EDGAR 10-K Filing

Company CIK: 1362190
Filing Year: 2022
Filename: 1362190_10-K_2022_0001410578-22-000353.json

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Item 1. Business
Overview
AudioEye is an industry-leading digital accessibility platform delivering website accessibility compliance at all price points to businesses of all sizes. Our solutions advance accessibility with patented technology that reduces barriers, expands access for individuals with disabilities, and enhances the user experience for a broader audience. We believe that, when implemented, our solution offers businesses and organizations the opportunity to reach more customers, improve brand image, build additional brand loyalty, and, most importantly, provide an accessible and usable web experience to the expansive and ever-growing global population of individuals with disabilities.
AudioEye primarily generates revenue through the sale of subscriptions for our software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) accessibility solutions. Our solutions are backed by machine-learning/AI-driven technology that finds and fixes common accessibility errors. Our core and supplemental solutions are designed to help websites and applications achieve and sustain substantial conformance with AudioEye’s interpretation of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (“WCAG”) which are web accessibility standards published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium, the main international standards organization for the internet. Our solutions help mitigate a customer’s risk of costly digital accessibility-related legal action. AudioEye customers may purchase solutions directly through the AudioEye Marketplace, through a platform partner or an agency, such as Duda, that integrates our solutions into their marketplace, through a vertical Content Management System (“CMS”) partner, through an authorized reseller, or by working directly with the AudioEye sales team.
AudioEye stands out among its competitors because it offers automated and manual remediations and continuous monitoring of accessibility issues without fundamental changes to the website architecture. We also recognize that automation alone cannot fix all accessibility issues, which is why we also offer certified accessibility experts, who can provide manual testing and remediations. Our solution is trusted by some of the largest and most influential companies in the world, including ADP, Tommy Hilfiger, 360 Media, Samsung, Darden, Landry’s, and others. Government agencies, such as the Federal Communications Commission and the Social Security Administration, use our software with their digital platforms. We also work with government agencies at the state and local level.
Industry Background
If not coded properly, a website or application may not offer full access to content or functionality for individuals with disabilities, including users of assistive technology (“AT”), such as a screen reader. As a result, those sites may exclude potential users and customers. As discussed in more detail below, these sites also may not comply with U.S. and foreign laws requiring accessibility and digital inclusion, such as Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act.
Traditional solutions addressing web accessibility may be costly and difficult to implement. Historically, the process for achieving compliance has been driven by costly consulting services and has not fully utilized emerging technologies to reduce the compliance cost burden or keep up with the fast pace of new content creation. At the same time, web accessibility efforts have generally focused on a limited number of disability use cases, leaving many users’ accessibility needs for digital inclusion unaddressed. Businesses may have been reluctant to invest further in web accessibility solutions due to a perceived lack of return on the significant investment required to design and implement a thorough and usable compliance solution.
Other solutions have been developed to help users access websites, but these often require the installation of a plug-in or software on the user’s computer. Similarly, some are tailored to either single or a limited number of use cases and lack a holistic approach for addressing compliance and accessibility.
AudioEye Solutions
At its core, AudioEye’s offering provides an always-on testing, remediation, and monitoring solution that continually improves conformance with WCAG. This in turn helps businesses and organizations comply with WCAG standards as well as applicable U.S. and foreign accessibility laws. Our technology is capable of immediately identifying and fixing most of the common accessibility errors and addresses a wide range of disabilities including dyslexia, color blindness, epilepsy and more. AudioEye also offers additional solutions to provide for enhanced compliance and accessibility, including periodic manual auditing, manual remediations and legal
support services. Our solutions may be purchased through a subscription service on a month-to-month basis or with one or multi-year terms. We also offer PDF remediation services and Native Mobile App audit reports to help our customers with their digital accessibility needs.
AudioEye Customers
Our current and potential customer base includes a very broad range of private and public sector customers, including:
● Small- and medium-sized businesses;
● Corporate enterprises;
● Non-profit organizations;
● Federal government agencies, whose electronic and information technology must be accessible to people with disabilities, including employees and members of the public, pursuant to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and
● Federal, state, and local governments and agencies, which often have laws and regulations that require accessibility for people with disabilities.
AudioEye Channels / Go-to-market:
We manage customers through two primary channels, Enterprise and Partner and Marketplace. Enterprise channel consists of our larger customers and organizations, including those with non-platform custom websites, who generally engage directly with AudioEye sales personnel for custom pricing and solutions. This channel also includes federal, state, and local government agencies. The Partner and Marketplace channel consists of our CMS partners, platform & agency partners, authorized resellers and the Marketplace. This channel serves small and medium sized businesses that are on a partner or reseller’s web-hosting platform or that purchase an AudioEye solution from our Marketplace.
We had two major customers (including the customer’s affiliates reflecting multiple contracts and a partnership with the Company) which accounted for approximately 20% and 10%, respectively, of our revenue in the year ended December 31, 2021.
Our typical market sectors include, but are not limited to:
● Finance and banking institutions;
● Travel and hospitality companies;
● Public and private transportation companies;
● Retail and ecommerce companies;
● Educational institutions (which occasionally enter into settlement agreements with the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights regarding accessibility);
● Food services companies; and
● SaaS service or solution providers.
Intellectual Property
Our intellectual property is primarily comprised of copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, issued patents and pending patent applications. We have a patent portfolio comprised of twenty-three (23) issued patents in the United States and three (3) pending US patent applications. The commercial value of these patents is unknown.
We plan to continue to invest in research and development and expand our portfolio of proprietary intellectual property.
Competition
Most of our competition falls within the following categories:
● There are a small number of web accessibility audit and tracking platform providers that purport to analyze websites for accessibility concerns. While these providers may sometimes identify issues for remediation, they typically do not provide remediation.
● Currently, other technology providers attempt to apply compliance remediation strictly through automation technology and accessibility toolbars.
● There are a substantial number of consulting service providers offering website and application accessibility. Each generally provides an analysis of the various compliance issues associated with its clients’ websites. They ultimately provide resources and assistance in applying fixes and changes at the source.
Competitive Strengths
Our management believes the following competitive strengths will enable our success in the accessibility marketplace:
● Unique patented technology. AudioEye builds all its products with the primary goal of enhancing the user experience regardless of the end-user’s ability. AudioEye is a marketplace technology leader providing a comprehensive accessibility solution that addresses every aspect of accessibility.
● AudioEye’s software automatically removes digital access barriers every day and has over 400 accessibility test outcomes for real-world users as they navigate websites. AudioEye’s new Issue Reporting dashboard allows non-technical users to easily understand accessibility issues on their websites and the impact these issues have on site visitor experiences.
● Broad price points and offerings. With a free 14-day trial for our base offering, AudioEye allows website owners to test our solution before choosing their preferred option. Our offerings range from low-cost to standard plans, to our customized, enterprise-wide solutions.
● Unique combination of advanced technology and expert-driven services. Our management believes that AudioEye addresses the problem of Web Accessibility holistically and provides a combination of leading-edge technology and high-quality specialized expertise, both offered as subscription services. Our solutions are designed to provide our customers with reliable and sustainable website accessibility compliance solutions; and to lead to cost-savings and reduced time-to-market. Our management believes that the AudioEye solution allows our customers to focus not only on achieving compliance, but also to help maintain compliance and build inclusive digital experiences for their users throughout the life of the subscription.
● We offer greater transparency in marketing our offerings. We believe there is no fully automated solution on the market that can provide 100% compliance. Our offerings provide automated remediations and a transparent compliance score with additional manually driven enhancements. We think that as the industry develops, opaque products with unsubstantiated claims will ultimately fail.
● Highly experienced inventors, technologists, and product development team. Our team comprises experienced software and SaaS developers and technologists.
Legal and Regulatory Framework
Many courts and the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) hold that Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), together with Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, require public and private websites and mobile applications to be accessible to people with disabilities. In particular, Title III of the ADA governs private businesses and prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the provision of services, programs, and activities by public accommodations.
While the law governing website and mobile application accessibility is still developing, many courts have held that websites and mobile applications fall within Title III’s scope. Some courts hold that Title III applies to all customer-facing websites and mobile applications, while others apply a “nexus” approach, which requires websites and mobile applications to comply with Title III if the website or mobile application is heavily integrated with a physical location. The U.S. Supreme Court has yet to articulate a unified approach, so some degree of uncertainty remains. Similarly, the DOJ has not promulgated new regulations laying out compliance standards for websites and mobile applications. In the absence of clear guidance, courts generally measure accessibility using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (“WCAG”), which are promulgated by the World Wide Web Consortium.
This growing focus on website and mobile application accessibility is also reflected by other federal and state laws. The California Unruh Civil Right Act also prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability, and California Government code Section 11546.7 requires state agency directors to certify that their websites comply with the WCAG. In 2010, Congress enacted the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act in an effort to update telecommunications protections for people with disabilities. Furthermore, the Department of Transportation has issued rules interpreting and implementing the Air Carrier Access Act and setting forth website accessibility standards for air carriers. This focus on website accessibility is growing internationally as well, with over 100 countries having ratified the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Although the WCAG does not carry force of law, courts may order defendants to substantially comply with the WCAG as a remedy for accessibility violations. Settlements and consent decrees generally require the same. We therefore design our products and services to help customer websites and mobile applications achieve and sustain substantial conformance with our interpretation of the informative guidance supplied through the WCAG, and we continue to improve and update our products and services as new guidance emerges.
Lawsuits alleging website or mobile application accessibility claims typically follow a similar pattern. Both private commercial businesses and governmental agencies are regularly targeted for alleged violations. With an increasing amount of business taking place remotely, ensuring compliance with the relevant accessibility statutes is becoming increasingly important.
Employees
AudioEye is comprised of highly talented, empathic, and effective individuals working to make the web more accessible.
AudioEye has worked primarily in a remote environment since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. AudioEye is providing employees with the technology and resources required to have a high-quality remote work experiences while remaining connected to teams in other locations. We expect to continue a hybrid of virtual and in-person work in the future.
As of December 31, 2021, we had 111 full-time employees. We use a variety of methods for recruiting including in-house recruiting resources, employee referrals and third-party agencies, when required and we believe our mission allows us to recruit and retain high-quality talent.
We utilize independent contractors to supplement our staff, as needed. None of our employees are represented by a labor union or subject to a collective bargaining agreement. The Company has never experienced a work stoppage and believes that its employee relations are good.
Corporate Information
AudioEye, Inc. was formed as a Delaware corporation on May 20, 2005. We file reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and make available, free of charge, on or through our website at www.audioeye.com, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy and information statements and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. In addition, the SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov containing reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Investing in our securities involves a variety of risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, including, among others, those discussed below. Each of the following risks should be carefully considered, together with all the other information included in this Form 10-K, including Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, our financial
statements and the related notes and in our other filings with the SEC. Furthermore, additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial may also adversely affect our business. Our business, financial condition, operating results, cash flow and prospects could be materially and adversely affected by any of these risks or uncertainties.
Risks Relating to Our Business and Industry
We have a history of generating significant losses and may not be able to achieve and sustain profitability.
To date, we have not been profitable, and we may never achieve profitability on a full-year or consistent basis. We incurred net losses of $14,209,000 for the year ended December 31, 2021. As of December 31, 2021, we had an accumulated deficit of $71,293,000. If we continue to experience losses, we may not be able to continue our operations, and investors may lose their entire investment.
Our success is dependent on members of our management team and employees, many of whom are relatively new in their positions with the Company.
Our success has depended, and continues to depend, on the efforts and talents of our senior management team and employees, including our engineers, product managers, sales and marketing personnel, and professional services personnel. Many members of our executive management team and our employees are relatively new to their positions, including our Chief Executive Officer, who joined the Company as an executive in August 2020, and our President, appointed in September 2021. Our senior management team has not worked with other members of management and our employees for a significant period of time. We can provide no assurance that our management team will be able to effectively work together or with our employees. If they are unable to do so, there may be delays in execution of our business and operating strategies.
We intend to pursue business through a variety of new channels. The new channels may result in the use of a significant amount of our management resources and costs, and we cannot guarantee we will fully realize the expected benefits.
