As Filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on July 25, 2022
Registration No. 333-[●]
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Cayman Islands | | 6770 | | N/A |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | | (Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) | | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
79 Queen St,
Ashfield, NSW, 2131
Telephone: +16464928693
(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrants Principal Executive Offices)
Cogency Global Inc.
122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor
New York, New York 10168
Telephone: 1-800-221-0102
(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)
Copies to:
Andrew M. Tucker Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP 101 Constitution Avenue, NW. Suite 900 Washington, D.C. 20001 (202) 689-2800 | | Adam Hankiss Kevin E. Manz King & Spalding LLP 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 34th Floor New York, NY 10036 (212) 556-2222 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 check the following box. ☐
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ |
Non-accelerated filer | ☒ | Smaller reporting company | ☒ |
| | Emerging growth company | ☒ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS | | SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED [●] |
$100,000,000
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP
10,000,000 Units
PROTONIQ Acquisition Corp is a newly incorporated 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, which we refer to as our initial business combination throughout this prospectus. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. We will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region in our identification and acquisition of a target company.
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, one-half of one redeemable warrant and one right as described in more detail in this prospectus. Only whole warrants are exercisable. 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 as described herein. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Each right entitles the holder thereof to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon consummation of our initial business combination, so you must hold rights in multiples of 10 in order to receive shares for all of your rights upon the closing of our initial business combination. The underwriters have a 45-day option from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 units to cover over-allotments, if any.
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their shares of our Class A ordinary shares upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described herein. We will have until 12 months from the consummation of this offering to consummate our initial business combination (such period may be extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association). We may seek the ordinary resolution of the public shareholders for (i) an extension and (ii) the approval of the amendment to the trust agreement entered into between us and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company at a meeting called for such purpose if we anticipate that we may not be able to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months. Public shareholders will be offered the opportunity to vote on and/or redeem their shares in connection with the approval of such extension. Alternatively, or in the event that there is an unsuccessful effort to obtain shareholder approval for the proposed extension(s) we may, but are not obligated to, extend the Combination Period up to two times by an additional three months each time for a total of up to 18 months, respectively, by depositing into the trust account for each three-month extension $1,000,000, or $1,150,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.10 per unit in either case). In the event we elect to extend the deadline, we intend to issue a press release announcing such intention at least three days prior to the applicable deadline. In addition, we intend to issue a press release the day after the applicable deadline announcing whether or not the funds have been timely deposited. Public shareholders, in this situation, will not be offered the opportunity to vote on and/or redeem their shares. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination, as described in more detail in this prospectus), we will redeem 100% of the public shares for cash, subject to applicable law and certain conditions as further described herein.
Our sponsor, PROTONIQ LLC, a Cayman Islands limited liability company, is controlled by Babar Ali, a non-U.S. person. We may not be able to complete an initial business combination with a U.S. target company since such initial business combination may be subject to U.S. foreign investment regulations and review by a U.S. government entity, such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), and ultimately prohibited. As a result, the pool of potential targets with which we could complete an initial business combination may exclude U.S. targets or the time necessary for government review of the transaction or a decision to prohibit the transaction with a U.S. target could prevent us from completing an initial business combination in a timely fashion and require us to liquidate. If we liquidate, the investors will lose any potential investment opportunity in a target company and the chance of realizing future gains on investment through any price appreciation in the combined company, and the warrants would expire worthless. See “Risk Factors —We may not be able to complete an initial business combination with a U.S. target company since such initial business combination may be subject to U.S. foreign investment regulations and review by a U.S. government entity, such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), and ultimately prohibited.”
Our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 511,842 placement units (or 564,342 placement units if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $10.00 per unit, for an aggregate purchase price of $5,118,420 ($5,643,420 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full). Each placement unit will be identical to the units sold in this offering, except as described in this prospectus. The placement units will be sold in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering.
Our initial shareholders currently own an aggregate of 2,875,000 Class B ordinary shares (up to 375,000 shares of which are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised). Our Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of the consummation of our initial business combination, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as described herein. Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the appointment of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason by ordinary resolution. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by the holders of not less than 90% of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at our general meeting. For these purposes, “voting rights” means rights conferred on shareholders in respect of their shares to vote at general meetings of the company on all or substantially all matters. A voting right is conditional where the voting right arises only in certain circumstances. A member shall have one vote for each share she holds, unless any share carries special voting rights.
Currently, there is no public market for our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights. We have applied to list our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights on The Nasdaq Global Market, or Nasdaq, under the symbols “PROQU.” We expect that our units will be listed on The Nasdaq Global Market on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on Nasdaq. We expect the Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and rights comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless the representative informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our satisfaction of certain conditions. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, we expect that the Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and rights will be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “PROQ”, “PROQW”, and “PROQR”, respectively.
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 29 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 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 | | | $ | 100,000,000 | |
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1) | | $ | 0.55 | | | $ | 5,500,000 | |
Proceeds, before expenses, to us | | $ | 0.945 | | | $ | 94,500,000 | |
(1) | Includes $0.35 per unit, or $3,500,000 (or $4,025,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) in the aggregate, payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions to be placed in a trust account located in the United States as described herein. The deferred commissions will be released to the representative of the underwriters only on completion of an initial business combination, as described in this prospectus. Does not include certain fees and expenses payable to the underwriters in connection with this offering. |
Of the proceeds we receive from this offering and the sale of the placement units described in this prospectus, $101,500,000 or $116,725,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($10.15 per unit in either case) will be deposited into a trust account in the United States 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 [●].
JonesTrading
The date of this Prospectus is [●]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
We are responsible for the information contained in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information, and we take no responsibility for any other information others may give to you. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus.
No dealer, salesperson or any other person is authorized to give any information or make any representations in connection with this offering other than those contained in this prospectus and, if given or made, the information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by us. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security other than the securities offered by this prospectus, or an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities by anyone in any jurisdiction in which the offer or solicitation is not authorized or is unlawful.
This prospectus includes estimates regarding market and industry data and forecasts which are based on publicly available information, industry reports and publications, reports from government agencies and management’s estimates based on third-party data. Third-party industry publications and forecasts generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources generally believed to be reliable. We have not independently verified such third-party information, nor have we ascertained the underlying economic assumptions relied upon in those sources, and we cannot assure you of the accuracy or completeness of such information contained in this prospectus. Such data involve risks and uncertainties and is subject to change based on various factors, see “Risk Factors.”
This prospectus contains trademarks, service marks and trade names of other companies which are the property of their respective owners. We do not intend our use or display of such names or marks to imply relationships with, or endorsements of us by, any other company.
SUMMARY
This summary only highlights the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the information under the section of this prospectus entitled “Risk Factors” and our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before investing.
Unless otherwise stated in this prospectus, or the context otherwise requires, references to:
| ● | “amended and restated memorandum and articles of association” are to the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that the company will adopt prior to the consummation of this offering; |
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| ● | “Companies Act” are to the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands as the same may be amended from time to time; |
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| ● | “equity-linked securities” are to any debt or equity securities that are convertible, exercisable or exchangeable for our Class A ordinary shares issued in a financing transaction in connection with our initial business combination, including but not limited to a private placement of equity or debt; |
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| ● | “founder shares” are to our Class B ordinary shares initially issued to our sponsor in a private placement prior to this offering and the Class A ordinary shares that will be issued upon the automatic conversion of the Class B ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of the holders thereof (for the avoidance of doubt, such Class A ordinary shares will not be “public shares”); |
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| ● | “initial shareholders” are to the holders of our founder shares prior to this offering (or their permitted transferees); |
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| ● | “management” or our “management team” are to our officers and directors (including our director nominees that will become directors in connection with the consummation of this offering); |
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| ● | “ordinary resolution” are to a resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes cast by the holders of the issued shares present in person or represented by proxy at a general meeting of the company and entitled to vote on such matter or a resolution approved in writing by all of the holders of the issued shares entitled to vote on such matter; |
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| ● | “ordinary shares” are to our Class A ordinary shares and our Class B ordinary shares; |
| ● | “placement units” are to the units to be issued to our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of this offering and upon conversion of working capital loans, if any, with each placement units consisting of one placement share, one-half of one placement warrant and one placement right; |
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| ● | “placement shares” are to our Class A ordinary shares included within the placement units being purchased by our sponsor in the private placement; |
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| ● | “placement rights” are to the rights included within the placement units being purchased by our sponsor in the private placement; |
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| ● | “placement warrants” are to the warrants included within the placement units being purchased by our sponsor in the private placement; |
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| ● | “public shares” are to our Class A ordinary shares sold as part of the units in this offering (whether they are purchased in this offering or thereafter in the open market); |
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| ● | “public shareholders” are to the holders of our public shares, including our sponsor and management team to the extent our sponsor and/or members of our management team purchase public shares, provided that our sponsor’s and each member of our management team’s status as a “public shareholder” will only exist with respect to such public shares; |
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| ● | “public rights” are to the rights sold as part of the units in this offering (whether they are purchased in this offering or thereafter in the open market); |
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| ● | “public warrants” are to warrants sold as part of the units in this offering (whether they are purchased in this offering or thereafter in the open market); |
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| ● | “representative” are to JonesTrading Institutional Services LLC, who is the representative of the underwriters in this offering; |
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| ● | “rights” are to our rights, which include the public rights as well as the placement rights; |
| ● | “SEC” are to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; |
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| ● | “SPAC” are to special purpose acquisition companies; |
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| ● | “special resolution” are to a resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of at least a two-thirds majority (or such higher threshold as specified in the company’s amended and restated articles of association) of the votes cast by the holders of the issued shares present in person or represented by proxy at a general meeting of the company and entitled to vote on such matter or a resolution approved in writing by all of the holders of the issued shares entitled to vote on such matter; |
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| ● | “sponsor” is to PROTONIQ LLC, a Cayman Islands limited liability company; |
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| ● | “underwriters” are to the underwriters of this offering, for which the representative is acting as representative; |
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| ● | “warrants” are to our redeemable warrants, which includes the public warrants as well as the placement warrants and any warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans or extension deposits; and |
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| ● | “we,” “us,” “our,” “company” or “our company” are to PROTONIQ Acquisition Corp, a Cayman Islands exempted company. |
Any forfeiture of shares described in this prospectus will take effect as a surrender of such shares for no consideration as a matter of Cayman Islands law. Any conversion of the Class B ordinary shares described in this prospectus will take effect as a compulsory redemption of Class B ordinary shares and an issuance of Class A ordinary shares as a matter of Cayman Islands law. Any share dividends described in this prospectus will take effect as share capitalizations as a matter of Cayman Islands law.
Unless we tell you otherwise, the information in this prospectus assumes that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option.
Our Company
We are a newly incorporated blank check company formed 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. Throughout this prospectus we will refer to this 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.
Business Opportunity
We believe that there are a significant number of target companies globally (with particular focus on opportunities in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region), that could become attractive public companies, and we will seek to capitalize on the extensive operational and investment experience of our Founders and focus on companies that we believe are attractively valued and have significant growth prospects with the potential to generate robust value for our stockholders. Although we may acquire a company in any industry, we currently intend to concentrate our efforts on identifying technology businesses in the financial services industry with a focus on delivering differentiated financial services in the wealth management, financial advisory and investment management sectors.
Our management team is composed of disciplined acquirers with long-term track records of sourcing and acquiring value accretive businesses, building next-generation businesses across industries globally and generating significant returns for investors from those businesses. They are particularly experienced in the financial services industry, including integrated wealth and investment management platforms, and will provide investors with differentiated insights and access to sourcing opportunities. Each of these attributes will be further supported by the longstanding, deep expertise and accretive skillsets of the other Founders, each of whom has a track record of delivering value for investors. We intend to capitalize on the ability of the Founders to identify, acquire and manage businesses in the global financial services space that can benefit from their experience and differentiated global network.
We intend to merge with a target, that together with our management team’s expertise we believe can build a substantial integrated global wealth and investment management platform focused on serving all its clients’ financial needs holistically, offering a full suite of services including wealth advisory, insurance, investment management, investment banking services, asset order and settlement, cash management and payment gateways. We will select a target that is capable of growing both organically and through acquisitions. We intend to capitalize on the robust consolidation activity in the high-growth fragmented global wealth and investment management sectors. As disciplined acquirers focused on value enhancement, we believe we can also drive significant additional value to our stockholders through our ability to arbitrage the valuation differentials that exist globally between companies matching our business combination criteria and that apply to a significantly scaled, high-growth and well-resourced listed entity generating above average ROCE (return on capital employed).
Our Sponsor, Executive Management Team, and Directors
Our officers and directors consist of seasoned industry executives with an extensive track record of sourcing and acquiring value accretive businesses, building next-generation businesses across industries globally and generating significant returns for investors from those businesses. In particular, the team possesses a deep understanding of the FinTech sector, corporate governance, wealth management, and M&A. We believe our management team, together with the support of our directors, is well-positioned to identify and access a differentiated range of investment opportunities in the wealth management, financial advisory and investment management sectors by capitalizing on their reputation and deep network of relationships.
We believe that our team’s expertise and experience in the financial services industry, including integrated wealth and investment management platforms, combined with our extensive relationships through a network of advisors and affiliates, will make us a partner of choice for potential business combination targets. We intend to capitalize on the ability of the founders to identify, acquire and manage businesses in the global financial services space that can benefit from their experience and differentiated global network.
Our sponsor is controlled by Babar Ali, a non-U.S. person. We may not be able to complete an initial business combination with a U.S. target company since such initial business combination may be subject to U.S. foreign investment regulations and review by a U.S. government entity, such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), and ultimately prohibited. As a result, the pool of potential targets with which we could complete an initial business combination may exclude U.S. targets or the time necessary for government review of the transaction or a decision to prohibit the transaction with a U.S. target could prevent us from completing an initial business combination in a timely fashion and require us to liquidate. If we liquidate, the investors will lose any potential investment opportunity in a target company and the chance of realizing future gains on investment through any price appreciation in the combined company, and the warrants would expire worthless. See “Risk Factors —We may not be able to complete an initial business combination with a U.S. target company since such initial business combination may be subject to U.S. foreign investment regulations and review by a U.S. government entity, such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), and ultimately prohibited.”
Executive Management Team
Babar Ali, our Chief Executive Officer and Director, has over 20 years of experience in the wealth management and fintech industries. From June 2019 through January 2022, he served as Executive Director on the Risk and Audit Committee of NewQuantum Holdings, a wealth management solutions provider. In his advisory role, he provides leadership to successfully achieve the product market fit. From January 2018 until June 2019, Mr. Ali served as Founder and Head of Trading at Goodments Pty Ltd, an investing app designed to promote ESG investing. Prior to that, from June 2015 to January 2018, he served as Founder and CTO of WealthO2, which offers a suite of wealth management software solutions for advisers. Between January 2012 and June 2015, Mr. Ali was the Chief Technology Officer of Fortnum Private Wealth, a financial planning firm. Prior to that, from January 2005 to January 2012, he held various senior roles in tax and accounting at Deloitte and Thomson Reuters. Mr. Ali graduated from Western Sydney University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science in 2005. He is currently completing a PhD in Data Science through the University of Technology Sydney with 2025 as the expected graduation year and an MBA from the Macquarie Graduate School of Management with 2023 as the expected graduation year. Mr. Ali’s extensive experience and knowledge in implementing enabling technologies and enterprise systems that facilitate business processes and strategic objectives make him a valuable addition to our management team and board of directors.
Atle Crowe- Maxwell, our Chief Financial Officer and Director, has over 30 years insolvency, forensic accounting, and business advisory experience. Since July 2020, he has served as Managing Director at DBA Reconstruction and Advisory, an international professional service outsourcing firm. In this role, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell undertakes Corporate Restructuring, Director and Board advice, forensic accounting as well as formal insolvency appointments. From November 2015 to July 2020, he served as the Head of Business Advisory at Omniwealth, a diversified financial services firm. He also served on the board of Omniwealth from 2015 to 2018. In this role, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell helped build business advisory and succession planning services for the firm. Prior to that, from August 2012 to October 2015, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell served as Business Unit Leader, Business Recovery, and Insolvency for the East Coast Practice at BDO (Binder Dijker Otte), an audit, tax, and advisory services firm. From 2012 to 2015, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell served on the board of directors of the Gidget Foundation, which supports the wellbeing of expectant and new parents. From 2011 to 2014, he also served on the board of the BDO East Coast Practice. Between July 2001 and August 2012, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell served as Manager in the Forensic Accounting and Litigation Support practice at Arthur Andersen. From April 1997 to September 1998 he served as Supervisor, Insolvency at Smith Hancock. He provided reviews and solvency assessments for banks and other corporate entities, litigation, formal insolvency assignments, and business advisory assignments. From April 1995 through March 1997 he served as Supervisor, Insolvency for Ferrier Hodgson. Prior to that, between February 1992 and March 1995, he was a Senior Accountant, Insolvency at KPMG. Mr. Crowe-Maxwell graduated from Macquarie University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Economics (Accounting, Finance and Business Law). In 1996 he took a Professional Year at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. In 2002, he received his professional insolvency qualifications through the University of Southern Queensland. In 2005 he became a registered liquidator with ASIC. We believe that Mr. Crowe-Maxwell’s experience in solvency assessments for banks and other corporate entities and his extensive experience with forensic accounting and evaluating financial and strategic operations of companies in diverse industries make him a valuable member of our management team.
Brett Westbrook, our Independent Director nominee, has over 40 years of experience in the financial services sector. Since December 2019, he has served as Executive Director of Jigsaw Capital No. 2, a Corporate Advisor in the Australian Market. In this role, Mr. Westbrook is a joint owner and senior advisor. Since October 2019, he has also served as the Executive Director of New Quantum, a wealth management solutions provider. In addition to fulfilling his director responsibilities he has provided consulting advice. Since September 2020 he has served as Chief Operating Officer of YourPortfolio.com, a financial portfolio consolidation app for retail customers. He is one of the founders of this business. From January 2015 to May 2019, Mr. Westbrook served as Executive Director for WealthO2, which offers a suite of wealth management software solutions for advisers. In this role, Mr. Westbrook acted as a Responsible Managers on its Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). Brett was one of the Founders of this business. He received an MBA from Melbourne University in May 2006. As a result of his professional and academic experiences, Mr. Westbrook brings extensive breadth, depth and knowledge in the operational and management services combined with an expertise in wealth management solutions to our management team.
Denis Durand, our Independent Director nominee, has over 20 years of private sector experience in the investment and financial advisory industry, working with companies such as Deloitte, CBA and MLC. Since 2009, Mr. Durand has served as a Director of Durand Financial Services and Melbourne Loans & Finance, a comprehensive finance solutions firm. In this role, Mr. Durand and his team managed over $250 million of client and corporate funds and specialized in investment advice for high net wealth individuals, business owners, and corporate clients. Further, Mr. Durand has co-hosted the television program “Australian Success,” and “Money Segment” on ABC 774 in 2005. In 1995 Mr. Durand graduated from Latrobe University Melbourne with a Bachelor in Economics degree and in 2003, he graduated with a Diploma of Financial Planning from Deakin University.
Bharat Patel, our Independent Director nominee, has over 10 years of financial services experience in Australian financial markets. He has extensive domestic and international experience and familiarity with technology and data businesses from strategy, infrastructure, delivery, regulatory, operational and customer perspectives. Since January 2011, he has worked for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission as a Senior Specialist – Market Infrastructure Technology. In this role, Mr. Patel has led the development and execution of ASIC’s supervisory strategy for Cyber & Operational Resilience in Australian Financial Markets, as well as the Data Analytics strategy to deliver investigative analytics to enable monitoring and investigation of market trading activity. He also provides leadership and expertise in the areas of technology architecture, technology governance, risk management and quality assurance within the markets group to support effective supervision of regulated activities providing critical services to financial markets, particularly in areas where novel technologies, architectures or methodologies are being deployed. Prior to that, from June 2007 to March 2010, he served as the Chief Information Officer (Australia & New Zealand) for Thomson Reuters Tax, Legal & Regulatory. From June 2003 to May 2007, he served as Chief Information Officer (Asia Pacific) for Thomson Reuters Tax, Legal & Regulatory. In this role, he led the technology group and managed large-scale business transformation programs for digital content delivery, platform rationalization and operational optimizations to significantly improve customer value propositions and delivering stronger revenue growth for the organization. From June 1999 to June 2003, Mr. Patel served as European Services Director at Artesia Technologies Europe (now OpenText Corp.), an information management software company, specialized in media asset management, digital workflow solutions, and business process optimization. He was accountable for the delivery of digital transformation programs for global corporates including Sony Music Europe, General Motors and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) amongst others, which transformed the way in which those corporates managed and delivered digital assets to efficiently service its clients and partners globally, as well as optimizing their own information flows and creating new opportunities for growth. In 1984, Mr. Patel graduated with honors from University College, London with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics. His professional certifications include TOGAF 9 Enterprise Architecture, MSP (Managing Successful Programmes), and PRINCE2 – Project Management. We believe Mr. Patel is well-qualified to serve on our board due to his deep technical knowledge, and extensive experience in leading large-scale digital transformation programs, mergers and acquisitions, and implementation of novel technology solutions.
Marco Bardelli, our Independent Director nominee, has over 25 years of experience in the finance industry. Since 2014, he has worked at Citramas Group in Singapore, supporting the Chairman and CEO’s activity in strategic & corporate planning, governance overview, business development, and investment. His various directorships for Citramas Group include Executive Director of Nongsa Digital Park, Project Coordinator for the Data Centre Hub at Nongsa Digital Park, Project Coordinator for Infinite Learning Apple Developer Academy, Executive Director at Infinite Studios, and Division Head for Infinite Metaverse. From 2005 through 2013, he served as CEO and Managing Director at UBI Banca Group. From 1997 to 2005, Mr. Bardelli was Chief Regional Representative at UBI Banca Group. From 1995 through 1996, he was Vice President at UBI Banca Group in Honk Kong. He received his MBA from the University of Chicago in 2009.
Business Strategy and Competitive Strengths
Our acquisition and value creation strategy is to identify and complete our initial business combination with a market-leading, growth-oriented company. Although we may acquire a company in any industry, we intend to concentrate our efforts on identifying a high-growth FinTech business primarily operating in the APAC region with a high volume of customers and growing demand. We believe there are several FinTech companies poised to become multi-billion-dollar enterprises by leveraging emerging technologies and expanding into developing markets.
We believe our experience in the FinTech sector will help us identify potential targets that have a strong foundation that can be expanded into the global marketplace with a diverse portfolio of products and services for consumers and businesses in the United States, United Kingdom, and the APAC region.
Applying Our Marketing and Management Experience
Our team includes experienced professionals with experience in FinTech, wealth management platforms, superannuation, and financial advice.
We believe the experience of our management team can help transition and expand target businesses into a global financial services platform. Our management has experience developing and leading FinTech companies that launched wealth management and investment platforms in the APAC region. Our team has helped develop platforms applications and services for cross-border investment management platforms, online payment gateways, interchangeable and multicurrency systems.
Our team also maintains a robust network in the FinTech sector, including successful high growth companies in the APAC region as well as FinTech companies in the United Kingdom and the United States. We believe these contacts and partners will help facilitate sourcing of potential business combination targets.
Leveraging Emerging Technologies
We believe there are opportunities to leverage emerging technologies such as blockchain, cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance, as well as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, deep learning, and cloud computing, to reduce costs and processing time, create real time settlements, and improve the money delivery process.
Our team has experience in the design and development of digital payment products, payment gateways, cybersecurity, scalable architecture, blockchain, and AI. We also believe we will benefit from leveraging a broad network of contacts and corporate relationships in the software development markets of the APAC region and the United States.
Business Combination Criteria
Consistent with our business strategy, we have identified the following general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses. We plan to use these criteria and guidelines in evaluating initial business combination opportunities, but we may decide to consummate our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet one or more of these criteria and guidelines. We intend to seek to acquire companies within industries that exhibit strong characteristics including, but not limited to, the following:
| ● | significant established market position and domestic and international expansion potential, |
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| ● | its own solid technological base or access to a stable, capable outside supplier, |
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| ● | capability and commitment to full financial markets regulation and SEC compliance, and |
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| ● | a motivated and capable management team. |
While we may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any business, industry, sector or geographic region, we intend to focus on the acquisition of a high-growth FinTech business. We intend to identify opportunities globally but will focus on attractive opportunities operating in the APAC region.
We intend to merge with a target, that together with our management team’s expertise we believe can build a substantial integrated global wealth and investment management platform focused on serving all its clients’ financial needs holistically, offering a full suite of services including wealth advisory, insurance, investment management, investment banking services, asset order and settlement, cash management and payment gateways. We will select a target that is capable of growing both organically and through acquisitions. We intend to capitalize on the robust consolidation activity in the high-growth fragmented global wealth and investment management sectors. As disciplined acquirers focused on value enhancement, we believe we can also drive significant additional value to our stockholders through our ability to arbitrage the valuation differentials that exist globally between companies matching our business combination criteria and that apply to a significantly scaled, high-growth and well-resourced listed entity generating above average ROCE (return on capital employed).
These criteria and guidelines are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general criteria and guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into an initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria and guidelines in our shareholder communications related to our initial business, which, as discussed in this prospectus, would be in the form of proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, that we would file with the SEC.
Our Business Combination Process
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review that will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspection of facilities, as well as reviewing financial and other information that will be made available to us. We will also utilize our operational and capital allocation experience.
Our acquisition criteria, due diligence processes and value creation methods are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria in our shareholder communications related to our initial business combination, which, as discussed in this prospectus, would be in the form of tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials that we would file with the SEC.
Sourcing of Potential Business Combination Targets
We believe that the operational and transactional experience of our management team and our sponsor and their respective affiliates and related entities and the relationships they have developed as a result of such experience, will provide us with a substantial number of potential business combination targets. These individuals and entities have developed a broad network of contacts and corporate relationships around the world. This network has grown through sourcing, acquiring and financing businesses and maintaining relationships with sellers, financing sources and target management teams. Our management team and members of our sponsor and their respective affiliates and related entities have significant experience in executing transactions under varying economic and financial market conditions. We believe that these networks of relationships and this experience will provide us with important sources of investment opportunities. In addition, we anticipate that target business candidates may be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment market participants, private equity funds and large business enterprises seeking to divest noncore assets or divisions.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a business combination target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors (or their respective affiliates or related entities) or making the acquisition through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with our sponsor, officers or directors (or their respective affiliates or related entities). In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors (or their respective affiliates or related entities), we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions for the type of company we are seeking to acquire or an independent accounting firm that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context. As more fully discussed in “Management—Conflicts of Interest,” if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may be required to present such business combination opportunity to such entity prior to presenting such business combination opportunity to us, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.
Other Acquisition Considerations
In addition to our sponsor, members of our management team may directly or indirectly own our ordinary shares and/or placement units following this offering, and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
Each of our directors and officers presently has, and in the future any of our directors and our officers may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present acquisition opportunities to such entity. Accordingly, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an acquisition opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may need to honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such acquisition opportunity to such entity, and only present it to us if such entity rejects the opportunity. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law, no director or officer shall be disqualified or prevented from contracting with the company nor shall any contract or transaction entered into by or on behalf of the company in which any director shall have an interest be liable to be avoided. A director shall be at liberty to vote in respect of any contract or transaction in which he is interested provided that the nature of such interest shall be disclosed at or prior to its consideration or any vote thereon by the board of directors. We do not believe, however, that any fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our directors or officers would materially undermine our ability to complete our business combination.
Our officers and directors may become an officer or director of another special purpose acquisition company with a class of securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act even before we enter a definitive agreement regarding our initial business combination.
Initial Business Combination
Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target’s assets or prospects. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.
We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the prior owners of the target business, the target management team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock, shares or other equity interests of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test. If the business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses, and we will treat the target businesses together as our initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking shareholder approval, as applicable.
To the extent we effect our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in such company or business. Although our management will endeavour to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors.
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review which will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information which will be made available to us.
The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination.
Corporate Information
Our executive office is located at 79 Queen St, Ashfield, NSW, 2131.
We are a Cayman Islands exempted company. Exempted companies are Cayman Islands companies conducting business mainly outside the Cayman Islands and, as such, are exempted from complying with certain provisions of the Companies Act. As an exempted company, we have applied for and received a tax exemption undertaking from the Cayman Islands government that, in accordance with the Tax Concessions Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands, for a period of 20 years from the date of the undertaking, no law which is thereafter enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations shall apply to us or our operations and, in addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax shall be payable (i) on or in respect of our shares, debentures or other obligations or (ii) by way of the withholding in whole or in part of any relevant payment as defined in the Tax Concessions Act.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A ordinary share that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period. References herein to emerging growth company will have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act. Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Rule 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $250 million as of the end of the prior June 30th, or (2) our annual revenues exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th.
The Offering
In deciding whether to invest in our securities, you should take into account not only the backgrounds of the members of our management team, but also the special risks we face as a blank check company and the fact that this offering is not being conducted in compliance with Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act. You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings. You should carefully consider these and the other risks set forth in the section of this prospectus entitled “Risk Factors.”
