EDGAR 10-K Filing

Company CIK: 1861541
Filing Year: 2024
Filename: 1861541_10-K_2024_0001104659-24-041143.json

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Item 1.Business.
In this Annual Report, references to the “Company” and to “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Pegasus Digital Mobility Acquisition Corp. References to our “management” or our “management team” refer to our officers. References to the Sponsor refer to Pegasus Digital Mobility Sponsor LLC, a Cayman Islands limited liability company.
Overview
The Company is a blank check company incorporated on March 30, 2021, as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses (a “business combination”). Until the Company completes its initial business combination, the Company will have no operations and will generate no operating revenues.
On May 31, 2023, the Company entered into a Business Combination Agreement (as it may be amended, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Business Combination Agreement”), by and among the Company, Gebr. SCHMID GmbH, a German limited liability company (“Schmid”), Pegasus Topco B.V., a Dutch private limited liability company and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“TopCo”) and Pegasus MergerSub Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company and wholly-owned subsidiary of TopCo (“MergerSub”). As of the date of this Annual Report, the Company has not closed the business combination, which we also refer to herein as the “Business Combination.”
Initial Public Offering and Private Placement
On October 26, 2021, the Company consummated its initial public offering (the “initial public offering”) of 20,000,000 units of the Company (the “units”). The Company also granted the underwriters of the initial public offering (the “underwriters”) a 45-day over-allotment option to purchase up to 3,000,000 additional units at the initial public offering price (the “Over-Allotment Option”). Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (a “Class A ordinary share”), and one-half of one redeemable warrant of the Company, with each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to certain adjustments. The units were sold at a price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $200,000,000.
Prior to the closing of the initial public offering, Pegasus Digital Mobility Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”) paid $25,000 in consideration for 5,750,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class B ordinary shares” or “founder shares”). The founder shares included an aggregate of up to 750,000 shares subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ Over-Allotment Option was exercised so that the number of founder shares would collectively represent approximately 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares after the initial public offering. On November 8, 2021, the underwriters partially exercised the Over-Allotment Option, and, as a result of such partial exercise and the expiration of the Over-Allotment Option, 125,000 of the 5,750,000 founder shares were forfeited by the Sponsor.
Upon the closing of the initial public offering, the anchor investors (as defined herein) purchased 1,375,000 founder shares from the Sponsor.
The Sponsor and its permitted transferees and the anchor investors (collectively, the “initial shareholders”) have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their Class B ordinary shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) one year after the completion of the initial business combination; and (B) subsequent to the initial business combination (x) if the last reported sale price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the initial business combination or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. Any permitted transferees would be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of the initial shareholders with respect to any Class B ordinary shares.
Simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering, the Company completed the private sale of 9,000,000 warrants (the “initial private placement warrants”) at a purchase price of $1.00 per warrant, to the Sponsor, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $9,000,000.
As noted above, on November 8, 2021, the underwriters partially exercised the Over-Allotment Option and purchased an additional 2,500,000 units from the Company (the “over-allotment units”). The issuance by the Company of the over-allotment units at a price of $10.00 per unit generated gross proceeds to the Company of $25,000,000. On November 8, 2021, simultaneously with the sale and issuance of the over-allotment units, the Company consummated the sale of an additional 750,000 private placement warrants (together with the initial private placement warrants, the “private placement warrants”) to the Sponsor, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $750,000.
The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold as part of the units in the initial public offering, except that so long as they are held by the Sponsor or its permitted transferees: (1) they will not be redeemable by the Company (except in certain redemption scenarios when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $10.00 (as adjusted)); (2) they (including the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of private placement warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the Sponsor until 30 days after the completion of the Company’s initial business combination; (3) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis; and (4) they (including the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants) are entitled to registration rights. The private placement warrants have been issued pursuant to, and are governed by, the warrant agreement, dated October 21, 2021, by and between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Warrant Agreement”). The private placement warrants were issued pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), as the transactions did not involve a public offering.
After the payment of underwriting discounts and commissions (excluding the deferred portion of $7,875,000 in underwriting commissions payable upon consummation of the Company’s initial business combination) and $1,640,821 in offering costs including directors and officers insurance premiums of $891,167 relating to the initial public offering, a total of $227,250,000 of net proceeds from the initial public offering and the sales of the private placement warrants, was placed in a U.S.-based trust account (the “trust account”) at JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to the Company to pay its taxes, if any, the funds held in the trust account will not be released from the trust account until the earliest to occur of: (1) the completion of an initial business combination; (2) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend the Company’s third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with an initial business combination or to redeem 100% of the Company’s public shares if it does not complete its initial business combination by April 30, 2024 (the “Combination Period”), or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of the Class A ordinary shares; and (3) the redemption of the Company’s public shares if the Company has not completed an initial business combination by April 30, 2024, subject to applicable law. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could become subject to the claims of the Company’s creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of the Company’s public shareholders. As of December 31, 2023, there was $50,081,776 in cash held in the trust account and $341,872 of cash held outside the trust account available for working capital.
As of December 31, 2023, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from March 30, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2023 relates to the Company’s initial public offering, which is described above, and identifying a target company for a business combination. The Company will not generate any operating revenues unless and until completion of a business combination, at the earliest.
Extensions of Initial Business Combination Deadline
On January 23, 2023, the Company issued a non-convertible unsecured promissory note (the “Extension Note”) in the principal amount of $2,250,000 to the Sponsor (see Note 4). The Sponsor deposited the funds into the trust account. The Extension Note was issued in connection with the decision by the Company’s board of directors to exercise the first extension option in accordance with the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and to extend the date by which the Company must consummate a Business Combination transaction from January 26, 2023 to April 26, 2023 (i.e., for a period of time ending 18 months after the consummation of the initial public offering) (the “First Extension Option”). The Extension Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon the consummation of a Business Combination by the Company. If the Company does not consummate a Business Combination, the Extension Note will not be repaid and all amounts owed under the Extension Note will be forgiven except to the extent that the Company has funds available to it outside of its trust account.
On March 15, 2023, the Company amended and restated certain provisions of the Extension Note to align the terms of the Extension Note with our non-convertible unsecured promissory note in the principal amount of $1,100,000 issued to the Sponsor (the “March 2023 Promissory Note”).
On April 19, 2023, the Company’s shareholders approved of the adoption of the second amended and restated articles of association in the form proposed, to among other things (i) make certain updates to reflect the decision by the board of directors to exercise the First Extension Option pursuant to which the date by which the Company had to consummate an initial Business Combination was extended from January 26, 2023 to April 26, 2023 (i.e., for a period of time ending 18 months after the consummation of the Company’s initial public offering), (ii) amend the amount which the Sponsor is required to deposit in the trust account in order to exercise the second extension option to extend the date by which the Company has to consummate a Business Combination from April 26, 2023 to July 26, 2023 (the “Second Extension Option”) to $0.10 per Class A ordinary share then in issue (after giving effect to any redemptions of such shares which are tendered for redemption in connection with the results of the Company’s extraordinary general meeting held on April 19, 2023), (iii) insert a third extension option to enable the board of directors to extend the date by which the Company has to consummate a Business Combination from July 26, 2023 to December 31, 2023 (the “Third Extension Option”), and (iv) insert a voluntary redemption right in favor of the holders of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares then in issue enabling public shareholders to redeem such shares on July 26, 2023 for 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 not previously released to the Company to pay its taxes, divided by the number of Class A ordinary shares then in issue, if the board of directors elects to exercise the Third Extension Option.
On April 24, 2023, the Company issued a non-convertible unsecured promissory note (the “April 2023 Extension Note”) in the principal amount of $719,907 to the Sponsor (see Note 4). The Sponsor deposited the funds into the trust account on April 28, 2023. The April 2023 Extension Note was issued in connection with the board of director’s exercise of the Second Extension Option under the second amended and restated articles of association to extend the date by which the Company must consummate a Business Combination transaction from April 26, 2023 to July 26, 2023 (i.e., for a period of time ending 21 months after the consummation of the initial public offering). The April 2023 Extension Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon the consummation of a Business Combination by the Company. If the Company does not consummate a Business Combination, the April 2023 Extension Note will not be repaid and all amounts owed under the April 2023 Extension Note will be forgiven except to the extent that the Company has funds available to it outside of the trust account.
On July 14, 2023, the Company’s board of directors elected to exercise the Third Extension Option, extending the initial Business Combination deadline from July 26, 2023 to December 31, 2023.
Also on July 14, 2023, the sponsor voluntarily committed to make a monthly contribution to the trust account commencing on August 1, 2023, and paid on the first day of each month thereafter until the earliest of (i) the date on which the Company consummates a Business Combination or (ii) December 31, 2023. Each monthly contribution shall be $150,097, representing $0.03 per Class A ordinary share then outstanding. The contribution amount is to be paid on a monthly basis after the issuance of the July 2023 Promissory Note (as defined below) in connection therewith.
On July 31, 2023, the Company issued a non-convertible unsecured promissory note (the “July 2023 Promissory Note”) in the principal amount of $750,483 to the Sponsor (see Note 4). The July 2023 Promissory Note was issued in connection with the expected monthly payments by the sponsor into the trust account described above. The July 2023 Promissory Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon the earliest of December 31, 2023, the date on which the Company consummates its initial Business Combination, or within three (3) business days of the receipt by the Company of a break-free, termination fee or similar arrangement in connection with a potential Business Combination. If the Company does not consummate a Business Combination, the July 2023 Promissory Note will not be repaid and all amounts owed under the July 2023 Promissory Note will be forgiven except to the extent that the Company has funds available to it outside of the trust account.
On November 1, 2023, the Company issued a non-convertible unsecured promissory note (the “November 2023 Promissory Note”) in the principal amount of up to $1,000,000.00 to the Sponsor. The November 2023 Promissory Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon the earliest of April 30, 2024, the date on which the Company consummates a business combination, or within three (3) business days of the receipt by the Company of a break-fee, termination fee or similar arrangement in connection with a potential business combination. If the Company does not consummate a business combination, the November 2023 Promissory Note will not be repaid and all amounts owed under the November 2023 Promissory Note will be forgiven except to the extent that the Company has funds available to it outside of its trust account (as outlined in the November 2023 Promissory Note).
The Company also agreed to amend and restate certain provisions of a) the non-convertible unsecured promissory note in the principal amount of $2,250,000 it issued to the Sponsor on January 23, 2023, first amended and restated on March 15, 2023 (now as additionally amended and restated, the “January 2023 Promissory Note”), b) the non-convertible unsecured promissory note in the principal amount of $1,100,000 it issued to the Sponsor on March 15, 2023 (as amended and restated, the “March 2023 Promissory Note”), c) the non-convertible unsecured promissory note in the principal amount of $719,907.30 it issued to the Sponsor on April 24, 2023 (as amended and restated, the “April 2023 Promissory Note”), d) the non-convertible unsecured promissory note in the principal amount of $1,400,000 it issued to the Sponsor on May 31, 2023 (as amended and restated, the “May 2023 Promissory Note”), and e) the non-convertible unsecured promissory note in the principal amount of $750,482.70 it issued to the Sponsor on July 31, 2023 (as amended and restated, the “July 2023 Promissory Note”) (all together with the November 2023 Promissory Note, the “Promissory Notes”) in order to align the terms of the January 2023 Promissory Note, March 2023 Promissory Note, April 2023 Promissory Note, May 2023 Promissory Note, and July 2023 Promissory Note with those of the November 2023 Promissory Note.
On December 7, 2023, the Company’s shareholders approved the adoption of the third amended and restated articles of association in the form proposed, to among other things (i) remove references to term limits for directors of the Company, (ii) make certain updates to reflect the decision by the board of directors of the Company to exercise the second and third extension options pursuant to which the date by which the Company has to consummate its initial business combination was extended from April 26, 2023 to July 26, 2023 and then subsequently extended from July 26, 2023 to December 31, 2023 and (iii) insert a fourth extension option to enable the board of directors of the Company to extend the date by which the Company has to consummate a business combination from December 31, 2023 to April 30, 2024 (the “Fourth Extension Option”), subject to the Sponsor committing to deposit $0.03 per Class A ordinary share then in issue into the trust account on the first business day of each month starting on January 2, 2024 until the earliest of (a) the date on which the Company consummates and initial business combination or (b) April 30, 2024.
On December 29, 2023, the Company’s board of directors elected to exercise the Fourth Extension Option, extending the initial business combination deadline from December 31, 2023 to April 30, 2024.
Also on December 29, 2023, the Sponsor committed to deposit $135,000.51 into the trust account, representing $0.03 per Class A ordinary share then in issue, on the first business day of each month starting on January 2, 2024 until the earliest of (i) the date on which the Company consummates an initial business combination or (ii) April 30, 2024.
Business Combination Agreement - Proposed Business Combination with Schmid
On May 31, 2023, the Company entered into the Business Combination Agreement by and among the Company, Schmid, TopCo and Merger Sub. The Business Combination Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby (the “Transactions”) were approved by the boards of directors of each of the Company, TopCo and Merger Sub as well as by Anette Schmid and Christian Schmid, the shareholders of Schmid (each a “Schmid Shareholder” and, collectively, the “Schmid Shareholders”).
Pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, the Company will merge with and into Merger Sub in accordance with Part XVI of the Cayman Companies Act (the “Merger”), with Merger Sub as the surviving company in the Merger, and each issued and outstanding Eligible Pegasus Share (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) will be automatically cancelled and extinguished in exchange for the Merger Consideration (as defined and detailed in the Business Combination Agreement) (such issuance, together with the Merger, the “Business Combination”) and each warrant issued by the Company (the “Pegasus Warrant”) that is outstanding immediately prior to the time the Merger becomes effective (the “Effective Time”) will, immediately following the completion of the Business Combination, represent a warrant on the same contractual terms and conditions as were in effect with respect to such Pegasus Warrant immediately prior to the Effective Time under the terms of the Warrant Agreement, as applicable, that is exercisable for an equivalent number of ordinary shares in the share capital of TopCo (“TopCo Ordinary Shares”), in each case, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Business Combination Agreement. Immediately after giving effect to the Business Combination, the Schmid Shareholders shall contribute their shares of common stock of the Company to TopCo in return for such number of TopCo Ordinary Shares equal to the number of shares defined in the Business Combination (the “Exchange”). Immediately after giving effect to the Exchange, a notarial deed will be executed by a Dutch notary in order to change the legal form of TopCo from a private limited liability company to a public limited liability company and TopCo is currently intended to be renamed to “Schmid Group N.V.”.
The obligations of the Company, TopCo, Schmid, and Merger Sub (each a “Party” and, collectively, the “Parties”) to consummate the Transactions are subject to the satisfaction or, if permitted by applicable law, waiver by the Party for whose benefit such condition exists of various conditions, including: (a) no legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of the Transactions shall be in effect; (b) the Registration Statement/Proxy Statement (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) shall have become effective; (c) the Transaction Proposals (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) shall have been approved by the Company’s shareholders; (d) the Company’s shareholders shall have approved the execution of the Business Combination Agreement and execution of the transactions contemplated hereby and certain other matters related to the implementation of the Transactions and such approval shall continue to be in full force and effect; (e) after giving effect to the Transactions, TopCo shall have at least $5,000,001 of net tangible assets (as determined in accordance with Rule 3a51-1(g)(1) of the Exchange Act) immediately after the closing of the Transactions (the “Closing”); and (f) TopCo shall receive a minimum of $35,000,000 in cash from the Transactions (from cash held in trust or private investments in public equity (such transaction, a “PIPE”)).
Concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement and the fulfilment of the conditions precedent set forth in the Business Combination Agreement, each of the Schmid Shareholders irrevocably and unconditionally undertook (the “Schmid Shareholders Undertakings”) and agreed in each case to the extent legally possible and permissible (a) to fully support and implement the Transactions in relation to which such Schmid Shareholders’ support or participation is required or appropriate, (b) to omit any actions that could be of detriment to the implementation of the Transactions, (c) to vote or cause to be voted all of such Schmid Shareholder’s Company Shares (as defined in the Schmid Shareholders’ Undertakings) against any resolution that would reasonably be expected to impede or adversely affect the Transactions in any way, or result in a breach of any undertaking, representation or warranty of such Schmid Shareholder contained in the Schmid Shareholders’ Undertakings, and (d) to contribute its respective shares of the Company to TopCo in exchange for shares of TopCo substantially in accordance with the exchange table and the exchange ratio as set forth therein, in each case, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Schmid Shareholders’ Undertakings.
Concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, each Schmid Shareholder entered into a Lock-Up Agreement (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), pursuant to which they agreed not to, without the prior written consent of the board of directors of TopCo, effect any transaction or enter into any arrangement that is designed to or that reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in a sale or disposition of any ordinary shares in the share capital of TopCo held by them immediately after the Closing, nor to publicly announce any intention to effect or enter the same, during the period beginning on the Closing and ending on the date that is one year after the Closing (the “Lock-Up Period”) on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Lock-Up Agreement.
Concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, the Company, the Sponsor, Schmid and certain individuals party thereto (comprising the officers and directors of the Company) (each, an “Insider”) entered into a Sponsor Agreement, pursuant to which, among other things, the Sponsor and the Insiders agreed to (i) vote in favor of all of the transaction proposals to be voted upon at the meeting of the Company’s shareholders, including approval of the Business Combination Agreement and the Transactions, (ii) waive certain adjustments to the conversion ratio and other anti-dilution protections set forth in the governing documents of the Company with respect to the Founders Shares owned by such sponsor and Insider, (iii) be bound by certain transfer restrictions with respect to their Company shares prior to the Closing, (iv) to use 2,812,500 of the existing Founders Shares (half of the existing Founders Shares) to negotiate non-redemption agreements with certain holders of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares or to enter into PIPE subscription agreements with investors, and (v) be bound by certain lock-up provisions during the Lock-Up Period with respect to any shares or warrants of TopCo received in exchange for holdings in the Company in connection with the Transactions, in each case on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein.
The Company and TopCo are in ongoing discussions with existing shareholders and potential private investors to enter into certain non-redemption agreements prior to Closing.
At the Closing, the Company, the Sponsor, TopCo, and the Schmid Shareholders would enter into an amended restated registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other things, the Sponsor and the Schmid Shareholders would be granted certain customary registration rights with respect to their TopCo Ordinary Shares, in each case, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.
TopCo, the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the Company’s warrant agent, would enter into a warrant assumption agreement (the “Warrant Assumption Agreement”) immediately following the completion of the Transactions, pursuant to which, among other things, the Company would assign all of its right, title and interest in and to, and TopCo would assume all of the Company’s liabilities and obligations under, the Warrant Agreement. As a result of such assumption, following the execution of the Warrant Assumption Agreement, each Pegasus Warrant would be exchanged for a warrant to purchase TopCo Ordinary Shares on the terms and conditions of the Warrant Assumption Agreement.
Concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, the Sponsor and certain directors and officers of the Company entered into a warrant grant agreement transferring 1,775,000 private warrants held by the Sponsor to such directors and officers, subject to certain conditions.
On May 31, 2023, the Company issued a non-convertible unsecured promissory note (the “May 2023 Promissory Note”) in the principal amount of $1,400,000 to the Sponsor. The May 2023 Promissory Note was issued in connection with the decision by the Company’s board of directors to approve the Business Combination Agreement and to provide additional working capital to the Company.
The Company would provide its public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Class A ordinary shares upon the completion of the initial business combination either (1) in connection with a general meeting called to approve the initial business combination or (2) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company would seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the board of directors of the Company, in its sole discretion. The Company will proceed with the business combination if the Company would have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation of the business combination and, if the Company seeks shareholder approval, a majority of the issued and outstanding shares voted are voted in favor of the business combination. The Company would also provide its public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Class A ordinary shares upon the completion of its initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then deposited in the trust account calculated as of two business days prior to the completion of its initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then-issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares that were sold as part of the Units in the initial public offering, which the Company refers to collectively as its Class A ordinary shares, subject to the limitations described herein. If the Company has not completed its initial business combination within the Combination Period, the Company would redeem 100% of the Class A ordinary shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses and which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then-issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares, subject to applicable law and as further described herein.
The Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption were recorded at a redemption value and classified as temporary equity upon the completion of the initial public offering, in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity”, and subsequently accreted to redemption value. In such case, the Company is expected to proceed with a business combination if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation of the business combination and, if the Company seeks shareholder approval, a majority of the issued and outstanding shares voted are voted in favor of the business combination.
The initial shareholders, directors, officers and advisors agreed to waive: (i) their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares and Class A ordinary shares held by them, as applicable, in connection with the completion of the Company’s initial business combination; (ii) their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares and Class A ordinary shares held by them in connection with a shareholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the initial business combination or to redeem 100% of the Class A ordinary shares if the Company does not complete the initial business combination within the Combination Period or (B) with respect to any other provision relating the rights of holders of the Class A ordinary shares; (iii) their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any Founder Shares they hold if the Company fails to complete its initial business combination within the Combination Period or during any extended time that the Company has to consummate a business combination beyond the Combination Period as a result of a shareholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (an “Extension Period”) (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any Class A ordinary shares they hold if the Company fails to complete the initial business combination within the prescribed time frame); and (iv) vote their Founder Shares and any Class A ordinary shares purchased during or after the initial public offering in favor of the Company’s initial business combination. Each of the Anchor Investor entered into an investment agreement with the Company pursuant to which they agreed that any Founder Shares held by them are (i) not entitled to redemption rights in connection with the completion of the Company’s initial business combination or in connection with a shareholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and (ii) not entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any Founder Shares the Anchor Investor holds in the event the Company fails to complete its initial business combination within the Combination Period or during any Extension Period.
The Sponsor agreed that it will be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party (other than the Company’s independent auditors) for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below (1) $10.10 per Class A ordinary share or (2) such lesser amount per Class A ordinary share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account and except as to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the 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, the sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. The Company has not independently verified whether the Sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believes that the Sponsor’s only assets are securities of the Company, and, therefore, the sponsor may not be able to satisfy its obligations. The Company has not asked the Sponsor to reserve for such obligations.
On September 26, 2023, the Company entered into that certain First Amendment to the Business Combination Agreement (the “First Amendment”), by and among the Company, Schmid, TopCo and Merger Sub, pursuant to which the to, among other things, reflect that: (i) prior to the Effective Time, the Schmid Shareholders will purchase the sole share in the capital of TopCo from the Company, against payment of the nominal value of the sole share, in an amount of EUR 0.01 (the “Purchase”); (ii) the Exchange and the change in legal form of TopCo will be effective after the Purchase and prior to the Effective time (rather than after the Effective Time); and (iii) the Company will be designated Surviving Company (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) rather than Merger Sub.
On January 29, 2024, the Company entered into a second amendment to the Business Combination Agreement (the “Second Amendment”), by and among the Company, Schmid, TopCo and Merger Sub, pursuant to which, among other things, the parties have agreed to (i) extend the timeline until April 30, 2024 for when the Business Combination has to be completed, and (ii) reduce the number of shares that the shareholders of Schmid will receive in the Business Combination to 28,725,000 TopCo shares.
Concurrently with the execution of the Second Amendment, the Sponsor entered into an agreement with certain shareholders of Schmid pursuant to which the Sponsor committed to transfer 2,000,000 private warrants of the Company subject to the closing of the Business Combination.
Concurrently with the execution of the Second Amendment, the Company, the Sponsor, Schmid and the Insiders entered into a Private Warrants Undertaking Agreement, pursuant to which, among other things, the Sponsor and the Insiders agreed to (i) only exercise their private warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with the terms of the private warrants, (ii) in case the reference price of the TopCo shares subsequently to the Business Combination closing reach USD 18.00 to, on a “cashless basis”, exercise their warrants in accordance with terms of the private warrants unless such warrants have been previously redeemed or exercised (the “Private Warrants Undertaking Agreement”).
Concurrently with the execution of the Second Amendment, the Company, TopCo and certain shareholders of Schmid entered into an earn-out agreement pursuant to which (i) 2,500,000 TopCo shares will be issued to certain shareholder of Schmid (in equal parts) if the share price of TopCo following the completion of the Business Combination reaches USD 15.00 and (ii) 2,500,000 TopCo shares will be issued to certain shareholders of Schmid (in equal parts) if the share price of TopCo following the completion of the Business Combination reaches USD 18.00 (the “Earn-out Agreement”). The Earn-out Agreement expires after three (3) years from the date of the completion of the Business Combination.
The Company, Schmid and TopCo entered into a subscription agreement with XJ Harbour HK Limited (“XJ”) (the “XJ Subscription Agreement”) according to which XJ agreed to in stages transfer its 24.1% equity interest in Schmid Technology (Guangdong) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Schmid, to TopCo for consideration amounting to (i) 1,406,361 TopCo shares to be allotted to XJ at the time of the completion of the Business Combination, (ii) a EUR 10 million payment to XJ from TopCo at the completion of the Business Combination, (iii) a EUR 5 million payment to XJ from TopCo within 270 days from the day of the completion of the Business Combination and (iv) a EUR 15 million payment (plus an interest in respect thereof at an annual rate of 6% from the completion of the Business Combination to the date of payment) to XJ from TopCo within 455 days from the day of the completion of the Business Combination.
On March 28, 2024, the Registration Statement on Form, initially filed by the Company with the SEC in connection with the Business Combination, was declared effective.
Prior to the closing of the initial business combination, a shareholder meeting will be held in order to seek shareholder approval of such business combination and related proposals. In connection with the shareholder meeting to approve the initial business combination and related proposals, public shareholders will have the right to redeem their Class A ordinary shares in accordance with the third amended and restated memorandum and articles, subject to any limitations set forth therein. We cannot assure you that our plans to complete our initial business combination will be successful.
Our Business Strategy
We concentrated our efforts in identifying potential business combination targets in the broadly defined next-generation transportation sector. We believe this business sector is in the early stages of a generational growth trend that is accelerating as a result of energy transformation through the rise of zero emission transportation, as well as the digitization of mobility through artificial intelligence, wireless connectivity and software applications. We include both battery electric as well as hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles as the main modes of zero emission vehicles (“ZEVs”) or electric vehicles (“EVs”), and we define transportation as both the mobility of people and the transportation of goods. We are focused in the European market given our management team’s experience in global markets, including in the European market, which we believe is currently attractive, expansive and underserved.
Our investment thesis was underpinned by the electrification of the transportation system and centered around subsectors where we can leverage the domain expertise of our management team, including in the following subsectors of the next-generation transportation sector:
● ZEV Original Equipment Manufacturing. The ZEV original equipment manufacturing subsector includes ZEV manufacturing for commercial, consumer, transportation, logistics and first response vehicles as well as the associated vehicle design technology, ZEV design, engineering, research and development;
● ZEV Infrastructure and Platforms. The ZEV infrastructure and platforms subsector encompasses smart grids, charging technologies, charging stations, fuel cell production, hydrogen refueling infrastructure, fleet management, battery factories and technology applications;
● ZEV Powertrain and related fields. The ZEV powertrain subsector contains energy storage and battery management system, Electric Drive Units, Power Electronics and Charging System, as well as related areas like range extenders, stationary energy storage technologies with battery second life applications and green and blue hydrogen production and storage processes and applications; and
● Technology Improving Transportation Connectivity. The connected transportation subsector includes vehicle connectivity applications, telematics and fleet management, smart traffic technology, mapping technology and autonomous applications.
We believe we are in the early stages of a global industrial revolution as it relates to our ability to sustainably power our energy needs through renewable sources, which requires us to also pursue decarbonization and energy efficiency initiatives in tandem, and our investment focus is also underpinned by a stringent commitment to world-class environmental, social and corporate governance (“ESG”) and corporate social responsibility (“CSR”) practices.
We believe that our management team’s domain expertise, operational skillsets, network of relationships and insights into accelerating technology trends in the transportation sector are a competitive advantage as we identify and pursue opportunities that have the potential to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for our shareholders and offer public market investors access and direct investment exposure to these trends.
In particular, we continue to leverage the extensive networks of our management team throughout our comprehensive selection process. We believe that our management team’s decades of experience working together and pioneering innovative technologies, systems and processes in the European transportation sector, in addition to their extensive global expertise, provides a distinctive value proposition to the management teams, customers, and owners of the prospective target companies, including with respect to our business combination with Schmid.
Further, we believe the expertise and experience of StratCap Investment Management, LLC (f/k/a Strategic Capital Fund Management, LLC) (“StratCap”), the founder of our Sponsor, in identifying and underwriting management teams with value creation investment strategies, as well as in establishing entrepreneurial platforms, providing access to capital for growth initiatives and structuring complex transactions, will make us a preferred partner for potential business combination targets. StratCap is led by industry veterans with decades of experience working together to convert innovative strategies into value creation, with a key focus on next-generation technologies and sustainability-linked strategies.
