EDGAR 10-K Filing

Company CIK: 1835236
Filing Year: 2021
Filename: 1835236_10-K_2021_0001213900-21-018278.json

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Item 1. Business
Introduction
We are a blank check company formed under the laws of the State of Delaware on October 14, 2020. We were formed for the purpose of effecting merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses. While we may pursue an initial business combination target in any industry or geographic region, we intend to concentrate our efforts on identifying businesses that are either directly or indirectly connected with the music sector, with particular emphasis on businesses where our significant strategic and operational expertise and long-standing position within the music industry will be a value-additive proposition to potential target businesses. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, engaged in any substantive discussions directly or indirectly, with any business combination target with respect to an initial business combination with us.
Our Sponsor is Music Acquisition Sponsor, LLC (the “Sponsor”), a Delaware limited liability company. The registration statement on Form S-1 for our Initial Public Offering (the “Initial Public Offering” or “IPO”) was declared effective on February 2, 2021. On February 5, 2021, we consummated the Initial Public Offering of 23,000,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A common stock included in the Units, the “Public Shares”), which included the full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 Units at the Initial Public Offering price to cover over-allotments. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock of the company, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class A Common Stock”), and one-half of one redeemable warrant of the company (“Warrants”), with each whole Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one share of Class A Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment, pursuant to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-252152). The Units were sold at a price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $230.0 million.
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the private placement (“Private Placement”) of 6,600,000 warrants (each, a “Private Placement Warrant” and collectively, the “Private Placement Warrants”) to our Sponsor, each exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at $11.50 per share, at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, generating gross proceeds to us of $6.6 million.
Upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement (including the additional Units and additional Private Placement Warrants sold in connection with the full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option), a total of $230,000,000 of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement, including $8,050,000, of deferred underwriting discounts and commissions, were placed in a Trust Account (“Trust Account”) located in the United States at JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee.
If we are unable to complete an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering, or February 5, 2023, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (net of permitted withdrawals and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining stockholders and the board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
Management Expertise
Our Leadership
Our management team and board of directors consists of seasoned industry executives that have collaborated and worked together for many years, and possess deep collective understanding of music, digital entertainment, social media and technology, as well as the evolution of these sectors and market opportunities. Our management team represents a unique combination of operating, investing, financial and transactional experience.
Neil Jacobson, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, is a 20-year veteran of the music business. Mr. Jacobson spent the majority of his career at Interscope Geffen A&M Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, where he held positions as a publicist, Senior Vice President and Executive Vice President, and participated in the management of artists and producers such as will.i.am, Robin Thicke and Jeff Bhasker. In January 2016, Mr. Jacobson was appointed President of Geffen Records, a historic record label re-established under Interscope Geffen A&M Records and held that position until January 2020. During his tenure as President of Geffen Records, Mr. Jacobson oversaw the signing of Darkroom Records, home to Billie Eilish. In January 2020, Mr. Jacobson founded Hallwood Media, an independent music management company exclusively focused on songwriters and producers. Over the last 13 months acting as a trusted advisor to artists and creators, Mr. Jacobson has helped coordinate the sale of artist catalogs for an aggregate total in excess of $100 million. For the past three years, Mr. Jacobson has been a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), which serves as a global leadership community to improve lives, businesses and the world.
Todd Lowen, our Chief Operating Officer and one of our directors, has 20 years of experience in finance and investment. Mr. Lowen spent the majority of his career in the Equity Derivatives businesses of Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital Inc. in New York, where he advised institutional investors, such as hedge funds and pension funds, on event driven investment strategies relating to, and including, merger arbitrage, spin-offs/splits, exchange offers, tenders, and special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”). In September of 2016, Mr. Lowen joined Olivetree Financial, LLC as a Managing Director to further establish its U.S. Event Driven Business, building a team around similar strategies, with a particular recent focus on SPACs. Away from the office, Mr. Lowen is actively involved with Success Academy Charter Schools, which help provide world class education opportunities to children from all backgrounds in New York, as well as City Harvest, a food rescue and re-distribution organization in New York City.
Mr. Jacobson and Mr. Lowen each have a distinguished record of accomplishment in their respective industries. As an international publicist for Interscope, Mr. Jacobson traveled globally with artists such as Eminem, 50 Cent, and the Black Eyed Peas. His close relationship with Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am led to his introduction to industry legend, future mentor and Beats by Dre co-founder Jimmy Iovine and eventual appointment to President of Geffen Records in 2016. Mr. Jacobson has spent two decades operating in the music business across a variety of roles. His experience spans many different geographies/continents, and he has represented talent across North America, Europe, Asia, and South America. During his time in the music industry, Mr. Jacobson has worked with some of the most recognizable talent in the world including Eminem, Gwen Stefani, Black Eyed Peas, Avicii and DJ Snake. We believe that prospective target companies will benefit from the guidance and insight that Mr. Jacobson can provide through mentorship, governance and operational involvement and experience.
Over the course of his 20-year career in finance, Mr. Lowen has advised over 150 institutional investors on event driven investments and trading strategies across 500+ unique mergers, spin-offs, exchange offers, tenders, and SPACs. Most recently, Mr. Lowen has re-focused on the SPAC market, providing insight, analysis, and investment strategy around the SPAC asset class, covering entities from their pre-IPO filings all the way through to their status as public companies and through consummation of their ultimate respective business combinations.
We believe that our management team is well positioned to identify attractive business combination opportunities with a compelling industry backdrop and an opportunity for transformational growth. Our objectives are to generate attractive returns for our stockholders and enhance value by improving operational performance of the acquired company. We believe our management’s strong reputation within the industry sectors targeted by us, together with its vast network of key industry participants built over decades, will give us the ability to identify attractive opportunities that would thrive in the public markets. We also believe that our management team can add significant value to a newly public company through extensive industry knowledge, marketing and financial expertise, as well as a network of strategic investors and resources.
Our Directors
Our leadership team’s skills are complemented by our directors, who bring significant operating experience and relationships throughout the media, entertainment and finance industries. In addition to Neil Jacobson and Todd Lowen, Michael Levitt, Ben Silverman and Babatunde “Tunde” Balogun are directors.
Michael Levitt, a member of our board of directors, brings extensive private equity, investment banking and management experience to the Company. Michael Levitt has been the Chief Executive Officer of Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, L.P. (“Kayne”) since July 2016. Prior to joining Kayne, Mr. Levitt served as a vice chairman with Apollo Global Management, LLC (NYSE: APO) from April 2012 to May 2016. Mr. Levitt joined Apollo following Apollo’s acquisition of Stone Tower Capital LLC (“Stone Tower”), a mergers & acquisitions, corporate finance, restructuring and debt finance firm, in 2012. Mr. Levitt founded Stone Tower in 2001 and grew the firm to become a leading alternative credit manager with approximately $17 billion in credit-focused alternative assets under management at the time of its acquisition. During his tenure at Stone Tower, Mr. Levitt served as Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer. Before founding Stone Tower, Mr. Levitt worked as a partner at the private equity firm Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst Incorporated, where he was involved in media and consumer investments. Earlier in his career, Mr. Levitt served as the co-head of the investment banking division of Smith Barney Inc. Mr. Levitt began his investment banking career at Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MS), where he oversaw corporate finance and advisory businesses related to private equity firms and non-investment grade companies. Mr. Levitt currently serves on the board of Core Scientific, Inc, as well as the boards of Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund Inc. (NYSE: KYN), Kayne Anderson NextGen Energy & Infrastructure Inc. (NYSE: KMF), and Kayne Anderson BDC, LLC. Mr. Levitt is also a member of the Visiting Committee of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and the Trustee of the University of Michigan Law School’s Cook Trust. Over the years, Mr. Levitt has worked with numerous philanthropic organizations, including Make-A-Wish Foundations of America and New York, and the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund.
Ben Silverman, a member of our board of directors, is an entrepreneur and producer with nearly 30 years of experience in the media and entertainment industries. Since 2016, Mr. Silverman has served as the Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Propagate Content, LLC (“Propagate”), a firm founded to create and produce all forms of content for distribution across a variety of platforms around the world. Propagate’s recent credits include the Emmy-nominated “Hillary” that premiered at Sundance and Berlin and now streams on Hulu, the recently aired “Notre Dame: Our Lady of Paris” on ABC, the upcoming “Go-Big Show” on TBS and the American adaptation of The Eurovision Song Contest, as well as the unscripted “November 13: Attack on Paris,” “Haunted” and “Prank Encounters” for Netflix, and “In Search Of” and “Kings of Pain” for the History Channel. Mr. Silverman founded two acclaimed “super indies” in the media industry, Electus, LLC and Reveille Productions. Mr. Silverman founded Reveille Productions in 2002 in order to exploit international media formats in the United States. Elisabeth Murdoch’s Shine Group acquired Reveille Productions for $125 million in 2008. Mr. Silverman launched Electus, LLC in 2009, and took a leadership role in digital content, building the #1 comedy site on the Internet, CollegeHumor, and extending projects to multiple platforms, including numerous digital projects and partnerships with Yahoo!, Facebook and YouTube. Prior to Electus, LLC, Mr. Silverman served as Co-Chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios from 2007-2009. Mr. Silverman won Emmy and Golden Globe awards for his role as a producer for “The Office” and was nominated a number of times for his role producing “The Office” and “Ugly Betty” and over the course of his career. Mr. Silverman has created and executive produced major network, cable, and digital platform hits, including Golden Globe and Peabody award-winning shows “The Office”, “Ugly Betty”, “The Biggest Loser”, and “The Tudors”, as well as hits like “Jane The Virgin” at The CW, “Marco Polo” and “Flaked” with Will Arnett and Mitch Hurwitz for Netflix, NBC’s TV commerce show “Fashion Star” and “Running Wild with Bear Grylls” on Nat Geo. Mr. Silverman has also produced feature films including “My Boyfriend’s Meds”, “Mansome” and “Hands of Stone”, the biopic of Roberto Durán starring Robert De Niro, Usher and Edgar Ramirez, which premiered at Cannes Film Festival in 2016.
Tunde Balogun, a member of our board of directors, is an experienced media and music industry entrepreneur. Since 2013, Mr. Balogun has served as President of LOVERENAISSANCE, LLC (“LVRN”), a diversified record label and media management company, which he co-founded. LVRN is composed of LVRN Records, LLC (a recorded music company), LVRN Publishing, LLC (a music publishing company), LVRN Mgmt, LLC (a music management company) and Kids Against Cubicles (a tv/film production company). LVRN artists include three-time Grammy nominee 6lack, platinum album selling Summer Walker and Dram, amongst others. Through the management of these companies, Mr. Balogun has developed a strong track record of running multi-vertical music businesses, identifying and implementing innovative strategies, and leveraging opportunities and relationships in the music and finance industries. Mr. Balogun has served on the Board of the Atlanta Creative Industries Fund for Invest Atlanta since 2017. Mr. Balogun was named to Billboard’s 40 Under 40 and Rolling Stone’s The Future 25 list and was honored at the 2019 Culture Creators awards. Mr. Balogun also serves on the Global Citizen Entertainment Advisory Board.
We believe our directors bring additional expertise that will enhance our ability to identify and execute our initial business combination, and may enhance our ability to execute upon various value creation initiatives after the successful completion of our initial business combination.
With respect to the foregoing experiences of our leadership team, past performance is not a guarantee (i) that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or (ii) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record of our management team’s performance as indicative of our future performance. Other than Mr. Lowen, none of the members of our leadership team has any past experience with blank check companies or special purpose acquisition companies. For more information on the experience and background of our management team, see the section entitled “Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.”
Our Approach
Our business strategy is to identify and complete our initial business combination with a company that complements the experience of our management and directors and can benefit from their operational and investment expertise. We intend to concentrate our efforts on identifying businesses that are either directly or indirectly connected to music, with particular emphasis on businesses where our specific expertise and positioning within the music industry will be a value-additive proposition to our targets. Our selection process will leverage Mr. Jacobson’s and Mr. Lowen’s broad and deep relationship network, unique industry experiences and deal sourcing capabilities to access a broad spectrum of differentiated opportunities.
We expect these networks will provide our management team with a robust flow of acquisition opportunities. In addition, we anticipate that target business candidates will be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, which may include investment market participants, private equity groups, investment banking firms, consultants, accounting firms and large business enterprises. Since the Initial Public Offering, members of our management team have communicated with their networks of relationships to articulate the parameters for our search for a target company and a potential business combination and to begin the process of pursuing and reviewing potentially interesting leads.
Business Strategy
Streaming has fundamentally changed the music industry and as a result, consumers engage with music in more ways than ever. According to International Federation of the Phonographic Institute (IFPI), global paid music streaming subscribers totaled 341 million at the end of 2019. While this represents an increase of 34% from 255 million at the end of 2018, it still represents less than 11% of the 3.5 billion smartphone users globally, according to Statista. Additionally, technological innovation has helped facilitate the penetration of music listening across locations, including homes, offices and cars, as well as across devices, including smartphones, tablets, wearables, digital dashboards, gaming consoles and smart speakers. These technologies represent advancements that are deepening listener engagement and driving further growth in music consumption. Concurrently, the age of social media and micro-content has given significant rise to the various ways consumers discover, engage and share music. This increase in consumption across device and format has led to increased monetization opportunities of music content, supporting the continued growth in music industry revenues.
We believe there are several macro themes that will dominate the music industry and adjacent ecosystems and present significant opportunities. These investment themes include, but are not limited to:
● Audio Content: In today’s landscape, consumer-facing companies depend on music to make meaningful connections with their customers, while film and television similarly depend on music as a key storytelling medium. As music licensing becomes increasingly enforced, those who hold copyrights have immense leverage across a wide range of industries. We plan to explore potential target companies serving content creators, IP owners and consumers by unlocking new opportunities for content discovery and monetization. Our depth and breadth of relationships across the entire audio industry, including recorded music labels and music publishers, streaming platforms, podcasting platforms, voice platforms, agencies and other emerging platforms, position us to uniquely source and evaluate opportunities for potential targets in this sector.
● Technology: The dramatic advancements in the music industry are largely driven by pioneering technology companies. As these advancements continue to reshape the industry, the companies who partner with these pioneers stand to benefit. Conversely, a company with a proprietary algorithm requires a partner in the music industry in order to make a meaningful impact in the sector. Through decades of experience in both the music industry and finance, we offer a value-add which is seldom found among burgeoning tech companies. Given our deep relationships across the broader technology ecosystem, we plan to evaluate potential target companies that are poised to benefit from strong secular tailwinds including automation, livestreaming, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Select verticals of interest include royalty free sample libraries (for production music), music catalog analysis and organization tools, data science and trend research companies, blockchain and other AI-driven platforms.
● Social: Social media has become a primary means of music discovery, allowing for consumer engagement and interaction in ways that other traditional platforms, such as radio, cannot. Platforms such as TikTok and Triller have provided new life to music, while their survival symbiotically depends on that of the music industry. The size of a user base defines any social platform, and achieving critical mass is of the utmost importance. Music is a tried and tested way to accelerate this process. We can offer a unique value-add to companies including but not limited to social media networking apps, social content platforms and online video sharing platforms.
● Consumer: Music plays an important role in the ways brands connect with their customers. Whether through advertising or the product experience itself, music is a core emotional component that often bonds or drives the user to the product. By 2026, Gen Z is expected to comprise the largest sector of the U.S. consumer population according to A.T. Kearney ‘Consumers @ 250 Report’. Music is increasingly becoming an important part of Gen Z’s lifestyle. According to BI Intelligence / Edison Research ‘The Infinite Dial 2020’, 86% of people in the U.S. aged between 12 and 34 listen to online audio on at least a monthly basis. Brands that have been able to adapt and adopt music as a key driver, both in consumer experience and partnerships, have found significant success in recent years. Examples include Beats by Dre and Peloton. We believe we can provide immediate value to any consumer-facing company with proprietary access to top-level music and artists, resources and connections within the industry and an ability to navigate, contact and execute music licenses.
Acquisition Criteria
Consistent with our business strategy, we have identified the following general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses. We intend to use these criteria and guidelines in evaluating initial business combination opportunities, but we may decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet any or all of these criteria and guidelines. We intend to seek to acquire companies that we believe:
● have a defensible market position, with business models that are differentiated from or disruptive to entrenched competitors and which create barriers to entry against new competitors;
● are at an inflection point and can benefit from our leadership’s knowledge of the target sectors and robust industry relationships to drive improved financial performance;
● have a strong, experienced management team which would benefit from our leadership’s network or expertise;
● provide a scalable platform for add-on acquisitions, which we believe will be an opportunity for our management team to deliver incremental stockholder value after the initial business combination;
● are valued attractively relative to their existing cash flows and potential for operational improvement;
● offer an attractive potential return for our stockholders, weighing potential growth opportunities and operational improvements in the target business against any identified downside risks; and
● can benefit from being publicly-traded, are prepared to be a publicly-traded company, are capable of generating consistent returns in excess of cost of capital, and can effectively utilize access to the capital markets.
These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management team may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria in our stockholder communications related to our initial business combination, which, as discussed in this Report, would be in the form of proxy solicitation materials or tender offer documents that we would file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
Initial Business Combination
The NYSE listing rules require that we must consummate an initial business combination with one or more operating businesses or assets that together have an aggregate fair market value equal to at least 80% of the net assets held in the Trust Account (excluding the amount of any deferred underwriting discount held in trust and taxes payable) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. The fair market value of the target or targets will be determined by our board of directors based upon one or more standards generally accepted by the financial community (such as actual and potential sales, earnings, cash flow and/or book value). Even though our board of directors will rely on generally accepted standards, our board of directors will have discretion to select the standards employed. In addition, the application of the standards generally involves a substantial degree of judgment. Accordingly, investors will be relying on the business judgment of the board of directors in evaluating the fair market value of the target or targets. The proxy solicitation materials or tender offer documents used by us in connection with any proposed transaction will provide public stockholders with our analysis of our satisfaction of the 80% fair market value test, as well as the basis for our determinations. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination (including with the assistance of financial advisors), we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) or an independent valuation or appraisal firm with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it likely that our board of directors will be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of the target’s assets or prospects.
We will have until 24 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering to consummate an initial business combination. We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post transaction company in which our public stockholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the outstanding equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or stockholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Even if the post transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the initial business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock, shares or other equity securities of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our stockholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the outstanding equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be taken into account for purposes of the 80% of net assets test described above. If the business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the transactions and we will treat the target businesses together as the initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking stockholder approval, as applicable.
Prior to the date of this Report, we filed a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we are subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.
Our Business Combination Process
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a due diligence review which may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspection of facilities, as applicable, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information which will be made available to us. If we determine to move forward with a particular target, we will proceed to structure and negotiate the terms of the business combination transaction.
The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of, and negotiation with, a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination. The company will not pay any consulting fees to members of our management team, or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered to or in connection with our initial business combination.
Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to another entity 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 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 business combination opportunity to such entity. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that 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 such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue, and to the extent the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to us without violating another legal obligation. We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Sources of Target Business
We anticipate that target business candidates will be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment bankers and private investment funds. Target businesses may be brought to our attention by such unaffiliated sources as a result of being solicited by us through calls or mailings. These sources may also introduce us to target businesses in which they think we may be interested on an unsolicited basis, since many of these sources will have read the prospectus from the Initial Public Offering and know what types of businesses we are targeting. Our officers and directors, as well as their affiliates, may also bring to our attention target business candidates of which they become aware through their business contacts as a result of formal or informal inquiries or discussions they may have, as well as attending trade shows or conventions. In addition, we expect to receive a number of proprietary deal flow opportunities that would not otherwise necessarily be available to us as a result of the track record and business relationships of our officers and directors. While we do not presently anticipate engaging the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions on any formal basis, we may engage these firms or other individuals in the future, in which event we may pay a finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm’s length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction. We will engage a finder only to the extent our management determines that the use of a finder may bring opportunities to us that may not otherwise be available to us or if finders approach us on an unsolicited basis with a potential transaction that our management determines is in our best interest to pursue. Payment of a finder’s fee is customarily tied to completion of a transaction, in which case any such fee will be paid out of the funds held in the Trust Account. In no event, however, will our Sponsor or any of our existing officers or directors, or any entity with which they are affiliated, be paid any finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation by the company prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate, the completion of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). In addition, since the date that our securities were first listed on NYSE, we have paid an affiliate of our Sponsor $15,000 per month for office space, utilities, secretarial and administrative support services provided to members of our management team. Any such payments prior to our initial business combination are made from funds held outside the Trust Account. Other than the foregoing, there will be no finder’s fees, reimbursement, consulting fee, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation paid by us to our Sponsor, officers or directors, or any affiliate of our Sponsor or officers prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is).
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a business combination target that is affiliated with our Sponsor, officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, or from completing the business combination through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with our Sponsor, officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a business combination target that is affiliated with our Sponsor, officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or an independent accounting firm, 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.
Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our initial business combination, we may encounter competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other special purpose acquisition companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, public companies and operating businesses seeking strategic acquisitions. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess greater financial, technical, human and other resources than us. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public stockholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination and our outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Either of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination.
Human Capital Resources
We currently have two officers. These individuals 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 they will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the stage of the initial business combination process we are in. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination.
Our Website
Our corporate website address is www.musicacquisition.com. The information contained on or accessible through our corporate website or any other website that we may maintain is not incorporated by reference into this report.
Periodic Reporting and Audited Financial Statements
We have registered our units, Class A common stock and Public Warrants under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and 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 accountants.
We will provide stockholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of the proxy solicitation materials or tender offer documents sent to stockholders to assist them in assessing the target business. In all likelihood, these financial statements will need to be prepared in accordance with, or reconciled to, GAAP, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances, and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may conduct an initial business combination with because some targets may be unable to provide such statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. We cannot assure you that any particular target business identified by us as a potential business combination candidate will have financial statements prepared in accordance with the requirements outlined above, or that the potential target business will be able to prepare its financial statements in accordance with the requirements outlined above. To the extent that these requirements cannot be met, we may not be able to acquire the proposed target business. While this may limit the pool of potential business combination candidates, we do not believe that this limitation will be material.
We will be required to evaluate our internal control procedures for our second completed fiscal year as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer, and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to have our internal control procedures audited. A target business may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such business combination.
On February 2, 2021, we filed a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we are subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the 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 stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We 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 the Initial Public Offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our shares of Class A common stock that are held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the end of that fiscal year’s second fiscal quarter, or (2) our annual revenues equal or exceed $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the end of that fiscal 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.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Summary of Risk Factors
Our business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those highlighted in the section titled “Risk Factors,” that represent challenges that we face in connection with the successful implementation of our strategy. The occurrence of one or more of the events or circumstances described in the section titled “Risk Factors,” alone or in combination with other events or circumstances, may adversely affect our ability to effect a business combination, and may have an adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations. Such risks include, but are not limited to:
● We are a newly formed company without an operating history;
● Stockholders may lack the opportunity to vote on our proposed business combination;
● Holders of our securities lack protections normally afforded to investors of blank check companies;
● The fact that there may be a deviation from our acquisition criteria;
● Our potential issuance of equity and/or debt securities to complete a business combination;
● The fact that we lack working capital;
● The potential for third-party claims that have the effect of reducing the per-share redemption price;
● The potential of a negative interest rate for securities in which we invest the funds held in the Trust Account;
● The potential for our stockholders being held liable for claims by third parties against us;
● We may be unable to enforce our Sponsor’s indemnification obligations;
● The ability of warrant holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company;
● Our dependence on key personnel;
● Potential conflicts of interest involving of our Sponsor, officers and directors;
● The potential of the delisting of our securities by NYSE;
● If shares of ours are redeemed and warrants expire worthless;
● The fact that our competitors may have advantages over us in seeking a business combination;
● Our ability or inability to obtain additional financing;
● Our initial stockholders controlling a substantial interest in us;
● The potential that warrants we issue might have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock;
● Redemptions of warrants at disadvantageous times for holders;
● Our grant of registration rights’ having an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock;
● The impact of COVID-19 and related risks;
● The potential for changes in laws or regulations;
● The potential for adverse tax consequences to business combinations; and
● The existence of exclusive forum provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation.
RISK FACTORS
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained herein, before making a decision to invest in our units. 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 you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Related to the Process of Consummating a Business Combination and Post-Business Combination Risks
Our public stockholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our stockholders do not support such a combination.
We may choose not to hold a stockholder vote to approve our initial business combination if the business combination would not require stockholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements. Except for as required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements, the decision as to whether we will seek stockholder approval of a proposed initial business combination or will allow stockholders to sell their shares to us in a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors, such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would otherwise require us to seek stockholder approval. Accordingly, we may complete our initial business combination even if holders of a majority of our common stock do not approve of the initial business combination we complete.
Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash.
At the time of your investment in us, you will not be provided with an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of any target business. Since our board of directors may complete a business combination without seeking stockholder approval, public stockholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the business combination, unless we seek such stockholder vote. Accordingly, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding our initial business combination may be limited to exercising your redemption rights within the period of time (which will be at least 20 business days) set forth in our tender offer documents mailed to our public stockholders in which we describe our initial business combination.
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, our initial stockholders and management team have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public stockholders vote.
Immediately following the completion of our Initial Public Offering, our initial stockholders own 20% of our outstanding common stock. Our initial stockholders and management team also may from time to time purchase Class A common stock prior to our initial business combination. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, if we seek stockholder approval of an initial business combination, such initial business combination will be approved if we receive the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares voted at such meeting, including the founder shares. As a result, in addition to our initial stockholders’ founder shares, we would need 8,625,001, or 37.5%, of the 23,000,000 public shares sold in the Initial Public Offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised). Accordingly, if we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, the agreement by our initial stockholders and management team to vote in favor of our initial business combination will increase the likelihood that we will receive the requisite stockholder approval for such initial business combination.
The ability of our public stockholders 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 an initial business combination with a target.
We may seek to enter into an initial business combination 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 stockholders 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 initial business combination. Furthermore, we will only redeem our public shares so long as (after such redemption) our net tangible assets will be at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 or such greater amount necessary to satisfy a closing condition, each 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 an initial business combination agreement with us.
The ability of our public stockholders 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 stockholders may exercise their redemption rights, and therefore 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. In addition, the amount of the deferred underwriting commissions payable to the underwriters will not be adjusted for any shares that are redeemed in connection with an initial business combination. The per share amount we will distribute to stockholders who properly exercise their redemption rights will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commission and after such redemptions, the amount held in trust will continue to reflect our obligation to pay the entire deferred underwriting commissions. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure.
The ability of our public stockholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your shares.
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, the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our initial business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account until we liquidate the Trust Account. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your shares in the open market; however, at such time our shares may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in the Trust Account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with your exercise of redemption rights until we liquidate or you are able to sell your shares in the open market.
The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within 24 months after the closing of our Initial Public Offering may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination and may limit the time we have in which to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets, in particular as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our stockholders.
Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning a business combination will be aware that we must complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our Initial Public Offering. Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating a business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the end of timeframe described 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.
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.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a widespread health crisis that has adversely affected the economies and financial markets worldwide, and the business of any potential target business with which we consummate a business combination could be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, we may be unable to complete a business combination if continued concerns relating to COVID-19 restrict travel, limit the ability to have meetings with potential investors or the target company’s personnel, and vendors and services providers are unavailable to negotiate and consummate a transaction in a timely manner. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our search for a business combination will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19 and the actions to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, among others. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19 or other matters of global concern 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.
The COVID-19 pandemic may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section, such as those related to the market of our securities and cross border transactions.
We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within 24 months after the closing of our Initial Public Offering, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate.
We may not be able to find a suitable target business and complete our initial business combination within 24 months after the closing of our Initial Public Offering. Our ability to complete our initial business combination may be negatively impacted by general market conditions, volatility in the capital and debt markets and the other risks described herein. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow both in the U.S. and globally and, while the extent of the impact of the outbreak on us will depend on future developments, it could limit our ability to complete our initial business combination, including as a result of increased market volatility, decreased market liquidity and third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic may negatively impact businesses we may seek to acquire. If we have not completed our initial business combination within such time period or during any Extension Period, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (net of permitted withdrawals and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case, to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, our Sponsor, initial stockholders, directors and officers or their affiliates may enter into certain transactions, including purchasing shares or warrants from the public, which may influence the outcome of a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our securities.
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our Sponsor, initial stockholders, directors and officers or their affiliates may purchase public shares or public warrants or a combination thereof in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. There is no limit on the number of shares our initial stockholders, directors and officers or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and NYSE rules. Additionally, at any time at or prior to our initial business combination, subject to applicable securities laws (including with respect to material non-public information), our initial stockholders, directors and officers or their 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, other than as expressly stated herein, 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 shares or public warrants in such transactions.
In the event that our Sponsor, initial stockholders, directors and officers or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public stockholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling stockholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares. The purpose of any such transactions could be to (i) vote such shares in favor of the business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining stockholder approval of the business combination, (ii) 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 or (iii) reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such transactions may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such transactions are consummated, the public “float” of our Class A common stock or warrants may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange. We expect 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 Class A common stock or public warrants and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, possibly making it difficult to obtain or maintain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
If a stockholder 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 proxy rules or tender offer rules, as applicable, when conducting redemptions in connection with our initial business combination. Despite our compliance with these rules, if a stockholder fails to receive our proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, such stockholder 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 submit public shares for redemption. For example, we intend to require our public stockholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to, at the holder’s option, either deliver their stock certificates to our transfer agent, or to deliver their shares to our transfer agent electronically prior to the date set forth in the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable. In the case of proxy materials, this date may be up to two business days prior to the date on which the vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination is to be held. In addition, if we conduct redemptions in connection with a stockholder vote, we intend to require a public stockholder seeking redemption of its public shares to also submit a written request for redemption to our transfer agent two business days prior to the vote in which the name of the beneficial owner of such shares is included. In the event that a stockholder fails to comply with these or any other procedures disclosed in the proxy or tender offer materials, as applicable, its shares may not be redeemed.
Because of our 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 do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We expect to encounter 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 similar or greater technical, human and other resources to ours 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, we are obligated to offer holders of our public shares the right to redeem their shares for cash at the time of our initial business combination in conjunction with a stockholder vote or via a tender offer. Target companies will be aware that this may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination. Additionally, our outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by target businesses. Any of these obligations may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating and completing a business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
If the net proceeds of our Initial Public Offering not being held in the Trust Account are insufficient to allow us to operate for at least the 24 months following the closing of our Initial Public Offering, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination, and we will depend on loans from our Sponsor or management team to fund our search and to complete our initial business combination.
Of the net proceeds of our Initial Public Offering, only $1,000,000 are available to us initially outside of the Trust Account. We believe that, since the closing of our Initial Public Offering, the funds available to us outside of the Trust Account are sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the 24 months following such closing; however, we cannot assure you that our estimate is accurate. 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 or investors on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into a letter of intent or merger 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.
In the event that our Initial Public Offering expenses exceed our estimate of $1,000,000, we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the Trust Account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the Trust Account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the Initial Public Offering expenses are less than our estimate of $1,000,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the Trust Account would increase by a corresponding amount. The amount held in the Trust Account will not be impacted as a result of such increase or decrease. 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 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. 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. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek advances or loans from parties other than our Sponsor or an affiliate of our Sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our Trust Account. 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 stockholders may only receive an estimated $10.00 per share, or possibly less, on our redemption of our public shares, and our warrants will expire worthless.
Subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to 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, we cannot assure you that this diligence will identify all material issues that may be present within 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 debt financing to partially finance the initial business combination or thereafter. Accordingly, any stockholders or warrant holders who choose to remain stockholders or warrant holders following the initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such stockholders or warrant holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
We may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our directors, officers, employees and agents.
We have agreed to indemnify our officers, directors, employees and agents to the fullest extent permitted by law. However, our officers, directors, employees and agents have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the Trust Account and to not seek recourse against the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever. 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, directors, employees and agents may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers, directors, employees or agents for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers, directors, employees and agents, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers, directors, employees and agents pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the Trust Account to our public stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary 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 stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by stockholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our stockholders. 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 stockholders 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 stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary 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 stockholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our stockholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the Trust Account to our public stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the Trust Account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our stockholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the Trust Account, the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our stockholders in connection with our liquidation may 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 not subject to.
In order not to be regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, unless we can qualify for an exclusion, we must ensure that we are engaged primarily in a business other than investing, reinvesting or trading of securities and that our activities do not include investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading “investment securities” constituting more than 40% of our assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. Our business will be to identify and complete a business combination and thereafter to operate the post-transaction business or assets for the long term. We do not plan to buy businesses or assets with a view to resale or profit from their resale. We do not plan to buy unrelated businesses or assets or to be a passive investor.
We do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act. To this end, the proceeds held in the Trust Account may only be invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Pursuant to the trust agreement, the trustee is not permitted to invest in other securities or assets. By restricting the investment of the proceeds to these instruments, and by having a business plan targeted at acquiring and growing businesses for the long term (rather than on buying and selling businesses in the manner of a merchant bank or private equity fund), we intend to avoid being deemed an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act. Our Initial Public Offering is not intended for persons who are seeking a return on investments in government securities or investment securities. The Trust Account is intended as a holding place for funds pending the earliest to occur of either: (i) the completion of our initial business combination; (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with an initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our Initial Public Offering; or (iii) absent an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our Initial Public Offering or with respect to any other material provisions relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, our return of the funds held in the Trust Account to our public stockholders as part of our redemption of the public shares. If we do not invest the proceeds as discussed above, we may be deemed to be subject to 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 do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We may not hold an annual meeting of stockholders until after the consummation of our initial business combination, which could delay the opportunity for our stockholders to elect directors.
In accordance with NYSE corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until no later than one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on the NYSE. Under Section 211(b) of the DGCL, we are, however, required to hold an annual meeting of stockholders for the purposes of electing directors in accordance with our bylaws unless such election is made by written consent in lieu of such a meeting. We may not hold an annual meeting of stockholders to elect new directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, and thus we may not be in compliance with Section 211(b) of the DGCL, which requires an annual meeting. Therefore, if our stockholders want us to hold an annual meeting prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, they may attempt to force us to hold one by submitting an application to the Delaware Court of Chancery in accordance with Section 211(c) of the DGCL.
The grant of registration rights to our initial stockholders and holders of our private placement warrants 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 shares of Class A common stock.
The holders of the founder shares, private placement warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans (and any Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the private placement warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans and upon conversion of the founder shares) will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to the registration rights agreement dated as of February 2, 2021, which requires us to register such securities and any other securities of the company acquired by them prior to the consummation of our initial business combination for resale. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form 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. 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 common stock. In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude. This is because the stockholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our Class A common stock that is expected when the shares of common stock owned by our initial stockholders, holders of our private placement warrants or holders of our working capital loans or their respective permitted transferees are registered.
Because we are neither limited to evaluating a target business in a particular industry sector, nor have we selected any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations.
Our efforts to identify a prospective initial business combination target will not be limited to a particular industry, sector or geographic region. While we may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any industry or sector, we intend to capitalize on the ability of our management team to identify, acquire and operate a business or businesses that can benefit from our management team’s established relationships and operating experience. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation prohibits us from effectuating a business combination with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations. Because we have not yet selected any specific target business with respect to a business combination, there is no basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition or prospects. To the extent we complete our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable or a development stage entity. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in a business combination target. Accordingly, any stockholders or warrant holders who choose to remain stockholders or warrant holders following the initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such stockholders or warrant holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines.
Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines for evaluating prospective target businesses, it is possible that a target business with which we enter into our initial business combination will not have all of these positive attributes. If we complete our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these guidelines, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria and guidelines. In addition, if we announce a prospective business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria and guidelines, a greater number of stockholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if stockholder approval of the transaction is required by law, or we decide to obtain stockholder approval for business or other reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain stockholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria and guidelines. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent accounting or investment banking firm, and consequently, you may have no assurance from an independent source that the price we are paying for the business is fair to our company from a financial point of view.
Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm, which is a member of FINRA, or an independent accounting firm, that such an initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our stockholders 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 solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.