We intend to pursue business through a variety of new channels. Although we may devote significant resources and costs to the development of the new sales channels, we may struggle to successfully identify the channel partners, or to successfully conclude transactions with the channel partners. Should we be unable to identify or conclude important channel partnerships, or if our partners are unable to meet our expectations, our business prospects and operations could be adversely affected as a result of the devotion of significant managerial effort required. In addition, there can be no assurance that we would fully realize the potential benefit of the relationships. If we cannot do so, we may be unable to meet future revenue expectations.
Our new technology platform may not function as expected or may not be accepted by our clients.
We will continue to migrate customers to our new platform for our digital accessibility product in 2022. We cannot guarantee that our platform will operate as expected or that our new platform will be accepted by our customers. If our new platform does not operate as expected or is not accepted, our ability to pursue and retain business may be damaged and our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
Our future development will require additional capital, and we may be unable to obtain needed capital or financing on satisfactory terms, or at all, which would prevent us from fully developing our business and generating revenues.
As of December 31, 2021, we had $19.0 million in cash. Our business plan will require additional capital expenditures, and our capital outlays could increase substantially over the next several years as we implement our business plan. As a result, we may need to raise additional capital through future private or public equity offerings, strategic alliances or debt financing. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including, among others: market conditions, sales and marketing costs, mergers and acquisition activity, if any, costs of litigation in enforcing our intellectual property rights, and information technology development and acquisition costs. No assurance can be given that we can successfully raise additional equity or debt capital, or that such financing will be available to us on favorable terms, if at all.
Weakened global economic conditions including current and ongoing microeconomic uncertainty may adversely affect our industry, business and results of operations.
Our overall performance depends in part on worldwide economic and geopolitical conditions. The United States and other key international economies have experienced cyclical downturns from time to time in which economic activity was impacted by falling
demand for a variety of goods and services, restricted credit, poor liquidity, reduced corporate profitability, volatility in credit, equity and foreign exchange markets, bankruptcies and overall uncertainty with respect to the economy. These economic conditions can arise suddenly, and the full impact of such conditions can remain uncertain. In addition, geopolitical developments, such as existing and potential trade wars and other events beyond our control, such as the coronavirus pandemic, can increase levels of political and economic unpredictability globally and increase the volatility of global financial markets. For example, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, we have shifted certain of our customer events to virtual-only experiences and we may deem it advisable to similarly alter, postpone or cancel entirely additional customer, employee or industry events in the future. Moreover, these conditions can affect the rate of IT spending and could adversely affect our customers’ ability or willingness to attend our events or to purchase our software, delay prospective customers’ purchasing decisions, reduce the value or duration of their subscription contracts, affect attrition rates, or decrease our ability to collect on accounts receivable, all of which could adversely affect our future sales and operating results.
We have been party to litigation and may in the future be party to additional litigation, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations.
We are subject to disputes and allegations related to our business operations. Because we are in a technology industry, these disputes may involve claims of intellectual property infringement or misappropriation. We have also been involved in securities law litigation in the past. These types of litigation can be very expensive, and we cannot assure you that our insurance policies will cover the costs. Because it is not possible to determine when and whether these disputes and allegations may arise or the ultimate disposition of such matters, the resolution of any such matters, should they arise, could have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations.
An increase in market interest rates could increase our interest costs on future debt and could adversely affect our stock price.
If interest rates increase, so could our interest costs for any new debt. This increased cost could make financing, including the financing of any acquisition, costlier. We may incur variable interest rate indebtedness in the future. Rising interest rates could limit our ability to refinance debt when it matures or cause us to pay higher interest rates upon refinancing and increased interest expense on refinanced indebtedness.
We may pursue new strategic opportunities which may result in the use of a significant amount of our management resources or significant costs, and we may not be able to fully realize the potential benefit of such opportunities.
We are seeking strategic opportunities to help us pursue our business objectives. Although we may devote significant time and resources in pursuit of such transactions, we may struggle to successfully identify such opportunities, or to successfully conclude transactions. Should we be unable to identify or conclude important strategic transactions, our business prospects and operations could be adversely affected as a result of the devotion of significant managerial effort required, and the challenges of achieving our objectives in the absence of strategic opportunities. In addition, we may incur significant costs in connection with seeking acquisitions or other strategic opportunities regardless of whether the transaction is completed, and in combining its operations with ours if such a transaction is completed. In the event that we consummate an acquisition or strategic relationship in the future, we cannot assure you that we would fully realize the potential benefit of such a transaction or that we would not be subject to unknown liabilities.
Our potential inability to successfully integrate newly acquired businesses or other strategic opportunities could adversely affect our financial results, and we may not be able to fully realize the potential benefit of such opportunities.
On March 9, 2022, we acquired Bureau of Internet Accessibility Inc. (“BOIA”). We may pursue other acquisitions or strategic opportunities in the future. In the BOIA acquisition and in any other acquisitions we may complete, we face many risks commonly encountered with growth through acquisitions. These risks include:
● the assumption of liabilities of the acquired businesses that could be greater than anticipated;
● incurring significantly higher than anticipated capital expenditures and operating expenses following the acquisition;
● failing to integrate the operations, customers and personnel of the acquired company or business;
● the diversion of financial and management resources from existing operations;
● the potential loss of key employees or existing customers or adverse effects on existing business relationships with suppliers and customers;
● incorrect estimates made in the accounting for acquisitions, incurrence of non-recurring charges, and write-off of significant amounts of goodwill or other assets that could adversely affect our operating results;
● unforeseen risks and liabilities associated with businesses acquired, including any unknown vulnerabilities in acquired technology or compromises of acquired data; and
● failing to achieve the anticipated benefits of the acquisition.
Fully integrating an acquired company or business into our operations may take a significant amount of time. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in overcoming these risks or any other problems encountered with acquisitions. To the extent we do not successfully avoid or overcome the risks or problems related to any acquisitions, our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected. Acquisitions also could impact our financial position and capital needs which, among other actions, could require us to raise additional capital, which could result in dilution to our stockholders or result in restrictions on our activities, and could cause substantial fluctuations in our results of operations.
We may seek additional acquisitions and strategic opportunities to help us pursue our business objectives. Although we may devote significant time and resources in pursuit of such transactions, we may struggle to successfully identify such opportunities, or to successfully conclude transactions. Should we be unable to identify or conclude important strategic transactions, our business prospects and operations could be adversely affected as a result of the devotion of significant managerial effort required, and the challenges of achieving our objectives in the absence of such other acquisitions or strategic opportunities. In addition, we may incur significant costs in connection with seeking acquisitions or other strategic opportunities regardless of whether the transaction is completed, and in combining its operations with ours if such a transaction is completed.
Our business plan may not be realized. If our business plan proves to be unsuccessful, our business may fail, and you may lose your entire investment.
Our operations are subject to all of the risks inherent in the establishment of a new business enterprise with a limited operating history. The likelihood of our success must be considered in light of the problems, expenses, complications, and delays frequently encountered in connection with the development of a new business. Unanticipated events may occur that could affect the actual results achieved during the forecast periods. Consequently, the actual results of operations during the forecast periods will vary from the forecasts, and such variations may be material. In addition, the degree of uncertainty increases with each successive year presented in our business plan. We cannot assure you that we will succeed in the anticipated operation of our business plan. If our business plan proves to be unsuccessful, our business may fail, and you may lose your entire investment.
We have experienced and will continue to experience competition as more companies seek to provide products and services similar to our products and services, and because larger and better-financed competitors may affect our ability to compete in the marketplace and achieve profitability, our business may fail.
Competition in our market is intense, and we expect competition for our products and services to become even more intense. We compete directly against other companies offering similar products and services that compete or will compete directly with our proposed products and services. We also compete against established vendors in our markets. These companies may incorporate other competitive technologies into their product offerings, whether developed internally or by third parties. There are also established consultants who offer services to help their customers obtain compliance with accessibility standards. In many cases these consultants compete for the same funding from our prospective customers. For the foreseeable future, many of our competitors may be larger, better-financed companies that may develop products superior to our current and proposed products, which could create significant competitive advantages for those companies. Our future success depends on our ability to compete effectively with our competitors. As a result, we may have difficulty competing with larger, established competitors. Generally, these competitors may have:
● substantially greater financial, technical, and marketing resources;
● a larger customer base;
● better name recognition; and
● more expansive or different product offerings.
These competitors may command a larger market share than we do, which may enable them to establish a stronger competitive position, in part, through greater marketing opportunities. Further, our competitors may be able to respond more quickly than we are to new or emerging technologies and changes in user preferences and to devote greater resources to developing new products and offering new services. These competitors may develop products or services that are comparable or superior to ours. If we fail to address competitive developments quickly and effectively, we may not be able to remain a viable business.
If we are not able to adequately protect our patented rights, our operations may be negatively impacted.
Our ability to compete largely depends on the superiority, uniqueness and value of our technology and intellectual property. To protect our intellectual property rights, we rely on a combination of patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret laws, confidentiality agreements with our employees and third parties, and protective contractual provisions. We cannot assure you that infringement or invalidity claims (or claims for indemnification resulting from infringement claims) will not be asserted or prosecuted against us or that any such assertions or prosecutions will not materially adversely affect our business.
Regardless of whether any future claims are valid or can be successfully asserted, defending against such claims could cause us to incur significant costs, could jeopardize or substantially delay a successful outcome in any future litigation, and could divert resources away from our other activities. In addition, assertion of infringement claims could result in injunctions that prevent us from distributing our products. In addition to challenges against our existing patents, any of the following could also reduce the value of our intellectual property now, or in the future:
● our applications for patents, trademarks, and copyrights relating to our business may not be granted and, if granted, may be challenged or invalidated;
● issued trademarks, copyrights or patents may not provide us with any competitive advantages;
● our efforts to protect our intellectual property rights may not be effective in preventing misappropriation of our technology; or
● our efforts may not prevent the development and design by others of products or technologies similar to, competitive with, or superior to those that we develop.
Also, we may not be able to effectively protect our intellectual property rights in certain foreign countries where we may do business in the future or from which competitors may operate. Obtaining patents will not necessarily protect our technology or prevent our international competitors from developing similar products or technologies. Our inability to adequately protect our patented rights may have a negative impact on our operations and revenues.
In addition, legal standards relating to the validity, enforceability, and scope of protection of intellectual property rights in Internet-related businesses are uncertain and still evolving. Because of the growth of the Internet and Internet-related businesses, patent applications are continuously and simultaneously being filed in connection with Internet-related technology. There are a significant number of U.S. and foreign patents and patent applications in our areas of interest, and we believe that there has been, and is likely to continue to be, significant litigation in the industry regarding patent and other intellectual property rights.
We may commence legal proceedings against third parties who we believe are infringing on our intellectual property rights, and if we are forced to litigate to defend our intellectual property rights, or to defend claims by third parties against us relating to intellectual property rights, legal fees and court injunctions could adversely affect our financial condition and potentially end our business.
We have active litigation against a competitor related to the alleged violation of our patents and other unfair trade practices, and we may engage in future litigation. We expect an increase in the number of third parties who could violate our patents as the market develops new uses of similar products and consumers continue to increase their adoption of technology and integrate it into their daily lives. We foresee the potential need to enter into additional active litigation to defend and enforce our patents. We anticipate that these legal proceedings could continue for several years and may require significant expenditures for legal fees and other expenses. In the
event we are not successful through appeal and do not subsequently obtain monetary and injunctive relief, these litigation matters may significantly reduce our financial resources and have a material impact on our ability to continue our operations. The time and effort required of our management to effectively pursue or defend these litigation matters may adversely affect our ability to operate our business, since time spent on matters related to the lawsuits would take away from the time spent on managing and operating the business. We cannot assure you any such potential lawsuits will result in an outcome that is favorable to our stockholders or the Company.
The current legal environment for our products and services remains unclear.