Since its inception in 2009, StratCap and its affiliates have successfully worked to build nine companies by assembling experienced management teams that function across a variety of sectors, including digital connectivity infrastructure, renewable energy, social impact, healthcare, credit and commercial real estate, as well as in capital raising for investment vehicles. These companies have benefited from the equity support of more than $4.5 billion in equity capital that has been raised and/or deployed by StratCap and its affiliated entities.
StratCap has a proven track record supporting the increased need for robust digital connectivity infrastructure given substantial data proliferation trends, which is a key factor supporting our business strategy and our selection of next-generation transportation as our target sector. StratCap has identified growing connectivity trends across people, vehicles, devices and applications to enable innovative technologies, such as vehicular autonomy, artificial intelligence, robotics, space exploration, quantum computing, virtual reality, machine learning, and blockchain.
We believe the growing global adoption of 5G wireless technology will continue to accelerate these connectivity trends, which are expected to have a profound impact on the transportation sector through next-generation technologies such as autonomous vehicles, remote sensing, electric vertical takeoff and landing (“eVTOL”), smart cities and intelligent public transportation systems. We also believe that as cities continue to become more densely populated, enhancing urban connectivity in both public and private transportation systems around the world will be a necessity to overcome traffic congestion problems over the next century. Additionally, we believe we are in early stages of a global industrial revolution in transportation systems. We believe there is a critical need for zero emission transportation by sustainably powering our energy consumption through renewable sources, which will be supported by significant investments in decarbonization, electrification and other energy efficiency initiatives.
Select examples of investment strategies that we believe highlight StratCap’s value creation supporting entities that have digital connectivity infrastructure and sustainability-linked strategies include:
● Digital Connectivity Infrastructure. StratCap and its affiliates sponsor and raise capital for various private retail and institutional investment programs focused in the data center, wireless tower and connectivity sectors. StratCap and its affiliates first became involved in the digital connectivity infrastructure sector over a decade ago through their prior business relationship with Carter Validus Mission Critical REIT, Inc. (“CVREIT”), a publicly registered non-traded real estate investment trust (“REIT”) formed in 2009 for the purpose of acquiring a diversified portfolio of income-producing commercial real estate with a focus on data centers and healthcare properties, and Sila Realty Trust, Inc. (f/k/a Carter Validus Mission Critical REIT II, Inc.) (“Sila”), a publicly registered non-traded REIT formed in 2013 with the same investment focus as CVREIT. Sila acquired CVREIT in 2019 through a merger transaction whereby CVREIT merged with and into Sila, with a combined company value of approximately $3.2 billion. Prior to the merger with Sila in 2019, CVREIT monetized a data center portfolio in 2017 and 2018 resulting in approximately $1.3 billion in net proceeds. In September 2020, Sila internalized its external advisor functions, at which time StratCap’s and its affiliates’ relationship with Sila ended. Prior to September 2020, StratCap and/or its affiliates held an equity interest in the external advisor responsible for Sila’s (and CVREIT’s) day-to-day operations and acted as the wholesale dealer manager of Sila’s (and CVREIT’s) public offerings, which raised approximately $3.0 billion in the aggregate that was used to fund data center and healthcare real estate investment activities. StratCap is currently active in the sector through the sponsorship of Strategic Data Center Fund, LLC (“Strategic Data Center”), Strategic Wireless Infrastructure Fund, LLC (“Strategic Wireless”), Strategic Wireless Infrastructure Fund II, Inc. (“Strategic Wireless II”), and Strategic Datasphere, LLC (“Datasphere”).
● Sustainability Linked Strategies. StratCap and its affiliates have experience with both environmental and social sustainability linked strategies, which include supporting renewable energy projects, Small and Medium Enterprises (“SMEs”) in developing economies and middle-market companies in the U.S. In particular, StratCap was an equity partner through 2019 and served as the wholesale dealer manager for Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC (“Greenbacker”), which is a publicly registered non-traded energy company founded in 2012. As of September 30, 2023, Greenbacker’s portfolio, or fleet, included 445 renewable energy assets, 3.3 GW rated system capacity and over $3.6 billion in total assets under management.
Our Management Team
Our management team is comprised of industry leaders with highly complementary backgrounds. Our management team (in addition to our directors) includes Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, F. Jeremey Mistry, our Chief Financial Officer and Secretary, and Dr. Stefan Berger, our Chief Investment Officer. Our management team has an average of more than 20 years of experience in the broader transportation industry and more than a decade of experience collaborating across various institutions, transactions and initiatives, as highlighted below. We believe these are complementary skillsets that will allow for a seamless transition and a successful outcome towards our goal of executing and optimizing a potential business combination. We also believe our management team has complementary skills and experience relevant to our target market, including an understanding of the auto industry’s infrastructure and how new technologies can be seamlessly integrated in order to allow for rapid expansion. For a complete discussion of our officers’ and directors’ other business affairs, please see “Part III Item 10. Directors, Executive Officer and Corporate Governance.”
Our management team has experience in:
● Identifying, sourcing, structuring, acquiring, financing and monetizing transportation businesses;
● Operating both large established and emerging companies as senior executives and active board members, and setting clear and effective business strategies for companies in the transportation sector;
● Collaborating across various institutions, transactions and initiatives for longer than a decade;
● Launching entrepreneurial ventures, products and services and growing them over time into independent businesses or business lines within large institutions;
● Utilizing best practices from mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and financial management; experiences to implement prudent strategic growth initiatives both organically and inorganically; and
● Executing operational value enhancements and efficiency initiatives.
Business Combination Criteria
As discussed in our final prospectus, we identified the following general criteria that we believed were important in evaluating prospective target businesses. We used these criteria in evaluating our prospective Business Combination with Schmid; however, no individual criterion was entirely determinative of our decision to pursue the prospective Business Combination with Schmid:
● Large, growing industry with significant acquisition opportunities: We intend to target companies, of which more than 100 are on our prioritized target list, that operate in the next-generation transportation sector, representing a total market size of over $15 trillion, over the next decade as measured across the various third-party estimates for the segments we target. We believe the sector is supported by strong generational industry tailwinds and our management team and board of directors are skilled in analyzing and evaluating companies in this industry based on their significant experience.
● Differentiated European middle-market businesses: We intend to focus on attractive companies that demonstrate differentiation whether through business model, intellectual property, brand value or technology innovation in energy transformation and digital mobility. Companies in fragmented industries with disruptive platforms that align with our management team’s European and international expertise will be at the forefront of our evaluation process. Our management team and directors have extensive operational, commercial and transactional experience in the North American, European and Asian markets in our target sectors, and we intend to use these skills to identify market leaders.
● Robust financial foundation with growth upside: We intend to prioritize target companies that are fundamentally sound with a perspective to achieve strong operational performance and free cash flow generation. We intend to focus on opportunities where we can enhance the prospects of our target companies with operational, commercial and financial expertise and provide access to our networks, industry contacts and business relationships. We intend to focus on companies that have demonstrated or have the potential to develop fundamentally sound financial performance with diversity of revenue drivers, visibility into cash flow growth and attractive risk-adjusted returns over the long term.
● Would benefit from our partnership post-initial business combination: We expect to primarily target companies that can specifically generate value with access to our management team’s expertise in the European and global transportation markets and extensive networks in the mobility sector. We intend to seek companies that can benefit from Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE’s executive experience growing Jaguar Land Rover through substantial geographic and product expansions, along with the operational and transactional experience of our directors and StratCap and its affiliates. We will target companies that can clearly benefit from our partnership and which can be enhanced with access to Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE’s and Dr. Berger’s automotive leadership experience. More broadly, we believe our management team provides a significant value proposition and we intend to target companies that can specifically leverage our expertise and networks to expedite growth and unlock value. Additionally, we may look to partner with selling shareholders who intend to roll a significant portion of their ownership stake post initial business combination.
● Would benefit from public stock currency, access to incremental capital and additional brand awareness: We intend to seek companies that demonstrate public company readiness and will use access to public equity markets to pursue accretive acquisitions, prioritize high-return capital projects, strengthen the balance sheet, and recruit and retain key employees. Moreover, we intend to pursue companies that are at an inflection point in their maturation process and require additional capital to facilitate a growth strategy. The founders of our Sponsor also have significant experience in this regard, as demonstrated by the equity support of more than $4.5 billion in equity capital that has been raised and/or deployed by affiliates of the founders of our Sponsor, across the nine companies that the founders of our Sponsor have built since StratCap’s inception.
● Exceptional management and governance: We intend to focus on target companies that have an experienced and competent management team that has proven itself in building and growing businesses. We also expect to pursue partnerships with management teams that maintain an entrepreneurial mindset and a heightened focus on ESG and CSR initiatives, and will implement best-in-class ESG and CSR practices if they are not already present. We intend to pursue a partnership approach to working with a management team that shares in our strategic vision and believes we can help them achieve the full potential of their business.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, these criteria and guidelines were not intended to be exhaustive. Our evaluation relating to the merits of any particular business combination, including with Schmid, included other considerations, factors, criteria and guidelines that our management deemed relevant.
Our Acquisition Process
In evaluating a prospective target business, we conducted thorough due diligence that encompassed, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document review, as well as a review of financial and other information made available to us. We utilized our operational and capital allocation experience in the evaluation of our target businesses. While we were not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our Sponsor, officers or directors, we elected not to do so.
Members of our management team and our board of directors directly or indirectly own our securities, 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. On May 31, 2023, we announced that we entered into the Business Combination Agreement. On September 26, 2023, we announced that we entered into the First Amendment. On January 29, 2024, we announced we entered into the Second Amendment. 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. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such 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 business combination. For more information, see the section entitled “Part III Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance-Conflicts of Interest.”
Public shareholders should not rely on the historical record of our founders’ and management’s performance as indicative of our future performance. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors-Past performance by our management team and their respective affiliates may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in the Company.”
Initial Business Combination
NYSE rules require that our initial business combination must be with one or more operating businesses or assets with a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the net assets held in the trust account (net of amounts disbursed to management for working capital purposes, if permitted, and excluding the amount of any deferred underwriting commissions held in trust). We refer to this as the 80% of net assets test. If our board of directors is not able independently to determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. We do not currently intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination, although there is no assurance that will be the case.
Lack of Business Diversification
For an indefinite period of time after the completion of our initial business combination, the prospects for our success may depend entirely on the future performance of a single business. Unlike other entities that have the resources to complete business combinations with multiple entities in one or several industries, it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations and mitigate the risks of being in a single line of business.
By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry.
Accordingly, the prospects of our success may be:
● solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset; or
● dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services.
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.
Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target’s Management Team
Although we have closely scrutinized the management of Schmid as part of our diligence process, our assessment may not prove to be correct.
It is currently contemplated that both Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth and Dr. Stefan Berger will serve on the board of directors of TopCo following the Closing. Despite this fact, neither Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth nor Dr. Stefan Berger will devote their full efforts to our affairs to TopCo subsequent to Closing.
Following the Closing, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of TopCo. 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.
Permitted Purchases and Other Transactions with Respect to Our Securities
In the event we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates may purchase public shares or warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit on the number of securities such persons may purchase. Additionally, at any time at or prior to our initial business combination, subject to applicable securities laws (including with respect to material nonpublic information), our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates may enter into transactions with investors and others to provide them with incentives to acquire public shares, vote their public shares in favor of our initial business combination or not redeem their public shares. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase public shares or warrants in such transactions. Such persons will be subject to restrictions in making any such purchases when they are in possession of any material non-public information or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Such a purchase may include a contractual acknowledgement that such shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares, is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. We have adopted an insider trading policy which requires insiders to (1) refrain from purchasing securities during certain blackout periods and when they are in possession of any material non-public information and (2) clear certain trades prior to execution. We cannot currently determine whether our insiders will make such purchases pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan, as it will be dependent upon several factors, including but not limited to, the timing and size of such purchases. Depending on such circumstances, our insiders may either make such purchases pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan or determine that such a plan is not necessary.
In the event that our Sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights or submitted a proxy to vote against our initial business combination, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares and any proxy to vote against our initial business combination. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will be required to comply with such rules.
The purpose of such transaction could be to (1) vote the shares in favor of the business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of our initial business combination, (2) reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination or (3) satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. This 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 securities and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, possibly making it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
Our Sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and/or any of their respective affiliates anticipate that they may identify the shareholders with whom our Sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates may pursue privately negotiated transactions by either the shareholders contacting us directly or by our receipt of redemption requests submitted by shareholders (in the case of public shares) following our mailing of tender offer or proxy materials in connection with our initial business combination. To the extent that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates enter into private transactions, they would identify and contact only potential selling or redeeming shareholders who have expressed their election to redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the trust account or vote against our initial business combination. Such persons would select the shareholders from whom to acquire shares based on the number of shares available, the negotiated price per share and such other factors as any such person may deem relevant at the time of purchase. The price per share paid in any such transaction may be different than the amount per share a public shareholder would receive if it elected to redeem its shares in connection with our initial business combination. Our Sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates will be restricted from purchasing shares if such purchases do not comply with Regulation M under the Exchange Act and the other federal securities laws.
Any purchases by our Sponsor, directors, officers and/or any of their respective affiliates who are affiliated purchasers under Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act will be restricted unless such purchases are 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, directors, officers and/or any of their respective affiliates will be restricted from making purchases of ordinary shares if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act.
Redemption Rights for Public Shareholders upon Completion of Our Initial Business Combination
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. At the completion of our initial business combination, we will be required to redeem any public shares properly delivered for redemption and not withdrawn. The amount in the trust account is anticipated to be $10.10 per public share. The redemption rights will include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our warrants. Our initial shareholders, directors, officers and advisors 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 public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. Upon the closing of the initial public offering, certain qualified institutional buyers or institutional accredited investors (the “anchor investors”) purchased 1,375,000 Class B ordinary shares from the sponsor. Each of our anchor investors entered into an investment agreement with us pursuant to which they agreed that any founder shares held by them are not entitled to redemption rights in connection with the completion of our initial business combination or in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
Manner of Conducting Redemptions
Prior to the closing of the initial business combination, a shareholder meeting will be held in order to seek shareholder approval of such business combination and related proposals. In connection with the shareholder meeting to approve the initial business combination and related proposals, public shareholders will have the right to redeem their Class A ordinary shares in accordance with the third amended and restated memorandum and articles, subject to any limitations set forth therein.
We will, pursuant to our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association:
● 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.
We expect that a final proxy statement would be mailed to public shareholders at least 10 days prior to the shareholder vote. However, we expect that a draft proxy statement would be made available to such shareholders well in advance of such time, providing additional notice of redemption if we conduct redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation. Although we are not required to do so, we currently intend to comply with the substantive and procedural requirements of Regulation 14A in connection with any shareholder vote even if we are not able to maintain our NYSE listing or Exchange Act registration.
We will distribute proxy materials and, in connection therewith, provide our public shareholders with the redemption rights described above upon completion of the initial business combination.
We will complete our initial business combination only if we receive an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of shareholders holding a majority of our issued and outstanding shares which, being so entitled, are voted thereon in person or by proxy at a quorate general meeting of the company or a unanimous written resolution of all of our shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting of the company. In such case, pursuant to the terms of a letter agreement entered into with us, our initial shareholders have agreed (and their permitted transferees will agree) to vote their founder shares and any public shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination. Each of our anchor investors has agreed to vote their founder shares in favor of our initial business combination. Our directors and officers also have agreed to vote in favor of our initial business combination with respect to public shares acquired by them, if any. We expect that at the time of any shareholder vote relating to our initial business combination, our initial shareholders and anchor investors and their permitted transferees will own at least 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares entitled to vote thereon. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares without voting and, if they do vote, irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. In addition, our initial shareholders, directors, officers and advisors 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 public shares held by them in connection with the completion of a business combination.
Our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions. Redemptions of our public shares may also be subject to a higher net tangible asset test or cash requirement pursuant to an agreement relating to our initial business combination. For example, the proposed business combination may require: (1) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners; (2) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes; or (3) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all public shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the business combination or redeem any shares, and all Class A ordinary shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination.
Limitation on Redemption Upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination
Notwithstanding the foregoing redemption rights, our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the ordinary shares sold in the initial public offering (“Excess Shares”), without our prior consent. We believe this restriction will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to exercise their redemption rights against a proposed business combination as a means to force us or our Sponsor or its affiliates to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public shareholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in the initial public offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us or our Sponsor or its affiliates at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders’ ability to redeem no more than 15% of the shares sold in the initial public offering, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with a business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination.
Tendering Stock Certificates in connection with Redemption Rights
We may require our public shareholders 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 prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents or proxy materials mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, rather than simply voting against the initial business combination. 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 shareholders to satisfy such delivery requirements, which will include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, or up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the business combination if we distribute proxy materials, as applicable, to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. Pursuant to the tender offer rules, the tender offer period will be not less than 20 business days and, in the case of a shareholder vote, a final proxy statement would be mailed to public shareholders at least 10 days prior to the shareholder vote. However, we expect that a draft proxy statement would be made available to such shareholders well in advance of such time, providing additional notice of redemption. Given the relatively short exercise period, it is advisable for shareholders to use electronic delivery of their public shares.
There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC System. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker a fee of approximately $80.00 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to tender their shares. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising redemption rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated.
In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, some blank check companies would distribute proxy materials for the shareholders’ vote on an initial business combination, and a holder could simply vote against a proposed business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holder was seeking to exercise his or her redemption rights. After the business combination was approved, the company would contact such shareholder to arrange for him or her to deliver his or her certificate to verify ownership. As a result, the shareholder then had an “option window” after the completion of the business combination during which he or she could monitor the price of the company’s shares in the market. If the price rose above the redemption price, he or she could sell his or her shares in the open market before actually delivering his or her shares to the company for cancellation. As a result, the redemption rights, to which shareholders were aware they needed to commit before the general meeting, would become “option” rights surviving past the completion of the business combination until the redeeming holder delivered its certificate. The requirement for physical or electronic delivery prior to the meeting ensures that a redeeming holder’s election to redeem is irrevocable once the business combination is approved.
Any request to redeem such shares, once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to two business days prior to the scheduled date of the general meeting set forth in our proxy materials (unless we elect to allow additional withdrawal rights). 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 the Business Combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public shareholders who elected to exercise their redemption rights would not be entitled to redeem their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any certificates delivered by public holders who elected to redeem their shares. We have until April 30, 2024 (or until any extension period option exercised as a result of a shareholder vote pursuant to our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) to consummate an initial business combination after extending the period of time to consummate a business combination for four additional months from December 31, 2023.
Redemption of Public Shares and Liquidation if No Initial Business Combination
Pursuant to our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, if we have not completed our initial business combination by April 30, 2024 (or any Extension Period), we will (1) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (2) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than 10 business days thereafter, redeem the Class A ordinary shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses and which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (3) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time period or during any Extension Period.
Our initial shareholders 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 their founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination during any Extension Period. However, if our initial shareholders acquire public shares, 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 within the allotted time period. Each of our anchor investors has entered into an investment agreement with us pursuant to which they have agreed that any founder shares held by them are not entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares the anchor investor holds in the event we fail to complete our initial business combination within the Combination Period or during any Extension Period.
Our Sponsor, directors, officers and advisors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the Combination Period or any Extension Period or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A ordinary shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares. However, we may not redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions.
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 $341,872 of proceeds held outside the trust account (as of December 31, 2023), although there can be no assurance that there will be sufficient funds for such purpose. 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 the initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, other than the proceeds deposited in the trust account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the trust account, the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders upon our dissolution would be approximately $10.10. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors which would have higher priority than the claims of our public shareholders. There can be no assurance that the actual per-share redemption amount received by shareholders will not be substantially less than $10.10. While we intend to pay such amounts, if any, there can be no assurance that we will have funds sufficient to pay or provide for all creditors’ claims.
Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than our independent auditors), prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account including but not limited to fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain an advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver only 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 we are unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may be brought against us within the 10 years following redemption. Our Sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party (other than our independent auditors) for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below (1) $10.10 per public share or (2) 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, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters 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, then our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. We have not 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 and, therefore, our sponsor may not be able to satisfy those obligations. None of our other officers 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 (1) $10.10 per public share or (2) 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 and subject to their fiduciary duties may choose not to do so in any particular instance. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that due to claims of creditors the actual value of the per-share redemption price will not be substantially less than $10.10 per share.
We will seek to reduce the possibility that our sponsor will have to indemnify the trust account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (other than our independent auditors), prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the trust account. Our Sponsor will also not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. As of December 31, 2023, we had access to up to $341,872 from the proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, with which to pay any such potential claims (including costs and expenses incurred in connection with our liquidation, currently estimated to be no more than approximately $100,000). In the event that we liquidate and it is subsequently determined that the reserve for claims and liabilities is insufficient, shareholders who received funds from our trust account could be liable for claims made by creditors.
If we file a winding-up or bankruptcy petition or an involuntary winding-up or bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable insolvency law, and may be included in our insolvency estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any insolvency claims deplete the trust account, there can be no assurance we will be able to return $10.10 per share to our public shareholders. Additionally, if we file a winding-up or bankruptcy petition or an involuntary winding-up or bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or insolvency laws as a voidable performance or preference. As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, and thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. There can be no assurance that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earliest to occur of: (1) our completion of an initial business combination, and then only in connection with those Class A ordinary shares that such shareholder properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein; (2) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the Combination Period or during any Extension Period or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares; and (3) the redemption of our public shares if we have not completed an initial business combination within any Combination Period or during any Extension Period to applicable law. In no other circumstances will a shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. Holders of warrants will not have any right to the proceeds held in the trust account with respect to the warrants.
Third Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association
Our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association contain certain requirements and restrictions relating to the initial public offering that will apply to us until the consummation of our initial business combination. Our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association contain a provision which provides that, if we seek to amend our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by April 30, 2024, or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares, we will provide public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares in connection with any such amendment. Specifically, our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide, among other things, that:
● prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, we shall either (1) seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination at a meeting called for such purpose, in connection with which public shareholders may seek to redeem their public shares without voting, and if they do vote, irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction, into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, calculated as of two business days prior to the completion of our initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), or (2) provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to tender their public shares to us by means of a tender offer (and thereby avoid the need for a shareholder vote) for an amount equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, calculated as of two business days prior to the completion of our initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), in each case subject to the limitations described herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we will seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination at a meeting called for such purpose;
● in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions;
● if we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we receive an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of shareholders holding a majority of our issued and outstanding shares which, being so entitled, are voted thereon in person or by proxy at a quorate general meeting of the company or a unanimous written resolution of all of our shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting of the company;
● if our initial business combination is not consummated by April 30, 2024 (unless extended by additional shareholder vote), then our existence will terminate, and we will distribute all amounts in the trust account; and
● prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional ordinary shares that would entitle the holders thereof to (1) receive funds from the trust account or (2) vote as a class with our public shares on any initial business combination.
These provisions cannot be amended without the approval of shareholders holding a majority of not less than two-thirds of our issued and outstanding shares which, being so entitled, are voted thereon in person or by proxy at a quorate general meeting of the company or a unanimous written resolution of all of our shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting of the company. In the event we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that we may consummate our initial business combination only if approved by shareholders holding a majority of the issued and outstanding shares which being so entitled, are voted thereon in person or by proxy at a quorate general meeting of the company or a unanimous written resolution of all of the shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting of the company.
Additionally, our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that, prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors and that holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason. These provisions of our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by holders of at least 90% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares attending and voting at a quorate general meeting of the company or a unanimous written resolution of all of our shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting of the company. With respect to any other matter submitted to a vote of our shareholders, including any vote in connection with our initial business combination, except as required by law, holders of our founder shares and holders of our public shares will vote together as a single class, with each share entitling the holder to one vote.
Competition
If we succeed in effecting the Business Combination with Schmid, there will be, in all likelihood, intense competition from competitors who are also engaged in the business of providing supplies to the high-tech electronic, photovoltaics, glass, and energy systems industries. We cannot assure you that, subsequent to the Business Combination, we will have the resources or ability to compete effectively.
Conflicts of Interest
All of our officers and certain of our directors have fiduciary and contractual duties to other entities, which may include StratCap and its affiliates. These entities may compete with us for acquisition opportunities. If these entities decide to pursue any such opportunity, we may be precluded from pursuing such opportunities. Subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law, none of the members of our management team who are also employed by StratCap or its affiliates have any obligation to present us with any opportunity for a potential business combination of which they become aware. StratCap and directors and officers are also not prohibited from sponsoring, investing or otherwise becoming involved with, any other blank check companies, including in connection with their initial business combinations, prior to us completing our initial business combination. Our management team, in their capacities as directors, officers or shareholders of our Sponsor or its affiliates or in their other endeavors, may choose to present potential business combinations to the related entities described above, current or future entities affiliated with or managed by StratCap, or third parties, before they present such opportunities to us, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law and any other applicable fiduciary duties. Our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us and we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the company and it is an opportunity that we are able to complete on a reasonable basis.
Members of our management team and our board directly or indirectly own our securities, 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.
Our directors and officers presently have, and any of them in the future may have, additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. Accordingly, if any of our directors or officers becomes aware of a business combination opportunity that is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may need to honor these fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors-Certain of our directors and officers are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.”
We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our directors or officers to other entities will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Indemnity
Our Sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party (other than our independent auditors) for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below (1) $10.10 per public share or (2) 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 the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. We have not independently verified whether our Sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy their indemnity obligations and believe that our Sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company and, therefore, our Sponsor may not be able to satisfy those obligations. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such obligations.
Human Capital
We currently have three officers and do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Members of our management team are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but they intend to devote as much of their time as they deem necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time that any such person will devote in any time period will vary based on the current stage of the business combination process.
Periodic Reporting and Financial Information
We have registered our units, our Class A ordinary shares and warrants under the Exchange Act and, as a result, 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 will contain financial statements audited and reported on by our independent registered public auditors.
We will provide shareholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of the proxy solicitation materials sent to shareholders to assist them in assessing the target business. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) or international financial reporting standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”), depending on the circumstances and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the “PCAOB”) standards. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such financial statements in time for us to disclose such financial statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. While this may limit the pool of potential business combination candidates, we do not believe that this limitation will be material.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our ordinary shares that is held by non-affiliates equaled or exceeded $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.00 billion in non-convertible debt securities 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 ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equaled or exceeded $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 ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equaled or exceeded $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter.
Corporate Information
We are a Cayman Islands exempted company incorporated on March 30, 2021. Exempted companies are Cayman Islands companies conducting business mainly outside the Cayman Islands and, as such, are exempted from complying with certain provisions of the Companies Act (2021 Revision) of the Cayman Islands as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Companies Act”). As an exempted company, we have applied for and have received a tax exemption undertaking from the Cayman Islands Government that, in accordance with the Tax Concessions Act (2018 Revision) of the Cayman Islands, for a period of 30 years from April 6, 2021, no law which is thereafter enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations shall apply to us or our operations and, in addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax shall be payable (1) on or in respect of our shares, debentures or other obligations or (2) by way of the withholding in whole or in part of any relevant payment as defined in the Tax Concessions Act (2018 Revision).
Additional Information
This Annual Report on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to reports filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, are filed with the SEC. We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and files or furnishes reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov.
Our website address is http://www.pegasusdigitalmobility.com. We make available free of charge on or through our website our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Item 1A.Risk Factors.
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Investors should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our financial statements and related notes. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and an investor could lose all or part of its investment. Additional risk factors not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business or results of operations.
Risks Relating to Our Identification of a Business Combination Target and Consummation of a Business Combination Transaction
If we have not completed our initial business combination within the allotted time period, our public shareholders may be forced to wait beyond such allotted time period before redemption from our trust account.
If we have not completed our initial business combination by April 30, 2024 or during any Extension Period, if applicable, we will distribute the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses and which interest shall be net of taxes payable), pro rata to our public shareholders by way of redemption and cease all operations except for the purposes of winding up of our affairs, as further described herein. Any redemption of public shareholders from the trust account shall be effected automatically by function of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior to any voluntary winding up. If we are required to windup, liquidate the trust account and distribute such amount therein, pro rata, to our public shareholders, as part of any liquidation process, such winding up, liquidation and distribution must comply with the applicable provisions of the Companies Act. In that case, investors may be forced to wait beyond the allotted time period before the redemption proceeds of our trust account become available to them and they receive the return of their pro rata portion of the proceeds from our trust account. We have no obligation to return funds to investors prior to the date of our redemption or liquidation unless, prior thereto, we consummate our initial business combination or amend certain provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and then only in cases where investors have properly sought to redeem their Class A ordinary shares. Only upon our redemption or any liquidation will public shareholders be entitled to distributions if we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period and do not amend certain provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior thereto.
