purchases by either the stockholders contacting us directly or by our receipt of redemption requests submitted by stockholders following our mailing of proxy materials in connection with our initial business combination. To the extent that our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates enter into a private purchase, they would identify and contact only potential selling stockholders who have expressed their election to redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the trust account or vote against our initial business combination, whether or not such stockholder has already submitted a proxy with respect to our initial business combination. Our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates will only purchase public shares if such purchases comply with Regulation M under the Exchange Act and the other federal securities laws.
Any purchases by our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates who are affiliated purchasers under Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act will only be made to the extent such purchases are able to be made in compliance with Rule 10b-18, which is a safe harbor from liability for manipulation under Section 9(a)(2) and Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Rule 10b-18 has certain technical requirements that must be complied with in order for the safe harbor to be available to the purchaser. Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates will not make purchases of common stock if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. We expect that any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchases are subject to such reporting requirements.
Redemption Rights for Public Stockholders upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination
We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their shares of Class A common stock upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. As of December 31, 2022, the amount in the trust account was approximately $10.53 per public share. The per-share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and placement shares and any public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination.
Manner of Conducting Redemptions
We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares of Class A common stock upon the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the initial business combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether we will seek stockholder approval of a proposed initial business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek stockholder approval under the law or stock exchange listing requirement. Under Nasdaq rules, asset acquisitions and stock purchases would not typically require stockholder approval while direct mergers with our company where we do not survive and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our outstanding common stock or seek to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation would require stockholder approval. If we structure an initial business combination with a target company in a manner that requires stockholder approval, we will not have discretion as to whether to seek a stockholder vote to approve the proposed initial business combination. We may conduct redemptions without a stockholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC unless stockholder approval is required by law or stock exchange listing requirements or we choose to seek stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons. So long as we maintain a listing for our securities on Nasdaq, we are required to comply with such rules.
If stockholder approval of the transaction is required by law or stock exchange listing requirement, or we decide to obtain stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation:
● conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules, and
● file proxy materials with the SEC.
In the event that we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, we will distribute proxy materials and, in connection therewith, provide our public stockholders with the redemption rights described above upon completion of the initial business combination.
If we seek stockholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock present and entitled to vote at the meeting to approve the initial business combination when a quorum is present are voted in favor of the initial business combination. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of shares of outstanding capital stock of the Company representing a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company entitled to vote at such meeting. Our initial stockholders will count toward this quorum and pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote any founder shares and placement shares held by them and any public shares acquired during or after our initial public offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination. For purposes of seeking approval of the majority of our outstanding shares of common stock voted, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. As a result of the redemption of 13,769,910 public shares in connection with the Special Meeting, our sponsor presently holds a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock and we would therefore not need any of the remaining 3,539,809 outstanding public shares to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved, unless otherwise required under applicable law. We will give approximately 30 days (but not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days) prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a vote shall be taken to approve our initial business combination. These quorum and voting thresholds, and the voting agreements of our initial stockholders, make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination. Each public stockholder may elect to redeem its public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction.
If a stockholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation:
● conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers, and
● file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies.
Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, we or our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase shares of our Class A common stock in the open market if we elect to redeem our public shares through a tender offer, to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act.
In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, we will not redeem any public shares unless our net tangible assets will be at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters’ fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. If public stockholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete the initial business combination.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we may not redeem our public shares unless our net tangible assets are at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters’ fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. For example, the proposed initial business combination may require: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed initial business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all shares of Class A common stock that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the initial business combination or redeem any shares, and all shares of Class A common stock submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof.
Limitation on Redemption upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination if we Seek Stockholder Approval
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering (the “Excess Shares.”) Such restriction shall also be applicable to our affiliates. We believe this restriction will discourage stockholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to exercise their redemption rights against a proposed initial business combination as a means to force us or our management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our stockholders’ ability to redeem no more than 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering without our prior consent, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of stockholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with an initial business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our stockholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination.
Tendering Stock Certificates in Connection with Redemption Rights
We may require our public stockholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent up to two business days prior to the vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using the DWAC System, at the holder’s option. The proxy materials that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public stockholders to satisfy such delivery requirements. Accordingly, a public stockholder would have up to two days prior to the vote on the initial business combination to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. Given the relatively short exercise period, it is advisable for stockholders to use electronic delivery of their public shares.
There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC System. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker $100.00 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to tender their shares. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising redemption rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated.
The foregoing is different from the procedures used by many special purpose acquisition companies. In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, many blank check companies would distribute proxy materials for the stockholders’ vote on an initial business combination, and a holder could simply vote against a proposed initial business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holder was seeking to exercise his or her redemption rights. After the initial business combination was approved, the company would contact such stockholder to arrange for him or her to deliver his or her certificate to verify ownership. As a result, the stockholder then had an “option window” after the completion of the initial business combination during which he or she could monitor the price of the company’s stock in the market. If the price rose above the redemption price, he or she could sell his or her shares in the open market before actually delivering his or her shares to the company for cancellation. As a result, the redemption rights, to which stockholders were aware they needed to commit before the stockholder meeting, would become “option” rights surviving past the completion of the initial business combination until the redeeming holder delivered its certificate. The requirement for physical or electronic delivery prior to the meeting ensures that a redeeming holder’s election to redeem is irrevocable once the initial business combination is approved.
Any request to redeem such shares, once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to the date of the stockholder meeting. Furthermore, if a holder of a public share delivered its certificate in connection with an election of redemption rights and subsequently decides prior to the applicable date not to elect to exercise such rights, such holder may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically). It is anticipated that the funds to be distributed to holders of our public shares electing to redeem their shares will be distributed promptly after the completion of our initial business combination.
If our initial business combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public stockholders who elected to exercise their redemption rights would not be entitled to redeem their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any certificates delivered by public holders who elected to redeem their shares.
If our initial proposed initial business combination is not completed, we may continue to try to complete an initial business combination with a different target until the end of the Combination Period.
Redemption of Public Shares and Liquidation if no Initial Business Combination
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we will have only 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering, or until May 7, 2023, to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within such allotted time period, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the Combination Period.
Our sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have waived their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares and placement shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination by the end of the Combination Period. However, if our sponsor, officers or directors acquire public shares in or after our initial public offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination by the end of the Combination Period.
Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our charter prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by the end of the Combination Period or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of Class A common stock upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. However, we may not redeem our public shares unless our net tangible assets are at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters’ fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules). If this optional redemption right is exercised with respect to an excessive number of public shares such that we cannot satisfy the net tangible asset requirement (described above), we would not proceed with the amendment or the related redemption of our public shares at such time.
If we do not consummate our initial business combination by the end of the Combination Period, we expect that all costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, as well as payments to any creditors, will be funded from amounts remaining out of the approximately $67,022 of proceeds held outside the trust account (as of December 31, 2022), although we cannot assure you that there will be sufficient funds for such purpose. We will depend on sufficient interest being earned on the proceeds held in the trust account to pay any tax obligations we may owe. However, if those funds are not sufficient to cover the costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, to the extent that there is any interest accrued in the trust account not required to pay taxes, we may request the trustee to release to us an additional amount of up to $100,000 of such accrued interest to pay those costs and expenses.
If we were to expend all of the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the placement units, other than the proceeds deposited in the trust account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the trust account, the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders upon our dissolution would be approximately $10.53. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors which would have higher priority than the claims of our public stockholders. We cannot assure you that the actual per-share redemption amount received by stockholders will not be substantially less than $10.53. Under Section 281(b) of the DGCL, our plan of dissolution must provide for all claims against us to be paid in full or make provision for payments to be made in full, as applicable, if there are sufficient assets. These claims must be paid or provided for before we make any distribution of our remaining assets to our stockholders. While we intend to pay such amounts, if any, we cannot assure you that we will have funds sufficient to pay or provide for all creditors’ claims.
Although we seek to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public stockholders, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account including but not limited to fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain an advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. Marcum, our independent registered public accounting firm, and the underwriters of our initial public offering, will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account.
In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.15 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.15 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below (i) $10.15 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, due to reductions in value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its indemnification obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so if, for example, the cost of such legal action is deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or if the independent directors determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations and we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that due to claims of creditors the actual value of the per-share redemption price will not be less than $10.15 per public share.
We have sought and will continue to seek to reduce the possibility that our sponsor will have to indemnify the trust account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the trust account. Our sponsor will also not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. As of the closing of our initial public offering, we had access to up to approximately $475,500 from the proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the placement units with which to pay any such potential claims (including costs and expenses incurred in connection with our liquidation, currently estimated to be no more than approximately $100,000). As of December 31, 2022, the amount held outside the trust account to use for these purposes was $67,022. In the event that we liquidate and it is subsequently determined that the reserve for claims and liabilities is insufficient, stockholders who received funds from our trust account could be liable for claims made by creditors.
Under the DGCL, stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against a corporation to the extent of distributions received by them in a dissolution. The pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination by the end of the Combination Period may be considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law. If the corporation complies with certain procedures set forth in Section 280 of the DGCL intended to ensure that it makes reasonable provision for all claims against it, including a 60-day notice period during which any third-party claims can be brought against the corporation, a 90-day period during which the corporation may reject any claims brought, and an additional 150-day waiting period before any liquidating distributions are made to stockholders, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholder’s pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution.