We cannot assure you that our existing or planned product and service offerings will be in compliance with local, state, and/or federal U.S. laws or the laws of any foreign jurisdiction where we operate or may operate in the future. Further, the legal, regulatory and judicial framework relating to the accessibility of websites may change. We cannot assure you that we will not unintentionally violate new laws or that existing laws will not be modified, that new laws and regulations will not be enacted in the future, or that judicial application of existing laws and regulations might change, which may cause us to be in violation of such laws or render our product and service offerings less needed. More aggressive domestic or international regulation of the Internet may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, operating results, and future prospects.
Our business greatly depends on the growth of online services, Internet of Things (“IOT”), kiosks, streaming, and other next-generation Internet-based applications, and there is a risk that such growth may not occur as expected, or at all, which would harm our business.
The Internet may ultimately prove not to be a viable commercial marketplace for such applications for several reasons, including:
● unwillingness of consumers to shift to and use other such next-generation Internet-based audio applications;
● refusal to purchase our products and services;
● perception by end-users with respect to product and service quality and performance;
● limitations on access and ease of use;
● congestion leading to delayed or extended response times;
● inadequate development of Internet infrastructure to keep pace with increased levels of use; and
● increased government regulations.
Because of these and other factors, the growth of online services, IOT, kiosks, streaming, and other next-generation Internet-based applications may be impeded or not occur as expected. As a result, our business and operations could be adversely impacted.
If the market for our online services does not grow as anticipated, our business would be adversely affected.
While other next-generation Internet-based applications have grown rapidly in personal and professional use, we cannot assure you that the adoption of our products and services will grow at a comparable rate or grow at all.
Our expansion into new products, services, technologies, and geographic regions subjects us to additional business, legal, financial, and competitive risks.
We may have limited or no experience in our newer market segments, and our customers may not adopt our new offerings. These offerings may present new and difficult technology challenges, and we may be subject to claims if customers of these offerings experience service disruptions or failures or other quality issues. In addition, profitability, if any, in our newer activities may be lower than in our older activities, and we may not be successful enough in these newer activities to recoup our investments in them. If any of this were to occur, it could damage our reputation, limit our growth, and negatively affect our operating results.
We face risks related to system interruption and lack of redundancy.
We experience occasional system interruptions and delays that make our websites and services unavailable or slow to respond and prevent us from efficiently providing services to third parties, which may reduce our net sales and the attractiveness of our products and services. If we are unable to continually add software and hardware, effectively upgrade our systems and network infrastructure, and take other steps to improve the efficiency of our systems, it could cause system interruptions or delays and adversely affect our operating results.
Our computer and communications systems and operations could be damaged or interrupted by fire, flood, power loss, telecommunications failure, earthquakes, acts of war or terrorism, acts of God, computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins, and similar events or disruptions. Any of these events could cause system interruption, delays, and loss of critical data, and could prevent us from providing services, which could make our product and service offerings less attractive and subject us to liability. Our systems are not fully redundant, and our disaster recovery planning may not be sufficient. In addition, we may have inadequate insurance coverage to compensate for any related losses. Any of these events could damage our reputation and be expensive to remedy.
Government regulation is evolving, and unfavorable changes could harm our business.
We are subject to general business regulations and laws, as well as regulations and laws specifically governing the Internet, e-commerce, electronic devices, and other services. Existing and future laws and regulations may impede our growth. These regulations and laws may cover website accessibility, taxation, privacy, data protection, pricing, content, copyrights, distribution, mobile communications, electronic device certification, electronic waste, energy consumption, environmental regulation, electronic contracts and other communications, competition, consumer protection, web services, the provision of online payment services, information reporting requirements, unencumbered Internet access to our services, the design and operation of websites, the characteristics and quality of products and services, and the commercial operation of unmanned aircraft systems. It is not clear how existing laws governing issues such as property ownership, libel, and personal privacy apply to the Internet, e-commerce, digital content, and web services. Unfavorable regulations and laws could diminish the demand for our products and services and increase our cost of doing business.
We may be subject to risks related to government contracts and related procurement regulations.
Our contracts with U.S., as well as state, local, and foreign, government entities are subject to various procurement regulations and other requirements relating to their formation, administration, and performance. We may be subject to audits and investigations relating to our government contracts, and any violations could result in various civil and criminal penalties and administrative sanctions, including termination of contracts, refunding or suspending of payments, forfeiture of profits, payment of fines, and suspension or debarment from future government business. In addition, such contracts may provide for termination by the government at any time, without cause.
If we do not successfully adapt, enhance or develop new products and services in a cost-effective manner to meet customer demand in the rapidly evolving market for next-generation Internet-based applications and services, our business may fail.
The market for next-generation Internet-based applications and services is characterized by rapidly changing technology, evolving industry standards, changes in customer needs, and frequent new service and product introductions. Our future success will depend, in part, on our ability to use new technologies effectively, to continue to develop our technical expertise and proprietary technology, to enhance our existing products and services, and to develop new products and services that meet changing customer needs on a timely and cost-effective basis. We may not be able to adapt quickly enough to changing technology, customer requirements, and industry standards. If we fail to use new technologies effectively, to develop our technical expertise and new products and services, or to enhance existing products and services on a timely basis, either internally or through arrangements with third parties, our product and service offerings may fail to meet customer needs, which would adversely affect our revenues and prospects for growth.
In addition, if we are unable to, for technological, legal, financial, or other reasons, adapt in a timely manner to changing market conditions or customer requirements, we could lose customers, strategic alliances, and market share. Sudden changes in user and customer requirements and preferences, the frequent introduction of new products and services embodying new technologies, and the emergence of new industry standards and practices could render our existing products, services and systems obsolete. The emerging nature of products and services in the technology and communications industry and their rapid evolution will require that we continually
improve the performance, features, and reliability of our products and services. Our survival and success will depend, in part, on our ability to:
● design, develop, launch and/or license our planned products, services, and technologies that address the increasingly sophisticated and varied needs of our prospective customers; and
● respond to technological advances and emerging industry standards and practices on a cost-effective and timely basis.
The development of products and services and other patented technology involves significant technological and business risks and requires substantial expenditures and lead time. We may be unable to use new technologies effectively. Updating our technology internally and licensing new technology from third parties may also require us to incur significant additional expenditures.
If our products and services do not continue to gain market acceptance, we may not be able to fund future operations.
A number of factors may affect the market acceptance of our products or services or any other products or services we develop or acquire, including, among others:
● the price of our products or services relative to other competitive products and services;
● the perception by users of the effectiveness of our products and services;
● our ability to fund our sales and marketing efforts; and
● the effectiveness of our sales and marketing efforts.
If our products and services do not continue to gain market acceptance, we may not be able to fund future operations, including the development of new products and services and/or our sales and marketing efforts for our current products and services, which inability would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results.
We continually develop new products and product enhancements and actively capitalize software development costs, while making educated assumptions to anticipate the attributed revenue to be derived from each development or enhancement. If our assumptions are incorrect or if we are unable to accurately attribute revenue to each respective product or product enhancement, we may have to account for impairment, thus causing us to reverse the capitalized expenditures.
Our product developers are consistently programming new products and enhancements to existing products. Under applicable accounting guidance, we make determinations to estimate the useful life of each of these products and enhancements. Based on these determinations, we amortize software expenses over a pre-determined period of time. Should our estimates turn out to be inaccurate or should the business fail to attract new revenue in relation to each respective product or product enhancement, we may have to reverse or write off the related capitalized expenses.
Our products and services are highly technical and may contain undetected errors, which could cause harm to our reputation and adversely affect our business.
Our products and services are highly technical and complex and, when deployed, may contain errors or defects. Despite testing, some errors in our products and services may only be discovered after they have been installed and used by customers. Any errors or defects discovered in our products and services after commercial release could result in failure to achieve market acceptance, loss of revenue or delay in revenue recognition, loss of customers, and increased service and warranty cost, any of which could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition. In addition, we could face claims for product liability, tort, or breach of warranty. The performance of our products and services could have unforeseen or unknown adverse effects on the networks over which they are delivered as well as on third-party applications and services that utilize our products and services, which could result in legal claims against us, harming our business. Furthermore, we expect to provide implementation, consulting, and other technical services in connection with the implementation and ongoing maintenance of our products and services, which typically involves working with sophisticated software, computing systems, and communications systems. Many of our contracts with customers contain provisions relating to warranty disclaimers and liability limitations, but such provisions may not be upheld. Defending a lawsuit, regardless of its merit, is costly and may divert our management’s attention and adversely affect the market’s perception of us and our products and
services. In addition, if our business liability insurance coverage proves inadequate or future coverage is unavailable on acceptable terms or at all, our business, operating results and financial condition could be adversely impacted.
Malfunctions of third-party communications infrastructure, hardware and software expose us to a variety of risks we cannot control, and those risks could result in harm to our business.
Our business depends upon the capacity, reliability and security of the infrastructure owned by third parties over which our product offerings are deployed. We have no control over the operation, quality or maintenance of a significant portion of that infrastructure or over whether those third parties will upgrade or improve their equipment. We do depend on these companies to maintain the operational integrity of our integrated connections. If one or more of these companies is unable or unwilling to supply or expand its levels of service in the future, our operations could be adversely impacted. System interruptions or increases in response time could result in a loss of potential or existing users and, if sustained or repeated, could reduce the appeal of the networks to users. In addition, users depend on real-time communications; outages caused by increased traffic could result in delays and system failures. These types of occurrences could cause users to perceive that our products and services do not function properly and could therefore adversely affect our ability to attract and retain strategic partners and customers.
Security breaches, computer viruses, and computer hacking attacks could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations, or reputation.
Security breaches, computer malware and computer hacking attacks have become more prevalent in our industry. Any security breach caused by hacking, which involves efforts to gain unauthorized access to information or systems, or to cause intentional malfunctions or loss or corruption of data, software, hardware or other computer equipment, or the inadvertent transmission of computer viruses could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations or reputation.
Our corporate systems, third-party systems and security measures may be breached due to the actions of outside parties, employee error, malfeasance, a combination of these, or otherwise, and, as a result, an unauthorized party may obtain access to our data or any third-party data we may possess. Any such security breach could require us to comply with various breach notification laws and may expose us to litigation, remediation and investigation costs, increased costs for security measures, loss of revenue, damage to our reputation, and potential liability.
System failure or interruption or our failure to meet increasing demands on our systems could harm our business.
The success of our product and service offerings depends on the uninterrupted operation of various systems, secure data centers, and other computer and communication networks that we use or establish. To the extent the number of users of networks utilizing our future products and services suddenly increases, the technology platform and hosting services which will be required to accommodate a higher volume of traffic may result in slower response times, service interruptions or delays or system failures. The deployment of our products, services, systems and operations will also be vulnerable to damage or interruption from:
● power loss, transmission cable cuts and other telecommunications failures;
● damage or interruption caused by fire, earthquake and other natural disasters;
● computer viruses or software defects; and
● physical or electronic break-ins, sabotage, intentional acts of vandalism, terrorist attacks and other events beyond our control.
System interruptions or failures and increases or delays in response time could result in a loss of potential or existing users and, if sustained or repeated, could reduce the appeal of our products and services to users. These types of occurrences could cause users to perceive that our products and services do not function properly and could therefore adversely affect our ability to attract and retain strategic partners and customers
We do not expect to pay any dividends to holders of our common stock for the foreseeable future, which will affect the extent to which our investors realize any future gains on their investment.
We do not anticipate that we will pay any dividends to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, investors must rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any future gains on their investment.
We will need to recruit and retain additional qualified personnel to successfully grow our business.
Our future success will depend in part on our ability to attract and retain qualified operations, marketing and sales personnel as well as technical personnel. Inability to attract and retain such personnel could adversely affect our business. Competition for technical, sales, marketing and executive personnel is intense, particularly in the technology and Internet sectors. We cannot assure you that we will be able to attract or retain such personnel.