Securities offered | | 10,000,000 units (or 11,500,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at $10.00 per unit, each unit consisting of: |
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| | | ● | one Class A ordinary share; |
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| | | ● | one-half of one redeemable warrant; and |
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| | | ● | one right to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon the consummation of the business combination |
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Nasdaq symbols | | Units: “PROQU” Class A ordinary shares: “PROQ” Warrants: “PROQW” Rights: “PROQR” |
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Trading commencement and separation of Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and rights | | The units will begin trading on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. We expect the Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and rights comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless the representative informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below and having issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. Once the Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and rights commence separate trading, holders will have the option to continue to hold units or separate their units into the component securities. Holders will need to have their brokers contact our transfer agent in order to separate the units into Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and rights. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase at least two units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole warrant. Each right entitles the holder thereof to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon consummation of our initial business combination, so you must hold rights in multiples of 10 in order to receive shares for all of your rights upon closing of our initial business combination. |
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Separate trading of the Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and rights is prohibited until we have filed a Current Report on Form 8-K | | In no event will the Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and rights be traded separately until we have filed a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC containing an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds at the closing of this offering. We will file the Current Report on Form 8-K promptly after the closing of this offering, which is anticipated to take place 3 business days from the date of this prospectus. If the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. |
Units: | | |
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Number outstanding before this offering and the private placement | | 0 |
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Number of placement units to be sold in a private placement simultaneously with this offering | | 511,842(1) |
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Number outstanding after this offering and the private placement | | 10,511,842(1) |
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Ordinary shares: | | |
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Number outstanding before this offering and the private placement | | 2,875,000(2) |
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Number outstanding after this offering and the private placement | | 13,011,842 (1)(3) |
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Rights: | | |
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Number outstanding before this offering and the private placement | | 0 |
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Number outstanding after this offering and the private placement | | 1,051,184(1) |
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Warrants: | | |
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Number outstanding before this offering and the private placement | | 0 |
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Number outstanding after this offering and the private placement | | 5,255,921(1) |
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Exercisability | | Each whole warrant is exercisable to purchase one share of our Class A ordinary share, subject to adjustment as provided herein. We structured each unit to contain one-half of one redeemable warrant, with each whole warrant exercisable for one Class A ordinary share. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade and are exercisable. You must separate your units in groups of two in order to receive a whole warrant. |
(1) | Assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. |
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(2) | Represents 2,875,000 founder shares classified as Class B ordinary shares, which are convertible into Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as described below adjacent to the caption “Founder shares conversion and anti-dilution rights.” The 2,875,000 founder shares include an aggregate of up to 375,000 founder shares that are subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. |
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(3) | Comprised of 10,511,842 Class A ordinary shares (including 511,842 placement shares) and 2,500,000 founder shares, assuming 375,000 founder shares have been forfeited. |
Exercise price | | $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described herein. In addition, if (x) we issue additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per Class A ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to our sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any founder shares held by our sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of our Class A ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which we consummate our initial business combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the greater of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described below under “Redemption of warrants” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the greater of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price. |
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Exercise period | | The warrants will become exercisable on the later of: |
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| | | ● | the completion of our initial business combination, and |
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| | | ● | 12 months from the closing of the offering; |
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| | provided in each case that we have an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available (or we permit holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis under the circumstances specified in the warrant agreement). |
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| | We are not registering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants at this time. However, we have agreed we will use our best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants, to cause such registration statement to become effective within 60 business days following our initial business combination and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement. If a registration statement covering the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. |
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| | The warrants will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, 5 years after the completion of our initial business combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation. On the exercise of any warrant, the warrant exercise price will be paid directly to us and not placed in the trust account. |
Redemption of warrants | | Once the warrants become exercisable, we may redeem the outstanding warrants : |
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| | | ● | in whole and not in part; |
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| | | ● | at a price of $0.01 per warrant; |
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| | | ● | upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption given after the warrants become exercisable (the “30-day redemption period”) to each warrant holder; and |
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| | | ● | if, and only if, the reported last sale price of the Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share dividends, rights issuances, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period commencing once the warrants become exercisable and ending 3 business days before we send the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. |
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| | We will not redeem the warrants as described above unless a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is then effective and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares is available throughout the 30-day redemption period, except if the warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities Act. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may not exercise our redemption right if the issuance of ordinary shares upon exercise of the warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or we are unable to effect such registration or qualification. We will use our best efforts to register or qualify such ordinary shares under the blue sky laws of the state of residence in those states in which the warrants were offered by us in this offering. |
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| | If we call the warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise warrants to do so on a “cashless basis.” In determining whether to require all holders to exercise their warrants on a “cashless basis,” our management will consider, among other factors, our cash position, the number of warrants that are outstanding and the dilutive effect on our shareholders of issuing the maximum number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of our warrants. In such event, each holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “fair market value” (defined below) over the exercise price of the warrants, by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” for this purpose shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A ordinary share for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. |
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| | Please see the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities — Redeemable Warrants — Public Shareholders’ Warrants” for additional information. |
Terms of Rights | | Each holder of a right will receive one-tenth (1/10) of one of Class A ordinary share upon consummation of our initial business combination. In the event we will not be the survivor upon completion of our initial business combination, each holder of a right will be required to affirmatively convert his, her or its rights in order to receive the 1/10 share underlying each right (without paying any additional consideration) upon consummation of the business combination. If we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the required time period and we liquidate the funds held in the trust account, holders of rights will not receive any of such funds for their rights and the rights will expire worthless. No fractional shares will be issued upon conversion of any rights. As a result, you must have 10 rights to receive one Class A ordinary at the closing of the business combination. |
Founder shares | | On April 5, 2022, our sponsor purchased 2,875,000 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.009 per share. On April 7, 2022, our sponsor transferred 15,000 shares to Brett Westbrook, 14,000 shares to Bharat Patel, and 14,000 shares to Marco Bardelli. On April 29, 2022, our sponsor transferred 25,000 shares to Babar Ali, 15,000 shares to Atle Crowe-Maxwell, and 14,000 shares to Denis Durand. Prior to the initial investment in the Company of $25,000 by our sponsor, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. The per share purchase price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to the company by the aggregate number of founder shares issued. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after this offering. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization, a share surrender or redemption or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our founder shares immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain the number of founder shares, on an as-converted basis, at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (excluding the placement units and underlying securities). As such, our initial shareholders will collectively own approximately 23.15% of our issued and outstanding shares after this offering (including the placement shares to be issued to the sponsor and assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering). Neither our sponsor nor any of our officers or directors have expressed an intention to purchase any units in this offering. Up to 375,000 founder shares held by our sponsor will be subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised so that our initial shareholders will maintain ownership of 20% of our ordinary shares after this offering. We will effect a share dividend or share capitalization prior to this offering should the size of the offering change, in order to maintain such ownership percentage. |
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| | The founder shares are identical to the Class A ordinary shares included in the units being sold in this offering, except that: |
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| | | ● | prior to our initial business combination, only holders of the founder shares have the right to vote on the appointment of directors and holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason by ordinary resolution. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by the holders of not less than 90% of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at our general meeting; |
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| | | ● | the founder shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below; |
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| | | ● | our sponsor, officers and directors will enter into a letter agreement with us, prior to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part becoming effective, pursuant to which they will agree to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and public shares held by them in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering at the election of the Company in two separate three month extensions subject to satisfaction of certain conditions, including the deposit of up to $1,000,000, or $1,150,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.10 per unit in either case) for each three month extension, into the trust account, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares and (iii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 12 months (or up to 18 months if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame; |
| | | ● | our sponsor, officers and directors will enter into a letter agreement with us, prior to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part becoming effective, pursuant to which they will agree to vote any founder shares held by them and any public shares they may acquire during or after this offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination. If we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, we will complete our initial business combination only if we obtain the approval of an ordinary resolution. As a result, in the event that only the minimum number of shares representing a quorum is present at a shareholders’ meeting held to vote on our initial business combination, in addition to our founder shares, we would need only 241,120 or 2.41% of the 10,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised, and that the initial shareholders do not purchase any units in this offering or units or shares in the after-market). In the event that all of our ordinary shares are voted, we would need 3,494,081 or 34.94% of the 10,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised, and that the initial shareholders do not purchase any units in this offering or units or shares in the after-market); and |
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| | | ● | the founder shares will automatically convert into our Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of the holders thereof as described below adjacent to the caption “Founder shares conversion and anti-dilution rights” and in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association; and |
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| | | ● | the founder shares are entitled to registration rights. |
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Transfer restrictions on founder shares | | Except as described herein, Our initial shareholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares (or Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion thereof) until the earlier to occur of: (A) 12 months after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, capital share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property (except as described herein under the section of this prospectus entitled “Principal Shareholders — Restrictions on Transfers of Founder Shares and Placement Units”). Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our initial shareholders with respect to any founder shares. We refer to such transfer restrictions throughout this prospectus as the lock-up. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the converted Class A ordinary shares will be released from the lock-up if (i) the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other transactions) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing 150 days after our initial business combination or (ii) if we complete a transaction after our initial business combination which results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their shares for cash, securities or other property. |
Founder shares conversion and anti-dilution rights | | The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of the consummation of our initial business combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment for share subdivisions, share dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional Class A ordinary shares, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in this prospectus and related to the closing of the initial business combination, the ratio at which Class B ordinary shares shall convert into Class A ordinary shares will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the outstanding Class B ordinary shares agree to waive such adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Class B ordinary shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of the total number of all ordinary shares outstanding upon the completion of this offering (excluding the placement units and underlying securities) plus all Class A ordinary shares and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with the initial business combination (excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination or any private placement-equivalent units and their underlying securities issued to our sponsor or its affiliates upon conversion of working capital loans made to us). The term “equity-linked securities” refers to any debt or equity securities that are convertible, exercisable or exchangeable for Class A ordinary shares issued in a financing transaction in connection with our initial business combination, including but not limited to a private placement of equity or debt. Securities could be “deemed issued” for purposes of the conversion rate adjustment if such shares are issuable upon the conversion or exercise of convertible securities, warrants or similar securities. Any conversion of Class B ordinary shares described herein will take effect as a compulsory redemption of Class B ordinary shares and an issuance of Class A ordinary shares as a matter of Cayman Islands law. In no event will the Class B ordinary shares convert into Class A ordinary shares at a rate of less than one-to-one. |
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Voting rights | | Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the appointment of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason by ordinary resolution. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by the holders of not less than 90% of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at our general meeting. For these purposes, “voting rights” means rights conferred on shareholders in respect of their shares to vote at general meetings of the company on all or substantially all matters. A voting right is conditional where the voting right arises only in certain circumstances. Unless their shares carry no vote, or unless a call or other amount presently payable has not been paid, all members are entitled to vote at a general meeting, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, and all members holding shares of a particular class of shares are entitled to vote at a meeting of holders of that class of shares. On a poll, a member shall have one vote for each share she holds, unless any share carries special voting rights. |
Placement Units | | Our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 511,842 placement units (or 564,342 placement units if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $10.00 per unit, for an aggregate purchase price of $5,118,420 ($5,643,420 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full). Each placement unit is identical to the units offered by this prospectus except as described below. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to the founder shares, placement shares, placement warrants or placement rights, which will expire worthless if we do not consummate a business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association). Our initial shareholders have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares or placement shares (i) in connection with the consummation of a business combination, (ii) in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior thereto, to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within such 12, or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering or with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity and (iii) if we fail to consummate a business combination within 12 or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering or if we liquidate prior to the expiration of the 12-month or up to18-month period. However, our initial shareholders will be entitled to redemption rights with respect to any public shares held by them if we fail to consummate a business combination or liquidate within the 12 or up to 18-month period. |
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Transfer restrictions on placement units | | The placement units and their component securities will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, except as described herein under “Principal Shareholders-Restrictions on Transfers of Founder Shares and Placement Units”. |
Proceeds to be held in trust account | | Nasdaq rules provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the sale of the placement units be deposited in a trust account. Of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement units, $101,500,000, or $10.15 per unit ($116,725,000, or $10.15 per unit, if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be placed into a trust account in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee. |
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| | These proceeds include $3,500,000 (or $4,025,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) in deferred underwriting commissions. |
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| | Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our tax obligations and up to $100,000 of interest that may be used for our dissolution expenses, the proceeds from this offering and the sale of the placement units held in the trust account will not be released from the trust account until the earliest to occur of: (a) the completion of our initial business combination, (b) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our memorandum and articles of association prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity, and (c) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), subject to applicable law. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could become subject to the claims of our creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of our public shareholders. |
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Anticipated expenses and funding sources | | Except as described above with respect to the payment of taxes, unless and until we complete our initial business combination, no proceeds held in the trust account will be available for our use. The proceeds held in the trust account will be invested only in U.S. government securities 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. We will disclose in each quarterly and annual report filed with the SEC prior to our initial business combination whether the proceeds deposited in the trust account are invested in U.S. government treasury obligations or money market funds or a combination thereof. Based upon current interest rates, we expect the trust account to generate approximately $102,000 of pre-tax interest annually assuming an interest rate of 0.1% per year; however, we can provide no assurances regarding this amount. |
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| | Unless and until we complete our initial business combination, we may pay our expenses only from: |
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| | | ● | the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement units not held in the trust account, which will be approximately $890,000 in working capital after the payment of approximately $578,420 in expenses relating to this offering and approximately $150,000 for director’s and liability insurance; and |
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| | | ● | any loans or additional investments from our sponsor, members of our management team or their affiliates or other third parties, although they are under no obligation to advance funds or invest in us, and provided that any such loans will not have any claim on the proceeds held in the trust account unless such proceeds are released to us upon completion of an initial business combination. |
Conditions to completing our initial business combination | | Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination target, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination target, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target’s assets or prospects. There is no limitation on our ability to raise funds privately, or through loans in connection with our initial business combination. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors. |
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| | We anticipate structuring our initial business combination either (i) in such a way so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses, or (ii) in such a way so that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or shareholders, or for other reasons. However, we will only complete an initial business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. |
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| | Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the initial business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock, shares and/or other equity interests of a target. |
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| | In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be taken into account for purposes of Nasdaq’s 80% fair market value test. If the initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% fair market value test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the transactions and we will treat the target businesses together as the initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking shareholder approval, as applicable. |
Permitted purchases of public shares and public warrants by our affiliates | | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, or their affiliates may purchase public shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit on the number of shares or warrants our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and Nasdaq rules. However, apart from the purchase of the placement units, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will not make any such purchases when they are in possession of any material nonpublic information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules. We expect that any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. |
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| | None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions prior to completion of our initial business combination. See “Proposed Business — Permitted purchases of our securities” for a description of how our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers or any of their affiliates will select which shareholders to purchase securities from in any private transaction. |
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| | The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the initial business combination or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares or warrants may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange. |
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Redemption rights for public shareholders upon completion of our initial business combination | | We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.15 per public share, however, there is no guarantee that investors will receive $10.15 per share upon redemption. The per-share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our warrants or rights. Our sponsor, officers and directors will enter into a letter agreement with us, prior to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part becoming effective, pursuant to which they will agree to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares held by them and any public shares they may acquire during or after this offering in connection with the completion of our initial business combination or otherwise. |
Manner of conducting redemptions | | We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the initial business combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed initial business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or share exchange listing requirements. Under Nasdaq rules, asset acquisitions and share purchases would not typically require shareholder approval while direct mergers with our company where we do not survive and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our outstanding ordinary shares or seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association would typically require shareholder approval. We may conduct redemptions without a shareholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC unless shareholder approval is required by law or stock exchange listing requirements or we choose to seek shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons. So long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on Nasdaq, we will be required to comply with Nasdaq’s shareholder approval rules. |
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| | If shareholder approval of the transaction is required by law or stock exchange listing requirements, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons, we will: |
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| | | ● | conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules, and |
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| | | ● | file proxy materials with the SEC. |
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| | If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the then outstanding ordinary shares present and entitled to vote at the meeting to approve the initial business combination are voted in favor of the initial business combination. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of shares of the Company representing a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of the Company entitled to vote at such meeting. Our initial shareholders will count towards this quorum and, pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote any founder shares held by them and any public shares acquired by them during or after this offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination. For purposes of seeking approval of the majority of our outstanding ordinary shares voted, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. As a result, in addition to our founder shares, we would need only 241,120 or 2.41%, of the 10,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination (assuming only the minimum number of shares representing a quorum are voted) in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised and that the initial shareholders do not purchase any units in this offering or units or shares in the after-market). In the event that all our outstanding shares are voted, we would need 3,494,081 or 34.94% of the 10,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised, and that the initial shareholders do not purchase any units in this offering or units or shares in the after-market). |
| | We intend to give approximately 30 days (but not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days) prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a vote shall be taken to approve our initial business combination. These quorum and voting thresholds, and the voting agreements of our initial shareholders, may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem its public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or abstain from voting on the proposed transaction. |
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| | If a shareholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association: |
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| | | ● | conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers, and |
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| | | ● | file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies. |
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| | Such provisions may be amended if approved by a special resolution. |
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| | Whether or not we maintain our registration under the Exchange Act or our listing on Nasdaq, we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares by one of the two methods listed above. Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, if we elect to conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, we or our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase Class A ordinary shares in the open market, in order to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act. |
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| | In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, we will not redeem any public shares unless our net tangible assets will be at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters’ fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. If public shareholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete the initial business combination. |
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| | We may require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically. We believe that this will allow our transfer agent to efficiently process any redemptions without the need for further communication or action from the redeeming public shareholders, which could delay redemptions and result in additional administrative cost. If the proposed initial business combination is not approved and we continue to search for a target company, we will promptly return any certificates delivered, or shares tendered electronically, by public shareholders who elected to redeem their shares. |
| | Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that in no event will we redeem our public shares unless our net tangible assets are at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters’ fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. For example, the proposed initial business combination may require: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed initial business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all Class A ordinary shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the initial business combination or redeem any shares, and all Class A ordinary shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof. |
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Limitation on redemption rights of shareholders holding 15% or more of the shares sold in this offering if we hold shareholder vote | | Notwithstanding the foregoing redemption rights, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering, without our prior consent. We believe the restriction described above will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to redeem their shares as a means to force us or our management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders’ ability to redeem to no more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with an initial business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including all shares held by those shareholders that hold more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering) for or against our initial business combination. |
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Release of funds in trust account on closing of our initial business combination | | On the completion of our initial business combination, the funds held in the trust account will be used to pay amounts due to any public shareholders who exercise their redemption rights as described above under “Redemption rights for public shareholders upon completion of our initial business combination.” We will use the remaining funds to pay the underwriters their deferred underwriting commissions, to pay all or a portion of the consideration payable to the target or owners of the target of our initial business combination and to pay other expenses associated with our initial business combination. If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of post-transaction businesses, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital. |
Redemption of public shares and distribution and liquidation if no initial business combination | | Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that we will have only 12 months from the closing of this offering to complete our initial business combination. We may seek the ordinary resolution of public shareholders for any extension beyond 12 months at a meeting called for such purpose. Public shareholders will be offered the opportunity to vote on and/or redeem their shares in connection with the approval of such extension beyond such 12-month period. Alternatively, or in the event that there is an unsuccessful effort to obtain public shareholder approval for the proposed extensions(s), we may, but are not obligated to, extend the period in which we must complete our initial business combination twice, for an additional three months each time, up to 18 months by depositing into the trust account on or prior to the applicable deadline for each three month extension $1,000,000, or $1,150,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.10 per unit in either case). Public shareholders, in this situation, will not be offered the opportunity to vote on and/or redeem their shares in connection with such extension. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within such 12-month period (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above to our obligations under the laws of Cayman Islands to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants or rights, which will expire worthless if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the 12-month time period (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association). |
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| | Our sponsor, officers and directors will enter into a letter agreement prior to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part becoming effective, pursuant to which they will agree to waive their rights to liquidating distributions with respect to any founder shares if we are forced to liquidate. The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission in the event we do not complete our initial business combination and subsequently liquidate and, in such event, the deferred fees will be included with the funds held in the trust account that will be available to fund the redemption of our public shares. If our sponsor, our directors, our officers, underwriter or any of their respective affiliates acquire public shares in or after this offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. |
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Ability to extend time to complete business combination | | If we anticipate that we may not be able to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months, we may, by resolution of our board if requested by our sponsor, extend the period of time to consummate a business combination up to two times, each by an additional three months (for a total of up to 18 months to complete a business combination), subject to the sponsor depositing additional funds into the trust account as set out below. Public shareholders, in this situation, will not be offered the opportunity to vote on or redeem their shares. Pursuant to the terms of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the trust agreement entered into between us and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company on the date of this prospectus, in order for the time available for us to consummate our initial business combination to be extended, our sponsor or its affiliates or designees, upon five business days advance notice prior to the applicable deadline, must deposit into the trust account $1,000,000, or $1,150,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.10 per unit in either case), on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each of the available three-month extensions, providing a total possible business combination period of 18 months at a total payment value of $2,000,000, or $2,300,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.20 per unit in either case). Any such payments would be made in the form of non-interest-bearing loans. If we complete our initial business combination, we will, at the option of our sponsor, repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us or convert a portion or all of the total loan amount into units at a price of $10.00 per unit, which units will be identical to the placement units. If we do not complete a business combination, we will repay such loans only from funds held outside of the trust account. Furthermore, the letter agreement with our initial shareholders contains a provision pursuant to which our sponsor has agreed to waive its right to be repaid for such loans to the extent there is insufficient funds held outside of the trust account in the event that we do not complete a business combination. Our sponsor and its affiliates or designees are not obligated to fund the trust account to extend the time for us to complete our initial business combination. In the event we receive notice from our sponsor five days prior to the applicable deadline of their intent to effect an extension, we intend to issue a press release announcing such intention at least three days prior to the applicable deadline. In addition, we intend to issue a press release the day after the applicable deadline announcing whether or not the funds had been timely deposited. |
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Limited payments to insiders | | There will be no finder’s fees, reimbursement, consulting fee, non-cash payments, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation paid by us to our sponsor, officers or directors or any affiliate of our sponsor, officers or directors prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, the following payments will be made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, none of which will be made from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement warrant held in the trust account prior to the completion of our initial business combination: |
| | | ● | Repayment of up to an aggregate of $300,000 in loans made to us by our sponsor to cover offering-related and organizational expenses; |
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| | | ● | Payment to [●], an affiliate of our sponsor, of $10,000 per month, commencing on the date of the closing of this offering and, after the date of this prospectus, continues until the earlier of (i) the consummation by the Company of the initial business combination and (ii) the Company’s liquidation, for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support; |
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| | | ● | Reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination; and |
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| | | ● | Repayment of non-interest bearing loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which (other than as described above) have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be used to purchase additional units, at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender, upon consummation of our initial business combination. The units would be identical to the placement units. |
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| | Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors or our or their affiliates. |
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Audit Committee | | We will establish and maintain an audit committee, which will be composed entirely of independent directors to, among other things, monitor compliance with the terms described above and the other terms relating to this offering. If any noncompliance is identified, then the audit committee will be charged with the responsibility to immediately take all action necessary to rectify such noncompliance or otherwise to cause compliance with the terms of this offering. For more information, see the section of this prospectus entitled “Management — Committees of the Board of Directors — Audit Committee.” |
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Indemnity | | Our sponsor will agree that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party (other than the independent public accounting firm) for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.15 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.15 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses. |
Summary of Risk Factors
Our business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those highlighted in the section titled “Risk Factors,” that represent challenges that we face in connection with the successful implementation of our strategy. The occurrence of one or more of the events or circumstances described in the section titled “Risk Factors,” alone or in combination with other events or circumstances, may adversely affect our ability to effect a business combination, and may have an adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations. Such risks include, but are not limited to:
| ● | we are a newly incorporated Cayman Islands exempt company with no operating history and no revenues; |
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| ● | our ability to continue as a “going concern”; |
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| ● | as a result of the low initial price paid by our sponsor for the founder shares, our sponsor, its affiliates and our management team stand to make a substantial profit even if an initial business combination subsequently declines in value or is unprofitable for our public shareholders; |
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| ● | we may not be able to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame; |
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| ● | we may not be able to complete an initial business combination with a U.S. target company since such initial business combination may be subject to U.S. foreign investment regulations and review by a U.S. government entity, such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), and ultimately prohibited; |
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| ● | you will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances; |
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| ● | negative interest rate for securities in which we invest the funds held in the trust account; |
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| ● | our shareholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us; |
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| ● | if third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.15 per share; |
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| ● | subsequent to completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges; |
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| ● | conflicts of interest of our sponsor, officers and directors; |
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| ● | we may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business; |
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| ● | our public shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed business combination; |
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| ● | the absence of a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete a business combination with which a substantial majority of our shareholders do not agree; |
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| ● | we may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you; |
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| ● | we may amend the terms of the public warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants; |
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| ● | our competitors have advantages over us in seeking business combinations; |
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| ● | we may be unable to obtain additional financing; |
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| ● | our rights and warrants may have an adverse effect on the market price of our ordinary shares; |
| ● | we may issue additional equity and/or debt securities to complete our initial business combination; |
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| ● | our sponsor controls a substantial interest in us; |
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| ● | if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, who controls a substantial interest in us, has agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote; |
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| ● | the ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure, and will increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful; |
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| ● | lack of protections normally afforded to investors of blank check companies; |
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| ● | possibility of losing the ability to redeem all shares equal to or in excess of 15% of our ordinary shares if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules; |
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| ● | Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange; |
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| ● | we will likely only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement units, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of products or services; |
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| ● | we are not registering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants sold as part of the units in this offering at this time, and such registration may not be in place when an investor desires to exercise such warrants; |
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| ● | shares being redeemed and warrants and rights becoming worthless; |
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| ● | events which may result in the per-share amount held in our trust account dropping below $10.15 per public share; |
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| ● | our directors may decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our sponsor; |
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| ● | if, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our shareholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced; |
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| ● | because we are not limited to a particular industry or any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations; |
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| ● | we may seek acquisition opportunities in companies that may be outside of our management’s areas of expertise; |
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| ● | impact of COVID-19 and related risks; the potential inability to enforce judgments against us or our management or board of directors |
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| ● | if we effect our initial business combination with a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations; and |
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| ● | changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, tax consequences to business combinations may adversely affect our business, investments and results of operations. |
Summary Financial Data
The following table summarizes the relevant financial data for our business and should be read with our financial statements, which are included in this prospectus. We have not had any significant operations to date, so only balance sheet data is presented.
| | May 18, 2022 | |
| | Actual | | | As Adjusted | |
Balance Sheet Data: | | | | | | | | |
Working capital deficiency(1) | | $ | (56,522 | ) | | $ | 1,040,000 | |
Total assets(2) | | $ | 50,000 | | | $ | 102,540,000 | |
Total liabilities(3) | | $ | 56,522 | | | $ | 3,500,000 | |
Value of ordinary shares subject to possible redemption(4) | | | - | | | | 101,500,000 | |
Shareholders’ equity (deficit) | | $ | (6,522 | ) | | $ | (2,466,522 | ) |
(1) | The “as adjusted” calculation includes $890,000 of cash held outside the trust account, plus $150,000 to be used to pay for director and officer liability insurance premiums. |
(2) | The “as adjusted” calculation equals $101,500,000 of cash held in trust from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units, plus $890,000 in cash held outside the trust account, plus $150,000 to be used to pay for director and officer liability insurance premiums. |
(3) | The “as adjusted” calculation includes $3,500,000 of deferred underwriting commissions. |
(4) | All of the 10,000,000 shares of Class A ordinary shares sold as part of the units in the offering contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such public shares in connection with our liquidation, or if there is a shareholder vote or tender offer in connection with our initial business combination, and in connection with the approval of an extension or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. In accordance with SEC and its guidance on redeemable equity instruments, which has been codified in ASC 480-10-S99, redemption provisions not solely within the control of a company require common stock subject to redemption to be classified outside of permanent equity. Given that the 10,000,000 Class A ordinary shares sold as part of the units in the offering will be issued with other freestanding instruments (i.e., public warrants), the initial carrying value of Class A ordinary shares classified as temporary equity will be the allocated proceeds determined in accordance with ASC 470-20. Our Class A ordinary shares are subject to ASC 480-10-S99 and are currently not redeemable as the redemption is contingent upon the occurrence of events mentioned above. According to ASC 480-10-S99-15, no subsequent adjustment is needed if it is not probable that the instrument will become redeemable. |
RISK FACTORS
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, before making a decision to invest in our units. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate,
a Business Combination and Post-Business Combination Risks
As the number of special purpose acquisition companies evaluating targets increases, attractive targets may become scarcer and there may be more competition for attractive targets. This could increase the cost of our initial business combination and could even result in our inability to find a suitable target or to consummate an initial business combination.
In recent years, the number of special purpose acquisition companies that have been formed has increased substantially. Many companies have already entered into business combinations with special purpose acquisition companies, and there are still many special purpose acquisition companies preparing for an initial public offering or seeking targets for their initial business combination, as well as many additional special purpose acquisition companies currently in registration. As a result, at times, fewer attractive targets may be available, and it may require more time, effort and resources to identify and select a suitable target and to consummate an initial business combination.
In addition, because there are more special purpose acquisition companies seeking to enter into an initial business combination with available targets, the competition for available targets with attractive fundamentals or business models may increase, which could cause target companies to demand improved financial terms. Attractive deals could also become scarcer for other reasons, such as economic or industry sector downturns, geopolitical tensions or increases in the cost of additional capital needed to close business combinations or operate targets post-business combination. This could increase the cost of, delay or otherwise complicate or frustrate our ability to find a suitable target for and/or consummate an initial business combination.
Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a widespread health crisis that has adversely affected the economies and financial markets worldwide, and the business of any potential target business with which we consummate a business combination could be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, we may be unable to complete a business combination if continued concerns relating to COVID-19 restrict travel, limit the ability to have meetings with potential investors or the target company’s personnel, vendors and services providers are unavailable to negotiate and consummate a transaction in a timely manner. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our search for a business combination will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19 and the actions to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, among others. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19 or other matters of global concern continue for an extensive period of time, our ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected.
We may engage our underwriter or its affiliates to provide additional services to us after this offering, which may include acting as financial advisor in connection with an initial business combination or as placement agent in connection with any related financing transactions. Our underwriter is entitled to receive deferred underwriting commissions that will be released from the trust only upon a completion of an initial business combination.
We may engage our underwriter or its affiliates to provide additional services to us after this offering, including, for example, identifying potential targets, providing financial advisory services, acting as a placement agent in a private offering or arranging debt financing. We may pay the underwriter or its affiliates fair and reasonable fees or other compensation that would be determined at that time in an arm’s-length negotiation; provided that no agreement will be entered into with our underwriter or its affiliates and no fees or other compensation for such services will be paid to the underwriter or its affiliates prior to the date that is 60 days from the date of this prospectus, unless such payment would not be deemed underwriter’s compensation in connection with this offering. Our underwriter is also entitled to receive deferred underwriting commissions that are conditioned on the completion of an initial business combination. The underwriter’s or its affiliates’ financial interests tied to the consummation of a business combination transaction may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in providing any such additional services to us, including potential conflicts of interest in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.
Our public shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our public shareholders do not support such a combination.
We may choose not to hold a shareholder vote to approve our initial business combination unless the initial business combination would require shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements or if we decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons. Except as required by applicable law or stock exchange requirements, the decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed initial business combination or will allow shareholders to sell their shares to us in a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors, such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would otherwise require us to seek shareholder approval. Accordingly, we may complete our initial business combination even if holders of a majority of our public shares do not approve of the initial business combination we complete. Please see the section of this prospectus entitled “Proposed Business — Shareholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination” for additional information.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our initial shareholders have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote.
Pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote any founder shares held by them, as well as any public shares they may acquire during or after this offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions), in favor of our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, if we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we obtain the approval of an ordinary resolution. As a result, in addition to our founder shares, we would need only 241,120 or 2.41% of the 10,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination (assuming only the minimum number of shares representing a quorum are voted) in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised).
Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination will be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash, unless we seek shareholder approval of the initial business combination.
At the time of your investment in us, you will not be provided with an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of our initial business combination. Since our board of directors may complete an initial business combination without seeking shareholder approval, public shareholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the initial business combination, unless we seek such shareholder vote. Accordingly, if we do not seek shareholder approval, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to exercising your redemption rights within the period of time (which will be at least 20 business days) set forth in our tender offer documents mailed to our public shareholders in which we describe our initial business combination.
The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into an initial business combination with a target.
We may seek to enter into an initial business combination agreement with a prospective target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights, we would not be able to meet such closing condition and, as a result, would not be able to proceed with the initial business combination. Furthermore, in no event will we redeem our public shares unless our net tangible assets are at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters’ fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters’ fees and commissions or such greater amount necessary to satisfy a closing condition, each as described above, we would not proceed with such redemption and the related business combination and may instead search for an alternate business combination. Prospective targets will be aware of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into an initial business combination with us.
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
At the time we enter into an agreement for our initial business combination, we will not know how many shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, and therefore will need to structure the transaction based on our expectations as to the number of shares that will be submitted for redemption. If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, we will need to reserve a portion of the cash in the trust account to meet such requirements, or arrange for third party financing. In addition, if a larger number of shares are submitted for redemption than we initially expected, we may need to restructure the transaction to reserve a greater portion of the cash in the trust account or arrange for third party financing. Raising additional third-party financing may involve dilutive equity issuances or the incurrence of indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. Furthermore, this dilution would increase to the extent that the anti-dilution provision of the Class B ordinary shares result in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares at the time of the consummation of our business combination. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure. The amount of the deferred underwriting commissions payable to the underwriters will not be adjusted for any shares that are redeemed in connection with an initial business combination. The per-share amount we will distribute to shareholders who properly exercise their redemption rights will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commission and after such redemptions, the per-share value of shares held by non-redeeming shareholders will reflect our obligation to pay the deferred underwriting commissions.
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your shares.
If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our initial business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the trust account until we liquidate the trust account. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your share in the open market; however, at such time our shares may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in the trust account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with our redemption until we liquidate or you are able to sell your shares in the open market.
Our sponsor paid an aggregate of $25,000 for the founder shares, or approximately $0.009 per founder share. As a result of this low initial price, our sponsor, its affiliates, and our management team stand to make a substantial profit even if an initial business combination subsequently declines in value or is unprofitable for our public shareholders.
As a result of the low acquisition cost of our founder shares, our sponsor, its affiliates, and our management team could make a substantial profit even if we select and consummate an initial business combination with an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value or is unprofitable for our public shareholders. Thus, such parties may have more of an economic incentive for us to enter into an initial business combination with a riskier, weaker-performing or financially unstable business, or an entity lacking an established record of revenues or earnings, than would be the case if such parties had paid the full offering price for their founder shares.
The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating an initial business combination and may decrease our ability to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders.
Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning an initial business combination will be aware that we must complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association). Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating an initial business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the timeframe described above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation.
We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate, in which case our public shareholders may only receive $10.15 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants and rights will expire worthless.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that we must complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association). We may not be able to find a suitable target business and complete our initial business combination within such time period. Our ability to complete our initial business combination may be negatively impacted by general market conditions, volatility in the capital and debt markets and the other risks described herein. For example, if the outbreak of COVID-19 continues to grow both in the U.S. and globally and, while the extent of the impact of the outbreak on us will depend on future developments, it could limit our ability to complete our initial business combination, including as a result of increased market volatility, decreased market liquidity and third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all. Additionally, the outbreak of COVID-19 may negatively impact businesses we may seek to acquire.
We may seek the ordinary resolution of the public shareholders for (i) an extension and (ii) the approval of the amendment to the trust agreement for any extension beyond 12 months. Public shareholders will be offered the opportunity to vote on and/or redeem their shares in connection with the approval of such extension. Alternatively, or in the event that there is an unsuccessful effort to obtain shareholder approval for the proposed extensions(s), we may, but are not obligated to, extend the period in which we must complete our initial business combination twice, for an additional three months each time, up to 18 months by depositing into the trust account for each three month extension $1,000,000, or $1,150,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.10 per unit in either case). Public shareholders, in this situation, will not be offered the opportunity to vote on and/or redeem their shares.
If we have not completed our initial business combination within such time period, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, if we wind up for any other reason prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, we will follow the foregoing procedures with respect to the liquidation of the trust account as promptly as reasonable possible not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to applicable Cayman Islands law. In either such case, our public shareholders may only receive $10.15 per share, and our warrants and rights will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.15 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.15 per share” and other risk factors below.
We may not be able to complete an initial business combination with a U.S. target company since such initial business combination may be subject to U.S. foreign investment regulations and review by a U.S. government entity such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), and ultimately prohibited.
Mr. Babar Ali, an Australian national, holds 100% of the outstanding shares of our sponsor and thus, has control of our sponsor. Our sponsor will own approximately 22.4% of our outstanding shares following this offering. Certain companies requiring federal-issued licenses in the United States, such as broadcasters and airlines, may be subject to rules or regulations that limit foreign ownership. In addition, CFIUS is an interagency committee authorized to review certain transactions involving foreign investment in the United States by foreign persons in order to determine the effect of such transactions on the national security of the United States. Therefore, because we may be considered a “foreign person” under such rules and regulations, we could be subject to foreign ownership restrictions and/or CFIUS review if our proposed business combination is between us and a U.S. target company engaged in a regulated industry or which may affect national security. The scope of CFIUS was expanded by the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 (“FIRRMA”) to include certain non-passive, non-controlling investments in sensitive U.S. businesses and certain acquisitions of real estate even with no underlying U.S. business. FIRRMA, and subsequent implementing regulations that are now in force, also subject certain categories of investments to mandatory filings. Therefore, if our potential initial business combination with a U.S. target company falls within the scope of foreign ownership restrictions, we may be unable to consummate a business combination with such target company. In addition, if our potential business combination falls within CFIUS’s jurisdiction, we may be required to make a mandatory filing or determine to submit a voluntary notice to CFIUS, or to proceed with the initial business combination without notifying CFIUS and risk CFIUS intervention, before or after closing the initial business combination. CFIUS may decide to block or delay our initial business combination, impose conditions to mitigate national security concerns with respect to such initial business combination or order us to divest all or a portion of a U.S. business of the combined company if we had proceeded without first obtaining CFIUS clearance. The foreign ownership limitations, and the potential impact of CFIUS, may limit the attractiveness of a transaction with us or prevent us from pursuing certain initial business combination opportunities that we believe would otherwise be beneficial to us and our shareholders. As a result, the pool of potential targets with which we could complete an initial business combination may be limited and we may be adversely affected in terms of competing with other special purpose acquisition companies which do not have similar foreign ownership issues.
Moreover, the process of government review, whether by CFIUS or otherwise, could be lengthy. Because we have only a limited time to complete our initial business combination (12 months, or up to 18 months, if we extend the time to complete a business combination as described elsewhere in this prospectus) our failure to obtain any required approvals within the requisite time period may require us to liquidate. If we liquidate, our public shareholders may only receive $10.15 per share initially, and our warrants would expire worthless. This will also cause you to lose any potential investment opportunity in a target company and the chance of realizing future gains on your investment through any price appreciation in the combined company.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers and their affiliates may elect to purchase shares or warrants from public shareholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed initial business combination and reduce the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers or their affiliates may purchase public shares or public warrants or a combination thereof in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions.
Such a purchase may include a contractual acknowledgement that such shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that our sponsor, directors, officers or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights or submitted a proxy to vote against our initial business combination, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares and any proxy to vote against our initial business combination. The price per share paid in any such transaction may be different than the amount per share a public shareholder would receive if it elected to redeem its shares in connection with our initial business combination. The purpose of such purchases could be to vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the initial business combination, or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination.
Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. We expect that any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements.
In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares or public warrants and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, possibly making it difficult to obtain or maintain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
If a shareholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed.
We will comply with the tender offer rules or proxy rules, as applicable, when conducting redemptions in connection with our initial business combination. Despite our compliance with these rules, if a shareholder fails to receive our tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, such shareholder may not become aware of the opportunity to redeem its shares. In addition, proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will describe the various procedures that must be complied with in order to validly tender or redeem public shares. For example, we may require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either deliver their share certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically. In the event that a shareholder fails to comply with these, or any other procedures disclosed in the proxy or tender offer materials, as applicable, its shares may not be redeemed. See the section of this prospectus entitled “Proposed Business — Redemption Rights for Public Shareholders upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination — Tendering Share Certificates in Connection with Redemption Rights.”
You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. To liquidate your investment, therefore, you may be forced to sell your public shares, warrants, or rights, potentially at a loss.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earliest to occur of: (i) our completion of an initial business combination, and then only in connection with those Class A ordinary shares that such shareholder properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete an initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), subject to applicable law and as further described herein. In no other circumstances will a public shareholder have any right or interest of any kind in the trust account. Holders of warrants will not have any right to the proceeds held in the trust account with respect to the warrants. Accordingly, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares, warrants, or rights, potentially at a loss.
You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of many other blank check companies.
Since the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement units are intended to be used to complete an initial business combination with a target business that has not been identified, we may be deemed to be a “blank check” company under the United States securities laws. However, because we will have net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,001 upon the successful completion of this offering and the sale of the placement units and will file a Current Report on Form 8-K, including an audited balance sheet demonstrating this fact, we are exempt from rules promulgated by the SEC to protect investors in blank check companies, such as Rule 419. Accordingly, investors will not be afforded the benefits or protections of those rules. Among other things, this means our units will be immediately tradable and we will have a longer period of time to complete our business combination than companies subject to Rule 419. Moreover, if this offering were subject to Rule 419, that rule would prohibit the release of any interest earned on funds held in the trust account to us unless and until the funds in the trust account were released to us in connection with our completion of an initial business combination. For a more detailed comparison of our offering to offerings that comply with Rule 419, please see the section of this prospectus entitled “Proposed Business — Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419.”
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering without our prior consent, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares.” However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Your inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce your influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, you will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And as a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell your shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.15 per share on our redemption of our public shares, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants and rights will expire worthless.
We expect to encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including private investors (which may be individuals or investment partnerships), other blank check companies and other entities competing for the types of businesses we intend to acquire. Many of these individuals and entities are well-established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources or more industry knowledge than we do, and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there are numerous target businesses we could potentially acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement units, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses that are sizable will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, because we are obligated to pay cash for the Class A ordinary shares which our public shareholders redeem in connection with our initial business combination, target companies will be aware that this may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination. This may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating and completing an initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.15 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants and rights will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.15 per share upon our liquidation. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.15 per share” and other risk factors herein.
Our sponsor has the right to extend the term we have to consummate our initial business combination to up to 18 months from the closing of this offering without providing our stockholders with a corresponding redemption right.
We will have until 12 months from the closing of this offering to consummate our initial business combination. However, if we anticipate that we may not be able to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months, we may, by resolution of our board of directors if requested by our sponsor, extend the period of time we will have to consummate an initial business combination up to two times, each by an additional 3 months (for a total of up to 18 months from the closing of this offering), subject to our sponsor depositing additional funds into the trust account. Our stockholders will not be entitled to vote on or redeem their shares in connection with any such extension. Pursuant to the terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, in order to extend the completion window in such a manner, our sponsor must deposit an additional $1,000,000 (or up to $1,150,000 if the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full) into the trust account on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each 3-month extension of the completion window. Our sponsor has the option to accelerate its deposit of one or both halves of the up to $2,000,000 (or up to $2,300,000 if the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full) at any time following the closing of this offering and prior to the consummation of our initial business combination with the same effect of extending the completion window by three or six months, as applicable. This feature is different than most other special purpose acquisition companies, in which any extension of the completion window would require a vote of a special purpose acquisition company’s stockholders and, in connection with such vote, such special purpose acquisition company’s stockholders would have the right to redeem their public shares.
If the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement units not being held in the trust account are insufficient to allow us to operate for at least the 12 months following the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), we may be unable to complete our initial business combination, in which case our public shareholders may only receive $10.15 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants and rights will expire worthless.
The funds available to us outside of the trust account to fund our working capital requirements may not be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the 12 months following the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), assuming that our initial business combination is not completed during that time. We believe that, upon the closing of this offering, the funds available to us outside of the trust account will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the 12 months following such closing (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association); however, we cannot assure you that our estimate is accurate.
Of the funds available to us, we could use a portion of the funds available to us to pay fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business. We could also use a portion of the funds as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision in letters of intent or merger agreements designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies or investors on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed initial business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into a letter of intent or merger agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business and were subsequently required to forfeit such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise), we might not have sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conduct due diligence with respect to, a target business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.15 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants and rights will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.15 per share upon our liquidation. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.15 per share” and other risk factors herein.
If the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement units not being held in the trust account are insufficient, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination and we will depend on loans from our sponsor or management team to fund our search for an initial business combination, to pay our taxes and to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to obtain these loans, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination.
Of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement units, only approximately $890,000 will be available to us initially outside the trust account to fund our working capital requirements after payment of premiums for director and officers’ liability insurance. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $578,420, we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. The amount held in the trust account will not be impacted as a result of such increase or decrease. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $578,420, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount. If we are required to seek additional capital, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor, management team or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. None of our sponsor, members of our management team nor any of their affiliates is under any obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Any such advances would be repaid only from funds held outside the trust account or from funds released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into units, at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender, upon consummation of our initial business combination. Repayment of non-interest-bearing loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which (other than as described above) have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. The units would be identical to the placement units. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account. If we are unable to obtain these loans, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. Consequently, our public shareholders may only receive approximately $10.15 per share on our redemption of our public shares, and our warrants and rights will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.15 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.15 per share” and other risk factors below.
Subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and our share price, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business with which we combine, we cannot assure you that this diligence will surface all material issues that may be present inside a particular target business, that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining debt financing to partially finance the initial business combination. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following the initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the initial business combination constituted an actionable material misstatement or omission.
If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.15 per share.
Our placing of funds in the trust account may not protect those funds from third-party claims against us. Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, such parties may not execute such agreements, or even if they execute such agreements they may not be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account, including, but not limited to, fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third- party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. [ ], our independent registered public accounting firm, and the underwriters of this offering, will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account.
Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third-party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed timeframe, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may be brought against us within the 10 years following redemption. Accordingly, the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders could be less than the $10.15 per share initially held in the trust account, due to claims of such creditors. Pursuant to the letter agreement, the form of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.15 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.15 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
Our directors may decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our sponsor, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.15 per share and (ii) the actual amount per share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account if less than $10.15 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations.
While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment and subject to their fiduciary duties may choose not to do so in any particular instance if, for example, the cost of such legal action is deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or if the independent directors determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. If our independent directors choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders may be reduced below $10.15 per share.
We may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our directors and executive officers.
We have agreed to indemnify our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law. However, our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account and to not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever. Accordingly, any indemnification provided will be able to be satisfied by us only if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination. Our obligation to indemnify our officers and directors may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition, winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition or winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a bankruptcy court may seek to recover such proceeds, and we and our board may be exposed to claims of punitive damages.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition or winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy or insolvency laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy or insolvency court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. In addition, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or having acted in bad faith, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our shareholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any bankruptcy or insolvency claims deplete the trust account, the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including:
| ● | restrictions on the nature of our investments; and |
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| ● | restrictions on the issuance of securities, each of which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. |
In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including:
| ● | registration as an investment company with the SEC; |
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| ● | adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and |
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| ● | reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations that we are currently not subject to. |
In order not to be regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, unless we can qualify for an exclusion, we must ensure that we are engaged primarily in a business other than investing, reinvesting or trading in securities and that our activities do not include investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading “investment securities” constituting more than 40% of our total assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. Our business will be to identify and complete an initial business combination and thereafter to operate the post-transaction business or assets for the long term. We do not plan to buy businesses or assets with a view to resale or profit from their resale. We do not plan to buy unrelated businesses or assets or to be a passive investor.
We do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act. To this end, the proceeds held in the trust account may only be invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Pursuant to the trust agreement, the trustee is not permitted to invest in other securities or assets. By restricting the investment of the proceeds to these instruments, and by having a business plan targeted at acquiring and growing businesses for the long term (rather than on buying and selling businesses in the manner of a merchant bank or private equity fund), we intend to avoid being deemed an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act. This offering is not intended for persons who are seeking a return on investments in government securities or investment securities. The trust account is intended as a holding place for funds pending the earliest to occur of: (i) the completion of our initial business combination; (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity; or (iii) absent an initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), our return of the funds held in the trust account to our public shareholders as part of our redemption of the public shares. If we do not invest the proceeds as discussed above, we may be deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act. If we were deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act, compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expenses for which we have not allotted funds and may hinder our ability to complete an initial business combination or may result in our liquidation. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.15 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants and rights will expire worthless.
Our shareholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their shares.
If we are forced to enter into an insolvent liquidation, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed as an unlawful payment if it was proved that immediately following the date on which the distribution was made, we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. As a result, a liquidator could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to us or our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, thereby exposing themselves and our company to claims, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons. We and our officers and directors who knowingly and willfully authorized or permitted any distribution to be paid out of our share premium account while we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business would be guilty of an offence and may be liable for a fine of $18,293 and imprisonment in the Cayman Islands.
We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders until after the consummation of our initial business combination, which could delay the opportunity for our shareholders to elect directors.
In accordance with Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until no later than one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on Nasdaq; except that a newly listed company does not have to hold an annual meeting until one year after the first full fiscal year that the company is in existence, and as such, our first annual meeting of shareholders does not have to occur any earlier than November 30, 2024. There is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or extraordinary general meetings to appoint directors. Until we hold an annual general meeting, public shareholders may not be afforded the opportunity to appoint directors and to discuss company affairs with management.
The grant of registration rights to our sponsor and holders of our placement units may make it more difficult to complete our initial business combination, and the future exercise of such rights may adversely affect the market price of our Class A ordinary shares.
Pursuant to an agreement to be entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in this offering, our sponsor, holders of our placement units, and their permitted transferees can demand that we register the placement rights, the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the placement rights, the placement warrants, the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the placement warrants, the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the founder shares, the Class A ordinary shares included in the placement units, and holders of units that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans may demand that we register such Class A ordinary shares, warrants, rights or the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of such warrants and conversion of such rights. We will bear the cost of registering these securities. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude. This is because the stockholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares that is expected when the ordinary shares owned by our sponsor, holders of our placement units or holders of our working capital loans or their respective permitted transferees are registered.
Because we are neither limited to evaluating a target business in a particular industry sector nor have we selected any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations.
We will seek to complete an initial business combination with companies in the technology industry but may also pursue other business combination opportunities, except that we will not, under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations. Because we have not yet selected or approached any specific target business with respect to a business combination, there is no basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition or prospects. To the extent we complete our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable or a development stage entity. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in a business combination target. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
We may seek business combination opportunities in industries or sectors which may or may not be outside of our management’s area of expertise.