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 stockholders’ investment in us.
Although we have no commitments as of the date hereof to issue any notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur outstanding debt following the Initial Public Offering, we may choose to incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We and our officers 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 Class A common stock;
● 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 Class A common stock 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 only be able to complete 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 private placement of warrants have provided us with $221,950,000 (including the net proceeds from the underwriters’ over-allotment option that was exercised in full) that we may use to complete our initial business combination (after taking into account $8,050,000 in connection with the over-allotment option exercised in full of deferred underwriting commissions being held in the Trust Account).
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 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, 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 seek acquisition opportunities with an early stage company, a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenue or earnings.
To the extent we complete our initial business combination with an early stage company, a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine. These risks include investing in a business without a proven business model and with limited historical financial data, volatile revenues or earnings, intense competition and difficulties in obtaining and retaining key personnel. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors and we may not have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.
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 business combination 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 our initial business combination with which a substantial majority of our stockholders or warrant holders do not agree.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation does 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 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules). In addition, our proposed initial business combination may impose a minimum cash requirement for: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions. As a result, we may be able to complete our initial business combination even though a substantial majority of our public stockholders do not agree with the transaction and have redeemed their shares or, if we seek stockholder 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, officers and directors or any of their affiliates. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all shares of Class A common stock that are validly submitted for redemption, plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination, exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the business combination or redeem any shares in connection with such initial business combination, all shares of Class A common stock 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, special purpose acquisition companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and other governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that our stockholders may not support.
In order to effectuate a business combination, special purpose acquisition companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. For example, special purpose acquisition 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. The provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation 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 holders of at least 65% of our outstanding common stock. We may also 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 a majority of the then outstanding public warrants. In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation requires us to provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash if we propose an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with an initial business combination, or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete an initial business combination within 24 months of the closing of our Initial Public Offering or with respect to any other material provisions relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity. To the extent any of such amendments would be deemed to fundamentally change the nature of the securities offered through the registration statement for our Initial Public Offering, we would register, or seek an exemption from registration for, the affected securities. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our charter or governing instruments or extend the time to consummate an initial business combination in order to effectuate our initial business combination.
The provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation 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 holders of at least 65% of our outstanding common stock, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other special purpose acquisition companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our stockholders may not support.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that any of its provisions related to pre-business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of our Initial Public Offering and the sale of the private placement warrants into the Trust Account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances, and to provide redemption rights to public stockholders as described herein) may be amended if approved by holders of at least 65% of our outstanding common stock entitled to vote thereon and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our Trust Account may be amended if approved by holders of at least 65% of our outstanding common stock entitled to vote thereon. In all other instances, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may be amended by holders of a majority of our outstanding common stock entitled to vote thereon, subject to applicable provisions of the DGCL or applicable stock exchange rules. Our initial stockholders, who collectively beneficially own 20% of our outstanding common stock upon the closing of our Initial Public Offering, may participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation 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 amended and restated certificate of incorporation which will govern our pre-business combination behavior more easily than some other special purpose acquisition companies, and this may increase our ability to complete our initial business combination with which you do not agree. Our stockholders may pursue remedies against us for any breach of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation.
Our initial stockholders, officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a letter agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with an initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our Initial Public Offering or with respect to any other material provisions relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their public 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 earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (net of permitted withdrawals), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. Our stockholders are not parties to, or third-party beneficiaries of, these agreements and, as a result, will not have the ability to pursue remedies against our Sponsor, officers and directors for any breach of these agreements. As a result, in the event of a breach, our public stockholders would need to pursue a stockholder derivative action, subject to applicable law.
Certain agreements related to our Initial Public Offering may be amended without stockholder approval.
Each of the agreements related to our Initial Public Offering to which we are a party, other than the warrant agreement and the investment management trust agreement, may be amended without stockholder approval. Such agreements are: the underwriting agreement; the letter agreement among us and our initial stockholders, officers and directors; the registration rights agreement among us and our initial stockholders; the private placement warrants purchase agreement between us and our Sponsor; and the administrative services agreement among us, our Sponsor and an affiliate of our Sponsor. These agreements contain various provisions that our public stockholders might deem to be material. For example, our letter agreement and the underwriting agreement contain certain lock-up provisions with respect to the founder shares, private placement warrants and other securities held by our initial stockholders, Sponsor, officers and directors. Amendments to such agreements would require the consent of the applicable parties thereto and would need to be approved by our board of directors, which may do so for a variety of reasons, including to facilitate our initial business combination. While we do not expect our board of directors to approve any amendment to any of these agreements 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 any such agreement. Any amendment entered into in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination will be disclosed in our proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, related to such initial business combination, and any other material amendment to any of our material agreements will be disclosed in a filing with the SEC. Any such amendments would not require approval from our stockholders, 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. For example, amendments to the lock-up provision discussed above may result in our initial stockholders selling their securities earlier than they would otherwise be permitted, which may have an adverse effect on the price of our securities.
We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
Although we believe that the net proceeds of our Initial Public Offering and the sale of the private placement warrants are sufficient to allow us to complete our initial business combination, because we have not yet selected any specific target business, we cannot ascertain the capital requirements for any particular transaction. If the net proceeds of our Initial Public Offering and the sale of the private placement warrants prove to be insufficient, either because of the size of our initial business combination, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, the obligation to redeem for cash a significant number of shares from stockholders who elect redemption in connection with our initial business combination or the terms of negotiated transactions to purchase shares in connection with our initial business combination, we may be required to seek additional financing or to abandon the proposed business combination. We cannot assure you that such financing will be available on acceptable terms, if at all. The current economic environment has made it especially difficult for companies to obtain acquisition financing. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to complete our initial business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, and our warrants will expire worthless. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to complete our initial business combination, we may require such financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our officers, directors or stockholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after our initial business combination.
A provision of our warrant agreement may make it more difficult for use to consummate an initial business combination.
Unlike some other blank check companies, if
(i) we issue additional shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at a Newly Issued Price of less than $9.20 per share,
(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 consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and
(iii) 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, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of 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.
Because we must furnish our stockholders 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 the proxy statement with respect to the vote on an initial business combination include historical and pro forma financial statement disclosure. We will include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with our tender offer documents, whether or not they are required under the tender offer rules. 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 (“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 the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“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 statements in accordance with federal proxy 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 initial business combination.
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 our second completed fiscal year. 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. 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 business combination.
If we effect our initial business combination with a company located outside of the United States, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may adversely affect us.
If we pursue a target 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 initial business 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. Furthermore, 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 jurisdiction, 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 any of the following:
● costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations;
● rules and regulations regarding currency redemption;
● complex withholding or other tax regimes which may apply in connection with our business combination or to our structure following our business combination;
● laws governing the manner in which future business combinations may be effected;
● exchange listing and/or delisting requirements;
● tariffs and trade barriers;
● regulations related to customs and import/export matters;
● local or regional economic policies and market conditions;
● unexpected changes in regulatory requirements;
● challenges in managing and staffing international operations;
● longer payment cycles;
● tax issues, including limits on our ability to change our tax residence from the United States, potential changes in the applicable tax laws in the United States and/or relevant non-U.S. jurisdictions and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States;
● currency fluctuations and exchange controls;
● rates of inflation;
● challenges in collecting accounts receivable;
● cultural and language differences;
● employment regulations;
● underdeveloped or unpredictable legal or regulatory systems;
● corruption;
● protection of intellectual property;
● social unrest, crime, strikes, riots and civil disturbances;
● regime changes and political upheaval;
● terrorist attacks and wars; and
● deterioration of political relations with the United States.
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 initial business combination, or, if we complete such initial business combination, our operations might suffer, either of which may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our initial business combination and our structure thereafter may not be tax-efficient to our stockholders and warrant holders. As a result of our business combination, our tax obligations may be more complex, burdensome and uncertain.
Although we will attempt to structure our initial business combination in a tax-efficient manner, tax structuring considerations are complex, the relevant facts and law are uncertain and may change, and we may prioritize commercial and other considerations over tax considerations. For example, in connection with our initial business combination and subject to any requisite stockholder approval, we may structure our business combination in a manner that requires stockholders and/or warrant holders to recognize gain or income for tax purposes. We do not intend to make any cash distributions to stockholders or warrant holders to pay taxes in connection with our business combination or thereafter. Accordingly, a stockholder or a warrant holder may need to satisfy any liability resulting from our initial business combination with cash from its own funds or by selling all or a portion of such holder’s shares or warrants. In addition, we may effect a business combination with a target company in another jurisdiction or reincorporate in a different jurisdiction (including, but not limited to, the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located). As a result, stockholders and warrant holders may be subject to additional income, withholding or other taxes with respect to their ownership of us after our initial business combination.
Furthermore, we may effect a business combination with a target company that has business operations outside of the United States and, possibly, business operations in multiple jurisdictions. If we effect such a business combination, we could be subject to significant income, withholding and other tax obligations in a number of jurisdictions with respect to income, operations and subsidiaries related to those jurisdictions. Due to the complexity of tax obligations and filings in other jurisdictions, we may have a heightened risk related to audits or examinations by taxing authorities. This additional complexity and risk could have an adverse effect on our after-tax profitability and financial condition.
Risks Related to an Investment in our Securities
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 stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share.
The proceeds held in the Trust Account will be invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act, which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. While short-term U.S. 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 use to pay our taxes, if any) would be reduced. In the event that we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders are entitled to receive their pro-rata share of the proceeds then held in the Trust Account, plus any interest income (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses). If the balance of the Trust Account is reduced below $200,000,000 as a result of negative interest rates, the amount of funds in the Trust Account available for distribution to our public stockholders may be reduced below $10.00 per share.
You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the Trust Account, except under certain limited circumstances. Therefore, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.
Our public stockholders will be entitled to receive funds from the Trust Account only upon the earlier to occur of: (i) our completion of an initial business combination, and then only in connection with those shares of Class A common stock that such stockholder properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with an initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our Initial Public Offering or with respect to any other material provisions relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we do not complete an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our Initial Public Offering, subject to applicable law and as further described herein. In addition, if we do not complete an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our Initial Public Offering, Delaware law may require that we submit a plan of dissolution to our then-existing stockholders for approval prior to the distribution of the proceeds held in our Trust Account. In that case, public stockholders may be forced to wait beyond 24 months from the closing of our Initial Public Offering before they receive funds from our Trust Account. In no other circumstances will a public stockholder have any right or interest of any kind 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 your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.
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 are listed on the NYSE. Following the date that the Class A common stock and warrants are eligible to trade separately, we anticipate that the Class A common stock and warrants will be separately listed on the NYSE. Although after giving effect to our Initial Public Offering we expect to meet, on a pro forma basis, the minimum initial listing standards set forth in the NYSE listing standards, we cannot assure you 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 average global market capitalization and a minimum number of holders of our securities. Additionally, in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to demonstrate compliance with NYSE’s initial listing requirements, which are more rigorous than NYSE’s continued listing requirements, in order to continue to maintain the listing of our securities on the NYSE. For instance, 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 $150 million, the aggregate market value of our publicly-held shares would be required to be at least $40 million and we would be required to have a minimum of 400 round lot holders and 1,100,000 publicly held shares. We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time.
If NYSE delists any of our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list such 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 common stock is a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A common stock 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 are, and we expect that eventually our Class A common stock and warrants will be, listed on the NYSE, our units do, and our Class A common stock and warrants will, qualify as covered securities under the statute. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of our 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 blank check companies, other than the State of Idaho, 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 the statute and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities.
You will not be 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 selected, we may be deemed to be a “blank check” company under the United States securities laws. However, because we have net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,000 upon the completion of our Initial Public Offering and the sale of the private placement warrants and have filed 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 will not be afforded the benefits or protections of those rules. Among other things, this means our units are immediately tradable and we have a longer period of time to complete our initial business combination than do companies subject to Rule 419. Moreover, if our 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 stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of stockholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our Class A common stock, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our Class A common stock.
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in our Initial Public Offering without our prior consent, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares.” However, we would not be restricting our stockholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Your inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce your influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, you will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And as a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell your shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
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 stockholders may be less than $10.00 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 registered public accounting firm), 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 stockholders, 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 only enter into an agreement with a third-party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third-party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. The underwriters of our Initial Public Offering will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the Trust Account.
Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third-party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third-party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. 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 do not complete our initial business combination within the prescribed timeframe, 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 stockholders could be less than the $10.00 per public share initially held in the Trust Account, due to claims of such creditors. Pursuant to the letter agreement, the form of which was filed as an exhibit to the registration statement for our Initial Public Offering, our Sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third-party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.00 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third-party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the Trust Account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable), nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our Initial Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our Sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our Sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and we believe that our Sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our Sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. 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 $10.00 per public share. In such event, we may not be able to complete our initial business combination, and you would receive such lesser amount per share in connection with any redemption of your public shares. None of our officers or directors 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 stockholders.
In the event that the proceeds in the Trust Account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account if less than $10.00 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case less taxes payable, 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 if, for example, the cost of such legal action is deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or if the independent directors determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. We have not asked our Sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations and we believe it is unlikely that our Sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. 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 stockholders may be reduced below $10.00 per share.
Our stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their shares.
Under the DGCL, stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against a corporation to the extent of distributions received by them in a dissolution. The pro rata portion of the funds in our Trust Account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our Initial Public Offering may be considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law. If a corporation complies with certain procedures set forth in Section 280 of the DGCL intended to ensure that it makes reasonable provision for all claims against it, including a 60-day notice period during which any third-party claims can be brought against the corporation, a 90-day period during which the corporation may reject any claims brought, and an additional 150-day waiting period before any liquidating distributions are made to stockholders, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholder’s pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution. However, it is our intention to redeem our public shares as soon as reasonably possible following the 24th month from the closing of our Initial Public Offering in the event we do not complete our initial business combination and, therefore, we do not intend to comply with the foregoing procedures.
Because we will not be complying with Section 280, Section 281(b) of the DGCL requires us to adopt a plan, based on facts known to us at such time that will provide for our payment of all existing and pending claims or claims that may be potentially brought against us within the 10 years following our dissolution. However, because we are a blank check company, rather than an operating company, and our operations will be limited to searching for prospective target businesses to acquire, the only likely claims to arise would be from our vendors (such as lawyers, investment bankers, etc.) or prospective target businesses. If our plan of distribution complies with Section 281(b) of the DGCL, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholder’s pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would likely be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution. We cannot assure you that we will properly assess all claims that may be potentially brought against us. As such, our stockholders could potentially be liable for any claims to the extent of distributions received by them (but no more) and any liability of our stockholders may extend beyond the third anniversary of such date. Furthermore, if the pro rata portion of the funds in our Trust Account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our Initial Public Offering is not considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law and such redemption distribution is deemed to be unlawful (potentially due to the imposition of legal proceedings that a party may bring or due to other circumstances that are currently unknown), then pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL, the statute of limitations for claims of creditors could then be six years after the unlawful redemption distribution, instead of three years, as in the case of a liquidating distribution.
You will not be permitted to exercise your warrants unless we register and qualify the underlying Class A common stock or certain exemptions are available.
If the issuance of the Class A common stock 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 common stock included in the units.
We are not registering the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time. However, under the terms of the warrant agreement, 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 reasonable best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the registration under the Securities Act of the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and thereafter will use our best 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 common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. We cannot assure you 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 for our Initial Public Offering, the financial statements contained or incorporated by reference therein are not current or correct or the SEC issues a stop order.
If the shares of Class A common stock 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 common stock 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, 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 best 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.
You may only be able to exercise your public warrants on a “cashless basis” under certain circumstances, and if you do so, you will receive fewer shares of Class A common stock from such exercise than if you 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 so 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 shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act in accordance with the terms of the warrant agreement; (ii) if we have so elected and our Class A common stock 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; and (iii) if we have so elected and we call the public warrants for redemption. If you exercise your public warrants on a cashless basis, you would pay the warrant exercise price by surrendering the warrants in exchange for a number of shares of Class A common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of (A) the number of shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants and (B) the excess of the “fair market value” of our Class A common stock (as defined in the next sentence) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” of our Class A common stock for such purposes is the average last reported sales price of our Class A common stock 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, you would receive fewer shares of Class A common stock from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.