If we fail to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and effective disclosure controls and procedures, we may not be able to report financial results accurately or on a timely basis, or to detect fraud, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and stock price.
In connection with this annual report, our management carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures and of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. Based on that evaluation, our Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures and our internal control over financial reporting were effective as of December 31, 2021.
Nonetheless, failure to maintain established internal control over financial reporting or to maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures could adversely impact our public disclosures regarding our business, financial condition or results of operations. Upon review of the required internal control over financial reporting, our management and/or our auditors have in the past and may in the future identify material weaknesses and/or significant deficiencies that need to be addressed. Any actual or perceived weaknesses or conditions that need to be addressed in our internal control over financial reporting and disclosure of management's assessment of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting could adversely impact the price of and our ability to list our common stock and may lead to stockholder claims and regulatory action against us. Failure to maintain effective internal controls in the future could also result in a material misstatement of our annual or quarterly financial statements that would not be prevented or detected on a timely basis and that could cause us to restate our financial statements for a prior period, cause investors to lose confidence in our financial statements and/or limit our ability to raise capital.
Additionally, any such failure may also negatively impact our operating results and financial condition, impair our ability to timely file our periodic and other reports with the SEC, consume a significant amount of management’s time, and cause us to incur substantial additional costs relating to the implementation of remedial measures.
Risks Related to the Market for Our Common Stock
Although our shares of common stock are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, historically we have had a limited trading volume and a higher price volatility. This may result in reduced liquidity of our common stock.
Although our shares of common stock are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “AEYE,” historically trading volume in our common stock has been limited. In addition, our stock has also historically seen significant price volatility, which may reduce the liquidity of our common stock. The sale of a significant number of shares of common stock at any particular time could be difficult to achieve at the market prices prevailing immediately before such shares are offered, and may limit your liquidity options.
If we cannot continue to satisfy the continuing listing criteria of the Nasdaq Capital Market, the exchange may subsequently delist our common stock.
The Nasdaq Capital Market requires us to meet certain financial, public float, bid price and liquidity standards on an ongoing basis in order to continue the listing of our common stock. Generally, we must maintain a minimum amount of stockholders’ equity and a minimum number of holders of our securities, as well as meet certain disclosure and corporate governance requirements. If we fail to meet any of the continuing listing requirements, our common stock may be subject to delisting. If our common stock is delisted and we are not able to list our common stock on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities would be quoted on an over-the-
counter market. If this were to occur, our stockholders could face significant material adverse consequences, including limited availability of market quotations for our common stock and reduced liquidity for the trading of our securities. In addition, we could experience a decreased ability to issue additional securities and obtain additional financing in the future.
The market price for our common stock may fluctuate significantly, which could result in substantial losses by our investors.
The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to numerous factors, some of which are beyond our control, such as:
● the outcomes of potential future patent litigation;
● our ability to monetize our future patents;
● changes in our industry;
● announcements of technological innovations, new products or product enhancements by us or others;
● announcements by us or others of significant strategic partnerships, out-licensing, in-licensing, joint ventures, acquisitions or capital commitments;
● changes in laws or regulations or judicial interpretation of the application of accessibility-related laws and regulations to the internet;
● changes in earnings estimates or recommendations by security analysts, if our common stock is covered by analysts;
● investors’ general perception of us;
● future issuances of common stock;
● investors’ future resales of our securities;
● the addition or departure of key personnel;
● general market conditions, including the volatility of market prices for shares of technology companies, generally, and other factors, including factors unrelated to our operating performance; and
● the other factors described in this “Risk Factors” section.
These factors and any corresponding price fluctuations may materially and adversely affect the market price of our common stock and result in substantial losses by our investors.
Further, the stock market in general, and the market for technology companies in particular, has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations in the past. Continued market fluctuations could result in extreme volatility in the price of our common stock, which could cause a decline in the value of our common stock.
Price volatility of our common stock might be worse if the trading volume of our common stock is low. In the past, following periods of market volatility, stockholders have often instituted securities class action litigation. We have previously been the target of securities litigation and may in the future be subject to additional securities litigation, which could result in substantial costs to us and divert resources and attention of management from our business, even if we are successful in any such litigation. Future sales of our common stock could also reduce the market price of such stock.
Moreover, the liquidity of our common stock is limited, not only in terms of the number of shares that can be bought and sold at a given price, but by delays in the timing of transactions and reduction in security analysts’ and the media’s coverage of us, if any. These factors may result in lower prices for our common stock than might otherwise be obtained and could also result in a larger spread
between the bid and ask prices for our common stock. In addition, without a large float, our common stock is less liquid than the stock of companies with broader public ownership and, as a result, the trading price of our common stock may be more volatile. In the absence of an active public trading market, an investor may be unable to liquidate its investment in our common stock. Trading of a relatively small volume of our common stock may have a greater impact on the trading price of our stock than would be the case if our public float were larger. We cannot predict the prices at which our common stock will trade in the future.
Sales or the availability for sale of a substantial number of shares of our common stock may cause the price of our common stock to decline and adversely affect our ability to raise capital.
If our stockholders sell substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, including pursuant to our currently effective Registration Statement on Form S-3, such sales or the anticipation of such sales could cause the market price of our common stock to fall. Such circumstances, whether or not sales have occurred or are occurring, also could make more difficult our ability to raise additional financing through the sale of equity or equity-related securities in the future at a time and price that we deem reasonable or appropriate.
Issuance of additional shares of common stock in future financings, including under our at-the-market program, will result in the dilution of our existing stockholders and may also result in a reduction in the market price of our common stock.
Our Certificate of Incorporation authorizes the issuance of up to 50,000,000 shares of common stock with a $0.00001 par value per share and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a $0.00001 par value per share, of which, as of December 31, 2021, approximately 11,435,000 shares of common stock were issued and outstanding. As of December 31, 2021, we also had outstanding warrants and options to purchase an aggregate of approximately 221,000 shares of our common stock, and unvested, or vested but not yet settled, restricted stock units covering an aggregate of approximately 1,033,000 shares of common stock. The exercise of such options and warrants and the settlement of such restricted stock units would further increase the number of our outstanding shares of common stock.
In addition, in February 2021, we entered into an At Market Issuance Sales Agreement under which the Company may offer and sell, from time to time at its sole discretion, shares of its common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $30 million.
From time to time, we may adopt new equity compensation plans or increase the number of shares available for issuance in connection with our existing equity compensation plans. Our board of directors may also choose to issue some or all of our available shares to provide additional financing or acquire businesses.
The issuance of any shares under our equity compensation plans, for acquisition, licensing or financing efforts, upon exercise of warrants and options, or settlement of restricted stock units, will dilute the interests of our holders of common stock and cause a reduction in the proportionate ownership and voting power of all then current stockholders. Any such issuances may also result in a reduction in the market price of our common stock.
The interests of our controlling stockholders may not coincide with yours and such controlling stockholders may make decisions with which you may disagree.
As of February 25, 2022, six of our stockholders, two of whom are our Executive Chairman and our Chief Executive Officer, and another of whom is a director, beneficially owned in the aggregate over 50% of the voting power of our outstanding shares of common. As a result, these stockholders may be able to influence the outcome of matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions. In addition, this concentration of ownership may delay or prevent a change in control of our company and make some future transactions more difficult or impossible without the support of our controlling stockholders. The interests of our controlling stockholders may not coincide with our interests or the interests of other stockholders.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our common stock will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. We currently have new research coverage by securities and industry analysts. If one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our stock or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of us or fails to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our stock could decrease, which could cause our stock price and trading volume to decline.
We are subject to financial reporting and other requirements that place significant demands on our resources.
We are subject to reporting and other obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Section 404 requires us to conduct an annual management assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. These reporting and other obligations place significant demands on our management, administrative, operational, internal audit and accounting resources. Any failure to maintain effective internal controls, such as occurred as of December 31, 2020, could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and stock price. Moreover, effective internal control is necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and prevent fraud. If we cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, we may not be able to manage our business as effectively as we would if an effective control environment existed, and our business and reputation with investors may be harmed. We may also face claims by our investors, which could harm our business and financial condition.
Risks Relating to Our Charter Documents and Capital Structure
We are close to being controlled by a small number of “insider” stockholders, which could determine corporate and stockholder action on significant matters.
As of February 3, 2022, our directors and executive officers beneficially owned an aggregate of 4,414,667 of our outstanding shares of common stock, which represents approximately 39% of the aggregate voting power of our outstanding shares of common stock. Through their collective ownership of our outstanding stock, such holders, if they were to act together, would be close to controlling the voting of our shares at all meetings of stockholders and, because the common stock does not have cumulative voting rights, to determining the outcome of the election of all of our directors and determining corporate and stockholder action on other matters.
Provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and bylaws could discourage potential acquisition proposals and could deter or prevent a change in control.
Some provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation and bylaws, as well as statutes, may have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a change in control. These provisions, including those providing for the possible issuance of shares of our preferred stock, which may be divided into series and with the preferences, limitations and relative rights to be determined by our board of directors, and the right of the board of directors to amend the bylaws, may make it more difficult for other persons, without the approval of our board of directors, to make a tender offer or otherwise acquire a substantial number of shares of our common stock or to launch other takeover attempts that a stockholder might consider to be in his or her best interest. These provisions could limit the price that some investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock.
Delaware law may delay or prevent takeover attempts by third parties and therefore inhibit our stockholders from realizing a premium on their stock.
We are subject to the anti-takeover provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. These provisions prevent any stockholder who owns 15% or more of our outstanding shares of common stock from engaging in certain business combinations with us for a period of three years following the time that the stockholder acquired such stock ownership unless certain approvals were or are obtained from our board of directors or from the holders of 66 2/3% of our outstanding shares of common stock (excluding the shares of our common stock owned by the 15% or more stockholder). Our board of directors can use these and other provisions to discourage, delay or prevent a change in the control of our company or a change in our management. Any delay or prevention of a change of control transaction or a change in our board of directors or management could deter potential acquirers or prevent the completion of a transaction in which our stockholders could receive a substantial premium over the then current market price of our shares. These provisions could also limit the price that investors might be willing to pay for shares of our common stock.
Failure to manage growth effectively could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
The success of our future operating activities will depend upon our ability to expand our support system to meet the demands of our growing business. Any failure by our management to effectively anticipate, implement, and manage changes required to sustain our growth would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully operate acquired businesses (if any), become profitable in the future, or effectively manage any other change.
The elimination of the monetary liability of our directors under Delaware law and the existence of indemnification rights held by our directors, officers and employees may result in substantial expenditures by us and may discourage lawsuits against our directors, officers and employees.
Our Certificate of Incorporation contains specific provisions that eliminate the liability of our directors for monetary damages to our company and stockholders and requires indemnification of our directors and officers to the extent provided by Delaware law. Our bylaws also contain provisions that require the indemnification of our directors, officers and employees. We may also have contractual indemnification obligations under our employment agreements with our officers. The foregoing limitation of liability and indemnification obligations could result in our company incurring substantial expenditures to cover the cost of settlement or damage awards against directors and officers, which we may be unable to recoup. These provisions and resultant costs may also discourage our company from bringing a lawsuit against directors and officers for breaches of their fiduciary duties and may similarly discourage the filing of derivative litigation by our stockholders against our directors and officers even though such actions, if successful, might otherwise benefit our company and our stockholders.