Furthermore, if the pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination by the end of the Combination Period, is not considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law and such redemption distribution is deemed to be unlawful (potentially due to the imposition of legal proceedings that a party may bring or due to other circumstances that are currently unknown), then pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL, the statute of limitations for claims of creditors could then be six years after the unlawful redemption distribution, instead of three years, as in the case of a liquidating distribution. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination by the end of the Combination Period, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Accordingly, it is our intention to redeem our public shares as soon as reasonably possible following the end of the Combination Period and, therefore, we do not intend to comply with those procedures. As such, our stockholders could potentially be liable for any claims to the extent of distributions received by them (but no more) and any liability of our stockholders may extend well beyond the third anniversary of such date.
Because we will not be complying with Section 280, Section 281(b) of the DGCL requires us to adopt a plan, based on facts known to us at such time that will provide for our payment of all existing and pending claims or claims that may be potentially brought against us within the subsequent 10 years. However, because we are a blank check company, rather than an operating company, and our operations will be limited to searching for prospective target businesses to acquire, the only likely claims to arise would be from our vendors (such as lawyers, investment bankers, etc.) or prospective target businesses. As described above, pursuant to the obligation contained in our underwriting agreement, we have sought and will continue to seek to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account. As a result of this obligation, the claims that could be made against us are significantly limited and the likelihood that any claim that would result in any liability extending to the trust account is remote. Further, our sponsor may be liable only to the extent necessary to ensure that the amounts in the trust account are not reduced below (i) $10.15 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, due to reductions in value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest withdrawn to pay taxes and will not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. In the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims.
If we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our stockholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, we cannot assure you we will be able to return $10.53 per share to our public stockholders. Additionally, if we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by stockholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our stockholders. Furthermore, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying public stockholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.
Our public stockholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earlier to occur of: (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a stockholder vote to amend any provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our charter prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by the end of the Combination Period or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, and (iii) the redemption of all of our public shares if we are unable to complete our business combination by the end of the Combination Period , subject to applicable law. In no other circumstances will a stockholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. In the event we seek stockholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, a stockholder’s voting in connection with the initial business combination alone will not result in a stockholder’s redeeming its shares to us for an applicable pro rata share of the trust account. Such stockholder must have also exercised its redemption rights as described above. These provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, like all provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, may be amended with a stockholder vote.
Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our initial business combination, we have encountered and may continue to encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other blank check companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, and operating businesses seeking strategic business combinations. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess greater financial, technical, human and other resources than we do. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the initial business combination of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public stockholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination and our outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Either of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination.
Employees
We currently have four officers. These individuals are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but they devote as much of their time as they deem necessary, in the exercise of their respective business judgement, to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time they devote in any time period varies based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the stage of the initial business combination process we are in. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. We do not have an employment agreement with any member of our management team.
Periodic Reporting and Financial Information
Our units, Class A common stock, and warrants are registered under the Exchange Act, and as a result, we have reporting obligations, including the requirement that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with the SEC. In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, our annual reports, including this Report, contain financial statements audited and reported on by our independent registered public accountants.
We will provide stockholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials sent to stockholders to assist them in assessing the target business. In all likelihood, these financial statements will need to be prepared in accordance with, or reconciled to, GAAP, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances, and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential targets we may conduct an initial business combination with because some targets may be unable to provide such statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. We cannot assure you that any particular target business identified by us as a potential business combination candidate will have financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP or that the potential target business will be able to prepare its financial statements in accordance with the requirements outlined above. To the extent that these requirements cannot be met, we may not be able to acquire the proposed target business. While this may limit the pool of potential business combination candidates, we do not believe that this limitation will be material.
We are required to evaluate our internal control procedures for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022 as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer, and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to have our internal control procedures audited. A target company may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such business combination. We have filed a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we are subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We are taking and intend to continue to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering (May 7, 2026), (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our shares of Class A common stock that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period. References herein to “emerging growth company” will have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter, or (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
As a smaller reporting company under Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act, we are not required to include risk factors in this Report. However, below is a partial list of material risks, uncertainties and other factors that could have a material effect on the Company and its operations:
● we are a blank check company with no revenue or basis to evaluate our ability to select a suitable business target;
● we may not be able to select an appropriate target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination in the prescribed time frame;
● our expectations around the performance of a prospective target business or businesses may not be realized;
● we may not be successful in retaining or recruiting required officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination;
● our officers and directors may have difficulties allocating their time between the Company and other businesses and may potentially have conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination;
● we may not be able to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or reduce the number of stockholders requesting redemption;
● if the funds held outside of our trust account are insufficient to allow us to operate until at least the end of the Combination Period, our ability to fund our search for a target business or businesses or complete an initial business combination may be adversely affected;
● we may issue our shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price that is less than the prevailing market price of our shares at that time;
● you may not be given the opportunity to choose the initial business target or to vote on the initial business combination;
● trust account funds may not be protected against third party claims or bankruptcy;
● an active market for our public securities may not develop and you will have limited liquidity and trading;
● the availability to us of funds from interest income on the trust account balance may be insufficient to operate our business prior to the business combination;
● our financial performance following a business combination with an entity may be negatively affected by their lack an established record of revenue, cash flows and experienced management;
● there may be more competition to find an attractive target for an initial business combination, which could increase the costs associated with completing our initial business combination and may result in our inability to find a suitable target;
● changes in the market for directors and officers liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate and complete an initial business combination;
● we may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability;
● we may engage one or more of our underwriters or one of their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us after the initial public offering, which may include acting as a financial advisor in connection with an initial business combination or as placement agent in connection with a related financing transaction. Our underwriters are entitled to receive deferred underwriting commissions that will be released from the trust account only upon a completion of an initial business combination. These financial incentives may cause them to have potential conflicts of interest in rendering any such additional services to us after the initial public offering, including, for example, in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination;
● we may attempt to complete our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all;
● our warrants are accounted for as derivative liabilities and are recorded at fair value upon issuance with changes in fair value each period reported in earnings, which may have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock or may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination;
● since our initial stockholders will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed (other than with respect to any public shares they may acquire during or after our initial public offering), and because our sponsor, officers and directors may profit substantially even under circumstances in which our public stockholders would experience losses in connection with their investment, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination;
● changes in laws or regulations or how such laws or regulations are interpreted or applied, or a failure to comply with any laws or regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations;
● the value of the founder shares following completion of our initial business combination is likely to be substantially higher than the nominal price paid for them, even if the trading price of our common stock at such time is substantially less than $10.56 per share;
● resources could be wasted in researching acquisitions that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.56 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless;
● in March 2022, the SEC issued proposed rules relating to certain activities of SPACs. Certain of the procedures that we, a potential business combination target, or others may determine to undertake in connection with such proposals may increase our costs and the time needed to complete our initial business combination and may constrain the circumstances under which we could complete an initial business combination. The need for compliance with such proposals may cause us to liquidate the funds in the trust account or liquidate the Company at an earlier time than we might otherwise choose;
● if we are deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we would be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities would be severely restricted. As a result, in such circumstances, unless we are able to modify our activities so that we would not be deemed an investment company, we may abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination and instead liquidate the Company;
● to mitigate the risk that we might be deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we may, at any time, instruct the trustee to liquidate the investments held in the trust account and instead to hold the funds in the trust account in an interest bearing demand deposit account until the earlier of the consummation of our initial business combination or our liquidation. As a result, following the liquidation of investments in the trust account, we would likely receive less interest on the funds held in the trust account, which would likely reduce the dollar amount our public stockholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the Company;
● we may not be able to complete an initial business combination with certain potential target companies if a proposed transaction with the target company may be subject to review or approval by regulatory authorities pursuant to certain U.S. or foreign laws or regulations, including the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States;
● recent increases in inflation and interest rates in the United States and elsewhere could make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination;
● military conflict in Ukraine or elsewhere may lead to increased price volatility for publicly traded securities, which could make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination;
● a 1% U.S. federal excise tax may be imposed on us in connection with our redemptions of shares in connection with a business combination or other stockholder vote pursuant to which stockholders would have a right to submit their shares for redemption;
● Our independent registered public accounting firm’s report contains an explanatory paragraph that expresses substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a “going concern,” since we will cease all operations except for the purpose of liquidating if we are unable to complete an initial Business Combination by the end of the Combination Period; and
● we have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022. If we are unable to develop and maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results in a timely manner, which may adversely affect investor confidence in us and materially and adversely affect our business and operating results.
Adverse developments affecting the financial services industry, including events or concerns involving liquidity, defaults or non-performance by financial institutions, could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations, or our prospects.
The funds in our operating account and our trust account are held in banks or other financial institutions. Our cash held in non-interest bearing and interest-bearing accounts would exceed any applicable Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance limits. Should events, including limited liquidity, defaults, non-performance or other adverse developments occur with respect to the banks or other financial institutions that hold our funds, or that affect financial institutions or the financial services industry generally, or concerns or rumors about any events of these kinds or other similar risks, our liquidity may be adversely affected. For example, on March 10, 2023, the FDIC announced that Silicon Valley Bank had been closed by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Although we did not have any funds in Silicon Valley Bank or other institutions that have been closed, we cannot guarantee that the banks or other financial institutions that hold our funds will not experience similar issues.
In addition, investor concerns regarding the U.S. or international financial systems could result in less favorable commercial financing terms, including higher interest rates or costs and tighter financial and operating covenants, or systemic limitations on access to credit and liquidity sources, thereby making it more difficult for us to acquire financing on terms favorable to us in connection with a potential business combination, or at all, and could have material adverse impacts on our liquidity, our business, financial condition or results of operations, and our prospects. Our business may be adversely impacted by these developments in ways that we cannot predict at this time, there may be additional risks that we have not yet identified, and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to avoid negative consequences directly or indirectly from any failure of one or more banks or other financial institutions.
For the complete list of risks relating to our operations, see the section titled “Risk Factors” contained in (i) our Registration Statement, (ii) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as filed with the SEC on March 25, 2022, (iii) Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2022, June 30, 2022 and September 30, 2022, as filed with the SEC on May 10, 2022, August 16, 2022 and November 10, 2022, respectively and (iv) Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, as filed with the SEC on October 14, 2022. Any of these factors could result in a significant or material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition. Additional risks could arise that may also affect our business or ability to consummate an initial business combination. We may disclose changes to such risk factors or disclose additional risk factors from time to time in our future filings with the SEC.