Although we intend to focus on identifying technology companies, we will consider an initial business combination outside of our management’s area of expertise if an initial business combination candidate is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive business combination opportunity for our company or we are unable to identify a suitable candidate in the technology sector after having expanded a reasonable amount of time and effort in an attempt to do so. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in any particular business combination candidate, we cannot assure you that we will adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to investors in this offering than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in an initial business combination candidate. In the event we elect to pursue a business combination outside of the areas of our management’s expertise, our management’s expertise may not be directly applicable to its evaluation or operation, and the information contained in this prospectus regarding the areas of our management’s expertise would not be relevant to an understanding of the business that we elect to acquire. As a result, our management may not be able to adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines.
Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines for evaluating prospective target businesses, it is possible that a target business with which we enter into our initial business combination will not have all of these positive attributes. If we complete our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these guidelines, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria and guidelines. In addition, if we announce a prospective business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria and guidelines, a greater number of shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if shareholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange requirements, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain shareholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria and guidelines. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.15 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants and rights will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.15 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.15 per share” and other risk factors herein.
We may seek business combination opportunities with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenue, cash flow or earnings, which could subject us to volatile revenues, cash flows or earnings or difficulty in retaining key personnel.
To the extent we complete our initial business combination with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenues or earnings, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine. These risks include volatile revenues or earnings and difficulties in obtaining and retaining key personnel. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors and we may not have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.
We are not required to obtain a fairness opinion and consequently, you may have no assurance from an independent source that the price we are paying for the business is fair to our company from a financial point of view.
Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity or our board cannot independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that the price we are paying is fair to our company from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our shareholders will be relying on the judgment of our board of directors, who will determine fair market value based on standards generally accepted by the financial community. Such standards used will be disclosed in our proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.
Resources could be wasted in researching business combinations that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.15 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants and rights will expire worthless.
We anticipate that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys, consultants and others. If we decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to complete our initial business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.15 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants and rights will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.15 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.15 per share” and other risk factors herein.
We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may effect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company, which could, in turn, negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.
When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business’s management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target’s management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following the initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete an initial business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.
Although we have no commitments as of the date of this prospectus to issue any notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur outstanding debt following this offering, we may choose to incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We have agreed that we will not incur any indebtedness unless we have obtained from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to the monies held in the trust account. As such, no issuance of debt will affect the per-share amount available for redemption from the trust account. Nevertheless, the incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including:
| ● | default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
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| ● | acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
| ● | our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; |
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| ● | our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding; |
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| ● | our inability to pay dividends on our ordinary shares; |
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| ● | using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our ordinary shares if declared, our ability to pay expenses, make capital expenditures and acquisitions, and fund other general corporate purposes; |
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| ● | limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; |
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| ● | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; |
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| ● | limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, and execution of our strategy; and |
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| ● | other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt. |
We may issue our shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price that is less than the prevailing market price of our shares at that time.
In connection with our initial business combination, we may issue shares to investors in private placement transactions (so-called PIPE transactions) at a price of $10.15 per share or which approximates the per-share amounts in our trust account at such time. The purpose of such issuances will be to enable us to provide sufficient liquidity to the post-business combination entity. The price of the shares we issue may therefore be less, and potentially significantly less, than the market price for our shares at such time.
We may only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of this offering, the sale of the placement units, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of services and limited operating activities. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operating results and profitability.
Of the net proceeds from this offering and the sale of the placement units, $101,500,000 (or $116,725,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be available to complete our initial business combination and pay related fees and expenses (which includes up to $3,500,000, or up to $4,025,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full, for the payment of deferred underwriting commissions).
We may effectuate our initial business combination with a single target business or multiple target businesses simultaneously or within a short period of time. However, we may not be able to effectuate our initial business combination with more than one target business because of various factors, including the existence of complex accounting issues and the requirement that we prepare and file pro forma financial statements with the SEC that present operating results and the financial condition of several target businesses as if they had been operated on a combined basis. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. In addition, we intend to focus our search for an initial business combination in a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
| ● | solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset, or |
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| ● | dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services. |
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.
We may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability.
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses that are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete our initial business combination. We do not, however, intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.
We may attempt to complete our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in an initial business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
In pursuing our initial business combination strategy, we may seek to effectuate our initial business combination with a privately held company. Very little public information generally exists about private companies, and we could be required to make our decision on whether to pursue a potential initial business combination on the basis of limited information, which may result in an initial business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
Our management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination.
We may structure an initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for us not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We will not consider any transaction that does not meet such criteria. Even if the post-transaction company owns 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the initial business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new Class A ordinary shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock, shares and/or other equity interest of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new ordinary shares, our shareholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our outstanding ordinary shares subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority shareholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger portion the company’s shares than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that our management will not be able to maintain our control of the target business. We cannot provide assurance that, upon loss of control of a target business, new management will possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business.
We do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete an initial business combination with which a substantial majority of our shareholders do not agree.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will not provide a specified maximum redemption threshold, except that in no event will we redeem our public shares unless our net tangible assets are at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters’ fees and commissions (such that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. As a result, we may be able to complete our initial business combination even though a substantial majority of our public shareholders do not agree with the transaction and have redeemed their shares or, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, have entered into privately negotiated agreements to sell their shares to our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all Class A ordinary shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the initial business combination or redeem any shares, all Class A ordinary shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination.
In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and other governing instruments, including their warrant and rights agreements. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that our shareholders may not support.
In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and modified governing instruments, including their warrant and rights agreements. For example, blank check companies have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds and extended the time to consummate an initial business combination and, with respect to their warrants or rights, amended their warrant or rights agreements to require the warrants or rights to be exchanged for cash and/or other securities. Amending our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will require at least a special resolution of our shareholders as a matter of Cayman Islands law, meaning the approval of holders of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting of the Company, and amending our warrant or rights agreement will require a vote of holders of at least 50% of the public warrants or public rights and, solely with respect to any amendment to the terms of the private placement units or any provision of the warrant agreement with respect to the private placement units, 50% of the number of the then outstanding private placement units). In addition, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association requires us to provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash if we propose an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity.
To the extent any such amendments would be deemed to fundamentally change the nature of any securities offered through this registration statement, we would register, or seek an exemption from registration for, the affected securities. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or governing instruments or extend the time to consummate an initial business combination in order to effectuate our initial business combination.
The provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that relate to our pre-business combination activity (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account), including an amendment to permit us to withdraw funds from the trust account such that the per share amount investors will receive upon any redemption or liquidation is substantially reduced or eliminated, may be amended with the approval of a special resolution which requires the approval of the holders of at least two-thirds majority (or such higher threshold as specified in the company’s amended and restated articles of association) of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting of the company, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other blank check companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the trust agreement to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that any of its provisions related to pre-initial business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement units into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances, and to provide redemption rights to public shareholders as described herein and including to permit us to withdraw funds from the trust account such that the per share amount investors will receive upon any redemption or liquidation is substantially reduced or eliminated) may be amended if approved by a special resolution which requires the approval of the holders of at least two-thirds majority (or such higher threshold as specified in the company’s amended and restated articles of association) of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting of the company, and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of at least 65% of our ordinary shares entitled to vote thereon. We may not issue additional securities that can vote on amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Our initial shareholders, who will collectively beneficially own approximately 23.15% of our ordinary shares upon the closing of this, will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which govern our pre-initial business combination behavior more easily than some other blank check companies, and this may increase our ability to complete an initial business combination with which you do not agree. Our shareholders may pursue remedies against us for any breach of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering at the election of the Company in two separate three month extensions subject to satisfaction of certain conditions, including the deposit of up to $1,000,000, or $1,150,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.10 per unit in either case) for each three month extension, into the trust account, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A ordinary shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. These agreements are contained in a letter agreement that we will enter into with our sponsor, officers and directors prior to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part becoming effective. Our shareholders are not parties to, or third-party beneficiaries of, these agreements and, as a result, will not have the ability to pursue remedies against our sponsor, officers or directors for any breach of these agreements. As a result, in the event of a breach, our shareholders would need to pursue a shareholder derivative action, subject to applicable law.
Changes in the market for directors and officers liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate and complete an initial business combination.
In recent months, the market for directors and officers’ liability insurance for special purpose acquisition companies has changed in ways adverse to us and our management team. Fewer insurance companies are offering quotes for directors and officers liability coverage, the premiums charged for such policies have generally increased and the terms of such policies have generally become less favorable. These trends may continue into the future.
The increased cost and decreased availability of directors and officers’ liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate and complete an initial business combination. In order to obtain directors and officers liability insurance or modify its coverage as a result of becoming a public company, the post-business combination entity might need to incur greater expense and/or accept less favorable terms. Furthermore, any failure to obtain adequate directors and officers liability insurance could have an adverse impact on the post-business combination’s ability to attract and retain qualified officers and directors.
In addition, after completion of any initial business combination, our directors and officers could be subject to potential liability from claims arising from conduct alleged to have occurred prior to such initial business combination. As a result, in order to protect our directors and officers, the post-business combination entity may need to purchase additional insurance with respect to any such claims (“run-off insurance”). The need for run-off insurance would be an added expense for the post-business combination entity and could interfere with or frustrate our ability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to our investors.
We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination.
We have not selected any specific business combination target, but intend to target businesses larger than we could acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement units. As a result, we may be required to seek additional financing to complete such proposed initial business combination. We cannot assure you that such financing will be available on acceptable terms, if at all. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to complete our initial business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. Further, the amount of additional financing we may be required to obtain could increase as a result of future growth capital needs for any particular transaction, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, the obligation to repurchase for cash a significant number of shares from shareholders who elect redemption in connection with our initial business combination and/or the terms of negotiated transactions to purchase shares in connection with our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.15 per share plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants and rights will expire worthless. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to complete our initial business combination, we may require such financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our officers, directors or shareholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive approximately $10.15 per share on the liquidation of our trust account, and our warrants will expire worthless. Furthermore, as described in the risk factor entitled “If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.15 per share,” under certain circumstances our public shareholders may receive less than $10.15 per share upon the liquidation of the trust account.
Our initial shareholders may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.
Upon the closing of this offering, our initial shareholders will own shares representing approximately 23.15% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares. Accordingly, they may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approval of major corporate transactions. If our initial shareholders purchase any units in this offering or if our initial shareholders purchase any additional ordinary shares in the aftermarket or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase their control. Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our Class A ordinary shares.
Because we must furnish our shareholders with target business financial statements, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial business combination with some prospective target businesses.
The federal proxy rules require that a proxy statement with respect to a vote on an initial business combination meeting certain financial significance tests include historical and/or pro forma financial statement disclosure in periodic reports. We will include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with our tender offer documents, whether or not they are required under the tender offer rules. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, or international financial reporting standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), or PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such financial statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame.
Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate our initial business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an initial business combination.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending November 30, 2023. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer, and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company, we will not be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. The fact that we are a blank check company makes compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act particularly burdensome on us as compared to other public companies because a target company with which we seek to complete our initial business combination may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of its internal controls. The development of the internal control of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such business combination.
There may be tax consequences to our business combinations that may adversely affect us.
While we expect to undertake any merger or acquisition so as to minimize taxes both to the acquired business and/or asset and us, such business combination might not meet the statutory requirements of a tax-free reorganization, or the parties might not obtain the intended tax-free treatment upon a transfer of shares or assets. A reorganization that does not qualify as tax-free could result in the imposition of substantial taxes on holders of our securities.
We may face risks related to financial services businesses.
Business combinations with financial services businesses may involve special considerations and risks. If we complete our initial business combination with a financial services business, we will be subject to the following risks, any of which could be detrimental to us and the business we acquire:
| ● | if the company or business we acquire provides products or services which relate to the facilitation of financial transactions, such as funds or securities settlement system, and such product or service fails or is compromised, we may be subject to claims from both the firms to whom we provide our products and services and the clients they serve; |
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| ● | if we are unable to keep pace with evolving technology and changes in the financial services industry, our revenues and future prospects may decline; |
| ● | our ability to provide financial products and services to customers may be reduced or eliminated by regulatory changes; |
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| ● | any business or company we acquire could be vulnerable to cyberattack or theft of individual identities or personal data; |
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| ● | difficulties with any products or services we provide could damage our reputation and business; |
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| ● | a failure to comply with privacy regulations could adversely affect relations with customers and have a negative impact on business; and |
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| ● | we may not be able to protect our intellectual property and we may be subject to infringement claims. |
Any of the foregoing could have an adverse impact on our operations following a business combination. However, our efforts in identifying prospective target businesses will not be limited to financial services businesses. Accordingly, if we acquire a target business in another industry, these risks will likely not affect us and we will be subject to other risks attendant with the specific industry in which we operate or target business which we acquire, none of which can be presently ascertained.
Risks Relating to our Sponsor and Management Team
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be totally dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, some of whom may join us following our initial business combination. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel. The role of our key personnel in the target business, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of our key personnel may remain with the target business in senior management or advisory positions following our initial business combination, it is likely that some or all of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we employ after our initial business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a company regulated by the SEC, which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements. In addition, the officers and directors of an initial business combination candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The departure of an initial business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business. The role of an initial business combination candidate’s key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an initial business combination candidate’s management team will remain associated with the initial business combination candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an initial business combination candidate will not wish to remain in place. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
We are dependent upon our executive officers and directors and their departure could adversely affect our ability to operate.
Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our executive officers and directors. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our executive officers and directors, at least until we have completed our initial business combination. We do not have an employment agreement with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our directors or executive officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or executive officers could have a detrimental effect on us.
Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation following our initial business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous.
Our key personnel may be able to remain with the company after the completion of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the initial business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the initial business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to us after the completion of the initial business combination. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business. However, we believe the ability of such individuals to remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination will not be the determining factor in our decision as to whether or not we will proceed with any potential business combination. There is no certainty, however, that any of our key personnel will remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination. We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with us. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with us will be made at the time of the consummation of our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for an initial business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our officers is engaged in other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation and our officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. Our independent directors may also serve as officers or board members for other entities. If our officers’ and directors’ other business affairs require them to devote substantial amounts of time to such affairs in excess of their current commitment levels, it could limit their ability to devote time to our affairs which may have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination. For a complete discussion of our officers’ and directors’ other business affairs, please see the section of this prospectus entitled “Management — Directors and Officers.”
Certain of our officers and directors are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time and determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Following the completion of this offering and until we consummate our initial business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses. Our sponsor and officers and directors are, and may in the future become, affiliated with entities (such as operating companies or investment vehicles) that are engaged in a similar business and our officers and directors may become officers or directors of another special purpose acquisition company with a class of securities intended to be registered under the Exchange Act, even prior to us entering into a definitive agreement for our initial business combination. Our officers and directors also may become aware of business opportunities which may be appropriate for presentation to us and the other entities to which they owe certain fiduciary or contractual duties.
Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide, inter alia, that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as an officer or a director shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which (a) may be a corporate opportunity for any of the investors, directors or officers of the sponsor (“Investor Group”), or the entities which directors and officers are affiliated with (“Officer and Director Related Entities”), on the one hand, and us, on the other hand, or (b) the presentation of which would breach an existing legal obligation of a director or officer to any other entity.
For a complete discussion of our officers’ and directors’ business affiliations and the potential conflicts of interest that you should be aware of, please see the sections of this prospectus entitled “Management — Directors and Officers,” “Management — Conflicts of Interest” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”
Our officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests.
We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, officers, security holders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In fact, we may enter into an initial business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or officers, although we do not intend to do so. We do not have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own account in business activities of the types conducted by us. Accordingly, such persons or entities may have a conflict between their interests and ours.
The personal and financial interests of our executive officers and directors may influence their motivation in timely identifying and selecting a target business and completing a business combination. Consequently, our executive officers’ and directors’ discretion in identifying and selecting a suitable target business may result in a conflict of interest when determining whether the terms, conditions and timing of a particular business combination are appropriate and in our shareholders’ best interest. If this were the case, it would be a breach of their fiduciary duties to us as a matter of Cayman Islands law and we or our shareholders might have a claim against such individuals for infringing on our shareholders’ rights. See the section titled “Description of Securities—Certain Differences in Corporate Law—Shareholders’ Suits” for further information on the ability to bring such claims. However, we might not ultimately be successful in any claim we may make against them for such reason
The representative may have a conflict of interest if they render services to us in connection with our initial business combination.
We may elect to engage JonesTrading Institutional Services LLC (who is the representative of the underwriters of this offering) to assist us in connection with our initial business combination. The representative is entitled to $3,500,000 of deferred underwriting commissions, or $4,025,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full. Therefore, if the representative provides services to us in connection with our initial business combination, these financial interests may result in the representative having a conflict of interest when providing such services to us.
We may engage in an initial business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our sponsor, officers, directors or existing holders which may raise potential conflicts of interest.
In light of the involvement of our sponsor, officers and directors with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. Our directors and officers also serve as officers and board members for other entities, including, without limitation, those described under the section of this prospectus entitled “Management — Conflicts of Interest.” Such entities may compete with us for business combination opportunities. Our sponsor, officers and directors are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to complete our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no preliminary discussions concerning an initial business combination with any such entity or entities. Although we will not be specifically focusing on, or targeting, any transaction with any affiliated entities, we would pursue such a transaction if we determined that such affiliated entity met our criteria for an initial business combination as set forth in the section of this prospectus entitled “Proposed Business — Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of our Initial Business Combination” and such transaction was approved by a majority of our disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, regarding the fairness to our shareholders from a financial point of view of an initial business combination with one or more businesses affiliated with our sponsor, officers, directors or existing holders, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the initial business combination may not be as advantageous to our public shareholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest.
Since our sponsor, officers, and directors will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed (other than with respect to any public shares they may acquire during or after this offering), and because our sponsor, officers, and directors who have an interest in founder shares may profit substantially even under circumstances where our public shareholders would experience losses in connection with their investment, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.
On April 5, 2022, our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 2,875,000 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.009 per share. On April 7, 2022, our sponsor transferred 15,000 shares to Brett Westbrook, 14,000 shares to Bharat Patel, and 14,000 shares to Marco Bardelli. On April 29, 2022, our sponsor transferred 25,000 shares to Babar Ali, 15,000 shares to Atle Crowe-Maxwell, and 14,000 shares to Denis Durand. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after this offering (excluding the placement units and underlying securities). The founder shares will be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination.
Our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 511,842 placement units at a price of $10.00 per unit for an aggregate purchase price of $5,118,420. If the over-allotment option is exercised in full, the amount of placement units sold will be 564,342 for an aggregate purchase price of $5,643,420. Each placement unit consists of one Class A ordinary share, one-half of one warrant and one right. Each whole warrant is exercisable to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share. Each right entitles the holder thereof to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon consummation of our initial business combination, so you must hold rights in multiples of 10 in order to receive shares for all of your rights upon closing of a business combination. These securities will also be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. Holders of founder shares have agreed (A) to vote any shares owned by them in favor of any proposed initial business combination, and (B) not to redeem any founder shares held by them in connection with a shareholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination. In addition, we may obtain loans from our sponsor, affiliates of our sponsor or an officer or director, or (iii) rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares held by them if we fail to complete our business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our business combination within such time period. The personal and financial interests of our officers and directors may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business combination, completing an initial business combination and influencing the operation of the business following the initial business combination.
Since our sponsor, executive officers and directors will not be eligible to be reimbursed for their out-of-pocket expenses if our business combination is not completed, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.
Our sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf; provided, however, that to the extent such expenses exceed the available proceeds not deposited in the trust account, such expenses would not be reimbursed by us unless we consummate an initial business combination. These financial interests of our sponsor, executive officers and directors may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business combination and completing an initial business combination.
Risks Relating to our Securities
The securities in which we invest the funds held in the trust account could bear a negative rate of interest, which could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.15 per share.
The proceeds held in the trust account will be invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act, which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. While short-term U.S. government treasury obligations currently yield a positive rate of interest, they have briefly yielded negative interest rates in recent years. In the event that we are unable to complete our initial business combination or make certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, our public shareholders are entitled to receive their pro-rata share of the proceeds held in the trust account, plus any interest income, net of taxes paid or payable (less, in the case we are unable to complete our initial business combination, $100,000 of interest). Negative interest rates could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.15 per share.
Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
We have applied to have our units listed on Nasdaq. We expect that our units will be listed on Nasdaq on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. Following the date our Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and rights are eligible to trade separately, we anticipate that our Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and rights will be separately listed on Nasdaq. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on Nasdaq. Although after giving effect to this offering we expect to meet, on a pro forma basis, the minimum initial listing standards set forth in the Nasdaq listing standards, we cannot assure you that our securities will be, or will continue to be, listed on Nasdaq in the future or prior to our initial business combination. In order to continue listing our securities on Nasdaq prior to our initial business combination, we must generally, maintain a $50 million market value of listed securities, 1.1 million publicly available shares, a $15 million market value of publicly held shares and a minimum number of holders of our securities (generally 400 public holders). Additionally, in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to demonstrate compliance with Nasdaq’s initial listing requirements, which are more rigorous than Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements, in order to continue to maintain the listing of our securities on Nasdaq. For instance, our stock price would generally be required to be at least $4.00 per share, the market value of listed securities would be required to be at least $75 million, we would need to have 1.1 million publicly available shares and $20 million of market value of unrestricted publicly held shares, and we would be required to have a minimum of 400 round lot holders (with at least 50% of such round lot holders holding securities with a market value of at least $2,500) of our securities, in order to continue our listing on the Nasdaq Global Market under our current listing standard. Our share price would generally be required to be at least $4.00 per share, our shareholders’ equity would generally be required to be at least $5.0 million and we would be required to have a minimum of 300 round lot holders (with at least 50% of such round lot holders holding securities with a market value of at least $2,500) of our securities, in the event we transfer to the Nasdaq Capital Market. We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time. We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time.
If Nasdaq delists our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our securities on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
| ● | a limited availability of market quotations for our securities; |
| ● | reduced liquidity for our securities; |
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| ● | a determination that our Class A ordinary shares is a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A ordinary shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities; |
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| ● | a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and |
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| ● | a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. |
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because we expect that our units and eventually our Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights will be listed on Nasdaq, our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights will be covered securities. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of our securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. While we are not aware of a state having used these powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of securities issued by blank check companies, other than the State of Idaho, certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if we were no longer listed on Nasdaq, our securities would not be covered securities and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities, including in connection with our initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering without our prior consent, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares.” However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Your inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce your influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, you will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And as a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell your shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
Holders of our Class A ordinary shares will not be entitled to vote on any appointment of directors we hold prior to our initial business combination.
Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors and holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason by ordinary resolution. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the appointment of directors during such time. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by the holders of not less than 90% of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at our general meeting.
We are not registering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time, and such registration may not be in place when an investor desires to exercise warrants, thus precluding such investor from being able to exercise its warrants except on a cashless basis. If the issuance of the shares upon exercise of warrants is not registered, qualified or exempt from registration or qualification, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless.
We are not registering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time. However, under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed that we will use our best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement for the registration under the Securities Act of the issuance of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days following our initial business combination and to maintain a current prospectus relating to the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants, until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. We cannot assure you that we will be able to do so if, for example, any facts or events arise which represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement or prospectus, the financial statements contained or incorporated by reference therein are not current, complete or correct or the SEC issues a stop order. If the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act, we will be required to permit holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. However, no warrant will be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, and we will not be obligated to issue any shares to holders seeking to exercise their warrants, unless the issuance of the shares upon such exercise is registered or qualified under the securities laws of the state of the exercising holder, or an exemption from registration is available. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective within a specified period following the consummation of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, provided that such exemption is available. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. We will use our best efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available. In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant, or issue securities or other compensation in exchange for the warrants in the event that we are unable to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws and there is no exemption available. If the issuance of the shares upon exercise of the warrants is not so registered or qualified or exempt from registration or qualification, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless. In such event, holders who acquired their warrants as part of a purchase of units will have paid the full unit purchase price solely for the Class A ordinary shares included in the units. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may not exercise our redemption right if the issuance of ordinary shares upon exercise of the warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or we are unable to effect such registration or qualification. We will use our best efforts to register or qualify such ordinary shares under the blue sky laws of the state of residence in those states in which the warrants were offered by us in this offering. However, there may be instances in which holders of our public warrants may be unable to exercise such public warrants but holders of our placement warrants may be able to exercise such placement warrants.
If you exercise your public warrants on a “cashless basis,” you will receive fewer Class A ordinary shares from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.
There are circumstances in which the exercise of the public warrants may be required or permitted to be made on a cashless basis. First, if a registration statement covering the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. Second, if a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective within a specified period following the consummation of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, provided that such exemption is available; if that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. Third, if we call the warrants for redemption, our management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise warrants to do so on a cashless basis. In the event of an exercise on a cashless basis, a holder would pay the warrant exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “fair market value” (as defined in the next sentence) over the exercise price, by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” for this purpose shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of exercise is received by the warrant agent or on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants, as applicable. As a result, you would receive fewer Class A ordinary shares from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.
We may issue additional ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares upon the conversion of the Class B ordinary shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of the consummation of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will authorize the issuance of up to 479,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, 20,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and 1,000,000 preference shares, par value $0.0001 per share. Immediately after this offering and the sale of the placement units, there will be 468,488,158 and 17,500,000 (assuming, in each case, that the underwriters have not exercised their over-allotment option) authorized but unissued Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares, respectively, available for issuance, which amount does not take into account the Class A ordinary shares reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding warrants and rights or the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of Class B ordinary shares. Immediately after the consummation of this offering, there will be no preference shares issued and outstanding. Class B ordinary shares are convertible into our Class A ordinary shares initially at a one-for-one ratio but subject to adjustment as set forth herein, including in certain circumstances in which we issue Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities related to our initial business combination.
We may issue a substantial number of additional ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination (although our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that we may not issue securities that can vote with ordinary shareholders on matters related to our pre-initial business combination activity). We may also issue Class A ordinary shares upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of the consummation of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. However, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide, among other things, that prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional shares that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account or (ii) vote on any initial business combination. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, like all provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, may be amended by special resolution. However, our executive officers, directors and director nominees have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their ordinary shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares.
The issuance of additional ordinary or preference shares:
| ● | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering, which dilution would increase if the anti-dilution provisions in the Class B ordinary shares resulted in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares; |
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| ● | may subordinate the rights of holders of our ordinary shares if preference shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our ordinary shares; |
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| ● | could cause a change of control if a substantial number of our ordinary shares are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; |
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| ● | may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; and |
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| ● | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, Class A ordinary shares and/or warrants. |
Our initial shareholders paid a nominal price for the founder shares and, accordingly, you will experience immediate and substantial dilution from the purchase of our ordinary shares.
The difference between the public offering price per share (allocating all of the unit purchase price to the Class A ordinary shares and none to the warrants and rights included in the unit) and the pro forma net tangible book value per share of our Class A ordinary shares after this offering constitutes the dilution to you and the other investors in this offering. Our sponsor acquired the founder shares at a nominal price, significantly contributing to this dilution. Upon the closing of this offering, and assuming no value is ascribed to the warrants and rights included in the units, you and the other public shareholders will incur an immediate and substantial dilution of approximately 106.7% (or $9.70 per share, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option), the difference between the pro forma net tangible book deficit per share of $(0.61) and the initial offering price of $9.09 per unit. In addition, because of the anti-dilution rights of the founder shares, any equity or equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial business combination would be disproportionately dilutive to our Class A ordinary shares.
Unlike many other similarly structured special purpose acquisition companies, our initial shareholders will receive additional Class A ordinary shares if we issue shares to consummate an initial business combination.
The founder shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of the consummation of our initial business combination, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional Class A ordinary shares, or equity-linked securities convertible or exercisable for Class A ordinary shares, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in this prospectus and related to the closing of the initial business combination, the ratio at which founder shares shall convert into Class A ordinary shares will be adjusted so that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all founder shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the total number of all outstanding ordinary shares upon completion of the initial business combination, excluding the placement units and underlying securities, and any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the business combination and any private placement-equivalent warrants and their underlying securities issued to our sponsor or its affiliates upon conversion of loans made to us. This is different from most other similarly structured blank check companies in which the initial shareholder will only be issued an aggregate of 20% of the total number of shares to be outstanding prior to the initial business combination. Additionally, the aforementioned adjustment will not take into account any Class A ordinary shares redeemed in connection with the business combination. Accordingly, the holders of the founder shares could receive additional Class A ordinary shares even if the additional Class A ordinary shares, or equity-linked securities convertible or exercisable for Class A ordinary shares, are issued or deemed issued solely to replace those shares that were redeemed in connection with the business combination. The foregoing may make it more difficult and expensive for us to consummate an initial business combination.
We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding public warrants. As a result, the exercise price of your warrants could be increased, the exercise period could be shortened and the number of our Class A ordinary shares purchasable upon exercise of a warrant could be decreased, all without your approval.
Our warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any mistake, including to conform the provisions of the warrant agreement to the description of the terms of the warrants and the warrant agreement set forth in this prospectus, or defective provision, but requires the approval by the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding public warrants to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of public warrants (which may include public warrants acquired by our sponsor or its affiliates in this offering or thereafter in the open market). Accordingly, we may amend the terms of the public warrants in a manner adverse to a holder if holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding public warrants approve of such amendment. Although our ability to amend the terms of the public warrants with the consent of at least a majority of the then outstanding public warrants is unlimited, examples of such amendments could be amendments to, among other things, increase the exercise price of the warrants, convert the warrants into cash or shares, shorten the exercise period or decrease the number of our Class A ordinary shares purchasable upon exercise of a warrant.
Our warrant agreement and rights agreement will designate the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants or rights, which could limit the ability of warrant or rights holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company.
Our warrant agreement and rights agreement will provide that, subject to applicable law, (i) any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the warrant agreement or rights agreement, including under the Securities Act, will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and (ii) that we irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be the exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. We will waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, these provisions of the warrant agreement or rights agreement will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our warrants shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the forum provisions in our warrant agreement and rights agreement. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope the forum provisions of the warrant agreement or rights agreement, is filed in a court other than a court of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (a “foreign action”) in the name of any holder of our warrants or rights, such holder shall be deemed to have consented to: (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in the State of New York in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the forum provisions (an “enforcement action”), and (y) having service of process made upon such warrant holder or rights holder in any such enforcement action by service upon such warrant holder’s or rights holder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such warrant holder or rights holder.
This choice-of-forum provision may limit a warrant holder’s or rights holder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with our company, which may discourage such lawsuits. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision of our warrant agreement or rights agreement inapplicable or unenforceable with respect to one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and result in a diversion of the time and resources of our management and board of directors.
We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.
We have the ability to redeem outstanding warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per warrant, provided that the reported last sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share dividends, rights issuances, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period commencing once the warrants become exercisable and ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which we give proper notice of such redemption and provided certain other conditions are met. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may not exercise our redemption right if the issuance of ordinary shares upon exercise of the warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or we are unable to effect such registration or qualification. We will use our best efforts to register or qualify such ordinary shares under the blue sky laws of the state of residence in those states in which the warrants were offered by us in this offering. Redemption of the outstanding warrants could force you (i) to exercise your warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for you to do so, (ii) to sell your warrants at the then-current market price when you might otherwise wish to hold your warrants or (iii) to accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding warrants are called for redemption, is likely to be substantially less than the market value of your warrants. None of the placement warrants will be redeemable by us so long as they are held by the sponsor or its permitted transferees.
Our warrants, rights and founder shares may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.
We will be issuing warrants to purchase 5,000,000 of our Class A ordinary shares (or up to 5,750,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) and rights convertible into 1,000,000 of our Class A ordinary shares (or up to 1,150,000 of our Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) as part of the units offered by this prospectus and, simultaneously with the closing of this offering, we will be issuing placement units, in a private placement, consisting of an aggregate of 511,842 placement units (or 564,342 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) exercisable for 511,842 of our Class A ordinary shares (or 564,342 of our ordinary shares if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) and 51,184 placement rights (or 56,434 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) convertible into an aggregate of 51,184 Class ordinary shares (or 56,434 of our Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). Our initial shareholders currently own an aggregate of 2,875,000 founder shares. The founder shares are convertible into Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as set forth herein. In addition, if our sponsor makes any working capital loans, up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be converted into units, at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender, upon consummation of our initial business combination. Repayment of non-interest bearing loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which (other than as described above) have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. The units would be identical to the placement units. To the extent we issue Class A ordinary shares to effectuate an initial business combination, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of these warrants, conversion of these rights and loan conversion rights could make us a less attractive business combination vehicle to a target business. Any such issuance will increase the number of issued and outstanding our Class A ordinary shares and reduce the value of the Class A ordinary shares issued to complete the initial business combination. Therefore, our warrants, rights and founder shares may make it more difficult to effectuate an initial business combination or increase the cost of acquiring the target business.
The placement warrants included in the placement units are identical to the warrants sold as part of the units in this offering except that (i) they (including the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of these warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holders until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) will be entitled to registration rights.
A provision of our warrant agreement may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination.
Unlike most blank check companies, if
| (i) | we issue additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at a Newly Issued Price of less than $9.20 per share; |
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| (ii) | the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and |
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| (iii) | the Market Value is below $9.20 per share, |
then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted to be equal to 115% of the greater of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the greater of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price. This may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination with a target business.
The determination of the offering price of our units, the size of this offering and the terms of the units is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities and size of an offering of an operating company in a particular industry. You may have less assurance, therefore, that the offering price of our units properly reflects the value of such units than you would have in a typical offering of an operating company.
Prior to this offering there has been no public market for any of our securities. The public offering price of the units and the terms of the warrants and rights were negotiated between us and the underwriters. In determining the size of this offering, management held customary organizational meetings with the representative of the underwriters, both prior to our inception and thereafter, with respect to the state of capital markets, generally, and the amount the underwriters believed they reasonably could raise on our behalf. Factors considered in determining the size of this offering, prices and terms of the units, including the Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights underlying the units, include:
| ● | the history and prospects of companies whose principal business is the acquisition of other companies; |
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| ● | prior offerings of those companies; |
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| ● | our prospects for acquiring an operating business; |
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| ● | a review of debt to equity ratios in leveraged transactions; |
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| ● | our capital structure; |
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| ● | an assessment of our management and their experience in identifying operating companies; |
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| ● | general conditions of the securities markets at the time of this offering; and |
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| ● | other factors as were deemed relevant. |
Although these factors were considered, the determination of our offering price, size and terms of the units is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities of an operating company in a particular industry since we have no historical operations or financial results.
An investment in this offering may involve adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences.
An investment in this offering may involve adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences. For instance:
| ● | Because there are no authorities that directly address instruments similar to the units we are issuing in this offering, the allocation an investor makes with respect to the purchase price of the unit among the share of Class A ordinary shares, warrant and right included in the units could be challenged by the Internal Revenue Service of the United States (“IRS”) or the courts. |
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| ● | If we make distributions on our Class A ordinary shares, such distributions generally will be treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. The ability of a holder to seek redemption of their shares may be viewed as a position with respect to substantially similar or related property which diminishes your risk of loss and thereby affects your ability to satisfy the holding period requirements for the dividends received deduction or the preferential tax rate on qualified dividend income with respect to the time period prior to the approval of an initial business combination. |
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| ● | Any capital gain or loss you realize on a sale or other disposition of our Class A ordinary shares will generally be long-term capital gain or loss if your holding period for the Class A ordinary shares is more than one year. However, the redemption feature of the Class A ordinary shares could affect your ability to satisfy the holding period requirements for the long-term capital gain tax rate with respect to the time period prior to the approval of an initial business combination. |
See the section titled “Taxation” for a summary of the material United States Federal income tax consequences of an investment in our securities. Accordingly, each prospective investor is urged to consult a tax advisor with respect to the specific tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our securities, including the applicability and effect of state, local, or foreign tax laws, as well as U.S. federal tax laws.
We may be a passive foreign investment company, or “PFIC,” which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors.
If we are a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. Holder (as defined in the section of this prospectus captioned “Taxation—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—U.S. Holders”) of our Class A ordinary shares or warrants, the U.S. Holder may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences and may be subject to additional reporting requirements. Our PFIC status for our current and subsequent taxable years may depend on whether we qualify for the PFIC start-up exception (see the section of this prospectus captioned “Taxation—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—U.S. Holders—Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules”). Depending on the particular circumstances the application of the start-up exception may be subject to uncertainty, and there cannot be any assurance that we will qualify for the start-up exception. Accordingly, there can be no assurances with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any subsequent taxable year. Our actual PFIC status for any taxable year, however, will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year. Moreover, if we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year, upon written request, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. Holder such information as the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) may require, including a PFIC Annual Information Statement, in order to enable the U.S. Holder to make and maintain a “qualified electing fund” election, but there can be no assurance that we will timely provide such required information, and such election would be unavailable with respect to our warrants in all cases. We urge U.S. investors to consult their tax advisors regarding the possible application of the PFIC rules. For a more detailed discussion of the tax consequences of PFIC classification to U.S. Holders, see the section of this prospectus captioned “Taxation—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—U.S. Holders—Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules.”
There is currently no market for our securities and a market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.
There is currently no market for our securities. Shareholders therefore have no access to information about prior market history on which to base their investment decision. Following this offering, the price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions. Furthermore, an active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established and sustained.
Our officers and directors presently have, or may in the future have, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities, including another blank check company, and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Following the completion of this offering and until we consummate our initial business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses or entities. Our officers and directors presently have, or may in the future have, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us, subject to their fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law.
In addition, our sponsor, officers and directors presently are, or may in the future become affiliated with other blank check companies that may have acquisition objectives that are similar to ours. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to such other blank check companies prior to its presentation to us, subject to our officers’ and directors’ fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide, inter alia, that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as an officer or a director shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which (a) may be a corporate opportunity for any of the Investor Group or the Officer and Director Related Entities (as such terms are defined in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), on the one hand, and us, on the other hand, or (b) the presentation of which would breach an existing legal obligation of a director or officer to any other entity.
For a complete discussion of our executive officers’ and directors’ business affiliations and the potential conflicts of interest that you should be aware of, please see “Management—Officers and Directors,” “Management—Conflicts of Interest” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”
General Risk Factors
We are a newly formed company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
We are a newly incorporated Cayman Islands exempted company with no operating results, and we will not commence operations until obtaining funding through this offering. Because we lack an operating history, you have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination with one or more target businesses. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning an initial business combination and may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we fail to complete our initial business combination, we will never generate any operating revenues.
Our independent registered public accounting firm’s report contains an explanatory paragraph that expresses substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a “going concern.”
On May 18, 2022, we had no cash and a working capital deficit of $56,522. Further, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of our financing and acquisition plans. Management’s plans to address this need for capital through this offering are discussed in the section of this prospectus titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to consummate an initial business combination will be successful. These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements contained elsewhere in this prospectus do not include any adjustments that might result from our inability to consummate this offering or our inability to continue as a going concern.
Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination and results of operations.
We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. We will be required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination and results of operations.
On March 30, 2022, the SEC issued proposed rules relating to, among other items, disclosures in business combination transactions involving SPACs and private operating companies; the financial statement requirements applicable to transactions involving shell companies; the use of projections in SEC filings in connection with proposed business combination transactions; the potential liability of certain participants in proposed business combination transactions; and the extent to which special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) could become subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, including a proposed rule that would provide SPACs a safe harbor from treatment as an investment company if they satisfy certain conditions that limit a SPAC’s duration, asset composition, business purpose and activities. These rules, if adopted, whether in the form proposed or in a revised form, may increase the costs of and the time needed to negotiate and complete an initial business combination, and may constrain the circumstances under which we could complete an initial business combination.
Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.
We depend on digital technologies, including information systems, infrastructure and cloud applications and services, including those of third parties with which we may deal. Sophisticated and deliberate attacks on, or security breaches in, our systems or infrastructure, or the systems or infrastructure of third parties or the cloud, could lead to corruption or misappropriation of our assets, proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data. As an early stage company without significant investments in data security protection, we may not be sufficiently protected against such occurrences. We may not have sufficient resources to adequately protect against, or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to, cyber incidents. It is possible that any of these occurrences, or a combination of them, could have adverse consequences on our ability to consummate a business combination and lead to financial loss.
We may face risks related to companies in the technology sector.