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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
The Company’s principal offices are located at 5210 E. Williams Circle, Suite 750, Tucson, Arizona 85711, consisting of approximately 5,151 square feet under a lease agreement that expires in October 2022.
The Company also leases office space in Marietta, Georgia, Miami, Florida, and New York City, New York (under a lease that commenced in January 2022), and occupies shared office space in Portland, Oregon, Austin, Texas, and Seattle, Washington under membership agreements which provide for membership fees based on the number of contracted seats.
The Company believes that its space is adequate for its current needs and that suitable alternative space is available to accommodate expansion of the Company’s operations.

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ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
In the normal course of business, we are subject to proceedings, lawsuits, regulatory agency inquiries, and other claims. All such matters are subject to uncertainties and outcomes that are not predictable with assurance. While these matters could materially affect operating results when resolved in future periods, management believes that, after final disposition, including anticipated insurance recoveries in certain cases, any monetary liability or financial impact to the Company beyond that provided for in the balance sheet as of December 31, 2021, would not be material to our financial position or annual results of operations.
On October 26, 2020, AudioEye filed a complaint (amended on December 29, 2020) against accessiBe Ltd. (“accessiBe”) in District Court in the Western District of Texas, Waco Division. The complaint alleges infringement of nine of AudioEye’s patents and various claims under the Lanham Act and New York law and seeks damages, costs, and injunctive relief. On November 1, 2021, accessiBe answered denying infringement, alleging invalidity of the patents at issue and counterclaimed with similar claims and remedies. On March 9, 2022, the District Court ordered the case transferred to the Western District of New York.
On July 14, 2021, AudioEye filed a second complaint (amended on August 4, 2021) against accessiBe in the same court alleging infringement of six of AudioEye’s patents and seeking damages, costs, and injunctive relief.