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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
Not applicable.

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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Item 2. Properties.
Our executive offices are located at 50 Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 2406 Miami, FL 33132 and our telephone number is (305) 608-1395. Our executive offices are provided to us at no charge. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.

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ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
To the knowledge of our management team, there is no litigation currently pending or contemplated against us, any of our officers or directors in their capacity as such or against any of our property.

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ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
PART II

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ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
(a) Market Information
Our units, public shares and public warrants are each traded on Nasdaq under the symbols MAQCU, MAQC, and MAQCW, respectively. Our units commenced public trading on May 5, 2021, and our public shares and public warrants commenced separate public trading on June 7, 2021.
(b) Holders
On April 3, 2023, there were two holders of record of our units, one holder of record of shares of our Class A common stock, and one holder of record of our warrants.
(c) Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of our initial business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to our initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time. In addition, our board of directors is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any stock dividends in the foreseeable future. Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
(d) Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
None.
(e) Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
None.
(f) Use of Proceeds from the Initial Public Offering
For a description of the use of proceeds generated in our initial public offering and private placement, see Part II, Item 2 of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2021, as filed with the SEC on June 17, 2021. There has been no material change in the planned use of proceeds from our initial public offering and private placement as described in the Registration Statement. Our specific investments in our trust account may change from time to time.
(g) Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
On November 4, 2022, we held the Special Meeting and approved, among other things, the Extension Amendment, which extended the date by which we must consummate a business combination from November 7, 2022 (which was 18 months from the closing of the initial public offering) to May 7, 2023 (or such earlier date as determined by the board). In connection with the Extension Amendment, stockholders holding 13,769,910 public shares exercised their right to redeem such shares for a pro rata portion of the trust account. We paid cash in the aggregate amount of $143.5 million, or approximately $10.42 per share, to redeeming stockholders in the extension redemptions.
The following table contains monthly information about the repurchases of our equity securities for the three months ended December 31, 2022:
Period (a) Total number of shares (or units) purchased (b) Average price paid per share (or unit) (c) Total number of shares (or units) purchased as part of publicly announced plans or programs (d) Maximum number (or approximate dollar value) of shares (or units) that may yet be purchased under the plans or programs
October 1 - October 31, 2022 - - - -
November 1 - November 30, 2022 13,769,910 $ 10.42 - -
December 1 - December 31, 2022 - - - -

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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Item 6. [Reserved]