Business combinations with companies in the technology sector (where we plan to search for our initial business combination target) entail special considerations and risks. If we are successful in completing a business combination with such a target business, we may be subject to, and possibly adversely affected by, the following risks:
| ● | an inability to compete effectively in a highly competitive environment with many incumbents having substantially greater resources; |
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| ● | an inability to manage rapid change, increasing consumer expectations and growth; |
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| ● | an inability to build strong brand identity and improve subscriber or customer satisfaction and loyalty; |
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| ● | a reliance on proprietary technology to provide services and to manage our operations, and the failure of this technology to operate effectively, or our failure to use such technology effectively; |
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| ● | an inability to deal with our subscribers’ or customers’ privacy concerns; |
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| ● | an inability to attract and retain subscribers or customers; |
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| ● | an inability to license or enforce intellectual property rights on which our business may depend; |
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| ● | any significant disruption in our computer systems or those of third parties that we would utilize in our operations; |
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| ● | an inability by us, or a refusal by third parties, to license content to us upon acceptable terms; |
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| ● | potential liability for negligence, copyright or trademark infringement or other claims based on the nature and content of materials that we may distribute; |
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| ● | competition for advertising revenue; |
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| ● | competition for the leisure and entertainment time and discretionary spending of subscribers or customers, which may intensify in part due to advances in technology and changes in consumer expectations and behavior; |
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| ● | disruption or failure of our networks, systems or technology as a result of computer viruses, “cyber-attacks,” misappropriation of data or other malfeasance, as well as outages, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, accidental releases of information or similar events; |
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| ● | an inability to obtain necessary hardware, software and operational support; and |
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| ● | reliance on third-party vendors or service providers. |
Any of the foregoing could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations following a business combination.
Past performance by our management team may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.
Past performance by our management team is not a guarantee either (i) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate or (ii) that we will be able to locate a suitable candidate for our initial business combination. You should not rely on the historical record of our management team’s performance as indicative of our future performance of an investment in the company or the returns the company will, or is likely to, generate going forward. None of our directors has experience with blank check companies or special purpose acquisition companies. Additionally, in the course of their respective careers, members of our management team have been involved in businesses and deals that were unsuccessful.
We may be subject to an increased rate of tax on our income if we are treated as a personal holding company.
Depending on the date and size of our initial business combination, it is possible that we could be treated as a “personal holding company” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A U.S. corporation generally will be classified as a personal holding company for U.S. federal income tax purposes in a given taxable year if more than 50% of its ownership (by value) is concentrated, within a certain period of time, in five or fewer individuals (without regard to their citizenship or residency and including as individuals for this purpose certain entities such as certain tax-exempt organizations, pension funds, and charitable trusts), and at least 60% of its income is comprised of certain passive items. See the section titled “Taxation — Personal Holding Company Status” for more detailed information.
We are an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company within the meaning of the rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies and smaller reporting companies, this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies.
We are an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of the rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, as modified by the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor internal controls attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As a result, our shareholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if the market value of our Class A ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any June 30 before that time, in which case we would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the following November 30. We cannot predict whether investors will find our securities less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result of our reliance on these exemptions, the trading prices of our securities may be lower than they otherwise would be, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the trading prices of our securities may be more volatile.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected not to opt out of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Rule 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the end of the prior June 30th, or (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th. To the extent we take advantage of such reduced disclosure obligations, it may also make comparison of our financial statements with other public companies difficult or impossible.
Because we are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, you may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal courts may be limited.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon our officers or directors, or enforce judgments obtained in the United States courts against our officers or directors.
Our corporate affairs will be governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act (as the same may be supplemented or amended from time to time) and the common law of the Cayman Islands. We will also be subject to the federal securities laws of the United States. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from English common law, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority but are not binding on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are different from what they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States, and certain states, such as Delaware, may have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholder’s derivative action in a federal court of the United States.
We have been advised by Ogier, our Cayman Islands legal counsel, that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands would (i) recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state; or (ii) entertain original actions brought in the Cayman Islands predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state. In those circumstances, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction at common law any re-examination of the merits of the underlying dispute provided that such judgment (i) is given by a foreign court of competent jurisdiction, (ii) imposes on the judgment debtor a liability to pay a liquidated sum for which the judgment has been given, (iii) is final, (iv) is not in the nature of taxes, a fine, or a penalty; and (v) was not obtained in a manner and is not of a kind the enforcement of which is contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands. However, there is uncertainty with regard to Cayman Islands law on whether judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any State will be determined by the courts of the Cayman Islands penal or punitive in nature. If such a determination is made, the courts of the Cayman Islands will not recognize or enforce the judgment against a Cayman Islands company, such as our company. Because such a determination in relation to judgments obtained from U.S. courts under civil liability provisions of U.S. securities laws has not yet been made by a court of the Cayman Islands, it is uncertain whether such judgments would be enforceable in the Cayman Islands. A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
We may reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination, and the laws of such jurisdiction may govern some or all of our future material agreements and we may not be able to enforce our legal rights.
In connection with our initial business combination, we may relocate the home jurisdiction of our business from the Cayman Islands to another jurisdiction. If we determine to do this, the laws of such jurisdiction may govern some or all of our future material agreements. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the United States. The inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss of business, business opportunities or capital.
Currently, a majority of our directors, director nominees and officers reside outside the United States. After our initial business combination, it is possible that a majority of our directors and officers will continue to live outside the United States and all of our assets will be located outside the United States; therefore investors may not be able to enforce federal securities laws or their other legal rights.
Currently, a majority of our directors, director nominees and officers reside outside the United States. It is possible that after our initial business combination, a majority of our directors and officers will continue to reside outside of the United States and all of our assets will be located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult, or in some cases not possible, for investors in the United States to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon all of our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of United States courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties on our directors and officers under United States laws.
Risks Associated with Acquiring and Operating a Business in Foreign Countries
If we pursue a target company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we may face additional burdens in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing such initial business combination, and if we effect such initial business combination, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.
If we pursue a target a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we would be subject to risks associated with cross-border business combinations, including in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing our initial business combination, conducting due diligence in a foreign jurisdiction, having such transaction approved by any local governments, regulators or agencies and changes in the purchase price based on fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
If we effect our initial business combination with such a company, we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in an international setting, including any of the following:
| ● | higher costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations; |
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| ● | rules and regulations regarding currency redemption; |
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| ● | complex corporate withholding taxes on individuals; |
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| ● | laws governing the manner in which future business combinations may be effected; |
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| ● | tariffs and trade barriers; |
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| ● | regulations related to customs and import/export matters; |
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| ● | local or regional economic policies and market conditions; |
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| ● | unexpected changes in regulatory requirements; |
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| ● | longer payment cycles; |
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| ● | tax issues, such as tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States; |
| ● | currency fluctuations and exchange controls; |
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| ● | rates of inflation; |
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| ● | challenges in collecting accounts receivable; |
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| ● | cultural and language differences; |
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| ● | employment regulations; |
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| ● | underdeveloped or unpredictable legal or regulatory systems; |
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| ● | corruption; |
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| ● | protection of intellectual property; |
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| ● | social unrest, crime, strikes, riots and civil disturbances; |
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| ● | regime changes and political upheaval; |
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| ● | terrorist attacks, natural disasters and wars; and |
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| ● | deterioration of political relations with the United States. |
Additionally, as a result of the military action commenced in February 2022 by the Russian Federation and Belarus in the country of Ukraine and related economic sanctions, the Company’s ability to consummate a Business Combination, or the operations of a target business with which the Company ultimately consummates a Business Combination, may be materially and adversely affected. Further, the Company’s ability to consummate a transaction may be dependent on the ability to raise equity and debt financing which may be impacted by these events, including as a result of increased market volatility, or decreased market liquidity in third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to the Company or at all. The impact of this action and related sanctions on the world economy and the specific impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and/or ability to consummate a Business Combination are not yet determinable.
We may not be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, we may be unable to complete such initial business combination, or, if we complete such combination, our operations might suffer, either of which may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Corporate governance standards in Southeast Asian countries, Australia, and New Zealand may not be as strict or developed as in the United States and such weakness may hide issues and operational practices that are detrimental to a target business.
General corporate governance standards in Southeast Asian countries, Australia, and New Zealand are weaker than those in the United States. This could result in unfavorable related party transactions, over-leveraging, improper accounting, family company interconnectivity and poor management. Local laws often do not go far enough to prevent improper business practices. Therefore, shareholders may not be treated impartially and equally as a result of poor management practices, asset shifting, conglomerate structures that result in preferential treatment to some parts of the overall company, and cronyism. The lack of transparency and ambiguity in the regulatory process also may result in inadequate credit evaluation and weakness that may precipitate or encourage financial crisis. In our evaluation of a business combination, we will have to evaluate the corporate governance of a target and the business environment, and in accordance with United States laws for reporting companies take steps to implement practices that will cause compliance with all applicable rules and accounting practices. Notwithstanding these intended efforts, there may be endemic practices and local laws that could add risk to an investment we ultimately make and that result in an adverse effect on our operations and financial results.
If the government of the country in which we effect our initial business combination finds that the agreements we entered into to acquire control of a target business through contractual arrangements with one or more operating businesses do not comply with local governmental restrictions on foreign investment, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change in the future, we could be subject to significant penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations.
Some countries in Asia currently prohibit and/or restrict foreign ownership in certain “important industries,” including telecommunications, food production and heavy equipment. There are uncertainties under certain regulations whether obtaining a majority interest through contractual arrangements will comply with regulations prohibiting or restricting foreign ownership in certain industries. In addition, there can be restrictions on the foreign ownership of businesses that are determined from time to time to be in “important industries” that may affect the national economic security or those having “famous brand names” or “well-established brand names.”
If we or any of our potential future target businesses are found to be in violation of any existing or future local laws or regulations (for example, if we are deemed to be holding equity interests in certain of our affiliated entities in which direct foreign ownership is prohibited), the relevant regulatory authorities might have the discretion to:
| ● | revoke the business and operating licenses of the potential future target business; |
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| ● | confiscate relevant income and impose fines and other penalties; |
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| ● | discontinue or restrict the operations of the potential future target business; |
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| ● | require us or the potential future target business to restructure the relevant ownership structure or operations; |
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| ● | restrict or prohibit our use of the proceeds of this offering to finance our businesses and operations in the relevant jurisdiction; or |
impose conditions or requirements with which we or the potential future target business may not be able to comply.
Many of the economies in Asia are experiencing substantial inflationary pressures which may prompt the governments to take action to control the growth of the economy and inflation that could lead to a significant decrease in our profitability following our initial business combination.
While many of the economies in Asia have experienced rapid growth over the last two decades, they have also experienced inflationary pressures. As governments take steps to address inflationary pressures, there may be significant changes in the availability of bank credits, interest rates, limitations on loans, restrictions on currency conversions and foreign investment. There also may be imposition of price controls. If prices for the products of our ultimate target business rise at a rate that is insufficient to compensate for the rise in the costs of supplies, it may have an adverse effect on our profitability. If these or other similar restrictions are imposed by a government to influence the economy, it may lead to a slowing of economic growth. Because we are not limited to any specific industry, the ultimate industry that we operate in may be affected more severely by such a slowing of economic growth.
If any dividend is declared in the future and paid in a foreign currency, you may be taxed on a larger amount in U.S.
If you are a U.S. holder of our ordinary shares, you will be taxed on the U.S. dollar value of your dividends, if any, at the time you receive them, even if you actually receive a smaller amount of U.S. dollars when the payment is in fact converted into U.S. dollars. Specifically, if a dividend is declared and paid in a foreign currency, the amount of the dividend distribution that you must include in your income as a U.S. holder will be the U.S. dollar value of the payments made in the foreign currency, determined at the spot rate of the foreign currency to the U.S. dollar on the date the dividend distribution is includible in your income, regardless of whether the payment is in fact converted into U.S. dollars. Thus, if the value of the foreign currency decreases before you actually convert the currency into U.S. dollars, you will be taxed on a larger amount in U.S. dollars than the U.S. dollar amount that you will ultimately receive.
After our initial business combination, substantially all of our assets may be located in a foreign country and substantially all of our revenue may be derived from our operations in such country. Accordingly, our results of operations and prospects will be subject, to a significant extent, to the economic, political and legal policies, developments and conditions in the country in which we operate.
The economic, political and social conditions, as well as government policies, of the country in which our operations are located could affect our business. The economy in Asian Countries differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects. Such economic growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy and such growth may not be sustained in the future. If in the future such country’s economy experiences a downturn or grows at a slower rate than expected, there may be less demand for spending in certain industries. A decrease in demand for spending in certain industries could materially and adversely affect our ability to find an attractive target business with which to consummate our initial business combination and if we effect our initial business combination, the ability of that target business to become profitable.
Exchange rate fluctuations and currency policies may cause a target business’ ability to succeed in the international markets to be diminished.
In the event we acquire a non-U.S. target, all revenues and income would likely be received in a foreign currency, the dollar equivalent of our net assets and distributions, if any, could be adversely affected by reductions in the value of the local currency. The value of the currencies in our target regions fluctuate and are affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions. Any change in the relative value of such currency against our reporting currency may affect the attractiveness of any target business or, following consummation of our initial business combination, our financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, if a currency appreciates in value against the dollar prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, the cost of a target business as measured in dollars will increase, which may make it less likely that we are able to consummate such transaction.
If our management following our initial business combination is unfamiliar with United States securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws, which could lead to various regulatory issues.
Following our initial business combination, our management may resign from their positions as officers or directors of the company and the management of the target business at the time of the business combination will remain in place. Management of the target business may not be familiar with United States securities laws. If new management is unfamiliar with United States securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws. This could be expensive and time-consuming and could lead to various regulatory issues which may adversely affect our operations.
Because of the costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations, our results of operations may be negatively impacted.
Managing a business, operations, personnel or assets in another country is challenging and costly. Any management that we may have (whether based abroad or in the United States) may be inexperienced in cross-border business practices and unaware of significant differences in accounting rules, legal regimes and labor practices. Even with a seasoned and experienced management team, the costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations, personnel and assets can be significant (and much higher than in a purely domestic business) and may negatively impact our financial and operational performance.
Many countries have difficult and unpredictable legal systems and underdeveloped laws and regulations that are unclear and subject to corruption and inexperience, which may adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.
Our ability to seek and enforce legal protections, including with respect to intellectual property and other property rights, or to defend ourselves with regard to legal actions taken against us in a given country, may be difficult or impossible, which could adversely impact our operations, assets or financial condition. Rules and regulations in many countries are often ambiguous or open to differing interpretation by responsible individuals and agencies at the municipal, state, regional and federal levels. The attitudes and actions of such individuals and agencies are often difficult to predict and inconsistent. Delay with respect to the enforcement of particular rules and regulations, including those relating to customs, tax, environmental and labor, could cause serious disruption to operations abroad and negatively impact our results.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the statements contained in this prospectus may constitute “forward-looking statements” for purposes of the federal securities laws. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus may include, for example, statements about:
| ● | our ability to select an appropriate target business or businesses; |
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| ● | our ability to complete our initial business combination; |
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| ● | our expectations around the performance of a prospective target business or businesses; |
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| ● | our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination; |
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| ● | our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination; |
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| ● | our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination; |
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| ● | our pool of prospective target businesses; |
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| ● | our ability to consummate an initial business combination due to the uncertainty resulting from the recent COVID-19 pandemic; |
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| ● | the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential business combination opportunities; |
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| ● | the lack of a market for our securities; |
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| ● | the use of proceeds not held in the trust account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance; |
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| ● | the trust account not being subject to claims of third parties; or |
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| ● | our financial performance following this offering. |
The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the heading “Risk Factors.” Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
USE OF PROCEEDS
We are offering 10,000,000 units at an offering price of $10.00 per unit. We estimate that the net proceeds of this offering together with the funds we will receive from the sale of the placement units will be used as set forth in the following table(4).
| | Without Over- Allotment Option | | | Over- Allotment Option Fully Exercised | |
Gross proceeds | | | | | | | | |
Gross proceeds from units offered to public(1) | | $ | 100,000,000 | | | $ | 115,000,000 | |
Gross proceeds from placement units offered in the private placement to the sponsor | | | 5,118,420 | | | | 5,643,420 | |
Total gross proceeds | | $ | 105,118,420 | | | $ | 120,643,420 | |
Estimated Offering expenses(2) | | | | | | | | |
Underwriting commissions (2.0% of gross proceeds from units offered to public, excluding deferred portion)(3) | | $ | 2,000,000 | | | $ | 2,300,000 | |
Legal fees and expenses | | | 255,000 | | | | 255,000 | |
Accounting fees and expenses | | | 50,000 | | | | 50,000 | |
SEC/FINRA Expenses | | | 28,420 | | | | 28,420 | |
Reimbursement to underwriters for expenses | | | 150,000 | | | | 150,000 | |
Nasdaq listing and filing fees | | | 75,000 | | | | 75,000 | |
Printing and road show expenses | | | 10,000 | | | | 10,000 | |
Miscellaneous expenses | | | 10,000 | | | | 10,000 | |
Total offering expenses (excluding underwriting commissions) | | $ | 578,420 | | | $ | 578,420 | |
Proceeds after estimated offering expenses | | $ | 102,540,000 | | | $ | 117,765,000 | |
Held in trust account(3) | | $ | 101,500,000 | | | $ | 116,725,000 | |
% of public offering size | | | 101.5 | % | | | 101.5 | % |
Not held in trust account | | $ | 1,040,000 | | | $ | 1,040,000 | |
The following table shows the use of the approximately $1,040,000 of net proceeds not held in the trust account.(4)
| | Amount | | | % of Total | |
Director and Officer liability insurance premiums | | $ | 150,000 | | | | 14.5 | % |
Legal, accounting, due diligence, travel, and other expenses in connection with any business combination(5) | | | 510,000 | | | | 49.0 | % |
Legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting obligations | | | 250,000 | | | | 24.0 | % |
Payment for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support ($10,000 per month, commencing upon the date of this prospectus, continues until completion of the business combination or liquidation(6) | | | 120,000 | | | | 11.5 | % |
Working capital to cover miscellaneous expenses | | | 10,000 | | | | 1.0 | % |
Total | | $ | 1,040,000 | | | | 100.0 | % |
(1) | Includes amounts payable to public shareholders who properly redeem their shares in connection with our successful completion of our initial business combination. |
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(2) | A portion of the offering expenses will be paid from the proceeds of loans from our sponsor of up to $300,000 as described in this prospectus. As of May 18, 2022, we had borrowed $50,000 under the promissory note with our sponsor. These amounts will be repaid upon completion of this offering out of the $578,420 of offering proceeds that has been allocated for the payment of offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions). In the event that offering expenses are more than as set forth in this table, they will be repaid using a portion of the $1,040,000 of offering proceeds not held in the trust account and not used to pay director and officer liability insurance premiums and set aside for post-closing working capital expenses. In the event that offering expenses are less than set forth in this table, any such amounts will be used for post-closing working capital expenses. |
(3) | The underwriters have agreed to defer underwriting commissions equal to 3.5% of the gross proceeds of this offering. Upon completion of our initial business combination, $3,500,000, which constitutes the underwriters’ deferred commissions (or $4,025,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be paid to the underwriters from the funds held in the trust account, and the remaining funds, less amounts released to the trustee to pay redeeming shareholders, will be released to us and can be used to pay all or a portion of the purchase price of the business or businesses with which our initial business combination occurs or for general corporate purposes, including payment of principal or interest on indebtedness incurred in connection with our initial business combination, to fund the purchases of other companies or for working capital. The underwriters will not be entitled to any interest accrued on the deferred underwriting discounts and commissions. |
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(4) | These expenses are estimates only. Our actual expenditures for some or all of these items may differ from the estimates set forth herein. For example, we may incur greater legal and accounting expenses than our current estimates in connection with negotiating and structuring our initial business combination based upon the level of complexity of such business combination. In the event we identify an initial business combination target in a specific industry subject to specific regulations, we may incur additional expenses associated with legal due diligence and the engagement of special legal counsel. In addition, our staffing needs may vary and as a result, we may engage a number of consultants to assist with legal and financial due diligence. We do not anticipate any change in our intended use of proceeds, other than fluctuations among the current categories of allocated expenses, which fluctuations, to the extent they exceed current estimates for any specific category of expenses, would not be available for our expenses. |
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(5) | Includes estimated amounts that may also be used in connection with our initial business combination to fund a “no shop” provision and commitment fees for financing. |
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(6) | Assuming we complete our initial business combination within 12 months after the initial filing date. |
Of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement units, $101,500,000 (or $116,725,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), including $3,500,000 (or $4,025,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) of deferred underwriting commissions, will be placed in a trust account in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and will be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills 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. We estimate that the pre-tax interest earned on the trust account will be approximately $101,500 per year, assuming an interest rate of 0.1% per year; however, we can provide no assurance regarding this amount. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our tax obligations and up to $100,000 of interest that may be used for our dissolution expenses, the proceeds from this offering and the sale of the placement warrant will not be released from the trust account until the earliest to occur of: (a) the completion of our initial business combination, (b) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, and (c) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), subject to applicable law.
The net proceeds held in the trust account may be used as consideration to pay the sellers of a target business with which we ultimately complete our initial business combination. If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination, we may apply the balance of the cash released from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital. There is no limitation on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination.
We believe that amounts not held in trust will be sufficient to pay the costs and expenses to which such proceeds are allocated. This belief is based on the fact that while we may begin preliminary due diligence of a target business in connection with an indication of interest, we intend to undertake in-depth due diligence, depending on the circumstances of the relevant prospective business combination, only after we have negotiated and signed a letter of intent or other preliminary agreement that addresses the terms of an initial business combination. However, if our estimate of the costs of undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating an initial business combination is less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may be required to raise additional capital, the amount, availability and cost of which is currently unascertainable. If we are required to seek additional capital, we could seek such additional capital through loans or additional investments from our sponsor, members of our management team or their affiliates, but such persons are not under any obligation to advance funds to, or invest in, us.
Commencing on the initial filing of our draft registration statement, we have agreed to pay [●], an affiliate of our sponsor, a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
Prior to the closing of this offering, our sponsor has agreed to loan us up to $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. As of May 18, 2022, we had borrowed $50,000 under the promissory note with our sponsor. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of March 31, 2023 or the closing of this offering. The loan will be repaid upon the closing of this offering out of the offering proceeds not held in the trust account.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds on a non-interest-bearing basis as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. Otherwise, such loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the trust account. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used to repay such loaned amounts. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into units, at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender, upon consummation of our initial business combination. Repayment of non-interest-bearing loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which (other than as described above) have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. Repayment of non-interest-bearing loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which (other than as described above) have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. The units would be identical to the placement units. Other than as described above, the terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers or their affiliates may purchase public shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit on the number of shares our initial shareholders, directors, officers or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and Nasdaq rules. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will not make any such purchases when they are in possession of any material non-public information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions prior to completion of our initial business combination. See “Proposed Business — Permitted Purchases of our Securities” for a description of how our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers or any of their affiliates will select which shareholders to purchase securities from in any private transaction.
The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the initial business combination or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
In no event will we redeem our public shares unless our net tangible assets are at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters’ fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) and the agreement for our initial business combination may require as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights so that we cannot satisfy the net tangible asset requirement or any net worth or cash requirements, we would not proceed with the redemption of our public shares or the initial business combination, and instead may search for an alternate business combination.
A public shareholder will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earliest to occur of: (i) our completion of an initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months following the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), subject to applicable law and as further described herein and any limitations (including but not limited to cash requirements) created by the terms of the proposed initial business combination. In no other circumstances will a public shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account.
Our sponsor, officers and directors will enter into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they will agree to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and any public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination.
DIVIDEND POLICY
We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of our initial business combination. If we increase or decrease the size of the offering we will effect a share dividend or a share contribution back to capital or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our initial shareholders at 20.0% of the issued and our outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the placement units and underlying securities) upon the consummation of this offering. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to our initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time and we will only pay such dividend out of our profits or share premium (subject to solvency requirements) as permitted under Cayman Islands law. Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
DILUTION
The difference between the public offering price per Class A ordinary share, assuming no value is attributed to the warrants and rights included in the units we are offering pursuant to this prospectus or the placement warrant, and the pro forma net tangible book value per Class A ordinary share after this offering constitutes the dilution to investors in this offering. Such calculation does not reflect any dilution associated with the sale and exercise of warrants and rights, including the placement warrants and placement rights, which would cause the actual dilution to the public shareholders to be higher, particularly where a cashless exercise is utilized. Net tangible book value per share is determined by dividing our net tangible book value, which is our total tangible assets less total liabilities (including the value of Class A ordinary shares which may be redeemed for cash), by the number of our outstanding Class A ordinary shares.
At May 18, 2022, our net tangible book deficit was $56,522, or approximately $(0.02) per share of ordinary shares. After giving effect to the sale of 10,000,000 Class A ordinary shares included in the units we are offering by this prospectus (or 11,500,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), the sale of placement units and the deduction of underwriting commissions and estimated expenses of this offering, our pro forma net tangible book value at May 18, 2022 would have been $(2,466,522) or $(0.61) per share, or approximately $(2,991,522) per share (or $(0.64) per share if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), representing an immediate decrease in net tangible book value (as decreased by the value of the approximately 10,000,000 Class A ordinary shares that may be redeemed for cash, or 11,500,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) of $(0.59) per share (or $(0.62) per share if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) to our initial shareholders as of the date of this prospectus and an immediate dilution of $9.70 per share or 106.7% to our public shareholders (or $9.73 per share or 107.1% if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full).
The following table illustrates the dilution to the public shareholders on a per-share basis, no value is attributed to the warrants and rights included in the units:
| | No exercise of over-allotment option | | | Exercise of over-allotment option in full | |
Public offering price | | $ | 9.09 | | | $ | 9.09 | |
Net tangible book value before this offering | | | (0.02 | ) | | | (0.02 | ) |
Decrease attributable to public shareholders | | | (0.59 | ) | | | (0.62 | ) |
Pro forma net tangible book value after this offering | | | (0.61 | ) | | | (0.64 | ) |
Dilution to public shareholders | | $ | 9.70 | | | $ | 9.73 | |
Percentage of dilution to public shareholders | | | 106.7 | % | | | 107.1 | % |
For purposes of presentation, we have reduced our pro forma net tangible book value after this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) by $100,000,000 because holders of our public shares may redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account at a per share redemption price equal to the amount in the trust account as set forth in our tender offer or proxy materials (initially anticipated to be the aggregate amount held in trust two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares).
The following table sets forth information with respect to our initial shareholders and the public shareholders:
| | Shares Purchased | | | Total Consideration | | | Average Price | |
| | Number | | | Percentage | | | Amount | | | Percentage | | | Per Share | |
Initial Shareholders(1) | | | 2,500,000 | (1) | | | 17.78 | % | | $ | 25,000 | | | | 0.02 | % | | $ | 0.01 | |
Private Placement Shareholders(2) | | | 563,026 | | | | 4.00 | % | | | 5,118,420 | | | | 4.87 | % | | $ | 9.09 | |
Public Shareholders(3) | | | 11,000,000 | | | | 78.22 | % | | | 100,000,000 | | | | 95.11 | % | | $ | 9.09 | |
| | | 14,063,026 | | | | 100.00 | % | | $ | 105,143,420 | | | | 100.00 | % | | | | |
(1) | Assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and the corresponding forfeiture of an aggregate of 375,000 Class B ordinary shares held by our sponsor. |
(2) | Assumes the issuance of an additional 51,184 shares underlying the placement rights issued to our sponsor upon the closing of this offering. |
(3) | Assumes the issuance of an additional 1,000,000 shares underlying the rights issued to public shareholders upon the closing of this offering. |
The pro forma net tangible book value per share after the offering is calculated as follows:
| | Without Over- allotment | | | With Over- allotment | |
Numerator: | | | | | | | | |
Net tangible book deficit before this offering | | $ | (56,522 | ) | | $ | (56,522 | ) |
Net proceeds from this offering and sale of the placement units, net of expenses(1) | | | 102,540,000 | | | | 117,765,000 | |
Plus: Offering costs paid in advance, excluded from tangible book value | | | 50,000 | | | | 50,000 | |
Less: Deferred underwriting commissions | | | (3,500,000 | ) | | | (4,025,000 | ) |
Less: Proceeds held in trust subject to redemption(2) | | | (101,500,000 | ) | | | (116,725,000 | ) |
| | $ | (2,466,522 | ) | | $ | (2,991,522 | ) |
| | Without Over- allotment | | | With Over- allotment | |
Denominator: | | | | | | | | |
Class B ordinary shares outstanding prior to this offering | | | 2,875,000 | | | | 2,875,000 | |
Class B ordinary shares forfeited if over-allotment is not exercised | | | (375,000 | ) | | | — | |
Class A ordinary shares included in the units offered | | | 11,000,000 | | | | 12,650,000 | |
Class A ordinary shares included in the private placement units | | | 563,026 | | | | 620,776 | |
Less: Shares subject to redemption | | | (10,000,000 | ) | | | (11,500,000 | ) |
| | | 4,063,026 | | | | 4,645,776 | |
(1) | Expenses applied against gross proceeds include offering expenses of $578,420 and underwriting commissions of $3,500,000 (or $4,025,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) (excluding deferred underwriting fees). See “Use of Proceeds.” |
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(2) | All of the 10,000,000 shares of Class A ordinary shares sold as part of the units in the offering contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such public shares in connection with our liquidation, if there is a shareholder vote or tender offer in connection with our initial business combination and in connection with certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. In accordance with SEC and its guidance on redeemable equity instruments, which has been codified in ASC 480-10-S99, redemption provisions not solely within the control of a company require common stock subject to redemption to be classified outside of permanent equity. Given that the 10,000,000 Class A ordinary shares sold as part of the units in the offering will be issued with other freestanding instruments (i.e., public warrants), the initial carrying value of Class A ordinary shares classified as temporary equity will be the allocated proceeds determined in accordance with ASC 470-20. Our Class A ordinary shares are subject to ASC 480-10-S99. |
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our capitalization at May 18 , 2022, and as adjusted to give effect to the sale of our units in this offering and the sale of the placement warrant and the application of the estimated net proceeds derived from the sale of such securities, assuming no exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option:
| | May 18, 2022 | |
| | Actual | | | As Adjusted | |
Notes payable to related party(1) | | $ | 50,000 | | | $ | — | |
Deferred underwriting commissions | | | — | | | | 3,500,000 | |
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 479,000,000 shares authorized; -0- and 10,000,000 shares are subject to possible redemption, respectively(2) | | | — | | | | 101,500,000 | |
Preference shares, $0.0001 par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted | | | — | | | | — | |
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 479,000,000 shares authorized; -0- and 511,842 shares issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted, respectively | | | — | | | | 51 | |
Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 20,000,000 shares authorized, 2,875,000 and 2,500,000 shares issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted, respectively(3) | | | 288 | | | | 250 | |
Additional paid-in capital | | | 24,712 | | | | — | |
Subscription receivable | | | (25,000 | ) | | | — | |
Accumulated deficit | | | (6,522 | ) | | | (2,466,823 | ) |
Total shareholders’ equity | | $ | (6,522 | ) | | $ | (2,466,522 | ) |
Total capitalization | | $ | 43,478 | | | $ | 102,533,478 | |
(1) | Our sponsor has agreed to loan us up to $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. The “as adjusted” information gives effect to the repayment of any loans made under this note out of the proceeds from this offering and the sale of the placement warrant. As of May 18, 2022, we had borrowed $50,000 under the promissory note with our sponsor. |
(2) | All of the 10,000,000 Class A ordinary shares sold as part of the units in the offering contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such public shares in connection with our liquidation, or if there is a shareholder vote or tender offer in connection with our initial business combination, and in connection with certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. In accordance with SEC and its guidance on redeemable equity instruments, which has been codified in ASC 480-10-S99, redemption provisions not solely within the control of a company require common stock subject to redemption to be classified outside of permanent equity. Given that the 10,000,000 Class A ordinary shares sold as part of the units in the offering will be issued with other freestanding instruments (i.e., public warrants), the initial carrying value of Class A ordinary shares classified as temporary equity will be the allocated proceeds determined in accordance with ASC 470-20. Our Class A ordinary shares are subject to ASC 480-10-S99 and are currently not redeemable as the redemption is contingent upon the occurrence of events mentioned above. According to ASC 480-10-S99-15, no subsequent adjustment is needed if it is not probable that the instrument will become redeemable. |
(3) | Actual share amount is prior to any forfeiture of founder shares by our sponsor and as adjusted amount assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. |
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated on March 8, 2022, 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. We have not selected any business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination (pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop agreements we may enter into following the consummation of this offering or otherwise), shares issued to the owners of the target, debt issued to bank or other lenders or the owners of the target, or a combination of the foregoing or other sources.
The issuance of additional shares in connection with an initial business combination to the owners of the target or other investors:
| ● | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering, which dilution would increase if the anti-dilution provisions in the Class B ordinary shares resulted in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares; |
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| ● | may subordinate the rights of holders of our ordinary shares if preference shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our ordinary shares; |
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| ● | could cause a change in control if a substantial number of our Class A ordinary shares are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; |
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| ● | may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; and |
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| ● | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and/or rights. |
Similarly, if we issue debt securities or otherwise incur significant debt to bank or other lenders or the owners of a target, it could result in:
| ● | default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
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| ● | acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
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| ● | our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt is payable on demand; |
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| ● | our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt is outstanding; |
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| ● | our inability to pay dividends on our ordinary shares; |
| ● | using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our ordinary shares if declared, our ability to pay expenses, make capital expenditures and acquisitions, and fund other general corporate purposes; |
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| ● | limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; |
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| ● | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; |
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| ● | limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, and execution of our strategy; and |
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| ● | other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt. |
As indicated in the accompanying financial statements, at May 18, 2022, we had no cash and deferred offering costs of $50,000. Further, we expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our initial business combination plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to complete our initial business combination will be successful.
Results of Operations and Known Trends or Future Events
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities since inception have been organizational activities and those necessary to prepare for this offering. Following this offering, we will not generate any operating revenues until after completion of our initial business combination. We will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents after this offering. There has been no significant change in our financial or trading position and no material adverse change has occurred since the date of our audited financial statements. After this offering, we expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as expenses as we conduct due diligence on prospective business combination candidates. We expect our expenses to increase substantially after the closing of this offering.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As indicated in the accompanying financial statements, at May 18, 2022 we had no cash and a working capital deficit of $56,522. Further, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of our financing and acquisition plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to consummate an initial business combination will be successful. These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
Our liquidity needs have been satisfied prior to the completion of this offering through a capital contribution from our sponsor of $25,000 for the founder shares and up to $300,000 in loans available from our sponsor under an unsecured promissory note. We estimate that the net proceeds from (i) the sale of the units in this offering, after deducting offering expenses of approximately $578,420, underwriting commissions of $2,000,000 ($2,300,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) (excluding deferred underwriting commissions of $3,500,000 (or $4,025,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full)), and (ii) the sale of the placement units for a purchase price of $5,118,420 (or $5,643,420 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), will be $102,540,000 (or $117,765,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). Of this amount, $101,500,000 (or $116,725,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be held in the trust account, which includes $3,500,000 (or $4,025,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) of deferred underwriting commissions. The proceeds held in the trust account will be invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. The remaining approximately $1,040,000 will not be held in the trust account. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $578,420, we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $578,420, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount.
We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the trust account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the trust account (less taxes payable and deferred underwriting commissions), to complete our initial business combination. We may withdraw interest income (if any) to pay income taxes, if any. Our annual income tax obligations will depend on the amount of interest and other income earned on the amounts held in the trust account. We expect the interest earned on the amount in the trust account will be sufficient to pay our income taxes. To the extent that our shares or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the trust account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.
Prior to the completion of our initial business combination and the payment of directors and officers liability insurance premiums, we will have available to us the approximately $1,040,000 of proceeds held outside the trust account. We will use these funds to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, and structure, negotiate and complete an initial business combination.
In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds on a non-interest bearing basis as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into units, at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender, upon consummation of our initial business combination. Repayment of non-interest bearing loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which (other than as described above) have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. The units would be identical to the placement units. Other than as described above, the terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
We expect our primary liquidity requirements during that period to include approximately $150,000 for directors and officers liability insurance premiums, $510,000 for legal, accounting, due diligence, travel and other expenses associated with structuring, negotiating and documenting successful business combinations; $250,000 for legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting requirements; $120,000 for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support; and approximately $10,000 for working capital that will be used for miscellaneous expenses and reserves.
These amounts are estimates and may differ materially from our actual expenses. In addition, we could use a portion of the funds not being placed in trust to pay commitment fees for financing, fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business or as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies or investors on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed initial business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into an agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business, the amount that would be used as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision would be determined based on the terms of the specific business combination and the amount of our available funds at the time. Our forfeiture of such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise) could result in our not having sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conducting due diligence with respect to, prospective target businesses.
We do not believe we will need to raise additional funds following this offering in order to meet the expenditures required for operating our business. However, if our estimates of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating an initial business combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to our initial business combination. Moreover, we may need to obtain additional financing either to complete our initial business combination or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of our initial business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination. In addition, we intend to target businesses larger than we could acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement warrant, and may as a result be required to seek additional financing to complete such proposed initial business combination. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would only complete such financing simultaneously with the completion of our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. In addition, following our initial business combination, if cash on hand is insufficient, we may need to obtain additional financing in order to meet our obligations.
Controls and Procedures
We are not currently required to certify an effective system of internal controls as defined by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We will be required to comply with the internal control requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. Only in the event that we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer would we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company as defined in the JOBS Act, we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement.
Prior to the closing of this offering, we have not completed an assessment, nor has our independent registered public accounting firm tested our systems, of internal controls. We expect to assess the internal controls of our target business or businesses prior to the completion of our initial business combination and, if necessary, to implement and test additional controls as we may determine are necessary in order to state that we maintain an effective system of internal controls. A target business may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding the adequacy of internal controls. Many small and mid-sized target businesses we may consider for our initial business combination may have internal controls that need improvement in areas such as:
| ● | staffing for financial, accounting and external reporting areas, including segregation of duties; |
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| ● | reconciliation of accounts; |
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| ● | proper recording of expenses and liabilities in the period to which they relate; |
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| ● | evidence of internal review and approval of accounting transactions; |
| ● | documentation of processes, assumptions and conclusions underlying significant estimates; and |
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| ● | documentation of accounting policies and procedures. |
Because it will take time, management involvement and perhaps outside resources to determine what internal control improvements are necessary for us to meet regulatory requirements and market expectations for our operation of a target business, we may incur significant expense in meeting our public reporting responsibilities, particularly in the areas of designing, enhancing, or remediating internal and disclosure controls. Doing so effectively may also take longer than we expect, thus increasing our exposure to financial fraud or erroneous financing reporting.
Once our management’s report on internal controls is complete, we will retain our independent registered public accounting firm to audit and render an opinion on such report when required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The independent registered public accounting firm may identify additional issues concerning a target business’s internal controls while performing their audit of internal control over financial reporting.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
The net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement warrant held in the trust account will be invested in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk.
Related Party Transactions
On April 5, 2022, our sponsor purchased 2,875,000 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.009 per share. On April 7, 2022, our sponsor transferred 15,000 shares to Brett Westbrook, 14,000 shares to Bharat Patel, and 14,000 shares to Marco Bardelli. On April 29, 2022, our sponsor transferred 25,000 shares to Babar Ali, 15,000 shares to Atle Crowe-Maxwell, and 14,000 shares to Denis Durand. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares upon completion of this offering (excluding the placement warrant and underlying securities). The per share purchase price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to the company by the aggregate number of founder shares issued. If we increase or decrease the size of the offering we will effect a share dividend or a share contribution back to capital or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our initial shareholders at 20% of the issued and outstanding our ordinary shares (excluding the placement warrant and underlying securities assuming the initial shareholders do not purchase units in this offering) upon the consummation of this offering. Up to 375,000 founder shares held by our sponsor are subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. The founder shares (including the Class A ordinary share issuable upon exercise thereof) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holder.