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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
Common Stock Information
AudioEye, Inc. was formed as a Delaware corporation on May 20, 2005.Our common stock has been listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “AEYE” since September 4, 2018.
In 2021, we initiated an At The Market (“ATM”) offering under which the Company may offer and sell, from time to time at its sole discretion, shares of its common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $30 million. In the twelve months ended December 31, 2021, the Company issued 471,970 shares of its common stock under the ATM offering and raised $16,534,000, net of transaction expenses. We expect to use the net proceeds from the ATM offering for general corporate purposes, including, but not limited to, capital expenditures, working capital, investments and acquisitions.
On February 28, 2022, there were 139 holders of record of our common stock, and a greater number of beneficial holders of our common stock for whom shares were held in a “nominee” or “street” name.
The following table sets forth information with respect to our repurchases of common stock during the three months ended December 31, 2021:
Total Number of
Maximum Number
Shares Purchased
of Shares that May
Total Number of
as Part of Publicly
Yet Be Purchased
Shares Purchased
Average Price
Announced Plans or
under the Plans or
(1)
Paid per Share
Programs
Programs
October 1 - October 31
$
9.94
-
-
November 1 - November 30
8,049
7.78
-
-
December 1 - December 31
11,739
7.01
-
-
Total
20,058
$
7.36
-
-
(1)
Amount represents shares surrendered by employees to satisfy tax withholding obligations in connection with the settlement restricted stock units, the exercise of stock options, or the issuance of unrestricted shares of common stock.
The transfer agent of our common stock is Equiniti Trust Company (f//a/ Corporate Stock Transfer). Its address is 3200 Cherry Creek Drive, Suite 430, Denver, Colorado 80209, and its telephone number is (303) 282-4800.
Dividend Policy
Dividends to preferred stockholders take precedence over any dividends to common stockholders. Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably such dividends, if any, as may be declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available therefor. We have not declared or paid any dividends on our preferred or common stock since our inception, and we presently anticipate that earnings, if any, will be retained for development of our business. There are no restrictions in our Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws that prevent us from declaring dividends. Any future declaration of dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon, among other things, our future earnings, operating and financial condition, and capital requirements.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company issued an aggregate of 35,000 shares of its common stock upon exercise of previously issued warrants for net proceeds of $178,000 and 279,137 shares of its common stock upon the conversion of all shares of our Series A Preferred Stock. Such issuances were exempt from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