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this Report including, without limitation, statements in this section regarding our financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward- looking statements. When used in this Report, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of our management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, our management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in our filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph.
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this Report.
Results of Operations
We have not generated any revenues to date, and we will not be generating any operating revenues until the closing and completion of our initial business combination. Our entire activity up to December 31, 2022 was related to our formation, our initial public offering and, since the closing of our initial public offering, a search for an initial business combination target. We have, and expect to continue to generate, non-operating income in the form of interest income and unrealized gains on investments held in the trust account. We expect to continue to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses in connection with the search for an initial business combination target.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, we had net income of $7,193,270, which consisted of change in fair value of the derivative liabilities of $6,600,605 and unrealized gains on investment held in trust account of $1,942,709, partially offset by general and administrative expenses of $1,012,437 and income tax expense of $337,607.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, we had net income of $6,382,877, which consisted of change in fair value of the derivative liabilities of $7,320,644 and unrealized gains on investment held in trust account of $25,391, partially offset by offering costs allocated to warrants totaling $494,344 and general and administrative expenses of $468,814.
Liquidity, Capital Resources and Going Concern
Prior to the consummation of our initial public offering, our only source of liquidity was the initial sale of the Founder Shares to our Sponsor and advances under the promissory note with our sponsor.
Pursuant to our initial public offering, which was consummated in May 2021, we sold 17,309,719 units, which includes the underwriters’ over-allotment, at a purchase price of $10.00 per unit generating gross proceeds to us in the amount of $173.1 million. Each unit consists of one share of our Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and one-half of one public warrant, with each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one whole share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment.
Simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering, we consummated the private placement of an aggregate of 583,743 placement units, which includes the underwriters’ over-allotment, to our sponsor at a purchase price of $10.00 per placement unit, generating gross proceeds to us in the amount of $5,837,430.
A portion of the proceeds from the placement units was added to the proceeds from our initial public offering held in the trust account. If we do not complete an initial business combination by the end of the Combination Period, the proceeds from the sale of the placement units held in the trust account will be used to fund the redemption of the public shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law) and the placement units will be worthless.
As indicated in the accompanying financial statements, at December 31, 2022, we had $67,022 in cash, and a working capital deficiency of $1,893,426.
We presently have no operating revenue. Through December 31, 2022, our liquidity needs were satisfied through receipt of $475,500 held outside of the trust account from the sale of the placement warrants upon the closing of our initial public offering. In the future, a portion of interest income on the funds held in the trust account may be released to us to pay tax obligations.
In order to finance transaction costs in connection with an initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor, or our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us Working Capital Loans as may be required. Such Working Capital Loans would be evidenced by promissory notes. The notes would either be repaid upon consummation of an initial business combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of notes and any other loans made by our sponsor or its affiliates (including the loans made to effectuate extensions as described below), our officers and directors, or our company and its affiliates prior to or in connection with an initial business combination may be converted upon consummation of an initial business combination into additional placement units at a price of $10.00 per placement unit. In the event that an initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of proceeds held outside the trust account to repay the Working Capital Loans, but no proceeds held in the trust account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had no borrowings under the Working Capital Loans.
We may also need to obtain additional financing either to complete a business combination or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of shares of our Class A common stock upon completion of the business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with the business combination.
In connection with our assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with ASC Topic 205-40, “Presentation of Financial Statements - Going Concern,” we have until May 7, 2023, to consummate an initial business combination. It is uncertain that we will be able to consummate an initial business combination by this time. If an initial business combination is not consummated by this date, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution of the Company. Additionally, we may not have sufficient liquidity to fund our working capital needs through one year from the issuance of the financial statements included elsewhere in this Report. Management has determined that the liquidity condition and mandatory liquidation, should an initial business combination not occur, and potential subsequent dissolution raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities should we be required to liquidate after May 7, 2023.
There is no assurance that our plans to consummate an initial business combination will be successful by May 7, 2023. The financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere in this Report do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Critical Accounting Policies
We have identified the following as our critical accounting policies:
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere in this Report in conformity with GAAP requires our management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Class A Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption
We account for the Class A common stock subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance enumerated in ASC 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Shares of the common stock subject to mandatory redemption are classified as a liability instrument and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable shares of the common stock (including shares of the common stock that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the issuer’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, shares of the common stock are classified as stockholders’ equity. The Class A common stock features certain redemption rights that are considered by the Company to be outside of our control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the shares of the Class A common stock subject to possible redemption in the amount of $37,247,257 and $175,693,636 are presented as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders’ (deficit) equity section of our balance sheets.
Net income per share
We comply with accounting and disclosure requirements of ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share”. Net income per share of common stock is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period. We apply the two-class method in calculating income per share of common stock. Accretion associated with the redeemable shares of Class A common stock is excluded from income per common share as the redemption value approximates fair value.
The calculation of diluted income per share of common stock does not consider the effect of the warrants issued in connection with the (i) initial public offering, and (ii) the private placement since the exercise of the warrants is contingent upon the occurrence of future events. The warrants are exercisable to purchase 8,946,731 shares of Class A common stock in the aggregate. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we did not have any dilutive securities or other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into common stock and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted net income per common share is the same as basic net income per common share for the periods presented.
Founder shares subject to forfeiture are not included in weighted average shares outstanding until the forfeiture restrictions lapse.
Financial Instruments
We determine fair value based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability in the principal or most advantageous market. When considering market participant assumptions in fair value measurements, the following fair value hierarchy distinguishes between observable and unobservable inputs, which are categorized in one of the following levels:
Level 1 Inputs: Unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or instruments in active markets.
Level 2 Inputs: Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets and quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active and model derived valuations whose inputs are observable or whose significant value drivers are observable.
Level 3 Inputs: Significant inputs into the valuation model are unobservable.
We do not have any recurring Level 2 assets or liabilities, see Note 9 for recurring Level 3 liabilities. The carrying value of our financial instruments including its cash and accrued liabilities approximate their fair values principally because of their short-term nature.
Derivative Financial Instruments
We evaluate our financial instruments to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives in accordance with ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging” (“ASC 815”). Our derivative instruments are recorded at fair value as of the closing date of our initial public offering (i.e., May 7, 2021) and re-valued at each reporting date, with changes in the fair value reported in the statements of operations. Derivative assets and liabilities are classified on the balance sheet as current or non-current based on whether or not net-cash settlement or conversion of the instrument could be required within twelve (12) months of the balance sheet date. We have determined that the public warrants and the placement warrants are derivative instruments. As the public warrants and the placement warrants meet the definition of a derivative, the public warrants and the placement warrants are measured at fair value at issuance and at each reporting date in accordance with ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” with changes in fair value recognized in the statement of operations in the period of change.
Warrant Instruments
We account for the public warrants and the placement warrants issued in connection with our initial public offering and the private placement, respectively, in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 815 whereby under that provision the public warrants and the placement warrants do not meet the criteria for equity treatment and must be recorded as a liability. Accordingly, we classify the warrant instrument as a liability at fair value and adjusts the instrument to fair value at each reporting period. This liability will be re-measured at each balance sheet date until the public warrants and the placement warrants are exercised or expire, and any change in fair value will be recognized in our statement of operations. The fair value of the public warrants and the placement warrants will be estimated using an internal valuation model. Our valuation model utilizes inputs and other assumptions and may not be reflective of the price at which they can be settled. Such warrant classification is also subject to re-evaluation at each reporting period.
Recently issued accounting pronouncements
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU Topic 2020-06, “Debt - Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity” (“ASU 2020-06”), which simplifies accounting for convertible instruments by removing major separation models required under current GAAP. ASU 2020-06 also removes certain settlement conditions that are required for equity-linked contracts to qualify for the derivative scope exception, and it simplifies the diluted earnings per share calculation in certain areas. We early adopted ASU 2020-06 on January 1, 2021. Adoption of ASU 2020-06 did not impact our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
We do not believe that any recently other issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on our financial statements.
Factors That May Adversely Affect our Results of Operations
Our results of operations and our ability to complete an initial business combination may be adversely affected by various factors that could cause economic uncertainty and volatility in the financial markets, many of which are beyond our control. Our business could be impacted by, among other things, downturns in the financial markets or in economic conditions, increases in oil prices, inflation, increases in interest rates, supply chain disruptions, declines in consumer confidence and spending, the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including resurgences and the emergence of new variants, and geopolitical instability, such as the military conflict in Ukraine. We cannot at this time fully predict the likelihood of one or more of the above events, their duration or magnitude or the extent to which they may negatively impact our business and our ability to complete an initial business combination.