We may issue additional shares of Class A common stock or shares of preferred stock to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue shares of Class A common stock upon the conversion of the founder 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 certificate of incorporation. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our stockholders and likely present other risks.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of up to 380,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, 20,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share. Immediately after our Initial Public Offering, there are 357,000,000 and 14,250,000 authorized but unissued shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, respectively, available for issuance. The Class B common stock is automatically convertible into Class A common stock at the time of the closing of the initial business combination, initially at a one-for-one ratio but subject to adjustment as set forth herein and in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Immediately after our Initial Public Offering, there are no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding.
We may issue a substantial number of additional shares of Class A common stock or shares of preferred stock to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue shares of Class A common stock to redeem the warrants upon conversion of the Class B common stock at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions as set forth therein. However, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides, among other things, that prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional securities that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the Trust Account or (ii) vote as a class with our public shares (a) on any initial business combination or (b) to approve an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to (x) extend the time we have to consummate a business combination beyond 24 months from the closing of our Initial Public Offering or (y) amend the foregoing provisions. These provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, like all provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, may be amended with a stockholder vote. The issuance of additional shares of common stock or shares of preferred stock:
● 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 common stock resulted in the issuance of Class A common stock on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B common stock;
● may subordinate the rights of holders of Class A common stock if shares of preferred stock are issued with rights senior to those afforded our Class A common stock;
● could cause a change in control if a substantial number of shares of our Class A common stock are 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 officers and directors;
● 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; and
● may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our Class A common stock and/or warrants.
Unlike some other similarly structured special purpose acquisition companies, our initial stockholders will receive additional shares of Class A common stock if we issue certain shares to consummate an initial business combination.
The founder shares will automatically convert into shares of Class A common stock at the time of the closing of the initial business combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities are issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial business combination, the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all founder shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the total number of shares of Class A common stock outstanding after such conversion (after giving effect to any redemptions of shares of Class A common stock by public stockholders), including the total number of shares of Class A common stock issued, or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or rights issued or deemed issued, by the Company in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the initial business combination, excluding any shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities or rights exercisable for or convertible into shares of Class A common stock issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination and any private placement warrants issued to our Sponsor, officers or directors upon conversion of working capital loans, provided that such conversion of founder shares will never occur on a less than one-for-one basis. This is different than some other similarly structured special purpose acquisition companies in which the initial stockholders will only be issued an aggregate of 20% of the total number of shares to be outstanding prior to our initial business combination.
Resources could be wasted in researching business combinations that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We anticipate 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 we decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to complete our initial 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 do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
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 a majority of the then outstanding public warrants. As a result, the exercise price of your warrants could be increased, the exercise period could be shortened and the number of shares of Class A common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant could be decreased, all without your approval.
Our warrants will be issued in registered form under a 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 (i) for the purpose of curing any ambiguity, or curing or, correcting or supplementing any defective provision contained therein or adding or changing any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising thereunder as the parties may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the registered holders of the warrants, and (ii) to provide for the delivery of an alternative issuance described above and (b) all other modifications or amendments require the vote or written consent of at least a majority of the then outstanding public warrants and, solely with respect to any amendment to the terms of the private placement warrants or warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans or any provision of the warrant agreement with respect to the private placement warrants or warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans, at least a majority of the then outstanding private placement warrants and warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans. Accordingly, we may amend the terms of the public warrants in a manner adverse to a holder if holders of at least a majority 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 a majority 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, convert the warrants into cash or stock (at a ratio different than initially provided), shorten the exercise period or decrease the number of shares of Class A common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant.
We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.
We have the ability to redeem outstanding warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per warrant, provided that the last reported sales price of our Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to proper notice of such redemption provided that on the date we give the notice of such redemption to the warrant holders. We will not redeem the warrants unless an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is effective and a current prospectus relating to those shares of Class A common stock is available throughout the 30-day redemption period, except if the warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities Act. 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. Redemption of the outstanding warrants could force you to (i) exercise your warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for you to do so, (ii) sell your warrants at the then-current market price when you might otherwise wish to hold your warrants or (iii) accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding warrants are called for redemption, we expect would be substantially less than the market value of your warrants. None of the private placement warrants will be redeemable by us for cash so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees.
Our warrants may have an adverse effect on the market price of our shares of Class A common stock and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.
We have issued warrants to purchase up to 11,500,000 shares of our Class A common stock, inclusive of the full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, as part of the units offered in the Initial Public Offering and, simultaneously with the closing of our Initial Public Offering, we issued in a private placement an aggregate of 6,600,000 warrants, inclusive of the full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, each exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described herein. In addition, if our Sponsor or an affiliate of our Sponsor or certain of our officers and directors makes any working capital loans, such lender may convert those loans into up to an additional 1,500,000 private placement warrants, at the price of $1.00 per warrant. To the extent we issue common stock to effectuate a business transaction, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional shares of Class A common stock upon exercise of these warrants could make us a less attractive acquisition vehicle to a target business. Such warrants, when exercised, will increase the number of issued and outstanding shares of Class A common stock and reduce the value of the Class A common stock issued to complete the business transaction. Therefore, our warrants may make it more difficult to effectuate a business transaction or increase the cost of acquiring the target business.
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 special purpose acquisition companies.
Each unit contains one-half of one warrant. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, no fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units, and only whole units will trade. If, upon exercise of the warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, we will, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number the number of shares of Class A common stock to be issued to the warrant holder. This is different from other offerings similar to ours whose units include one common share and one whole warrant to purchase one whole 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 one-half of the number of shares compared to units that each contain a whole warrant to purchase one 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 it included a warrant to purchase one whole share.
A market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.
The price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and other events (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases). Following our Initial Public Offering, the price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions. Furthermore, an active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established and sustained.
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 will 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 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.
An investment in our Initial Public Offering may result in uncertain or adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences.
An investment in our Initial Public Offering 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 we have issued in our Initial Public Offering, the allocation an investor makes of the purchase price of a unit between the share of our Class A common stock and the one-half of one warrant to purchase Class A common stock included in each unit could be challenged by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) or the courts. Furthermore, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of a cashless exchange of warrants is unclear under current law. Finally, it is unclear whether the redemption rights with respect to our shares of Class A common stock 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 common stock is long-term capital gain or loss and for determining whether any dividend we pay would be considered “qualified dividend income” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Each prospective investor is urged to consult its own tax advisors with respect to these and other tax consequences when purchasing, holding or disposing of our securities.
Risks Related to our Leadership Team and Their Influence
Past performance by our management team and their affiliates may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.
Information regarding performance by, or businesses associated with, our management team or businesses associated with them is presented for informational purposes only. Past performance by our management team is not a guarantee either (i) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate or (ii) that we will be able to locate a suitable candidate for our initial business combination. You should not rely on the historical record of the performance of our management team or businesses associated with them as indicative of our future performance of an investment in us or the returns we will, or is likely to, generate going forward.
We may seek business combination opportunities in industries or sectors that may be outside of our management’s areas of expertise.
We will consider a business combination outside of our management’s areas of expertise if a business combination candidate is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive business combination opportunity for our company. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in any particular business combination candidate, we cannot assure you that we will adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to investors in our Initial Public Offering than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in a business combination candidate.
Involvement of members of our management and companies with which they are affiliated in civil disputes and litigation or governmental investigations unrelated to our business affairs could materially impact our ability to consummate an initial business combination.
Members of our management team and companies with which they are affiliated have been, and in the future will continue to be, involved in a wide variety of business affairs, including transactions, such as sales and purchases of businesses, and ongoing operations. As a result of such involvement, members of our management and companies with which they are affiliated in the past have been, and may in the future be, involved in civil disputes and litigation and governmental investigations relating to their business affairs unrelated to our company. Any such claims or investigations may be detrimental to our reputation and could negatively affect our ability to identify and complete an initial business combination in a material manner and may have an adverse effect on the price of our securities.
We are dependent upon our officers and directors and their loss could adversely affect our ability to operate.
Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our officers and directors. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our officers and directors, at least until we have completed our initial business combination. In addition, our officers and directors 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. 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 complete our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be 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 complete 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 engage after our initial business combination, we cannot assure you 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.
Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination, and a particular business combination may be conditioned on the retention or resignation of such key personnel. 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 a particular business combination is the most advantageous.
Our key personnel may be able to remain with our company after the completion of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with our initial business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of our initial 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 the business combination. Such negotiations also could make such key personnel’s retention or resignation a condition to any such agreement. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business, subject to their fiduciary duties under Delaware law.
We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may effect 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 business’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target business’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 stockholders or warrant holders who choose to remain stockholders or warrant holders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such security holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
The officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The loss 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.
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 conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors 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 officers is engaged in several other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation, and our officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. Our independent directors also serve as officers and 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.
Our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Following the completion of our Initial Public Offering and until we consummate our initial business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses. Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have, additional fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. 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 another entity prior to its presentation to us. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that 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 such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue, and to the extent the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to us without violating another legal obligation.
Our officers, directors, 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 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.
The personal and financial interests of our directors and officers may influence their motivation in timely identifying and selecting a target business and completing a business combination. Consequently, our directors’ and officers’ discretion in identifying and selecting a suitable target business may result in a conflict of interest when determining whether the terms, conditions and timing of a particular business combination are appropriate and in our stockholders’ best interest. If this were the case, it would be a breach of their fiduciary duties to us as a matter of Delaware law and we or our stockholders might have a claim against such individuals for infringing on our stockholders’ rights. However, we might not ultimately be successful in any claim we may make against them for such reason.
We may engage in a business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our Sponsor, officers, directors or existing holders which may raise potential conflicts of interest.
In light of the involvement of our Sponsor, officers and directors with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with our Sponsor, officers, directors or existing holders. Our directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities. Such entities may compete with us for business combination opportunities. Our Sponsor, 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 substantive discussions concerning a 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 for a business combination and such transaction was approved by a majority of our independent and disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or an independent accounting firm regarding the fairness to our company from a financial point of view of a business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our Sponsor, officers, directors or existing holders, 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 stockholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest.
Since our Sponsor, officers and directors will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed (other than with respect to public shares they acquired during or after our Initial Public Offering), a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.
On November 25, 2020, our Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 5,750,000 founder shares in exchange for a capital contribution of $25,000, or approximately $0.004 per share. Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000 by the Sponsor, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. The purchase price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to the company by the number of founder shares issued. The number of founder shares outstanding was determined based on the expectation that the total size of our Initial Public Offering would be a maximum of 23,000,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option was exercised in full, and therefore that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after our Initial Public Offering. 750,000 of the founder shares have been forfeited in connection with the full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. On January 27, 2021, our Sponsor transferred 25,000 shares to each of our independent directors, at their original purchase price. The founder shares will be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. In addition, our Sponsor has purchased an aggregate of 6,600,000 private placement warrants, inclusive of the full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, each exercisable for one share of Class A common stock at $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described herein, for an aggregate purchase price of $6,600,000, or $1.00 per warrant, that will also be worthless if we do not complete our initial business combination within the allocated time period. In addition, we may obtain loans from our Sponsor, affiliates of our Sponsor or an officer or director. The personal and financial interests of our officers and directors 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 the 24-month anniversary of the closing of our Initial Public Offering nears, which is the deadline for our completion of an initial business combination.
Our management may not 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 stockholders own shares will own less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target 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 outstanding voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares of Class A common stock in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. 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 shares of Class A common stock, our stockholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our outstanding Class A common stock subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority stockholders 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 maintain control of the target business.
Our initial stockholders control a substantial interest in us and thus may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a stockholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.
Upon closing of our Initial Public Offering, our initial stockholders own 20% of our issued and outstanding common stock. Accordingly, they may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a stockholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. If our initial stockholders purchase any units in our Initial Public Offering or if our initial stockholders purchase any additional Class A common stock in the aftermarket or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase their control. Neither our initial stockholders nor, to our knowledge, any of our officers or directors, have any current intention to purchase additional securities, other than as disclosed herein.
Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our Class A common stock. In addition, our board of directors, whose members were elected by our Sponsor, is and will be divided into two classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of two years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. We may not hold an annual meeting of stockholders to elect new directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination, in which case all of the current directors will continue in office until at least the completion of the business combination. If there is an annual meeting, as a consequence of our “staggered” board of directors, only a minority of the board of directors will be considered for election at our first annual general meeting and our initial stockholders, because of their ownership position, will have considerable influence regarding the outcome. Accordingly, our initial stockholders will continue to have substantial influence at least until the completion of our initial business combination.
Our initial stockholders paid an aggregate of $25,000, or approximately $0.004 per founder share and, accordingly, you will experience immediate and substantial dilution from the purchase of our shares of Class A common stock to the benefit of our Sponsor and certain of our directors and officers.
The difference between the Initial Public Offering price per share (allocating all of the unit purchase price to the share of Class A common stock and none to the warrant included in the unit) and the pro forma net tangible book value per share of our Class A common stock after our Initial Public Offering constitutes the dilution to you and the other investors in our Initial Public Offering. Our initial stockholders acquired the founder shares at a nominal price, significantly contributing to this dilution. Upon the closing of our Initial Public Offering, the public stockholders incurred an immediate and substantial dilution of approximately 91.8% (or $9.18 per share, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option), the difference between the pro forma net tangible book value per share after our Initial Public Offering of $0.82 and the initial offering price of $10.00 per unit. This dilution will increase to the extent that the anti-dilution provisions of the founder shares result in the issuance of shares of Class A common stock on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the founder shares at the time of our initial business combination and will become exacerbated to the extent that public stockholders seek redemptions from the trust for their public shares. In addition, because of the anti-dilution protection in the founder shares, any equity or equity-linked securities issued in connection with our initial business combination would be disproportionately dilutive to our Class A common stock. Moreover, although we are of the view that our Sponsor, directors and officers paid fair value for the founder shares, there is no assurance that a taxing authority would agree with us, and, if a taxing authority were to successfully assert otherwise, we may be subject to material withholding and other tax liabilities that could adversely affect our financial condition.
Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and Delaware law may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our shares of Class A common stock and could entrench management.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that stockholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions include a staggered board of directors and the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preferred stock, 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.
We are also subject to anti-takeover provisions under Delaware law, which could delay or prevent a change of control. Together these provisions may make the removal of management more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.
Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and Delaware law may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation requires, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, that (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us, our directors, officers or employees arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us, our directors, officers or employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware, except any claim (A) as to which the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten days following such determination), (B) which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery, or (C) for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction. If an action is brought outside of Delaware, the stockholder bringing the suit will be deemed to have consented to service of process on such stockholder’s counsel. Although we believe this provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, a court may determine that this provision is unenforceable, and to the extent it is enforceable, the provision may limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents and have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against us or such persons, although our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder, and Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts for all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Investors cannot waive compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the exclusive forum provision in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder, or to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.
General Risk Factors
We are a blank check company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
We are a blank check company established under the laws of the State of Delaware with no operating results, and did not commence operations until obtaining funding through our Initial Public Offering. Because we lack an operating history, you have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning a 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.
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 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.
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 internal controls 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 stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As a result, our stockholders 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 Class A common stock held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $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 common stock held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of that year’s second fiscal quarter, or (2) our annual revenues equal or exceed $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as 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.
Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.
We will 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. 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.