We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate, in which case our public shareholders may receive only $10.10 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants will expire worthless.
Our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that we must complete our initial business combination by April 30, 2024 or during any Extension Period. We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within such time period or during any Extension Period. Our ability to complete our initial business combination may be negatively impacted by general market conditions, inflation, volatility in the capital and debt markets and the other risks described herein, including as a result of terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of infectious diseases.
If we have not completed our initial business combination within such time period or during any Extension Period, we will: (1) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (2) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than 10 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 (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses and which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any); and (3) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. In such case, our public shareholders may receive only $10.10 per share, or less than $10.10 per share, on the redemption of their shares, and our warrants will expire worthless. See “-If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.10 per share” and other risk factors herein.
In addition, investors may be forced to wait beyond the allotted time period before the redemption proceeds of our trust account become available to them and they receive the return of their pro rata portion of the proceeds from our trust account. We have no obligation to return funds to investors prior to the date of our redemption or liquidation unless, prior thereto, we consummate our initial business combination or amend certain provisions of our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and then only in cases where investors have properly sought to redeem their Class A ordinary shares. Only upon our redemption or any liquidation will public shareholders be entitled to distributions if we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period and do not amend certain provisions of our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior thereto.
Our initial shareholders, directors and officers have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, and the anchor investors have agreed to vote any founder shares held by them in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote.
Unlike some other blank check companies in which the initial shareholders agree to vote their founder shares in accordance with the majority of the votes cast by the public shareholders in connection with an initial business combination, our initial shareholders, directors and officers have agreed (and their permitted transferees will agree), pursuant to the terms of a letter agreement entered into with us, to vote their founder shares and any public shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination. Each of our anchor investors have also agreed to vote any founder shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination. We expect that our initial shareholders and the anchor investors and their permitted transferees will own at least 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares at the time of any such shareholder vote. Accordingly, it is more likely that the necessary shareholder approval will be received than would be the case if such persons agreed to vote their founder shares in accordance with the majority of the votes cast by our public shareholders.
If we determine to change our acquisition criteria or guidelines, many of the disclosures contained in this Form 10 - K would not be applicable and you would be investing in the Company without any basis on which to evaluate the potential target business we may acquire.
We could seek to deviate from the acquisition criteria or guidelines disclosed in this Annual Report although we have no current intention to do so. Accordingly, investors may be making an investment in the Company without any basis on which to evaluate the potential target business we may acquire. Regardless of whether or not we deviate from the acquisition criteria or guidelines in connection with any proposed business combination, investors will always be given the opportunity to redeem their shares in connection with any proposed business combination as described in this Annual Report.
Our officers and directors may not have significant experience or knowledge regarding the jurisdiction or industry of the target business we may seek to acquire.
We may consummate a business combination with a target business in any geographic location or industry we choose. We cannot assure you that our officers and directors will have enough experience or have sufficient knowledge relating to the jurisdiction of the target or its industry to make an informed decision regarding a business combination.
Our officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This could have a negative impact on our ability to consummate a business combination.
Our officers and directors will not commit their full time to our affairs. We presently expect each of our officers and directors to devote such amount of time as they reasonably believe is necessary to our business thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the consummation of our initial business combination. The foregoing could have a negative impact on our ability to consummate our initial business combination.
We anticipate that we will only be able to complete one business combination, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business.
We anticipate that we will consummate a business combination with a single target business. By consummating a business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous risks from economic, competitive and regulatory developments. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
● solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, or
● dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services.
This lack of diversification may subject us to risks from numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to a business combination.
Changes to laws or regulations or in how such laws or regulations are interpreted or applied, or a failure to comply with any laws, regulations, interpretations or applications, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination.
We are subject to the laws and regulations, and interpretations and applications of such laws and regulations, of national, regional, state and local governments and, potentially, non-U.S. jurisdictions. In particular, we are required to comply with certain SEC and potentially other legal and regulatory requirements, and our consummation of an initial business combination may be contingent upon our ability to comply with certain laws, regulations, interpretations and applications and any post-business combination company may be subject to additional laws, regulations, interpretations and applications. Compliance with, and monitoring of, the foregoing may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time, and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete an initial business combination. A failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete an initial business combination. The SEC has, in the past year, adopted certain rules and may, in the future adopt other rules, which may have a material effect on our activities and on our ability to consummate an initial business combination, including the SPAC Rule Proposal described below.
The SEC has issued proposed rules to regulate special purpose acquisition companies (“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 a business combination.
On March 30, 2022, the SEC issued proposed rules (the “SPAC Rule Proposal”), which included proposals relating to, among other items, disclosures in business combination transactions between SPACs such as us and private operating companies; the condensed financial statement requirements applicable to transactions involving shell companies; the use of projections by SPACs in SEC filings in connection with proposed business combination transactions; the potential liability of certain participants in proposed business combination transactions; and the extent to which SPACs could become subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), including a proposed rule that would provide SPACs a safe harbor from treatment as an investment company if they satisfy certain conditions that limit a SPAC’s duration, asset composition, business purpose and activities.
Taking into account the proposed safe harbor rule, on October 12, 2023, we gave instructions to liquidate the assets held in trust, two money market funds comprised substantially of U.S. Treasury instruments, and reinvest the full proceeds into an interest-bearing direct deposit account with our custodian bank. The transfer was completed on October 16, 2023. The transfer was made ahead of the 24-month anniversary of the Company’s initial public offering. As of October 16, 2023, $54,771,964 remained in the trust account and were held in an interest-bearing direct deposit account with our custodian bank. As a result, the interest earned from the reinvested assets held in trust may be lower than if we had not made the decision to liquidate the assets and reinvest the proceeds in a direct deposit account. Based on information received from the Company’s custodian bank, the assets held in trust are yielding interest marginally below U.S. Treasury rates as of the end of October 2023.
Certain additional procedures that we, our business combination target, or others may determine to undertake in connection with the SPAC Rule Proposal, or pursuant to the SEC’s views expressed in the SPAC Rule Proposal, may increase the costs and the time required to consummate a business combination, and may constrain the circumstances under which we could complete a business combination.
The need for compliance with the SPAC Rule Proposal may cause us to liquidate the funds in the trust account or liquidate the Company at an earlier time than we might otherwise choose. Were we to liquidate, our warrants would expire worthless, and our securityholders would lose the investment opportunity associated with an investment in the combined company following a business combination, including potential price appreciation of our securities.
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
At the time we enter into an agreement for our initial business combination, we will not know how many shareholders may exercise their redemption rights and, therefore, we will need to structure the transaction based on our expectations as to the number of shares that will be submitted for redemption. If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, we will need to reserve a portion of the cash in the trust account to meet such requirements, or arrange for third-party financing. In addition, if a larger number of shares is submitted for redemption than we initially expected, we may need to restructure the transaction to reserve a greater portion of the cash in the trust account or arrange for third-party financing. Raising additional third-party financing may involve dilutive equity issuances or the incurrence of indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. Furthermore, this dilution would increase to the extent that the anti-dilution provision of the Class B ordinary shares results in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure.
In connection with any vote to approve a business combination, we will offer each public shareholder the option to vote in favor of a proposed business combination and still seek redemption of his, her or its shares. We may also require shareholders who wish to redeem their shares in connection with a proposed business combination to comply with specific requirements for redemption that may make it more difficult for them to exercise their redemption rights prior to the deadline for exercising their rights.
In connection with any shareholder meeting called to approve a proposed initial business combination, each public shareholder will have the right, regardless of whether it is voting for or against such proposed business combination or does not vote at all, to demand that we redeem his or her shares into a pro rata share of the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination. We may require public shareholders who wish to redeem their shares in connection with a proposed business combination to either (i) tender their certificates to our transfer agent or (ii) deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holders’ option, in each case prior to a date set forth in the proxy materials sent in connection with the proposal to approve the business combination. In order to obtain a physical stock certificate, a shareholder’s broker and/or clearing broker, DTC and our transfer agent will need to act to facilitate this request. It is our understanding that shareholders should generally allot at least two weeks to obtain physical certificates from the transfer agent. However, because we do not have any control over this process or over the brokers or DTC, it may take significantly longer than two weeks to obtain a physical stock certificate. While we have been advised that it takes a short time to deliver shares through the DWAC System, we cannot assure you of this fact. Accordingly, if it takes longer than we anticipate for shareholders to deliver their shares, shareholders who wish to redeem may be unable to meet the deadline for exercising their redemption rights and thus may be unable to redeem their shares.
If, in connection with any shareholder meeting called to approve a proposed business combination, we require public shareholders who wish to redeem their shares to comply with specific requirements for redemption, such redeeming shareholders may be unable to sell their securities when they wish to in the event that the proposed business combination is not approved.
If we require public shareholders who wish to redeem their shares to comply with specific requirements for redemption and such proposed business combination is not consummated, we will promptly return such certificates to the tendering public shareholders. Accordingly, investors who attempted to redeem their shares in such a circumstance will be unable to sell their securities after the failed acquisition until we have returned their securities to them. The market price for our shares may decline during this time and you may not be able to sell your securities when you wish to, even while other shareholders that did not seek redemption may be able to sell their securities.
The exercise by our board of directors of discretion in agreeing to changes or waivers in the terms of the business combination may result in a conflict of interest when determining whether such changes to the terms of the business combination or waivers of conditions are appropriate and in the best interests of our shareholders.
In the period leading up to the closing of the Business Combination, events may occur that, pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, would require us to agree to amend the Business Combination Agreement, to consent to certain actions taken by Schmid, or to waive rights that we are entitled to under the Business Combination Agreement. Such events could arise because of changes in the course of Schmid’s business, a request by Schmid to undertake actions that would otherwise be prohibited by the terms of the Business Combination Agreement, or the occurrence of other events that would have a material adverse effect on Schmid’s business and would entitle us to terminate the Business Combination Agreement. In any such circumstances, it would be at our discretion, acting through our board of directors, to grant its consent or waive those rights. The existence of the financial and personal interests of our officers and directors described in the preceding risk factors may result in a conflict of interest on the part of one or more of the directors between what they may believe is best for us and what we may believe is best for ourselves in determining whether or not to take the requested action.
Our current shareholders will experience immediate dilution as a consequence of the issuance of shares in TopCo as consideration in the Business Combination. Having a minority share position may reduce the influence that our public shareholders have on the management of TopCo following the Business Combination.
After the Business Combination, assuming low redemptions of shares in the Company for cash, our current public shareholders will own approximately 17.6% of TopCo, our Sponsor will own approximately 7.0% of TopCo, the shareholder, XJ Harbour JK Limited, will own approximately 3.5% of TopCo and the Schmid Shareholders will own approximately 71.9% of TopCo. The minority position of our former shareholders will give them limited influence over the management and operations of TopCo following the Business Combination.
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.
The market for directors’ and officers’ liability insurance for special purpose acquisition companies has changed. The premiums charged for such policies have generally increased and the terms of such policies have generally become less favorable. There can be no assurance that these trends will not continue.
The increased cost and decreased availability of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance has added increased transaction expenses to our proposed initial business combination. In order to obtain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance or modify its coverage as a result of becoming a public company, the post-business combination entity might need to incur greater expense, accept less favorable terms or both. However, any failure to obtain adequate directors’ and officers’ liability insurance could have an adverse impact on the post-business combination’s ability to attract and retain qualified officers and directors.
In addition, even after we were to complete an initial business combination, our directors and officers could still be subject to potential liability from claims arising from conduct alleged to have occurred prior to the initial business combination. As a result, in order to protect our directors and officers, we anticipate that the post-business combination entity will purchase additional insurance with respect to any such claims (“run-off insurance”). The need for run- off insurance will be an added expense for the post-business combination entity, and could interfere with or frustrate our ability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to our investors.
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.
In connection with our initial business combination, we may issue shares to investors in private placement transactions as part of certain non-redemption agreements that we enter. The purpose of such private placement transactions will be to allow new investors to join as shareholders of the Company prior to the Closing.
Subsequent to the Closing, TopCo may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment, or other charges that could materially adversely affect its financial condition, results of operations and stock price, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
We cannot assure you that the due diligence we conducted on Schmid revealed all material issues that may be present in Schmid, that it would uncover all material issues through customary due diligence, or that factors outside of our and Schmid’s control will not later arise. As a result, Schmid may be forced to later write down or write off assets, restructure its operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in losses. Unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analyses. Even though these charges may be noncash items and not have an immediate impact on the liquidity of Schmid, the incurrence of charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about Schmid or its securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause TopCo to be unable to obtain future financing on favorable terms, or at all.
The requirement that we complete an initial business combination within the prescribed period of time may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination.
We have until April 30, 2024 to complete an initial business combination (unless we seek to further extend the period of time to consummate a business combination, which would require “shareholder” approval to further amend our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association). Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning a business combination will be aware of this requirement. Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating a business combination, knowing that if we do not complete a business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete a business combination with any other target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the time limit referenced above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation.
Although we obtained a fairness opinion in connection with the proposed Business Combination with Schmid, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or from an independent accounting firm in connection with an alternate transaction, and consequently, public shareholders may have no assurance from an independent source that the price we are paying for the business in connection with an alternate business combination is fair to the Company from a financial point of view.
We obtained a fairness opinion in connection with the proposed Business Combination with Schmid, a copy of which is filed as an annex to the registration statement on Form filed by the Company with the SEC and declared effective on March 28, 2024. If we do not complete the Business Combination with Schmid and instead pursue an alternate target, then, unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity or our board of directors cannot independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or an independent accounting firm that the price we are paying for the business in connection with a business combination is fair to our Company from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our shareholders will be relying on the judgment of our board of directors, who will determine fair market value based on standards generally accepted by the financial community. Such standards used will be disclosed in our proxy materials related to our initial business combination.
Resources could be spent researching acquisitions that are not consummated, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business.
It is anticipated that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting, and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents, and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys and others. If a decision is made not to complete a specific business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, even if an agreement is reached relating to a specific target business, we may fail to consummate the business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our
control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.10 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.
If we effect a business combination with a company located outside of the United States, the laws applicable to such company will likely govern all of our material agreements and we may not be able to enforce our legal rights.
If we effect a business combination with a company located outside of the United States, the laws of the country in which such company operates will govern almost all of the material agreements relating to its operations. We cannot assure you that the target business will be able to enforce any of its material agreements or that remedies will be available in this new jurisdiction. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the United States. The inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss of business, business opportunities or capital. Additionally, if we acquire a company located outside of the United States, it is likely that substantially all of our assets would be located outside of the United States and some of our officers and directors might reside outside of the United States. As a result, it may not be possible for investors in the United States to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of United States courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties of our directors and officers under federal securities laws.
The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into a business combination with a target.
We may seek to enter into a business combination transaction agreement with a prospective target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights, we would not be able to meet such closing condition and, as a result, would not be able to proceed with the business combination. The amount of the deferred underwriting commissions payable to the underwriters will not be adjusted for any shares that are redeemed in connection with a business combination and such amount of deferred underwriting discount is not available for us to use as consideration in an initial business combination. If we are able to consummate an initial business combination, the per-share value of shares held by non-redeeming shareholders will reflect our obligation to pay the deferred underwriting commissions. Furthermore, in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of deferred underwriting commissions following such redemptions, or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement that may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of deferred underwriting commissions or such greater amount necessary to satisfy a closing condition as described above, we would not proceed with such redemption and the related business combination and may instead search for an alternate business combination. Prospective targets will be aware of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into a business combination transaction with us.
Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, a future, similar pandemic and other events and the status of debt and equity markets.
The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected, and other events (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases) could adversely affect economies and financial markets worldwide, business operations and the conduct of commerce generally. In addition, the business of any potential target business with which we consummate a business combination could be, or may already have been, materially and adversely affected by such events. Furthermore, we may be unable to complete a business combination if concerns relating to COVID-19 or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases restrict travel, limit the ability to have meetings with potential investors or limit the ability to conduct due diligence, or the target company’s personnel, vendors and services providers are unavailable to negotiate and consummate a transaction in a timely manner. The extent to which COVID-19 or a significant outbreak of another infectious disease impacts our search for a target company for our business combination or the completion of the Business Combination will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19 or other events (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases) continue for an extensive period of time, our ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected.
In addition, our ability to consummate a business combination may be dependent on the ability to raise equity and debt financing which may be impacted by COVID-19 and other events (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases), including as a result of increased market volatility and decreased market liquidity and third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all.
Legal proceedings in connection with a proposed business combination in the future, the outcomes of which are uncertain, could delay or prevent the completion of the business combination.
In connection with a proposed business combination, it is not uncommon for lawsuits to be filed against companies involved and/or their respective directors and officers alleging, among other things, that the proxy statement/prospectus contains false and misleading statements and/or omits material information concerning the business combination. It is possible that one or more legal actions may arise in connection with a proposed business combination we may undertake in the future and, if such actions do arise, they generally seek, among other things, injunctive relief and an award of attorneys’ fees and expenses. Defending such lawsuits could require us to incur significant costs and draw the attention of our management team away from a proposed business combination. Further, the defense or settlement of any lawsuit or claim that remains unresolved at the time a proposed business combination is consummated may adversely affect the combined company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Such legal proceedings could delay or prevent a proposed business combination from becoming effective within an agreed upon timeframe.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our Sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates may elect to purchase shares or warrants from public shareholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our securities.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our Sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates may purchase public shares or warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. Any such price per share may be different than the amount per share a public shareholder would receive if it elected to redeem its shares in connection with our initial business combination. Additionally, at any time at or prior to our initial business combination, subject to applicable securities laws (including with respect to material nonpublic information), our Sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates may enter into transactions with investors and others to provide them with incentives to acquire public shares, vote their public shares in favor of our initial business combination or not redeem their public shares. However, our Sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates are under no obligation or duty to do so and they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds in the trust account will be used to purchase public shares or public warrants in such transactions.
The purpose of such purchases of public shares could be to vote such shares in favor of our initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of our initial business combination or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target business 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. This may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. 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.
In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our securities and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, possibly making it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
If a shareholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed.
We will comply with the tender offer rules or proxy rules, as applicable, when conducting redemptions in connection with our initial business combination. Despite our compliance with these rules, if a shareholder fails to receive our tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, such shareholder may not become aware of the opportunity to redeem its shares. In addition, proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will describe the various procedures that must be complied with in order to validly tender or redeem public shares, which may include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself. For example, we may require our public shareholders 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 prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the initial vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically. In the event that a shareholder fails to comply with these or any other procedures, its shares may not be redeemed.
Public shareholders are not entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of many other blank check companies.
Since the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants are intended to be used to complete an initial business combination with a target business that has not been identified, we may be deemed to be a “blank check” company under the United States securities laws. However, because we had net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,000 upon the successful completion of the initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants and we have filed with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K, including an audited balance sheet demonstrating this fact, we are exempt from rules promulgated by the SEC to protect investors in blank check companies, such as Rule 419. Accordingly, investors are afforded the benefits or protections of those rules. Among other things, this means our units are tradable and we have a longer period of time to complete our initial business combination than do companies subject to Rule 419. Moreover, if the initial public offering were subject to Rule 419, that rule would prohibit the release of any interest earned on funds held in the trust account to us unless and until the funds in the trust account were released to us in connection with our completion of an initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if a public shareholder or a “group” of public shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares, a public shareholder will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares.
We intend to seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination with Schmid. If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such public shareholder or any other person with whom such public shareholder 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 the initial public offering without our prior consent, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares.” However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. A public shareholder’s inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce its influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and such public shareholder could suffer a material loss on its investment in us if such public shareholder sells Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, a public shareholder will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And as a result, such public shareholders will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell its stock in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
Because of our special purpose acquisition company structure and limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.10 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on our redemption of their shares, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We expect to encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including private investors (which may be individuals or investment partnerships), other blank check companies and other entities, domestic and international, competing for the types of businesses we intend to acquire. Many of these individuals and entities are well established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources or more local industry knowledge than we do and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there are numerous target businesses we could potentially acquire with the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses that are sizable will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, in the event we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we are obligated to pay cash for our Class A ordinary shares, it will potentially reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination. Additionally, potential target companies may be less inclined to consummate a transaction with us because definitive documentation for such transaction will preclude any recourse against the trust account, meaning that potential counterparties may determine that they do not have adequate contractual remedies in the event a transaction fails to close. Any of these obligations may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating a business combination. If we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.10 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. See “-If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.10 per share” and other risk factors herein.
If the funds not being held in the trust account are insufficient to allow us to operate until April 30, 2024, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination.
The funds available to us outside of the trust account may not be sufficient to allow us to operate until April 30, 2024 or through any Extension Period, assuming that our initial business combination is not completed during that time. Of the funds available to us, we could use a portion of the funds available to us to pay fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business. We could also use a portion of the funds as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision in letters of intent or merger agreements designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed initial business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into a letter of intent or other agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business and were subsequently required to forfeit such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise), we might not have sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conduct due diligence with respect to, a target business. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.10 per share on the liquidation of the trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.10 per share upon our liquidation.
If we are required to seek additional capital, we would need to borrow funds from the Sponsor, our management team or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. None of the Sponsor, members of our management team nor any of their affiliates is under any obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Any such advances would be repaid only from funds held outside the trust account or from funds released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than the Sponsor or an affiliate of the 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 the trust account. If we are unable to obtain these loans, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. Consequently, our public shareholders may only receive approximately $10.10 per share on our redemption of our public shares, and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.10 per share on the redemption of their shares.
If the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants not being held in the trust account are insufficient, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination and we may depend on loans from our Sponsor or management team to fund our search, to pay our taxes and to complete our initial business combination.
Of the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, only $341,872 (as of December 31, 2023) is available to us outside the trust account to fund our working capital requirements. If we are required to seek additional capital, we would need to borrow funds from our Sponsor, management team or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. Neither our Sponsor, members of our management team nor any of their respective affiliates is under any obligation to loan funds to, or otherwise invest in, us in such circumstances. Any such loans may be repaid only from funds held outside the trust account or from funds released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. If we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. In such case, our public shareholders may receive only $10.10 per share, or less in certain circumstances, and our warrants will expire worthless. See “-If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.10 per share” and other risk factors herein.
If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.10 per share.
Our placing of funds in the trust account may not protect those funds from third-party claims against us. Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than our independent auditors), prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, such parties may not execute such agreements, or even if they execute such agreements they may not be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account, including, but not limited to, fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver only 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 we are unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may be brought against us within the 10 years following redemption. Accordingly, the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders could be less than the $10.10 per public share initially held in the trust account, due to claims of such creditors.
Pursuant to the letter agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 to this Annual Report, our Sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party (other than our independent auditors) for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below (1) $10.10 per public share or (2) 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 the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. We have not 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. Our Sponsor may not have sufficient funds available to satisfy those obligations. We have not asked our Sponsor to reserve for such obligations, and therefore, no funds are currently set aside to cover any such obligations. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the trust account, the funds available for our initial business combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.10 per public share. In such event, we may not be able to complete our initial business combination, and a public shareholder would receive such lesser amount per public share in connection with any redemption of its public shares. None of our directors, officers or members of our Sponsor will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
Our directors may decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our Sponsor, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.10 per share and (ii) the actual amount per share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account if less than $10.10 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its 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 and subject to their fiduciary duties may choose not to do so in any particular instance 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. If our independent directors choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders may be reduced below $10.10 per share.
We may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our directors and officers.
We have agreed to indemnify our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law. However, our officers and directors have agreed to waive (and any other persons who may become an officer or director prior to the initial business combination will also be required to waive) any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account and not to seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever (except to the extent they are entitled to funds from the trust account due to their ownership of public shares). Accordingly, any indemnification provided will be able to be satisfied by us only if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination. Our obligation to indemnify our officers and directors may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
The securities in which we invest the proceeds held in the trust account could bear a negative rate of interest, which could reduce the interest income available for payment of taxes or reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.10 per share.
The net proceeds of our initial public offering and certain proceeds from the sale of the private placement warrants, in the amount of $50,081,776 (as of December 31, 2023), are held in an interest-bearing trust account. The proceeds held in the trust account may only be invested in direct U.S. government securities with a maturity of 185 days or less, or in certain money market funds which invest only in direct U.S. Treasury obligations. While short-term U.S. government treasury obligations currently yield a positive rate of interest, they have briefly yielded negative interest rates in recent years. Central banks in Europe and Japan pursued interest rates below zero in recent years, and the Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve has not ruled out the possibility that it may in the future adopt similar policies in the United States. In the event of very low or negative yields, the amount of interest income (which we may withdraw to pay income taxes, if any) would be reduced. In the event that we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders are entitled to receive their share of the proceeds held in the trust account, plus any interest income. If the balance of the trust account is reduced as a result of negative interest rates, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders may be reduced below $10.10 per share.
On March 30, 2022, the SPAC Rule Proposal included a proposed rule that would provide SPACs a safe harbor from treatment as an investment company under the Investment Company Act if they satisfy certain conditions that limit a SPAC’s duration, asset composition, business purpose and activities. Taking into account the proposed safe harbor rule, on October 12, 2023, we gave instructions to liquidate the assets held in trust, two money market funds comprised substantially of U.S. Treasury instruments, and reinvest the full proceeds into an interest-bearing direct deposit account with our custodian bank. The transfer was completed on October 16, 2023. The transfer was made ahead of the 24-month anniversary of the Company’s initial public offering. As of October 16, 2023, $54,771,964 remained in the trust account and were held in an interest-bearing direct deposit account with our custodian bank. As a result, the interest earned from the reinvested assets held in trust may be lower than if we had not made the decision to liquidate the assets and reinvest the proceeds in a direct deposit account. Based on information received from the Company’s custodian bank, the assets held in trust are yielding interest marginally below U.S. Treasury rates as of the end of October 2023.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a winding-up or bankruptcy petition or an involuntary winding-up or bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a bankruptcy court may seek to recover such proceeds, and the members of our board of directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors, thereby exposing the members of our board of directors and us to claims of punitive damages.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a winding-up or bankruptcy petition or an involuntary winding-up or bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or insolvency laws as a voidable performance or preference. As a result, a liquidator could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. In addition, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or having acted in bad faith by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a winding-up or bankruptcy petition or an involuntary winding-up or bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our shareholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a winding-up or bankruptcy petition or an involuntary winding-up or bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable insolvency law, and may be included in our liquidation estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any liquidation claims deplete the trust account, the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation would be reduced.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including:
● restrictions on the nature of our investments; and
● restrictions on the issuance of securities; each of which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including:
● registration as an investment company with the SEC;
● adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and
● reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations that
we are currently not subject to.
We do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act. The proceeds held in the trust account may be invested by the trustee only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. Treasuries and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. Because the investment of the proceeds will be restricted to these instruments, we believe we will meet the requirements for the exemption provided in Rule 3a-1 promulgated under the Investment Company Act. If we were deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act, compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expenses for which we have not allotted funds and may hinder our ability to complete a business combination. If we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.10 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.
Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.
We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we will be required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application, especially as applied to special purpose acquisition companies, may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.
Our shareholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their shares.
If we are forced to enter into an insolvent liquidation, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed as an unlawful payment if it was proved that immediately following the date on which the distribution was made, we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. As a result, a liquidator could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to us or our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, and thereby exposing themselves and our company to claims, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. There can be no assurance that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons. We and our directors and officers who knowingly and willfully authorized or permitted any distribution to be paid out of our share premium account while we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business would be guilty of an offence and may be liable for a fine of up to approximately $18,300 and to imprisonment for up to five years in the Cayman Islands.
If a warrant holder exercises its public warrants on a “cashless basis,” such holder will receive fewer Class A ordinary shares from such exercise than if such holder were to exercise such warrants for cash.
