Subject to completion, Dated JANUARY 26, 2021
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
$250,000,000
G Squared Ascend I Inc.
25,000,000 Units
G Squared Ascend I Inc. is a newly incorporated blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company and incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities, which we refer to as our initial business combination. We have not selected any business combination partner and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination partner.
This is an initial public offering of our securities. Each unit has an offering price of $10.00 and consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-third of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment, terms and limitations as described herein. The underwriter has a 45-day option from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to 3,750,000 additional units to cover over-allotments, if any.
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Class A ordinary shares upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations as described herein. If we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, we will redeem 100% of the public shares for cash, subject to applicable law and certain conditions as described herein.
Our sponsor, G Squared Ascend Management I, LLC, has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 4,833,333 warrants (or 5,333,333 warrants if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at a price of $1.50 per warrant, in a private placement to occur concurrently with the closing of this offering for an aggregate purchase price of $7,250,000 (or $8,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. Each private warrant is identical to the public warrants sold in this offering, subject to certain limited exceptions as described in this prospectus.
Our initial shareholders currently own an aggregate of 7,187,500 Class B ordinary shares (up to 937,500 of which are subject to forfeiture) which will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination as described herein. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will be entitled to vote on the appointment of directors.
Our sponsor has committed to enter into a forward purchase agreement with us that will provide for the purchase by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor, in the aggregate, of 10,000,000 forward purchase securities, for an aggregate purchase price of $100,000,000, with each forward purchase security consisting of one Class A ordinary share and one-third of one redeemable warrant in each case, for $10.00 per forward purchse security, in a private placement to close substantially concurrently with the closing of our initial business combination. The obligations under the forward purchase agreement will not depend on whether any Class A ordinary shares are redeemed by our public shareholders. The forward purchase securities sold pursuant to the forward purchase agreement will be identical to the Class A ordinary shares and redeemable warrants included in the units being sold in this offering, respectively, except that our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor, as applicable, will have certain registration rights, as described herein. The capital from such private placement would be used as part of the consideration to the sellers in our initial business combination, and any excess capital from such private placement would be used for working capital in the post-transaction company.
Currently, there is no public market for our securities. We intend to apply to have our units listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE, under the symbol “GSQD.U”. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on the NYSE. We expect that the Class A ordinary shares and warrants comprising the units to begin separate trading on the NYSE under the symbols “GSQD” and “GSQD.W”, respectively on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless UBS Securities LLC informs us of its decision to permit earlier separate trading and we have satisfied certain conditions described herein.
We are an “emerging growth company” and a “smaller reporting company” under applicable federal securities laws and, as such, will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page
41 for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our securities. Investors will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings.
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
| | | Per Unit | | | Total | |
Public offering price | | | | $ | 10.00 | | | | | $ | 250,000,000 | | |
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1) | | | | $ | 0.55 | | | | | $ | 13,750,000 | | |
Proceeds, before expenses, to us | | | | $ | 9.45 | | | | | $ | 236,250,000 | | |
(1)
Includes $0.35 per unit, or $8,750,000 in the aggregate (or $10,062,500 in the aggregate if the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full), payable to the underwriter for deferred underwriting commissions to be placed in a trust account located in the United States as described herein and released to the underwriter only upon the consummation of an initial business combination. See also “Underwriting” for a description of compensation and other items of value payable to the underwriter.
Of the proceeds we receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants described in this prospectus, $250,000,000, or $287,500,000 if the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full ($10.00 per unit in either case), will be deposited into a U.S. based trust account with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee.
The underwriter is offering the units for sale on a firm commitment basis. The underwriter expects to deliver the units to the purchasers on or about , 2021.
Sole Book Running Manager
UBS Investment Bank
, 2021