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

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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Item 2. Properties
Our executive offices are located at 9000 W. Sunset Blvd #1500, Hollywood, CA, and our telephone number is (747) 203-7219. Our executive offices are provided to us by an affiliate of the Sponsor. Commencing on the date that our securities were listed on the NYSE, we agreed to pay an affiliate of the Sponsor a total of $15,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. 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.

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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, Class A common stock and Public Warrants are traded on the NYSE under the symbols “TMAC.U,” “TMAC” and “TMAC WS” respectively. Our Units commenced public trading on February 3, 2021. Commencing on March 26, 2021, the holders of the Units will be permitted to elect to separately trade shares of our Class A common stock and the Public Warrants included in the Units.
Holders
As of March 24, 2021, there was one holder of record of our Units.
Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of an 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 conditions subsequent to completion of an initial business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to an initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time. In addition, our board of directors is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any stock dividends in the foreseeable future. Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities; Use of Proceeds from Registered Offering
On February 5, 2021, we consummated the Initial Public Offering of 23,000,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A common stock included in the Units, the “Public Shares”), which included the full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 Units at the Initial Public Offering price to cover over-allotment. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock of the company, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class A Common Stock”), and one-half of one redeemable warrant of the company (“Warrants”), with each whole Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one share of Class A Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment, pursuant to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-52152). The Units were sold at a price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $230.0 million.
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the private placement (“Private Placement”) of 6,600,000 warrants (each, a “Private Placement Warrant” and collectively, the “Private Placement Warrants”) to our Sponsor, each exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at $11.50 per share, at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, generating gross proceeds to us of $6.6 million. The Private Placement Warrants were issued pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. were representatives of the several underwriters. The securities sold in the IPO were registered under the Securities Act on a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-252152). The SEC declared the registration statement effective on February 2, 2021.
After deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and incurred offering costs, the total net proceeds from our IPO (including the Units sold in the over-allotment option) and the sale of the Private Placement Warrant was $231,000,000, of which $230,000,000 (or $10.00 per unit sold in the Initial Public Offering) was placed in the Trust Account. Other than as described above, no payments were made by us to directors, officers or persons owning ten percent or more of our common stock or to their associates, or to our affiliates.
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
We did not repurchase any of our equity securities during the period from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020.

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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Item 6. Selected Financial Data
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
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this Form 10-K including, without limitation, statements under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” regarding the Company’s financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this Form 10-K, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or the Company’s management, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company’s management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in our filings with the SEC.
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this Report. 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 October 14, 2020 as a Delaware corporation and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, engaged in any substantive discussions directly or indirectly, with any business combination target with respect to an initial business combination with us. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the private placement of the private placement warrants, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination (including pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop agreements we may enter into), shares issued to the owners of the target, debt issued to bank or other lenders or the owners of the target, or a combination of the foregoing.
The issuance of additional shares in connection with an initial business combination to the owners of the target or other investors:
● may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors, which dilution would increase if the anti-dilution provisions in the Class B common stock resulted in the issuance of Class A common stock on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B common stock;
● may subordinate the rights of holders of Class A common stock if shares of preferred stock are issued with rights senior to those afforded our Class A common stock;
● could cause a change in control if a substantial number of shares of our Class A common stock are 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 officers and directors;
● 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; and
● may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our Class A common stock and/or warrants.
Similarly, if we issue debt securities or otherwise incur significant debt to bank or other lenders or the owners of a target, it could result in:
● 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 Class A common stock;
● 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 Class A common stock 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 expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our initial business combination plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to complete our initial business combination will be successful.
Results of Operations
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020 were organizational activities and those necessary to prepare for the Initial Public Offering, described below, and, after our Initial Public Offering, identifying a target company for an initial business combination. We do not expect to generate any operating revenues until after the completion of our initial business combination, at the earliest. We generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on marketable securities held in the Trust Account. We are incurring expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses.
For the period ended December 31, 2020, we had a net loss of $751.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
On February 5, 2021, we consummated the Initial Public Offering of 23,000,000 Units, which includes the full exercise by the underwriters of the over-allotment option to purchase an additional 3,000,000 Units, at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $230.0 million. Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the sale of 6,600,000 Private Placement Warrants, at $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, to our Sponsor, generating gross proceeds of $6.6 million.
Transaction costs amounted to $13,101,431, consisting of $4,600,000 of underwriting discount, $8,050,000 of deferred underwriting discount, and $451,431 of other offering costs.
As of December 31, 2020, we had $55,000 in cash and working capital deficit of $149,178 (excluding deferred offering costs). Our liquidity needs up to December 31, 2020 had been satisfied through a capital contribution from our Sponsor of $25,000 for the founder shares and the loan under an unsecured promissory note from our Sponsor of $120,000.
Following the closing of our Initial Public Offering on February 5, 2021, $230,000,000 ($10.00 per Unit) from the proceeds of the sale of the Units in the Initial Public Offering, including the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, was deposited in the Trust Account. The proceeds held in the Trust Account will only be invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions of Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invests only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, until the earliest of (a) the completion of the initial business combination, (b) the redemption of the our public shares if we are unable to complete the initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering, subject to applicable law, and (c) the redemption of our public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation.
In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an initial business combination, our Sponsor or an affiliate of our Sponsor or certain officers and directors or their respective affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required on a non-interest basis. If we complete an initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to us. In the event that an 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 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, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. At December 31, 2020, no such loans were outstanding.
We do not believe we will need to raise additional funds in order to meet the expenditures required for operating our business. However, if our estimate of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating an initial business combination are less than the actual amounts necessary to do so, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to our initial business combination. Moreover, we may need to obtain additional financing either to complete our initial business combination or because we become obligated to 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 initial business combination. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would only complete such financing simultaneously with the completion of our initial business combination. If we are unable to 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. In addition, following our initial business combination, if cash on hand is insufficient, we may need to obtain additional financing in order to meet our obligations.
Contractual obligations
We do not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities, other than an agreement to reimburse an affiliate of our Sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our management team in an amount not to exceed $15,000 per month. We began incurring these fees on February 2, 2021 and will continue to incur these fees monthly until the earlier of the completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation.
Critical Accounting Policies
The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, actual results could differ from those estimates.
We have identified the following significant accounting policies:
Cash and Cash Equivalents
We consider all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. We did not have any cash equivalents as of December 31, 2020.
Deferred Offering Costs
Deferred offering costs consist of underwriting, legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the Initial Public Offering and that were charged to stockholders’ equity upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of our assets and liabilities approximates the carrying amounts represented in the accompanying balance sheet, primarily due to their short-term nature.
Net Loss Per Share of Common Stock
Net loss per common share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of shares of Class B common stock outstanding during the period, excluding common stock subject to forfeiture. Weighted average shares were reduced for the effect of an aggregate of 750,000 shares of common stock that were subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option was not exercised by the underwriters. As a result of the underwriter’s election to fully exercise their over-allotment option on February 5, 2021, the 750,000 Founder Shares are no longer subject to forfeiture. At December 31, 2020, we did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into common stock and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted loss per common share is the same as basic loss per common share for the period presented.
Income Taxes
We account for income taxes under Accounting Standards Codification 740 Income Taxes (“ASC 740”). ASC 740 requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for both the expected impact of differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities and for the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax loss and tax credit carry forwards. ASC 740 additionally requires a valuation allowance to be established when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of deferred tax assets will not be realized. The deferred tax assets were deemed to be immaterial as of December 31, 2020.
ASC 740 also clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement process for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. ASC 740 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim period, disclosure and transition.
We recognize accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of December 31, 2020. We are currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from our position. We have identified the United States as our only “major” tax jurisdiction. We are subject to income tax examinations by major taxing authorities since inception. These potential examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions and compliance with federal and state tax laws. Our management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months. The provision for income taxes was deemed to be immaterial for the period from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020.
Recent accounting pronouncements
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on our financial statements.
Emerging Growth Company Status
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”), 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 stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
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.