Commencing on the initial filing of our draft registration statement, we have agreed to pay [●], an affiliate of our sponsor, a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
Our sponsor, officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors or our or their affiliates and will determine which expenses and the amount of expenses that will be reimbursed. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.
Prior to the consummation of this offering, our sponsor has agreed to loan us up to $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of March 31, 2023, or the closing of this offering. The loan will be repaid upon the closing of this offering out of the $578,420 of offering proceeds that has been allocated to the payment of offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions).
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into units, at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender, upon consummation of our initial business combination. Repayment of non-interest-bearing loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which (other than as described above) have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. The units would be identical to the placement units. The terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
If we anticipate that we may not be able to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months, we may, by resolution of our board if requested by our sponsor, extend the period of time to consummate a business combination up to two times, each by an additional three months (for a total of up to 18 months to complete a business combination), subject to the sponsor depositing additional funds into the trust account as set out below. Pursuant to the terms of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the trust agreement entered into between us and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company on the date of this prospectus, in order for the time available for us to consummate our initial business combination to be extended, our sponsor or its affiliates or designees, upon five business days advance notice prior to the applicable deadline, must deposit into the trust account $1,000,000, or $1,150,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.10 per unit in either case) on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three month extension, providing a total possible business combination period of 18 months at a total payment value of $2,000,000, or $2,300,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.20 per unit in either case). Any such payments would be made in the form of non-interest bearing loans. If we complete our initial business combination, we will, at the option of our sponsor, repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us or convert a portion or all of the total loan amount into units at a price of $10.00 per unit, which units will be identical to the placement units. If we do not complete a business combination, we will repay such loans only from funds held outside of the trust account. Our sponsor and its affiliates or designees are not obligated to fund the trust account to extend the time for us to complete our initial business combination.
Our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 511,842 placement units at a price of $10.00 per unit for an aggregate purchase price of $5,118,420. If the over-allotment option is exercised in full, the amount of placement units sold will be 564,342 for an aggregate purchase price of $5,643,420. Each placement unit consists of one Class A ordinary share, one-half of one warrant, and one right to receive one-tenth of one of our Class A ordinary shares. Each whole warrant is exercisable to purchase one whole Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share. Each right entitles the holder thereof to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon consummation of our initial business combination, so you must hold rights in multiples of 10 in order to receive shares for all of your rights upon closing of a business combination. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to the founder shares, the placement shares, placement warrants or the placement rights, which will expire worthless if we do not consummate a business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association). The placement units are identical to the units sold in this offering except that (a) the placement units and their component securities will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the consummation of our initial business combination except to permitted transferees and (b) will be entitled to registration rights.
Our initial shareholders have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares (i) in connection with the consummation of a business combination, (ii) in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the completion of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) and (iii) if we fail to consummate a business combination within 12 months from the completion of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or if we liquidate prior to the expiration of the 12-month period (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association). However, our initial shareholders will be entitled to redemption rights with respect to any public shares held by them if we fail to consummate a business combination or liquidate within the 12-month period (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association).
Pursuant to a registration rights agreement we will enter into with our initial shareholders on or prior to the closing of this offering, we may be required to register certain securities for sale under the Securities Act. These holders, and holders of warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans, if any, are entitled under the registration rights agreement to make up to three demands that we register certain of our securities held by them for sale under the Securities Act and to have the securities covered thereby registered for resale pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. In addition, these holders have the right to include their securities in other registration statements filed by us. We will bear the costs and expenses of filing any such registration statements. See the section of this prospectus entitled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements; Commitments and Contractual Obligations; Quarterly Results
As of May 25, 2022, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K and did not have any commitments or contractual obligations. No unaudited quarterly operating data is included in this prospectus, as we have conducted no operations to date.
JOBS Act
On April 5, 2012, the JOBS Act was signed into law. The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We will qualify as an “emerging growth company” and under the JOBS Act will be allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We are electing to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
Additionally, we are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on the other reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if, as an “emerging growth company”, we choose to rely on such exemptions we may not be required to, among other things, (i) provide an independent registered public accounting firm’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404, (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the report of independent registered public accounting firm providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis), and (iv) disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the Chief Executive Officers’ compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of this offering or until we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” whichever is earlier.
PROPOSED BUSINESS
We are a newly incorporated blank check company formed 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. Throughout this prospectus we will refer to this 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.
Business Opportunity
We believe that there are a significant number of target companies globally (with particular focus on opportunities in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region), that could become attractive public companies, and we will seek to capitalize on the extensive operational and investment experience of our Founders and focus on companies that we believe are attractively valued and have significant growth prospects with the potential to generate robust value for our stockholders. Although we may acquire a company in any industry, we currently intend to concentrate our efforts on identifying technology lead businesses in the financial services industry with a focus on delivering differentiated financial services in the wealth management, financial advisory and investment management sectors.
Our management team is composed of disciplined acquirers with long-term track records of sourcing and acquiring value accretive businesses, building next-generation businesses across industries globally and generating significant returns for investors from those businesses. They are particularly experienced in the financial services industry, including integrated wealth and investment management platforms, and will provide investors with differentiated insights and access to sourcing opportunities. Each of these attributes will be further supported by the longstanding, deep expertise and accretive skillsets of the other Founders, each of whom has a track record of delivering value for investors. We intend to capitalize on the ability of the Founders to identify, acquire and manage businesses in the global financial services space that can benefit from their experience and differentiated global network.
Over the medium- to long-term, we intend to build a substantial integrated global wealth and investment management platform, underpinned by disciplined capital allocation, rigorous due diligence, and our in-place operational, technology, risk and compliance framework. The business will be primarily focused on serving all our clients’ financial needs holistically, covering a full suite of services including wealth advisory, insurance, investment management, investment banking services, asset order and settlement, cash management and payment gateways. We will leverage our growing distribution channels by serving as a distribution interface for best-in-class asset managers globally across all asset classes, providing our client base with access on a cost-effective basis to high-quality institutional products not currently directly available to them. We intend to grow both organically and through acquisitions that will be successfully integrated utilizing our in-place management, operational and technology platform to drive increased margins through synergies and migration of client assets onto a centralized investment platform. We intend to capitalize on the robust consolidation activity in the high-growth fragmented global wealth and investment management sectors. As disciplined acquirers focused on value enhancement, we believe we can also drive significant additional value to our stockholders through our ability to arbitrage the valuation differentials that exist globally between companies matching our business combination criteria and that apply to a significantly scaled, high-growth and well-resourced listed entity generating above average ROCE (return on capital employed).
Our Commitment to Supporting Our Business Combination Partner
Our team is committed to ensuring the longer-term success of the business combination partner we will identify and pursue, and intend to bring our unique expertise, network and know-how globally and in Southeast Asia and Australia to drive efficiencies and growth opportunities following a business combination.
Our rich transaction and operating experience make us well-suited to guide our partner through a variety of macro-economic and industry cycles as they build and scale their business, and help them assess potential strategic opportunities as the technology and competitive landscape continues to evolve at pace. Our team is committed to leveraging its large network globally to help our partner find and attract the best available talent and operate with excellence.
We define the success of the SPAC as the success of the target post-acquisition and the value creation. The Sponsor team are highly committed to play a significant role in the success of the target post-acquisition and are open to participate in an executive, non-executive or advisory type of role as required by the merged company. Members of our team will also proactively open up their own network for potential partnerships, government access, links to multinational corporations and technology support to help the merged company to scale.
Our Officers and Directors
Our officers and directors consist of seasoned industry executives with an extensive track record of sourcing and acquiring value accretive businesses, building next-generation businesses across industries globally and generating significant returns for investors from those businesses. In particular, the team possesses a deep understanding of the FinTech sector, corporate governance, wealth management, and M&A. We believe our management team, together with the support of our directors, is well-positioned to identify and access a differentiated range of investment opportunities in the wealth management, financial advisory and investment management sectors by capitalizing on their reputation and deep network of relationships.
We believe that our team’s expertise and experience in the financial services industry, including integrated wealth and investment management platforms, combined with our extensive relationships through a network of advisors and affiliates, will make us a partner of choice for potential business combination targets. We intend to capitalize on the ability of the founders to identify, acquire and manage businesses in the global financial services space that can benefit from their experience and differentiated global network.
Executive Management Team
Babar Ali, our Chief Executive Officer and Director, has over 20 years of experience in the wealth management and fintech industries. From June 2019 through January 2022, he served as Executive Director on the Risk and Audit Committee of NewQuantum Holdings, a wealth management solutions provider. In his advisory role, he provides leadership to successfully achieve the product market fit. From January 2018 until June 2019, Mr. Ali served as Founder and Head of Trading at Goodments Pty Ltd, an investing app designed to promote ESG investing. Prior to that, from June 2015 to January 2018, he served as Founder and CTO of WealthO2, which offers a suite of wealth management software solutions for advisers. Between January 2012 and June 2015, Mr. Ali was the Chief Technology Officer of Fortnum Private Wealth, a financial planning firm. Prior to that, from January 2005 to January 2012, he held various senior roles in tax and accounting at Deloitte and Thomson Reuters. Mr. Ali graduated from Western Sydney University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science in 2005. He is currently completing a PhD in Data Science through the University of Technology Sydney with 2025 as the expected graduation year and an MBA from the Macquarie Graduate School of Management with 2023 as the expected graduation year. Mr. Ali’s extensive experience and knowledge in implementing enabling technologies and enterprise systems that facilitate business processes and strategic objectives make him a valuable addition to our management team and board of directors.
Atle Crowe- Maxwell, our Chief Financial Officer and Director, has over 30 years insolvency, forensic accounting, and business advisory experience. Since July 2020, he has served as Managing Director at DBA Reconstruction and Advisory, an international professional service outsourcing firm. In this role, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell undertakes Corporate Restructuring, Director and Board advice, forensic accounting as well as formal insolvency appointments. From November 2015 to July 2020, he served as the Head of Business Advisory at Omniwealth, a diversified financial services firm. He also served on the board of Omniwealth from 2015 to 2018. In this role, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell helped build business advisory and succession planning services for the firm. Prior to that, from August 2012 to October 2015, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell served as Business Unit Leader, Business Recovery, and Insolvency for the East Coast Practice at BDO (Binder Dijker Otte), an audit, tax, and advisory services firm. From 2012 to 2015, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell served on the board of directors of the Gidget Foundation, which supports the wellbeing of expectant and new parents. From 2011 to 2014, he also served on the board of the BDO East Coast Practice. Between July 2001 and August 2012, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell served as Manager in the Forensic Accounting and Litigation Support practice at Arthur Andersen. From April 1997 to September 1998 he served as Supervisor, Insolvency at Smith Hancock. He provided reviews and solvency assessments for banks and other corporate entities, litigation, formal insolvency assignments, and business advisory assignments. From April 1995 through March 1997 he served as Supervisor, Insolvency for Ferrier Hodgson. Prior to that, between February 1992 and March 1995, he was a Senior Accountant, Insolvency at KPMG. Mr. Crowe-Maxwell graduated from Macquarie University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Economics (Accounting, Finance and Business Law). In 1996 he took a Professional Year at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. In 2002, he received his professional insolvency qualifications through the University of Southern Queensland. In 2005 he became a registered liquidator with ASIC. We believe that Mr. Crowe-Maxwell’s experience in solvency assessments for banks and other corporate entities and his extensive experience with forensic accounting and evaluating financial and strategic operations of companies in diverse industries make him a valuable member of our management team.
Brett Westbrook, our Independent Director nominee, has over 40 years of experience in the financial services sector. Since December 2019, he has served as Executive Director of Jigsaw Capital No. 2, a Corporate Advisor in the Australian Market. In this role, Mr. Westbrook is a joint owner and senior advisor. Since October 2019, he has also served as the Executive Director of New Quantum, a wealth management solutions provider. In addition to fulfilling his director responsibilities he has provided consulting advice. Since September 2020 he has served as Chief Operating Officer of YourPortfolio.com, a financial portfolio consolidation app for retail customers. He is one of the founders of this business. From January 2015 to May 2019, Mr. Westbrook served as Executive Director for WealthO2, which offers a suite of wealth management software solutions for advisers. In this role, Mr. Westbrook acted as a Responsible Managers on its Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). Brett was one of the Founders of this business. He received an MBA from Melbourne University in May 2006. As a result of his professional and academic experiences, Mr. Westbrook brings extensive breadth, depth and knowledge in the operational and management services combined with an expertise in wealth management solutions to our management team.
Denis Durand, our Independent Director nominee, has over 20 years of private sector experience in the investment and financial advisory industry, working with companies such as Deloitte, CBA and MLC. Since 2009, Mr. Durand has served as a Director of Durand Financial Services and Melbourne Loans & Finance, a comprehensive finance solutions firm. In this role, Mr. Durand and his team managed over $250 million of client and corporate funds and specialized in investment advice for high net wealth individuals, business owners, and corporate clients. Further, Mr. Durand has co-hosted the television program “Australian Success,” and “Money Segment” on ABC 774 in 2005. In 1995 Mr. Durand graduated from Latrobe University Melbourne with a Bachelor in Economics degree and in 2003, he graduated with a Diploma of Financial Planning from Deakin University.
Bharat Patel, our Independent Director nominee, has over 10 years of financial services experience in Australian financial markets. He has extensive domestic and international experience and familiarity with technology and data businesses from strategy, infrastructure, delivery, regulatory, operational and customer perspectives. Since January 2011, he has worked for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission as a Senior Specialist – Market Infrastructure Technology. In this role, Mr. Patel has led the development and execution of ASIC’s supervisory strategy for Cyber & Operational Resilience in Australian Financial Markets, as well as the Data Analytics strategy to deliver investigative analytics to enable monitoring and investigation of market trading activity. He also provides leadership and expertise in the areas of technology architecture, technology governance, risk management and quality assurance within the markets group to support effective supervision of regulated activities providing critical services to financial markets, particularly in areas where novel technologies, architectures or methodologies are being deployed. Prior to that, from June 2007 to March 2010, he served as the Chief Information Officer (Australia & New Zealand) for Thomson Reuters Tax, Legal & Regulatory. From June 2003 to May 2007, he served as Chief Information Officer (Asia Pacific) for Thomson Reuters Tax, Legal & Regulatory. In this role, he led the technology group and managed large-scale business transformation programs for digital content delivery, platform rationalization and operational optimizations to significantly improve customer value propositions and delivering stronger revenue growth for the organization. From June 1999 to June 2003, Mr. Patel served as European Services Director at Artesia Technologies Europe (now OpenText Corp.), an information management software company, specialized in media asset management, digital workflow solutions, and business process optimization. He was accountable for the delivery of digital transformation programs for global corporates including Sony Music Europe, General Motors and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) amongst others, which transformed the way in which those corporates managed and delivered digital assets to efficiently service its clients and partners globally, as well as optimizing their own information flows and creating new opportunities for growth. In 1984, Mr. Patel graduated with honors from University College, London with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics. His professional certifications include TOGAF 9 Enterprise Architecture, MSP (Managing Successful Programmes), and PRINCE2 – Project Management. We believe Mr. Patel is well-qualified to serve on our board due to his deep technical knowledge, and extensive experience in leading large-scale digital transformation programs, mergers and acquisitions, and implementation of novel technology solutions.
Marco Bardelli, our Independent Director nominee, has over 25 years of experience in the finance industry. Since 2014, he has worked at Citramas Group in Singapore, supporting the Chairman and CEO’s activity in strategic & corporate planning, governance overview, business development, and investment. His various directorships for Citramas Group include Executive Director of Nongsa Digital Park, Project Coordinator for the Data Centre Hub at Nongsa Digital Park, Project Coordinator for Infinite Learning Apple Developer Academy, Executive Director at Infinite Studios, and Division Head for Infinite Metaverse. From 2005 through 2013, he served as CEO and Managing Director at UBI Banca Group. From 1997 to 2005, Mr. Bardelli was Chief Regional Representative at UBI Banca Group. From 1995 through 1996, he was Vice President at UBI Banca Group in Honk Kong. He received his MBA from the University of Chicago in 2009.
Business Strategy and Competitive Strengths
Our acquisition and value creation strategy is to identify and complete our initial business combination with a market-leading, growth-oriented company. Although we may acquire a company in any industry, we intend to concentrate our efforts on identifying a high-growth FinTech business primarily operating in the APAC region with a high volume of customers and growing demand. We believe there are several FinTech companies poised to become multi-billion-dollar enterprises by leveraging emerging technologies and expanding into developing markets.
We believe our experience in the FinTech sector will help us identify potential targets that have a strong foundation that can be expanded into the global marketplace with a diverse portfolio of products and services for consumers and businesses in the United States, United Kingdom, and the APAC region.
Applying Our Marketing and Management Experience
Our team includes experienced professionals with experience in FinTech, wealth management platforms, superannuation, and financial advice.
We believe the experience of our management team can help transition and expand target businesses into a global financial services platform. Our management has experience developing and leading FinTech companies that launched wealth management and investment platforms in the APAC region. Our team has helped develop platforms applications and services for cross-border investment management platforms, online payment gateways, interchangeable and multicurrency systems.
Our team also maintains a robust network in the FinTech sector, including successful high growth companies in the APAC region as well as FinTech companies in the United Kingdom and the United States. We believe these contacts and partners will help facilitate sourcing of potential business combination targets.
Leveraging Emerging Technologies
We believe there are opportunities to leverage emerging technologies such as blockchain, cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance, as well as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, deep learning, and cloud computing, to reduce costs and processing time, create real time settlements, and improve the money delivery process.
Our team has experience in the design and development of digital payment products, payment gateways, cybersecurity, scalable architecture, blockchain, and AI. We also believe we will benefit from leveraging a broad network of contacts and corporate relationships in the software development markets of the APAC region and the United States.
Business Combination Criteria
Consistent with our business strategy, we have identified the following general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses. We plan to use these criteria and guidelines in evaluating initial business combination opportunities, but we may decide to consummate our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet one or more of these criteria and guidelines. We intend to seek to acquire companies within industries that exhibit strong characteristics including, but not limited to, the following:
| ● | significant established market position and domestic and international expansion potential, |
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| ● | its own solid technological base or access to a stable, capable outside supplier, |
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| ● | capability and commitment to full financial markets regulation and SEC compliance, and |
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| ● | a motivated and capable management team. |
While we may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any business, industry, sector or geographic region, we intend to focus on the acquisition of a high-growth FinTech business in the APAC region.
We intend to merge with a target, that together with our management team’s expertise we believe can build a substantial integrated global wealth and investment management platform focused on serving all its clients’ financial needs holistically, offering a full suite of services including wealth advisory, insurance, investment management, investment banking services, asset order and settlement, cash management and payment gateways. We will select a target that is capable of growing both organically and through acquisitions. We intend to capitalize on the robust consolidation activity in the high-growth fragmented global wealth and investment management sectors. As disciplined acquirers focused on value enhancement, we believe we can also drive significant additional value to our stockholders through our ability to arbitrage the valuation differentials that exist globally between companies matching our business combination criteria and that apply to a significantly scaled, high-growth and well-resourced listed entity generating above average ROCE (return on capital employed).
These criteria and guidelines are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general criteria and guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into an initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria and guidelines in our shareholder communications related to our initial business, which, as discussed in this prospectus, would be in the form of proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, that we would file with the SEC.
Our Business Combination Process
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review that will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspection of facilities, as well as reviewing financial and other information that will be made available to us. We will also utilize our operational and capital allocation experience.
Our acquisition criteria, due diligence processes and value creation methods are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria in our shareholder communications related to our initial business combination, which, as discussed in this prospectus, would be in the form of tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials that we would file with the SEC.
Sourcing of Potential Business Combination Targets
We believe that the operational and transactional experience of our management team and our sponsor and their respective affiliates and related entities and the relationships they have developed as a result of such experience, will provide us with a substantial number of potential business combination targets. These individuals and entities have developed a broad network of contacts and corporate relationships around the world. This network has grown through sourcing, acquiring and financing businesses and maintaining relationships with sellers, financing sources and target management teams. Our management team and members of our sponsor and their respective affiliates and related entities have significant experience in executing transactions under varying economic and financial market conditions. We believe that these networks of relationships and this experience will provide us with important sources of investment opportunities. In addition, we anticipate that target business candidates may be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment market participants, private equity funds and large business enterprises seeking to divest noncore assets or divisions.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a business combination target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors (or their respective affiliates or related entities) or making the acquisition through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with our sponsor, officers or directors (or their respective affiliates or related entities). In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors (or their respective affiliates or related entities), we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions for the type of company we are seeking to acquire or an independent accounting firm that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context. As more fully discussed in “Management—Conflicts of Interest,” if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may be required to present such business combination opportunity to such entity prior to presenting such business combination opportunity to us, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.
Other Acquisition Considerations
In addition to our sponsor, members of our management team may directly or indirectly own our ordinary shares and/or placement units following this offering, and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
Each of our directors and officers presently has, and in the future any of our directors and our officers may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present acquisition opportunities to such entity. Accordingly, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an acquisition opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will need to honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such acquisition opportunity to such entity, and only present it to us if such entity rejects the opportunity. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law, no director or officer shall be disqualified or prevented from contracting with the company nor shall any contract or transaction entered into by or on behalf of the company in which any director shall have an interest be liable to be avoided. A director shall be at liberty to vote in respect of any contract or transaction in which he is interested provided that the nature of such interest shall be disclosed at or prior to its consideration or any vote thereon by the board of directors. We do not believe, however, that any fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our directors or officers would materially undermine our ability to complete our business combination.
Our officers and directors may become an officer or director of another special purpose acquisition company with a class of securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act even before we enter a definitive agreement regarding our initial business combination.
Initial Business Combination
Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target’s assets or prospects. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.
We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the prior owners of the target business, the target management team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock, shares or other equity interests of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test. If the business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses, and we will treat the target businesses together as our initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking shareholder approval, as applicable.
To the extent we effect our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in such company or business. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors.
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review which will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information which will be made available to us.
The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination.
Status as a Public Company
We believe our structure will make us an attractive business combination partner to target businesses. As a public company, we offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering through a merger or other business combination with us. Following an initial business combination, we believe the target business would have greater access to capital and additional means of creating management incentives that are better aligned with shareholders’ interests than it would as a private company. A target business can further benefit by augmenting its profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented employees. In a business combination transaction with us, the owners of the target business may, for example, exchange their shares of stock, shares or other equity interests in the target business for our Class A ordinary shares (or shares of a new holding company) or for a combination of our Class A ordinary shares and cash, allowing us to tailor the consideration to the specific needs of the sellers.
Although there are various costs and obligations associated with being a public company, we believe target businesses will find this method a more expeditious and cost-effective method to becoming a public company than the typical initial public offering. The typical initial public offering process takes a significantly longer period of time than the typical business combination transaction process, and there are significant expenses in the initial public offering process, including underwriting discounts and commissions, marketing and road show efforts that may not be present to the same extent in connection with an initial business combination with us.
Furthermore, once a proposed initial business combination is completed, the target business will have effectively become public, whereas an initial public offering is always subject to the underwriters’ ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions, which could delay or prevent the offering from occurring or could have negative valuation consequences. Following an initial business combination, we believe the target business would then have greater access to capital and an additional means of providing management incentives consistent with shareholders’ interests and the ability to use its shares as currency for acquisitions. Being a public company can offer further benefits by augmenting a company’s profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented employees.
While we believe that our structure and our management team’s backgrounds will make us an attractive business partner, some potential target businesses may view our status as a blank check company, such as our lack of an operating history and our ability to seek shareholder approval of any proposed initial business combination, negatively.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A ordinary share that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Rule 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the end of the prior June 30th, or (2) our annual revenues equalled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th.
Financial Position
With funds available for an initial business combination initially in the amount of $98,000,000, after payment of $3,500,000 of deferred underwriting fees (or $112,700,000 after payment of $4,025,000 of deferred underwriting fees if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), in each case before fees and expenses associated with our initial business combination (other than deferred underwriting fees), we offer a target business a variety of options such as creating a liquidity event for its owners, providing capital for the potential growth and expansion of its operations or strengthening its balance sheet by reducing its debt or leverage ratio. Because we are able to complete our initial business combination using our cash, debt or equity securities, or a combination of the foregoing, we have the flexibility to use the most efficient combination that will allow us to tailor the consideration to be paid to the target business to fit its needs and desires. However, we have not taken any steps to secure third party financing and there can be no assurance it will be available to us.
Effecting Our Initial Business Combination
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations for an indefinite period of time following this offering. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement warrant, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination (pursuant to backstop agreements we may enter into following the consummation of this offering or otherwise), shares issued to the owners of the target, debt issued to bank or other lenders or the owners of the target, or a combination of the foregoing. We may seek to complete our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, which would subject us to the numerous risks inherent in such companies and businesses.
If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination or used for redemptions of our Class A ordinary share, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital.
We may seek to raise additional funds through a private offering of debt or equity securities in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, and we may effectuate our initial business combination using the proceeds of such offering rather than using the amounts held in the trust account. In addition, we intend to target businesses larger than we could acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement warrant, and may as a result be required to seek additional financing to complete such proposed initial business combination. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would expect to complete such financing only simultaneously with the completion of our initial business combination. In the case of an initial business combination funded with assets other than the trust account assets, our proxy materials or tender offer documents disclosing the initial business combination would disclose the terms of the financing and, only if required by applicable law or share exchange requirements, we would seek shareholder approval of such financing. There are no prohibitions on our ability to raise funds privately, or through loans in connection with our initial business combination. At this time, we are not a party to any arrangement or understanding with any third party with respect to raising any additional funds through the sale of securities or otherwise.
We have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. From the period commencing with our formation through the date of this prospectus, there have been no communications or discussions between any of our officers, directors or our sponsor and any of their potential contacts or relationships regarding a potential initial business combination. Additionally, we have not engaged or retained any agent or other representative to identify or locate any suitable acquisition candidate, to conduct any research or take any measures, directly or indirectly, to locate or contact a target business. Accordingly, there is no current basis for investors in this offering to evaluate the possible merits or risks of the target business with which we may ultimately complete our initial business combination. Although our management will assess the risks inherent in a particular target business with which we may combine, we cannot assure you that this assessment will result in our identifying all risks that a target business may encounter. Furthermore, some of those risks may be outside of our control, meaning that we can do nothing to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.
Sources of Target Businesses
We anticipate that target business candidates will be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment bankers and investment professionals, as a result of being solicited by us by calls or mailings. These sources may also introduce us to target businesses in which they think we may be interested on an unsolicited basis, since many of these sources will have read this prospectus and know what types of businesses we are targeting. Our officers and directors, as well as our sponsor and their affiliates, may also bring to our attention target business candidates that they become aware of through their business contacts as a result of formal or informal inquiries or discussions they may have, as well as attending trade shows or conventions. In addition, we expect to receive a number of deal flow opportunities that would not otherwise necessarily be available to us as a result of the business relationships of our officers and directors and our sponsor and their affiliates. While we do not presently anticipate engaging the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions on any formal basis, we may engage these firms or other individuals in the future, in which event we may pay a finder’s fee, consulting fee, advisory fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm’s length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction. We will engage a finder only to the extent our management determines that the use of a finder may bring opportunities to us that may not otherwise be available to us or if finders approach us on an unsolicited basis with a potential transaction that our management determines is in our best interest to pursue. Payment of finder’s fees is customarily tied to completion of a transaction, in which case any such fee will be paid out of the funds held in the trust account. In no event, however, will our sponsor or any of our existing officers or directors be paid any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation by the company prior to, or in connection with any services rendered for any services they render in order to effectuate, the completion of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). None of our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be allowed to receive any compensation, finder’s fees or consulting fees from a prospective business combination target in connection with a contemplated initial business combination except as set forth herein. We have agreed to pay [●], an affiliate of our sponsor, a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support and to reimburse our sponsor for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating, and completing an initial business combination. Some of our officers and directors may enter into employment or consulting agreements with the post-transaction company following our initial business combination. The presence or absence of any such fees or arrangements will not be used as a criterion in our selection process of an initial business combination candidate.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with an initial business combination target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors or making the initial business combination through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with an initial business combination target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that such an initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
As more fully discussed in the section of this prospectus entitled “Management — Conflicts of Interest,” if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an initial business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may be required to present such business combination opportunity to such entity prior to presenting such business combination opportunity to us. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.
Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of our Initial Business Combination
Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. The fair market value of our initial business combination will be determined by our board of directors based upon one or more standards generally accepted by the financial community, such as discounted cash flow valuation, a valuation based on trading multiples of comparable public businesses or a valuation based on the financial metrics of M&A transactions of comparable businesses. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target’s assets or prospects. We do not intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination. Subject to this requirement, our management will virtually have unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting one or more prospective target businesses, although we will not be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations.
In any case, we will only complete an initial business combination in which we own or acquire 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquire a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. If we own or acquire less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses, the portion of such business or businesses that are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company is what will be taken into account for purposes of Nasdaq’s 80% fair market value test. There is no basis for investors in this offering to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any target business with which we may ultimately complete our initial business combination.
To the extent we effect our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in such company or business. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors.
In evaluating a prospective business target, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review, which may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial and other information that will be made available to us.
The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination.
Lack of Business Diversification
For an indefinite period of time after the completion of our initial business combination, the prospects for our success may depend entirely on the future performance of a single business. Unlike other entities that have the resources to complete business combinations with multiple entities in one or several industries, it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations and mitigate the risks of being in a single line of business. In addition, we intend to focus our search for an initial business combination in a single industry. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:
| ● | subject us to negative economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact on the particular industry in which we operate after our initial business combination, and |
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| ● | cause us to depend on the marketing and sale of a single product or limited number of products or services. |
Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target’s Management Team
Although we intend to closely scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with that business, our assessment of the target business’s management may not prove to be correct. In addition, the future management may not have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of members of our management team, if any, in the target business cannot presently be stated with any certainty. The determination as to whether any of the members of our management team will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination. While it is possible that one or more of our directors will remain associated in some capacity with us following our initial business combination, it is unlikely that any of them will devote their full efforts to our affairs subsequent to our initial business combination. Moreover, we cannot assure you that members of our management team will have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.
We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with the combined company. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
Following an initial business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that additional managers will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
Shareholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination
We may conduct redemptions without a shareholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, subject to the provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. However, we will seek shareholder approval if it is required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement, or we may decide to seek shareholder approval for business or other reasons.
Under Nasdaq’s listing rules, shareholder approval would be required for our initial business combination if, for example:
| ● | we issue Class A ordinary shares that will be equal to or in excess of 20% of the number of our Class A ordinary shares then outstanding (other than in a public offering); |
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| ● | any of our directors, officers or substantial shareholders (as defined by Nasdaq rules) has a 5% or greater interest (or such persons collectively have a 10% or greater interest), directly or indirectly, in the target business or assets to be acquired or otherwise and the present or potential issuance of ordinary shares could result in an increase in outstanding ordinary shares or voting power of 5% or more; or |
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| ● | the issuance or potential issuance of ordinary shares will result in our undergoing a change of control. |
The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination in those instances in which shareholder approval is not required by law will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on business and reasons, which include a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:
| ● | the timing of the transaction, including in the event we determine shareholder approval would require additional time and there is either not enough time to seek shareholder approval or doing so would place the company at a disadvantage in the transaction or result in other additional burdens on the company; |
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| ● | the expected cost of holding a shareholder vote; |
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| ● | the risk that the shareholders would fail to approve the proposed business combination; |
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| ● | other time and budget constraints of the company; and |
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| ● | additional legal complexities of a proposed business combination that would be time-consuming and burdensome to present to shareholders. |
Permitted Purchases of our Securities
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers or their affiliates may purchase public shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit on the number of shares our initial shareholders, directors, officers or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and Nasdaq rules. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will not make any such purchases when they are in possession of any material non-public information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions prior to completion of our initial business combination.
The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the initial business combination or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares, warrants, or rights may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates anticipate that they may identify the shareholders with whom our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates may pursue privately negotiated purchases by either the shareholders contacting us directly or by our receipt of redemption requests submitted by shareholders following our mailing of proxy materials in connection with our initial business combination. To the extent that our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates enter into a private purchase, they would identify and contact only potential selling shareholders who have expressed their election to redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the trust account or vote against our initial business combination, whether or not such shareholder has already submitted a proxy with respect to our initial business combination. Our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates will only purchase public shares if such purchases comply with Regulation M under the Exchange Act and the other federal securities laws.
Any purchases by our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates who are affiliated purchasers under Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act will only be made to the extent such purchases are able to be made in compliance with Rule 10b-18, which is a safe harbor from liability for manipulation under Section 9(a)(2) and Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Rule 10b-18 has certain technical requirements that must be complied with in order for the safe harbor to be available to the purchaser. Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates will not make purchases of ordinary shares if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. We expect that any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchases are subject to such reporting requirements.
Redemption Rights for Public Shareholders upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination
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 at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be approximately $10.15 per public share. The per-share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. Our sponsor, officers and directors will enter into a letter agreement with us, prior to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part becoming effective, pursuant to which they will agree to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and any public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination.
Manner of Conducting Redemptions
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public Class A ordinary shares upon the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the initial business combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed initial business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek shareholder approval under the law or share exchange listing requirement. Under Nasdaq rules, asset acquisitions and share purchases would not typically require shareholder approval while direct mergers with our company where we do not survive and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our outstanding ordinary shares or seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association would require shareholder approval. If we structure an initial business combination with a target company in a manner that requires shareholder approval, we will not have discretion as to whether to seek a shareholder vote to approve the proposed initial business combination. We may conduct redemptions without a shareholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC unless shareholder approval is required by law or stock exchange listing requirements or we choose to seek shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons. So long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on Nasdaq, we will be required to comply with such rules.
If shareholder approval of the transaction is required by law or share exchange listing requirement, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association:
| ● | conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules, and |
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| ● | file proxy materials with the SEC. |
In the event that we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, we will distribute proxy materials and, in connection therewith, provide our public shareholders with the redemption rights described above upon completion of the initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the holders of outstanding ordinary shares present and entitled to vote at the meeting to approve the initial business combination when a quorum is present are voted in favor of the initial business combination. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of shares of the Company representing a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of the Company entitled to vote at such meeting. Our initial shareholders will count toward this quorum and pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote any founder shares held by them and any public shares acquired during or after this offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination. For purposes of seeking approval of the majority of our outstanding ordinary shares voted, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. As a result, in addition to our founder shares, we would need 241,120 or 2.41% of the 10,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination (assuming only the minimum number of shares representing a quorum are voted) in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised and that the initial shareholders do not purchase any units in this offering or units or shares in the after-market). In the event that all our outstanding ordinary shares are voted, we would need 3,494,081 or 34.94%, of the 10,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised, and that the initial shareholders do not purchase any units in this offering or units or shares in the after-market). We intend to give approximately 30 days (but not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days) prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a vote shall be taken to approve our initial business combination. These quorum and voting thresholds, and the voting agreements of our initial shareholders, may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem its public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. In addition, our sponsor, our directors, and our officers will enter into a letter agreement with us, prior to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part becoming effective, pursuant to which they will agree to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares held by them, and any public shares they may acquire during or after this offering in connection with the completion of our initial business combination.
If a shareholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association:
| ● | conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers, and |
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| ● | file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies. |
Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, we or our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase our Class A ordinary shares in the open market if we elect to redeem our public shares through a tender offer, to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act.
In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, we will not redeem any public shares unless our net tangible assets will be at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters’ fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. If public shareholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete the initial business combination.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that we may not redeem our public shares unless our net tangible assets are at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters’ fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. For example, the proposed initial business combination may require: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed initial business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all Class A ordinary shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the initial business combination or redeem any shares, and all Class A ordinary shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof.
Limitation on Redemption upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination if we Seek Shareholder Approval
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares.” Such restriction shall also be applicable to our affiliates. We believe this restriction will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to exercise their redemption rights against a proposed initial business combination as a means to force us or our management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders’ ability to redeem no more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering without our prior consent, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with an initial business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination.
Tendering Share Certificates in Connection with Redemption Rights
We may require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent up to two business days prior to the vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option. The proxy materials that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public shareholders to satisfy such delivery requirements. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have up to two days prior to the vote on the initial business combination to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. Given the relatively short exercise period, it is advisable for shareholders to use electronic delivery of their public shares.
There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC System. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker $80.00 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to tender their shares. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising redemption rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated.
The foregoing is different from the procedures used by many special purpose acquisition companies. In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, many blank check companies would distribute proxy materials for the shareholders’ vote on an initial business combination, and a holder could simply vote against a proposed initial business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holder was seeking to exercise his or her redemption rights. After the initial business combination was approved, the company would contact such shareholder to arrange for him or her to deliver his or her certificate to verify ownership. As a result, the shareholder then had an “option window” after the completion of the initial business combination during which he or she could monitor the price of the company’s shares in the market. If the price rose above the redemption price, he or she could sell his or her shares in the open market before actually delivering his or her shares to the company for cancellation. As a result, the redemption rights, to which shareholders were aware they needed to commit before the shareholder meeting, would become “option” rights surviving past the completion of the initial business combination until the redeeming holder delivered its certificate. The requirement for physical or electronic delivery prior to the meeting ensures that a redeeming holder’s election to redeem is irrevocable once the initial business combination is approved.
Any request to redeem such shares, once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to the date of the shareholder meeting. Furthermore, if a holder of a public share delivered its certificate in connection with an election of redemption rights and subsequently decides prior to the applicable date not to elect to exercise such rights, such holder may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically). It is anticipated that the funds to be distributed to holders of our public shares electing to redeem their shares will be distributed promptly after the completion of our initial business combination.
If our initial business combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public shareholders who elected to exercise their redemption rights would not be entitled to redeem their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any certificates delivered by public holders who elected to redeem their shares.
If our initial proposed initial business combination is not completed, we may continue to try to complete an initial business combination with a different target until 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association).
Redemption of Public Shares and Liquidation if no Initial Business Combination
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that we will have only 12 months from the closing of this offering to complete our initial business combination. We may seek ordinary resolution of the public shareholders for any extension beyond 12 months at a meeting called for such purpose. Public shareholders will be offered the opportunity to vote on and/or redeem their shares in connection with the approval of such extension. Alternatively, or in the event that there is an unsuccessful effort to obtain public shareholder approval for the proposed extensions(s), we may, but are not obligated to, extend the period in which we must complete our initial business combination twice, for an additional three months each time, up to 18 months by depositing into the trust account on or prior to the applicable deadline for each three month extension $1,000,000, or $1,150,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.10 per unit in either case). Public shareholders, in this situation, will not be offered the opportunity to vote on and/or redeem their shares in connection with such extension. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within such 12-month period (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants or rights, which will expire worthless if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the 12-month time period (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association).
Our sponsor, officers and directors will enter into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they will waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association). However, if our sponsor, officers, or directors acquire public shares in or after this offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 158 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 21-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association).
Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A ordinary shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. However, we may not redeem our public shares unless our net tangible assets are at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of underwriters’ fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules). If this optional redemption right is exercised with respect to an excessive number of public shares such that we cannot satisfy the net tangible asset requirement (described above), we would not proceed with the amendment or the related redemption of our public shares at such time.
We expect that all costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, as well as payments to any creditors, will be funded from amounts remaining out of the approximately $1,040,000 of proceeds held outside the trust account, although we cannot assure you that there will be sufficient funds for such purpose. We will depend on sufficient interest being earned on the proceeds held in the trust account to pay any tax obligations we may owe. However, if those funds are not sufficient to cover the costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, to the extent that there is any interest accrued in the trust account not required to pay taxes, we may request the trustee to release to us an additional amount of up to $100,000 of such accrued interest to pay those costs and expenses.
If we were to expend all of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement warrant, other than the proceeds deposited in the trust account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the trust account, the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders upon our dissolution would be approximately $10.15. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors which would have higher priority than the claims of our public shareholders. We cannot assure you that the actual per-share redemption amount received by shareholders will not be substantially less than $10.15. While we intend to pay such amounts, if any, we cannot assure you that we will have funds sufficient to pay or provide for all creditors’ claims.
Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account including but not limited to fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain an advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. [ ], our independent registered public accounting firm, and the underwriters of the offering, will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account.
