SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JULY 2, 2021
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
$275,000,000
Aperture Acquisition Corp
27,500,000 units
Aperture Acquisition Corp is a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities, which we refer to as our initial business combination. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, engaged in any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target with respect to an initial business combination with us. Although we will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region in our identification and acquisition of a target company, we intend to focus on industries that complement our team’s background and capitalize on our team’s ability to source and acquire a business focused on financial services and financial technology, business services, real estate services, and related technology and software services sectors.
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-fourth 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 underwriters have a 45-day option from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to 4,125,000 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 in connection with our initial business combination, subject to the limitations as described herein. If we have not consummated 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, Aperture SE LLC, is a Delaware limited liability company. Our sponsor is managed by Mr. West, our founder and CEO. An affiliate of Centerbridge is an equity holder in our sponsor, and an entity managed and controlled by Mr. West constitutes the balance of the equity holdings of our sponsor.
Our sponsor has agreed to purchase 5,666,667 warrants (or 6,216,667 warrants if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), each exercisable to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment, at a price of $1.50 per warrant (the “private placement warrants”), in a private placement to occur concurrently with the closing of this offering.
Our initial shareholders currently own 7,906,250 Class B ordinary shares, up to 1,031,250 of which are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of the holders thereof as described herein. Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will be entitled to vote on the appointment and removal of directors and to continue our company in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands (including, but not limited to, approval of the organizational documents of our company in such other jurisdiction).
Centerbridge, a non-controlling equity holder in our sponsor, will purchase 1,375,000 units in this offering at the public offering price. The underwriters will not receive any underwriting discount or commissions on such units.
In connection with the consummation of this offering, we will enter into (a) a forward purchase agreement with an affiliate of Centerbridge providing for the purchase of up to $400 million of units (the “forward purchase units”), and (b) a forward purchase agreement with an affiliate of Mr. West (with the applicable affiliate of Centerbridge, each a “forward purchase investor”) providing for the purchase of up to $5 million of forward purchase units, in each case, with each unit consisting of one Class A ordinary share (the “forward purchase shares”) and one-fourth of one redeemable warrant to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (the “forward purchase warrants”), for a purchase price of $10.00 per unit, in a private placement to occur in connection with the closing of our initial business combination. The obligations under each forward purchase agreement will not depend on whether any Class A ordinary shares are redeemed by our public shareholders. The amount of forward purchase units sold pursuant to each forward purchase agreement will be mutually determined by us and each forward purchase investor. The company has the right, in its sole discretion, to reduce the amount (which may be zero) of forward purchase units that an affiliate of Centerbridge and an affiliate of Mr. West may purchase pursuant to the forward purchase agreement. However, each forward purchase agreement is subject to conditions that are within the sole discretion of each forward purchase investor. Accordingly, if the forward purchase investor does not consent to and confirm its purchase, it will not be obligated to purchase any forward purchase securities, and we will not receive any of the amounts committed under such forward purchase agreement. The terms of the forward purchase shares will be identical to the terms of the Class A ordinary shares included in the units being issued in this offering, except that the forward purchase shares will be issued at the closing of the initial business combination, will have no redemption rights, and will have certain registration rights, as described in this prospectus. The terms of the forward purchase warrants will be identical to the terms of the public warrants included in the units being issued in this offering, except that the forward purchase warrants will be issued at the closing of the initial business combination and will have certain registration rights together with the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon their exercise, as described in this prospectus. Each forward purchase investor will have the right to transfer or assign a portion of its obligation to purchase forward purchase units to one or more third parties, subject to compliance with applicable securities laws. In such case, such forward purchase investor’s commitment will be reduced by the amount to be purchased by such third party or parties.
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 “APCPU.” We expect that the Class A ordinary shares and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on the NYSE under the symbols “APCP” and “APCPW,” respectively, on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless the underwriters permit earlier separate trading and we have satisfied certain conditions.
We are an “emerging growth company” under applicable federal securities laws and 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 45 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 | | | | | $ | 275,000,000 | | |
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)(2) | | | | $ | 0.55 | | | | | $ | 14,368,750 | | |
Proceeds, before expenses, to us | | | | $ | 9.45 | | | | | $ | 260,631,250 | | |
(1)
Includes $0.35 per unit, or $9,143,750 in the aggregate (or $10,587,500 in in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions to be placed in a trust account located in the United States as described herein and released to the underwriters only upon the consummation of an initial business combination. See “Underwriting” for a description of compensation payable to the underwriters.
(2)
The underwriters will not receive any underwriting discount or commissions on units purchased by Centerbridge, a non-controlling equity holder in our sponsor.
Of the proceeds we receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants described in this prospectus, $275,000,000, or $316,250,000 if the underwriters’ 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 underwriters are offering the units for sale on a firm commitment basis. The underwriters expect to deliver the units to the purchasers on or about , 2021.
Joint Book-Running Managers
| Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC | | | Morgan Stanley | | | Credit Suisse | |
The date of this prospectus is , 2021