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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
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our audited financial statements and the related notes for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 that appear elsewhere in this annual report on Form 10-K. The following discussion contains forward-looking statements that reflect our plans, estimates and beliefs. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include but are not limited to those discussed below and elsewhere in this annual report on Form 10-K, particularly in “Risk Factors.” The forward-looking statements included in this annual report on Form 10-K are made only as of the date hereof.
Executive Overview
AudioEye is an industry-leading digital accessibility platform delivering website accessibility compliance at all price points to businesses of all sizes. Our solutions advance accessibility with patented technology that reduces barriers, expands access for individuals with disabilities, and enhances the user experience for a broader audience. In 2021 we focused on the continued expansion of revenue, product innovation, and building out of the AudioEye team.
We have two sales channels to deliver our product, the Partner and Marketplace channel and the Enterprise channel. AudioEye continues to focus on growth on both channels, with specific focus on growing recurring revenue in 2021, while still offering our Mobile App and PDF services. As of December 31, 2021, Monthly Recurring Revenue (“MRR”) was approximately $2.2 million, which represented an increase of 16% year-over-year. Refer to Other Key Operating Metrics below for details on how we calculate MRR.
As at December 31, 2021, AudioEye had approximately 82,000 customers, up from approximately 32,000 at December 31, 2020. This growth was primarily driven by additional customer implementations from Partner relationships and expanding engagement with customers via our Marketplace. Revenue from our Partners and Marketplace grew 40% from prior year. This channel represented about 57% of MRR contribution at the end of 2021.
Total Enterprise revenue grew by 1% from prior year. Enterprise revenue from recurring sources increased by 13% in 2021 over prior year, which helped offset the lower revenue from PDF remediation services due to decreased demand. This channel represented about 43% of MRR contribution at the end of 2021.
We had two major customers (including the customer’s affiliates reflecting multiple contracts and a partnership with the Company) which accounted for approximately 20% and 10%, respectively, of our revenue in the year ended December 31, 2021, and one major customer which generated approximately 16.7% of our revenue in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.
The Company continued to invest in Research and development. As a percent of revenue, Research and development cost was 27% of total revenue, an increase from 12% in prior year. With the increase in investment in research and development in 2021 we were able to continue to expand and improve our product offering, including issue reporting, an updated customer portal, and further advancements on automated fixes to accessibility, as well as provide hands-on manual remediation services.
We made additional sales and marketing investments in 2021 to reach a wider, growing, audience and bring further awareness to accessibility on the web. This included additional digital media spend and expanding our sales and marketing team.
We provide further commentary on our Results of Operation below.
Results of Operations
Our financial statements are stated in United States Dollars and are prepared in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“U.S. GAAP” or “GAAP”). The discussion of the results of our operations compares the year ended December 31, 2021 with the year ended December 31, 2020. Our results of operations in these periods are not necessarily indicative of
the results which may be expected for any subsequent period. Due to rounding, numbers presented throughout this document may not add up precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures.
Year ended
December 31,
Change
(in thousands)
$
%
Revenue
$
24,503
$
20,475
$
4,028
%
Cost of revenue
(6,121)
(5,961)
(160)
%
Gross profit
18,382
14,514
3,868
%
Operating expenses:
Selling and marketing
14,621
8,472
6,149
%
Research and development
5,304
1,230
4,074
%
General and administrative
13,970
11,945
2,025
%
Total operating expenses
33,895
21,647
12,248
%
Operating loss
(15,513)
(7,133)
(8,380)
%
Other income (expense):
Change in fair value of warrant liability
-
(120)
(100)
%
Gain on loan forgiveness
1,316
-
1,316
%
Interest expense
(12)
(145)
(92)
%
Total other income (expense)
1,304
(25)
1,329
5,316
%
Net loss
$
(14,209)
$
(7,158)
$
(7,051)
%
Revenue
The following table presents our revenues disaggregated by sales channel:
Year ended December 31,
Change
(in thousands)
$
%
Partner and Marketplace
$
13,638
$
9,740
$
3,898
%
Enterprise
10,865
10,735
%
Total revenues
$
24,503
$
20,475
$
4,028
%
Partner and Marketplace channel consists of our CMS partners, platform & agency partners, authorized resellers and the Marketplace. This channel serves small & medium sized businesses that are on a partner or reseller’s web-hosting platform or that purchase our solutions from our Marketplace.
Enterprise channel consists of our larger customers and organizations, including those with non-platform custom websites, who generally engage directly with AudioEye sales personnel for custom pricing and solutions. This channel also includes federal, state and local government agencies.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, total revenue increased by 20% over the prior year. The increase in total revenues was primarily driven by higher Partner and Marketplace channel revenue as a result of our continued focus on highly transactional industry verticals to achieve higher penetration within our existing partnerships and expand into new partnerships. The Enterprise channel revenue remained consistent with prior year as a decrease in customer demand for our PDF remediation services was offset by an increase in recurring revenue sources. In 2021, Enterprise revenue from recurring sources increased 13% over the prior year.
Cost of Revenue and Gross Profit
Year ended December 31,
Change
(in thousands)
$
%
Revenue
$
24,503
$
20,475
$
4,028
%
Cost of revenue
(6,121)
(5,961)
%
Gross profit
$
18,382
$
14,514
$
3,868
%
Cost of revenue consists primarily of compensation and related benefits costs for our customer experience team, as well as a portion of our technology operations team that supports the delivery of our services, fees paid to our managed hosting and other third-party service providers, amortization of capitalized software development costs and patent costs, and allocated overhead costs.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, cost of revenue remained consistent with the prior year comparable periods as the increase in the cost of hosting fees and in the amortization of capitalized software development costs was offset by a reduction in delivery support costs from continued operating efficiencies.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, gross profit increased by 27% over the prior year. The increase in gross profit was a result of increased revenue and continued improvement in technology driven efficiencies and related support as we scale.
Selling and Marketing Expenses
Year ended
December 31,
Change
(in thousands)
$
%
Selling and marketing
$
14,621
$
8,472
$
6,149
%
Selling and marketing expenses consist primarily of compensation and benefits related to our sales and marketing staff, as well as third-party advertising and marketing expenses.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, selling and marketing expenses increased by 73% over the prior year. The increase in selling and marketing expenses resulted primarily from higher online media and third-party marketing agency expenses, as well as higher personnel costs associated with the increase in headcount and in stock-based compensation expense as we continued to expand our business.
Research and Development
Year ended
December 31,
Change
(in thousands)
$
%
Research and development expense
$
5,304
$
1,230
$
4,074
%
Plus: Capitalized research and development cost
1,425
1,157
%
Total research and development cost
$
6,729
2,387
$
4,342
%
Research and development (“R&D”) expenses consist primarily of compensation and related benefits, independent contractor costs, and an allocated portion of general overhead costs, including occupancy costs related to our employees involved in research and development activities. Total research and development cost includes the amount of research and development expense reported within operating expenses as well as development cost that was capitalized during the fiscal period.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, research and development expenses increased by 331% over the prior year. This was driven by higher personnel cost associated with the increase in headcount and in stock-based compensation expense. For the year ended December 31, 2021, capitalized research and development cost increased by 23% over the prior year, driven by increased investment in our platforms and products. Total research and development cost, which includes both R&D expenses and capitalized R&D costs, increased 182% from 2020 to 2021.
General and Administrative Expenses
Year ended
December 31,
Change
(in thousands)
$
%
General and administrative
$
13,970
$
11,945
$
2,025
%
General and administrative expenses consist primarily of compensation and benefits related to our executives, corporate support functions and directors, general corporate expenses including legal fees, and occupancy costs.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, general and administrative expenses increased by 17% over the prior year. The increase in general and administrative expenses was due primarily to higher legal expenses towards patent litigation pursued by the Company, which in 2021 totaled $2.1 million, as well as higher stock-based compensation expense. Refer to Note 9 - Commitments and Contingencies to our financial statements for information on our litigation.
Change in Fair Value of Warrant Liability
Year ended
December 31,
Change
(in thousands)
$
%
Change in fair value of warrant liability
$
-
$
$
(120)
(100)
%
Change in fair value of warrant liability consists of fair value adjustments associated with warrants to purchase 146,667 shares of the Company’s common stock, which were issued in consideration for the credit facility extended by Sero Capital in the third quarter of 2019. In the third quarter of 2020, the warrants were fully exercised and the related liability was extinguished.
Gain on loan forgiveness
Year ended
December 31,
Change
(in thousands)
$
%
Gain on loan forgiveness
$
1,316
$
-
$
1,316
%
In the second quarter of 2021, we recorded a $1,316,000 gain on loan forgiveness in connection with the full forgiveness of the outstanding principal and interest on our PPP Loan, which was originated on April 15, 2020 with a principal amount of $1,302,000.
Interest Expense
Year ended
December 31,
Change
(in thousands)
$
%
Interest expense
$
$
$
(133)
(92)
%
Interest expense consisted primarily of amortization of debt issuance costs from our line of credit, and interest on our PPP Loan and finance lease liabilities. The decrease in interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2021 was attributable to deferred issuance costs being fully amortized through August 2020, when the corresponding line of credit expired.
Other Key Operating Metrics
We consider monthly recurring revenue (“MRR”) as a key operating metric and a key indicator of our overall business. We also use MRR as (i) one of the primary methods for planning and forecasting overall expectations and for evaluating, on at least a quarterly and annual basis, actual results against such expectations; and (ii) as a performance metric for certain executive stock-based compensation awards.
We define MRR as the sum of (i) for our Enterprise channel, the total of the average monthly recurring fee amount under each active paid contract at the date of determination, plus (ii) for our Partner and Marketplace channel, the recognized monthly fee amount for all paying customers at the date of determination, in each case, assuming no changes to the subscription. This determination includes both annual and monthly contracts for recurring products. Some of our contracts are cancelable, which may impact future MRR. MRR excludes revenue from our PDF remediation services business and Mobile App report business. As of December 31, 2021, MRR was about $2.2 million, which represents a 16% increase year-over-year. MRR attributed to Enterprise and Partner and Marketplace channels increased by 14% and 17%, respectively, over prior year.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
From time to time, we review adjusted financial measures that assist us in comparing our operating performance consistently over time, as such measures remove the impact of certain items, as applicable, such as our capital structure (primarily interest charges), items outside the control of the management team (taxes), and expenses that do not relate to our core operations, including transaction-related expenses and other costs that are expected to be non-recurring, such as severance related to strategic shift. In order to provide investors with greater insight, and allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the information used in our financial and operational decision-making, the Company has supplemented the Financial Statements presented on a GAAP basis in this Annual Report on Form 10-K with the following non-GAAP financial measures: Non-GAAP earnings (loss) and Non-GAAP earnings (loss) per diluted share.
These non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of Company results as reported under GAAP. The Company compensates for such limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP results and using non-GAAP financial measures only as supplemental data. We also provide a reconciliation of non-GAAP to GAAP measures used. Investors are encouraged to carefully review this reconciliation. In addition, because these non-GAAP measures are not measures of financial performance under GAAP and are susceptible to varying calculations, these measures, as defined by us, may differ from and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.
Non-GAAP Earnings (Loss) and Non-GAAP Earnings (Loss) per Diluted Share
We define: (i) Non-GAAP earnings (loss) as net income (loss), less non-cash valuation adjustments to liabilities, plus interest expense, plus stock-based compensation expense, plus certain litigation expense, plus certain severance expense, plus loss on impairment of long-lived assets, plus loss on disposal of property and equipment, and less gain on loan forgiveness; and (ii) Non-GAAP earnings (loss) per diluted share as net income (loss) per diluted common share, less non-cash valuation adjustments to liabilities, plus interest expense, plus stock-based compensation expense, plus certain litigation expense, plus certain severance expense, plus loss on impairment of long-lived assets, plus loss on disposal of property and equipment, and less gain on loan forgiveness, each on a per share basis. Non-GAAP earnings per diluted share would include incremental shares in the share count that are considered anti-dilutive in a GAAP net loss position. However, no incremental shares apply when there is a Non-GAAP loss per diluted share, as is the case for the periods presented in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Non-GAAP earnings (loss) and Non-GAAP earnings (loss) per diluted share are used to facilitate a comparison of our operating performance on a consistent basis from period to period and provide for a more complete understanding of factors and trends affecting our business than GAAP measures alone. All of the items adjusted in the Non-GAAP earnings (loss) to net loss and the related per share calculations are either recurring non-cash items, or items that management does not consider in assessing our on-going operating performance. In the case of the non-cash items, such as stock-based compensation expense and valuation adjustments to assets and liabilities, management believes that investors may find it useful to assess our comparative operating performance because the measures without such items are expected to be less susceptible to variances in actual performance resulting from expenses that do not relate to our core operations and are more reflective of other factors that affect operating performance. In the case of items that do not relate to our core operations, management believes that investors may find it useful to assess our operating performance if the measures are presented without these items because their financial impact does not reflect ongoing operating performance.
Non-GAAP earnings (loss) is not a measure of liquidity under GAAP, or otherwise, and is not an alternative to cash flow from continuing operating activities, despite the advantages regarding the use and analysis of these measures as mentioned above. Non-GAAP earnings (loss) and Non-GAAP earnings (loss) per diluted share, as disclosed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider these measures in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP; nor are these measures intended to be measures of liquidity or free cash flow for our discretionary use.
To properly and prudently evaluate our business, we encourage readers to review the GAAP financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and not rely on any single financial measure to evaluate our business. The following
table sets forth reconciliations of Non-GAAP loss to net loss, the most directly comparable GAAP-based measure, as well as Non-GAAP loss per diluted share to net loss per diluted share, the most directly comparable GAAP-based measure.
Year ended
December 31,
(in thousands, except per share data)
Non-GAAP Earnings (Loss) Reconciliation
Net loss (GAAP)
$
(14,209)
$
(7,158)
Non-cash valuation adjustments to liabilities
-
(120)
Interest expense
Stock-based compensation expense
7,616
4,138
Severance expense (1)
-
Litigation expense (2)
2,099
-
Loss on impairment of long-lived assets
-
Loss on disposal of property and equipment
-
Gain on loan forgiveness
(1,316)
-
Non-GAAP loss
$
(5,776)
$
(2,635)
Non-GAAP Earnings (Loss) per Diluted Share Reconciliation
Net loss per common share (GAAP) - diluted
$
(1.29)
$
(0.77)
Non-cash valuation adjustments to liabilities
-
(0.01)
Interest expense
-
0.02
Stock-based compensation expense
0.69
0.44
Severance expense (1)
-
0.04
Litigation expense (2)
0.19
-
Loss on impairment of long-lived assets
-
-
Loss on disposal of property and equipment
-
-
Gain on loan forgiveness
(0.12)
-
Non-GAAP loss per diluted share (3)
$
(0.53)
$
(0.28)
Diluted weighted average shares (4)
11,040
9,313
(1) Represents severance expense associated with the move of our technology center to Portland, Oregon, and is exclusive of accrued vacation paid upon termination of employment.
(2) Represents legal expenses towards patent litigation pursued by the Company as discussed in Note 9 - Commitments and Contingencies to our financial statements.
(3) Non-GAAP earnings per adjusted diluted share for our common stock is computed using the more dilutive of the two-class method or the if-converted method.
(4) The number of diluted weighted average shares used for this calculation is the same as the weighted average common shares outstanding share count when the Company reports a GAAP and non-GAAP net loss.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Working Capital
As of December 31, 2021, we had $19.0 million in cash and working capital of $13.6 million. The increase in working capital in 2021 was primarily a result of capital raised under the previously announced At The Market(“ATM”) offering initiated in the first quarter of 2021. Under the ATM Sales Agreement with B. Riley Securities, Inc. (“Agent”) entered into on February 11, 2021, the Company may offer and sell, from time to time at its sole discretion, shares of its common stock to or through the Agent as its sales agent, having an aggregate offering price of up to $30 million. In the twelve months ended December 31, 2021, the Company issued 471,970 shares of its common stock under the ATM offering and raised $16,534,000, net of transaction expenses.
We have no debt obligations or off-balance sheet arrangements and we believe that the Company has sufficient liquidity to continue as a going concern through the next twelve months.
While the Company has been successful in raising capital, there is no assurance that it will be successful at raising additional capital in the future. Additionally, if the Company’s plans are not achieved and/or if significant unanticipated events occur, the Company may have to further modify its business plan, which may require us to raise additional capital or reduce expenses.
At December 31,
(in thousands)
Current assets
$
24,831
$
14,631
Current liabilities
(11,216)
(9,015)
Working capital
$
13,615
$
5,616
Cash Flows
Year ended
December 31,
(in thousands)
Net cash used in operating activities
$
(4,980)
$
(1,906)
Net cash used in investing activities
(1,624)
(1,298)
Net cash provided by financing activities
16,475
10,327
Net increase in cash
$
9,871
$
7,123
For the year ended December 31, 2021, in relation to the prior year, cash used in operating activities increased primarily due to an increase in sales and marketing costs as a result of higher digital, consulting and third-party costs to support the Company’s growth, as well as increased product development headcount and legal fees associated with patent litigation pursued by the Company.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, in relation to the prior year, cash used in investing activities increased primarily due to higher investment to further enhance our product offerings.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, in relation to the prior year, cash provided by financing activities increased primarily due to capital raised under the ATM Offering initiated in the first quarter of 2021. In 2021, the Company issued 471,970 shares of its common stock under the ATM offering and raised $16,534,000, net of transaction expenses. In the third quarter of 2020, we received net proceeds of $7,824,000 from a public offering whereby we issued 473,239 shares of our common stock. In addition, in the second quarter of 2020, we obtained a $1,302,000 PPP loan, which was fully forgiven in the second quarter of 2021.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported and disclosed in our financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
The critical accounting estimates discussed below are estimates made in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles that involve a significant level of estimation uncertainty and have had or are reasonably likely to have a material impact on the financial condition or results of operations.
Stock-Based Compensation
Awards with performance conditions
Compensation expense related to performance-based options and RSUs is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, provided that it is probable that performance conditions will be achieved. Management periodically assesses the probability of achievement of each performance condition. Expense recognition only starts when achievement is deemed probable, and the amount recognized in each reporting period varies based on the expected timing of performance completion. Changes in expectations and outcomes different from estimates (such as the achievement or non- achievement of performance conditions) may cause a significant adjustment to earnings in a reporting period as timing and amount of expense recognition is highly dependent on management’s estimate.
Awards with market conditions
We estimate the fair value and requisite service period of market-based restricted stock unit awards as of the grant date based on the Monte Carlo simulation model with the assistance of an independent third-party valuation specialist. The Monte Carlo simulation model is built on certain assumptions, including our stock volatility. We cannot predict the prices at which our common stock will trade in the future and achievement of market conditions may occur in period different that estimated. Compensation costs related to awards with market conditions are recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period regardless of whether the market condition is satisfied and is not reversed provided that the requisite service period derived from the Monte-Carlo simulation has been completed.
Refer to Note 2 - Significant Accounting Policies to our financial statements for a complete discussion of the significant accounting policies and methods used in the preparation of our financial statements, including our accounting policies related to stock-based compensation.