In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.15 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.15 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below (i) $10.15 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, due to reductions in value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its indemnification obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so if, for example, the cost of such legal action is deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or if the independent directors determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations and we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that due to claims of creditors the actual value of the per-share redemption price will not be less than $10.15 per public share.
We will seek to reduce the possibility that our sponsor will have to indemnify the trust account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the trust account. Our sponsor will also not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We will have access to up to approximately $1,040,000 from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement warrant with which to pay any such potential claims (including costs and expenses incurred in connection with our liquidation, currently estimated to be no more than approximately $100,000). In the event that we liquidate and it is subsequently determined that the reserve for claims and liabilities is insufficient, shareholders who received funds from our trust account could be liable for claims made by creditors. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $578,420, we may fund such excess with funds from the funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $578,420, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount.
If we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any bankruptcy or insolvency claims deplete the trust account, we cannot assure you we will be able to return $10.15 per share to our public shareholders. Additionally, if we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy or insolvency court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earlier to occur of: (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend any provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, and (iii) the redemption of all of our public shares if we are unable to complete our business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), subject to applicable law. In no other circumstances will a shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. In the event we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, a shareholder’s voting in connection with the initial business combination alone will not result in a shareholder’s redeeming its shares to us for an applicable pro rata share of the trust account. Such shareholder must have also exercised its redemption rights as described above. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, like all provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, may be amended by special resolution.
Comparison of Redemption or Purchase Prices in Connection with Our Initial Business Combination and if We Fail to Complete Our Initial Business Combination
The following table compares the redemptions and other permitted purchases of public shares that may take place in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association).
| | Redemptions in Connection with our Initial Business Combination | | Other Permitted Purchases of Public Shares by us or our Affiliates | | Redemptions if we fail to Complete an Initial Business Combination |
Calculation of redemption price | | Redemptions at the time of our initial business combination may be made pursuant to a tender offer or in connection with a shareholder vote. The redemption price will be the same whether we conduct redemptions pursuant to a tender offer or in connection with a shareholder vote. In either case, our public shareholders may redeem their public shares for cash equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination (which is initially anticipated to be $10.15 per public share), including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitation that no redemptions will take place if all of the redemptions would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 as described elsewhere in this prospectus and any limitations (including but not limited to cash requirements) agreed to in connections with the negotiation of terms of a proposed initial business combination. | | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers or their affiliates may purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market prior to or following completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit to the prices that our sponsor, directors, officers or their affiliates may pay in these transactions. | | If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of this offering at the election of the Company in two separate three month extensions subject to satisfaction of certain conditions, including the deposit of up to $1,000,000, or $1,150,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.10 per unit in either case) for each three month extension, into the trust account, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), we will redeem all public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount, then on deposit in the trust account (which is initially anticipated to be $10.15 per public share) including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. |
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Impact to remaining shareholders | | The redemptions in connection with our initial business combination will reduce the book value per share for our remaining shareholders, who will bear the burden of the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable. | | If the permitted purchases described above are made there would be no impact to our remaining shareholders because the purchase price would not be paid by us. | | The redemption of our public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination will reduce the book value per share for the shares held by our initial shareholders, who will be our only remaining shareholders after such redemptions. |
Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419
The following table compares the terms of this offering to the terms of an offering by a blank check company subject to the provisions of Rule 419. This comparison assumes that the gross proceeds, underwriting commissions and underwriting expenses of our offering would be identical to those of an offering undertaken by a company subject to Rule 419, and that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option. None of the provisions of Rule 419 apply to our offering.
| | Terms of Our Offering | | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering |
Escrow of offering proceeds | | $101,500,000 of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the placement units will be deposited into a trust account in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee. | | Approximately $85,041,000 of the offering proceeds would be deposited into either an escrow account with an insured depositary institution or in a separate bank account established by a broker-dealer in which the broker-dealer acts as trustee for persons having the beneficial interests in the account. |
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Investment of net proceeds | | $101,500,000 of the net offering proceeds and the sale of the placement units held in trust will be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills 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. | | Proceeds could be invested only in specified securities such as a money market fund meeting conditions of the Investment Company Act or in securities that are direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal or interest by, the United States. |
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Receipt of interest on escrowed funds | | Interest on proceeds from the trust account to be paid to shareholders is reduced by (i) any taxes paid or payable, and (ii) in the event of our liquidation for failure to complete our initial business combination within the allotted time, up to $100,000 of net interest that may be released to us should we have no or insufficient working capital to fund the costs and expenses of our dissolution and liquidation. | | Interest on funds in escrow account would be held for the sole benefit of investors, unless and only after the funds held in escrow were released to us in connection with our completion of a business combination. |
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Limitation on fair value or net assets of target business | | Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial business combination. | | The fair value or net assets of a target business must represent at least 80% of the maximum offering proceeds. |
| | Terms of Our Offering | | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering |
Trading of securities issued | | We expect the units will begin trading on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. The Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless the representative informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below and having issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. We will file the Current Report on Form 8-K promptly after the closing of this offering, which is anticipated to take place three business days from the date of this prospectus. If the over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, an additional Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the over-allotment option. | | No trading of the units or the underlying Class A ordinary share and warrants would be permitted until the completion of a business combination. During this period, the securities would be held in the escrow or trust account. |
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Exercise of the warrants | | The warrants cannot be exercised until the later of the date of the consummation of our initial business combination and 12 months from the closing of the offering. | | The warrants could be exercised prior to the completion of a business combination, but securities received and cash paid in connection with the exercise would be deposited in the escrow or trust account. |
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Election to remain an investor | | We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes, upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described herein. We may not be required by applicable law or share exchange listing requirements to hold a shareholder vote. We intend to give approximately 30 days (but not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days) prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a vote shall be taken to approve our initial business combination. If we are not required by applicable law or share exchange listing requirements and do not otherwise decide to hold a shareholder vote, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC and file tender offer documents with the SEC which will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. If, however, we hold a shareholder vote, we will, like many blank check companies, offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules. | | A prospectus containing information pertaining to the business combination required by the SEC would be sent to each investor. Each investor would be given the opportunity to notify the company in writing, within a period of no less than 20 business days and no more than 45 business days from the effective date of a post-effective amendment to the company’s registration statement, to decide if it elects to remain a shareholder of the company or require the return of its investment. If the company has not received the notification by the end of the 45th business day, funds and interest or dividends, if any, held in the trust or escrow account are automatically returned to the shareholder. Unless a sufficient number of investors elect to remain investors, all funds on deposit in the escrow account must be returned to all of the investors and none of the securities are issued. |
| | Terms of Our Offering | | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering |
| | If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the outstanding ordinary shares voted are voted in favor of the initial business combination. Additionally, each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of shares of the company representing a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of the company entitled to vote at such meeting. | | |
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Business combination deadline | | If we are unable to complete an initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject, in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. | | If a business combination has not been completed within 12 months after the effective date of the company’s registration statement, funds held in the trust or escrow account are returned to investors. |
| | Terms of Our Offering | | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering |
Limitation on redemption rights of shareholders holding more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering if we hold a shareholder vote | | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder (including our affiliates), together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to Excess Shares (more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering). Our public shareholders’ inability to redeem Excess Shares will reduce their influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and they could suffer a material loss on their investment in us if they sell any Excess Shares in open market transactions. | | Many blank check companies provide no restrictions on the ability of shareholders to redeem shares based on the number of shares held by such shareholders in connection with an initial business combination. |
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Tendering share certificates in connection with redemption rights | | We may require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent up to two business days prior to the vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC System, at the holder’s option. The proxy materials that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public shareholders to satisfy such delivery requirements. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have up to two days prior to the vote on the initial business combination to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. | | In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, holders could vote against a proposed initial business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holders were seeking to exercise their redemption rights. After the business combination was approved, the company would contact such shareholders to arrange for them to deliver their certificate to verify ownership. |
| | Terms of Our Offering | | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering |
Release of funds | | Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our tax obligations and up to $100,000 of interest that may be used for our dissolution expenses, the proceeds held in the trust account will not be released until the earliest to occur of: (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity and (iii) the redemption of 100% of our public shares if we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the required time frame (subject to the requirements of applicable law). On the completion of our initial business combination, all amounts held in the trust account will be released to us, less amounts released to a separate account controlled by the trustee for disbursal to redeeming shareholders. We will use these funds to pay amounts due to any public shareholders who exercise their redemption rights as described above under “Redemption rights for public shareholders upon completion of our initial business combination,” to pay the underwriters their deferred underwriting commissions, to pay all or a portion of the consideration payable to the target or owners of the target of our initial business combination and to pay other expenses associated with our initial business combination. | | The proceeds held in the escrow account are not released until the earlier of the completion of a business combination or the failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time. |
Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our initial business combination, we may encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other blank check companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, public companies and operating businesses seeking strategic acquisitions. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess greater financial, technical, human and other resources than us. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public shareholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination and our outstanding warrants and rights, and the future dilution they potentially represent may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Either of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination.
Facilities
Our executive office is located at 79 Queen St, Ashfield, NSW, 2131 .
Commencing on the initial filing of our draft registration statement, we have agreed to pay [●], an affiliate of our sponsor, a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.
Employees
We currently have two officers. These individuals are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but they intend to devote as much of their time as they deem necessary, in the exercise of their respective business judgement, to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time they will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the stage of the initial business combination process we are in. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. We do not have an employment agreement with any member of our management team.
Periodic Reporting and Financial Information
We will register our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights under the Exchange Act and have reporting obligations, including the requirement that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with the SEC. In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, our annual reports will contain financial statements audited and reported on by our independent registered public accountants.
We will provide shareholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials sent to shareholders to assist them in assessing the target business. In all likelihood, these financial statements will need to be prepared in accordance with, or reconciled to, GAAP, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances, and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential targets we may conduct an initial business combination with because some targets may be unable to provide such statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. We cannot assure you that any particular target business identified by us as a potential business combination candidate will have financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP or that the potential target business will be able to prepare its financial statements in accordance with the requirements outlined above. To the extent that these requirements cannot be met, we may not be able to acquire the proposed target business. While this may limit the pool of potential business combination candidates, we do not believe that this limitation will be material.
We will be required to evaluate our internal control procedures for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023 as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer, and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to have our internal control procedures audited. A target company may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such business combination. Prior to the date of this prospectus, we will file a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we will be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.
We are a Cayman Islands exempted company. Exempted companies are Cayman Islands companies conducting business mainly outside the Cayman Islands and, as such, are exempted from complying with certain provisions of the Companies Act.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period. References herein to “emerging growth company” will have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter, or (2) our annual revenues equalled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter.
Legal Proceedings
There is no material litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding currently pending against us or any members of our management team in their capacity as such.
MANAGEMENT
Officers and Director
Our officers and directors are as follows:
Name | | Age | | Position |
Babar Ali | | 40 | | Chief Executive Officer, Director and Chairman of the Board |
Atle Crowe- Maxwell | | 51 | | Chief Financial Officer and Director |
Brett Westbrook | | 62 | | Independent Director Nominee |
Denis Durand | | 49 | | Independent Director Nominee |
Bharat Patel | | 59 | | Independent Director Nominee |
Marco Bardelli | | 55 | | Independent Director Nominee |
Babar Ali, our Chief Executive Officer and Director, has over 20 years of experience in the wealth management and fintech industries. From June 2019 through January 2022, he served as Executive Director on the Risk and Audit Committee of NewQuantum Holdings, a wealth management solutions provider. In his advisory role, he provides leadership to successfully achieve the product market fit. From January 2018 until June 2019, Mr. Ali served as Founder and Head of Trading at Goodments Pty Ltd, an investing app designed to promote ESG investing. Prior to that, from June 2015 to January 2018, he served as Founder and CTO of WealthO2, which offers a suite of wealth management software solutions for advisers. Between January 2012 and June 2015, Mr. Ali was the Chief Technology Officer of Fortnum Private Wealth, a financial planning firm. Prior to that, from January 2005 to January 2012, he held various senior roles in tax and accounting at Deloitte and Thomson Reuters. Mr. Ali graduated from Western Sydney University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science in 2005. He is currently completing a PhD in Data Science through the University of Technology Sydney with 2025 as the expected graduation year and an MBA from the Macquarie Graduate School of Management with 2023 as the expected graduation year. Mr. Ali’s extensive experience and knowledge in implementing enabling technologies and enterprise systems that facilitate business processes and strategic objectives make him a valuable addition to our management team and board of directors.
Atle Crowe- Maxwell, our Chief Financial Officer and Director, has over 30 years insolvency, forensic accounting, and business advisory experience. Since July 2020, he has served as Managing Director at DBA Reconstruction and Advisory, an international professional service outsourcing firm. In this role, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell undertakes Corporate Restructuring, Director and Board advice, forensic accounting as well as formal insolvency appointments. From November 2015 to July 2020, he served as the Head of Business Advisory at Omniwealth, a diversified financial services firm. He also served on the board of Omniwealth from 2015 to 2018. In this role, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell helped build business advisory and succession planning services for the firm. Prior to that, from August 2012 to October 2015, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell served as Business Unit Leader, Business Recovery, and Insolvency for the East Coast Practice at BDO (Binder Dijker Otte), an audit, tax, and advisory services firm. From 2012 to 2015, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell served on the board of directors of the Gidget Foundation, which supports the wellbeing of expectant and new parents. From 2011 to 2014, he also served on the board of the BDO East Coast Practice. Between July 2001 and August 2012, Mr. Crowe-Maxwell served as Manager in the Forensic Accounting and Litigation Support practice at Arthur Andersen. From April 1997 to September 1998 he served as Supervisor, Insolvency at Smith Hancock. He provided reviews and solvency assessments for banks and other corporate entities, litigation, formal insolvency assignments, and business advisory assignments. From April 1995 through March 1997 he served as Supervisor, Insolvency for Ferrier Hodgson. Prior to that, between February 1992 and March 1995, he was a Senior Accountant, Insolvency at KPMG. Mr. Crowe-Maxwell graduated from Macquarie University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Economics (Accounting, Finance and Business Law). In 1996 he took a Professional Year at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. In 2002, he received his professional insolvency qualifications through the University of Southern Queensland. In 2005 he became a registered liquidator with ASIC. We believe that Mr. Crowe-Maxwell’s experience in solvency assessments for banks and other corporate entities and his extensive experience with forensic accounting and evaluating financial and strategic operations of companies in diverse industries make him a valuable member of our management team.
Brett Westbrook, our Independent Director nominee, has over 40 years of experience in the financial services sector. Since December 2019, he has served as Executive Director of Jigsaw Capital No. 2, a Corporate Advisor in the Australian Market. In this role, Mr. Westbrook is a joint owner and senior advisor. Since October 2019, he has also served as the Executive Director of New Quantum, a wealth management solutions provider. In addition to fulfilling his director responsibilities he has provided consulting advice. Since September 2020 he has served as Chief Operating Officer of YourPortfolio.com, a financial portfolio consolidation app for retail customers. He is one of the founders of this business. From January 2015 to May 2019, Mr. Westbrook served as Executive Director for WealthO2, which offers a suite of wealth management software solutions for advisers. In this role, Mr. Westbrook acted as a Responsible Managers on its Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). Brett was one of the Founders of this business. He received an MBA from Melbourne University in May 2006. As a result of his professional and academic experiences, Mr. Westbrook brings extensive breadth, depth and knowledge in the operational and management services combined with an expertise in wealth management solutions to our management team.
Denis Durand, our Independent Director nominee, has over 20 years of private sector experience in the investment and financial advisory industry, working with companies such as Deloitte, CBA and MLC. Since 2009, Mr. Durand has served as a Director of Durand Financial Services and Melbourne Loans & Finance, a comprehensive finance solutions firm. In this role, Mr. Durand and his team managed over $250 million of client and corporate funds and specialized in investment advice for high net wealth individuals, business owners, and corporate clients. Further, Mr. Durand has co-hosted the television program “Australian Success,” and “Money Segment” on ABC 774 in 2005. In 1995 Mr. Durand graduated from Latrobe University Melbourne with a Bachelor in Economics degree and in 2003, he graduated with a Diploma of Financial Planning from Deakin University.
Bharat Patel, our Independent Director nominee, has over 10 years of financial services experience in Australian financial markets. He has extensive domestic and international experience and familiarity with technology and data businesses from strategy, infrastructure, delivery, regulatory, operational and customer perspectives. Since January 2011, he has worked for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission as a Senior Specialist – Market Infrastructure Technology. In this role, Mr. Patel has led the development and execution of ASIC’s supervisory strategy for Cyber & Operational Resilience in Australian Financial Markets, as well as the Data Analytics strategy to deliver investigative analytics to enable monitoring and investigation of market trading activity. He also provides leadership and expertise in the areas of technology architecture, technology governance, risk management and quality assurance within the markets group to support effective supervision of regulated activities providing critical services to financial markets, particularly in areas where novel technologies, architectures or methodologies are being deployed. Prior to that, from June 2007 to March 2010, he served as the Chief Information Officer (Australia & New Zealand) for Thomson Reuters Tax, Legal & Regulatory. From June 2003 to May 2007, he served as Chief Information Officer (Asia Pacific) for Thomson Reuters Tax, Legal & Regulatory. In this role, he led the technology group and managed large-scale business transformation programs for digital content delivery, platform rationalization and operational optimizations to significantly improve customer value propositions and delivering stronger revenue growth for the organization. From June 1999 to June 2003, Mr. Patel served as European Services Director at Artesia Technologies Europe (now OpenText Corp.), an information management software company, specialized in media asset management, digital workflow solutions, and business process optimization. He was accountable for the delivery of digital transformation programs for global corporates including Sony Music Europe, General Motors and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) amongst others, which transformed the way in which those corporates managed and delivered digital assets to efficiently service its clients and partners globally, as well as optimizing their own information flows and creating new opportunities for growth. In 1984, Mr. Patel graduated with honors from University College, London with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics. His professional certifications include TOGAF 9 Enterprise Architecture, MSP (Managing Successful Programmes), and PRINCE2 – Project Management. We believe Mr. Patel is well-qualified to serve on our board due to his deep technical knowledge, and extensive experience in leading large-scale digital transformation programs, mergers and acquisitions, and implementation of novel technology solutions.
Marco Bardelli, our Independent Director nominee, has over 25 years of experience in the finance industry. Since 2014, he has worked at Citramas Group in Singapore, supporting the Chairman and CEO’s activity in strategic & corporate planning, governance overview, business development, and investment. His various directorships for Citramas Group include Executive Director of Nongsa Digital Park, Project Coordinator for the Data Centre Hub at Nongsa Digital Park, Project Coordinator for Infinite Learning Apple Developer Academy, Executive Director at Infinite Studios, and Division Head for Infinite Metaverse. From 2005 through 2013, he served as CEO and Managing Director at UBI Banca Group. From 1997 to 2005, Mr. Bardelli was Chief Regional Representative at UBI Banca Group. From 1995 through 1996, he was Vice President at UBI Banca Group in Honk Kong. He received his MBA from the University of Chicago in 2009.
Director Independence
Nasdaq listing standards require that a majority of our board of directors be independent. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship which in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. We expect that our board of directors will determine that all of our directors, other than Messrs Ali and Crowe-Maxwell, are “independent directors” as defined in the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
Director Nominations
We do not have a standing nominating committee though we intend to form a corporate governance and nominating committee as and when required to do so by law or Nasdaq rules. In accordance with Rule 5605 of the Nasdaq rules, a majority of the independent directors may recommend a director nominee for selection by the board of directors. The board of directors believes that the independent directors can satisfactorily carry out the responsibility of properly selecting or approving director nominees without the formation of a standing nominating committee. Our independent directors will participate in the consideration and recommendation of director nominees. In accordance with Rule 5605 of the Nasdaq rules, all such directors are independent. As there is no standing nominating committee, we do not have a nominating committee charter in place.
Officer and Director Compensation
None of our officers has received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. Commencing on the initial filing of our registration statement, we have agreed to pay [●], an affiliate of our sponsor, a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees. No compensation of any kind, including any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee or monies in respect of any payment of a loan, will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers or directors or any affiliate of our sponsor, officers or directors, prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, these individuals will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors or our or their affiliates. Any such payments prior to an initial business combination will be made using funds held outside the trust account. Other than quarterly audit committee review of such payments, we do not expect to have any additional controls in place governing our reimbursement payments to our directors and executive officers for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with identifying and consummating an initial business combination.
After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting or management fees from the combined company. All of these fees will be fully disclosed to shareholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials furnished to our shareholders in connection with a proposed initial business combination. We have not established any limit on the amount of such fees that may be paid by the combined company to our directors or members of management. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of the proposed initial business combination, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our officers will be determined, or recommended to the board of directors for determination, either by a compensation committee constituted solely by independent directors or by a majority of the independent directors on our board of directors.
We do not intend to take any action to ensure that members of our management team maintain their positions with us after the consummation of our initial business combination, although it is possible that some or all of our officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements to remain with us after our initial business combination. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements to retain their positions with us may influence our management’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business but we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination. We are not party to any agreements with our officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Our board of directors will have two standing committees: an audit committee and a compensation committee. Subject to phase-in rules and a limited exception, Nasdaq rules and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors, and Nasdaq rules require that the compensation committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors.
Audit Committee
Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will establish an audit committee of the board of directors. [ ], [ ] and [ ] will serve as members of our audit committee, and [ ] will chair the audit committee. Under the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have at least three members of the audit committee, all of whom must be independent. Each of [ ], [ ] and [ ] meets the independent director standard under Nasdaq listing standards and under Rule 10-A-3(b)(1) of the Exchange Act.
Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our board of directors has determined that [●] qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules.
We will adopt an audit committee charter, which will detail the principal functions of the audit committee, including:
| ● | the appointment, compensation, retention, replacement, and oversight of the work of the independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us; |
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| ● | pre-approving all audit and permitted non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us, and establishing pre-approval policies and procedures; |
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| ● | setting clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the independent registered public accounting firm, including but not limited to, as required by applicable laws and regulations; |
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| ● | setting clear policies for audit partner rotation in compliance with applicable laws and regulations; |
| ● | obtaining and reviewing a report, at least annually, from the independent registered public accounting firm describing (i) the independent registered public accounting firm’s internal quality-control procedures, (ii) any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the audit firm, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities within the preceding five years respecting one or more independent audits carried out by the firm and any steps taken to deal with such issues and (iii) all relationships between the independent registered public accounting firm and us to assess the independent registered public accounting firm’s independence; |
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| ● | reviewing and approving any related party transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC prior to us entering into such transaction; and |
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| ● | reviewing with management, the independent registered public accounting firm, and our legal advisors, as appropriate, any legal, regulatory or compliance matters, including any correspondence with regulators or government agencies and any employee complaints or published reports that raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies and any significant changes in accounting standards or rules promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC or other regulatory authorities. |
Compensation Committee
Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will establish a compensation committee of the board of directors. [ ] and [ ] will serve as members of our compensation committee. Under the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have at least two members of the compensation committee, all of whom must be independent. Our board of directors has determined that each of [ ] and [ ] are independent, and [ ] will chair the compensation committee.
We will adopt a compensation committee charter, which will detail the principal functions of the compensation committee, including:
| ● | reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our Co-Chief Executive Officers’ compensation, if any is paid by us, evaluating our Co-Chief Executive Officers’ performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration (if any) of our Co-Chief Executive Officers based on such evaluation; |
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| ● | reviewing and approving on an annual basis the compensation, if any is paid by us, of all of our other officers; |
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| ● | reviewing on an annual basis our executive compensation policies and plans; |
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| ● | implementing and administering our incentive compensation equity-based remuneration plans; |
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| ● | assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and annual report disclosure requirements; |
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| ● | approving all special perquisites, special cash payments and other special compensation and benefit arrangements for our officers and employees; |
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| ● | if required, producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement; and |
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| ● | reviewing, evaluating and recommending changes, if appropriate, to the remuneration for directors. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, as indicated above, other than the payment to [●], an affiliate of our sponsor, of $10,000 per month, commencing on the date of this prospectus and continues until the earlier of (i) the consummation by the Company of the initial business combination and (ii) the Company’s liquidation, for the office space, utilities, and secretarial and administrative support, no compensation of any kind, including finders, consulting or other similar fees, will be paid to any of our existing shareholders, officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates, prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate the consummation of an initial business combination. Accordingly, it is likely that prior to the consummation of an initial business combination, the compensation committee will only be responsible for the review and recommendation of any compensation arrangements to be entered into in connection with such initial business combination.
The charter will also provide that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by Nasdaq and the SEC.
Code of Ethics
Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will have adopted a Code of Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees. We will file a copy of our Code of Ethics and our audit and compensation committee charters as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You will be able to review these documents by accessing our public filings at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Code of Ethics will be provided without charge upon request from us. We intend to disclose any amendments to or waivers of certain provisions of our Code of Ethics in a Current Report on Form 8-K. See the section of this prospectus entitled “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”
Conflicts of Interest
Investors should be aware of the following potential conflicts of interest:
| ● | None of our officers and directors is required to commit their full time to our affairs and, accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time among various business activities. |
| ● | In the course of their other business activities, our officers and directors may become aware of investment and business opportunities which may be appropriate for presentation to our company as well as the other entities with which they are affiliated. Our directors and officers may continue to involve in the formation of other special purpose acquisition companies in the future. Thus, our officers and directors may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. |
| ● | Our officers and directors may in the future become affiliated with entities, including other blank check companies, engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by our company. |
| ● | Unless we consummate our initial business combination, our officers, directors and other insiders will not receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them to the extent that such expenses exceed the amount of available proceeds not deposited in the trust account. |
| ● | The insider shares beneficially owned by our officers and directors will be released from escrow only if our initial business combination is successfully completed. Additionally, if we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the required time frame, our officers and directors will not be entitled to receive any amounts held in the trust account with respect to any of their insider shares or private units. Furthermore, sponsor has agreed that the founder shares will not be sold or transferred by it until after we have completed our initial business combination. |
For the foregoing reasons, our board may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effect our initial business combination.
Under Cayman Islands law, officers and directors owe the following fiduciary duties:
| ● | duty to act in good faith in what the officer or director believes to be in the best interests of the company as a whole; |
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| ● | duty to exercise powers for the purposes for which those powers were conferred and not for a collateral purpose; |
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| ● | directors should not improperly fetter the exercise of future discretion; |
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| ● | duty to exercise powers fairly as between different sections of shareholders; |
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| ● | duty not to put themselves in a position in which there is a conflict between their duty to the company and their personal interests; and |
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| ● | duty to exercise independent judgment. |
In addition to the above, directors also owe a duty of care, which is not fiduciary in nature. This duty has been defined as a requirement to act as a reasonably diligent person having both the general knowledge, skill and experience that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by that director in relation to the company and the general knowledge skill and experience of that director.
As set out above, directors have a duty not to put themselves in a position of conflict and this includes a duty not to engage in self-dealing, or to otherwise benefit as a result of their position. However, in some instances, what would otherwise be a breach of this duty can be forgiven and/or authorized in advance by the shareholders, provided that there is full disclosure by the directors. This can be done by way of permission granted in the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or alternatively by shareholder approval at general meetings.
Our officers and directors presently have, or may in the future have, fiduciary and contractual duties to other entities. As a result, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity that is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, then, subject to their fiduciary duties under the Companies Act, he or she will need to honor such fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity, before we can pursue such opportunity. If these other entities decide to pursue any such opportunity, we may be precluded from pursuing the same. However, we do not expect these duties to materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide, inter alia, that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as an officer or a director shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which (a) may be a corporate opportunity for any of the Investor Group or the Officer and Director Related Entities (as such terms are defined in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), on the one hand, and us, on the other hand, or (b) the presentation of which would breach an existing legal obligation of a director or officer to any other entity.
Below is a table summarizing the entities to which our executive officers, directors and director nominees currently have fiduciary duties or contractual obligations:
Individual(1) | | Entity(2) | | Entity’s Business | | Affiliation |
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Atle Crowe-Maxwell | | DBA Global Services, Inc. | | Professional Services Outsourcing Company | | Managing Director |
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Brett Westbrook | | Jigsaw Capital No. 2 NewQuantum Pty Ltd | | Fintech as a Service Provider | | Partner Executive Director |
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Denis Durand | | Durand Financial Services Pty Ltd Melbourne Loans and Finance Pty Ltd | | Financial Advisory Finance and Consulting | | Director Director |
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Bharat Patel | | Australian Securities and Investments Commission | | Australian Financial Services Regulator | | Senior Specialist |
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Marco Bardelli | | Citramas Group | | Holding Company | | Office of the Chairman |
(1) | Each person has a fiduciary duty with respect to the listed entities next to their respective names. |
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(2) | Each of the entities listed in this table has priority and preference relative to our company with respect to the performance by each individual listed in this table of his obligations and the presentation by each such individual of business opportunities. |
Accordingly, if any of the above executive officers, directors or director nominees becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for any of the above entities to which he or she has current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity, and only present it to us if such entity rejects the opportunity.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with such a company, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, that such an initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view.
In the event that we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote any founder shares held by them and any public shares purchased during or after the offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination.
Limitation on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against wilful default, wilful neglect, civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide for indemnification of our officers and directors to the maximum extent permitted by law, including for any liability incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own actual fraud, wilful default or wilful neglect. We will enter into agreements with our officers and directors to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. We expect to purchase a policy of officers’ and directors’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.
Our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account, as well as any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to us, and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever (except to the extent they are entitled to funds from the trust account due to their ownership of public shares). Accordingly, any indemnification provided will only be able to be satisfied by us if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination.
Our indemnification obligations may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
We believe that these provisions, the insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced officers and directors.
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares as of the date of this prospectus, and as adjusted to reflect the sale of our ordinary shares included in the units offered by this prospectus, and assuming no purchase of units in this offering, by:
| ● | each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding ordinary shares; |
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| ● | each of our executive officers, directors and director nominees that beneficially owns ordinary shares; and |
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| ● | all our executive officers, directors and director nominees as a group. |
Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all of our ordinary shares beneficially owned by them. The following table does not reflect record or beneficial ownership of the placement warrants and placement rights as these warrants are not exercisable and these rights are not convertible within 60 days of the date of this prospectus.
On April 5, 2022, our sponsor purchased 2,875,000 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.009 per share. On April 7, 2022, our sponsor transferred 15,000 shares to Brett Westbrook, 14,000 shares to Bharat Patel, and 14,000 shares to Marco Bardelli. On April 29, 2022, our sponsor transferred 25,000 shares to Babar Ali, 15,000 shares to Atle Crowe-Maxwell, and 14,000 shares to Denis Durand. In addition, our sponsor has committed, pursuant to a written agreement, to purchase an aggregate of 511,842 placement units for a purchase price of $10.00 per unit in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of this offering (assuming the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option). The following table presents the number of shares and percentage of our ordinary shares beneficially owned as of the filing date, before and after this offering, by each person, or group of persons, known to us who beneficially owns more than 5% of our shares, each named executive officer, each of our directors and all directors and executive officers as a group. The post-offering numbers and percentages presented assume that the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option, that our sponsor forfeits 375,000 founder shares on a pro rata basis, and that there are 13,011,842 of our ordinary shares issued and outstanding after this offering, consisting of (i) 10,000,000 public shares, (ii) 2,500,000 Class B ordinary shares, and (iii) 511,842 placement shares.
| | Before Offering | | | After Offering | |
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1) | | Number of Shares Beneficially Owned(2) | | | Approximate Percentage of Outstanding Ordinary Shares | | | Number of Shares Beneficially Owned(2) | | | Approximate Percentage of Outstanding Ordinary Shares | |
PROTONIQ LLC (3)(4) | | | 2,778,000 | | | | 96.63 | % | | | 2,914,842 | | | | 22.40 | % |
Babar Ali (3) | | | 2,803,000 | | | | 97.50 | % | | | 2,939,842 | | | | 22.59 | % |
Brett Westbrook | | | 15,000 | | | | * | % | | | 15,000 | | | | * | % |
Atle-Crowe Maxwell | | | 15,000 | | | | * | % | | | 15,000 | | | | * | % |
Bharat Patel | | | 14,000 | | | | * | % | | | 14,000 | | | | * | % |
Marco Bardelli | | | 14,000 | | | | * | % | | | 14,000 | | | | * | % |
Denis Durand | | | 14,000 | | | | * | % | | | 14,000 | | | | * | % |
All executive officers and directors as a group (7 individuals) | | | 2,875,000 | | | | 100 | % | | | 3,011,842 | | | | 23.15 | % |
* | Less than 1% |
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(1) | Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of these entities and individuals is 79 Queen St, Ashfield, NSW, 2131. |
(2) | Interests shown consist solely of founder shares, classified as Class B ordinary shares. Founder shares are convertible into Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment, as described in the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities.” |
(3) | PROTONIQ LLC, our sponsor, is the record holder of the securities reported herein. Babar Ali is a control person of our sponsor. By virtue of this relationship, Mr. Ali may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of the securities held of record by our sponsor. Mr. Ali disclaims any such beneficial ownership except to the extent of his respective pecuniary interest. |
(4) | Represents 2,778,000 Class B ordinary shares directly held by PROTONIQ LLC, including up to 375,000 founder shares that will be surrendered to us for no consideration by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised. |
After giving effect to the issuance of founder shares and the sale of the units, our initial shareholders will own approximately 23.15% of the outstanding ordinary shares following the offering. Because of this ownership block, our initial shareholders will have significant influence over the outcome of all matters requiring approval by our shareholders, including the election of directors, amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approval of significant corporate transactions other than approval of our initial business combination. If we increase or decrease the size of the offering, we will effect a share dividend or a share contribution back to capital, or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our initial shareholders at 20% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the placement units, and the underlying securities, and assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering) upon the consummation of this offering. The initial shareholders have agreed (A) to vote any shares owned by them in favor of any proposed initial business combination and (B) not to redeem any shares in connection with a shareholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination.
Our sponsor, executive officers and directors are deemed to be our “promoters” as such term is defined under the federal securities laws.
Restrictions on Transfers of Founder Shares and Placement Units
The founder shares, and placement units, and securities contained therein, are each subject to transfer restrictions pursuant to lock-up provisions in a letter agreement with us to be entered into by our sponsor, officers and directors. Those lock-up provisions provide that such securities are not transferable or salable (i) in the case of the founder shares (or ordinary shares issuable upon conversion thereof), until the earlier to occur of: (A) the completion of our initial business combination and (B) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, capital share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, and (ii) in the case of the placement unit, including the component securities therein, until the completion of our initial business combination, except in each case (a) to our officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of our officers or directors, any members of our sponsor, or any affiliates of our sponsor, (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of one of the members of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of one of the individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of any of our officers, our directors, the initial shareholders or members of our sponsor; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of an initial business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the securities were originally purchased; (f) by virtue of our sponsor’s organizational documents upon liquidation or dissolution of our sponsor; (g) to the company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination; (h) in the event of our liquidation prior to the completion of our initial business combination; or (i) in the event of our completion of a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (f) these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions and the other restrictions contained in the letter agreement.
Registration Rights
The holders of the founder shares, placement units (including securities contained therein) and units (including securities contained therein) that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans, and any Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the placement warrants and placement rights and any Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights (and underlying Class A ordinary shares) that may be issued upon conversion of the units issued as part of the working capital loans and Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the founder shares, will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of this offering, requiring us to register such securities for resale (in the case of the founder shares, only after conversion to our Class A ordinary shares). The holders of the majority of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that we register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination and rights to require us to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. The registration rights agreement does not contain liquidated damages or other cash settlement provisions resulting from delays in registering our securities. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
On April 5, 2022, our sponsor purchased 2,875,000 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.009 per share. On April 7, 2022, our sponsor transferred 15,000 shares to Brett Westbrook, 14,000 shares to Bharat Patel, and 14,000 shares to Marco Bardelli. On April 29, 2022, our sponsor transferred 25,000 shares to Babar Ali, 15,000 shares to Atle Crowe-Maxwell, and 14,000 shares to Denis Durand. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares upon completion of this offering (excluding the placement units and underlying securities). If we increase or decrease the size of the offering we will effect a share dividend or a share contribution back to capital or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our initial shareholders at 20.0% of the issued and our outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the placement units and the underlying securities and assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering) upon the consummation of this offering. Up to 375,000 founder shares held by our sponsor are subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. The founder shares (including the Class A ordinary share issuable upon exercise thereof) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holder.
Our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 511,842 placement units at a price of $10.00 per unit for an aggregate purchase price of $5,118,420. If the over-allotment option is exercised in full, the amount of placement units sold will be 564,342 for an aggregate purchase price of $5,643,420. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to the founder shares, placement shares, placement warrants or placement rights, which will expire worthless if we do not consummate a business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association).
No compensation of any kind, including any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee or monies in respect of any payment of a loan, will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers or directors or any affiliate of our sponsor, officers or directors prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of an initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, these individuals will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates and will determine which expenses and the amount of expenses that will be reimbursed. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.
Prior to the closing of this offering, our sponsor has agreed to loan us up to $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of March 31, 2023 or the closing of this offering. The loan will be repaid upon the closing of this offering out of the estimated $578,420 of offering proceeds that has been allocated to the payment of offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions). The value of our sponsor’s interest in this transaction corresponds to the principal amount outstanding under any such loan.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds on a non-interest bearing basis as may be required. If we complete an initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into units, at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender, upon consummation of our initial business combination. Repayment of non-interest bearing loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which (other than as described above) have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. The units would be identical to the placement units. Other than as described above, the terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans.
We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our shareholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, furnished to our shareholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a shareholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation.
The holders of the founder shares, placement units, and units that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans (and in each case holders of their component securities, as applicable) will have registration rights to require us to register a sale of any of our securities held by them pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of this offering. These holders will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form registration demands, that we register such securities for sale under the Securities Act. In addition, these holders will have “piggy-back” registration rights to include their securities in other registration statements filed by us.
We will enter into a registration and shareholder rights agreement pursuant to which our sponsor will be entitled to certain registration rights with respect to the private placement units, the units issuable upon conversion of working capital loans (if any) and the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the foregoing and upon conversion of the founder shares, and, upon the consummation of our initial business combination, to nominate three individuals for appointment of our board of directors, as long as the sponsor holds any securities covered by the registration and shareholder rights agreement, which is described under the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities—Registration and Shareholder Rights.”
Related Party Policy
We have not yet adopted a formal policy for the review, approval or ratification of related party transactions. Accordingly, the transactions discussed above were not reviewed, approved or ratified in accordance with any such policy.
Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will adopt a code of ethics requiring us to avoid, wherever possible, all conflicts of interests, except under guidelines or resolutions approved by our board of directors (or the appropriate committee of our board) or as disclosed in our public filings with the SEC. Under our code of ethics, conflict of interest situations will include any financial transaction, arrangement or relationship (including any indebtedness or guarantee of indebtedness) involving the company. A form of the code of ethics that we plan to adopt prior to the consummation of this offering is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
In addition, our audit committee, pursuant to a written charter that we will adopt prior to the consummation of this offering, will be responsible for reviewing and approving related party transactions to the extent that we enter into such transactions. An affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the audit committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present will be required in order to approve a related party transaction. A majority of the members of the entire audit committee will constitute a quorum. Without a meeting, the unanimous written consent of all of the members of the audit committee will be required to approve a related party transaction. A form of the audit committee charter that we plan to adopt prior to the consummation of this offering is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We also require each of our directors and executive officers to complete a directors’ and officers’ questionnaire that elicits information about related party transactions.
These procedures are intended to determine whether any such related party transaction impairs the independence of a director or presents a conflict of interest on the part of a director, employee or officer.