The Warrant Agreement provides that in the following circumstances holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants will not be permitted to do for cash and will, instead, be required to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act: (i) if the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act in accordance with the terms of the Warrant Agreement; and (ii) if we have so elected and the Class A ordinary shares is at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of “covered securities” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act. If a warrant holder exercises its public warrants on a cashless basis under the circumstances described in clauses (i) and (ii) in the preceding sentence, such holder would pay the warrant exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “fair market value” of our Class A ordinary shares (as defined in the next sentence) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” is the average reported closing price of the Class A ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of exercise is received by the warrant agent or on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants, as applicable. As a result, a warrant holder would receive fewer Class A ordinary shares from such exercise than if such holder were to exercise such warrants for cash.
For example, if the holder is exercising 875 public warrants at $11.50 per share through a cashless exercise when our Class A ordinary shares have a fair market value of $17.50 per share when there is no effective registration statement, then upon the cashless exercise, the holder will receive 300 shares Class A ordinary shares. The holder would have received 875 Class A ordinary shares if the exercise price was paid in cash. This will have the effect of reducing the potential “upside” of the holder’s investment in our Company because the warrant holder will hold a smaller number of Class A ordinary shares upon a cashless exercise of the warrants they hold.
The grant of registration rights to our initial shareholders and anchor investors and their permitted transferees may make it more difficult to complete our initial business combination, and the future exercise of such rights may adversely affect the market price of our Class A ordinary shares.
Pursuant to an agreement entered into in connection with our initial public offering, at or after the time of our initial business combination, our initial shareholders and anchor investors and their permitted transferees can demand that we register the resale of their founder shares after those shares convert to our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, our Sponsor and its permitted transferees can demand that we register the resale of the private placement warrants and the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants, and holders of warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans may demand that we register the resale of such warrants or the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of such warrants. We will bear the cost of registering these securities. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude. This is because the shareholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity following a business combination or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares that is expected when the ordinary shares owned by our initial shareholders and anchor investors or their permitted transferees, our private placement warrants or warrants issued in connection with working capital loans are registered for resale.
We may issue additional Class A ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares upon the conversion of the Class B ordinary shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.
Our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association authorize the issuance of up to 200,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, 20,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and 2,000,000 preference shares, par value $0.0001 per share. As of March 28, 2024, there were 156,500,000 and 14,375,000 authorized but unissued Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares, respectively, available for issuance, which amount takes into account shares reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding warrants but not upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares. Class B ordinary shares are convertible into Class A ordinary shares, initially at a one-for-one ratio but subject to adjustment as set forth herein. As of the date of this Annual Report, there were no preference shares issued and outstanding.
We may issue a substantial number of additional Class A ordinary shares, and may issue preference shares, in order to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares to redeem the warrants as described in the Description of Securities exhibit filed as Exhibit 4.5 to this Annual Report or upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. However, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide, among other things, that prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional shares that would entitle the holders thereof to (1) receive funds from the trust account or (2) vote as a class with our public shares on any initial business combination. The issuance of additional ordinary shares or preference shares:
● may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in our initial public offering, which dilution would increase if the anti-dilution provisions in the Class B ordinary shares resulted in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares;
● may subordinate the rights of holders of ordinary shares if preference shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our ordinary shares;
● could cause a change of control if a substantial number of our ordinary shares is issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present directors and officers;
● may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us;
● may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, ordinary shares and/or warrants; and
● may not result in adjustment to the exercise price of our warrants.
Unlike many other similarly structured blank check companies, our initial shareholders will receive additional Class A ordinary shares if we issue shares to consummate an initial business combination.
The founder shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination, or earlier at the option of the holders, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as described in Exhibit 4.1 to this Annual Report and provided in our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. In the case that additional Class A ordinary shares, or equity-linked securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Class A ordinary shares, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in the initial public offering related to the closing of the initial business combination, the ratio at which founder shares shall convert into Class A ordinary shares (subject to adjustment as described in Exhibit 4.1 to this Annual Report and provided in our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) so that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all founder shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of (i) the total number of all outstanding ordinary shares upon completion of the initial public offering, plus (ii) all Class A ordinary shares and equity-linked securities issued, or deemed issued in connection with the initial business combination (excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the business combination, and any private placement-equivalent warrants issued to the Sponsor or its affiliates upon conversion of loans made to us). This is different from most other similarly structured blank check companies in which the initial shareholder will only be issued an aggregate of 20% of the total number of shares to be outstanding prior to the initial business combination.
We may engage the underwriters or one of their affiliates to provide additional services to us after our initial public offering, which may include acting as financial advisor in connection with an initial business combination or as placement agent in connection with a related financing transaction. The underwriters are entitled to receive deferred commissions that will be released from the trust account only on a completion of an initial business combination. These financial incentives may cause the underwriters to have potential conflicts of interest in rendering any such additional services to us after our initial public offering, including, for example, in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.
We may engage the underwriters or one of their affiliates to provide additional services to us after our initial public offering, including, for example, identifying potential targets, providing financial advisory services, acting as a placement agent in a private offering or arranging debt financing. We may pay the underwriters or their affiliates fair and reasonable fees or other compensation that would be determined at that time in an arm’s length negotiation. The underwriters are entitled to receive deferred commissions that are conditioned on the completion of an initial business combination. The fact that the underwriters or their affiliates’ financial interests are tied to the consummation of a business combination transaction may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in providing any such additional services to us, including potential conflicts of interest in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.
We may engage in a business combination with one or more target businesses or assets that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our Sponsor, directors or officers which may raise potential conflicts of interest.
In light of the involvement of our Sponsor, directors and officers with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with our Sponsor, directors and officers. Certain of our directors and officers also serve as officers and board members for other entities, including those described under “Part III Item 10. Directors, Executive Officer and Corporate Governance,” entities may compete with us for business combination opportunities. Our Sponsor, directors and officers are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to complete our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no preliminary discussions concerning a business combination with any such entity or entities. The Sponsor, our officers and directors are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to complete our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no preliminary discussions concerning an initial business combination with any such entity or entities. Although we will not be specifically focusing on, or targeting, any transaction with any affiliated entities, we would pursue such a transaction if we determined that such affiliated entity met our criteria and guidelines for a business combination and such transaction was approved by a majority of our independent and disinterested directors. Despite our agreement that we, or a committee of independent and disinterested directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or another valuation or appraisal firm that regularly renders fairness opinions on the type of target business we are seeking to acquire, regarding the fairness to the Company from a financial point of view of a business combination with one or more businesses or assets affiliated with our Sponsor, directors or officers, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the business combination may not be as advantageous to our public shareholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest.
Since our initial shareholders will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.
On April 16, 2021, our Sponsor subscribed for an aggregate of 5,750,000 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.004 per share. Upon the closing of the initial public offering, the anchor investors purchased 1,375,000 founder shares from our Sponsor at their original purchase price of approximately $0.004 per share. On November 4, 2021, our Sponsor transferred an aggregate of 843,750 founder shares to each of Florian Wolf, Steve Norris, Jeff Foster and John Doherty, our independent directors, and Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE, F. Jeremey Mistry and Dr. Stefan Berger, our officers. Our initial shareholders collectively owned 20% of our issued and outstanding shares after our initial public offering. The founder shares will be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination.
In addition, our Sponsor has purchased an aggregate of 9,750,000 private placement warrants, each exercisable for one Class A ordinary share, for a purchase price of $9,750,000 in the aggregate, or $1.00 per private placement warrant, that will also be worthless if we do not complete a business combination. Each private placement warrant may be exercised for one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as provided herein.
The founder shares are identical to the Class A ordinary shares included in the units sold in our initial public offering except that: (1) prior to our initial business combination, only holders of the founder shares have the right to vote on the appointment of directors and holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason; (2) the founder shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions; (3) our initial shareholders, directors, officers and advisors have entered into a letter agreement with us pursuant to which they have agreed to waive: (i) their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and public shares held by them, as applicable, in connection with the completion of our initial business combination; (ii) their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and public shares held by them in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by April 30, 2024 or during any Extension Period or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares; and (iii) their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination by April 30, 2024 or during any Extension Period (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame); (4) each of our anchor investors has entered into an investment agreement with us pursuant to which they have agreed that any founder shares held by them are (i) not entitled to redemption rights in connection with the completion of our initial business combination or in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and (ii) not entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares the anchor investor holds in the event we fail to complete our initial business combination by April 30, 2024 or during any Extension Period; (5) the founder shares will automatically convert into our Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination, or earlier at the option of the holder, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment pursuant to certain anti-dilution rights, as described in more detail below; and (6) the founder shares are entitled to registration rights. If we submit our initial business combination to our shareholders for a vote, our initial shareholders have agreed (and their permitted transferees will agree), pursuant to the terms of a letter agreement entered into with us, to vote their founder shares and any public shares held by them purchased during or after our initial public offering in favor of our initial business combination. Each of our anchor investors has agreed to vote any founder shares they hold in favor of our initial business combination. While we do not expect our board of directors to approve any amendment to or waiver of the letter agreement or registration rights agreement prior to our initial business combination, it may be possible that our board of directors, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, chooses to approve one or more amendments to or waivers of such agreements in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination. Any such amendments or waivers would not require approval from our shareholders, may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible, and may have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in our securities.
The personal and financial interests of our Sponsor, directors and officers may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business combination, completing an initial business combination and influencing the operation of the business following the initial business combination. This risk may become more acute as April 30, 2024 nears, which is the deadline for the completion of our initial business combination.
Since the anchor investors acquired certain of our founder shares from our Sponsor, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular target business is appropriate for our initial business combination.
Pursuant to the investment agreements between us, the Sponsor and each of the anchor investors, the anchor investors purchased from our Sponsor 1,375,000 founder shares at their original purchase price of approximately $0.004 per share. Accordingly, the anchor investors will share in any appreciation in the value of the founder shares above that nominal value, provided that we successfully complete a business combination. The anchor investors paid a significantly lower effective price than the $10.00 per Class A ordinary share other public shareholders paid in the initial public offering due to the anchor investors also purchasing founder shares for $0.004 per share. As a result, the anchor investors may have an incentive to vote any public shares they own in favor of a business combination, and, if a business combination is approved, they may make a substantial profit on such interest, even if the market price of our securities declines in value below the price to the public in our initial public offering and the business combination is not profitable for other public shareholders. In addition, as discussed above, if the anchor investors retain a substantial portion of their interests in our public shares and if the anchor investors vote those public shares in favor of a business combination, we will receive sufficient votes to approve the business combination, regardless of how any other public shareholder votes their shares. Public shareholders should consider the anchor investors’ financial incentive to complete an initial business combination when evaluating whether to redeem their shares prior to or in connection with an initial business combination.
There can be no assurance as to the number of units, Class A ordinary shares or Class B ordinary shares the anchor investors will retain, if any, prior to or upon the consummation of our initial business combination, and our initial shareholders and anchor investors will control a substantial interest in us and thus may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.
There can be no assurance as to the number of units, Class A ordinary shares or Class B ordinary shares the anchor investors will retain, if any, prior to or upon the consummation of our initial business combination. In the event that the anchor investors purchase and hold all or a significant portion of the units for which they expressed an interest, these shareholders would have substantial control over us and be able to exercise significant influence over all matters requiring shareholder approval (although we have no knowledge of any affiliation or other agreement or arrangement, as to voting of our securities or otherwise, among any such persons). For example, in the event that the anchor investors purchased the full amount of units described in their respective expressions of interest, continue to hold such shares included in the units and vote such shares in favor of our initial business combination (although they are not contractually obligated to, their interest in our founder shares may provide an incentive for them to do so), we would not need any additional public shares included in the units sold in our initial public offering to be voted in favor of our initial business combination to have our initial business combination approved. This potential concentration of influence could be disadvantageous to other shareholders with interests different from those of our Sponsor and the anchor investors. In addition, this potential significant concentration of share ownership may adversely affect the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares because investors often perceive disadvantages in owning shares in companies with principal shareholders, which could make it more difficult to complete a business combination with targets that would prefer to enter into a transaction with a special purpose acquisition company with less concentrated ownership.
We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.
Although we have no commitments as of the date of this Annual Report to issue any notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur outstanding debt, we may choose to incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We have agreed that we will not incur any indebtedness unless we have obtained from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to the monies held in the trust account. As such, no issuance of debt will affect the per-share amount available for redemption from the trust account. Nevertheless, the incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including:
● default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations;
● acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant;
● our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt is payable on demand;
● our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt is outstanding;
● our inability to pay dividends on our ordinary shares;
● using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
● limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate;
● increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and
● limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt.
We may be able to complete only one business combination with the proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of products or services. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operations and profitability.
The net proceeds from our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants provided us with $227,250,000 that we may use to complete our initial business combination (which includes $2,441,250 of deferred underwriting commissions being held in the trust account, and excludes a total of $1,640,821 of offering costs, including directors and officers insurance premiums of $891,167).
We may effectuate our initial business combination with a single target business or multiple target businesses simultaneously or within a short period of time. However, we may not be able to effectuate our initial business combination with more than one target business because of various factors, including the existence of complex accounting issues and the requirement that we prepare and file pro forma financial statements with the SEC that present operating results and the financial condition of several target businesses as if they had been operated on a combined basis. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
● solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset; or
● dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services.
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.
We may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability.
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses that are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete our initial business combination. We do not, however, intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.
We may attempt to complete our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
In pursuing our acquisition strategy, we may seek to effectuate our initial business combination with a privately held company. Very little public information generally exists about private companies, and we could be required to make our decision on whether to pursue a potential initial business combination on the basis of limited information, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
We do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete a business combination with which a substantial majority of our shareholders do not agree.
Our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association do not provide a specified maximum redemption threshold, except that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions, or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement that may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. As a result, we may be able to complete our initial business combination even though a substantial majority of our public shareholders do not agree with the transaction and have redeemed their shares or, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, have entered into privately negotiated agreements to sell their shares to our Sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all public shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the business combination or redeem any public shares, and all public shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination.
In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the past, amended various provisions of their charters and modified governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. There can be no assurance that we will not seek to further amend our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support.
In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and modified governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. For example, blank check companies have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds and extended the time to consummate an initial business combination and, with respect to their warrants, amended their warrant agreements to require the warrants to be exchanged for cash and/or other securities. Amending our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association requires at least a special resolution of our shareholders as a matter of Cayman Islands law. A resolution is deemed to be a special resolution as a matter of Cayman Islands law where it has been approved by either (1) holders of not less than two-thirds (or any higher threshold specified in a company’s articles of association) of the votes which are cast by those of the company’s shareholders who, being so entitled, attend and vote in person or by proxy at a quorate general meeting of the relevant company for which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution has been given or (2) if so authorized by a company’s articles of association, by a unanimous written resolution of all of the company’s shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting of the relevant company. Our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that special resolutions must be approved either by shareholders holding a majority of not less than two-thirds of our issued and outstanding shares which, being so entitled, are voted thereon in person or by proxy at a quorate general meeting of the company (i.e., the lowest threshold permissible under Cayman Islands law) (other than amendments relating to provisions governing the appointment or removal of directors prior to our initial business combination, which require the approval of holders of at least 90% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares attending and voting at a quorate general meeting of the company), or by a unanimous written resolution of all of our shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting of the company. The Warrant Agreement provides that (a) the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder for the purpose of (i) curing any ambiguity or correct any mistake, including to conform the provisions of the Warrant Agreement to the description of the terms of the warrants and the Warrant Agreement set forth in in the prospectus for our initial public offering, or defective provision or (ii) adding or changing any provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the warrant agreement as the parties to the warrant agreement may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem to not adversely affect the rights of the registered holders of the warrants under the Warrant Agreement and (b) all other modifications or amendments require the vote or written consent of at least 65% of the then outstanding public warrants; provided that any amendment that solely affects the terms of the private placement warrants or any provision of the Warrant Agreement solely with respect to the private placement warrants will also require at least 65% of the then outstanding private placement warrants. There can be no assurance that we will not seek to further amend our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or governing instruments, including the Warrant Agreement, or extend the time to consummate an initial business combination in order to effectuate our initial business combination. To the extent any of such amendments would be deemed to fundamentally change the nature of any of the securities offered in our initial public offering, we would register, or seek an exemption from registration for, the affected securities.
Certain provisions of our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that relate to our pre-business combination activity (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account) may be amended with the approval of shareholders holding a majority of not less than two-thirds of our issued and outstanding shares which, being so entitled, are voted thereon in person or by proxy at a quorate general meeting of the company, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other blank check companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the trust agreement to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support.
Some other blank check companies have a provision in their charter that prohibits the amendment of certain of its provisions, including those which relate to a company’s pre-business combination activity, without approval by holders of a certain percentage of the company’s shares. In those companies, amendment of these provisions typically requires approval by holders holding between 90% and 100% of the company’s public shares. Our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that any of its provisions, including those related to pre-business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of private placement warrants into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances), may be amended if approved by shareholders holding a majority of not less than two-thirds of our issued and outstanding shares which, being so entitled, are voted thereon in person or by proxy at a quorate general meeting of the Company or a unanimous written resolution of all of our shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company, and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our ordinary shares (other than amendments relating to provisions governing the appointment or removal of directors prior to our initial business combination, which require the approval of holders of at least 90% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares attending and voting at a quorate general meeting of the Company or a unanimous written resolution of all of our shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting of the company). Our initial shareholders and anchor investors, who collectively beneficially owned 20% of our ordinary shares upon the closing of our initial public offering, may participate in any vote to amend our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which govern our pre-business combination behavior more easily than some other blank check companies, and this may increase our ability to complete our initial business combination with which public shareholders do not agree. In certain circumstances, our shareholders may pursue remedies against us for any breach of our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
Our initial shareholders will control the election of our board of directors until consummation of our initial business combination and will hold a substantial interest in us. As a result, they will appoint all of our directors prior to our initial business combination and may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.
Upon the closing of our initial public offering, our initial shareholders owned 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares. Our Sponsor also has the ability to extend the time we will have to consummate an initial business combination by up to an additional six months. In addition, prior to our initial business combination, holders of the founder shares have the right to appoint all of our directors and may remove members of the board of directors for any reason. Holders of our public shares have no right to vote on the appointment or removal of directors during such time. These provisions of our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by holders of at least 90% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares attending and voting at a quorate general meeting of the Company or a unanimous written resolution of all of our shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company. As a result, you will not have any influence over the appointment of directors prior to our initial business combination.
Neither our initial shareholders nor, to our knowledge, any of our directors or officers, have any current intention to purchase additional securities. Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, as a result of their substantial ownership in the Company, our initial shareholders may exert a substantial influence on other actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approval of major corporate transactions. If our initial shareholders purchase any Class A ordinary shares in the aftermarket or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase their influence over these actions. Accordingly, our initial shareholders will exert significant influence over actions requiring a shareholder vote at least until the completion of our initial business combination.
Because we must furnish our shareholders with target business financial statements, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial business combination with some prospective target businesses.
The federal proxy rules require that a proxy statement with respect to a vote on a business combination meeting certain financial significance tests include historical and/or pro forma financial statement disclosure in periodic reports. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to U.S. GAAP or IFRS depending on the circumstances and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such financial statements in time for us to disclose such financial statements in accordance with federal proxy or tender offer rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame.
Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate our initial business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an acquisition.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. 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 comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company, we will not be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. The fact that we are a blank check company makes compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act particularly burdensome on us as compared to other public companies because a target business with which we seek to complete our initial business combination may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of its internal controls. The development of the internal control of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition.
Risks Related to the Post-Business Combination Company
Subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to subsequently take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and the price of our securities, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business with which we combine, there can be no assurance that this diligence will identify all material issues that may be present with a particular target business that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write down or write off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining post-combination debt financing. Accordingly, any shareholder or warrant holder who chooses to remain a shareholder or warrant holder, respectively, following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders and warrant holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
Our management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination. We cannot provide assurance that, upon loss of control of a target business, new management will possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business.
We may structure our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will complete such business combination only if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business sufficient for us not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We will not consider any transaction that does not meet such criteria. Even if the post-transaction company owns 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to our initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in our initial business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new ordinary shares in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding capital stock, shares or other equity securities of a target, or issue a substantial number of new shares to third-parties in connection with financing our initial business combination. In this case, we would acquire a 100% interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new ordinary shares, our shareholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority shareholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger share of the company’s shares than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that our management will not be able to maintain our control of the target business.
We may have limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may affect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company.
When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business’s management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target’s management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, any shareholder or warrant holder who chooses to remain a shareholder or warrant holder, respectively, following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders and warrant holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
The directors and officers of an acquisition candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The departure of a business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business. The role of an acquisition candidate’s key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an acquisition candidate’s management team will remain associated with the acquisition candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an acquisition candidate will not wish to remain in place.
After our initial business combination, it is possible that a majority of our directors and officers will live outside the United States and all or substantially all of our assets will be located outside the United States; therefore investors may not be able to enforce federal securities laws or their other legal rights.
It is possible that after our initial business combination, a majority of our directors and officers will reside outside of the United States and all or substantially all of our assets will be located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult, or in some cases not possible, for investors in the United States to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon all of our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of United States courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties on our directors and officers under United States laws.
Risks Related to our Management Team
We are dependent upon our directors and officers and their departure could adversely affect our ability to operate.
We are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and in particular, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE, F. Jeremey Mistry, Dr. Stefan Berger, Patrick Miller, James Condon, Florian Wolf, Steve Norris, Jeff Foster and John Doherty. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our directors and officers, at least until we have completed our initial business combination. In addition, our directors and officers are not required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs and, accordingly, will have conflicts of interest in allocating their time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. Moreover, certain of our directors and officers have time and attention requirements for investment funds of which affiliates of our sponsor are the investment managers. We do not have an employment agreement with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our directors or officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or officers could have a detrimental effect on us.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be totally dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, some of whom may join us following our initial business combination. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel. The role of our key personnel in the target business, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of our key personnel may remain with the target business in senior management or advisory positions following our initial business combination, it is likely that some or all of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we employ after our initial business combination, no assurance can be given that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct.
These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a company regulated by the SEC, which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements. In addition, our officers and directors of an initial business combination candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The departure of an initial business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business. The role of an initial business combination candidate’s key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements, as well as reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses, if any, with a target business in connection with a particular business combination. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation or reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses, if any, following our initial business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous.
Our key personnel may be able to remain with the company after the completion of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Additionally, they may negotiate reimbursement of any out-of-pocket expenses incurred on our behalf prior to the consummation of the initial business combination, should they choose to do so. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to us after the completion of our initial business combination, or as reimbursement for such out-of-pocket expenses. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law. However, we believe the ability of such individuals to remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination will not be the determining factor in our decision as to whether or not we will proceed with any potential business combination. There is no certainty, however, that any of our key personnel will remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination. No assurance can be given that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with us. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with us will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
Our directors and officers will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Our directors and officers are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our directors and officers is engaged in several other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation and our directors and officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. In particular, certain of our directors have fiduciary and contractual duties to StratCap and to its affiliates or to certain other entities, including companies in industries we may target for our initial business combination. Certain of our independent directors also serve as officers and/or board members for other entities. If our officers’ and directors’ other business affairs require them to devote substantial amounts of time to such affairs in excess of their current commitment levels, it could limit their ability to devote time to our affairs, which may have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination. For a complete discussion of our officers’ and directors’ other business affairs, please see “Part III Item 10. Directors, Executive Officer and Corporate Governance.”
Certain of our directors and officers are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Until we consummate our initial business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses or assets. Our sponsor and directors and officers are, or may in the future become, affiliated with entities that are engaged in a similar business. Our sponsor and directors and officers are also not prohibited from sponsoring, investing or otherwise becoming involved with, any other blank check companies, including in connection with their initial business combinations, prior to us completing our initial business combination. Moreover, certain of our directors and officers have time and attention requirements for investment funds of which affiliates of our sponsor are the investment managers.
Our directors and officers also may become aware of business opportunities that may be appropriate for presentation to us and the other entities to which they owe certain fiduciary or contractual duties. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to other entities prior to its presentation to us, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law. Our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us and we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the company and it is an opportunity that we are able to complete on a reasonable basis.
For a complete discussion of our officers’ and directors’ business affiliations and the potential conflicts of interest that you should be aware of, please see “Part III Item 10. Directors, Executive Officer and Corporate Governance - Conflicts of Interest.”
Our directors, officers, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests.
We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, officers, security holders or their respective affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In fact, we may enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or officers, although we do not intend to do so. Nor do we have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own account in business activities of the types conducted by us. Accordingly, such persons or entities may have a conflict between their interests and ours. In particular, affiliates of our sponsor have invested in industries as diverse as healthcare, education, financial services, artificial intelligence and social media. As a result, there may be substantial overlap between companies that would be a suitable business combination for us and companies that would make an attractive target for such other affiliates.
Risks Related to Our Securities
Public shareholders will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. To liquidate an investment, therefore, a public shareholder may be forced to sell its public shares and/or warrants, potentially at a loss.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earliest to occur of: (1) our completion of an initial business combination, and then only in connection with those Class A ordinary shares that such shareholder properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein; (2) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by April 30, 2024 or during any Extension Period, subject to applicable law. In no other circumstances will a shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. Holders of warrants will not have any right to the proceeds held in the trust account with respect to the warrants. Accordingly, to liquidate its investment, an investor may be forced to sell its public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.
The NYSE may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
Our units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants are listed on the NYSE. There can be no assurance that our securities will continue to be listed on the NYSE in the future or prior to our initial business combination. In order to continue listing our securities on the NYSE prior to our initial business combination, we must maintain certain financial, distribution and share price levels. Generally, we must maintain a minimum number of holders of our securities (generally 300 public shareholders). Additionally, in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to demonstrate compliance with the NYSE’s initial listing requirements, which are more rigorous than the NYSE’s continued listing requirements, in order to continue to maintain the listing of our securities on the NYSE. For instance, in order for our Class A ordinary shares to be listed upon the consummation of our initial business combination, at such time, our share price would generally be required to be at least $4.00 per share, our global market capitalization would be required to be at least $200,000,000, the aggregate market value of publicly-held shares would be required to be at least $100,000,000 and we would be required to have at least 400 round lot holders. There can be no assurance that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time.
If the NYSE delists any of our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our securities on another national securities exchange, we expect such securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
● a limited availability of market quotations for our securities;
● reduced liquidity for our securities;
● a determination that our Class A ordinary shares are a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A ordinary shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities;
● a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and
● a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because our units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants are listed on the NYSE, our units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants qualify as covered securities under such statute. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of covered securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. While we are not aware of a state having used these powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of securities issued by special purpose acquisition companies, certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if we were no longer listed on the NYSE, our securities would not qualify as covered securities under such statute and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities.
We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by the holders of at least 65% of the then outstanding public warrants.
Our warrants were issued in registered form under the Warrant Agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The Warrant Agreement provides that (a) the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder for the purpose of (i) curing any ambiguity or correct any mistake, including to conform the provisions of the Warrant Agreement to the description of the terms of the warrants and the Warrant Agreement set forth in the prospectus for our initial public offering, or defective provision or (ii) adding or changing any provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the warrant agreement as the parties to the warrant agreement may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem to not adversely affect the rights of the registered holders of the warrants and (b) all other modifications or amendments require the vote or written consent of at least 65% of the then outstanding public warrants and, solely with respect to any amendment to the terms of the private placement warrants or any provision of the Warrant Agreement with respect to the private placement warrants, at least 65% of the then outstanding private placement warrants. Accordingly, we may amend the terms of the public warrants in a manner adverse to a holder if holders of at least 65% of the then outstanding public warrants approve of such amendment. Although our ability to amend the terms of the public warrants with the consent of at least 65% of the then outstanding public warrants is unlimited, examples of such amendments could be amendments to, among other things, increase the exercise price of the warrants, shorten the exercise period or decrease the number of ordinary shares purchasable upon exercise of a warrant.
Our warrants are accounted for as derivative liabilities and will be 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 ordinary shares or may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination.