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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
The net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering, including amounts in the Trust Account, will be invested in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk.

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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
The financial statements required by this item are set forth following Item 16 of this Report and are incorporated herein by reference.

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

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ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Disclosure controls are procedures that are designed with the objective of ensuring that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the Exchange Act, such as this Report, is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time period specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls are also designed with the objective of ensuring that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including the chief executive officer and chief operating officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Our management evaluated, with the participation of our principal executive officer and principal financial and accounting officer (our “Certifying Officers”), the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2020, pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our Certifying Officers concluded that, as of December 31, 2020, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
We do not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures will prevent all errors and all instances of fraud. Disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the disclosure controls and procedures are met. Further, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all disclosure controls and procedures, no evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures can provide absolute assurance that we have detected all our control deficiencies and instances of fraud, if any. The design of disclosure controls and procedures also is based partly on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.
Management’s Report on Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting
This Report does not include a report of management’s assessment regarding internal control over financial reporting or an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by rules of the SEC for newly public companies.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
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
Not applicable.
PART III

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ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Our current directors and executive officers are as follows:
Name
Age
Position
Neil Jacobson
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Todd Lowen
Chief Operating Officer and Director
Michael Levitt
Director
Ben Silverman
Director
Tunde Balogun
Director
Neil Jacobson, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since inception, is a 20-year veteran of the music business. Mr. Jacobson spent the majority of his career at Interscope Geffen A&M Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, where he held positions as a publicist, Senior Vice President and Executive Vice President, and participated in the management of artists and producers such as will.i.am, Robin Thicke and Jeff Bhasker. In January 2016 Mr. Jacobson was appointed President of Geffen Records, a historic record label re-established under Interscope Geffen A&M Records, and held that position until January 2020. During his tenure as President of Geffen Records, Mr. Jacobson oversaw the signing of Darkroom Records, home to Billie Elish. In January 2020, Mr. Jacobson founded Hallwood Media, an independent music management company exclusively focused on songwriters and producers. Over the last 13 months acting as a trusted advisor to artists and creators, Mr. Jacobson has helped coordinate the sale of artist catalogs for an aggregate total in excess of $100 million. For the past three years, Mr. Jacobson has been a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), which serves as a global leadership community to improve lives, businesses and the world. Mr. Jacobson attended the Berklee College of Music. We believe this experience makes Mr. Jacobson well suited to serve as our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer to identify, source, negotiate and execute an initial business combination.
Todd Lowen, our Chief Operating Officer and one of our directors since inception, has 20 years of experience in finance and investment. Mr. Lowen spent the majority of his career in the Equity Derivatives businesses of Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital Inc. in New York, where he advised institutional investors, such as hedge funds and pension funds, on event driven investment strategies relating to, and including, merger arbitrage, spin-offs/splits, exchange offers, tenders, and SPACs. In September of 2016, Mr. Lowen joined Olivetree Financial, LLC as a Managing Director to further establish its U.S. Event Driven Business, building a team around similar strategies, with a particular recent focus on SPACs. Away from the office Mr. Lowen is actively involved with Success Academy Charter Schools, which help provide world class education opportunities to children from all backgrounds in New York, as well as City Harvest, a food rescue and re-distribution organization in New York City. Mr. Lowen graduated magna cum laude from Boston College with a BA in Finance. We believe Mr. Lowen is well qualified to serve as our Chief Operating Officer and as a director due to his extensive investment and management experience.
Michael Levitt, one of our directors, brings extensive private equity, investment banking and management experience to the Company. Michael Levitt has been the Chief Executive Officer of Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, L.P. (“Kayne”) since July 2016. Prior to joining Kayne, Mr. Levitt served as a vice chairman with Apollo Global Management, LLC (NYSE: APO) from April 2012 to May 2016. Mr. Levitt joined Apollo following Apollo’s acquisition of Stone Tower Capital LLC (“Stone Tower”), a mergers & acquisitions, corporate finance, restructuring and debt finance firm, in 2012. Mr. Levitt founded Stone Tower in 2001 and grew the firm to become a leading alternative credit manager with approximately $17 billion in credit-focused alternative assets under management at the time of its acquisition. During his tenure at Stone Tower, Mr. Levitt served as Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer. Before founding Stone Tower, Mr. Levitt worked as a partner at the private equity firm Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst Incorporated, where he was involved in media and consumer investments. Earlier in his career, Mr. Levitt served as the co-head of the investment banking division of Smith Barney Inc. Mr. Levitt began his investment banking career at Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MS), where he oversaw corporate finance and advisory businesses related to private equity firms and non-investment grade companies. Mr. Levitt currently serves on the board of Core Scientific, Inc, as well as the boards of Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund Inc. (NYSE: KYN), Kayne Anderson NextGen Energy & Infrastructure Inc. (NYSE: KMF), and Kayne Anderson BDC, LLC. Mr. Levitt is also a member of the Visiting Committee of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and the Trustee of the University of Michigan Law School’s Cook Trust. Over the years, Mr. Levitt has worked with numerous philanthropic organizations, including Make-A-Wish Foundations of America and New York, and the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund. Mr. Levitt earned a B.B.A. and J.D. from the University of Michigan. We believe Mr. Levitt is well-qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors due to his finance experience, contacts and relationships.
Ben Silverman, one of our directors, is an entrepreneur and producer with nearly 30 years of experience in the media and entertainment industries. Since 2016 Mr. Silverman has served as the Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Propagate Content, LLC (“Propagate”), a firm founded to create and produce all forms of content for distribution across a variety of platforms around the world. Propagate’s recent credits include the Emmy-nominated “Hillary” that premiered at Sundance and Berlin and now streams on Hulu, the recently aired “Notre Dame: Our Lady of Paris” on ABC, the upcoming “Go-Big Show” on TBS and the American adaptation of The Eurovision Song Contest, as well as the unscripted “November 13: Attack on Paris,” “Haunted” and “Prank Encounters” for Netflix, and “In Search Of” and “Kings of Pain” for the History Channel. Mr. Silverman founded two acclaimed “super indies” in the media industry, Electus, LLC and Reveille Productions. Mr. Silverman founded Reveille Productions in 2002 in order to exploit international media formats in the United States. Elisabeth Murdoch’s Shine Group acquired Reveille Productions for $125 million in 2008. Mr. Silverman launched Electus, LLC in 2009, and took a leadership role in digital content, building the #1 comedy site on the internet, CollegeHumor, and extending projects to multiple platforms, including numerous digital projects and partnerships with Yahoo!, Facebook and YouTube. Prior to Electus, LLC, Mr. Silverman served as Co-Chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios from 2007-2009. Mr. Silverman won Emmy and Golden Globe awards for his role as a producer for “The Office” and was nominated a number of times for his role producing “The Office” and “Ugly Betty” and over the course of his career. Mr. Silverman has created and executive produced major network, cable, and digital platform hits, including Golden Globe and Peabody award-winning shows “The Office”, “Ugly Betty”, “The Biggest Loser”, and “The Tudors”, as well as hits like “Jane The Virgin” at The CW, “Marco Polo” and “Flaked” with Will Arnett and Mitch Hurwitz for Netflix, NBC’s TV commerce show “Fashion Star” and “Running Wild with Bear Grylls” on Nat Geo. Mr. Silverman has also produced feature films including “My Boyfriend’s Meds”, “Mansome” and “Hands of Stone”, the biopic of Roberto Durán starring Robert De Niro, Usher and Edgar Ramirez, which premiered at Cannes Film Festival in 2016. Mr. Silverman graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University with a B.A. in History. We believe Mr. Silverman is well-qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors due to his business experience, contacts and relationships.
Tunde Balogun, one of our directors, is an experienced media and music industry entrepreneur. Since 2013 Mr. Balogun has served as President of LOVERENAISSANCE, LLC (“LVRN”), a diversified record label and media management company, which he co-founded. LVRN is composed of LVRN Records, LLC (a recorded music company), LVRN Publishing, LLC (a music publishing company), LVRN Mgmt, LLC (a music management company) and Kids Against Cubicles (a tv/film production company). LVRN artists include three-time Grammy nominee 6lack, platinum album selling Summer Walker and Dram, amongst others. Through the management of these companies Mr. Balogun has developed a strong track record of running multi-vertical music businesses, identifying and implementing innovative strategies, and leveraging opportunities and relationships in the music and finance industries. Mr. Balogun has served on the Board of the Atlanta Creative Industries Fund for Invest Atlanta since 2017. Mr. Balogun was named to Billboard’s 40 Under 40 and Rolling Stone’s The Future 25 list and was honored at the 2019 Culture Creators awards. Mr. Balogun also serves on the Global Citizen Entertainment Advisory Board. Mr. Balogun graduated from Perimeter College at Georgia State University with a B.A. in Business Administration. We believe Mr. Balogun is well-qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors due to his industry, operational and transactional experience.
Number and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors
Our board of directors consists of five members and is divided into two classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year, and with each class (except for those directors elected prior to our first annual general meeting) serving a two-year term. In accordance with NYSE corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on NYSE. The term of office of the first class of directors, consisting of Mr. Jacobson and Mr. Lowen, will expire at our first annual general meeting. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of Mr. Levitt, Mr. Silverman and Mr. Balogun, will expire at the second annual general meeting.
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 officers as it deems appropriate pursuant to our bylaws.
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 who, in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, has no material relationship with the listed company (either directly or as a partner, stockholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with the company). Prior to the completion of our Initial Public Offering, we had three “independent directors” as defined in the NYSE rules and applicable SEC rules. Our board of directors has determined that each of Michael Levitt, Ben Silverman and Tunde Balogun is an “independent director” as defined in the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC 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. Both our audit committee and our compensation committee are composed solely of independent directors. 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 the 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 and has the composition and responsibilities described below. The charter of each committee is available on our website.
Audit Committee
We have formed an audit committee of the board of directors. Michael Levitt, Ben Silverman and Tunde Balogun serve as members of our audit committee, and Mr. Levitt chairs the audit committee. Under the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have at least three members of the audit committee, all of whom must be independent. Each of Michael Levitt, Ben Silverman and Tunde Balogun meets the independent director standard under NYSE listing standards and under Rule 10-A-3(b)(1) of the Exchange Act.
Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our board of directors has determined that Mr. Levitt qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules and has accounting or related financial management expertise.
We adopted an audit committee charter, which details the 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 registered public accounting firm’s qualifications and independence, and (4) the performance of our internal audit function and independent registered public accounting firm; the appointment, compensation, retention, replacement, and oversight of the work of the independent registered public accounting firm 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 registered public accounting firm or any other registered public accounting firm engaged by us, and establishing pre-approval policies and procedures; reviewing and discussing with the independent registered public accounting firm all relationships the independent registered public accounting firm has with us in order to evaluate their continued independence;
● setting clear policies for audit partner rotation in compliance with applicable laws and regulations; obtaining and reviewing a report, at least annually, from the independent registered public accounting firm describing (1) the independent registered public accounting firm 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 registered public accounting firm, 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 registered public accounting firm, and our legal advisors, as appropriate, any legal, regulatory or compliance matters, including any correspondence with regulators or government agencies and any employee complaints or published reports that raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies and any significant changes in accounting standards or rules promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC or other regulatory authorities.
Compensation Committee
We have formed a compensation committee of the board of directors. Michael Levitt, Ben Silverman and Tunde Balogun serve as members of our compensation committee. Under the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have at least two members of the compensation committee, all of whom must be independent. Each of Michael Levitt, Ben Silverman and Tunde Balogun are independent and Mr. Balogun will chair the compensation committee.
We adopted a compensation committee charter, which details the principal functions of the compensation committee, including:
● reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our chief executive officer’s compensation, 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.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, as indicated above, other than the payment to an affiliate of our Sponsor of $15,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support and reimbursement of expenses, no compensation of any kind, including finders, consulting or other similar fees, will be paid to any of our existing stockholders, officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates, prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate the consummation of an initial business combination. Accordingly, it is likely that prior to the consummation of an initial business combination, the compensation committee will only be responsible for the review and recommendation of any compensation arrangements to be entered into in connection with such initial business combination.
The charter also provides that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, independent legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by NYSE and the SEC.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
We have formed a nominating and corporate governance committee of the board of directors. The members of our nominating and corporate governance are Michael Levitt, Ben Silverman and Tunde Balogun, and Mr. Silverman serves as chair of the nominating and corporate governance committee.
We 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, and recommending to the board of directors candidates for nomination for election at the annual meeting of stockholders 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 will be directly responsible for approving the search firm’s fees and other retention terms.
We have not formally established any specific, minimum qualifications that must be met or skills that are necessary for directors to possess. In general, in identifying and evaluating nominees for director, the board of directors considers educational background, diversity of professional experience, knowledge of our business, integrity, professional reputation, independence, wisdom, and the ability to represent the best interests of our stockholders. Prior to our initial business combination, holders of our public shares will not have the right to recommend director candidates for nomination to our board of directors.
Code of Ethics, Corporate Governance Guidelines and Committee Charters
We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees. Our board of directors has also adopted corporate governance guidelines in accordance with the corporate governance rules of the NYSE that serve as a flexible framework within which our board of directors and its committees operate. Copies of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Corporate Governance Guidelines and committee chartersare available on our website. In addition, a copy of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and the charters of the committees of our board of directors will be provided without charge upon request from us. If we make any amendments to our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics other than technical, administrative or other non-substantive amendments, or grant any waiver, including any implicit waiver, from a provision of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer principal accounting officer or controller or persons performing similar functions requiring disclosure under applicable SEC or NYSE rules, we will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver on our website. The information included on our website is not incorporated by reference into this Report or in any other report or document we file with the SEC, and any references to our website are intended to be inactive textual references only.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of our officers currently serves, or has served in the past year, as a member of the compensation committee of any entity that has one or more officers serving on our board of directors.

