BACKGROUND
We are 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.
On December 17, 2021, we consummated our IPO of 34,500,000 units (the “units”), with each unit consisting of one Class A ordinary share, par value $0.0001 per share, which we refer to (together with any shares issued in exchange thereof) as the “public shares,” and one-half of one redeemable warrant, generating gross proceeds of $345.0 million.
Simultaneously with the closing of our IPO, we completed the private placement of 16,700,000 private placement warrants, at a purchase price of $1.00 per private placement warrant, to our Sponsor, generating gross proceeds to us of $16.7 million. The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold as part of the units in our IPO except that, so long as they are held by our Sponsor or its permitted transferees, they (1) may be exercised for cash or on a cashless basis, (2) are not subject to being called for redemption (except in certain circumstances when the public warrants are called for redemption and a certain price per public share threshold is met), (3) subject to certain limited exceptions, will be subject to transfer restrictions until 30 days following the consummation of the our initial business combination and (4) they (including the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise thereof) are entitled to registration rights.
Of the gross proceeds received from our IPO and the sale of the private placement warrants, $351,900,000 was deposited in the Trust Account.
On March 14, 2023, we convened an extraordinary general meeting virtually, to vote on a proposal to extend the Combination Period to December 17, 2023. In connection with that vote, the holders of 15,494,333 Class A ordinary shares properly exercised their rights to redeem their shares for cash. In connection with that redemption, approximately $161.6 million was withdrawn from the Trust Account to fund such redemptions, leaving a balance of approximately $198.2 million. In connection with such extension, the Sponsor agreed, by making monthly advancements on a loan to the Company, to contribute into the Trust Account the lesser of (x) $350,000 or (y) $0.03 per share for each public share that was not redeemed at the Extraordinary General Meeting for each monthly period (commencing on March 17, 2023 and ending on the 17th day of each subsequent month), or prior thereof, until the earlier of the completion of the initial business combination and December 17, 2023. As of October 17, 2023, the Company has made six contribution payments, each in the amount of $350,000, to the Trust Account.
The proceeds held in the Trust Account may be invested by the trustee only in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 185 days or less, or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. As of October 31, 2023, funds held in the Trust Account totaled approximately $207,729,418, and were held in U.S. Treasury Bills with a maturity of 185 days or less and in money market funds which invest in U.S. Treasury securities. However, to mitigate the risk of being viewed as operating as an unregistered investment company (including pursuant to the subjective test of Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act), we will, on or prior to the 24-month anniversary of the effective date of the registration statement relating to our IPO, instruct Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the trustee with respect to the Trust Account, to liquidate the U.S. government securities or money market funds held in the Trust Account and thereafter to hold all funds in the Trust Account in cash until the earlier of consummation of our initial business combination or liquidation. As a result, following such liquidation, we may receive a lower level of interest on the funds held in the Trust Account, which would reduce the dollar amount our public shareholders would receive upon any redemption of public shares or liquidation of the Company.
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