We issued 11,250,000 public warrants as part of the units offered in our initial public offering and, simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering (including the closing of the partial exercise of the Over-Allotment Option), we issued in a private placement, 9,750,000 private placement warrants. Both the warrants comprising the units offered in our initial public offering and the private placement warrants are accounted for as a warrant liability. At each reporting period (1) the accounting treatment of the warrants will be re-evaluated for proper accounting treatment as a liability or equity and (2) the fair value of the liability of the public and private warrants will be remeasured and the change in the fair value of the liability will be recorded as other income (expense) in our income statement. Changes in the inputs and assumptions for the valuation model we use to determine the fair value of such liability may have a material impact on the estimated fair value of the embedded derivative liability. The share price of our ordinary shares represents the primary underlying variable that impacts the value of the derivative instruments. Additional factors that impact the value of the derivative instruments include the volatility of our share price, discount rates and stated interest rates. As a result, our consolidated financial statements and results of operations will fluctuate quarterly, based on various factors, such as the share price of our ordinary shares, many of which are outside of our control. In addition, we may change the underlying assumptions used in our valuation model, which could in result in significant fluctuations in our results of operations. If our share price is volatile, we expect that we will recognize non-cash gains or losses on our warrants or any other similar derivative instruments each reporting period and that the amount of such gains or losses could be material. The impact of changes in fair value on earnings may have an adverse effect on the market price of our ordinary shares. In addition, potential targets may seek a SPAC that does not have warrants that are accounted for as a liability, which may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination with a target business.
A provision of our Warrant Agreement may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination.
Unlike some blank check companies, if
(i)
we issue additional ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per Class A ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to our sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any founder shares held by our sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”),
(ii)
the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the completion of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and
(iii)
the volume weighted average trading price of our Class A ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which we consummate our initial business combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share,
then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described in the Description of Securities exhibit filed as Exhibit 4.5 to this Annual Report will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $10.00 per share redemption trigger price described in the Description of Securities exhibit filed as Exhibit 4.5 to this Annual Report will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price. This may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination with a target business.
The exercise price for the public warrants is higher than in many similar blank check company offerings in the past, and, accordingly, the warrants are more likely to expire worthless.
The exercise price of the public warrants is higher than is typical in many similar blank check companies in the past. Historically, the exercise price of a warrant was generally a fraction of the purchase price of the units in the initial public offering. The exercise price for our public warrants is $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as provided herein. As a result, the warrants are more likely to expire worthless.
We may redeem unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to holders, thereby making the warrants worthless.
We have the ability to redeem the outstanding warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per warrant if, among other things, the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary shares for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which we send the notice of redemption to the warrant holders (the “Reference Value”) equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant as described in the Description of Securities exhibit filed as Exhibit 4.5 to this Annual Report). Please see “Redeemable Warrants-Public Shareholders’ Warrants-Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00.” in the Description of Securities exhibit filed as Exhibit 4.5 to this Annual Report. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws. As a result, we may redeem the warrants as set forth above even if the holders are otherwise unable to exercise the warrants. Redemption of the outstanding warrants could force a warrant holder (i) to exercise its warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so, (ii) to sell its warrants at the then-current market price when such warrant holder might otherwise wish to hold its warrants or (iii) to accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding warrants are called for redemption, is likely to be substantially less than the market value of the warrants. None of the private placement warrants will be redeemable by us (except as described in the Description of Securities exhibit filed as Exhibit 4.5 to this Annual Report) so long as they are held by our Sponsor or its permitted transferees.
In addition, we have the ability to redeem the outstanding warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.10 per warrant if, among other things, the Reference Value equals or exceeds $10.00 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant as described in the Description of Securities exhibit filed as Exhibit 4.5 to this Annual Report). In such a case, the holders will be able to exercise their warrants prior to redemption for a number of Class A ordinary shares determined based on the redemption date and the fair market value of our Class A ordinary shares. Please see the Description of Securities exhibit filed as Exhibit 4.5 to this Annual Report. The value received upon exercise of the warrants (1) may be less than the value the holders would have received if they had exercised their warrants at a later time where the underlying share price is higher and (2) may not compensate the holders for the value of the warrants, including because the number of ordinary shares received is capped at 0.361 Class A ordinary shares per warrant (subject to adjustment) irrespective of the remaining life of the warrants.
Holders of warrants will not be permitted to exercise warrants unless we register and qualify the underlying Class A ordinary shares or certain exemptions are available.
If the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of the warrants is not registered, qualified or exempt from registration or qualification under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, holders of warrants will not be entitled to exercise such warrants and such warrants may have no value and expire worthless. In such event, holders who acquired their warrants as part of a purchase of units will have paid the full unit purchase price solely for the Class A ordinary shares included in the units.
We have registered the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants in the registration statement in connection with our initial public offering because the warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, which may be within one year of our initial public offering. However, because the warrants will be exercisable until their expiration date of up to five years after the completion of our initial business combination, in order to comply with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act following the consummation of our initial business combination, we have agreed that, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days, after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement or a new registration statement with the SEC covering the registration under the Securities Act of the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and thereafter will use our commercially reasonable efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days following our initial business combination and to maintain a current prospectus relating to the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. There can be no assurance that we will be able to do so if, for example, any facts or events arise which represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement or prospectus, the financial statements contained or incorporated by reference therein are not current or correct or the SEC issues a stop order.
If the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act, under the terms of the warrant agreement, holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants will not be permitted to do so for cash and, instead, will be required to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption.
In no event will warrants be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, and we will not be obligated to issue any shares to holders seeking to exercise their warrants, unless the issuance of the shares upon such exercise is registered or qualified under the securities laws of the state of the exercising holder, or an exemption from registration or qualification is available.
If our Class A ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of “covered securities” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, not permit holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants to do so for cash and, instead, require them to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act; in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement or register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws, and in the event we do not so elect, we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws to the extent an exemption is not available.
In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant, or issue securities (other than upon a cashless exercise as described above) or other compensation in exchange for the warrants in the event that we are unable to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws.
Our warrants and founder shares may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.
We have issued warrants to purchase 11,250,000 Class A ordinary shares, at a price of $11.50 per whole share (subject to adjustment as provided herein), as part of the units offered in our initial public offering and, simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering (including the closing of the partial exercise of the Over-Allotment Option), we have issued in a private placement an aggregate of 9,750,000 private placement warrants, each exercisable to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as provided herein. Our initial shareholders and anchor investors currently hold 5,625,000 Class B ordinary shares. The Class B ordinary shares are convertible into Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as set forth herein. In addition, if our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our directors and officers make any working capital loans, up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be converted into warrants, at the price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. Such warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants. To the extent we issue Class A ordinary shares to effectuate a business combination, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of these warrants or conversion rights could make us a less attractive acquisition vehicle to a target business. Any such issuance will increase the number of issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares and reduce the value of the Class A ordinary shares issued to complete the business combination. Therefore, our warrants and founder shares may make it more difficult to effectuate a business combination or increase the cost of acquiring the target business.
The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold as part of the units in our initial public offering except that, so long as they are held by our sponsor or its permitted transferees: (1) they will not be redeemable by us (except as described in the Description of Securities exhibit filed as Exhibit 4.5 to this Annual Report); (2) they (including the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of these warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by our sponsor until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination; (3) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis; and (4) they (including the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of these warrants) are entitled to registration rights.
Because each unit contains one-half of one redeemable warrant and only a whole warrant may be exercised, the units may be worth less than units of other blank check companies.
Each unit contains one-half of one redeemable warrant. Pursuant to the Warrant Agreement, no fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units, and only whole warrants will trade. This is different from other offerings similar to ours whose units include one ordinary share and one whole warrant to purchase one share. We have established the components of the units in this way in order to reduce the dilutive effect of the warrants upon completion of a business combination since the warrants will be exercisable in the aggregate for half of the number of shares compared to units that each contain a whole warrant to purchase one whole share, thus making us, we believe, a more attractive business combination partner for target businesses. Nevertheless, this unit structure may cause our units to be worth less than if they included a warrant to purchase one whole share.
Our Warrant Agreement designates the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants, which could limit the ability of warrant holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company.
Our Warrant Agreement provides that, subject to applicable law, (i) any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the Warrant Agreement, including under the Securities Act, will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and (ii) that we irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be the exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. We will waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, these provisions of the Warrant Agreement do not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our warrants shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the forum provisions in our warrant agreement. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope of the forum provisions of the Warrant Agreement, is filed in a court other than a court of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (a “foreign action”) in the name of any holder of our warrants, such holder shall be deemed to have consented to: (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in the State of New York in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the forum provisions (an “enforcement action”), and (y) having service of process made upon such warrant holder in any such enforcement action by service upon such warrant holder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such warrant holder.
This choice-of-forum provision may limit a warrant holder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with our company, which may discourage such lawsuits. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision of our Warrant Agreement inapplicable or unenforceable with respect to one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and result in a diversion of the time and resources of our management and board of directors.
Because we are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, public shareholders may face difficulties in protecting their interests, and public shareholders ability to protect their rights through the U.S. Federal courts may be limited.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon our directors or officers, or enforce judgments obtained in the United States courts against our directors or officers.
Our corporate affairs will be governed by our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act (as the same may be supplemented or amended from time to time) and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from English common law, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are different from what they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States, and certain states, such as Delaware, may have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholders derivative action in a Federal court of the United States.
We have been advised by Appleby, our Cayman Islands legal counsel, that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (1) to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state; and (2) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. Although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum, and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by management, members of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a United States company.
We identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting and may identify additional material weaknesses in the future, or fail to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, which may result in material misstatements of our financial statements or cause us to fail to meet our periodic reporting obligations.
In connection with the audit of our financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023, we identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting related to the incorrect presentation of net income (loss) per ordinary share within our financial statements. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Management, with oversight from the board of directors and the audit committee of the board of directors has implemented a remediation plan for this material weakness, including, among other things, additional post-closing review procedures including a review of the weighted average share outstanding and net income (loss) per ordinary shares calculation. We cannot be certain as to the timing of completion of our evaluation, testing, and remediation actions or their effect on our operations.
General Risk Factors
We are a recently formed company with limited operating history and limited revenues, and a public shareholder has no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
We are a recently formed company with a limited history of operating results. Because we have a limited operating history, public shareholders have a limited basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination with one or more target businesses. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning an initial business combination and may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we fail to complete our initial business combination, we will never generate any operating revenues.
Past performance by our management team and their respective affiliates may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in the Company.
Information regarding performance by our management team and their respective affiliates, including StratCap, is presented for informational purposes only. Past performance by our management team and their respective affiliates is not a guarantee either (1) that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or (2) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate. Public shareholders should not rely on the historical record of our management team or their respective affiliates, or any related investment’s performance as indicative of our future performance of an investment in the company or the returns the company will, or is likely to, generate going forward. Further, our management team, directors and advisors, and their respective affiliates have had limited past experience with blank check and SPACs.
As the number of SPACs increases, there may be more competition to find an attractive target for an initial business combination. This could increase the costs associated with completing our initial business combination and may result in our inability to find a suitable target for our initial business combination.
In recent years, the number of SPACs that have been formed has increased substantially. Many potential targets for SPACs have already entered into an initial business combination, and there are still many SPACs seeking targets for their initial business combination, as well as many such companies currently in registration. As a result, at times, fewer attractive targets may be available, and it may require more time, more effort and more resources to identify a suitable target and to consummate an initial business combination.
In addition, because there are more SPACs seeking to enter into an initial business combination with available targets, the competition for available targets with attractive fundamentals or business models may increase, which could cause target companies to demand improved financial terms. Attractive deals could also become scarcer for other reasons, such as economic or industry sector downturns, geopolitical tensions including between the U.S. and China, Russia and Ukraine, and related to the conflicts in the Middle East between Hamas and Israel or increases in the cost of additional capital needed to close business combinations or operate targets post-business combination. This could increase the cost of, delay or otherwise complicate or frustrate our ability to find and consummate an initial business combination, and may result in our inability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to our investors altogether.
Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.
We depend on digital technologies, including information systems, infrastructure and cloud applications and services, including those of third parties with which we may deal. Sophisticated and deliberate attacks on, or security breaches in, our systems or infrastructure, or the systems or infrastructure of third parties or the cloud, could lead to corruption or misappropriation of our assets, proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data. With the rise in artificial intelligence (“AI”), cyber incidents using AI may increase in frequency and become more effective. As an early stage company without significant investments in data security protection, we may not be sufficiently protected against such occurrences. We may not have sufficient resources to adequately protect against, or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to, cyber incidents. It is possible that any of these occurrences, or a combination of them, could have adverse consequences on our business and lead to financial loss.
We are an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies or smaller reporting companies, this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies.
We are an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As a result, our shareholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equaled or exceeded $700 million as of the end of any second quarter of a fiscal year, in which case we would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the end of such fiscal year. We cannot predict whether investors will find our securities less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result of our reliance on these exemptions, the trading prices of our securities may be lower than they otherwise would be, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the trading prices of our securities may be more volatile.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equaled or exceeded $250 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter, and (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equaled or exceeded $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter. To the extent we take advantage of such reduced disclosure obligations, it may also make comparison of our financial statements with other public companies difficult or impossible.
Provisions in our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our Class A ordinary shares and could entrench management.
Our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that shareholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions include two-year director terms and the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preference shares, which may make more difficult the removal of management and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.
Since only holders of our founder shares have the right to vote on the election of directors, the NYSE may consider us to be a ‘controlled company’ within the meaning of the NYSE rules and, as a result, we may qualify for exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements.
Only holders of our founder shares have the right to vote on the election of directors. As a result, the NYSE may consider us to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NYSE corporate governance standards. Under the NYSE corporate governance standards, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a “controlled company” and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including the requirements that:
● we have a board that includes a majority of ‘independent directors,’ as defined under the rules of the NYSE;
● we have a compensation committee of our board that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities; and
● we have a nominating and corporate governance committee of our board that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities.
We do not intend to utilize these exemptions and intend to comply with the corporate governance requirements of the NYSE, subject to applicable phase-in rules. However, if we determine in the future to utilize some or all of these exemptions, public shareholders will not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the NYSE corporate governance requirements.
If our management team pursues a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we may face additional burdens in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing such combination, and if we effect such initial business combination, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.
If our management team pursues a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we would be subject to risks associated with cross-border business combinations, including in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing our initial business combination, conducting due diligence in a foreign market, having such transaction approved by any local governments, regulators or agencies and changes in the purchase price based on fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
If we effect our initial business combination with such a company, we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in an international setting (including how relevant governments respond to such factors), including any of the following:
● costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations and complying with commercial and legal requirements of overseas markets;
● rules and regulations regarding currency redemption;
● complex corporate withholding taxes on individuals;
● laws governing the manner in which future business combinations may be effected;
● tariffs and trade barriers;
● regulations related to customs and import/export matters;
● longer payment cycles;
● tax consequences, such as tax law changes, including termination or reduction of tax and other incentives that the applicable government provides to domestic companies, and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States;
● currency fluctuations and exchange controls, including devaluations and other exchange rate movements;
● rates of inflation, price instability and interest rate fluctuations;
● liquidity of domestic capital and lending markets;
● challenges in collecting accounts receivable;
● cultural and language differences;
● employment regulations;
● energy shortages;
● crime, strikes, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, wars and other forms of social instability;
● deterioration of political relations with the United States;
● obligatory military service by personnel; and
● government appropriation of assets.
We are currently operating in a period of economic uncertainty and capital markets disruption, which has been significantly impacted by geopolitical instability due among other things to the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict. Our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected by any negative impact on the global economy and capital markets resulting from events outside our control.
The Israeli-Hamas conflict, Russian military actions and the resulting sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic or future pandemics of infectious diseases, supply chain disruptions and rising or stagnant inflation rates have adversely affected and could continue to adversely affect the global economy and financial markets and lead to instability and lack of liquidity in capital markets, potentially making it more difficult for us to obtain additional funds if needed.
Any of the above-mentioned factors could affect our business, prospects, financial condition, and operating results. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict, but could be substantial. We may not be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, we may be unable to complete such combination or, if we complete such combination, our operations might suffer, either of which may adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.
We may face risks related to companies in our target industries.
Business combinations with companies in the next-generation transportation sector industry entail special considerations and risks. If we are successful in completing a business combination with such a target business, we may be subject to, and possibly adversely affected by, the following risks:
● an inability to compete effectively in a highly competitive environment with many incumbents having substantially greater resources;
● an inability to manage rapid change, increasing consumer expectations and growth;
● an inability to build strong brand identity and improve customer satisfaction and loyalty;
● a reliance on proprietary technology to provide services and to manage our operations, and the failure of this technology to operate effectively, or our failure to use such technology effectively;
● delays in the design, production and launch of new vehicles;
● our inability to scale in a cost-effective manner;
● an inability to license or enforce intellectual property rights on which our business may depend;
● any significant disruption in our computer systems or those of third parties that we would utilize in our operations;
● an inability by us, or a refusal by third parties, to license content to us upon acceptable terms;
● potential liability for negligence, copyright, or trademark infringement or other claims based on the nature and content of products that we may sell;
● competition for the leisure and entertainment time and discretionary spending of subscribers or customers, which may intensify in part due to advances in technology and changes in consumer expectations and behavior;
● disruption or failure of our networks, systems or technology as a result of computer viruses, “cyber-attacks,” misappropriation of data or other malfeasance, as well as outages, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, accidental releases of information or similar events;
● an inability to obtain necessary hardware, software and operational support; and
● reliance on third-party vendors or service providers.
Any of the foregoing could have an adverse impact on our operations following a business combination. However, our efforts in identifying prospective target businesses will not be limited to the next-generation transportation sector. Accordingly, if we acquire a target business in another industry, these risks we will be subject to risks attendant with the specific industry in which we operate or target business which we acquire, which may or may not be different than those risks listed above.
We may not hold an annual general meeting until after the consummation of our initial business combination. Our public shareholders will not have the right to elect or remove directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination.
In accordance with the NYSE corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual general meeting until one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on the NYSE. There is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or general meetings to appoint directors. Until we hold an annual general meeting, public shareholders may not be afforded the opportunity to discuss company affairs with management. In addition, as holders of our Class A ordinary shares, our public shareholders will not have the right to vote on the appointment of directors prior to consummation of our initial business combination. In addition, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason.
We may be a passive foreign investment company (a “PFIC”), which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors.
If we are a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a beneficial owner of our ordinary shares or warrants who or that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or (iii) an estate or trust the income of which is includible in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if (A) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (B) it has in effect a valid election to be treated as a U.S. person (a “U.S. holder”), the U.S. Holder may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences and may be subject to additional reporting requirements. Our PFIC status for our current and subsequent taxable years may depend upon the status of an acquired company pursuant to a business combination and whether we qualify for the PFIC start-up exception. Depending on the particular circumstances, the application of the start-up exception may be subject to uncertainty, and there cannot be any assurance that we will qualify for the start-up exception. Accordingly, there can be no assurances with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any subsequent taxable year. Our actual PFIC status for any taxable year, however, will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year (and, in the case of the start-up exception, potentially not until after the two taxable years following our current taxable year). Moreover, if we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year, upon written request, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. Holder such information as the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) may require, including a PFIC Annual Information Statement, in order to enable the U.S. Holder to make and maintain a “qualified electing fund” election, but there can be no assurance that we will timely provide such required information, and such election would likely be unavailable with respect to our warrants in all cases.
Our initial business combination may involve a jurisdiction that could impose taxes on shareholders.
We may, subject to requisite shareholder approval by special resolution under the Companies Act, effect a business combination with a target company in another jurisdiction, reincorporate in the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located, or reincorporate in another jurisdiction. Such transactions may result in tax liability for a shareholder in the jurisdiction in which the shareholder is a tax resident (or in which its members are resident if it is a tax transparent entity), in which the target company is located, or in which we reincorporate. In the event of a reincorporation pursuant to our initial business combination, such tax liability may attach prior to any consummation of redemptions. We do not intend to make any cash distributions to shareholders to pay such taxes.
An investment in our units, ordinary shares or warrants may result in uncertain or adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences.
An investment in our units, Class A ordinary shares or warrants may result in uncertain U.S. federal income tax consequences. For instance, because there are no authorities that directly address instruments similar to the units issued in our initial public offering, the allocation an investor makes with respect to the purchase price of a unit between the Class A ordinary shares and the one-half of a warrant to purchase one Class A ordinary share included in each unit could be challenged by the IRS or courts. Furthermore, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of a cashless exercise of warrants included in the units we issued in our initial public offering are unclear under current law. Finally, it is unclear whether the redemption rights with respect to our ordinary shares suspend the running of a U.S. Holder’s holding period for purposes of determining whether any gain or loss realized by such holder on the sale or exchange of Class A ordinary shares is long-term capital gain or loss and for determining whether any dividend we pay would be considered “qualified dividends” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors with respect to these and other tax consequences when purchasing, holding or disposing of our securities.
We may reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination and such reincorporation may result in taxes imposed on shareholders.
We may, in connection with our initial business combination and subject to requisite shareholder approval under the Companies Act, reincorporate in the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located or in another jurisdiction. The transaction may require a shareholder or warrant holder to recognize taxable income in the jurisdiction in which the shareholder or warrant holder is a tax resident or in which its members are resident if it is a tax transparent entity. We do not intend to make any cash distributions to shareholders or warrant holders to pay such taxes. Shareholders or warrant holders may be subject to withholding taxes or other taxes with respect to their ownership of us after the reincorporation.

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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Item 1B.Unresolved Staff Comments.
None.

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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Item 2.Properties.
We currently maintain our executive offices at 660 Steamboat Road, 1st floor, Greenwich, CT 06830. The cost for this space is included in the $14,000 per month fee that we pay an affiliate of our sponsor for office space and administrative and support services. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.

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ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Item 3.Legal Proceedings.
There is no material litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding currently pending against us or any members of our management team in their capacity as such, and we and the members of our management team have not been subject to any such proceeding in the 12 months preceding the date of this Annual Report.

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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.
Market Information
Our units began trading on the NYSE under the symbol “PGSS.U” on October 26, 2021. On December 13, 2021, the Class A ordinary shares and warrants began trading on the NYSE under the symbols “PGSS” and “PGSS.WS,” respectively. Any units not separated continue to trade on the NYSE under the symbol “PGSS.U.” Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share. Warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of Class A ordinary shares and will become exercisable on the later of 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. Our warrants expire five years after the completion of our initial business combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
Holders
As of March 28, 2024, there was 1 holder of record of our units, 1 holder of record of our Class A ordinary shares and 1 holder of record of our public warrants, and there were 43 holders of record of our Class B ordinary shares and 8 holders of record of our private placement warrants. Because many of our securities are held by brokers and other institutions in street name on behalf of holders for whose benefit such securities are held, without obtaining a current list of nonobjecting beneficial owners, we are unable to estimate the total current number of beneficial holders represented by these record holders.
Dividend Policy
We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of 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 share 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.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities; Use of Proceeds from Registered Offerings
On April 16, 2021, the Sponsor paid $25,000 to cover certain offering and formation costs of the Company in consideration of 5,750,000 of the Company’s Class B ordinary shares. The Sponsor had agreed to forfeit up to 750,000 of the Class B ordinary shares to the extent the underwriter’s over-allotment option was not exercised in full so that the Class B ordinary shares will represent, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the initial public offering. On November 4, 2021, the underwriters partially exercised the over-allotment option; thus, 125,000 Class B ordinary shares were forfeited.
Simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering, certain anchor investors received 1,375,000 of the Company’s Class B ordinary shares from the Sponsor.
On November 4, 2021, the Sponsor transferred an aggregate of 843,750 of the Company’s Class B ordinary shares to Florian Wolf, Steve Norris, Jeff Foster and John Doherty, the Company’s independent directors, and Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE, F. Jeremey Mistry and Dr. Stefan Berger, the Company’s officers.
Simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering, the Company completed the private sale of 9,000,000 private placement warrants at a purchase price of $1.00 per private placement warrant, to the Sponsor, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $9,000,000. On November 8, 2021, simultaneously with the sale of the over-allotment units to the underwriters, the Company consummated the private sale of an additional 750,000 private placement warrants, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $750,000. These issuances were made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
Use of Proceeds
Transaction costs for the initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants amounted to $14,015,821, consisting of $4,500,000 of underwriting discounts, $2,441,250 of deferred underwriting commissions and $1,640,821 of other offering costs including directors and officers insurance premiums of $891,167. In addition, as of December 31, 2023, $341,872 of cash was held outside of the trust account and available for working capital purposes.
After deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions (excluding the deferred portion, which amount will be payable upon consummation of the initial business combination, if consummated) and the initial public offering expenses, a total of $227,250,000 of the net proceeds from the initial public offering and certain of the proceeds from the sale of private placement warrants (or $10.10 per unit sold in the initial public offering) was placed in the trust account. The net proceeds of the initial public offering and certain proceeds from the sale of the private placement warrants are held in the trust account and invested as described elsewhere in this Annual Report.
We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the trust account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the trust account not previously released to us (less taxes payable) to complete our initial business combination. We may withdraw interest to pay our income taxes. To the extent that our equity or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the trust account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions, and pursue our growth strategies.
We intend to use the funds held outside the trust account primarily to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants, or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, and structure, negotiate, and complete a business combination.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
None

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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Item 6.[Reserved]
Not applicable.

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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.
The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this Annual Report. Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated on March 30, 2021, as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses (a “business combination”). On May 31, 2023, we entered into a Business Combination Agreement (as it may be amended, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Business Combination Agreement”), by and among us, Gebr. SCHMID GmbH, a German limited liability company (“Schmid”), Pegasus Topco B.V., a Dutch private limited liability company and our wholly-owned subsidiary (“TopCo”) and Pegasus MergerSub Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company and wholly-owned subsidiary of TopCo (“MergerSub”). We intend to effectuate our Business Combination (as defined below) using cash from the new proceeds of our initial public offering (the “initial public offering”) and the private placement of the private placement warrants (as defined below), our shares, debt or a combination of cash, equity and debt.
Pursuant to our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, if we have not completed our initial business combination by April 30, 2024 (without further extensions, which would require shareholder vote), we will (1) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (2) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than 10 business days thereafter, redeem the Class A ordinary shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses and which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (3) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
As indicated in the financial statements, as of December 31, 2023, we had cash of $341,872. Further, we expect to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our initial business combination. We cannot assure you that our plans to complete our initial business combination will be successful.
Extensions of the Business Combination Deadline
On January 23, 2023, we issued a non-convertible unsecured promissory note (the “First Extension Note”) in the principal amount of $2,250,000 to the Pegasus Digital Mobility Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”). The Sponsor deposited the funds into the trust account. The First Extension Note was issued in connection with the decision by our board of directors to exercise the first extension option in accordance with the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and to extend the date by which we must consummate a Business Combination transaction from January 26, 2023 to April 26, 2023 (i.e., for a period of time ending 18 months after the consummation of the initial public offering) (the “First Extension Option”). The First Extension Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon our consummation of a business combination. If we do not consummate a business combination, the First Extension Note will not be repaid and all amounts owed under the First Extension Note will be forgiven except to the extent we have funds available to us outside of our trust account.
On March 15, 2023, we amended and restated certain provisions of the First Extension Note to align the terms of the First Extension Note with the March 2023 Promissory Note (as defined below).
On April 19, 2023, our shareholders approved of the adoption of the second amended and restated articles of association in the form proposed, to among other things (i) make certain updates to reflect the decision by the board of directors to exercise the First Extension Option pursuant to which the date by which we had to consummate an initial Business Combination was extended from January 26, 2023 to April 26, 2023 (i.e., for a period of time ending 18 months after the consummation of our initial public offering), (ii) amend the amount which the Sponsor is required to deposit in the trust account in order to exercise the second extension option to extend the date by which we have to consummate a business combination from April 26, 2023 to July 26, 2023 (the “Second Extension Option”) to $0.10 per Class A ordinary share then in issue (after giving effect to any redemptions of such shares which are tendered for redemption in connection with the results of our extraordinary general meeting held on April 19, 2023), (iii) insert a third extension option to enable the board of directors to extend the date by which we have to consummate a business combination from July 26, 2023 to December 31, 2023 (the “Third Extension Option”), and (iv) insert a voluntary redemption right in favor of the holders of our Class A ordinary shares then in issue enabling public shareholders to redeem such shares on July 26, 2023 for 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 not previously released to us to pay its taxes, divided by the number of Class A ordinary shares then in issue, if the board of directors elects to exercise the Third Extension Option.
On April 24, 2023, we issued a non-convertible unsecured promissory note (the “April 2023 Extension Note”) in the principal amount of $719,907 to the Sponsor. The Sponsor deposited the funds into the trust account on April 28, 2023. The April 2023 Extension Note was issued in connection with the board of director’s exercise of the Second Extension Option under the second amended and restated articles of association to extend the date by which we must consummate a business combination transaction from April 26, 2023 to July 26, 2023 (i.e., for a period of time ending 21 months after the consummation of the initial public offering). The April 2023 Extension Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon our consummation of a business combination. If we do not consummate a business combination, the April 2023 Extension Note will not be repaid and all amounts owed under the April 2023 Extension Note will be forgiven except to the extent that we have funds available to us outside of the trust account.