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ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Item 11. Officer and Director Compensation
None of our officers or directors have received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. Commencing on the date that our securities were first listed on NYSE through the earlier of consummation of our initial business combination and our liquidation, we will pay an affiliate of our Sponsor $15,000 per month for office space, utilities, secretarial and administrative support services provided to members of our management team. In addition, our Sponsor, officers and directors, 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, officers or directors, or their affiliates. Any such payments prior to an initial business combination will be made from funds held outside the Trust Account. Other than quarterly audit committee review of such reimbursements, we do not expect to have any additional controls in place governing our reimbursement payments to our directors and officers for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with our activities on our behalf in connection with identifying and consummating an initial business combination. Other than these payments and reimbursements, no compensation of any kind, including finder’s and consulting fees, will be paid by the company to our Sponsor, officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, prior to completion of our initial business combination.
After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting or management fees from the combined company. All of these fees will be fully disclosed to stockholders, to the extent then known, in the proxy solicitation materials or tender offer materials furnished to our stockholders in connection with a proposed initial business combination. We have not established any limit on the amount of such fees that may be paid by the combined company to our directors or members of management. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of the proposed initial business combination, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our officers will be determined, or recommended to the board of directors for determination, either by a compensation committee constituted solely by independent directors or by a majority of the independent directors on our board of directors.
We do not intend to take any action to ensure that members of our management team maintain their positions with us after the consummation of our initial business combination, although it is possible that some or all of our officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements to remain with us after our initial business combination. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements to retain their positions with us may influence our management’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business but we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination. We are not party to any agreements with our officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.

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ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of March 24, 2021, by:
● each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding shares of common stock;
● each of our officers and directors; and
● all our officers and directors as a group.
Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all the shares of common stock beneficially owned by them. The following table does not reflect record or beneficial ownership of our warrants, including the Private Placement Warrants, as such securities are not exercisable within 60 days of the date of this Report.
We have based our calculation of the percentage of beneficial ownership on 28,750,000 shares of common stock outstanding on March 24, 2021.
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1)
Number of Shares
Beneficially Owned(2)
Approximate
Percentage
of
Outstanding
Common Stock
Music Acquisition Sponsor, LLC (our Sponsor)(3)
5,675,000
20%
Neil Jacobson(3)
5,675,000
20%
Todd Lowen(3)
5,675,000
20%
Michael Levitt(3)
25,000
*
Ben Silverman(3)
25,000
*
Tunde Balogun
25,000
*
All officers and directors as a group (5 individuals)(3)
5,750,000
20%
Empyrean Capital Partners, LP(4)
1,200,000
5.2%
* Less than one percent.
(1) Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following is 9000 W. Sunset Blvd #1500, Hollywood, CA 90069.
(2) Interests shown consist solely of founder shares, classified as Class B common stock. Such shares will automatically convert into	Class A common stock at the time of the closing of the initial business combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to certain adjustments.”
(3) Music Acquisition Sponsor, LLC is the record holder of the shares reported herein. Neil Jacobson and Todd Lowen are the sole members and managers of our Sponsor and have shared voting and investment discretion with respect to the common stock held of record by our Sponsor. Each of Mr. Levitt and Mr. Silverman is a direct or indirect member of our Sponsor.
(4) Based solely on the Schedule 13G jointly filed with the SEC on February 11, 2021 by Empyrean Capital Overseas Master Fund, Ltd. (“ECOMF”), a Cayman Islands exempted company, Empyrean Capital Partners, LP (“ECP”), a Delaware limited partnership, and Mr. Amos Meron. ECP serves as investment manager to ECOMF with respect to the Class A Common Stock directly held by ECOMF, and Mr. Meron serves as the managing member of Empyrean Capital, LLC, the general partner of ECP. The address of the business office of each of the reporting persons is c/o Empyrean Capital Partners, LP, 10250 Constellation Boulevard, Suite 2950, Los Angeles, CA 90067.

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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
On November 25, 2020, our Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 5,750,000 founder shares in exchange for a capital contribution of $25,000, or approximately $0.004 per share. On January 27, 2021, our Sponsor transferred 25,000 shares to each of our independent directors, at their original purchase price. The number of founder shares outstanding was determined based on the expectation that the total size of this offering would be a maximum of 23,000,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, and therefore that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after this offering. The underwriters’ over-allotment option was exercised in full on February 5, 2021, resulting in an aggregate of 5,750,000 shares of Class B common stock issued and outstanding, representing approximately 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock after the Initial Public Offering.
The Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 6,600,000 private placement warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $6,000,000. The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants underlying the units sold in the Initial Public Offering except that the Private Placement Warrants, so long as they are held by the Sponsor, the underwriters or their permitted transferees, (i) will not be redeemable by us, (ii) may not (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of these warrants), subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holders until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, (iii) may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis and (iv) will be entitled to registration rights. The Private Placement Warrants (including the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise thereof) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holder.
If any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an initial business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has 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 other entity. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.
Commencing on February 2, 2021, we agreed to reimburse an affiliate of our Sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our management team in an amount not to exceed $15,000 per month. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
Other than the foregoing, no compensation of any kind, including finder’s and consulting fees, will be paid by the company to our Sponsor, officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered prior to or in connection with the completion of an initial business combination. However, these individuals 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, officers, directors or our or their affiliates.
The Sponsor loaned us funds in the aggregate of $170,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of the Initial Public Offering pursuant to a certain promissory note dated as of November 25, 2020. These loans were non-interest bearing, unsecured and were due at the earlier of June 30, 2021 or the closing of the Initial Public Offering. On February 8, 2021, the Company paid the $170,000 balance on the note.
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 officers and directors or their respective affiliates, may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required on a non-interest basis. 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 would need to be repaid only out of funds held outside of 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 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. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants. Except as set forth above, the terms of such loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek advances or loans from parties other than our Sponsor or an affiliate of our Sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our Trust Account.
Any of the foregoing payments to an affiliate of our Sponsor, repayments of loans from our Sponsor or repayments of working capital loans prior to our initial business combination will be made using funds held outside the Trust Account and may be made from interest earned on the Trust Account and released to us to pay our taxes.
After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our stockholders, to the extent then known, in the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, furnished to our stockholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a stockholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation.
On February 2, 2021, we entered into a registration rights agreement with respect to the Founder Shares, the Private Placement Warrants, the securities issuable upon conversion of working capital loans (if any) and the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise or conversion of the foregoing, which requires the Company to register such securities for resale (in the case of the Founder Shares, only after conversion to shares of Class A common stock). Pursuant to such registration rights agreement, the holders of these securities will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form registration demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders will have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the completion of an initial business combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Related Party Policy
We have adopted a formal policy for the review, approval or ratification of related party transactions. Accordingly, the transactions discussed above were not reviewed, approved or ratified in accordance with any such policy.
Prior to the consummation of the Initial Public Offering, we adopted a 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) or as disclosed in our public filings with the SEC. Under our code of ethics, conflict of interest situations will include any financial transaction, arrangement or relationship (including any indebtedness or guarantee of indebtedness) involving the company. A form of our code of ethics is filed as an exhibit to this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
In addition, our audit committee, pursuant to a written charter, is responsible for reviewing and approving related party transactions to the extent that we enter into such transactions. An affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the audit committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present will be required in order to approve a related party transaction. A majority of the members of the entire audit committee will constitute a quorum. Without a meeting, the unanimous written consent of all of the members of the audit committee will be required to approve a related party transaction. We also require each of our directors and executive officers to complete a directors’ and officers’ questionnaire that elicits information about related party transactions.
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.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a business combination target that is affiliated with our Sponsor, officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, or from completing the business combination through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with our sponsor, officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a business combination target that is affiliated with our Sponsor, officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or an independent accounting firm, 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.
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 who, in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, has no material relationship with the listed company (either directly or as a partner, stockholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with the company). Our board of directors has determined that each of Michael Levitt, Ben Silverman and Tunde Balogun is an “independent director” as defined in the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules. Our independent directors will 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 WithumSmith+Brown, PC, or Withum, for services rendered.
Audit Fees. Audit fees consist of fees for professional services rendered for the audit of our financial statements for the period from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020 and services that are normally provided by Withum in connection with regulatory filings. The aggregate fees billed by Withum for professional services rendered for the audit of our annual financial statements, review of the financial information included in our Form 10-K and other required filings with the SEC for the period from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020 totaled $65,920. The above amounts include interim procedures and audit fees, as well as attendance at audit committee meetings.
Audit-Related Fees. Audit-related services consist of fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to performance of the audit or review of our financial statements and are not reported under “Audit Fees.” These services include attest services that are not required by statute or regulation and consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards. We did not pay Withum for consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards for the period from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020.
Tax Fees. We did not pay Withum for tax planning and tax advice for the period from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020.
All Other Fees. We did not pay Withum for other services for the period from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020.
Pre-Approval Policy
Our audit committee was formed upon the consummation of the Initial Public Offering. As a result, the audit committee did not pre-approve all of the foregoing services, although any services rendered prior to the formation of our audit committee were approved by our board of directors. Since the formation of our audit committee, and on a going-forward basis, the audit committee has and will pre-approve all auditing services and permitted non-audit services to be performed for us by our auditors, including the fees and terms thereof (subject to the de minimis exceptions for non-audit services described in the Exchange Act which are approved by the audit committee prior to the completion of the audit).
PART IV