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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.
We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information otherwise required under this Item.

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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Reference is made to pages through comprising a portion of this Report, which are incorporated herein by reference.

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ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
None.

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ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Disclosure controls and procedures are controls and other procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer (together, the “Certifying Officers”), or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Certifying Officers, we carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act. Based on the foregoing, our Certifying Officers concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of the end of the period covered by this Report, due to the accounting for complex financial instruments.
In light of this material weakness, management has implemented remediation steps to improve our internal control over financial reporting. Specifically, we expanded and improved our review process for complex securities and related accounting standards. We plan to further improve this process by enhancing access to accounting literature, identification of third-party professionals with whom to consult regarding complex accounting applications and consideration of additional staff with the requisite experience and training to supplement existing accounting professionals The elements of our remediation plan can only be accomplished over time, and we can offer no assurance that these initiatives will ultimately have the intended effects. We believe our efforts will enhance our controls relating to accounting for complex financial transactions, but we can offer no assurance that our controls will not require additional review and modification in the future as industry accounting practice may evolve over time
We do not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures will prevent all errors and all instances of fraud. Disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the disclosure controls and procedures are met. Further, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all disclosure controls and procedures, no evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures can provide absolute assurance that we have detected all our control deficiencies and instances of fraud, if any. The design of disclosure controls and procedures also is based partly on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Controls over Financial Reporting
As required by SEC rules and regulations implementing Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of our financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP. Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:
(1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of our company,
(2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and directors, and
(3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect errors or misstatements in our financial statements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree or compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022. In making these assessments, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013). Based on our assessments and those criteria, management determined that we did not maintain effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, due to the material weakness related to accounting for complex financial instruments.
Management has implemented remediation steps to improve our internal control over financial reporting. Specifically, we expanded and improved our review process for complex securities and related accounting standards. We plan to further improve this process by enhancing access to accounting literature, identification of third-party professionals with whom to consult regarding complex accounting applications and consideration of additional staff with the requisite experience and training to supplement existing accounting professionals.
This Report does not include an attestation report of our internal controls from our independent registered public accounting firm due to our status as an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Other than as discussed above, there have been no changes to our internal control over financial reporting during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

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ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 9B. Other Information.
None.