To further minimize conflicts of interest, we have agreed not to consummate an initial business combination with an entity that is affiliated with any of our sponsor, officers or directors unless we, or a committee of independent directors, have obtained an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. Furthermore, no finder’s fees, reimbursements, consulting fee, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers or directors or any affiliate of our sponsor, officers or directors prior to, for services rendered to us prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, the following payments will be made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, none of which will be made from the proceeds of this offering held in the trust account prior to the completion of our initial business combination:
| ● | Repayment of up to an aggregate of $300,000 in loans made to us by our sponsor to cover offering-related and organizational expenses; |
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| ● | Payment to [●], an affiliate of our sponsor, of $10,000 per month, commencing on the date of this prospectus continues until the earlier of (i) the consummation by the Company of the initial business combination and (ii) the Company’s liquidation, for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support; |
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| ● | Reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination; and |
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| ● | Repayment of non-interest bearing loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which (other than as described above) have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into units, at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender, upon consummation of our initial business combination. Repayment of non-interest bearing loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which (other than as described above) have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. The units would be identical to the placement units. |
Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates.
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
Pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, our authorized share capital consists of 479,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 20,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, and 1,000,000 preference shares, $0.0001 par value. The following description summarizes the material terms of our shares. Because it is only a summary, it may not contain all the information that is important to you.
Units
Each unit has an offering price of $10.00 and consists of one Class A ordinary share, one-half of one redeemable warrant and one right. Only whole warrants are exercisable. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per whole share, subject to adjustment as described in this prospectus. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, a warrant holder may exercise his, her or its warrants only for a whole number of Class A ordinary share. This means that only a whole warrant may be exercised at any given time by a warrant holder. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase at least two units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole warrant. Each right entitles the holder thereof to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon consummation of our initial business combination, so you must hold rights in multiples of 10 in order to receive shares for all of your rights upon closing of a business combination.
We expect the Class A ordinary shares and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless the representative informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below and having issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. Once the Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and rights commence separate trading, holders will have the option to continue to hold units or separate their units into the component securities. Holders will need to have their brokers contact our transfer agent in order to separate the units into Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and rights.
In no event will the Class A ordinary shares, warrants, and rights be traded separately until we have filed with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K which includes an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds at the closing of this offering. We will file a Current Report on Form 8-K which includes this audited balance sheet upon the completion of this offering, which is anticipated to take place three business days after the date of this prospectus. If the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.
Ordinary Shares
Prior to the date of this prospectus, there were 2,875,000 Class B ordinary shares issued and outstanding, all of which were held of record by our initial shareholders, so that our initial shareholders will own 23.15% of our issued and outstanding shares after this offering and the expiration of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units (assuming our initial shareholders do not purchase any units in this offering). Upon the closing of this offering, 13,011,842 of our ordinary shares will be outstanding (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) including:
| ● | 10,511,842 Class A ordinary shares consisting of 10,000,000 underlying the units issued as part of this offering and 511,842 underlying the placement units; and |
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| ● | 2,500,000 Class B ordinary shares held by our initial shareholders; |
If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or a compulsory redemption or share surrender or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain the number of founder shares, on an as-converted basis, at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (excluding the placement units).
Ordinary shareholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders. Except as described below, holders of Class A ordinary shares and holders of Class B ordinary shares will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders except as required by law. Unless specified in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, or as required by applicable provisions of the Companies Act or applicable share exchange rules, an ordinary resolution is required to approve any such matter voted on by our shareholders. Approval of certain actions will require a special resolution; such actions include amending our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approving a statutory merger or consolidation with another company. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the appointment of directors, with the result that the holders of more than 50% of the shares voted for the appointment of directors can appoint all of the directors. Our shareholders are entitled to receive ratable dividends when, as and if declared by the board of directors out of funds legally available therefor. Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the appointment of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason by ordinary resolution. The provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the appointment or removal of directors prior to our initial business combination may only be amended by a special resolution passed by not less than 90% of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at our general meeting. For these purposes, “voting rights” means rights conferred on shareholders in respect of their shares to vote at general meetings of the company on all or substantially all matters. A voting right is conditional where the voting right arises only in certain circumstances. Unless their shares carry no vote, or unless a call or other amount presently payable has not been paid, all members are entitled to vote at a general meeting, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, and all members holding shares of a particular class of shares are entitled to vote at a meeting of holders of that class of shares. On a poll, a member shall have one vote for each share she holds, unless any share carries special voting rights.
Because our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association authorize the issuance of up to 479,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, if we were to enter into a business combination, we may (depending on the terms of such a business combination) be required to increase the number of Class A ordinary shares that we will be authorized to issue at the same time as our shareholders vote on the business combination to the extent we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination.
In accordance with the Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual general meeting until one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on Nasdaq. There is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or extraordinary general meetings to appoint directors. We may not hold an annual general meeting to appoint new directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination. Prior to the completion of an initial business combination, any vacancy on the board of directors may be filled by a nominee chosen by holders of a majority of our founder shares by ordinary resolution. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason by ordinary resolution.
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.15 per public share. The per share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. The redemption rights will include the requirement that a beneficial owner must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares Our sponsor, officers and directors will enter into a letter agreement with us, prior to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part becoming effective, pursuant to which they will agree to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and public shares held by them in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares.
Unlike many blank check companies that hold shareholder votes and conduct proxy solicitations in conjunction with their initial business combinations and provide for related redemptions of public shares for cash upon the completion of such initial business combinations even when a vote is not required by law, if a shareholder vote is not required by applicable law or share exchange listing requirements and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will require these tender offer documents to contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. If, however, a shareholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or share exchange listing requirements, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, we will, like many blank check companies, offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we obtain the approval of an ordinary resolution. However, the participation of our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates in privately-negotiated transactions (as described in this prospectus), if any, could result in the approval of our initial business combination even if a majority of our public shareholders vote, or indicate their intention to vote, against such initial business combination. Our sponsor, officers and directors has agreed to vote their respective founder shares and any public shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination. The Representative has not committed to vote any shares held by it in favor of our initial business combination. For purposes of seeking approval of the majority of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. We intend to give approximately 30 days’ (but not less than 5 clear days’ nor more than 60 days’) prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a vote shall be taken to approve our initial business combination. These quorum and voting thresholds, and the voting agreements of our initial shareholders, may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, then, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to Excess Shares, without our prior consent. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Our shareholders’ inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce their influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination, and such shareholders could suffer a material loss in their investment if they sell such Excess Shares on the open market. Additionally, such shareholders will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And, as a result, such shareholders will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, would be required to sell their shares in open market transactions in order to dispose such shares, potentially at a loss.
If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we obtain the approval of an ordinary resolution. In such case, our initial shareholders have agreed to vote their founder shares and public shares in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to the founder shares, we would need 241,120 shares or 2.41% (assuming only the minimum number of shares representing a quorum are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised), or 3,494,081 or 34.94% (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised), of the 10,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved. Additionally, each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or vote at all.
Pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, if we have not consummated an initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any); and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject, in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Our sponsor, officers and directors will enter into a letter agreement with us, prior to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part becoming effective, pursuant to which they will agree to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares they hold if we fail to consummate an initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame). However, if our sponsor, our directors, our directors, our advisers, JonesTrading Institutional Services LLC, or any of their respective affiliates acquire public shares after this offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time period. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, if we wind up for any other reason prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, we will follow the foregoing procedures with respect to the liquidation of the trust account as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to applicable Cayman Islands law.
In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the company after a business combination, our shareholders are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining available for distribution to them after payment of liabilities and after provision is made for each class of shares, if any, having preference over the ordinary shares. Our shareholders have no preemptive or other subscription rights. There are no sinking fund provisions applicable to the ordinary shares, except that we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash at a per share price equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described herein.
Founder Shares
The founder shares are designated as Class B ordinary shares and, except as described below, are identical to the Class A ordinary shares included in the units being sold in this offering, and holders of founder shares have the same shareholder rights as public shareholders, except that: (a) prior to our initial business combination, only holders of the founder shares have the right to vote on the appointment of directors and holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason by ordinary resolution; (b) the founder shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below; (c) our sponsor, officers and directors will enter into a letter agreement with us, prior to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part becoming effective, pursuant to which they will agree to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares; and (iii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares they hold if we fail to consummate an initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame); (d) the founder shares will automatically convert into our Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of the holders thereof as described herein; and (e) the founder shares are entitled to registration rights. If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we obtain the approval of an ordinary resolution. In such case, our initial shareholders have agreed to vote their founder shares and public shares in favor of our initial business combination.
The founder shares are designated as Class B ordinary shares and will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares (which such Class A ordinary shares delivered upon conversion will not have redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we do not consummate an initial business combination) at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of the holders thereof at a ratio such that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all founder shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of (i) the total number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the completion of this offering, plus (ii) the total number of Class A ordinary shares issued, deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or rights issued or deemed issued by the company in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the initial business combination, excluding any Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities exercisable for or convertible into Class A ordinary shares issued, deemed issued or to be issued to any seller in the initial business combination and any placement units issued to our sponsor, its affiliates or any member of our management team upon conversion of working capital loans, unless the holders of a majority of the then-outstanding Class B ordinary shares agree to waive such adjustment with respect to such issuance or deemed issuance at the time thereof. In no event will the Class B ordinary shares convert into Class A ordinary shares at a rate of less than one-to-one.
Except as described herein, our sponsor, directors and executive officers have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until earliest of (A) twelve months after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing 150 days after our initial business combination, or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. We refer to such transfer restrictions throughout this prospectus as the lock-up. Any permitted transferees would be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our sponsor, directors and executive officers with respect to any founder shares.
Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the appointment of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason by ordinary resolution. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by holders of not less than 90% of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at our general meeting. With respect to any other matter submitted to a vote of our shareholders, including any vote in connection with our initial business combination, except as required by law, holders of our founder shares and holders of our public shares will vote together as a single class, with each share entitling the holder to one vote.
Register of Members
Under Cayman Islands law, we must keep a register of members and there will be entered therein:
| ● | the names and addresses of the members, a statement of the shares held by each member and of the amount paid or agreed to be considered as paid on the shares of each member, and the voting rights of shares of each member (and whether such voting rights are conditional); |
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| ● | whether voting rights attached to the shares in issue; |
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| ● | the date on which the name of any person was entered on the register as a member; and |
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| ● | the date on which any person ceased to be a member. |
For these purposes, “voting rights” means rights conferred on shareholders in respect of their shares to vote at general meetings of the company on all or substantially all matters. A voting right is conditional where the voting right arises only in certain circumstances. Unless their shares carry no vote, or unless a call or other amount presently payable has not been paid, all members are entitled to vote at a general meeting, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, and all members holding shares of a particular class of shares are entitled to vote at a meeting of holders of that class of shares. On a poll, a member shall have one vote for each share she holds, unless any share carries special voting rights. Our Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of the consummation of our initial business combination, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as described herein. Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the appointment of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason by ordinary resolution. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by the holders of not less than 90% of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at our general meeting.
Under Cayman Islands law, the register of members of our company is prima facie evidence of the matters set out therein (i.e., the register of members will raise a presumption of fact on the matters referred to above unless rebutted) and a member registered in the register of members will be deemed as a matter of Cayman Islands law to have legal title to the shares as set against its name in the register of members. Upon the closing of this public offering, the register of members will be immediately updated to reflect the issue of shares by us. Once our register of members has been updated, the shareholders recorded in the register of members will be deemed to have legal title to the shares set against their name. However, there are certain limited circumstances where an application may be made to a Cayman Islands court for a determination on whether the register of members reflects the correct legal position. Further, the Cayman Islands court has the power to order that the register of members maintained by a company should be rectified where it considers that the register of members does not reflect the correct legal position. If an application for an order for rectification of the register of members were made in respect of our ordinary shares, then the validity of such shares may be subject to re-examination by a Cayman Islands court.
Preference Shares
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will authorize 1,000,000 preference shares and provide that preference shares may be issued from time to time in one or more series. Our board of directors will be authorized to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences, the relative, participating, optional or other special rights and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, applicable to the shares of each series. Our board of directors will be able to, without shareholder approval, issue preference shares with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of the ordinary shares and could have anti-takeover effects. The ability of our board of directors to issue preference shares without shareholder approval could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of us or the removal of existing management. We have no preference shares issued and outstanding at the date hereof. Although we do not currently intend to issue any preference shares, we cannot assure you that we will not do so in the future. No preference shares are being issued or registered in this offering.
Redeemable Warrants
Each whole warrant entitles the registered holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as discussed below, at any time commencing on the later of 12 months from the closing of the offering and the date of the consummation of our initial business combination. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, a warrant holder may exercise its warrants only for a whole number of Class A ordinary shares. This means that only a whole warrant may be exercised at any given time by a warrant holder. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade.
The warrants will expire five years after the completion of our initial business combination, at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
We will not be obligated to deliver any Class A ordinary shares pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to settle such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to our satisfying our obligations described below with respect to registration. No warrant will be exercisable and we will not be obligated to issue Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of a warrant unless Class A ordinary share issuable upon such warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the warrants. In the event that the conditions in the two immediately preceding sentences are not satisfied with respect to a warrant, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless. In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant. In the event that a registration statement is not effective for the exercised warrants, the purchaser of a unit containing such warrant will have paid the full purchase price for the unit solely for the share of Class A ordinary share underlying such unit.
We are not registering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants at this time. However, we have agreed that we will use our best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants, to cause such registration statement to become effective and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement. If a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary share issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective within a specified period following the consummation of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, provided that such exemption is available. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis.
Once the warrants become exercisable, we may call the warrants for redemption:
| ● | in whole and not in part; |
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| ● | at a price of $0.01 per warrant; |
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| ● | upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption given after the warrants become exercisable (the “30-day redemption period”) to each warrant holder; and |
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| ● | if, and only if, the reported last sale price of the Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share dividends, right issuances, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period commencing once the warrants become exercisable and ending three business days before we send the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. |
If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may not exercise our redemption right if the issuance of ordinary shares upon exercise of the warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or we are unable to effect such registration or qualification. We will use our best efforts to register or qualify such ordinary shares under the blue sky laws of the state of residence in those states in which the warrants were offered by us in this offering.
We have established the last of the redemption criterion discussed above to prevent a redemption call unless there is at the time of the call a significant premium to the warrant exercise price. If the foregoing conditions are satisfied and we issue a notice of redemption of the warrants, each warrant holder will be entitled to exercise its warrant prior to the scheduled redemption date. However, the price of the Class A ordinary share may fall below the $18.00 redemption trigger price (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) as well as the $11.50 warrant exercise price after the redemption notice is issued.
If we call the warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise its warrant to do so on a “cashless basis.” In determining whether to require all holders to exercise their warrants on a “cashless basis,” our management will consider, among other factors, our cash position, the number of warrants that are outstanding and the dilutive effect on our shareholders of issuing the maximum number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of our warrants. If our management takes advantage of this option, all holders of warrants would pay the exercise price by surrendering their warrants for that number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “fair market value” (defined below) over the exercise price, by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” for this purpose shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A ordinary share for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. If our management takes advantage of this option, the notice of redemption will contain the information necessary to calculate the number of Class A ordinary shares to be received upon exercise of the warrants, including the “fair market value” in such case. Requiring a cashless exercise in this manner will reduce the number of shares to be issued and thereby lessen the dilutive effect of a warrant redemption. We believe this feature is an attractive option to us if we do not need the cash from the exercise of the warrants after our initial business combination. If we call our warrants for redemption and our management does not take advantage of this option, our sponsor and its permitted transferees would still be entitled to exercise their placement warrants for cash or on a cashless basis using the same formula described above that other warrant holders would have been required to use had all warrant holders been required to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis, as described in more detail below.
A holder of a warrant may notify us in writing in the event it elects to be subject to a requirement that such holder will not have the right to exercise such warrant, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, such person (together with such person’s affiliates), to the warrant agent’s actual knowledge, would beneficially own in excess of 4.9% or 9.8% (or such other amount as a holder may specify) of the Class A ordinary shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise.
If the number of outstanding Class A ordinary shares is increased by a share dividend payable in Class A ordinary shares, or by a split-up of Class A ordinary shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such share dividend, split-up or similar event, the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable on exercise of each warrant will be increased in proportion to such increase in the outstanding Class A ordinary shares. A rights offering to holders of Class A ordinary shares entitling holders to purchase Class A ordinary shares at a price less than the fair market value will be deemed a stock dividend of a number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the product of (i) the number of Class A ordinary shares actually sold in such rights offering (or issuable under any other equity securities sold in such rights offering that are convertible into or exercisable for Class A shares) and (ii) one (1) minus the quotient of (x) the price per Class A ordinary shares paid in such rights offering divided by (y) the fair market value. For these purposes (i) if the rights offering is for securities convertible into or exercisable for Class A ordinary shares, in determining the price payable for Class A ordinary shares, there will be taken into account any consideration received for such rights, as well as any additional amount payable upon exercise or conversion and (ii) fair market value means the volume weighted average price of Class A ordinary shares as reported during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the first date on which the Class A ordinary shares trade on the applicable exchange or in the applicable market, regular way, without the right to receive such rights.
In addition, if we, at any time while the warrants are outstanding and unexpired, pay a dividend or make a distribution in cash, securities or other assets to the holders of Class A ordinary share on account of such Class A ordinary shares (or other shares into which the warrants are convertible), other than (a) as described above, (b) certain ordinary cash dividends, (c) to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of Class A ordinary share in connection with a proposed initial business combination, (d) to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of Class A ordinary share in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior thereto or to redeem 100% of our Class A ordinary share if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, or (e) in connection with the redemption of our public shares upon our failure to complete our initial business combination, then the warrant exercise price will be decreased, effective immediately after the effective date of such event, by the amount of cash and/or the fair market value of any securities or other assets paid on each share of Class A ordinary share in respect of such event.
If the number of our issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares is decreased by a consolidation, combination, or re-designation of Class A ordinary shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such consolidation, combination, re-designation or similar event, the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable on exercise of each warrant will be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding Class A ordinary shares.
Whenever the number of Class A ordinary shares purchasable upon the exercise of the warrants is adjusted, as described above, the warrant exercise price will be adjusted by multiplying the warrant exercise price immediately prior to such adjustment by a fraction (x) the numerator of which will be the number of Class A ordinary shares purchasable upon the exercise of the warrants immediately prior to such adjustment, and (y) the denominator of which will be the number of Class A ordinary shares so purchasable immediately thereafter.
The warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. You should review a copy of the warrant agreement, which will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, for a complete description of the terms and conditions applicable to the warrants. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any mistake, including to conform the provisions of the warrant agreement to the description of the terms of the warrants and the warrant agreement set forth in this prospectus, or defective provision, but requires the approval by the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding public warrants to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of public warrants.
In addition, if (x) we issue additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at a Newly Issued Price of less than $9.20 per share of Class A ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to our sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any founder shares held by our sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the Market Value is below $9.20 per share, then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the greater of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described above will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the greater of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
The warrants may be exercised upon surrender of the warrant certificate on or prior to the expiration date at the offices of the warrant agent, with the exercise form on the reverse side of the warrant certificate completed and executed as indicated, accompanied by full payment of the exercise price (or on a cashless basis, if applicable), by certified or official bank check payable to us, for the number of warrants being exercised. The warrant holders do not have the rights or privileges of holders of Class A ordinary shares and any voting rights until they exercise their warrants and receive Class A ordinary shares. After the issuance of Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of the warrants, each holder will be entitled to one (1) vote for each share held of record on all matters to be voted on by shareholders.
No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the warrants. If, upon exercise of the warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, we will, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number of Class A ordinary shares to be issued to the warrant holder.
We have agreed that, subject to applicable law, any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the warrant agreement will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and we irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction will be the exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. See “Risk Factors — Our warrant agreement will designate the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants, which could limit the ability of warrant holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company.” This provision applies to claims under the Securities Act but does not apply to claims under the Exchange Act or any claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum.
Rights
Each holder of a right will receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon consummation of our initial business combination, even if the holder of such right redeemed all Class A ordinary shares held by it in connection with the initial business combination. No additional consideration will be required to be paid by a holder of rights in order to receive its additional shares upon consummation of an initial business combination, as the consideration related thereto has been included in the unit purchase price paid for by investors in this offering. If we enter into a definitive agreement for a business combination in which we will not be the surviving entity, the definitive agreement will provide for the holders of rights to receive the same per share consideration the holders of the Class A ordinary shares will receive in the transaction on an as-converted into Class A ordinary share basis, and each holder of a right will be required to affirmatively convert its rights in order to receive the 1/10 share underlying each right (without paying any additional consideration) upon consummation of the business combination. More specifically, the right holder will be required to indicate its election to convert the rights into underlying shares as well as to return the original rights certificates to us.
If we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the required time period and we liquidate the funds held in the trust account, holders of rights will not receive any such funds with respect to their rights, nor will they receive any distribution from our assets held outside of the trust account with respect to such rights, and the rights will expire worthless.
As soon as practicable upon the consummation of our initial business combination, we will direct registered holders of the rights to return their rights to our rights agent. Upon receipt of the rights, the rights agent will issue to the registered holder of such rights the number of full Class A ordinary shares to which it is entitled. We will notify registered holders of the rights to deliver their rights to the rights agent promptly upon consummation of such business combination and have been informed by the rights agent that the process of exchanging their rights for Class A ordinary shares should take no more than a matter of days. The foregoing exchange of rights is solely ministerial in nature and is not intended to provide us with any means of avoiding our obligation to issue the shares underlying the rights upon consummation of our initial business combination. Other than confirming that the rights delivered by a registered holder are valid, we will have no ability to avoid delivery of the shares underlying the rights. Nevertheless, there are no contractual penalties for failure to deliver securities to the holders of the rights upon consummation of an initial business combination.
The shares issuable upon conversion of the rights will be freely tradable (except to the extent held by affiliates of ours). We will not issue fractional shares upon conversion of the rights. Fractional shares will be rounded down to the nearest whole share. As a result, you must hold rights in multiples of 10 in order to receive shares for all of your rights upon closing of a business combination. If we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the required time period and we liquidate the funds held in the trust account, holders of rights will not receive any of such funds with respect to their rights, nor will they receive any distribution from our assets held outside of the trust account with respect to such rights, and the rights will expire worthless. Further, there are no contractual penalties for failure to deliver securities to the holders of the rights upon consummation of an initial business combination. Accordingly, the rights may expire worthless.
Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of an initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial conditions subsequent to completion of an initial business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to an initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time. If we increase or decrease the size of the offering we will effect a share dividend or a share contribution back to capital or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our initial shareholders at 20.0% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the placement units and the underlying securities any warrants that may be issued upon conversion the loans and the underlying securities and assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering) upon the consummation of this offering. Further, if we incur any indebtedness, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
Our Transfer Agent, Warrant Agent and Rights Agent
The transfer agent for our ordinary shares and warrant agent for our warrants and rights agent for our rights is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. We have agreed to indemnify Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company in its roles as transfer agent and warrant agent, its agents and each of its shareholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence, wilful misconduct or bad faith of the indemnified person or entity.
Certain Differences in Corporate Law
Cayman Islands companies are governed by the Companies Act. The Companies Act is modeled on English law but does not follow recent English law statutory enactments, and differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of the material differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements. In certain circumstances, the Companies Act allows for mergers or consolidations between two Cayman Islands companies, or between a Cayman Islands exempted company and a company incorporated in another jurisdiction (provided that is facilitated by the laws of that other jurisdiction).
Where the merger or consolidation is between two Cayman Islands companies, the directors of each company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation containing certain prescribed information. That plan of merger or consolidation must then be authorized by either (a) a special resolution (usually a majority of at least two-thirds in value of the voting shares voted at a general meeting) of the shareholders of each company; or (b) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company’s articles of association. No shareholder resolution is required for a merger between a parent company (i.e., a company that holds issued shares that together represent 90% of the votes at a general meeting of the subsidiary company) and its subsidiary company. The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest of a constituent company must be obtained, unless the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands waives such requirement. If the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies is satisfied that the requirements of the Companies Act (which includes certain other formalities) have been complied with, the Registrar of Companies will register the plan of merger or consolidation.
Where the merger or consolidation involves a foreign company, the procedure is similar, save that with respect to the foreign company, the directors of the Cayman Islands exempted company are required to make a declaration to the effect that, having made due enquiry, they are of the opinion that the requirements set out below have been met: (i) that the merger or consolidation is permitted or not prohibited by the constitutional documents of the foreign company and by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the foreign company is incorporated, and that those laws and any requirements of those constitutional documents have been or will be complied with; (ii) that no petition or other similar proceeding has been filed and remains outstanding or order made or resolution adopted to wind up or liquidate the foreign company in any jurisdictions; (iii) that no receiver, trustee, administrator or other similar person has been appointed in any jurisdiction and is acting in respect of the foreign company, its affairs or its property or any part thereof; and (iv) that no scheme, order, compromise or other similar arrangement has been entered into or made in any jurisdiction whereby the rights of creditors of the foreign company are and continue to be suspended or restricted.
Where the surviving company is the Cayman Islands exempted company, the directors of the Cayman Islands exempted company are further required to make a declaration to the effect that, having made due enquiry, they are of the opinion that the requirements set out below have been met: (i) that the foreign company is able to pay its debts as they fall due and that the merger or consolidation is bona fide and not intended to defraud unsecured creditors of the foreign company; (ii) that in respect of the transfer of any security interest granted by the foreign company to the surviving or consolidated company (a) consent or approval to the transfer has been obtained, released or waived; (b) the transfer is permitted by and has been approved in accordance with the constitutional documents of the foreign company; and (c) the laws of the jurisdiction of the foreign company with respect to the transfer have been or will be complied with; (iii) that the foreign company will, upon the merger or consolidation becoming effective, cease to be incorporated, registered or exist under the laws of the relevant foreign jurisdiction; and (iv) that there is no other reason why it would be against the public interest to permit the merger or consolidation.
Where the above procedures are adopted, the Companies Act provides for a right of dissenting shareholders to be paid a payment of the fair value of his shares upon their dissenting to the merger or consolidation if they follow a prescribed procedure. In essence, that procedure is as follows: (a) the shareholder must give his written objection to the merger or consolidation to the constituent company before the vote on the merger or consolidation, including a statement that the shareholder proposes to demand payment for his shares if the merger or consolidation is authorized by the vote; (b) within 20 days following the date on which the merger or consolidation is approved by the shareholders, the constituent company must give written notice to each shareholder who made a written objection; (c) a shareholder must within 20 days following receipt of such notice from the constituent company, give the constituent company a written notice of his intention to dissent including, among other details, a demand for payment of the fair value of his shares; (d) within seven days following the date of the expiration of the period set out in paragraph (b) above or seven days following the date on which the plan of merger or consolidation is filed, whichever is later, the constituent company, the surviving company or the consolidated company must make a written offer to each dissenting shareholder to purchase his shares at a price that the company determines is the fair value and if the company and the shareholder agree the price within 30 days following the date on which the offer was made, the company must pay the shareholder such amount; and (e) if the company and the shareholder fail to agree a price within such 30 day period, within 20 days following the date on which such 30 day period expires, the company (and any dissenting shareholder) must file a petition with the Cayman Islands Grand Court to determine the fair value and such petition must be accompanied by a list of the names and addresses of the dissenting shareholders with whom agreements as to the fair value of their shares have not been reached by the company. At the hearing of that petition, the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands has the power to determine the fair value of the shares together with a fair rate of interest, if any, to be paid by the company upon the amount determined to be the fair value. Any dissenting shareholder whose name appears on the list filed by the company may participate fully in all proceedings until the determination of fair value is reached. These rights of a dissenting shareholder are not available in certain circumstances, for example, to dissenters holding shares of any class in respect of which an open market exists on a recognized stock exchange or recognized interdealer quotation system at the relevant date or where the consideration for such shares to be contributed are shares of any company listed on a national securities exchange or shares of the surviving or consolidated company.
Moreover, Cayman Islands law has separate statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction or amalgamation of companies in certain circumstances. Such schemes of arrangement will generally be more suited for complex mergers or other transactions involving widely held companies, commonly referred to in the Cayman Islands as a “Scheme of arrangement” which may be tantamount to a merger. In the event that a merger was sought pursuant to a scheme of arrangement (the procedures for which are more rigorous and take longer to complete than the procedures typically required to consummate a merger in the United States), the arrangement in question must be approved by a majority in number of each class of shareholders and creditors with whom the arrangement is to be made and who must in addition represent three-fourths in value of each such class of shareholders or creditors, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a general meeting, or meeting summoned for that purpose. The convening of the meetings and subsequently the terms of the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder would have the right to express to the court the view that the transaction should not be approved, the court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it satisfies itself that:
| ● | we are not proposing to act illegally or beyond the scope of our corporate authority and the statutory provisions as to majority vote have been complied with; |
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| ● | the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question; |
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| ● | the arrangement is such as a businessman would reasonably approve; and |
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| ● | the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Act or that would amount to a “fraud on the minority.” |
If a scheme of arrangement or takeover offer (as described below) is approved, any dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights (providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares), which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of United States corporations.
Squeeze-out Provisions. When a takeover offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% of the shares to whom the offer relates within four months, the offeror may, within a two-month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, but this is unlikely to succeed unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith, collusion or inequitable treatment of the shareholders.
Further, transactions similar to a merger, reconstruction and/or an amalgamation may in some circumstances be achieved through means other than these statutory provisions, such as a share capital exchange, asset acquisition or control, or through contractual arrangements of an operating business.
Shareholders’ Suits. Ogier, our Cayman Islands legal counsel, is not aware of any reported class action having been brought in a Cayman Islands court. Derivative actions have been brought in the Cayman Islands courts, and the Cayman Islands courts have confirmed the availability for such actions. In most cases, we will be the proper plaintiff in any claim based on a breach of duty owed to us, and a claim against (for example) our officers or directors usually may not be brought by a shareholder. However, based both on Cayman Islands authorities and on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority and be applied by a court in the Cayman Islands, exceptions to the foregoing principle apply in circumstances in which:
| ● | a company is acting, or proposing to act, illegally or beyond the scope of its authority; |
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| ● | the act complained of, although not beyond the scope of the authority, could be effected if duly authorized by more than the number of votes which have actually been obtained; or |
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| ● | those who control the company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.” |
A shareholder may have a direct right of action against us where the individual rights of that shareholder have been infringed or are about to be infringed.
Enforcement of Civil Liabilities. The Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States and provides less protection to investors. Additionally, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to sue before the federal courts of the United States.
We have been advised by Ogier, our Cayman Islands legal counsel, that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands are would (i) recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. We have been advised by our Cayman Islands legal counsel that the courts of the Cayman Islands would recognize as a valid judgment, a final and conclusive judgment in personam obtained in the federal or state courts of the United States against our company under which a sum of money is payable (other than a sum of money payable in respect of multiple damages, taxes or other charges of a like nature or in respect of a fine or other penalty) or, in certain circumstances, an in personam judgment for non-monetary relief, and would give a judgment based thereon provided that (a) such courts had proper jurisdiction over the parties subject to such judgment, (b) such courts did not contravene the rules of natural justice of the Cayman Islands, (c) such judgment was not obtained by fraud, (d) the enforcement of the judgment would not be contrary to the public policy of the Cayman Islands, (e) no new admissible evidence relevant to the action is submitted prior to the rendering of the judgment by the courts of the Cayman Islands, and (f) there is due compliance with the correct procedures under the laws of the Cayman Islands.
Special Considerations for Exempted Companies. We are an exempted company with limited liability under the Companies Act. The Companies Act distinguishes between ordinary resident companies and exempted companies. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands but conducts business mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company. The requirements for an exempted company are essentially the same as for an ordinary company except for certain exemptions and privileges including those listed below:
| ● | annual reporting requirements are minimal and consist mainly of a statement that the company has conducted its operations mainly outside of the Cayman Islands and has compiled with the provisions of the Companies Act; |
| ● | an exempted company’s register of members is not open to inspection and can be kept outside of the Cayman Islands; |
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| ● | an exempted company does not have to hold an annual general meeting; |
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| ● | an exempted company may issue shares with no par value; |
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| ● | an exempted company may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation (such undertakings are usually given for 20 years in the first instance); |
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| ● | an exempted company may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands; |
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| ● | an exempted company may register as a limited duration company; and |
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| ● | an exempted company may register as a segregated portfolio company. |
“Limited liability” means that the liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount if any unpaid on the shares held by such shareholder in the company (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper purpose or other circumstances in which a court may be prepared to pierce or lift the corporate veil).
Our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association contain provisions designed to provide certain rights and protections relating to this offering that will apply to us until the completion of our initial business combination. These provisions cannot be amended without a special resolution under Cayman Islands law. As a matter of Cayman Islands law, a resolution is deemed to be a special resolution where it has been adopted by the affirmative vote of at least a two-thirds majority (or such higher threshold as specified in the company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) of the votes cast by the holders of the issued shares present in person or represented by proxy at a general meeting of the company and entitled to vote on such matter or a resolution approved in writing by all of the holders of the issued shares entitled to vote on such matter. Other than as described above, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that special resolutions must be approved either by at least two-thirds (or such higher threshold as specified in the company’s amended and restated articles of association) of the shares voted at a general meeting of the company (i.e., the lowest threshold permissible under Cayman Islands law), or by a unanimous written resolution of all of our shareholders.
Our initial shareholders, who will collectively beneficially own 23.15% of our ordinary shares upon the closing of this offering (assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering), will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. Specifically, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide, among other things, that:
| ● | If we have not consummated an initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes that were paid by us or are payable by us, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any); and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject, in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law; |
| ● | Prior to or in connection with our initial business combination, we may not issue additional securities that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account or (ii) vote as a class with our public shares (a) on our initial business combination or on any other proposal presented to shareholders prior to or in connection with the completion of an initial business combination or (b) to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to (x) extend the time we have to consummate a business combination beyond 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (y) amend the foregoing provisions; |
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| ● | Although we do not intend to enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we are not prohibited from doing so. In the event we enter into such a transaction, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that such a business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view; |
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| ● | If a shareholder vote on our initial business combination is not required by applicable law or share exchange listing requirements and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, we will offer to redeem our public shares pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, and will file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination, which contain substantially the same financial and other information about our initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act; |
So long as our securities are then listed on Nasdaq, our initial business combination must occur with one or more target businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the net assets held in the trust account (excluding the amount of deferred underwriting commissions held in trust and taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination;
| ● | If our shareholders approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of this offering (or up to 18-month period if we choose to extend such period, as described in more detail in this prospectus, or as extended by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares, we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their ordinary shares upon such approval at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein; and |
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| ● | We will not effectuate our initial business combination solely with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations. |
In addition, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that under no circumstances will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001.
The Companies Act permits a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands to amend its memorandum and articles of association with the approval of a special resolution. A company’s articles of association may specify that the approval of a higher majority is required but, provided the approval of the required majority is obtained, any Cayman Islands exempted company may amend its memorandum and articles of association regardless of whether its memorandum and articles of association provide otherwise. Accordingly, although we could amend any of the provisions relating to our proposed offering, structure and business plan which are contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, we view all of these provisions as binding obligations to our shareholders and neither we, nor our officers or directors, will take any action to amend or waive any of these provisions unless we provide dissenting public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares.
Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Terrorist Financing, Prevention of Proliferation Financing and Financial Sanctions Compliance—Cayman Islands
In order to comply with legislation or regulations aimed at the prevention of money laundering, we are required to adopt and maintain anti-money laundering procedures, and may require subscribers to provide evidence to verify their identity, the identity of their beneficial owners/controllers and source of funds. Where permitted, and subject to certain conditions, we may also delegate the maintenance of our anti-money laundering procedures (including the acquisition of due diligence information) to a suitable person.
We reserve the right to request such information as is necessary to verify the identity of a subscriber. In some cases, the directors may be satisfied that no further information is required since an exemption applies under the Anti-Money Laundering Regulations (Revised) of the Cayman Islands, as amended and revised from time to time (the “Regulations”). Depending on the circumstances of each application, a detailed verification of identity might not be required.
We also reserve the right to refuse to make any payment to a shareholder if our directors or officers suspect or are advised that the payment to such shareholder may be non-compliant with applicable anti-money laundering or other laws or regulations, or if such refusal is considered necessary or appropriate to ensure our compliance with any such laws or regulations in any applicable jurisdiction. If any person resident in the Cayman Islands knows or suspects or has reasonable grounds for knowing or suspecting that another person is engaged in criminal conduct or is involved with terrorism or terrorist property and the information for that knowledge or suspicion came to their attention in the course of business in the regulated sector, or other trade, profession, business or employment, the person will be required to report such knowledge or suspicion to (i) the Financial Reporting Authority of the Cayman Islands, pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands if the disclosure relates to criminal conduct or money laundering, or (ii) a police officer of the rank of constable or higher, or the Financial Reporting Authority, pursuant to the Terrorism Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands, if the disclosure relates to involvement with terrorism or terrorist financing and property. Such a report will not be treated as a breach of confidence or of any restriction upon the disclosure of information imposed by any enactment or otherwise.
Data Protection — Cayman Islands – Privacy Notice
This privacy notice explains the manner in which the Company collects, processes and maintains personal data about investors of the Company pursuant to the Data Protection Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands, as amended from time to time and any regulations, codes of practice or orders promulgated pursuant thereto (the “DPA”).
The Company is committed to processing personal data in accordance with the DPA. In its use of personal data, the Company will be characterized under the DPA as a ‘data controller,’ whilst certain of the Company’s service providers, affiliates and delegates may act as ‘data processors’ under the DPA. These service providers may process personal information for their own lawful purposes in connection with services provided to the Company.
By virtue of making an investment in the Company, the Company and certain of the Company’s service providers may collect, record, store, transfer and otherwise process personal data by which individuals may be directly or indirectly identified.
Your personal data will be processed fairly and for lawful purposes, including (a) where the processing is necessary for the Company to perform a contract to which you are a party or for taking pre-contractual steps at your request (b) where the processing is necessary for compliance with any legal, tax or regulatory obligation to which the Company is subject or (c) where the processing is for the purposes of legitimate interests pursued by the Company or by a service provider to whom the data are disclosed. As a data controller, we will only use your personal data for the purposes for which we collected it. If we need to use your personal data for an unrelated purpose, we will contact you.
We anticipate that we will share your personal data with the Company’s service providers for the purposes set out in this privacy notice. We may also share relevant personal data where it is lawful to do so and necessary to comply with our contractual obligations or your instructions or where it is necessary or desirable to do so in connection with any regulatory reporting obligations. In exceptional circumstances, we will share your personal data with regulatory, prosecuting and other governmental agencies or departments, and parties to litigation (whether pending or threatened), in any country or territory including to any other person where we have a public or legal duty to do so (e.g. to assist with detecting and preventing fraud, tax evasion and financial crime or compliance with a court order).
Your personal data shall not be held by the Company for longer than necessary with regard to the purposes of the data processing. We will not sell your personal data. Any transfer of personal data outside of the Cayman Islands shall be in accordance with the requirements of the DPA. Where necessary, we will ensure that separate and appropriate legal agreements are put in place with the recipient of that data. The Company will only transfer personal data in accordance with the requirements of the DPA, and will apply appropriate technical and organizational information security measures designed to protect against unauthorized or unlawful processing of the personal data and against the accidental loss, destruction or damage to the personal data.
If you are a natural person, this will affect you directly. If you are a corporate investor (including, for these purposes, legal arrangements such as trusts or exempted limited partnerships) that provides us with personal data on individuals connected to you for any reason in relation to your investment into the Company, this will be relevant for those individuals and you should inform such individuals of the content.
You have certain rights under the DPA, including (a) the right to be informed as to how we collect and use your personal data (and this privacy notice fulfils the Company’s obligation in this respect) (b) the right to obtain a copy of your personal data (c) the right to require us to stop direct marketing (d) the right to have inaccurate or incomplete personal data corrected (e) the right to withdraw your consent and require us to stop processing or restrict the processing, or not begin the processing of your personal data (f) the right to be notified of a data breach (unless the breach is unlikely to be prejudicial) (g) the right to obtain information as to any countries or territories outside the Cayman Islands to which we, whether directly or indirectly, transfer, intend to transfer or wish to transfer your personal data, general measures we take to ensure the security of personal data and any information available to us as to the source of your personal data (h) the right to complain to the Office of the Ombudsman of the Cayman Islands and (i) the right to require us to delete your personal data in some limited circumstances.
If you consider that your personal data has not been handled correctly, or you are not satisfied with the Company’s responses to any requests you have made regarding the use of your personal data, you have the right to complain to the Cayman Islands’ Ombudsman. The Ombudsman can be contacted by calling +1 (345) 946-6283 or by email at info@ombudsman.ky.