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ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules
a. Documents filed as part of this Report
1. Financial Statements
The financial statements and notes thereto which are attached hereto have been included by reference into Item 8 of this part of the annual report on Form 10-K. See the Index to Financial Statements.
2. Financial Statement Schedules
All schedules are omitted because they are inapplicable or not required or the required information is shown in the financial statements or notes thereto.
3. Exhibits
Exhibit No.
Description
3.1
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (filed as exhibit 3.1 the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 5, 2021)
3.2
Bylaws (incorporated by reference to exhibit 3.3 of the Form S-1 filed January 15, 2021)
4.1
Warrant Agreement, dated February 2, 2021, by and between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent (filed as exhibit 4.1 the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 5, 2021)
4.2*
Description of Registrant’s Securities
10.1
Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated February 2, 2021, by and between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as trustee (filed as exhibit 10.2 the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 5, 2021)
10.2
Registration Rights Agreement by and between the Company, its directors and the Sponsor (filed as exhibit 10.3 the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 5, 2021)
10.3
Letter Agreement, dated February 2, 2021, by and among the Company, its officers, its directors and the Sponsor (filed as exhibit 10.1 the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 5, 2021)
10.4
Form of Indemnity Agreement (incorporated by reference to exhibit 10.5 of the Form S-1 filed January 15, 2021)
10.5
Administrative Services Agreement, dated February 2, 2021, by and between the Company and Hallwood Media, LLC (filed as exhibit 10.5 the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 5, 2021)
10.6
Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated February 2, 2021, by and between the Company and the Sponsor (filed as exhibit 10.4 the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 5, 2021)
14*
Code of Ethics
31.1*
Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of Sarbanes- Oxley Act of 2002
31.2*
Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.1*
Certification of Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
101.INS*
XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH*
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL*
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF*
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB*
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE*
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
* Filed herewith.
THE MUSIC ACQUISITION CORPORATION
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Page
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Financial Statements
Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2020
Statement of Operations for the period from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020
Statement of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the period from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020
Statement of Cash Flows for the period from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020
Notes to Financial Statements
THE MUSIC ACQUISITION CORPORATION
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of
The Music Acquisition Corporation
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of The Music Acquisition Corporation (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2020, and the related statements of operations, changes in stockholder’s equity and cash flows for the period from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the period from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the “PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2020.
New York, New York
March 29, 2021
THE MUSIC ACQUISITION CORPORATION
BALANCE SHEET
DECEMBER 31, 2020
Assets:
Cash - current
$ 55,000
Deferred offering costs
173,427
Total assets
$ 228,427
Liabilities and Stockholder’s Equity
Current Liabilities:
Accrued offering costs and expenses
$ 84,178
Promissory note - related party
120,000
Total current liabilities
204,178
Commitments and Contingencies
Stockholder’s Equity:
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding
-
Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value; 200,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding
-
Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized, 5,750,000 shares issued and outstanding (1)
Additional paid-in capital
24,425
Accumulated deficit
(751 )
Total stockholder’s equity
24,249
Total Liabilities and Stockholder’s Equity
$ 228,427
(1) Includes up to 750,000 shares of Class B common stock subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option was not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters. (See Note 7) As a result of the underwriter’s election to fully exercise their over-allotment option on February 5, 2021, the 750,000 Founder Shares are no longer subject to forfeiture (see Note 8).
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
THE MUSIC ACQUISITION CORPORATION
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM OCTOBER 14, 2020 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2020
Formation and operating costs $ 751
Net loss $ (751 )
Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding, Class B common stock (1) 5,000,000
Basic and diluted net loss per share, Class B common stock $ (0.00 )
(1) Excludes up to 750,000 shares of Class B common stock subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option was not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters (see Note 7). As a result of the underwriter’s election to fully exercise their over-allotment option on February 5, 2021, the 750,000 Founder Shares are no longer subject to forfeiture (see Note 8).
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
THE MUSIC ACQUISITION CORPORATION
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDER’S EQUITY
FOR THE PERIOD FROM OCTOBER 14, 2020 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2020
Class B
Common Stock
Additional
Paid-in
Capital
Accumulated
Deficit
Total
Stockholder’s
Equity
Shares (1)
Amount
Balance as of October 14, 2020 (inception)
-
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
Class B common stock issued to Sponsor
5,750,000
24,425
-
25,000
Net loss
-
-
-
(751 )
(751 )
Balance as of December 31, 2020
5,750,000
$
$ 24,425
$ (751 )
$ 24,249
(1) Includes up to 750,000 shares of Class B common stock subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option was not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters (see Note 7). As a result of the underwriter’s election to fully exercise their over-allotment option on February 5, 2021, the 750,000 Founder Shares are no longer subject to forfeiture (see Note 8).
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
THE MUSIC ACQUISITION CORPORATION
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM OCTOBER 14, 2020 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2020
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss
$ (751 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
Accrued expenses
Net cash used in operating activities
-
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from issuance of founder shares
25,000
Proceeds from issuance of promissory note to related party
120,000
Payment of deferred offering costs
(90,000 )
Net cash provided by financing activities
55,000
Net change in cash
55,000
Cash, beginning of period
-
Cash, end of the period
$ 55,000
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
Accrued deferred offering costs
$ 83,427
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
THE MUSIC ACQUISITION CORPORATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 1 - Organization and Business Operations
The Music Acquisition Corporation (the “Company”) is a newly organized blank check company incorporated as a Delaware corporation on October 14, 2020. The Company was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (“Business Combination”). The Company has not selected any specific Business Combination target and the Company has not, nor has anyone on its behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target with respect to the Business Combination.
As of December 31, 2020, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020 relates to the Company’s formation and preparation for the Initial Public Offering (“IPO”) as described below. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents from the proceeds derived from the IPO as described below. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.
The Company’s sponsor is Music Acquisition Sponsor, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”). Subsequent to December 31, 2020, the registration statement for the Company’s IPO was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 2, 2021 (the “Effective Date”). On February 5, 2021, the Company consummated the IPO of 23,000,000 units (the “Units”), which included the full exercise by the underwriters of the over-allotment option to purchase an additional 3,000,000 Units, at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $230,000,000, which is discussed in Note 3.
Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, the Company consummated the sale of 6,600,000 warrants (the “Private Warrants”), at a price of $1.00 per Private Warrant, which is discussed in Note 4. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, generating gross proceeds of $6,600,000, which is described in Note 4.
Transaction costs of the IPO amounted to $13,101,431 consisting of $4,600,000 of underwriting discount, $8,050,000 of deferred underwriting discount, and $451,431 of other offering costs (see Note 8).
Following the closing of the IPO on February 5, 2021, $230,000,000 ($10.00 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the IPO, including the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, was deposited in a trust account (“Trust Account”) located in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee. The Proceeds held in the Trust Account will only be invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions of Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invests only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, until the earliest of (a) the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, (b) the redemption of the Company’s public shares if the Company is unable to complete the initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO, subject to applicable law, and (c) the redemption of the Company’s public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation.
The Company’s 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 (as defined below) (excluding the amount of any deferred underwriting discount held in trust and taxes payable) at the time of the signing a definitive agreement in connection with an initial Business Combination. However, the Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). There is no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully effect a Business Combination.
The Company will provide its public holders of its outstanding public shares (the “public stockholders”) with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of the initial Business Combination either (i) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the initial Business Combination or (ii) without a stockholder vote by means of a tender offer. Except for as required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements, the decision as to whether the Company will seek stockholder approval of a proposed Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion.
The stockholders will be entitled to redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (net of amounts which may be withdrawn to pay our taxes), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described in this prospectus. The amount in the Trust Account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share. The redemption rights will include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. The per share amount the Company will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions the Company will pay to the underwriters in the IPO.
The shares of common stock subject to redemption will be recorded at a redemption value and classified as temporary equity upon the completion of the IPO, in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” In such case, the Company will proceed with a Business Combination if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation of a Business Combination and, if the Company seeks stockholder approval, a majority of the issued and outstanding shares voted of common stock are voted in favor of the Business Combination.
The Company will have only 24 months from the closing of the IPO to complete an initial Business Combination (the “Combination Period”). However, if the Company doesn’t complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining stockholders and the Company’s board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
The Company’s initial stockholders, officers, directors and director nominees have agreed to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and public shares they hold in connection with the completion of the initial Business Combination, (ii) waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and public shares they hold in connection with a stockholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, (iii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any founder shares they hold if the Company fails to complete the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period, and (iv) vote any founder shares and any public shares held by them in favor of the Company’s initial Business Combination.
The Company’s Sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement or Business Combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third-party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the Trust Account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the IPO against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). However, the Company has not asked its Sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor has the Company independently verified whether its Sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and the Company believes that the Company’s Sponsor’s only assets are securities of the Company. Therefore, the Company cannot assure that its Sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2020, the Company had $55,000 in cash and working capital deficit of $149,178 (excluding deferred offering costs). The Company’s liquidity needs up to December 31, 2020 had been satisfied through a capital contribution from the Sponsor of $25,000 (see Note 5) for the founder shares and the loan under an unsecured promissory note from the Sponsor of $120,000 (see Note 5).
Subsequent to December 31, 2020, on February 5, 2021, the Company consummated the IPO of 23,000,000 Units generating gross proceeds of $230,000,000 (see Note 8). As of February 5, 2021, the Company had approximately $.9 million in its operating bank account, and working capital of approximately $1.6 million. In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Company’s Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide the Company Working Capital Loans (see Note 5). To date, there were no amounts outstanding under any Working Capital Loans.
Based on the foregoing, management believes that the Company will have sufficient working capital and borrowing capacity to meet its needs through the earlier of the consummation of a Business Combination or one year from this filing.
Risks and Uncertainties
Management continuing to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that it could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Note 2 - Critical Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements are presented in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
Emerging Growth Company Status
The Company is 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”), and it 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 its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
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. The Company has 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, the Company, 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 the Company’s 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.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company did not have any cash equivalents as of December 31, 2020.
Deferred Offering Costs
Deferred offering costs consist of underwriting, legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the IPO and that were charged to stockholders’ equity upon the completion of the IPO.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities approximates the carrying amounts represented in the accompanying balance sheet, primarily due to their short-term nature.
Net Loss Per Share of Common Stock
Net loss per common share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of shares of Class B common stock outstanding during the period, excluding common stock subject to forfeiture. Weighted average shares were reduced for the effect of an aggregate of 750,000 shares of common stock that were subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option was not exercised by the underwriters (see Note 5). As a result of the underwriter’s election to fully exercise their over-allotment option on February 5, 2021, the 750,000 Founder Shares are no longer subject to forfeiture (see Note 8). At December 31, 2020, the Company did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into common stock and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted loss per common share is the same as basic loss per common share for the period presented.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under ASC 740 Income Taxes (“ASC 740”). ASC 740 requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for both the expected impact of differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities and for the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax loss and tax credit carry forwards. ASC 740 additionally requires a valuation allowance to be established when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of deferred tax assets will not be realized. The deferred tax assets were deemed to be immaterial as of December 31, 2020.
ASC 740 also clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement process for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. ASC 740 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim period, disclosure and transition.
The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of December 31, 2020. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position. The Company has identified the United States as its only “major” tax jurisdiction. The Company is subject to income tax examinations by major taxing authorities since inception. These potential examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions and compliance with federal and state tax laws. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months. The provision for income taxes was deemed to be immaterial for the period from October 14, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.
Note 3 - Initial Public Offering
On February 5, 2021, the Company sold 23,000,000 at a purchase price of $10.00 per Unit, which includes the full exercise by the underwriters of the over-allotment option to purchase an additional 3,000,000 Units (see Note 8). Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock, and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the Units and only whole warrants will trade. The warrants will become exercisable on the later of 30 days after the completion of the initial Business Combination or 12 months from the closing of this Offering and will expire five years after the completion of the initial Business Combination, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation (see Note 7).
Note 4 - Private Placement
Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO on February 5, 2021, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 6,600,000 Private Warrants at a price of $1.00 per Private Warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $6,600,000, in a private placement. A portion of the proceeds from the private placement was added to the proceeds from the IPO held in the Trust Account (see Note 8).
The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants sold in the IPO except that the Private Placement Warrants, so long as they are held by the initial stockholders or its permitted transferees, (i) they will not be redeemable by the Company for cash, (ii) they (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of these warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold until 30 days after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, and (iii) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis. If the Private Placement Warrants are held by holders other than the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by the holders on the same basis as the warrants included in the Units being sold in the IPO.
Note 5 - Related Party Transactions
Founder Shares
On November 25, 2020, the Sponsor paid $25,000 in cash, or approximately $0.004 per share, to the Company in consideration for 5,750,000 shares of Class B common stock (the “Founder Shares”). The Founder Shares included an aggregate of up to 750,000 shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option was not exercised by the underwriters in full. On February 5, 2021, the underwriter fully exercised its over-allotment option, hence, the 750,000 Founder Shares are no longer subject to forfeiture (see Note 8).
The Sponsor has agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of its Founder Shares (subject to certain limited exceptions) until the earlier to occur of (i) one year after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination or (ii) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction after the initial Business Combination that results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their Class A common stock for cash, securities or other property (the “Lock-up”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (A) the last reported sales price of the Company’s Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the initial Business Combination or (B) the Company consummates a transaction after the initial Business Combination which results in its stockholders having the right to exchange their shares for cash, securities or other property, the Founder Shares will be released from the Lock-up.
Promissory Note - Related Party
On November 25, 2020, the Company issued an unsecured promissory note to the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Company may borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of the IPO. This loan is non-interest bearing, unsecured and due at the earlier of June 30, 2021 or the closing of the IPO. The loan will be repaid upon the closing of the IPO out of offering proceeds not held in the Trust Account. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had borrowed $120,000 under the promissory note with the Sponsor. This note was repaid on February 8, 2021 (see Note 8).
Related Party Loans
In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Company’s officers and directors or their respective affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required on a non-interest basis (“Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Working Capital Loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside of the Trust Account. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds from the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Up to $1,500,000 of such Working Capital 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. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. At December 31, 2020, no such Working Capital Loans were outstanding.
Administrative Service Fee
Commencing on the date of the IPO, the Company will reimburse an affiliate of its Sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of the Company’s management team in an amount not to exceed $15,000 per month. Upon completion of the Company’s Business Combination or its liquidation, the Company will cease paying these monthly fees.
Note 6 - Commitments and Contingencies
Registration Rights
The holders of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans (and any Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans and upon conversion of the Founder Shares) will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of the IPO, requiring the Company to register such securities and any other securities of the company acquired by them prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination for resale. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company registers such securities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, any holder of the foregoing securities that is an underwriter and related person of the underwriters may only make a demand on one occasion and only during the five-year period beginning on the effective date of the registration statement with respect to the IPO. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the Company’s completion of its initial Business Combination and rights to require the Company to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act; provided, however, that any holder that is an underwriter and related person of the underwriters may participate in a “piggy-back” registration only during the seven-year period beginning on the effective date of the registration statement with respect to the IPO. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
The underwriter had a 45-day option from the date of the IPO on February 5, 2021 to purchase up to an aggregate of 3,000,000 additional Units at the public offering price less the underwriting commissions to cover over-allotments, if any. On February 5, 2021, the underwriter fully exercised its over-allotment option.
The underwriter was entitled to a cash underwriting fee of $0.20 per Unit payable upon the closing of the IPO. When the IPO closed on February 5, 2021, the underwriter was paid an aggregate of $4,600,000, or $0.20 per Unit.
The underwriters will be entitled to deferred underwriting commission of 3.5% of the gross proceeds of the IPO held in the Trust Account, or $8,050,000, upon the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
Note 7 - Stockholder’s Equity
Preferred Stock - The Company is authorized to issue a total of 1,000,000 preferred shares at par value of $0.0001 each. At December 31, 2021, there were no shares of preferred shares issued or outstanding.
Class A Common Stock - The Company is authorized to issue a total of 200,000,000 shares of Class A common stock at par value of $0.0001 each. At December 31, 2020, there were no shares of Class A Common Stock issued or outstanding.
Class B Common Stock - The Company is authorized to issue a total of 20,000,000 shares of Class B common stock at par value of $0.0001 each. As of December 31, 2020, the Company issued 5,750,000 shares of Class B common stock to its initial stockholders for $25,000, or approximately $0.004 per share. The Founder Shares included an aggregate of up to 750,000 shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option was not exercised by the underwriters in full. On February 5, 2021, the underwriter fully exercised its over-allotment option, hence, the 750,000 Founder Shares are no longer subject to forfeiture (see Note 8).
The shares of Class B common stock will automatically convert into shares of the Company’s Class A common stock at the time of the closing of its initial Business Combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in connection with the initial Business Combination, the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all Founder Shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the total number of shares of Class A common stock outstanding after such conversion (after giving effect to any redemptions of shares of Class A common stock by public stockholders), including the total number of shares of Class A common stock issued, or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or rights issued or deemed issued, by the Company in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, excluding any shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities or rights exercisable for or convertible into shares of Class A common stock issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial Business Combination and any Private Placement Warrants issued to the Sponsor, officers or directors upon conversion of Working Capital Loans, provided that such conversion of Founder Shares will never occur on a less than one-for-one basis.
Stockholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by stockholders. Holders of the Class A common stock and holders of the Class B common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of the Company’s stockholders except as required by law. Unless specified in the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, or as required by applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law or applicable stock exchange rules, the affirmative vote of a majority of the Company’s shares of common stock that are voted is required to approve any such matter voted on by the Company’s stockholders.
Warrants - There were no warrants outstanding at December 31, 2020. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of the Company’s Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as discussed herein. In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of its initial Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share of Class A common stock (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to the Company’s initial stockholders or their affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by the Company’s initial stockholders or their affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of the initial Business Combination on the date of the consummation of the initial Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s Class A common stock during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day after the day on which the Company consummates the initial Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described below under “Redemption of warrants” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
The warrants will become exercisable on the later of 12 months from the closing of the IPO or 30 days after the completion of its initial Business Combination, and will expire five years after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
The Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Class A common stock pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to settle such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, or valid exemption from registration is available. No warrant will be exercisable and the Company will not be obligated to issue a share of Class A common stock upon exercise of a warrant unless the share of Class A common stock issuable upon such warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the warrants. In no event will the Company be required to net cash settle any warrant. In the event that a registration statement is not effective for the exercised warrants, the purchaser of a Unit containing such warrant will have paid the full purchase price for the Unit solely for the share of Class A common stock underlying such Unit.
The Company has agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than fifteen (15) business days after the closing of the initial Business Combination, it will use its reasonable best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement for the registration, under the Securities Act, of the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants. The Company will use its best efforts to cause the same to become effective and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement, and a current prospectus relating thereto, until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. If a registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the sixtieth (60th) business day after the closing of the initial Business Combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. Notwithstanding the above, if the Class A common stock is at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, the Company may, at its option, require holders of public warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event the Company so elects, it will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, and in the event the Company does not so elect, it will use its best efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available.
Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may call the warrants for redemption:
● in whole and not in part;
● at a price of $0.01 per warrant;
● upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption (the “30-day redemption period”) to each warrant holder; and
● if, and only if, the last reported sale price of the Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending three business days before the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders.
If the Company calls the warrants for redemption as described above, the Company will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise his, her or its warrant to do so on a “cashless basis.” If the Company takes advantage of this option, all holders of warrants would pay the exercise price by surrendering their warrants in exchange for a number of shares of Class A common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of (A) the number of shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants and (B) the excess of the “fair market value” of the Company’s Class A common stock (defined in the next sentence) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” will mean the average last reported sales price of the Class A common stock for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants.
Note 8 - Subsequent Events
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date up to March 29, 2021 the date that the financial statements were issued. Based upon this review, other than as described below, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements.
On February 5, 2021, the Company sold 23,000,000 Units at a purchase price of $10.00 per Unit, which includes the full exercise by the underwriters of the over-allotment option to purchase an additional 3,000,000 Units, generating gross proceeds of $230,000,000. Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO on February 5, 2021, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 6,600,000 Private Warrants at a price of $1.00 per Private Warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $6,600,000, in a private placement. A portion of the proceeds from the private placement was added to the proceeds from the IPO held in the Trust Account. Transaction costs of the IPO amounted to $13,101,431 consisting of $4,600,000 of underwriting discount, $8,050,000 of deferred underwriting discount, and $451,431 of other offering costs.
On February 8, 2021, the Company paid in full the Sponsor promissory note balance of $170,000.