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ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
Directors and Executive Officers
As of the date of this Report, our directors and officers are as follows:
Name
Age
Position
Jeff Ransdell
Chief Executive Officer
Guillermo Cruz
Chief Operating Officer
Jeronimo Peralta
Chief Financial Officer
Maggie Vo
Chief Investment Officer
Guillermo Cruz Reyes
Director
Luis Armando Alvarez
Director
Pedro Manuel Zorrilla Velasco
Director
Luis Antonio Marquez-Heine
Director
The experience of our directors and executive officers is as follows:
Jeff Ransdell, our Chief Executive Officer since February 2021, is a venture capitalist building a portfolio of exponential technology companies at the Coconut Grove based venture capital firm Fuel Venture Capital, which he founded in 2016 following a departure from the private wealth management industry. Fuel Venture Capital currently manages a $200 million fund and has a portfolio of almost a dozen companies, such as Bolt, AdMobilize, Taxfyle, and Eyrus. Mr. Ransdell approaches venture capital with a signature “founder focused, investor driven” mindset, shaped by his experience as a top executive of Bank of America Merrill Lynch. As a managing director and market executive of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, he managed more than $130 billion of global private client investment assets, a P&L of $2 billion, and over 2,000 employees across the bank’s Southeast Wealth Management Division. He is regularly called upon to share his insights on the global economy with outlets such as CNBC, CBS and American City Business Journals. Mr. Ransdell earned a bachelor’s degree from The University of North Dakota.
Guillermo Cruz, our Chief Operating Officer since January 2021. Mr. Cruz previously served as the Chief Operating Officer of Benessere Capital Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ:BENEU), a blank check company that is in the process of dissolving. In October 2020, Mr. Cruz formed Maquia Capital, an agricultural private equity firm which manages investments in Mexico, the United States, and Latin America. Since June 2010, Mr. Cruz has served as the Chief Executive Officer and a partner of Asesores de Consejo y Alta Direccion S.C. and Board Solutions LLC (“ACAD & Board Solutions”), the largest corporate governance consulting firm in Latin America in revenue. While Mr. Cruz was at ACAD & Board Solutions, under his leadership, the firm’s accumulated revenue increased by 150% and the firm’s client base increased to 400 clients. Since March 2017, Mr. Cruz has served on the board of directors of ACAD & Board Solutions, where he serves on the board’s audit, compensation and governance committees. Mr. Cruz has also served as a member of the board of directors of ACAD & Board Solutions since June 2010, where he served on the company’s audit, compensation and governance committees. In March 2013, Mr. Cruz founded Governance Commitment Capital SAPI de CV, or GC Capital, a venture capital firm partnering with startups in a variety of industries, and continues to act as the Managing Partner today. At GC Capital, Mr. Cruz manages investments and participates as a member in the board of the directors of the startups, and also has served as a member of GC Capital’s board of directors since March 2013, and serves on the board’s governance committee. Since October 2020, Mr. Cruz has been a board member of Integradora Mexicana de Negocios GC SAPI de CV, where he serves on the governance committee. Mr. Cruz holds a MS in Finance from Harvard University, a certificate in business administration from the Yale School of Management, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
Jeronimo Peralta, our Chief Financial Officer since February 2021, has served as Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer for Maquia Capital, a private equity firm specializing in the agriculture foods industry in Mexico, since October 2020. Since March 2013, Mr. Peralta has served as the Investment Director of GC Capital, where he manages venture capital companies. Mr. Peralta has served as a director of Integradora Mexicana de Negocios GC SAPI de CV since October 2020, and serves on the board’s governance committee. Since March 2013, Mr. Peralta has served on the board of GC Capital, where he also serves on their board’s governance committee. Mr. Peralta received his Bachelor’s degree in Corporate Finance from the Universidad Anahuac, and received his Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Ipade Business School.
Maggie Vo, CFA, our Chief Investment Officer since February 2021, has more than a decade’s finance experience in the public markets, analyzing and managing investments across a wide spectrum of asset classes, both traditional and alternative. Since January 2018, Ms. Vo has served as General Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Fuel Venture Capital, Maggie spearheads due diligence processes that determine prospective investments and capital deployment and steers valuation analyses of existing portfolio companies. She previously worked as Portfolio Manager at Blue Shores Capital from November 2011 to December 2017, where she managed the boutique hedge fund’s flagship Global Long Short Equity strategy. Ms. Vo began her career in finance at Prudential Vietnam Fund Management and, later, Prudential Property Investment Managers in Singapore. Maggie holds a B.S. in Financial Economics and Mathematics from Centre College.
Luis Armando Alvarez, one of our directors since May 2021, has been the President of MXC, a boutique investment banking firm, since April 2019, where he oversees and manages the global operations of the bank. From January 2013 to April 2019, Mr. Alvarez served as the Chief Executive Officer of Banco Actinver (BMV: ACTINVRB), Mexican Financial Institution, where he oversaw and managed the global operations of the bank. Prior to that, July 2011 until December 2013, Mr. Alvarez was a Managing Director of Santander Bank, S.A. (NYSE: SAN), a Spanish multinational financial services company, where he was involved in investment banking, advisory and capital raising services. From January 2002 until June 2011, Mr. Alvarez worked at IXE Grupo Finaciero, where Mr. Alvarez was General Director of Institutional Sales, Government and Federal entities, where his work focused on specializing investment banking, institutional sales, derivatives and asset management. Mr. Alvarez earned a Degree in Accounting and a Masters in Finance both from Universidad de Valle de Mexico. We believe that Mr. Alvarez is well-qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his extensive investment banking and financial services experience.
Guillermo Cruz R., our director since May 2021, has served as the Chairman of Asesores de Consejo y Alta Dirección and Board Solutions LLC (“ACAD & Board Solutions”), Latin America´s leading firm specialized in Corporate Governance and Family Business services since September of 2008. While at ACAD & Board Solutions, Mr. Cruz has been in charge of providing corporate governance, internal audit, internal control and risk management services to public and private firms. Prior to this, from March 1999 until September 2008, Mr. Cruz was a senior Partner in Charge of Corporate Governance, Internal Audit and Risk Management Services at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (“Deloitte”). Since March 2018, Mr. Cruz has served on the board of directors of Las Sevillanas, a milk candy brand, where he operates as the President of the governance committee. Mr. Cruz received a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Instituto Politecnico Nacional, received a certification in International Management from New York University, a Ph.D in Business with a concentration in Corporate Governance & Control from Universidad Anahuac, a Master’s degree in Finance from the Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico and a certification in Family Governance from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. We believe that Mr. Cruz is well-qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his corporate governance, audit, and accounting experience.
Pedro Manuel Zorrilla Velasco, one of our directors since May 2021, served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Housing & Mortgage Development the Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer for the Mexican Stock Exchange from June 2001 until March 2018. Prior to that, From May 1995 until June 2001, Mr. Zorrilla was a Technical Director at the Mexican Banks Association. Since May 2020, Mr. Zorrilla has served on the board of directors of four companies: Consorcio ARA (BMV: ARA), a Mexico-based construction company, EXITUS Capital, a Mexican financial services company, Mexican Auto Dealers Association, a Mexican car dealer organization, and Operadora Valmex de Fondos de Inversion, an authorized investment fund operator in Mexico. Mr. Zorrilla holds his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico, and received his Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy’s School of Government. We believe that Mr. Zorrilla is well-qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his banking, investment, and securities experience.
Luis Antonio Marquez-Heine, one of our directors since May 2021, has served as the Director of the Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Campus Sante Fe, and as the Director of the Full Time MBA program at EGADE Business School since March 2017. Prior to that, Mr. Maquez was a fund manager of Bricapital and Mexico Hotel Platform, two hospitality private equity funds, from 2013 to 2017. From 2004 to 2013, Mr. Marquez was the Chief Executive Officer of the Mexican Private Equity Association. Mr. Maquez has been an independent board member and the head of the Investment Committee of Hotels Mision, a Mexican-based hotel chain, Serfimex Capital, a Mexican financial institution dedicated to business investment, and Exitus Credit, a Mexican financial services company providing credit solutions to consumers. Mr. Marquez received his Bachelor’s degree in Law from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and received his Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University. We believe that Mr. Maquez is well qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive hospitality, business administration, and private equity experience.
Family Relationships
Mr. Guillermo Eduardo Cruz, our Chief Operating Officer, is the son of Guillermo Cruz Reyes, our director. There are no other family relationships among any of our directors or executive officers that are required to be disclosed by Regulation S-K.
Number and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors
We currently have four directors. Our board of directors is divided into two classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of stockholders) serving a two-year term. In accordance with Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, we were not required to hold an annual meeting until one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on Nasdaq. The term of office of the first class of directors, consisting of Pedro Manuel Zorrilla Velasco and Luis Antonio Marquez-Heine expired and Messrs. Zorrilla Velasco and Marquest-Heine were re-elected at the Special Meeting, which was held in lieu of an annual meeting of stockholders. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of Guillermo Cruz Reyes and Luis Armando Alvarez, will expire at the next annual meeting of stockholders.
Our officers are appointed by the board of directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors, rather than for specific terms of office. Our board of directors is authorized to appoint persons to the offices set forth in our bylaws as it deems appropriate. Our bylaws provide that our officers may consist of a Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operating Officer, President, Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Secretaries and such other offices as may be determined by the board of directors.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Our board of directors has two standing committees: an audit committee and a compensation committee. Subject to phase-in rules and a limited exception, Nasdaq rules and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors, and Nasdaq rules require that the compensation committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors.
Audit Committee
We have established an audit committee of the board of directors. Luis Armando Alvarez, Pedro Manuel Zorrilla Velasco and Luis Antonio Marquez-Heine serve as members of our audit committee, and Luis Armando Alvarez chairs the audit committee. Under the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have at least three members of the audit committee, all of whom must be independent. Each of Luis Armando Alvarez, Pedro Manuel Zorrilla Velasco and Luis Antonio Marquez-Heine, meet the independent director standard under Nasdaq listing standards and under Rule 10-A-3(b)(1) of the Exchange Act.
Each member of the audit committee is financially literate, and our board of directors has determined that Mr. Alvarez qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules.
We have adopted an audit committee charter, which details the principal functions of the audit committee, including:
● the appointment, compensation, retention, replacement, and oversight of the work of the independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us;
● pre-approving all audit and permitted non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us, and establishing pre-approval policies and procedures;
● setting clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the independent registered public accounting firm, including but not limited to, as required by applicable laws and regulations;
● setting clear policies for audit partner rotation in compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
● obtaining and reviewing a report, at least annually, from the independent registered public accounting firm describing (i) the independent registered public accounting firm’s internal quality-control procedures, (ii) any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the audit firm, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities within the preceding five years respecting one or more independent audits carried out by the firm and any steps taken to deal with such issues and (iii) all relationships between the independent registered public accounting firm and us to assess the independent registered public accounting firm’s independence;
● reviewing and approving any related party transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC prior to us entering into such transaction; and
● reviewing with management, the independent registered public accounting firm, and our legal advisors, as appropriate, any legal, regulatory or compliance matters, including any correspondence with regulators or government agencies and any employee complaints or published reports that raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies and any significant changes in accounting standards or rules promulgated by the FASB, the SEC or other regulatory authorities.
Compensation Committee
We have established a compensation committee of the board of directors. Luis Antonio Marquez-Heine and Luis Armando Alvarez serve as members of our compensation committee. Under the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have at least two members of the compensation committee, all of whom must be independent. Luis Antonio Marquez-Heine and Luis Armando Alvarez are independent and Luis Antonio Marquez-Heine chairs the compensation committee.
We have adopted a compensation committee charter, which details the principal functions of the compensation committee, including:
● reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation, if any is paid by us, evaluating our Chief Executive Officer’s performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration (if any) of our Chief Executive Officer based on such evaluation;
● reviewing and approving on an annual basis the compensation, if any is paid by us, of all of our other officers;
● reviewing on an annual basis our executive compensation policies and plans;
● implementing and administering our incentive compensation equity-based remuneration plans;
● assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and annual report disclosure requirements;
● approving all special perquisites, special cash payments and other special compensation and benefit arrangements for our officers and employees;
● if required, producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement; and
● reviewing, evaluating and recommending changes, if appropriate, to the remuneration for directors.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, as indicated above, no compensation of any kind, including finders, consulting or other similar fees, will be paid to any of our existing stockholders, officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates, prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate the consummation of an initial business combination. Accordingly, it is likely that prior to the consummation of an initial business combination, the compensation committee will only be responsible for the review and recommendation of any compensation arrangements to be entered into in connection with such initial business combination.
The charter also provides that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by Nasdaq and the SEC.
Code of Ethics
We have adopted a Code of Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees. We have filed a copy of our Code of Ethics and our audit and compensation committee charters as exhibits to the Registration Statement. You can review these documents by accessing our public filings at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Code of Ethics will be provided without charge upon request from us. We intend to disclose any amendments to or waivers of certain provisions of our Code of Ethics in a Current Report on Form 8-K.