On July 14, 2023, our board of directors elected to exercise the Third Extension Option, extending the initial business combination deadline from July 26, 2023 to December 31, 2023.
Also on July 14, 2023, the Sponsor voluntarily committed to make a monthly contribution to the trust account commencing on August 1, 2023, and paid on the first day of each month thereafter until the earliest of (i) the date on which we consummate a business combination or (ii) December 31, 2023. Each monthly contribution shall be $150,097, representing $0.03 per Class A ordinary share then outstanding. The contribution amount is to be paid on a monthly basis after the issuance of the July 2023 Promissory Note (as defined below) in connection therewith.
On July 31, 2023, we issued a non-convertible unsecured promissory note (the “July 2023 Promissory Note”) in the principal amount of $750,483 to the Sponsor. The July 2023 Promissory Note was issued in connection with the expected monthly payments by the Sponsor into the trust account described above. The July 2023 Promissory Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon the earliest of December 31, 2023, the date on which we consummate our initial business combination, or within three (3) business days of our receipt of a break-free, termination fee or similar arrangement in connection with a potential business combination. If we do not consummate a business combination, the July 2023 Promissory Note will not be repaid and all amounts owed under the July 2023 Promissory Note will be forgiven except to the extent that we have funds available to us outside of the trust account.
On November 1, 2023, we issued a non-convertible unsecured promissory note (the “November 2023 Promissory Note”) in the principal amount of up to $1,000,000.00 to the Sponsor. The November 2023 Promissory Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon the earliest of April 30, 2024, the date on which we consummate a business combination, or within three (3) business days of the receipt by us of a break-fee, termination fee or similar arrangement in connection with a potential business combination. If we do not consummate a business combination, the November 2023 Promissory Note will not be repaid and all amounts owed under the November 2023 Promissory Note will be forgiven except to the extent that we have funds available to it outside of our trust account (as outlined in the November 2023 Promissory Note).
We also agreed to amend and restate certain provisions of a) the non-convertible unsecured promissory note in the principal amount of $2,250,000 it issued to the Sponsor on January 23, 2023, first amended and restated on March 15, 2023 (now as additionally amended and restated, the “January 2023 Promissory Note”), b) the non-convertible unsecured promissory note in the principal amount of $1,100,000 it issued to the Sponsor on March 15, 2023 (as amended and restated, the “March 2023 Promissory Note”), c) the non-convertible unsecured promissory note in the principal amount of $719,907.30 it issued to the Sponsor on April 24, 2023 (as amended and restated, the “April 2023 Promissory Note”), d) the non-convertible unsecured promissory note in the principal amount of $1,400,000 it issued to the Sponsor on May 31, 2023 (as amended and restated, the “May 2023 Promissory Note”), and e) the non-convertible unsecured promissory note in the principal amount of $750,482.70 it issued to the Sponsor on July 31, 2023 (as amended and restated, the “July 2023 Promissory Note”) (all together with the November 2023 Promissory Note, the “Promissory Notes”) in order to align the terms of the January 2023 Promissory Note, March 2023 Promissory Note, April 2023 Promissory Note, May 2023 Promissory Note, and July 2023 Promissory Note with those of the November 2023 Promissory Note.
On December 7, 2023, our shareholders approved the adoption of the third amended and restated articles of association in the form proposed, to among other things (i) remove references to term limits for directors, (ii) make certain updates to reflect the decision by the board of directors to exercise the second and third extension options pursuant to which the date by which we have to consummate its initial business combination was extended from April 26, 2023 to July 26, 2023 and then subsequently extended from July 26, 2023 to December 31, 2023 and (iii) insert a fourth extension option to enable the board of directors to extend the date by which we have to consummate a business combination from December 31, 2023 to April 30, 2024 (the “Fourth Extension Option”), subject to the Sponsor committing to deposit $0.03 per Class A ordinary share then in issue into the trust account on the first business day of each month starting on January 2, 2024 until the earliest of (a) the date on which we consummate an initial business combination or (b) April 30, 2024.
On December 29, 2023, our board of directors elected to exercise the Fourth Extension Option, extending the initial Business Combination deadline from December 31, 2023 to April 30, 2024.
Also on December 29, 2023, our Sponsor committed to deposit $135,000 into the trust account, representing $0.03 per Class A ordinary share then in issue, on the first business day of each month starting on January 2, 2024 until the earliest of (i) the date on which we consummate an initial business combination or (ii) April 30, 2024.
Pursuant to our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, if we have not completed our initial business combination by April 30, 2024, unless further extended pursuant to the third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, we will (1) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (2) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than 10 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 (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses and which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (3) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
Business Combination Agreement
On May 31, 2023, we entered into the Business Combination Agreement with Schmid, TopCo and Merger Sub. The Business Combination Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby (the “Transactions”) were approved by the boards of directors of each of the Company, TopCo and Merger Sub as well as by Anette Schmid and Christian Schmid, the shareholders of Schmid (each a “Schmid Shareholder” and, collectively, the “Schmid Shareholders”).
We will merge with and into Merger Sub in accordance with Part XVI of the Cayman Companies Act (the “Merger”), with Merger Sub as the surviving company in the Merger, and each issued and outstanding Eligible Pegasus Share (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) will be automatically cancelled and extinguished in exchange for the Merger Consideration as defined and detailed in the Business Combination Agreement (such issuance, together with the Merger, the “Business Combination”) and each warrant issued by us (the “Pegasus Warrant”) that is outstanding immediately prior to the time the Merger becomes effective (the “Effective Time”) will, immediately following the completion of the Business Combination, represent a warrant on the same contractual terms and conditions as were in effect with respect to such Pegasus Warrant immediately prior to the Effective Time under the terms of the warrant agreement, dated October 21, 2021, by and between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Warrant Agreement”), as applicable, that is exercisable for an equivalent number of ordinary shares in the share capital of TopCo (“TopCo Ordinary Shares”), in each case, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Business Combination Agreement. Immediately after giving effect to the Business Combination, the Schmid Shareholders shall contribute their shares of our stock to TopCo in return for such number of TopCo Ordinary Shares equal to the number of shares defined in the Business Combination (the “Exchange”). Immediately after giving effect to the Exchange, a notarial deed will be executed by a Dutch notary in order to change the legal form of TopCo from a private limited liability company to a public limited liability company and TopCo is currently intended to be renamed to “Schmid Group N.V.”
Our obligations and the obligations of TopCo, Schmid, and Merger Sub to consummate the Transactions are subject to the satisfaction or, if permitted by applicable law, waiver by the party for whose benefit such condition exists of various conditions, including: (a) no legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of the Transactions shall be in effect; (b) the Registration Statement/Proxy Statement (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) shall have become effective; (c) the Transaction Proposals (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) shall have been approved by our shareholders; (d) our shareholders shall have approved the execution of the Business Combination Agreement and execution of the transactions contemplated hereby and certain other matters related to the implementation of the Transactions and such approval shall continue to be in full force and effect; (e) after giving effect to the Transactions, TopCo shall have at least U.S.$5,000,001 of net tangible assets (as determined in accordance with Rule 3a51-1(g)(1) of the Exchange Act) immediately after the closing of the Transactions; and (f) TopCo shall receive a minimum of U.S.$35,000,000 in cash from the Transaction (from cash held in trust or private investments in public equity (such transaction, a “PIPE”)).
On September 26, 2023, we entered into that certain First Amendment to Business Combination Agreement (the “First Amendment”) with Schmid, TopCo and Merger Sub, pursuant to which the parties amended certain provisions and references within the Business Combination Agreement, to, among other things, reflect that: (i) prior to the Effective Time, the Schmid Shareholders will purchase the sole share in the capital of TopCo from the Company against payment of the nominal value of the sole share, being an amount of EUR 0.01 (the “Purchase”); (ii) the Exchange and the change in legal form of TopCo will be effective after the Purchase and prior to the Effective Time (rather than after the Effective Time); (iii) for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (A) the transfer of property by the Schmid Shareholders to TopCo in consideration for the issuance of TopCo Ordinary Shares, taken together with the Merger, will be treated as part of an integrated transaction that qualifies as a contribution pursuant to Section 351 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Department of Treasury, and (B) TopCo will generally be treated as a corporation under Section 367(a) of the Code with respect to each transfer of property thereto in connection with such transactions; and (iv) we will be designated the Surviving Company (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) rather than Merger Sub.
On January 29, 2024, the Company entered into a second amendment to the Business Combination Agreement (the “Second Amendment”), by and among the Company, Schmid, TopCo and Merger Sub, pursuant to which, among other things, the parties have agreed to (i) extend the timeline until April 30, 2024 when the Business Combination has to be completed, and (ii) reduce the number of shares that the shareholders of Schmid will receive in the Business Combination to 28,725,000 TopCo shares.
Concurrently with the execution of the Second Amendment, the Sponsor entered into an agreement with certain shareholders of Schmid pursuant to which the Sponsor committed to transfer 2,000,000 private warrants of the Company subject to the closing of the Business Combination.
Concurrently with the execution of the Second Amendment, the Company, the Sponsor, Schmid and certain individuals party thereto (comprising the officers and directors of the Company) (the “Insiders”) entered into a Private Warrants Undertaking Agreement, pursuant to which, among other things, the Sponsor and the Insiders agreed to (i) only exercise their private warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with the terms of the private warrants, (ii) in case the reference price of the TopCo shares subsequently to the Business Combination closing reach USD 18.00 to, on a “cashless basis”, exercise their warrants in accordance with terms of the private warrants unless such warrants have been previously redeemed or exercised (the “Private Warrants Undertaking Agreement”).
Concurrently with the execution of the Second Amendment, the Company, TopCo and certain shareholders of Schmid entered into an earn-out agreement pursuant to which (i) 2,500,000 TopCo shares will be issued to certain shareholder of Schmid (in equal parts) if the share price of TopCo following the completion of the Business Combination reaches USD 15.00 and (ii) 2,500,000 TopCo shares will be issued to certain shareholders of Schmid (in equal parts) if the share price of TopCo following the completion of the Business Combination reaches USD 18.00 (the “Earn-out Agreement”). The Earn-out Agreement expires after three (3) years from the date of the completion of the Business Combination.
The Company, Schmid and TopCo entered into a subscription agreement with XJ Harbour HK Limited (“XJ”) (the “XJ Subscription Agreement”) according to which XJ agreed to in stages transfer its 24.1% equity interest in Schmid Technology (Guangdong) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Schmid, to TopCo for consideration amounting to (i) 1,406,361 TopCo shares to be allotted to XJ at the time of the completion of the Business Combination, (ii) a EUR 10 million payment to XJ from TopCo at the completion of the Business Combination, (iii) a EUR 5 million payment to XJ from TopCo within 270 days from the day of the completion of the Business Combination and (iv) a EUR 15 million payment (plus an interest in respect thereof at an annual rate of 6% from the completion of the Business Combination to the date of payment) to XJ from TopCo within 455 days from the day of the completion of the Business Combination.
On March 28, 2024, the Registration Statement on Form, initially filed by the Company with the SEC in connection with the Business Combination, was declared effective.
For further information regarding the Business Combination Agreement, see “Part I. Item 1 - Business.”
Results of Operations
As of December 31, 2023, we had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from March 30, 2021 (Inception) through December 31, 2023 relates to our formation and initial public offering, and, since the completion of the initial public offering, our search for a target business and consummation of a business combination. We will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of a business combination, at the earliest. We will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the initial public offering and placed in the trust account. We expect 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.
We classify the warrants issued in connection with our initial public offering and private placement as liabilities at their fair value and adjust the warrant instruments to fair value at each reporting period. These liabilities are subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized in our statement of operations.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, we had net loss of $2,606,912 consisting of a loss in the change in fair value of the warrant liability of $1,352,755, $5,359,640 of legal and accounting expenses, $811,693 of administrative expenses (including $168,940 due to related party), $195,615 of insurance expense amortization, $96,667 of listing fee amortization, and a $35,459 loss on foreign exchange transactions, offset by $5,244,917 of interest and dividends income on cash and marketable securities held in the trust account.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, we had net income of $11,838,568 consisting of a gain in the change in fair value of the warrant liability of $10,549,627 and $3,333,240 of interest and dividend income on cash and marketable securities held in trust account, offset by $997,828 of legal and accounting expenses, $712,934 of insurance expense amortization, $248,537 of administrative expenses (including $168,000 due to related party), and $85,000 of listing fee amortization.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2023, we had $341,872 in cash held outside of the trust account and a working capital deficit of $10,697,133.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, net cash provided by operating activities was $1,957,821. Net loss of $2,606,912 was decreased by a $1,352,755 loss on the change in fair value of warrant liability and $3,211,978 of changes in operating assets and liabilities.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, we had net cash provided by operating activities of $1,027,761. Net income of $11,838,568 was increased by $1,441,869 of changes in operating assets and liabilities and decreased by a $10,549,627 gain in the change in fair value of warrant liability, $738,465 of accrued dividends on marketable securities held in the trust account, and $964,584 of realized gain on marketable securities held in the trust account.
Following the initial public offering, the sale of the private placement warrants and the partial exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, a total of $227,250,000 was placed in the trust account. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there was $50,081,776 and $230,595,291, respectively, in the trust account.
We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the trust account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the trust account, excluding deferred underwriting commissions, to complete our initial business combination. We may withdraw interest from the trust account to pay taxes, if any. To the extent that our share capital or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete a business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the trust account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had $341,872 and $428,967, respectively, of cash held outside the trust account. We intend to use the funds held outside the trust account primarily to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, structure, negotiate and complete a business combination.
In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with a 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 funds as may be required. If we complete a business combination, we may repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. In the event that a business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts, but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. Such warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants. As of December 31, 2023, we did not have any outstanding working capital loans.
If our estimate of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating a business combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to our initial business combination. In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a business combination, the Sponsor, an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide the Company with working capital loans. Moreover, we may need to obtain additional financing either to complete our initial business combination or redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of our initial business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination.
We do not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities, other than an agreement to pay an affiliate of the Sponsor a monthly fee of $14,000 for office space and secretarial and administrative services provided to the Company. We began incurring these fees on October 22, 2021, and will continue to incur these fees monthly until the earlier of the completion of a business combination and the Company’s liquidation.
The underwriters are entitled to deferred commissions of $0.35 per unit, or $7,875,000 in the aggregate. The deferred commissions will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the trust account solely in the event that we complete a business combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement. On August 15, 2023, the Company received a waiver from one of the underwriters of the initial public offering pursuant to which such underwriter waived all rights to its $5,433,750 of deferred underwriting commissions payable upon completion of an initial business combination. As a result, as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the deferred underwriting commissions payable were $2,441,250 and $7,875,000, respectively.
Going Concern
In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification Topic 205-40, “Going Concern,” management has determined that the current liquidity conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern through one year from the date of filing this Annual Report. The financial statements accompanying this Annual Report do not include any adjustments relating to the recovery of the recorded assets or the classification of the liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.
Critical Accounting Estimates
The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and income and expenses during the periods reported. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. We have not identified any critical accounting estimates.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements required by Item 1 of this Annual Report.
JOBS Act
The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We will qualify as an “emerging growth company’ and under the JOBS Act will be allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We are electing to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates. Additionally, we are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on the other reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if, as an “emerging growth company,” we choose to rely on such exemptions we may not be required to, among other things, (i) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404, (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis) and (iv) disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of our initial public offering or until we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” whichever is earlier.

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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.
The financial statements listed in the Index to Financial Statements beginning on page are filed as part of this Annual Report and incorporated by reference herein.

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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 that are 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 company reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
As required by Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2023. Based upon their evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) were not effective because of material weakness in internal control over financial reporting described below.
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act. Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on our evaluation under the framework in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013), our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective due to material weakness as described below.
The material weakness identified relates to the fact that we have not yet designed and maintained effective controls relating to the presentation of net income (loss) per ordinary share within our financial statements. Specifically, we incorrectly calculated weighted average shares outstanding used to determine net income (loss) per ordinary share.
This Annual Report does not include an attestation report of internal controls from our independent registered public accounting firm due to our status as an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act.
Remediation Plan
As previously disclosed in Item 4 of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, we implemented a remediation plan to address the material weakness identified as of December 31, 2023. Our principal financial officer will continue to perform additional post-closing review procedures including a review of weighted average shares outstanding and net income (loss) per ordinary share calculations. There can be no assurance that our efforts will be successful or avoid potential future material weaknesses. In addition, until the remediation plan has been completed and operated for a sufficient period of time, and subsequent evaluation of its effectiveness is completed, the material weaknesses identified and described above will continue to exist. We cannot assure you that the measures we have taken to date, and are continuing to implement, will be sufficient to remediate the material weaknesses we have identified or avoid potential future material weaknesses.
Remediation of Previously Identified Material Weakness
As previously disclosed in Part II, Item 9A of our Annual Report on Form 10 - K for the year ended December 31, 2022, we identified a material weakness related to the fact that we had not yet designed and maintained effective controls relating to the presentation of our statement of cash flows. We implemented a remediation over the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 which included our principal financial officer performing additional post - closing review procedures including a review of the classification of earnings on the trust account and confirmation of amounts and balances with the trustee. As a result, we have remediated the previously identified material weakness related to the presentation of our statement of cash flows.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Other than the matters discussed above, there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) during the most recent fiscal quarter that have 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
Our current directors and officers are as follows:
Name
Age
Position
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors
F. Jeremey Mistry
Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
Dr. Stefan Berger
Chief Investment Officer
Patrick Miller
Director
James Condon
Director
Florian Wolf
Director
Steve Norris
Director
Jeff Foster
Director
John Doherty
Director
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE serves as our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of our board of directors. Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE has over 40 years of operating, M&A and financing experience in the automotive and transportation-related sector. Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE is considered to be an industry thought leader on the global need for energy transition and the technologies which will transform our energy infrastructure, most notably as it relates to hydrogen power and autonomous driving technologies.
Since September 2020, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE has served as a non-executive director and the vice-chairman of the board of Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC, a British multinational automotive subsidiary of Tata Motors and a manufacturer of luxury vehicles and sport utility vehicles, and, as of October 2016, a member of the Board of Directors of Tata Sons, the principal holding company of more than 100 operating companies with a combined revenue of more than $100 billion. Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE has also been a professor at the University of Warwick since 2014. As of March 2022, he serves as director of Swiss E, Mobility Group AG (SEMG). Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE also serves as director of the Norton Motorcycle Company, a position he has held since March 2022. As of January 2021, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE serves as a strategic advisor to Bladon Micro Turbine Limited, a designer, developer and manufacturer of micro turbine gensets to serve the telecommunication market. In February 2021, he joined the strategic advisory board of FiveAI Limited, a developer of autonomous-vehicle technology. In October 2020, he joined the Board of Directors of TVS Motor Company, which is one of the top 5 global manufacturers of two- and three-wheelers. He became the company’s Chairman in January 2023. In March 2021, he joined the supervisory board of FEV Group, the internationally recognized vehicle development services provider with more than 6,000 employees globally who deliver solutions around innovative vehicle powertrains and electrification, intelligent & connected mobility, and vehicle software and connectivity solutions. In March 2021, he began serving as a strategic advisor to Haro, a manufacturer of hardwood and laminate flooring. He became a member of Haro’s board of directors in September 2021. In July 2021, he began serving as a strategic advisor for Luminar Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: LAZR), a developer of advanced sensor technologies for the autonomous-vehicle industry. In July 2021, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE became a strategic advisor for CT Charlton USA, a company that serves as sales liaison for manufacturers that supply products for some of the world’s largest automotive groups. In addition, as of January 2020, he serves as a strategic advisor to Continuum Life Sciences, a non-profit focused on cancer research. Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE also served as the Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar Land Rover from February 2010 to September 2020, helping the company grow substantially over this period, including leading its push into new markets, and establishing factories in China, Slovakia, Brazil and India. Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE also spearheaded Jaguar Land Rover’s car line-up expansion, introducing highly successful models like the Range Rover Evoque, Range Rover Velar, Defender, and the award winning, electric Jaguar I-Pace, the first luxury e-SUV and triple 2019 World Car of the Year. Prior to joining Jaguar Land Rover, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE held positions as Executive Director of the Material Handling Division and Global Head of Production, both at the Linde Group (NYSE: LIN), a global leader in both clean hydrogen and in H2 refueling stations for cars, trucks, trains, forklifts and buses and engineering company with 2020 sales of $27 billion, Director of Production, Quality and Product Planning at the Ford Motor Company’s PAG before the division’s sale to Tata Motors in 2010. Prior to joining Ford, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE spent over 20 years at BMW Group, a world leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles with its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, working across various executive and managerial positions. Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE has been a member of the Royal Academy of Engineering since 2014. In 2015, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his services to the UK automotive industry. In August 2019, the award was made substantive following Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE becoming a British citizen. In May 2020, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE was awarded a degree in Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences Rosenheim, Germany. Additionally, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE received a Doctorate of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration from the University of Warwick.
Over the course of his distinguished career in the transportation industry, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE has been the recipient of a number of recognitions and awards, including Auto Best 2014, Winner; Auto Express. Winner, 2014; Hall of Fame, 2014; Automotive News Europe. ALL STAR, 2014; Coventry Award of Merit, 2014; Future Manufacturing Award, 2013; Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, 2014; Issigonis Trophy, 2017; MANBEST 2013, Warsaw; The Institution of Engineering and Technology, IET. Gold Medal, 2011; The Outstanding Industrialist, 2013; and Trophée d’Or, Logistique Européenne, Elancourt, France.
We believe Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE’s long track-record of success and broad experience leading organizations both large and small around the world, in addition to his network of OEM, commercial vehicle and technology leaders provide us with a differentiated perspective in both sourcing targets and ultimately, creating value in the company we endeavor to acquire.
F. Jeremey Mistry serves as our Chief Financial Officer and Secretary. Mr. Mistry is a Co-Founder and Director of Pali Hill Capital Management, a Mauritian investment firm launched in July 2017 and the parent company of Pali Hill Capital Advisers, a UK based advisory and venture capital company launched in October 2017. Mr. Mistry has more than 20 years of experience in financial services, including private equity, growth and venture capital investing; corporate finance advisory, including mergers, acquisitions and restructurings; debt and equity capital market fund-raising; and portfolio management. From February 2022 to January 2023, Mr. Mistry served as director of Waterfield Advisors, one of India’s leading independent multi-family office and wealth advisory firms that oversees more than $4 billion of client assets. From September 2021 through December 2021, Mr. Mistry served as a Senior Advisor at Waterfield. Pali Hill was an early seed capital investor in, and advisor to, Chalo.com, India’s largest privately owned city bus operator and Mobility as a Service (MaaS) provider, managing a network of 12 cities and covering more than 45 million bus journeys per month. From December 2020, Mr. Mistry has acted as Senior Advisor to the board of, and Pali Hill is a venture capital investor in, Grip Invest, an India based asset-backed alternative investment platform focused on leasing electric mobility assets, including 2-, 3- and 4-wheeled vehicles, heavy duty electric trucks, electric charging stations and swappable batteries. Between August 2015 and the launch of Pali Hill Capital Management in July 2017, Mr. Mistry and his partners independently funded and advised companies on several mandates that afterwards transferred to the Pali Hill corporate entity. Mr. Mistry previously served as the head of Morgan Stanley’s Indian investment banking sector coverage of industrial companies, including automotive OEMs and supply chain businesses, in addition to leading coverage of consumer/ retail firms. During this time, he led the execution of numerous public and private market fund-raises, as well as M&A transactions and valuation Fairness Opinion mandates for public companies. Representative transactions include advising Tata Motors and Jaguar Land Rover on raising more than $3 billion of capital in the form of debentures, term loans and revolving credit facilities; advising Tata Steel on the issuance of $1.5 billion of debentures; and advising Mitsui/Sanyo Special Steel on its acquisition of a control stake in Mahindra Ugine Steel Co. Fairness Opinions delivered include those in relation to Tata Consultancy Services’ merger with TCS e-Serve, and Tech Mahindra’s approximately $3 billion merger with Mahindra Satyam. During his time at Morgan Stanley from February 2010 to July 2015, Mr. Mistry also led the firm’s client coverage of the Tata group of companies and in that capacity worked closely and extensively with Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE and Dr. Berger at Jaguar Land Rover, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors. Prior to this, Mr. Mistry advised industrial clients and conglomerates in India for Nomura Securities and Lehman Brothers. Notable transactions include advising Tata Power on the issuance of $300 million in convertible debentures and advising Tata Sons/ Tata Teleservices on the approximately $3 billion merger of its passive infrastructure assets with Quippo Telecom, to create Viom Networks. Prior to this, Mr. Mistry advised conglomerates for Citi’s Indian corporate banking business on debt capacity and balance sheet optimization and was a member of Citi’s corporate M&A team based in New York. Earlier in his career, Mr. Mistry advised private clients and was a discretionary portfolio manager at Salomon Smith Barney. Mr. Mistry received an MBA in Finance from the London Business School and a BA in Psychology magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Honors Program.
Dr. Stefan Berger serves as our Chief Investment Officer. Dr. Berger has over 15 years of experience in global blue-chip and family-owned companies across multiple geographies and sectors, including Automotive OEMs and Suppliers, Commodities, Healthcare, Publishing, Telecommunications, Fashion and Consumer Goods. In 2023, Dr. Berger began serving as a Director of Pegasus TopCo BV. In August 2021, he began serving on the Strategic Board of Advisors of Skyworks Aeronautics Corp., a designer and developer of high-performance gyroplanes. From October 2017 to June 2021, Dr. Berger served as Director of Electrification at Jaguar Land Rover Limited, a British multinational automotive subsidiary of Tata Motors and a manufacturer of luxury vehicles and sport utility vehicles, where he was responsible for the company’s off-board electrification activities in the field of EV charging services and battery second life. Dr. Berger laid the foundation for Jaguar Land Rover’s transformation to electrified vehicles by driving the electric product plan and overall strategy. In his role he also served as a trustee on the Board of The Faraday Institution from January 2018 to March 2020. The Faraday Institution is part of the UK government funded $350 million Faraday Challenge, an initiative to develop, design and manufacture world-leading batteries in the UK. Prior to Jaguar Land Rover, from May 2016 to September 2017 and June 2013 to February 2014, Dr. Berger served as Vice President to the Chairman’s Office at Tata Sons, the principal holding company of more than 100 operating companies with a combined revenue of more than $100 billion. In this role, Dr. Berger worked closely with Group companies including Tata Motors and Jaguar Land Rover on the development and implementation of strategic and operational plans on behalf of the Group Chairman. Prior to his role at Tata Sons, Dr. Berger Co-founded Visioning, the private investment and consulting office of Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Reitzle, where he served as a Managing Director from May 2014 to March 2016. From November 2010 to May 2013 Dr. Berger held the role of Director Corporate Strategy at Jaguar Land Rover where he helped the company to set up its JV in China and drove Jaguar Land Rover’s strategy. Before that he was Executive Assistant of the CEO of the Linde Group (NYSE: LIN), a global leader in both clean hydrogen and in H2 refueling stations for cars, trucks, trains, forklifts and buses and engineering company with 2020 sales of $27 billion, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Reitzle. Dr. Berger earned a degree in Business Administration and Information Systems from the University of Passau and went on to complete a doctoral thesis in Information Systems from the University of Regensburg (Institute of Information Systems) & Bavarian Research Cooperation on Information Systems (“FORWIN”).
Patrick Miller is a member of the board of directors and is a Managing Director and co-Founder of StratCap. StratCap focuses on and creates investment opportunities with experienced management teams, emerging asset classes and distinct product structures that provide durable income, growth potential, reduced volatility and low correlation to traditional markets. Mr. Miller currently serves as President of StratCap Securities (f/k/a SC Distributors, LLC), StratCap, LLC’s (f/k/a Strategic Capital Management Holdings, LLC) managing broker-dealer. Mr. Miller is responsible for overall strategy, new business development and product marketing. In addition, Mr. Miller has served on the Board of Trustees for the Investment Program Association, the leading non-profit trade association for the direct investments industry.