---

ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Not applicable.

---

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Our Financial Statements begin on page of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and are incorporated herein by reference.

---

ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
Not applicable.

---

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Conclusions of Management Regarding Effectiveness of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that there is reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed in the Company’s reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure based on the definition of “disclosure controls and procedures” in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e). In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and management necessarily was required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures. In addition, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures to future periods are subject to the risk that controls or procedures may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the controls or procedures may deteriorate.
As of the end of the period covered by this report, an evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s senior management, including the Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer), of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures to provide reasonable assurance of achieving the desired objectives of the disclosure controls and procedures. Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2021.
Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting for the Company and all related information appearing in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for
external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:
1. pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of our assets;
2. provide reasonable assurance that the transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with the authorization of management and/or of our Board of Directors; and
3. provide reasonable assurance regarding the prevention or timely detection of any unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on our financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness in future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Our management (with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer) conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021 using the criteria established in Internal Control - 2013 Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Based on this assessment, our management has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2021.
As part of our efforts to improve our finance and accounting function and to remediate the material weaknesses that existed in our internal control over financial reporting and our disclosure controls and procedures at December 31, 2020, we completed the documentation and testing of operating effectiveness of our key internal controls over financial reporting with the assistance of internal control consultants.
This annual report does not include an attestation report of our registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report is not subject to attestation by our registered, public accounting firm pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission that permit us to provide only management’s report in this annual report.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
During the quarter ended December 31, 2021, there were no changes to our internal control over financial reporting that have materially affected, or that are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting, except as disclosed above.

---

ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 9B. Other Information
Not applicable.
PART III

---

ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
The information required by this item is hereby incorporated by reference to the definitive proxy statement for our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which proxy statement is anticipated to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2021.
We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, including provisions enumerated in Item 406 of Regulation S-K (the “finance code of ethics”). The finance code of ethics is publicly available in the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics on the Governance Documents section of our website, which may be accessed from our homepage at www.audioeye.com. If we make any substantive amendments to the finance code of ethics or grant any waiver, including any implicit waiver, from a provision of the code to our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, or Corporate Controller, we will disclose the nature of that amendment or that waiver in the Governance Documents section of our website.

---

ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Item 11. Executive Compensation
The information required by this item is hereby incorporated by reference to the definitive proxy statement for our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which proxy statement is anticipated to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2021.

---

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners, Management and Related Stockholder Matters
The information required by this item is hereby incorporated by reference to the definitive proxy statement for our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which proxy statement is anticipated to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2021.

---

ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence
The information required by this item is hereby incorporated by reference to the definitive proxy statement for our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which proxy statement is anticipated to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2021.

---

ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services
The information required by this item is hereby incorporated by reference to the definitive proxy statement for our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which proxy statement is anticipated to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2021.
PART IV

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ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules
a) The following documents are filed as part of this report:
(1) Financial Statements - See Index to Financial Statements on page below and the financial pages that follow.
(2) Financial Statements Schedules - As a “smaller reporting company,” as defined by Item 10 of Regulation S-K, we are not required to provide this information.
(3) Exhibits - The following exhibits are either filed herewith or have previously been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and are referred to and incorporated herein by reference to such filings:
Exhibit No.
Description
3.1
Certificate of Incorporation of AudioEye, Inc., dated as of May 20, 2005 (1)
3.2
Certificate of Amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation of AudioEye, Inc., dated as of February 12, 2010 (1)
3.3
Certificate of Amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation of AudioEye, Inc., dated as of August 16, 2012 (2)
3.4
Certificate of Amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation of AudioEye, Inc., dated as of March 26, 2014 (6)
3.5
Certificate of Amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation of AudioEye, Inc., dated as of August 1, 2018 (9)
3.6
Certificate of Designations - Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (14)
3.7
Certificate of Correction to the Certificate of Validation relating to the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (23)
3.8
Amended and Restated By-laws as of August 13, 2020 (15)
4.1
Form of Registration Rights Agreement between AudioEye, Inc. and each Purchaser dated as of August 6, 2018 (9)
4.2
Description of Registered Securities (14)
10.1**
AudioEye, Inc. 2012 Incentive Compensation Plan effective December 19, 2012 (3)
10.2**
AudioEye, Inc. 2013 Incentive Compensation Plan effective August 20, 2013 (4)
10.3**
AudioEye, Inc. 2014 Incentive Compensation Plan effective January 27, 2014 (5)
10.4**
AudioEye, Inc. 2015 Incentive Compensation Plan effective September 5, 2014 (7)
10.5**
AudioEye, Inc. 2016 Incentive Compensation Plan effective December 17, 2015 (10)
10.6**
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements for grants under the AudioEye, Inc. 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 Incentive Compensation Plans (10)
10.7**
Form of Performance Option Agreement for grants under the AudioEye, Inc. 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 Incentive Compensation Plans (10)
10.8**
Form of Stock Option Agreement for grants under the AudioEye, Inc. 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 Incentive Compensation Plans (10)
10.9**
AudioEye, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (as amended and restated on May 18, 2020) (17)
10.10**
AudioEye, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan - Form of Incentive Stock Option Agreement (11)
10.11**
AudioEye, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan - Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement (11)
10.12**
AudioEye, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan - Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (11)
10.13**
AudioEye, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (19)
10.14**
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (Time-Based) under the AudioEye, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (19)
10.15**
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (Non-Employee Director Awards) under the AudioEye, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (19)
10.16**
Form of Performance Stock Unit Award Agreement (Performance-Based) under the AudioEye, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (19)
10.17**
Form of Incentive Stock Option Award Agreement under the AudioEye, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (19)
10.18**
Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Award Agreement under the AudioEye, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (19)
10.19**
Form of Other Stock-Based Award Agreement under the AudioEye, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (19)
10.20**
Executive Employment Agreement dated July 1, 2015 between Dr. Carr Bettis and AudioEye, Inc. (8)
10.21**
Amendment to Executive Employment Agreement dated May 18, 2021 between Dr. Carr Bettis and AudioEye, Inc. (24)
10.22**
Executive Employment Agreement dated May 10, 2019 between Sachin Barot and AudioEye, Inc. (11)
10.23**
Severance Agreement and General Release of All Claims, executed on June 10, 2021, between the Company and Sachin Barot (21)
10.24**
Executive Employment Agreement dated August 13, 2020 between Dominic Varacalli and AudioEye, Inc. (18)
10.25**
Amendment dated September 17, 2021 to Executive Employment Agreement between Dominic Varacalli and AudioEye, Inc. (25)
10.26**
Employment Agreement dated August 20, 2020 between David Moradi and AudioEye, Inc. (16)
10.27**
Notice of Award of Performance Shares to David Moradi dated August 20, 2020 under the AudioEye, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (16)
10.28**
Performance Stock Unit Agreement, dated March 11, 2021 between the Company and David Moradi (20)
10.29**
Executive Employment Agreement, dated June 10, 2021, between the Company and Kelly Georgevich (22)
10.30**
Employee Offer Letter dated March 16, 2021 between Christopher Hundley and AudioEye, Inc. (24)
10.31**
Amendment dated September 17, 2021 to Employee Offer Letter between to Christopher Hundley and AudioEye, Inc. (25)
10.32**
Confidentiality, Proprietary Rights, Non-Competition, and Non-Solicitation Agreement dated March 21, 2021 between Christopher Hundley and AudioEye, Inc. (25)
10.33
Form of Securities Purchase Agreement by and between AudioEye, Inc. and each Purchaser dated August 6, 2018 (9)
10.34
Schedule of Certain Parties to Securities Purchase Agreements and Registration Rights Agreements dated as of August 6, 2018 (10)
10.35
Letter Agreement dated as of August 14, 2019 between the Company and Sero Capital LLC (12)
10.36
Loan Agreement dated as of August 14, 2019 between the Company and Sero Capital LLC (12)
10.37**
Form of AudioEye, Inc. Indemnification Agreement (Directors and Executive Officers) (13)
14.1
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (10)
23.1*
Consent of MaloneBailey LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
24.1*
Power of Attorney (included in signature page)
31.1*
Certification of the Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
31.2*
Certification of the Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.1*
Certification of the Principal Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.2*
Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
99.1
Resolutions adopted by the Board setting forth the information with respect to the Ratification required under Section 204 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (14)
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
Cover Page Interactive Data File - The cover page interactive data file does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document
*
Filed herewith.
**
Constitutes a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
(1)
Incorporated by reference to Form S-1, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on October 21, 2011 (File No. 333-177463).
(2)
Incorporated by reference to Form S-1/A, filed with the SEC on October 1, 2012 (File No. 333-177463).
(3)
Incorporated by reference to Form S-1/A, filed with the SEC on January 11, 2013 (File No. 333-177463).
(4)
Incorporated by reference to Form S-8, filed with the SEC on August 28, 2013 (File No. 333-177463).
(5)
Incorporated by reference to Form S-1/A, filed with the SEC on February 4, 2014 (File No. 333-177463).
(6)
Incorporated by reference to Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2014.
(7)
Incorporated by reference to Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on November 7, 2014.
(8)
Incorporated by reference to Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on July 8, 2015.
(9)
Incorporated by reference to Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on August 7, 2018.
(10)
Incorporated by reference to Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 27, 2019.
(11)
Incorporated by reference to Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 14, 2019.
(12)
Incorporated by reference to Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on August 16, 2019.
(13)
Incorporated by reference to Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on December 16, 2019.
(14)
Incorporated by reference to Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 30, 2020.
(15)
Incorporated by reference to Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on September 24, 2020.
(16)
Incorporated by reference to Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on August 24, 2020.
(17)
Incorporated by reference to Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on August 13, 2020.
(18)
Incorporated by reference to Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on November 13, 2020.
(19)
Incorporated by reference to Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on December 10, 2020.
(20)
Incorporated by reference to Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on March 15, 2021.
(21)
Incorporated by reference to Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on June 11, 2021.
(22)
Incorporated by reference to Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on June 23, 2021.
(23)
Incorporated by reference to Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on June 25, 2021.
(24)
Incorporated by reference to Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on August 11, 2021.
(25)
Incorporated by reference to Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on November 12, 2021.