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ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Item 11. Executive Compensation.
None of our officers has received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. No compensation of any kind, including any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee or monies in respect of any payment of a loan, has been or will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers or directors or any affiliate of our sponsor, officers or directors, prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, these individuals are reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee reviews on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors or our or their affiliates. Any such payments prior to an initial business combination are made using funds held outside the trust account. Other than quarterly audit committee review of such payments, we do not have or expect to have any additional controls in place governing our reimbursement payments to our directors and executive officers for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with identifying and consummating an initial business combination.
After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting or management fees from the combined company. All of these fees will be fully disclosed to stockholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials furnished to our stockholders in connection with a proposed initial business combination. We have not established any limit on the amount of such fees that may be paid by the combined company to our directors or members of management. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of the proposed initial business combination, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our officers will be determined, or recommended to the board of directors for determination, either by a compensation committee constituted solely by independent directors or by a majority of the independent directors on our board of directors.
We have not taken do not intend to take any action to ensure that members of our management team maintain their positions with us after the consummation of our initial business combination, although it is possible that some or all of our officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements to remain with us after our initial business combination. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements to retain their positions with us may influence our management’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business but we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination. We are not party to any agreements with our officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.

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ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of April 3, 2023 based on information obtained from the persons named below, with respect to the beneficial ownership of common stock, by:
● each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding common stock;
● each of our executive officers and directors that beneficially owns our common stock; and
● all our executive officers and directors as a group.
In the table below, percentage ownership is based on 8,624,080 shares of our common stock, consisting of (i) 4,123,552 shares of our Class A common stock and (ii) 4,500,528 shares of our Class B common stock, issued and outstanding as of April 3, 2023. On all matters to be voted upon, except as required by law, holders of the shares of Class A common stock and shares of Class B common stock vote together as a single class. Currently, all of the shares of Class B common stock are convertible into Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis.
Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock beneficially owned by them. The following table does not reflect record or beneficial ownership of the placement warrants as these warrants are not exercisable within 60 days of the date of this Report.
Class A
Common Stock Class B
Common Stock Approximate
Number of
Number of
Percentage
Shares Approximate Shares Approximate of Outstanding
Beneficially Percentage Beneficially Percentage Common
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner (1)5 Owned of Class Owned of Class Stock
Maquia Investments North America, LLC (2) 583,743 14.16 % 4,257,430 94.60 % 56.14 %
Jeff Ransdell - - - - -
Jeronimo Peralta - - - - -
Guillermo Cruz (2) 583,743 14.16 % 4,257,430 94.60 % 56.14 %
Maggie Vo - - - - -
Guillermo Cruz Reyes - - - - -
Luis Armando Alvarez - - - - -
Pedro Manuel Zorrilla Velasco - - - - -
Luis Antonio Maquez-Heine - - - - -
All executive officers and directors as a group
(eight individuals) 583,743 14.16 % 4,257,430 94.60 % 56.14 %
Other 5% Stockholders
Boothbay Fund Management, LLC (3) 306,000 7.42 % - - 3.55 %
Shaolin Capital Management LLC (4) 341,900 8.29 % - - 3.96 %
ATW SPAC Management LLC (5) 306,000 7.42 % - - 3.55 %
Polar Asset Management Partners Inc. (6) 600,000 14.55 % - - 6.96 %
Glazer Capital, LLC (7) 497,938 12.08 % - - 5.77 %
Yakira Capital Management, Inc. (8) 405,000 9.82 % - - 4.70 %
(1) Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following entities or individuals is c/o 2901 Florida Avenue, Suite 840, Miami, FL 33133.
(2) Maquia Investments North America, LLC, our sponsor, is the record holder of the securities reported herein. Guillermo Cruz, is the director and stockholder of our sponsor. By virtue of this relationship, Guillermo Cruz may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the securities held of record by our sponsor. Guillermo Cruz disclaims any such beneficial ownership except to the extent of his pecuniary interest.
(3) According to a Schedule 13G/A filed on February 14, 2023, Boothbay Fund Management, LLC, Boothbay Absolute Return Strategies LP and Ari Glass (together, the “reporting persons) acquired 306,000 shares of Class A common stock. The business address for the reporting persons is 140 East 45th Street, 14th Floor, New York, New York 10017.
(4) According to a Schedule 13G filed on February 14, 2023, Shaolin Capital Management LLC acquired 341,900 shares of Class A common stock. The business address for the reporting person is 230 NW 24th Street, Suite 603, Miami, Florida 33127.
(5) According to a Schedule 13G/A filed on February 14, 2023, ATW SPAC Management LLC, Antonio Ruiz-Gimenez and Kerry Propper acquired 306,000 shares of Class A common stock. The business address for the reporting persons is 17 State Street, Suite 2100, New York, New York 10004.
(6) According to a Schedule 13G filed on February 13, 2023, Polar Asset Management Partners Inc. acquired 600,000 shares of Class A common stock. The business address of the reporting person is 16 York Street, Suite 2900, Toronto, Ontario M5J 0E6.
(7) According to a Schedule 13G filed on January 10, 2023, Glazer Capital, LLC and Paul J. Glazer (together, the “Reporting Persons”) have shared voting and dispositive power with respect to 497,938 shares of our Class A common stock. The business address of each of the Reporting Persons is 250 West 55th Street, Suite 30A, New York, New York 1019.
(8) According to a Schedule 13G filed on January 31, 2023, filed by Yakira Capital Management, Inc. (“YCM”), on behalf of Yakira Partners, L.P. (“YP”), Yakira Enhanced Offshore Fund Ltd. (“YEOF”), and MAP 136 Segregated Portfolio (“MAP”) (collectively with YCM, YP and YEOF, the “Reporting Persons”) with respect to the shares of the Company owned by the Reporting Persons. YP may be deemed to beneficially own 34,294 shares of our Class A common stock. YEOF may be deemed to beneficially own 2,015 shares of our Class A common stock. MAP may be deemed to beneficially own 368,691 shares of our Class A common stock. The business address of the Reporting Persons is 1555 Post Road East, Stie 202, Westport, Connecticut 06880.
Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans
None.
Changes in Control
None.