Prior to co-founding StratCap, Mr. Miller served as President of KBS Capital Markets Group from the company’s inception in October 2005 through June 2009. During Mr. Miller’s tenure, KBS Capital Markets Group raised approximately $2.3 billion in investment capital for KBS Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. and KBS Real Estate Investment Trust II, Inc. Prior to joining KBS Capital Markets Group, Mr. Miller served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Financial Campus from 2002 to 2004, an online education and training company serving the financial services industry. Mr. Miller was responsible for facilitating the successful acquisition of Financial Campus by the Thomson Corporation in 2004. Previously, Mr. Miller served as Chief Executive Officer of Equitable Distributors Inc., the wholesale distribution subsidiary of AXA Financial, Inc. Mr. Miller was elected Chief Executive Officer of Equitable Distributors in 2000 after having joined Equitable Distributors at its inception in 1996 as President of the Warehouse Division. Mr. Miller began his career as a Wholesaler with American Funds Distributors. Mr. Miller received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Los Angeles.
Mr. Miller was selected for his long standing history of raising significant capital for target companies.
James Condon is a member of our board of directors and is a Managing Partner of StratCap, as of February 2020, President of StratCap, LLC (f/k/a Strategic Capital Management Holdings, LLC), as of July 2018, President of Strategic Datasphere, LLC, as of 2021, President of StratCap Digital Infrastructure Advisors II, LLC, as of 2022, and serves as Chief Operating Officer of StratCap Securities (f/k/a SC Distributors, LLC), as of January 2014, having joined StratCap in 2010. He is also President of StratCap Investment Management LLC and President of MainStreet Digital Broadband, LLC. In these roles, Mr. Condon oversees the operations, investment activities, capital markets, and asset management of StratCap. Mr. Condon is also President and a member of the investment committees for each of StratCap’s sponsored private and public investment programs, including Strategic Data Center Fund, LLC, Strategic Wireless Infrastructure Fund, LLC, StratCap Data Center, LLC (f/k/a Strategic Data Center Institutional Manager, LLC), as well as President and Chairman of the Board for Strategic Wireless Infrastructure Fund II, Inc. From 2020 to December 2022, Mr. Condon served on the Advisory Board of Real Assets Adviser. Mr. Condon has over 18 years of experience in investment management within the financial services industry. In his previous position as Vice President for the Capital Group, American Funds, he was responsible for managing the internal distribution teams for each of the American Funds products. Prior to American Funds, Mr. Condon was Vice-President at Schroder Investment Management, a global investment management firm with over $785 billion of assets, based in New York City, where he was chartered with building the internal distribution desk from the ground up. He was instrumental in helping the firm raise over $4 billion in various separately managed accounts and alternative investment over a two and a half year period. Prior to Schroder Investment Management, Mr. Condon worked for Refco Alternative Investments, the hedge fund division of Refco, where he held an investment analyst position. While at Refco, he was responsible for helping raise/invest over $2.4 billion in assets. Throughout his career, Mr. Condon has extensive experience with REITs, managed futures, hedge funds, equity and fixed income funds and public and private investment vehicles. Mr. Condon holds an MBA., cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame, a BS in finance from Park School of Business at Ithaca College, and a CIMA from the Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Condon was selected because he manages a global asset management firm with access to institutional relationships as well as M&A expertise.
Steve (Steven John) Norris serves as an independent director. Mr. Norris is a former member of the UK parliament (1983-87 and 1988-97) who served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Minister of Transport in the government of Sir John Major from May 1992 to July 1996. He is a former Director General of the UK Road Haulage Association (August 1997 to January 2000) which represented the UK truck industry in UK and Brussels and a former Chairman of First Group plc’s London bus operations (1998-2003). From March 2014 to December 2022 he was Deputy Chairman of Optare plc, the UK’s second largest bus manufacturer specialising in all-electric vehicles including a world beating double decker. As of June 1997, he is President of ITS-UK, the UK branch of the global intelligent transport systems organisation and, as of March 2021, is chairman of Evtec Automotive Limited, a tier 1 supplier to Jaguar Land Rover, Ford and Aston Martin. As of March 2013, he serves as a board member of Cubic Corporation, a NYSE transportation and defence company (NYSE: CUB), which was sold to an affiliate of Elliot Investment Management L.P. and Veritas Capital on May 25, 2021. As of March 2015, he is Chairman of UK AIM listed Driver Group plc, a global advisor on major civil engineering projects and a specialist in dispute resolution. In March 2021, he joined the board of Empati Ltd in UK which specialises in the development of green hydrogen and the use of AI to assist in the development of sustainable renewable energy whose first US $1.1 billion project is in Colombia with support from the UK Department for International Trade. As of May 2011, he is Chairman of Soho Estates, a UK based commercial and residential property company. Mr. Norris is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation. He holds a Masters in Jurisprudence from the University of Oxford and has an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of East London.
Mr. Norris was selected for his extensive experience and relationships throughout the EV and auto ecosystems as well as political relationships throughout Europe.
Jeff Foster serves as an independent director. From October 2021 to November 2023, Mr. Foster served as the Chief Financial Officer - US of Cloud Capital, a private equity fund that is focused on acquiring data centers in the US and Europe. From November 2023 to March 2024, Mr. Foster served as Managing Director - Debt Procurement for Cloud Capital. Mr. Foster has served as an Adjunct Professor of Real Estate at Georgetown University since September 2018. Previously, from 2007 to September 2017, Mr. Foster held the roles of Chief Accounting Officer (2007 to 2014) and Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (2013 to September 2017) of DuPont Fabros Technology (NYSE: DFT), a data center REIT that invested in carrier-neutral data centers and provided colocation and peering services. Mr. Foster guided DFT through the two highest profile events in the company’s history-the 2007 initial public offering and the 2017 sale to Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR), the sixth largest publicly traded U.S. REIT. As Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Foster was responsible for obtaining financing through common and preferred equity, bonds and bank debt. He was also responsible for strategic planning, investor relations, accounting and lobbying for a sales tax exemption. Prior to DFT, Mr. Foster served as the Chief Accounting Officer at Global Signal, the first cell tower REIT. In this role, Mr. Foster oversaw the accounting for a company that tripled in size during his tenure. Mr. Foster has also served as the Corporate Controller of Danka, a dual UK and US registered copier distributor, CFO of Progress Telecom, a fiber company, and has held various accounting and SEC reporting roles at an electric utility and telecom provider. Foster began his career at Arthur Andersen. Mr. Foster holds a bachelors of science in Accounting (High Honors) from the University of Florida and a Masters of Accountancy from the University of South Florida. He passed the CPA exam in 1985 with the highest grade in Florida and also received national honors. Mr. Foster currently serves on the boards of Broad Street Realty (OTC: BRST) as of December 2019, a publicly traded owner of shopping centers and Vault Digital Infrastructure as of April 2019, a private equity backed data center company. He also serves on the boards of the Alzheimer’s Association Florida Gulf Coast Chapter and the Child and Family Network Center which provides free pre-K education to under resourced children in Alexandria, Virginia.
Mr. Foster was selected for his experience as a public company CFO, as well as experience in the digital infrastructure sectors.
Florian Wolf serves as an independent director. Mr. Wolf has over 15 years of experience in investment banking, business development, and financial and operational management across a wide range of industries, with a leadership focus on the electric vehicle and next-generation transportation sectors over the past decade. Since May 2021, Mr. Wolf is the Chief Financial Officer of next-generation battery technology firm Innolith Group, headquartered in Switzerland. From November 2016 through February 2018, Mr. Wolf served as a Vice President, and from April 2018 through February 2021, served as an Executive Director of J.P. Morgan in their London office. While with J.P. Morgan, Mr. Wolf assumed the role as the firm’s EMEA Head of Electric Vehicles. Under this role, Mr. Wolf’s industry coverage and focus included clients in Electric Vehicles, Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, Battery Cell, Power Electronics and Fuel Cell technology. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, from 2011 to November 2016, Mr. Wolf spent five years with Barclays, EMEA as a Vice President in their Industrials group. Within this group, Mr. Wolf focused on the Transport & Infrastructure, Paper & Packaging, and Business Services industries. Prior to joining Barclays, from 2007 to 2011, Mr. Wolf was an Assistant Vice President at Dresdner Kleinwort focusing on M&A. Over the course of his professional career, Mr. Wolf has advised clients on more than €50 billion of transformative corporate finance deals. Mr. Wolf earned a degree in Business Administration from the University of Mannheim, Germany.
We see Mr. Wolf as a complementary addition to the management team with significant industry knowledge, insights on potential target opportunities and experience in the Electric Vehicles ecosystem, as well as significant experience structuring, financing and executing complex merger and acquisition transactions at large financial institutions focused on target sectors. This board member was selected for his financial expertise that he offers for financial oversight.
John Doherty serves as an independent director. Mr. Doherty has 35 years of experience in corporate development, strategic planning, mergers & acquisitions, transaction execution & integration, venture capital investments and financial management in the technology, connectivity and digital infrastructure industries across the United States, Europe, Central America, South America and Asia. Since October 2020, Mr. Doherty has served as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Magic Leap, an augmented reality (AR) company pioneering a wearable platform to amplify enterprise productivity, where he is responsible for all strategic, financial and corporate development activity for the company including accounting and control, financial planning & analysis, treasury, fundraising and investor relations. Prior to Magic Leap, from October 2018 to April 2020, Mr. Doherty lived in Amsterdam where he served as the Chief Financial Officer of InterXion (NYSE: INXN), which was a leading provider of cloud and carrier-neutral colocation data center services in Europe. He also led the strategic transaction resulting in InterXion’s combination with Digital Realty Trust Inc. (NYSE: DLR), a real estate investment trust that invests in carrier-neutral data centers and provides colocation and peering services, in a transaction valued at approximately $8.4 billion of total enterprise value in March 2020. Prior to InterXion, Mr. Doherty spent over 30 years at Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), one of the largest communication technology companies in the world, where he held a variety of roles including SVP of Corporate Development, President & Chief Investment Officer of Version Ventures, SVP of Investor Relations and Chief Financial Officer of Verizon Shared Services and International, among others. Mr. Doherty was named #12 on the Global Corporate Venturing 2018 Powerlist and recognized as “The Most Admired Corporate Deal Maker in Telecommunications” by The Deal in 2016, 2014, and 2013. Mr. Doherty was also selected as Top Telecom IR Executive 2-years consecutively.
Mr. Doherty was selected for his financial expertise that he offers for financial oversight as well as public company experience.
Number, Terms of Office and Appointment of Directors and Officers
Our board of directors consists of seven members. Prior to our initial business combination, holders of our founder shares will have the right to appoint all of our directors and remove members of the board of directors for any reason, and holders of our public shares will not have the right to vote on the appointment or removal of directors during such time. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by holders of at least 90% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares attending and voting at a quorate general meeting of the company or a unanimous written resolution of all of our shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting of the company. Each of our directors will hold office for a two-year term. Subject to any other special rights applicable to the shareholders, any vacancies on our board of directors may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present and voting at the meeting of our board of directors or by a majority of the holders of our ordinary shares (or, prior to our initial business combination, holders of our founder shares).
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 amended and restated memorandum and articles of association as it deems appropriate. Our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that our officers may consist of a Chairman, a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Financial Officer, Vice Presidents, a Secretary, Assistant Secretaries, a Treasurer and such other offices as may be determined by the board of directors.
Director Independence
The rules of the NYSE require that a majority of our board of directors be independent within one year of our initial public offering. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person that, in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, has no material relationship with the listed company (either directly or as a partner, shareholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with the company). We have four “independent directors” as defined in the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules. Our board of directors has determined that each of Florian Wolf, Steve Norris, Jeff Foster and John Doherty is an independent director under applicable SEC and NYSE rules.
Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Our board of directors has three standing committees: an audit committee; a compensation committee; and a nominating and corporate governance committee. Subject to phase-in rules, the rules of NYSE and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors, and the rules of NYSE require that the compensation committee and the nominating and corporate governance committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors. Each committee operates under a charter that has been approved by our board of directors and will have the composition and responsibilities described below. The charter of each committee is available on our website.
Audit Committee
We have established an audit committee of the board of directors. The members of our audit committee are Jeff Foster, John Doherty and Florian Wolf. Jeff Foster serves as chairperson of the audit committee. Our board of directors has determined that each of Jeff Foster, John Doherty and Florian Wolf is independent under the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules.
Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our board of directors has determined that Jeff Foster qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules and has accounting or related financial management expertise.
We have adopted an audit committee charter, which details the purpose and principal functions of the audit committee, including:
● assisting board oversight of (1) the integrity of our financial statements, (2) our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, (3) our independent auditor’s qualifications and independence, and (4) the performance of our internal audit function and independent auditors;
● the appointment, compensation, retention, replacement, and oversight of the work of the independent auditors and any other independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us;
● pre-approving all audit and non-audit services to be provided by the independent auditors or any other registered public accounting firm engaged by us, and establishing pre-approval policies and procedures;
● reviewing and discussing with the independent auditors all relationships the auditors have with us in order to evaluate their continued independence;
● setting clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the independent auditors;
● 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 auditors describing (1) the independent auditor’s internal quality-control procedures and (2) 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;
● meeting to review and discuss our annual audited financial statements and quarterly financial statements with management and the independent auditor, including reviewing our specific disclosures under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”;
● 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 auditors, 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 FASB, the SEC or other regulatory authorities.
Compensation Committee
We have established a compensation committee of the board of directors. The members of our compensation committee are Jeff Foster, Steve Norris and John Doherty. Jeff Foster serves as chairperson of the compensation committee. Under the NYSE listing standards, we are required to have a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors. Our board of directors has determined that each of Jeff Foster, Steve Norris and John Doherty is independent. We have adopted a compensation committee charter, which details the purpose and responsibility 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, 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 making recommendations to our board of directors with respect to the compensation, and any incentive-compensation and equity-based plans that are subject to board approval of all of our other officers;
● reviewing 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;
● 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.
The charter also provides that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, independent legal counsel or other adviser and is directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by the NYSE and the SEC.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
We have established a nominating and corporate governance committee of the board of directors. The members of our nominating and corporate governance committee are Steve Norris, John Doherty and Florian Wolf. Steve Norris serves as chairperson of the nominating and corporate governance committee. Under the NYSE listing standards, we are required to have a nominating committee composed entirely of independent directors. Our board of directors has determined that each of Steve Norris, John Doherty and Florian Wolf is independent. We have adopted a nominating and corporate governance committee charter, which details the purpose and responsibilities of the nominating and corporate governance committee, including:
● identifying, screening and reviewing individuals qualified to serve as directors, consistent with criteria approved by the board of directors, and recommending to the board of directors candidates for nomination for appointment at the annual general meeting or to fill vacancies on the board of directors;
● developing and recommending to the board of directors and overseeing implementation of our corporate governance guidelines;
● coordinating and overseeing the annual self-evaluation of the board of directors, its committees, individual directors and management in the governance of the company; and
● reviewing on a regular basis our overall corporate governance and recommending improvements as and when necessary.
The charter also provides that the nominating and corporate governance committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of, and terminate, any search firm to be used to identify director candidates, and is directly responsible for approving the search firm’s fees and other retention terms.
Code of Ethics
We have adopted a code of ethics and business conduct (our “Code of Ethics”) applicable to our directors, officers and employees. You can review this document by accessing our public filings at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of our 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.
Conflicts of Interest
Under Cayman Islands law, directors and officers owe the following fiduciary duties:
● duty to act in good faith in what the director or officer believes to be in the best interests of the company as a whole;
● duty to exercise powers for the purposes for which those powers were conferred and not for a collateral purpose;
● duty to not improperly fetter the exercise of future discretion;
● duty to exercise powers fairly as between different sections of shareholders;
● duty not to put themselves in a position in which there is a conflict between their duty to the company and their personal interests; and
● duty to exercise independent judgment.
In addition to the above, directors also owe a duty of care, which is not fiduciary in nature. This duty has been defined as a requirement to act as a reasonably diligent person having both the general knowledge, skill and experience that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by that director in relation to the company and the general knowledge, skill and experience which that director has.
As set out above, directors have a duty not to put themselves in a position of conflict and this includes a duty not to engage in self-dealing, or to otherwise benefit as a result of their position. However, in some instances what would otherwise be a breach of this duty can be forgiven and/or authorized in advance by the shareholders; provided that there is full disclosure by the directors. This can be done by way of permission granted in the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or alternatively by shareholder approval at general meetings.
Members of our management team and our board directly or indirectly own our securities, 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.
Our directors and officers presently have, and any of them in the future may have, additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities. These entities may compete with us for acquisition opportunities. If these entities decide to pursue any such opportunity, we may be precluded from pursuing such opportunities. None of the members of our management team who are also employed by our sponsor or its affiliates have any obligation to present us with any opportunity for a potential business combination of which they become aware, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law. Our sponsor and directors and officers are also not prohibited from sponsoring, investing or otherwise becoming involved with, any other blank check companies, including in connection with their initial business combinations, prior to us completing our initial business combination. Our management team, in their capacities as directors, officers or shareholders of our sponsor or its affiliates or in their other endeavors, may choose to present potential business combinations to the related entities described above, current or future entities affiliated with or managed by our sponsor, or third parties, before they present such opportunities to us, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law and any other applicable fiduciary duties.
Our directors and officers presently have, and any of them in the future may have, additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. Accordingly, if any of our directors or officers becomes aware of a business combination opportunity that is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may need to honor these fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us and we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the company and it is an opportunity that we are able to complete on a reasonable basis. Our directors and officers are also not required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs, and, accordingly, will have conflicts of interest in allocating management time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. See “Part 1A. Risk Factors-Certain of our directors and officers are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.”
We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our directors or officers to other entities will materially affect our ability to identify and pursue business combination opportunities or complete our initial business combination. You should not rely on the historical record of our founders’ and management’s performance as indicative of our future performance. See “Part 1A. Risk Factors-Past performance by our management team and their respective affiliates may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in the Company.”
In addition, we have the following potential conflicts of interest:
● None of our directors or officers is required to commit his or her full time to our affairs and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating his or her time among various business activities.
●In the course of their other business activities, our directors and officers may become aware of investment and business opportunities that may be appropriate for presentation to us as well as the other entities with which they are affiliated. Our management may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. For a complete description of our management’s other affiliations, see “-Directors and Executive Officers.”
● Our initial shareholders, directors and officers have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and public shares held by them in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination. Additionally, our initial shareholders have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares if we fail to consummate our initial business combination by April 30, 2024, or during any Extension Period. However, if our initial shareholders acquire public shares, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to consummate our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. Each of our anchor investors has entered into an investment agreement with us pursuant to which they have agreed that any founder shares held by them are (i) not entitled to redemption rights in connection with the completion of our initial business combination or in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and (ii) not entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares the anchor investor holds in the event we fail to complete our initial business combination by April 30, 2024, or during any Extension Period. If we do not complete our initial business combination within such applicable time period, the proceeds of the sale of the private placement warrants held in the trust account will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares, and the private placement warrants will expire worthless. With certain limited exceptions, the founder shares will not be transferable, assignable or salable by our initial shareholders and anchor investors until the earlier of: (1) one year after the completion of our initial business combination; and (2) subsequent to our initial business combination (x) if the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. With certain limited exceptions, the private placement warrants and the ordinary shares underlying such warrants, will not be transferable, assignable or salable by our sponsor until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. Since our sponsor and directors and officers directly or indirectly own ordinary shares and warrants, our directors and officers 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.
● Our directors and officers may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation following our initial business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether to proceed with a particular business combination.
● Our directors and officers may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such directors and officers was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
The conflicts described above may not be resolved in our favor.
Accordingly, as a result of multiple business affiliations, our directors and officers have similar legal obligations relating to presenting business opportunities meeting the above-listed criteria to multiple entities. Below is a table summarizing the entities to which our directors, officers and director nominees currently have fiduciary duties or contractual obligations:
Individual
Entity
Entity’s Business
Affiliation
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE
Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC
Vehicle Manufacturer
Director
Tata Sons Private Limited
Holding Company
Director
TVS Motor Company Limited
Two- and Three-Wheel Motorcycle Manufacturer
Chairman
FEV Group
Vehicle Development Services
Strategic Advisor
Hamberger Flooring GmbH & Co. KG (Haro)
Flooring Manufacturer
Strategic Advisor
CT Charlton USA
Sales Liason
Strategic Advisor
Luminar Technologies, Inc.
Advanced Sensor Techologies
Strategic Advisor
Swiss E Mobility Group AG
E-bicycle market
Chairman
Norton Motorcycle Company
Motorcycle Manufacturer
Director
F. Jeremey Mistry
Pali Hill Capital Management (Mauritius) Pvt Ltd
Investment Management
Director
Pali Hill Capital Advisers (UK) Pvt Ltd
Advisory and Venture Capital Company
Director
Grip Invest Advisors Pvt Ltd
Asset-Backed Alternative Investment Platform
Board Advisor
Woodside Holdings Investment Management Pte Ltd
Investment Management
Board Advisor
Dr. Stefan Berger
Skyworks Aeronautics Corp.
Design and Development of Gyroplanes
Member of the Strategic Board of Advisors
James Condon
StratCap, LLC
Asset Management
Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer
StratCap Securities, LLC
Asset Management
Chief Operating Officer
Strategic Data Center Fund, LLC
Asset Management
Member of the Investment Committee
Strategic Wireless Infrastructure Fund, LLC
Asset Management
Member of the Investment Committee
Strategic Wireless Infrastructure Fund II, Inc.
Asset Management
President and Chairman of the Board of Directors
StratCap Investment Management, LLC
Asset Management
President
Strategic Datasphere, LLC
Asset Management
President
MainStreet Digital Broadband, LLC
Asset Management
President and Member of the Investment Committee
Grain StratCap Data Center LP
Asset Management
Member of the Board of Directors
Patrick Miller
StratCap Securities, LLC
Overall Strategy and Management
President
Florian Wolf
Innolith AG
EV Battery Cell R&D
Director
Innolith Technology AG
EV Battery Cell R&D
Chief Financial Officer, Director
Steve Norris
ITS (UK) Ltd.
Intelligent Transport Systems
President
Evtec Automotive Limited
Automotive Supplier
Chairman
Empati Ltd.
Development of Sustainable Renewable Energy
Director
Soho Estates
Commercial and Residential Property
Chairman
Sanctuary Investments Limited UK
Real Estate Advisor
Director
Neology Inc
Tolling Systems Technology
Director
Jeff Foster
Broad Street Realty, Inc.
Commercial Real Estate
Director
Vault Digital LP
Data Center Company
Director
Alzheimer’s Association Florida Gulf Coast Chapter
Researching Alzheimer’s (Not-for-Profit)
Director
Child and Family Network Center
Pre-K Education (Not-for-Profit)
Director
John Doherty
Pacific Telecom, Inc.
Telecommunications Company
Director
Kaltura
Video Platform
Chief Financial Officer
Accordingly, if any of the above directors or officers become aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for any of the above entities to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity, and only present it to us if such entity rejects the opportunity, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law. Our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us and we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the company and it is an opportunity that we are able to complete on a reasonable basis. We do not believe, however, that any of the foregoing fiduciary duties or contractual obligations will materially affect our ability to identify and pursue business combination opportunities or complete our initial business combination.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, directors or officers. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with such a company, we, or a committee of independent and disinterested directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or another valuation or appraisal firm that regularly renders fairness opinions on the type of target business we are seeking to acquire 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. Furthermore, in no event will our sponsor or any of our existing officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, be paid by the company any finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation prior to, or for any services they render to effectuate, the completion of our initial business combination.
Further, commencing on the date our securities were first listed on the NYSE, we pay an affiliate of our Sponsor we pay a total of $14,000 per month for office space, administrative and support services to such affiliate. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
In addition, our Sponsor or any of its affiliates may make additional investments in the company in connection with the initial business combination, although our sponsor and its affiliates have no obligation or current intention to do so. If our sponsor or any of its affiliates elects to make additional investments, such proposed investments could influence our sponsor’s motivation to complete an initial business combination.
In the event that we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, our initial shareholders, directors and officers have agreed, pursuant to the terms of a letter agreement entered into with us, to vote any founder shares (and their permitted transferees will agree) and public shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination. Each of our anchor investors has agreed to vote any founder shares they hold in favor of our initial business combination.
Limitation on Liability and Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of directors and officers, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against willful default, fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide for indemnification of our directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by law, including for any liability incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own actual fraud, willful default or willful neglect.
We have entered into agreements with our directors and officers to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. We have purchased a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our directors and officers against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our directors and officers.
Our officers and directors have agreed, and any persons who may become officers or directors prior to the initial business combination will agree, to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account, and have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever (except to the extent they are entitled to funds from the trust account due to their ownership of public shares). Accordingly, any indemnification provided will only be able to be satisfied by us if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination.
Our indemnification obligations may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
We believe that these provisions, the insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced directors and officers.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

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ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Item 11.Executive Compensation.
None of our directors or officers have received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. Commencing on October 26, 2021, we pay an affiliate of our Sponsor a total of $14,000 per month for office space, administrative and support services. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees. Our Sponsor, directors and officers, or any of their respective affiliates, will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made by us to our Sponsor, directors, officers or our or any of their respective affiliates. On November 4, 2021, our Sponsor transferred an aggregate of 843,750 founder shares to Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE, F. Jeremey Mistry and Dr. Stefan Berger and to our independent directors - Florian Wolf, Steve Norris, Jeff Foster and John Doherty. On November 4, 2021, our Sponsor transferred an aggregate of 975,000 private placement warrants to Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE, F. Jeremey Mistry and Dr. Stefan Berger. On May 31, 2023, our Sponsor transferred an aggregate of 1,775,000 private placement warrants to Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE, F. Jeremey Mistry, Dr. Stefan Berger, Florian Wolf, Jeffery H. Foster, Steven Norris, and John Doherty.
After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other compensation from the combined company. All compensation will be fully disclosed to shareholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials furnished to our shareholders in connection with a proposed business combination. 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 executive officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our officers will be determined by a compensation committee constituted solely by independent directors.
We are not party to any agreements with our directors and officers that provide for benefits upon termination of employment. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements may influence our management’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business, and we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination should be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination.

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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 ordinary shares as of March 28, 2024 based on information obtained from the persons named below, with respect to the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares, by:
● each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares;
● each of our directors, officers and director nominees; and
● all our directors, officers and director nominees as a group.
In the table below, percentage ownership is based on 19,875,017 of our ordinary shares, consisting of 14,250,017 Class A ordinary shares and (ii) 5,625,000 of our Class B ordinary shares, issued and outstanding as of March 28, 2024. The 14,250,017 Class A ordinary shares outstanding assumes the exercise of the private placement warrants in connection with the closing of our initial business combination. In addition, the table below does not reflect the agreement between the Company, the Sponsor, Schmid, TopCo, and members of the Company’s board of directors and the management team of the Company on the use of up to 2,812,500 Pegasus Class B Shares to be used to incentivize existing shareholders of the Company and/or new investors to enter into non - redemption and investment agreements at the Closing of the Business Combination, which agreement is further described in Note 8 to the financial statements. Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the appointment of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our Class B ordinary shares may remove a member of the board for any reason. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended (i) prior to the completion of an initial business combination, by a special resolution passed by at least 90% of the votes cast by the holders of issued shares present in person or by proxy at a general meeting and entitled to vote, or (ii) in connection with and immediately prior to the completion of an initial business combination or following the completion of an initial business combination, by a special resolution passed by at least a two-thirds majority of the votes cast by the holders of the issued shares present in person or by proxy at a general meeting and entitled to vote. With respect to any other matter submitted to a vote of our shareholders, including any vote in connection with our initial business combination, except as required by law, holders of our founder shares and holders of our public shares will vote together as a single class, with each share entitling the holder to one vote. Currently, all of the Class B ordinary shares are convertible into Class A ordinary shares 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 ordinary shares beneficially owned by them.
Class B Ordinary Shares
Class A Ordinary Shares
Approximate
Number of
Number of
Percentage
Shares
Approximate
Shares
Approximate
of Outstanding
Beneficially
Percentage
Beneficially
Percentage
Ordinary
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner (1)
Owned
of Class
Owned
of Class
Shares(2)
Pegasus Digital Mobility Sponsor LLC (our Sponsor)(3)
3,406,250
60.6
%
7,000,000
49.1
%
52.4
%
James Condon(3)
3,406,250
60.6
%
7,000,000
49.1
%
52.4
%
Patrick Miller(3)
3,406,250
60.6
%
7,000,000
49.1
%
52.4
%
Sir Dr. Ralph Speth(4)
337,500
6.0
%
1,197,500
8.4
%
7.7
%
F. Jeremey Mistry(5)
140,625
2.5
%
539,600
3.8
%
3.4
%
Dr. Stefan Berger(6)
140,625
2.5
%
539,600
3.8
%
3.4
%
Florian Wolf(7)
56,250
1.0
%
118,325
*
%
*
Steve Norris(8)
56,250
1.0
%
118,325
*
%
*
Jeff Foster(9)
56,250
1.0
%
118,325
*
%
*
John Doherty(10)
56,250
1.0
%
118,325
*
%
*
All directors and officers as a group (9 individuals)
4,250,000
75.6
%
9,750,000
68.4
%
70.4
%
Other 5% Shareholders
Picton Mahoney Asset Management(11)
-
-
400,000
8.9
%
3.9
%
Wolverine Asset Management, LLC(12)
-
-
328,298
6.6
%
3.1
%
Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.(13)
-
-
400,230
8.0
%
3.7
%
Tenor Capital Management Company, L.P. (14)
-
-
422,000
8.4
%
4.0
%
Glazer Capital, LLC(15)
-
-
666,968
14.8
%
6.6
%
First Trust Merger Arbitrage Fund(16)
-
-
406,132
8.1
%
3.8
%
First Trust Capital Management L.P. (16)
439,134
8.8
%
4.1
%
*Less than one percent.
(1) Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following entities or individuals is c/o Pegasus Digital Mobility Acquisition Corp., 71 Fort Street, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands KY1-1106.
(2) Unless otherwise indicated, interests shown consist of founder shares, classified as Class B Ordinary Shares, and Class A Ordinary Shares. Such Class B Ordinary Shares will convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment, as described in the Description of Securities exhibit filed as Exhibit 4.5 to this Annual Report. The 14,250,017 Class A Ordinary Shares outstanding assumes the exercise of the private placement warrants in connection with the closing of the initial business combination.
(3) Includes (i) 3,406,250 Class B Ordinary Shares and (ii) 7,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to outstanding private placement warrants exercisable within 60 days of March 29, 2024. Pegasus Digital Mobility Sponsor LLC, our Sponsor, is the record holder of the Class B Ordinary Shares and Class A Ordinary Shares reported herein. James Condon and Patrick Miller share voting and investment control over shares held by our Sponsor by virtue of their shared control of the board of managers of our sponsor.
(4) Includes (i) 337,500 Class B Ordinary Shares and (ii) 1,197,500 Class A Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to outstanding private placement warrants of Dr. Speth exercisable within 60 days of March 29, 2024.
(5) Includes (i) 140,650 Class B Ordinary Shares and (ii) 539,600 Class A Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to outstanding private placement warrants of Mr. Mistry exercisable within 60 days of March 29, 2024.
(6) Includes (i) 140,650 Class B Ordinary Shares and (ii) 539,600 Class A Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to outstanding private placement warrants of Dr. Berger exercisable within 60 days of March 29, 2024.
(7) Includes (i) 56,250 Class B Ordinary Shares and (ii) 118,325 Class A Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to outstanding private placement warrants of Mr. Wolf exercisable within 60 days of March 29, 2024.
(8) Includes (i) 56,250 Class B Ordinary Shares and (ii) 118,325 Class A Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to outstanding private placement warrants of Mr. Norris exercisable within 60 days of March 29, 2024.
(9) Includes (i) 56,250 Class B Ordinary Shares and (ii) 118,325 Class A Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to outstanding private placement warrants of Mr. Foster exercisable within 60 days of March 29, 2024.
(10) Includes (i) 56,250 Class B Ordinary Shares and (ii) 118,325 Class A Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to outstanding private placement warrants of Mr. Doherty exercisable within 60 days of March 29, 2024.
(11) Based solely on the Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on January 23, 2024. The percentages used for Picton Mahoney Asset Management are calculated based upon 4,500,017 Class A Ordinary Shares outstanding, as disclosed in the Company’s Form 8-K filed December 7, 2023, and does not reflect the Class A Ordinary Shares issuable upon the exercise of the private placement warrants. The principal business address of Picton Mahoney Asset Management is 33 Yonge St #830, Toronto, ON M5E 1G4.
(12) Based solely on the Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 8, 2024. The percentages used for Wolverine Asset Management, LLC (“WAM”) are calculated based upon 5,003,218 Class A Ordinary Shares outstanding, as disclosed in the Company’s Form 10-Q filed on November 14, 2023 for the period ending September 30, 2023, and does not reflect the Class A Ordinary Shares issuable upon the exercise of the private placement warrants. WAM is an investment manager and has voting and dispositive power over 328,098 Class A Ordinary Shares of the Company. The sole member and manager of WAM is Wolverine Holdings, L.P. (“Wolverine Holdings”). Robert R. Bellick and Christopher L. Gust may be deemed to control Wolverine Trading Partners, Inc. (“WTP”), the general partner of Wolverine Holdings. Each of Wolverine Holdings, Mr. Bellick, Mr. Gust, and WTP have voting and disposition power over 328,298 Class A Ordinary Shares of the Company. The principal business address of WAM, Wolverine Holdings, WTP, Mr. Bellick and Mr. Gust is c/o Wolverine Asset Management, LLC 175 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 340 Chicago, IL 60604.
(13) Based solely on the Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 13, 2024. The percentages used for Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. are calculated based upon 5,003,218 Class A Ordinary Shares outstanding, as disclosed in the Company’s Form 10-Q filed on November 14, 2023 for the period ending September 30, 2023, and does not reflect the Class A Ordinary Shares issuable upon the exercise of the private placement warrants. Mizuho Financial Group, Inc., Mizuho Bank, Ltd. and Mizuho Americas LLC may be deemed to be indirect beneficial owners of said equity securities directly held by Mizuho Securities USA LLC which is their wholly-owned subsidiary. The principal business address of Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. is 1-5-5, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8176, Japan.
(14) Based solely on the Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 14, 2024. The percentages used for Tenor Capital Management Company, L.P (“Tenor Capital”) are calculated based upon 5,003,218 Class A Ordinary Shares outstanding, as disclosed in the Company’s Form 10-Q filed on November 14, 2023 for the period ending September 30, 2023, and does not reflect the Class A Ordinary Shares issuable upon the exercise of the private placement warrants. The Class A Ordinary Shares reported herein are held by Tenor Opportunity Master Fund, Ltd. (the “Master Fund”). Tenor Capital serves as the investment manager to the Master Fund. Robin Shah serves as the managing member of Tenor Management GP, LLC, the general partner of Tenor Capital. By virtue of these relationships, the Tenor Capital and Robin Shah may be deemed to have shared voting and dispositive power with respect to the Class A Ordinary Shares owned directly by the Master Fund. The principal business address of Tenor Capital is 810 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1905, New York, NY 10019.
(15) Based solely on the Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 14, 2024. The percentages used for Glazer Capital, LLC are calculated based upon 4,500,017 Class A Ordinary Shares outstanding, as disclosed in the Company’s Form 8-K filed December 7, 2023, and does not reflect the Class A Ordinary Shares issuable upon the exercise of the private placement warrants. The Class A Ordinary Shares reported herein by Glazer Capital, LLC, (“Glazer Capital”) are held by certain funds and managed accounts to which Glazer Capital serves as investment manager (collectively, the “Glazer Funds”). Mr. Paul J. Glazer (“Mr. Glazer”), serves as the Managing Member of Glazer Capital, with respect to the shares of Class A Ordinary Shares held by the Glazer Funds. The principal business address of of Glazer Capital and Mr. Glazer is 250 West 55th Street, Suite 30A, New York, New York 10019.
(16) Based solely on the Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 14, 2024. The percentages used for First Trust Merger Arbitrage Fund (“VARBX”) and First Trust Capital Management L.P. (“FTCM”) are calculated based upon 5,003,218 Class A Ordinary Shares outstanding, as disclosed in the Company’s Form 10-Q filed on November 14, 2023 for the period ending September 30, 2023, and does not reflect the Class A Ordinary Shares issuable upon the exercise of the private placement warrants. FTCM, an investment adviser registered with the SEC that provides investment advisory services to, among others, (i) series of Investment Managers Series Trust II, an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, specifically First Trust Multi-Strategy Fund and VARBX and (ii) Highland Capital Management Institutional Fund II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (collectively, the “Client Accounts”). As investment adviser to the Client Accounts, FTCM has the authority to invest the funds of the Client Accounts in securities (including Class A Ordinary Shares of the Company) as well as the authority to purchase, vote and dispose of securities, and may thus be deemed the beneficial owner of any shares of the Company’s Class A Ordinary Shares held in the Client Accounts. As of December 31, 2023, VARBX owned 406,132 shares of the outstanding Ordinary Shares of the Issuer, while FTCM, First Trust Capital Solutions L.P. (“FTCS”) and FTCS Sub GP LLC (“Sub GP”) owned collectively 439,134 shares of the outstanding Class A Ordinary Shares of the Company. FTCS and Sub GP may be deemed to control FTCM and therefore may be deemed to be beneficial owners of the Class A Ordinary Shares. The principal business address of FTCM, FTCS and Sub GP is 225 W. Wacker Drive, 21st Floor, Chicago, IL 60606. The principal business address of VARBX is 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212.
Immediately after our initial public offering, our initial shareholders beneficially owned 20.0% of the then issued and outstanding ordinary shares and will have the right to elect all of our directors prior to our initial business combination as a result of holding all of the founder shares. Holders of our public shares will not have the right to appoint any directors to our board of directors prior to our initial business combination. In addition, because of their ownership block, our initial shareholders and anchor investors may be able to effectively influence the outcome of all other matters requiring approval by our shareholders, including amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approval of significant corporate transactions.
Our Sponsor has purchased an aggregate of 9,750,000 private placement warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant ($9,750,000 in the aggregate) in a private placement that occurred simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering. Each private placement warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as provided herein. If we do not complete our initial business combination within 18 months (which was extended from 15 months to 18 months on January 23, 2023, and may be further extended at our Sponsor’s option to up to 21 months, as described in the Description of Securities exhibit filed as Exhibit 4.5 to this Annual Report) from the closing of our initial public offering or during any Extension Period, the proceeds of the sale of the private placement warrants held in the trust account will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares, and the private placement warrants will expire worthless. The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold as part of the units in our initial public offering except that, so long as they are held by our Sponsor or its permitted transferees: (1) they will not be redeemable by us (except as described in the Description of Securities exhibit filed as Exhibit 4.5 to this Annual Report); (2) they (including the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of these warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by our sponsor until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, as described below; (3) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis; and (4) they (including the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of these warrants) are entitled to registration rights, as described below.
Our Sponsor and our directors and officers are deemed to be our “promoters” as such term is defined under the federal securities laws. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions, and Director Independence” for additional information regarding our relationships with our promoters.
Anchor Investors
The Company’s anchor investors are certain institutional investors. Upon the closing of the initial public offering, the anchor investors purchased 1,375,000 anchor shares from the Sponsor. In the event that the anchor investors hold all such units or public shares underlying the units until prior to consummation of our initial business combination and vote their public shares in favor of our initial business combination, in addition to the founder shares, no affirmative votes from other public shareholders would be required to approve our initial business combination. The anchor investors are not required to vote any of their public shares in favor of our initial business combination or for or against any other matter presented for a shareholder vote.
Each anchor investor has entered into a separate investment agreement with us and our sponsor agreeing to (a) vote any founder shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination and (b) subject any founder shares held by them to the same lock-up restrictions as the founder shares held by our sponsor and independent directors.
Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants
The founder shares, private placement warrants and any Class A ordinary shares issued upon conversion or exercise thereof are each subject to transfer restrictions pursuant to lock-up provisions in the letter agreement with us to be entered into by our initial shareholders, directors, officers and advisors. Each of our anchor investors has agreed to lock-up provisions in investment agreements with us. Those lock-up provisions provide that such securities are not transferable or salable (1) in the case of the founder shares, until the earlier of: (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination; and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination (x) if the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, and (2) in the case of the private placement warrants and the respective Class A ordinary shares underlying such warrants, until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, except in each case (a) to our directors or officers, any affiliates or family members of any of our directors or officers, any members of our sponsor, or any affiliates of our sponsor, (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of the individual’s immediate family or an affiliate of such person, or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of a business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the securities were originally purchased; (f) in the event of our liquidation prior to our completion of our initial business combination; (g) in the case of an entity, by virtue of the laws of its jurisdiction or its organizational documents or operating agreement; or (h) in the event of our completion of a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (e) these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions.
Registration Rights
The holders of the founder shares, private placement warrants and any warrants that may be issued on conversion of working capital loans (and any Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the private placement warrants or warrants issued upon conversion of the working capital loans and upon conversion of the founder shares) will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement signed in connection with our initial public offering requiring us to register such securities for resale (in the case of the founder shares, only after conversion to our Class A ordinary shares). The holders of these securities will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form registration demands, that we register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination and rights to require us to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. However, the registration rights agreement provides that we will not be required to effect or permit any registration or cause any registration statement to become effective until termination of the applicable lock-up period as described under “Part III Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters-Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants.” We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
None

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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Item 13.Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
On April 16, 2021, our Sponsor purchased 5,750,000 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.004 per share. The founder shares included an aggregate of up to 750,000 shares that were subject to forfeiture by the Sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option was exercised. As a result of the underwriters’ election to partially exercise their over-allotment option, 125,000 founder shares were forfeited. On November 4, 2021, our Sponsor transferred an aggregate of 843,750 founder shares to Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sir Ralf Speth FRS FrEng KBE, F. Jeremey Mistry and Dr. Stefan Berger and each of our independent directors - Florian Wolf, Steve Norris, Jeff Foster and John Doherty.
Our Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 9,750,000 private placement warrants for a purchase price of $1.00 per warrant in a private placement that occurred simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering. Each private placement warrant may be exercised for one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as provided herein. The private placement warrants (including the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by it until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination.
As more fully discussed in “Part III Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance -Conflicts of Interest,” if any of our directors or officers becomes aware of a business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has then-current 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 directors and officers currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.
We have entered into an Administrative Services Agreement with an affiliate of our Sponsor, pursuant to which we pay a total of $14,000 per month for office space, administrative and support services to such affiliate. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees. Accordingly, in the event the consummation of our initial business combination takes place on April 30, 2024, an affiliate of our Sponsor will be paid a total of $424,530 for office space, administrative and support services and will be entitled to be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses.
Our Sponsor, directors and officers, or any of their respective affiliates, will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our Sponsor, directors, officers or our or any of their respective affiliates and will determine which expenses and the amount of expenses that will be 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.
Our Sponsor agreed to loan us up to $300,000 under an unsecured promissory note to be used for a portion of the expenses of our initial public offering. As of the date of our initial public offering, we had borrowed $212,710 under the $300,000 promissory note with our Sponsor. These loans were non-interest bearing, unsecured and were due at the earlier of April 30, 2022 and the closing of our initial public offering. These loans were repaid in full upon completion of our initial public offering with proceeds allocated for offering expenses not held in the trust account. The value of our Sponsor’s interest in this loan transaction corresponded to the principal amount outstanding under any such loan.
On January 23, 2023, we issued the Extension Note in the principal amount of $2,250,000 to our sponsor. Our Sponsor deposited the funds into the trust account. The Extension Note was issued in connection with the decision by our board of directors to exercise the first extension option in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and to extend the date by which we must consummate a business combination transaction from January 26, 2023 to April 26, 2023 (i.e., for a period of time ending 18 months after the consummation of the initial public offering).The Extension Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon our consummation of a business combination. If we do not consummate a business combination, the Extension Note will not be repaid and all amounts owed under the Extension Note will be forgiven except to the extent that we have funds available to us outside of the trust account. On March 15, 2023, we amended and restated the Extension Note to align the terms of the Extension Note with the March 2023 Promissory Note.
On March 15, 2023, we issued the March 2023 Promissory Note in the principal amount of $1,100,000 to our Sponsor to provide the Company additional working capital. The promissory note is non-interest bearing and repayable in full upon the consummation of a business combination by the Company.
On April 24, 2023, we issued a non-convertible unsecured promissory note (the “April 2023 Extension Note”) in the principal amount of $719,907 to the Sponsor. The April 2023 Extension Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon our consummation of a business combination. If we do not consummate a business combination, the April 2023 Extension Note will not be repaid and all amounts owed under the April 2023 Extension Note will be forgiven except to the extent that we have funds available to us outside of the trust account.
On July 14, 2023, the Sponsor voluntarily committed to make a monthly contribution to the trust account commencing on August 1, 2023, and paid on the first day of each month thereafter until the earliest of (i) the date on which we consummate a business combination or (ii) December 31, 2023. Each monthly contribution shall be $150,097, representing $0.03 per Class A ordinary share then outstanding. The contribution amount is to be paid on a monthly basis after the issuance of the July 2023 Promissory Note (as defined below) in connection therewith.
On July 31, 2023, we issued a non-convertible unsecured promissory note (the “July 2023 Promissory Note”) in the principal amount of $750,483 to the Sponsor. The July 2023 Promissory Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon the earliest of December 31, 2023, the date on which we consummate our initial business combination, or within three (3) business days of our receipt of a break-free, termination fee or similar arrangement in connection with a potential business combination. If we do not consummate a business combination, the July 2023 Promissory Note will not be repaid and all amounts owed under the July 2023 Promissory Note will be forgiven except to the extent that we have funds available to us outside of the trust account.
On November 1, 2023, we issued a non-convertible unsecured promissory note (the “November 2023 Promissory Note”) in the principal amount of up to $1,000,000.00 to the Sponsor. The November 2023 Promissory Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon the earliest of April 30, 2024, the date on which we consummate a business combination, or within three (3) business days of the receipt by us of a break-fee, termination fee or similar arrangement in connection with a potential business combination. If we do not consummate a business combination, the November 2023 Promissory Note will not be repaid and all amounts owed under the November 2023 Promissory Note will be forgiven except to the extent that we have funds available to it outside of our trust account (as outlined in the November 2023 Promissory Note).
Additionally, on November 1, 2023, the Company amended the Extension Note, the March 2023 Promissory Note, the April 2023 Extension Note, the May 2023 Promissory Note, and the July 2023 Promissory Note to align the terms with those of the November 1, 2023 Promissory Note, which extended the repayment terms from December 31, 2023 to April 30, 2024.
On December 29, 2023, our Sponsor committed to deposit $135,000 into the trust account, representing $0.03 per Class A ordinary share then in issue, on the first business day of each month starting on January 2, 2024 until the earliest of (i) the date on which we consummate an initial business combination or (ii) April 30, 2024.
In addition, in order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our Sponsor or an affiliate of our Sponsor or certain of our directors and officers may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we may repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. Otherwise, such loans may be repaid only out of funds held outside the trust account. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used to repay such loaned amounts. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants issued to our Sponsor. The terms of such loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our Sponsor or certain of our directors and officers as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver of 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 shareholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, furnished to our shareholders. 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 general 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 officer and director compensation.
We have entered into a registration rights agreement with respect to the founder shares, private placement warrants and warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans (if any), which is described under the heading “Part III Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters-Registration Rights.”
Related Party Policy
Prior to the closing of our initial public offering, we adopted our Code of Ethics requiring us to avoid, wherever possible, all conflicts of interests, except under guidelines or resolutions approved by our board of directors (or the appropriate committee of our board of directors) or as disclosed in our public filings with the SEC. Under our Code of Ethics, conflict of interest situations include any financial transaction, arrangement or relationship (including any indebtedness or guarantee of indebtedness) involving the company.
The audit committee of our board of directors operates pursuant to a charter, providing for the review, approval or ratification of “related party transactions,” which are those transactions required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K as promulgated by the SEC, by the audit committee. At its meetings, the audit committee is provided with the details of each new, existing, or proposed related party transaction, including the terms of the transaction, any contractual restrictions that the company has already committed to, the business purpose of the transaction, and the benefits of the transaction to the company and to the relevant related party. Any member of the committee who has an interest in the related party transaction under review by the committee shall abstain from voting on the approval of the related party transaction, but may, if so requested by the chairman of the committee, participate in some or all of the committee’s discussions of the related party transaction. An affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the audit committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present is required in order to approve a related party transaction. A majority of the members of the entire audit committee constitutes a quorum. Without a meeting, the unanimous written consent of all of the members of the audit committee is required to approve a related party transaction. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made by us to our sponsor, directors or officers, or our or any of their respective affiliates. These procedures are intended to determine whether any such related party transaction impairs the independence of a director or presents a conflict of interest on the part of a director, employee or officer.
To further minimize conflicts of interest, we have agreed not to consummate an initial business combination with an entity that is affiliated with any of our Sponsor, directors or officers unless we, or a committee of independent and disinterested directors, have obtained an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA or another valuation or appraisal firm that regularly renders fairness opinions on the type of target business we are seeking to acquire that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. Furthermore, there will be no finder’s fees, reimbursements or cash payments made by us to our Sponsor, directors or officers, or our or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered to us prior to or in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, other than the following payments, none of which will be made from the proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants held in the trust account prior to the completion of our initial business combination:
● payment to an affiliate of our Sponsor of a total of $14,000 per month for office space and administrative and support services;
● reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination; and
● repayment of loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our Sponsor or certain of our directors and officers to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants, at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender.
The above payments may be funded using the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants not held in the trust account or, upon completion of the initial business combination, from any amounts remaining from the proceeds of the trust account released to us in connection therewith.
Director Independence
NYSE 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 directors exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. Our board of directors has determined that Steve Norris, Jeff Foster, Florian Wolf and John Doherty are independent directors as defined in the NYSE 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 Accounting Fees and Services.
The following is a summary of fees paid or to be paid to BDO USA, P.C. for services rendered
For the Period from
For the Period from
January 1, 2023-
January 1, 2022-
December 31, 2023
December 31, 2022
Audit Fees(1)
$
197,275
111,145
Audit-Related Fees(2)
-
-
Tax Fees(3)
-
-
All Other Fees(4)
-
-
Total
$
197,275
111,145
(1) Audit Fees. Audit fees consist of fees billed for professional services rendered for the audit of our year-end financial statements and services that are normally provided by our independent registered public accounting firm in connection with statutory and regulatory filings.
(2) 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 year-end financial statements and are not reported under “Audit Fees.” These services include attest services that are not required by statute or regulation and consultation concerning financial accounting and reporting standards.
(3) Tax Fees. Tax fees consist of fees billed for professional services relating to tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice.
(4) All Other Fees. All other fees consist of fees billed for all other services.
Policy on Board Pre-Approval of Audit and Permissible Non-Audit Services of the Independent Auditors
The audit committee is responsible for appointing, setting compensation and overseeing the work of the independent auditors. In recognition of this responsibility, the audit committee shall review and, in its sole discretion, pre-approve all audit and permitted non-audit services to be provided by the independent auditors as provided under the audit committee charter (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). In accordance its policies and procedures, our audit committee pre-approved all of the audit and non-audit services performed by BDO USA, P.C.
PART IV

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ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
Item 15.Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules.
(a)(1) Financial Statements
The financial statements listed in the Index to Financial Statements beginning on page are filed as part of this Annual Report.
(a)(2) Financial Statement Schedules
All schedules have been omitted because they are not required or because the required information is given in the Financial Statements or Notes listed in the Index to Financial Statements beginning on page.
(b) Exhibits
The exhibits listed in the Exhibit Index below are filed or incorporated by reference as part of this Annual Report.
Exhibit Index
Exhibit
Number
Description of Exhibit
2.1
Business Combination Agreement dated as of May 31, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on May 31, 2023).
2.2
First Amendment to the Business Combination Agreement dated September 26, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on September 26, 2023).
2.2
Second Amendment to the Business Combination Agreement dated January 29, 2024 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on January 29, 2024).
3.1*
Third Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company
4.1
Specimen Unit Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-259860) filed on October 8, 2021).
4.2
Specimen Class A Ordinary Share Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-259860) filed on October 8, 2021).
4.3
Specimen Warrant Certificate (included in Exhibit 4.4) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 26, 2021).
4.4
Warrant Agreement, dated October 21, 2021, between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on October 26, 2021).
4.5*
Description of Securities.
10.1
Promissory Note, dated April 16, 2021, issued to Pegasus Digital Mobility Sponsor LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-259860) filed on September 28, 2021).
10.2
Letter Agreement, dated October 21, 2021, among the Company, the Sponsor and the Company’s officers and directors (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on October 26, 2021).
10.3
Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated October 21, 2021, between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on October 26, 2021).
10.4
Registration Rights Agreement, dated October 21, 2021, among the Company, the Sponsor and certain other security holders named therein (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on October 26, 2021).
10.5
Administrative Services Agreement, dated October 21, 2021, between the Company and StratCap, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on October 26, 2021).
10.6
Sponsor Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated October 21, 2021, between the Company and the Sponsor (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on October 26, 2021).
10.7
Form of Indemnity Agreement, between the Company and each of its officers and directors (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-259860) filed on October 8, 2021).
10.8
Securities Subscription Agreement, dated April 16, 2021, between the Company and the Sponsor (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-259860) filed on September 28, 2021).
10.9
Form of Investment Agreement, by and between the Company, the Sponsor and the Anchor Investors (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-259860) filed on October 8, 2021).
10.10
Promissory Note for Extension Payment, as amended and restated (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on March 15, 2023).
10.11
Promissory Note (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on March 15, 2023).
10.12
Promissory Note for Extension Payment (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on April 24, 2023).
10.13
Shareholders’ Undertaking dated as of May 31, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on May 31, 2023).
10.14
First Amendment to Shareholders’ Undertaking dated as of January 29, 2024 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on January 29, 2024).
10.15
Company Lock-Up Agreement dated as of May 31, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on May 31, 2023).
10.16
Sponsor Support Agreement dated as of May 31, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on May 31, 2023).
10.17
Form of PIPE Subscription Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on May 31, 2023).
10.18
Form of Registration Rights Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on May 31, 2023).
10.19
Form of Warrant Assumption Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on May 31, 2023).
10.20
Articles of Association (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on May 31, 2023).
10.21
Plan of Merger (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on May 31, 2023).
10.22
Warrant Grant Agreement dated as of May 31, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on May 31, 2023).
10.23
Promissory Note dated as of May 31, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on May 31, 2023).
10.24
Promissory Note dated as of July 31, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on July 31, 2023).
10.25
Promissory Note, dated January 23, 2023, issued to Pegasus Digital Mobility Sponsor LLC, as amended and restated on March 15, 2023, and additionally amended and restated on November 1, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on November 1, 2023).
10.26
Promissory Note, dated March 15, 2023, issued to Pegasus Digital Mobility Sponsor LLC, as amended and restated on November 1, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on November 1, 2023).
10.27
Promissory Note, dated April 24, 2023, issued to Pegasus Digital Mobility Sponsor LLC, as amended and restated on November 1, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on November 1, 2023).
10.28
Promissory Note, dated May 31, 2023, issued to Pegasus Digital Mobility Sponsor LLC, as amended and restated on November 1, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on November 1, 2023).
10.29
Promissory Note, dated July 31, 2023, issued to Pegasus Digital Mobility Sponsor LLC, as amended and restated on November 1, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on November 1, 2023).
10.30
Promissory Note, dated November 1, 2023, issued to Pegasus Digital Mobility Sponsor LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on November 1, 2023).
10.31
Private Warrants Transfer Agreement dated as of January 29, 2024 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on January 29, 2024).
10.32
Private Warrants Undertaking Agreement dated as of January 29, 2024 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on January 29, 2024).
10.33
Earn-out Agreement dated as of January 29, 2024 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on January 29, 2024).
10.34
XJ Subscription Agreement dated as of January 29, 2024 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on January 29, 2024).
10.35
Agreement on the Use of Pegasus Class B Shares and Stock Exchange Listing, dated February 27, 2024 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 000-40945) filed on February 27, 2024).
10.36
Promissory Note, dated February 27, 2024, issued to Pegasus Digital Mobility Sponsor LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 000-40945) filed on February 27, 2024).
Code of Ethics and Business Conduct (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 14 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-40945) filed on March 31, 2022).
24.1*
Power of Attorney (included on the signature pages herein).
21*
Subsidiaries of Pegasus Digital Mobility Acquisition Corp.
31.1*
Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(a) and 15(d) to 14(a), as adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
31.2*
Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(a) and 15(d) to 14(a), as adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.1**
Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.2**
Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
97.1*
Clawback Policy
101.INS*
XBRL Instance Document
101.CAL*
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.SCH*
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.DEF*
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB*
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase Document
101.PRE*
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
Cover Page Interaction Data File (formatted as inline XBRL with application taxonomy extension information contained in Exhibits 101)
* Filed herewith
** These certifications are furnished to the SEC pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and are deemed not filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, nor shall they be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.