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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
On January 28, 2021, we issued an aggregate of 5,750,000 founder shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 in cash, or approximately $0.004 per share. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares upon completion of our initial public offering (excluding the representative shares, the placement units and underlying securities). In May 2021, our sponsor returned to us, at no cost, an aggregate of 1,150,000 founder shares, which we cancelled. Shares and associated accounts have been retroactively restated to reflect the surrender of 1,150,000 shares of Class B common stock to us for no consideration in May 2021. Our sponsor also transferred 70,000 founder shares to ARC Group Limited in consideration of services provided by such party as financial advisor to us in connection with our initial public offering and recorded $529,200 which is recorded as a stock issuance cost. As a result, our sponsor owned 4,530,000 founder shares. Such Class B common stock included an aggregate of up to 600,000 shares subject to forfeiture by our sponsor to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment is not exercised in full or in part, so that our sponsor will collectively own 20% of our issued and outstanding shares after the initial public offering (assuming the initial stockholders do not purchase any public shares in the initial public offering and excluding the placement units and underlying securities). On May 7, 2021, we issued 160,000 shares of Class B common stock to the underwriter for services rendered and recorded $1,209,600 which is recorded as a stock issuance cost. On May 10, 2021, simultaneously with the exercise of the over-allotment, we consummated the private placement of an additional 32,743 placement units to the sponsor, as a result of the underwriters’ election to partially exercise their over-allotment option, 327,430 founder shares were no longer subject to forfeiture by our sponsor. The remaining 272,570 founder shares were forfeited by our sponsor. On May 12, 2021, we issued 13,098 shares of Class B common stock to the underwriter for services rendered in connection with our initial public offering and recorded $99,021 which is recorded as a stock issuance cost.
Our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 583,743 placement units at a price of $10.00 per unit for an aggregate purchase price of $5,837,430. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to the founder shares, placement shares or placement warrants, which will expire worthless if we do not consummate a business combination by May 7, 2023.
No compensation of any kind, including any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee or monies in respect of any payment of a loan, has been or will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers or directors or any affiliate of our sponsor, officers or directors prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of an initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, these individuals are reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee reviews on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates and determines which expenses and the amount of expenses that are reimbursed. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.
On December 10, 2020, we issued an unsecured promissory note to our sponsor, pursuant to which we may borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $300,000, to be used for payment of costs related to the initial public offering. The note is non-interest bearing and payable on the earlier of (i) June 30, 2021 or (ii) the consummation of the initial public offering. In 2021, the Company borrowed $177,111 under this promissory note, which was repaid in full. As of December 31, 2022, the balance outstanding under the promissory note with our sponsor was $0.
Pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, we could extend the period of time to consummate a business combination up to two times, each by an additional three months (for a total of up to 18 months to complete a business combination). In order to effectuate such extensions, our sponsor or its affiliates or designees, upon ten days advance notice prior to the applicable deadline, were required to deposit into the trust account $1,789,347 ($0.10 per share) on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three-month extension (or up to an aggregate of $3,578,694), or $0.20 per share if we were to extend for the full six months). Any such payments would be made in the form of a loan. Any such loans would be non-interest bearing and payable upon the consummation of our initial business combination. If we were to complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. Furthermore, the letter agreement with our initial stockholders contains a provision pursuant to which our sponsor has agreed to waive its right to be repaid for such loans out of the funds held in the trust account in the event that we do not complete a business combination. Our sponsor and its affiliates or designees are not obligated to fund the trust account to extend the time for us to complete our initial business combination. If we do not complete a business combination, such loans will not be repaid.
On May 4, 2022, we issued a press release announcing that the sponsor had requested that we extend the deadline for consummating a business combination from May 7, 2022 to August 7, 2022 and that the sponsor had notified us that it intended to deposit an aggregate of $1,730,972 into the trust account on or before May 7, 2022. On May 3, 2022, we issued the First Extension Note, a promissory note in the principal amount of $1,730,972 to the sponsor in connection with the Initial Extensions. On August 4, 2022, the First Extension Note was amended and restated solely to increase the principal amount thereunder to $3,461,944 in connection with the further extension of the deadline for consummating a business combination from August 7, 2022 to November 7, 2022.
The First Extension Note, as amended, bears no interest and is due and payable upon the earlier to occur of (i) the date on which our initial business combination is consummated and (ii) the liquidation of the Company on or before November 7, 2022 or such later liquidation date as may be approved by our stockholders. At the election of the sponsor, up to $1,500,000 of the unpaid principal amount of the First Extension Note, as amended, may be converted into units of the Company identical to the placement units (the “Conversion Units”), with the total Conversion Units so issued to be equal to: (x) the portion of the principal amount of the May 3 Note being converted divided by (y) the conversion price of $10.00, rounded up to the nearest whole number of units.
In connection with the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal at the Special Meeting, the sponsor agreed to contribute to the Company as a loan an aggregate of $0.045 for each public share that is not redeemed for each calendar month (commencing on November 7, 2022 and on the 7th day of each subsequent month) until May 7, 2023 that is needed to complete an initial business combination, with each such contribution to be deposited into the trust account within five business days from the beginning of such calendar month (or portion thereof). Based on the outstanding 3,539,809 public shares following redemptions as disclosed above, each monthly contribution will be $159,291. On November 14, 2022, the Company issued a promissory note in the principal amount of up to $955,748 to the Sponsor. As of April 3, 2023, an aggregate of $796,457 had been deposited into the trust account to support the first five month of the extension.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us Working Capital Loans on a non-interest bearing basis as may be required. If we complete an initial business combination, we would repay such Working Capital Loans. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such Working Capital Loans but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment.
We have not sought and do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our stockholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, furnished to our stockholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a stockholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation.
The holders of the founder shares, the representative shares, placement units, and conversion units (and in each case holders of their component securities, as applicable) will have registration rights to require us to register a sale of any of our securities held by them pursuant to a registration rights agreement signed on May 4, 2021. These holders are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form registration demands, that we register such securities for sale under the Securities Act. In addition, these holders have “piggy-back” registration rights to include their securities in other registration statements filed by us.
We have entered into agreements with our officers and directors to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Our bylaws also permit us to secure insurance on behalf of any officer, director or employee for any liability arising out of his or her actions, regardless of whether Delaware law would permit such indemnification. We have purchased a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.
Director Independence
Nasdaq listing standards require that a majority of our board of directors be independent. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship which in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. Our board of directors has determined that Luis Armando Alvarez, Pedro Manuel Zorrilla Velasco and Luis Antonio Marquez-Heine are “independent directors” as defined in the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules. Our independent directors have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.

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ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
The following is a summary of fees paid or to be paid to Marcum LLP, for services rendered.
Audit Fees
Audit fees consist of fees for professional services rendered for the audit of our year-end financial statements and services that are normally provided by Marcum in connection with regulatory filings. The aggregate fees of Marcum for professional services rendered for the audit of our annual financial statements, review of the financial information included in our Forms 10-Q for the respective periods and other required filings with the SEC for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 totaled approximately $80,790 and $93,280, respectively. The above amounts include interim procedures and audit fees, as well as attendance at audit committee meetings.
Audit-Related Fees
Audit-related fees consist of fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to performance of the audit or review of our financial statements and are not reported under “Audit Fees.” These services include attest services that are not required by statute or regulation and consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards. During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 we did not pay Marcum any audit-related fees.
Tax Fees
We did not pay Marcum for tax services, planning or advice for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
All Other Fees
We did not pay Marcum for any other services for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
Pre-Approval Policy
Our audit committee was formed upon the consummation of our initial public offering. As a result, the audit committee did not pre-approve all of the foregoing services, although any services rendered prior to the formation of our audit committee were approved by our board of directors. Since the formation of our audit committee, and on a going-forward basis, the audit committee has and will pre-approve all auditing services and permitted non-audit services to be performed for us by our auditors, including the fees and terms thereof (subject to the de minimis exceptions for non-audit services described in the Exchange Act which are approved by the audit committee prior to the completion of the audit).
PART IV

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ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
Item 15. Exhibit and Financial Statement Schedules.
(a) The following documents are filed as part of this Report:
(1) Financial Statements
Page
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB Firm ID#688)
Balance Sheets
Statements of Operations
Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Deficit
Statements of Cash Flows
Notes to Financial Statements
(2) Financial Statement Schedules
All financial statement schedules are omitted because they are not applicable or the amounts are immaterial and not required, or the required information is presented in the financial statements and notes thereto beginning on page of this Report.
(3) Exhibits
We hereby file as part of this Report the exhibits listed in the attached Exhibit Index. Exhibits that are incorporated herein by reference can be inspected on the SEC website at www.sec.gov.