Certain Anti-takeover Provisions of our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association
Our authorized but unissued Class A ordinary shares and preference shares will be available for future issuances without shareholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved Class A ordinary shares and preference shares could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Variation of Class Rights
For so long as any Class B ordinary shares remain issued and outstanding, we may not, without the prior written consent of the holders of a two-thirds majority of the Class B ordinary shares then outstanding, or the sanction of a resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the Class B ordinary shares by a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast at a quorate meeting, voting separately as a single class, amend, alter or repeal any provision of our memorandum and articles of association, if such amendment, alteration or repeal would materially adversely vary or abrogate the powers, preferences or relative, participating, optional or other rights of the Class B ordinary shares.
Securities Eligible for Future Sale
Immediately after the consummation of this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) we will have 13,011,842 (or 14,939,342 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) ordinary shares outstanding. Of these shares, the 10,000,000 shares (or 11,500,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any shares purchased by one of our affiliates within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act. All of the remaining 2,500,000 (or 2,875,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) founder shares are restricted securities under Rule 144, in that they were issued in private transactions not involving a public offering, and the Class B ordinary shares are subject to transfer restrictions as set forth elsewhere in this prospectus. These restricted securities will be entitled to registration rights as more fully described below under “— Registration Rights.”
Rule 144
Pursuant to Rule 144, a person who has beneficially owned restricted ordinary shares, warrants or rights for at least six months would be entitled to sell their securities provided that (i) such person is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale and (ii) we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least three months before the sale and have filed all required reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the 12 months (or such shorter period as we were required to file reports) preceding the sale.
Persons who have beneficially owned our restricted ordinary shares, warrants or rights for at least six months but who are our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale, would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only a number of securities that does not exceed the greater of:
| ● | 1% of the total number of Class A ordinary shares then outstanding, which will equal 130,118 shares immediately after this offering (or 149,393) if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full); or |
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| ● | the average weekly reported trading volume of the ordinary shares during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale. |
Sales by our affiliates under Rule 144 are also limited by manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.
Restrictions on the Use of Rule 144 by Shell Companies or Former Shell Companies
Rule 144 is not available for the resale of securities initially issued by shell companies (other than business combination related shell companies) or issuers that have been at any time previously a shell company. However, Rule 144 also includes an important exception to this prohibition if the following conditions are met:
| ● | the issuer of the securities that was formerly a shell company has ceased to be a shell company; |
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| ● | the issuer of the securities is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act; |
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| ● | the issuer of the securities has filed all Exchange Act reports and materials required to be filed, as applicable, during the preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the issuer was required to file such reports and materials), other than Current Reports on Form 8-K; and |
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| ● | at least one year has elapsed from the time that the issuer filed current Form 10 type information with the SEC reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company. |
As a result, our initial shareholders will be able to sell their founder shares and placement units (including component securities contained therein), as applicable, pursuant to Rule 144 without registration one year after we have completed our initial business combination.
Registration Rights
The holders of the founder shares, placement units (including component securities contained therein) and units (including securities contained therein) that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans, any Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the placement warrants or upon conversion of the placement rights and any Class A ordinary shares and warrants (and underlying Class A ordinary share) that may be issued upon exercise of the warrants as part of the working capital loans and Class A ordinary share issuable upon conversion of the founder shares, will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of this offering, requiring us to register such securities for resale (in the case of the founder shares, only after conversion to our Class A ordinary share). The holders of the majority of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that we register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination and rights to require us to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. The registration rights agreement does not contain liquidated damages or other cash settlement provisions resulting from delays in registering our securities. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Listing of Securities
We have applied to list our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights on Nasdaq under the symbols “PROQU,” “PROQ,” “PROQW”, and “PROQR,” respectively. We expect that our units will be listed on Nasdaq on or promptly after the effective date of the registration statement. Following the date our Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights are eligible to trade separately, we anticipate that our Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights will be listed separately and as a unit on Nasdaq. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on Nasdaq.
TAXATION
The following summary of certain Cayman Islands and U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in our units, each consisting of one Class A ordinary share, one-half of one redeemable warrant and one right, which we refer to collectively as our securities, is based upon laws and relevant interpretations thereof in effect as of the date of this prospectus, all of which are subject to change. This summary does not deal with all possible tax consequences relating to an investment in our Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights, such as the tax consequences under state, local and other tax laws.
Prospective investors should consult their advisors on the possible tax consequences of investing in our securities under the laws of their country of citizenship, residence or domicile.
Cayman Islands Tax Considerations
The following is a discussion on certain Cayman Islands income tax consequences of an investment in the securities of the Company. The discussion is a general summary of present law, which is subject to prospective and retroactive change. It is not intended as tax advice, does not consider any investor’s particular circumstances, and does not consider tax consequences other than those arising under Cayman Islands law.
Under Existing Cayman Islands Laws
Payments of dividends and capital in respect of our securities will not be subject to taxation in the Cayman Islands and no withholding will be required on the payment of a dividend or capital to any holder of the securities nor will gains derived from the disposal of the securities be subject to Cayman Islands income or corporate tax. The Cayman Islands currently has no income, corporate or capital gains tax and no estate duty, inheritance tax or gift tax.
No stamp duty is payable in respect of the issue of the warrants and rights. An instrument of transfer in respect of a warrant or a right is stampable if executed in or brought into the Cayman Islands.
No stamp duty is payable in respect of the issue of our Class A ordinary shares or on an instrument of transfer in respect of such shares.
The Company has been incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company with limited liability and, as such, has received an undertaking from the Cayman Islands government in the following form:
The Tax Concessions Act (Revised)
Undertaking as to Tax Concessions
In accordance with the Tax Concessions Act, the following undertaking is hereby given to PROTONIQ Acquisition Corp (the “Company”):
1. That no Law which is hereafter enacted in the Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations shall apply to the Company or its operations; and
2. In addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax shall be payable:
2.1 on or in respect of the shares, debentures or other obligations of the Company; or
2.2 by way of the withholding in whole or part of any relevant payment as defined in the Tax Concessions Act
These concessions shall be for a period of twenty years from March 17, 2022.
United States Federal Income Tax Considerations
The following is a discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights, which we refer to collectively as our securities. Because the components of a unit are separable at the option of the holder, the holder of a unit generally should be treated, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as the owner of the underlying Class A ordinary share, redeemable warrant and right components of the unit, as the case may be. As a result, the discussion below with respect to actual holders of Class A ordinary share, warrants and rights should also apply to holders of units (as the deemed owners of the underlying Class A ordinary share and warrants that comprise the units). This discussion applies only to securities that are held as capital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes and is applicable only to holders who purchased units in this offering.
This discussion assumes that the Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights will trade separately and that any distributions made (or deemed made) by us on our Class A ordinary share and any consideration received (or deemed received) by a holder in consideration for the sale or other disposition of our securities will be in U.S. dollars.
This summary is based upon U.S. federal income tax laws as of the date of this prospectus, which is subject to change or differing interpretations, possibly with retroactive effect. This discussion is a summary only and does not describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to you in light of your particular circumstances, including but not limited to the alternative minimum tax, the Medicare tax on certain net investment income and the different consequences that may apply if you are subject to special rules that apply to certain types of investors, including but not limited to:
| ● | financial institutions or financial services entities; |
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| ● | broker-dealers; |
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| ● | governments or agencies or instrumentalities thereof; |
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| ● | regulated investment companies; |
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| ● | real estate investment trusts; |
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| ● | expatriates or former long-term residents of the United States; |
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| ● | persons that actually or constructively own five percent or more (by vote or value) of our shares; |
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| ● | persons that acquired our securities pursuant to an exercise of employee share options, in connection with employee share incentive plans or otherwise as compensation; |
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| ● | insurance companies; |
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| ● | dealers or traders subject to a mark-to-market method of accounting with respect to the securities; |
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| ● | persons holding the securities as part of a “straddle,” constructive sale, hedge, conversion or other integrated transaction or similar transaction; |
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| ● | U.S. holders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; |
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| ● | partnerships (or entities or arrangements classified as partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes) and any beneficial owners of such entities; |
| ● | tax-exempt entities; |
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| ● | controlled foreign corporations; and |
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| ● | passive foreign investment companies. |
If you are a partnership (including an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes), the U.S. federal income tax treatment of your partners, members or other beneficial owners will generally depend on the status of your partners, members or other beneficial owners and your activities, in addition to certain determinations made at the partner, member or other beneficial owner level. If you are a partner, member or other beneficial owner of a partnership (including an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holding our securities, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our securities.
This discussion is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and administrative pronouncements, judicial decisions and final, temporary and proposed Treasury regulations as of the date hereof, which are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis, and changes to any of which subsequent to the date of this prospectus may affect the tax consequences described herein. This discussion does not address any aspect of state, local or non-U.S. taxation, or any U.S. federal taxes other than income taxes (such as gift and estate taxes).
We have not sought, and will not seek, a ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) as to any U.S. federal income tax consequence described herein. The IRS may disagree with the discussion herein, and its determination may be upheld by a court. Moreover, there can be no assurance that future legislation, regulations, administrative rulings or court decisions will not adversely affect the accuracy of the statements in this discussion. You are urged to consult your tax advisor with respect to the application of U.S. federal tax laws to your particular situation, as well as any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or foreign jurisdiction.
THIS DISCUSSION IS ONLY A SUMMARY OF CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SECURITIES. EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR IN OUR SECURITIES IS URGED TO CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES TO SUCH INVESTOR OF THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SECURITIES, INCLUDING THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF ANY U.S. FEDERAL NON-INCOME, STATE, LOCAL, AND NON-U.S. TAX LAWS.
Personal Holding Company Status
We could be subject to a second level of U.S. federal income tax on a portion of our income if we are determined to be a personal holding company, or PHC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A U.S. corporation generally will be classified as a PHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes in a given taxable year if (i) at any time during the last half of such taxable year, five or fewer individuals (without regard to their citizenship or residency and including as individuals for this purpose certain entities such as certain tax-exempt organizations, pension funds and charitable trusts) own or are deemed to own (pursuant to certain constructive ownership rules) more than 50% of the stock of the corporation by value and (ii) at least 60% of the corporation’s adjusted ordinary gross income, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, for such taxable year consists of PHC income (which includes, among other things, dividends, interest, certain royalties, annuities and, under certain circumstances, rents).
At least 60% of our adjusted ordinary gross income may consist of PHC income, depending on the date and size of our initial business combination. In addition, depending on the concentration of our shares in the hands of individuals, including the members of our sponsor and certain tax-exempt organizations, pension funds and charitable trusts, it is possible that more than 50% of our shares may be owned or deemed owned (pursuant to the constructive ownership rules) by such persons during the last half of a taxable year. Thus, no assurance can be given that we will not be a PHC following this offering or in the future. If we are or were to become a PHC in a given taxable year, we would be subject to an additional PHC tax, currently imposed at a rate of 20%, on our undistributed PHC income, which generally includes our taxable income, subject to certain adjustments.
Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit
No statutory, administrative or judicial authority directly addresses the treatment of a unit or any instrument similar to a unit for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, therefore, that treatment is not entirely clear. The acquisition of a unit should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as the acquisition of one share of our Class A ordinary share, one-half of one redeemable warrant to acquire one of our Class A ordinary shares, and one right to receive one-tenth of one of our Class A ordinary shares. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, each holder of a unit must allocate the purchase price paid by such holder for such unit between the one Class A ordinary share, the one-half of one warrant and the right based on the relative fair market value of each at the time of issuance. Under U.S. federal income tax law, each investor must make his or her own determination of such value based on all the relevant facts and circumstances. Therefore, we strongly urge each investor to consult his or her tax adviser regarding the determination of value for these purposes. The price allocated to each Class A ordinary share, the one-half of one warrant and the right should be the stockholder’s tax basis in such share, one-half of one warrant or right, as the case may be. Any disposition of a unit should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a disposition of the Class A ordinary share, the one-half of one warrant and right comprising the unit, and the amount realized on the disposition should be allocated between the Class A ordinary share, the one-half of one warrant and right based on their respective relative fair market values (as determined by each such unit holder based on all the relevant facts and circumstances) at the time of disposition. The separation of shares of Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights comprising units and the combination of two halves of warrants into a single warrant should not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
The foregoing treatment of the units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights and a holder’s purchase price allocation are not binding on the IRS or the courts. Because there are no authorities that directly address instruments that are similar to the units, no assurance can be given that the IRS or the courts will agree with the characterization described above or the discussion below. Accordingly, each prospective investor is urged to consult its own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of an investment in a unit (including alternative characterizations of a unit). The balance of this discussion assumes that the characterization of the units described above will be respected for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
U.S. Holders
This section applies to you if you are a “U.S. holder.” A U.S. holder is a beneficial owner of our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights who or that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
| ● | an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; |
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| ● | a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
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| ● | an estate the income of which is includible in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or |
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| ● | a trust, if (i) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more United States persons (as defined in the Code) have authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) it has a valid election in effect under Treasury Regulations to be treated as a United States person. |
Taxation of Distributions. If we pay distributions in cash or other property (other than certain distributions of our shares or rights to acquire our shares) to U.S. holders of our Class A ordinary share, such distributions generally will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current and/or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Distributions in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits will constitute a return of capital that will be applied against and reduce (but not below zero) the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in our Class A ordinary share. Any remaining excess will be treated as gain realized on the sale or other disposition of the Class A ordinary share and will be treated as described under “U.S. Holders — Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A ordinary shares, Warrants and Rights” below.
Dividends we pay to a U.S. holder that is a taxable corporation generally will qualify for the dividends received deduction if the requisite holding period is satisfied. With certain exceptions (including, but not limited to, dividends treated as investment income for purposes of investment interest deduction limitations), and provided certain holding period requirements are met, dividends we pay to a non-corporate U.S. holder may constitute “qualified dividend income” that will be subject to tax at preferential long-term capital gains rates. It is unclear whether the redemption rights with respect to the Class A ordinary share described in this prospectus may prevent a U.S. holder from satisfying the applicable holding period requirements with respect to the dividends received deduction or the preferential tax rate on qualified dividend income, as the case may be. If the holding period requirements are not satisfied, then a corporation may not be able to qualify for the dividends received deduction and would have taxable income equal to the entire dividend amount, and non-corporate U.S. holders may be subject to tax on such dividend at regular ordinary income tax rates instead of the preferential rate that applies to qualified dividend income.
Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A ordinary shares, Warrants and Rights. Upon a sale or other taxable disposition of our Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights (which, in general, would include a redemption of Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights that is treated as a sale of such securities as described below, including as a result of a dissolution and liquidation in the event we do not consummate an initial business combination within the required time period), a U.S. holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized and the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights. Any such capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. holder’s holding period for the Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights so disposed of exceeds one year. It is unclear, however, whether the redemption rights with respect to the Class A ordinary shares described in this prospectus may suspend the running of the applicable holding period for this purpose. If the running of the holding period for the Class A ordinary shares is suspended, then non-corporate U.S. holders may not be able to satisfy the one-year holding period requirement for long-term capital gain treatment, in which case any gain on a sale or taxable disposition of the shares would be subject to short-term capital gain treatment and would be taxed at regular ordinary income tax rates. Long-term capital gains recognized by non-corporate U.S. holders may be eligible to be taxed at reduced rates. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.
Generally, the amount of gain or loss recognized by a U.S. holder is an amount equal to the difference between (i) the sum of the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received in such disposition (or, if the Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights are held as part of units at the time of the disposition, the portion of the amount realized on such disposition that is allocated to the Class A ordinary shares, the warrants or the rights based upon the then relative fair market values of the Class A ordinary shares, the warrants or the rights included in the units) and (ii) the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in its Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights so disposed of. A U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in its Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights generally will equal the U.S. holder’s acquisition cost (that is, as discussed above, the portion of the purchase price of a unit allocated to a Class A ordinary share, one-half of one warrant or one right or, as discussed below, the U.S. holder’s initial basis for Class A ordinary shares received upon exercise of warrants or rights) less, in the case of a Class A ordinary share, any prior distributions treated as a return of capital.
Redemption of Class A ordinary share. In the event that a U.S. holder’s Class A ordinary share is redeemed pursuant to the redemption provisions described in this prospectus under the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities — Ordinary shares” or if we purchase a U.S. holder’s Class A ordinary share in an open market transaction (each of which we refer to as a “redemption”), the treatment of the transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes will depend on whether the redemption qualifies as a sale of the Class A ordinary share under Section 302 of the Code. If the redemption qualifies as a sale of Class A ordinary share, the U.S. holder will be treated as described under “U.S. Holders — Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A ordinary share and Warrants” above. If the redemption does not qualify as a sale of Class A ordinary share, the U.S. holder will be treated as receiving a corporate distribution with the tax consequences described above under “U.S. Holders — Taxation of Distributions.” Whether a redemption qualifies for sale treatment will depend largely on the total number of our shares treated as held by the U.S. holder (including any share constructively owned by the U.S. holder as a result of owning warrants) relative to all of our shares outstanding both before and after the redemption. The redemption of Class A ordinary share generally will be treated as a sale of the Class A ordinary share (rather than as a corporate distribution) if the redemption (i) is “substantially disproportionate” with respect to the U.S. holder, (ii) results in a “complete termination” of the U.S. holder’s interest in us or (iii) is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to the U.S. holder. These tests are explained more fully below.
In determining whether any of the foregoing tests are satisfied, a U.S. holder takes into account not only our Class A ordinary shares actually owned by the U.S. holder, but also our shares that are constructively owned by it. A U.S. holder may constructively own, in addition to shares owned directly, shares owned by certain related individuals and entities in which the U.S. holder has an interest or that have an interest in such U.S. holder, as well as any shares the U.S. holder has a right to acquire by exercise of an option, which would generally include Class A ordinary share which could be acquired pursuant to the exercise of the warrants. In order to meet the substantially disproportionate test, the percentage of our outstanding voting shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder immediately following the redemption of Class A ordinary share must, among other requirements, be less than 80% of the percentage of our outstanding voting shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder immediately before the redemption. There will be a complete termination of a U.S. holder’s interest if either (i) all of our shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder are redeemed or (ii) all of our shares actually owned by the U.S. holder are redeemed and the U.S. holder is eligible to waive, and effectively waives in accordance with specific rules, the attribution of shares owned by certain family members and the U.S. holder does not constructively own any other shares (including any shares constructively owned by the U.S. holder as a result of owning warrants). The redemption of the Class A ordinary share will not be essentially equivalent to a dividend if a U.S. holder’s redemption results in a “meaningful reduction” of the U.S. holder’s proportionate interest in us. Whether the redemption will result in a meaningful reduction in a U.S. holder’s proportionate interest in us will depend on the particular facts and circumstances. However, the IRS has indicated in a published ruling that even a small reduction in the proportionate interest of a small minority shareholder in a publicly held corporation who exercises no control over corporate affairs may constitute such a “meaningful reduction.” A U.S. holder should consult with its own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of a redemption.
If none of the foregoing tests is satisfied, then the redemption of any Class A ordinary share will be treated as a corporate distribution and the tax effects will be as described under “U.S. Holders — Taxation of Distributions,” above. After the application of those rules, any remaining tax basis of the U.S. holder in the redeemed Class A ordinary share will be added to the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in its remaining shares, or, if it has none, to the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in its warrants or possibly in other shares constructively owned by it.
Exercise, Lapse or Redemption of a Warrant. A U.S. holder generally will not recognize taxable gain or loss on the acquisition of our Class A ordinary share upon exercise of a warrant for cash. The U.S. holder’s tax basis in the share of our Class A ordinary share received upon exercise of the warrant generally will be an amount equal to the sum of the U.S. holder’s initial investment in the warrant (i.e., the portion of the U.S. holder’s purchase price for a unit that is allocated to the warrant, as described above under “Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit”) and the exercise price. It is unclear whether the U.S. holder’s holding period for the Class A ordinary share received upon exercise of the warrants will begin on the date following the date of exercise or on the date of exercise of the warrants; in either case, the holding period will not include the period during which the U.S. holder held the warrants. If a warrant is allowed to lapse unexercised, a U.S. holder generally will recognize a capital loss equal to such holder’s tax basis in the warrant.
The tax consequences of a cashless exercise of a warrant are not clear under current tax law. A cashless exercise may not be taxable, either because the exercise is not a realization event or because the exercise is treated as a recapitalization for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In either situation, a U.S. holder’s basis in the Class A ordinary share received would equal the holder’s basis in the warrants exercised therefor. If the cashless exercise were treated as not being a realization event, it is unclear whether a U.S. holder’s holding period in the Class A ordinary share would be treated as commencing on the date following the date of exercise or on the date of exercise of the warrant; in either case, the holding period would not include the period during which the U.S. holder held the warrants. If the cashless exercise were treated as a recapitalization, the holding period of the Class A ordinary share would include the holding period of the warrants exercised therefor.
It is also possible that a cashless exercise could be treated in part as a taxable exchange in which gain or loss would be recognized. In such event, a U.S. holder could be deemed to have surrendered a number of warrants equal to the number of Class A ordinary shares having an aggregate fair market value equal to the exercise price for the total number of warrants to be exercised. The U.S. holder would recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value of the Class A ordinary share received in respect of the warrants deemed surrendered and the U.S. holder’s tax basis in such warrants. Such gain or loss would be long-term or short-term, depending on the U.S. holder’s holding period in the warrants deemed surrendered. In this case, a U.S. holder’s aggregate tax basis in the Class A ordinary share received would equal the sum of the U.S. holder’s initial investment in the warrants deemed exercised (i.e., the portion of the U.S. holder’s purchase price for the units that is allocated to the warrants, as described above under “Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit”) and the exercise price of such warrants. It is unclear whether a U.S. holder’s holding period for the Class A ordinary share would commence on the date following the date of exercise or on the date of exercise of the warrant; in either case, the holding period would not include the period during which the U.S. holder held the warrant.
Due to the absence of authority on the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a cashless exercise, including when a U.S. holder’s holding period would commence with respect to the Class A ordinary share received, there can be no assurance regarding which, if any, of the alternative tax consequences and holding periods described above would be adopted by the IRS or a court of law. Accordingly, U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of a cashless exercise.
If we redeem warrants for cash pursuant to the redemption provisions described in the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities — Redeemable Warrants — Public Shareholders’ Warrants” or if we purchase warrants in an open market transaction, such redemption or purchase generally will be treated as a taxable disposition to the U.S. holder, taxed as described above under “U.S. Holders — Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A ordinary share and Warrants.”
Possible Constructive Distributions. The terms of each warrant provide for an adjustment to the number of Class A ordinary shares for which the warrant may be exercised or to the exercise price of the warrant in certain events, as discussed in the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities — Redeemable Warrants — Public Shareholders’ Warrants.” An adjustment which has the effect of preventing dilution generally is not taxable. The U.S. holders of the warrants would, however, be treated as receiving a constructive distribution from us if, for example, the adjustment to the number of such shares or to such exercise price increases the warrant holders’ proportionate interest in our assets or earnings and profits (e.g., through an increase in the number of Class A ordinary shares that would be obtained upon exercise or through a decrease in the exercise price of the warrant), which adjustment may be made as a result of a distribution of cash or other property, such as other securities, to the holders of our Class A ordinary share, or as a result of the issuance of a share dividend to holders of our Class A ordinary share, in each case, which is taxable to the U.S. holders of such shares as a distribution. Such constructive distribution would be subject to tax as described under “U.S. Holders — Taxation of Distributions” in the same manner as if the U.S. holders of the warrants received a cash distribution from us equal to the fair market value of such increased interest.
Acquisition of Ordinary Shares Pursuant to Rights. The treatment of the rights to acquire ordinary shares is uncertain. The right may be viewed as a forward contract, derivative security or similar interest in our company (analogous to a warrant or option with no exercise price), and thus the holder of the right would not be viewed as owning the ordinary shares issuable pursuant to the rights until such ordinary shares are actually issued. There may be other alternative characterizations of the rights that the IRS may successfully assert, including that the rights are treated as equity in our company at the time the rights are issued.
The tax consequences of an acquisition of our ordinary shares pursuant to rights are unclear and will depend on the treatment of any initial business combination. Accordingly, U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of an acquisition of ordinary shares pursuant to rights and the consequences of any initial business combination.
Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules. A foreign (i.e., non-U.S.) corporation will be classified as a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes if either (i) at least 75% of its gross income in a taxable year, including its pro rata share of the gross income of any corporation in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the shares by value, is passive income or (ii) at least 50% of its assets in a taxable year (ordinarily determined based on fair market value and averaged quarterly over the year), including its pro rata share of the assets of any corporation in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the shares by value, are held for the production of, or produce, passive income. Passive income generally includes dividends, interest, rents and royalties (other than rents or royalties derived from the active conduct of a trade or business) and gains from the disposition of passive assets.
Because we are a blank check company, with no current active business, we believe that it is likely that we will meet the PFIC asset or income test for our current taxable year. However, pursuant to a start-up exception, a corporation will not be a PFIC for the first taxable year the corporation has gross income (the “start-up year”), if (1) no predecessor of the corporation was a PFIC; (2) the corporation satisfies the IRS that it will not be a PFIC for either of the two taxable years following the start-up year; and (3) the corporation is not in fact a PFIC for either of those years. The net proceeds from this offering will be held in a non-interest bearing trust account until January 2022 located in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee and we intend take the position that, although subject to uncertainty, the start-up year under the start-up exception will be 2022, and, accordingly, we would not be treated as a PFIC for 2022 assuming we satisfy the requirements for the start-up exception above.
The applicability of the start-up exception to us is uncertain and will not be known until after the close of our current taxable year (or possibly not until after the close of the first two taxable years following our start-up year, as described under the start-up exception), including our current taxable year. Additionally, it may be possible that we could be treated as a PFIC for a taxable year prior to the taxable year, which is treated as our start-up year (within the meaning of the start-up exception). After the acquisition of a company or assets in a business combination, we may still meet one of the PFIC tests depending on the timing of the acquisition and the amount of our passive income and assets as well as the passive income and assets of the acquired business. If the company that we acquire in a business combination is a PFIC, then we will likely not qualify for the start-up exception and will be a PFIC for our current taxable year. Our actual PFIC status for our current taxable year or any subsequent taxable year, however, will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year. Accordingly, there can be no assurance with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any future taxable year and prospective U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the possible application of the PFIC rules, the potential unavailability of the start-up exception, and the making of a QEF election (as discussed further below).
Although our PFIC status is determined annually, an initial determination that our company is a PFIC generally will apply for subsequent years to a U.S. Holder who held Class A ordinary shares or warrants while we were a PFIC, whether or not we meet the test for PFIC status in those subsequent years. If we are determined to be a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. Holder of our Class A ordinary shares or warrants and, in the case of our Class A ordinary shares, the U.S. Holder did not make either a qualified electing fund (“QEF”) election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder held (or was deemed to hold) Class A ordinary shares, a QEF election along with a purging election, or a mark-to-market election, each as described below, such U.S. Holder generally will be subject to special rules with respect to (i) any gain recognized by the U.S. Holder on the sale or other disposition of its Class A ordinary shares or warrants (which may include gain realized by reason of transfers of Class A ordinary shares or warrants that would otherwise qualify as nonrecognition transfers for U.S. federal income tax purposes) and (ii) any “excess distribution” made to the U.S. Holder (generally, any distributions to such U.S. Holder during a taxable year of the U.S. Holder that are greater than 125% of the average annual distributions received by such U.S. Holder in respect of the Class A ordinary shares during the three preceding taxable years of such U.S. Holder or, if shorter, such U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Class A ordinary shares).
Under these rules:
| ● | the U.S. Holder’s gain or excess distribution will be allocated ratably over the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Class A ordinary shares or warrants; |
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| ● | the amount allocated to the U.S. Holder’s taxable year in which the U.S. Holder recognized the gain or received the excess distribution, or to the portion of such U.S. Holder’s holding period before the first day of our first taxable year in which we are a PFIC, will be taxed as ordinary income; |
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| ● | the amount allocated to other taxable years (or portions thereof) of the U.S. Holder and included in its holding period will be taxed at the highest tax rate in effect for that year and applicable to the U.S. Holder; and |
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| ● | an additional tax equal to the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed on the U.S. Holder with respect to the tax attributable to each such other taxable year of the U.S. Holder. |
In general, if we are determined to be a PFIC, a U.S. Holder will avoid the PFIC tax consequences described above in respect of our Class A ordinary shares (but not our warrants) by making a timely and valid QEF election (if eligible to do so) to include in income its pro rata share of our net capital gains (as long-term capital gain) and other earnings and profits (as ordinary income), on a current basis, in each case whether or not distributed, in the taxable year of the U.S. Holder in which or with which our taxable year ends. A U.S. Holder generally may make a separate election to defer the payment of taxes on undistributed income inclusions under the QEF rules, but if deferred, any such taxes will be subject to an interest charge.
It is not entirely clear, how the various aspects of the PFIC rules apply to the warrants. However, a U.S. Holder may not make a QEF election with respect to its warrants to acquire our Class A ordinary shares. As a result, if a U.S. Holder sells or otherwise disposes of such warrants (other than upon exercise of such warrants) and we were a PFIC at any time during the U.S. Holder’s holding period of such warrants, any gain recognized generally may be treated as an excess distribution, taxed as described above. If a U.S. Holder that exercises such warrants properly makes a QEF election with respect to the newly acquired Class A ordinary shares (or has previously made a QEF election with respect to our Class A ordinary shares), the QEF election will apply to the newly acquired Class A ordinary shares. Notwithstanding such QEF election, the adverse tax consequences relating to PFIC shares discussed above, adjusted to take into account the current income inclusions resulting from the QEF election, will continue to apply with respect to such newly acquired Class A ordinary shares (which generally will be deemed to have a holding period for purposes of the PFIC rules that includes the period the U.S. Holder held the warrants), unless the U.S. Holder makes a purging election under the PFIC rules. Under the purging election, the U.S. Holder will be deemed to have sold such shares at their fair market value and any gain recognized on such deemed sale will be treated as an excess distribution, as described above. As a result of the purging election, the U.S. Holder will have a new basis and holding period in the Class A ordinary shares acquired upon the exercise of the warrants for purposes of the PFIC rules. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the PFIC rules to the warrants.
The QEF election is made on a shareholder-by-shareholder basis and, once made, can be revoked only with the consent of the IRS. A U.S. Holder generally makes a QEF election by attaching a completed IRS Form 8621 (Information Return by a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign Investment Company or Qualified Electing Fund), including the information provided in a PFIC Annual Information Statement, to a timely filed U.S. federal income tax return for the tax year to which the election relates. Retroactive QEF elections generally may be made only by filing a protective statement with such return and if certain other conditions are met or with the consent of the IRS. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the availability and tax consequences of a retroactive QEF election under their particular circumstances.
In order to comply with the requirements of a QEF election, a U.S. Holder must receive a PFIC Annual Information Statement from us. If we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year we will endeavor to provide, upon written request, to a U.S. Holder such information as the IRS may require, including a PFIC Annual Information Statement, in order to enable the U.S. Holder to make and maintain a QEF election, but there is no assurance that we will timely provide such required information. There is also no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of our status as a PFIC in the future or of the required information to be provided.
If a U.S. Holder has made a QEF election with respect to our Class A ordinary shares, and the excess distribution rules discussed above do not apply to such shares (because of a timely QEF election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) such shares or a purge of the PFIC taint pursuant to a purging election, as described above), any gain recognized on the sale of our Class A ordinary shares generally will be taxable as capital gain and no additional tax or interest charge will be imposed under the PFIC rules. As discussed above, if we are a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder of our Class A ordinary shares that has made a QEF election will be taxed currently on its pro rata share of our earnings and profits, whether or not distributed for such year. A subsequent distribution of such earnings and profits that were previously included in income generally should not be taxable when distributed to such U.S. Holder. The tax basis of a U.S. Holder’s shares in a QEF will be increased by amounts that are included in income, and decreased by amounts distributed but not taxed as dividends, under the above rules. Similar basis adjustments apply to property if, by reason of holding such property, the U.S. Holder is treated under the applicable attribution rules as owning shares in a QEF. In addition, if we are not a PFIC for any taxable year, such U.S. Holder will not be subject to the QEF inclusion regime with respect to our Class A ordinary shares for such taxable year.
Alternatively, if we are a PFIC and our Class A ordinary shares constitute “marketable stock,” a U.S. Holder may avoid the adverse PFIC tax consequences discussed above if such U.S. Holder, at the close of the first taxable year in which it holds (or is deemed to hold) our Class A ordinary shares, makes a mark-to-market election with respect to such shares for such taxable year. Such U.S. Holder generally will include for each of its taxable years as ordinary income the excess, if any, of the fair market value of its Class A ordinary shares at the end of such year over its adjusted basis in its Class A ordinary shares. These amounts of ordinary income would not be eligible for the favorable tax rates applicable to qualified dividend income or long-term capital gains. The U.S. Holder also will recognize an ordinary loss in respect of the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis of its Class A ordinary shares over the fair market value of its Class A ordinary shares at the end of its taxable year (but only to the extent of the net amount of previously included income as a result of the mark-to-market election). The U.S. Holder’s basis in its Class A ordinary shares will be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss amounts, and any further gain recognized on a sale or other taxable disposition of its Class A ordinary shares will be treated as ordinary income. Currently, a mark-to-market election may not be made with respect to warrants.
The mark-to-market election is available only for “marketable stock,” generally, stock that is regularly traded on a national securities exchange that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Nasdaq (on which we intend to list the Class A ordinary shares), or on a foreign exchange or market that the IRS determines has rules sufficient to ensure that the market price represents a legitimate and sound fair market value. If made, a mark-to-market election would be effective for the taxable year for which the election was made and for all subsequent taxable years unless the Class A ordinary shares ceased to qualify as “marketable stock” for purposes of the PFIC rules or the IRS consented to the revocation of the election. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the availability and tax consequences of a mark-to-market election with respect to our Class A ordinary shares under their particular circumstances.
If we are a PFIC and, at any time, have a foreign subsidiary that is classified as a PFIC, U.S. Holders generally would be deemed to own a portion of the shares of such lower-tier PFIC, and generally could incur liability for the deferred tax and interest charge described above if we receive a distribution from, or dispose of all or part of our interest in, the lower-tier PFIC or the U.S. Holders otherwise were deemed to have disposed of an interest in the lower-tier PFIC. We will endeavor to cause any lower-tier PFIC to provide to a U.S. Holder the information that may be required to make or maintain a QEF election with respect to the lower-tier PFIC. There can be no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of the status of any such lower-tier PFIC. In addition, we may not hold a controlling interest in any such lower-tier PFIC and thus there can be no assurance we will be able to cause the lower-tier PFIC to provide such required information. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the tax issues raised by lower-tier PFICs.
A U.S. Holder that owns (or is deemed to own) shares in a PFIC during any taxable year of the U.S. Holder, may have to file an IRS Form 8621(whether or not a QEF or market-to-market election is made) and such other information as may be required by the U.S. Treasury Department. If a U.S. Holder does not file the required IRS Form 8621, such person may be subject to substantial penalties, and the statute of limitations on the assessment and collection of all U.S. federal income taxes of such person for the related tax year may not close before the date which is three years after the date on which such form is filed.
The rules dealing with PFICs and with the QEF and mark-to-market elections are very complex and are affected by various factors in addition to those described above. Accordingly, U.S. Holders of our Class A ordinary shares and warrants should consult their own tax advisors concerning the application of the PFIC rules to our securities under their particular circumstances.
U.S. HOLDERS ARE STRONGLY URGED TO CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS REGARDING WHETHER TO MAKE THIS ELECTION AND, IF THE ELECTION IS DETERMINED TO BE ADVISABLE, THE APPROPRIATE FILING REQUIREMENTS WITH RESPECT TO THIS ELECTION.
ALL U.S. HOLDERS ARE STRONGLY URGED TO CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE DOMESTICATION AND ITS APPLICATION TO THEM.
Tax Reporting
Certain U.S. Holders may be required to file an IRS Form 926 (Return by a U.S. Transferor of Property to a Foreign Corporation) to report a transfer of property (including cash) to us. Substantial penalties may be imposed on a U.S. Holder that fails to comply with this reporting requirement and the period of limitations on assessment and collection of U.S. federal income taxes generally will be extended in the event of a failure to comply. Furthermore, certain U.S. Holders who are individuals and certain entities generally will be required to report information with respect to such U.S. Holder’s investment in “specified foreign financial assets” on IRS Form 8938 (Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets), subject to certain exceptions. Interests in the Company (including our Class A ordinary shares and warrants) constitute specified foreign financial assets for these purposes. Persons who are required to report specified foreign financial assets and fail to do so may be subject to substantial penalties and the period of limitations on assessment and collection of U.S. federal income taxes generally will be extended in the event of a failure to comply. Potential investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the foreign financial asset and other reporting obligations and their application to an investment in our Class A ordinary shares and warrants.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding. In general, information reporting requirements may apply to dividends paid to a U.S. holder and to the proceeds of the sale or other disposition of our units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants, unless the U.S. holder is an exempt recipient. Backup withholding may apply to such payments if the U.S. holder fails to provide a taxpayer identification number, a certification of exempt status or has been notified by the IRS that it is subject to backup withholding (and such notification has not been withdrawn). Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a credit against a U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle such holder to a refund, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Non-U.S. Holders
This section applies to you if you are a “Non-U.S. holder.” As used herein, the term “Non-U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of our units, Class A ordinary share, warrants or rights who or that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
| ● | a non-resident alien individual (other than certain former citizens and residents of the United States subject to U.S. tax as expatriates); |
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| ● | a foreign corporation; or |
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| ● | an estate or trust that is not a U.S. holder; |
but generally does not include an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the disposition of our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights. If you are such an individual, you should consult your tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership or sale or other disposition of our securities.
Taxation of Distributions. In general, any distributions (including constructive distributions) we make to a Non-U.S. holder of our Class A ordinary share, to the extent paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles), will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, provided such dividends are not effectively connected with the Non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States, we will be required to withhold tax from the gross amount of the dividend at a rate of 30%, unless such Non-U.S. holder is eligible for a reduced rate of withholding tax under an applicable income tax treaty and provides proper certification of its eligibility for such reduced rate (usually on an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E). In the case of any constructive dividend, it is possible that this tax would be withheld from any amount owed to a Non-U.S. holder by us or the applicable withholding agent, including cash distributions on other property or sale proceeds from warrants or other property subsequently paid or credited to such holder. Any distribution not constituting a dividend will be treated first as reducing (but not below zero) the Non-U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in our Class A ordinary shares and, to the extent such distribution exceeds the Non-U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis, as gain realized from the sale or other disposition of the Class A ordinary shares, which will be treated as described under “Non-U.S. Holders — Gain on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A ordinary shares and Warrants” below. In addition, if we determine that we are likely to be classified as a “United States real property holding corporation” (see “Non-U.S. Holders — Gain on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A ordinary shares, Warrants and Rights” below), we generally will withhold 15% of any distribution that exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits.
The withholding tax generally does not apply to dividends paid to a Non-U.S. holder who provides a Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States. Instead, the effectively connected dividends will be subject to regular U.S. federal income tax as if the Non-U.S. holder were a U.S. resident, subject to an applicable income tax treaty providing otherwise. A corporate Non-U.S. holder receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” imposed at a rate of 30% (or a lower applicable treaty rate).
Exercise, Lapse or Redemption of a Warrant. The U.S. federal income tax treatment of a Non-U.S. holder’s exercise of a warrant, or the lapse of a warrant held by a Non-U.S. holder, generally will correspond to the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the exercise or lapse of a warrant by a U.S. holder, as described under “U.S. Holders — Exercise, Lapse or Redemption of a Warrant” above, although to the extent a cashless exercise results in a taxable exchange, the consequences would be similar to those described below in “Non-U.S. Holders — Gain on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A ordinary shares, Warrants and Rights.”
The characterization for U.S. federal income tax purposes of the redemption of the Non-U.S. holder’s warrants generally will correspond to the U.S. federal income tax treatment of such a redemption of a U.S. holder’s warrants, as described under “U.S. Holders—Exercise, Lapse or Redemption of a Warrant” above, and the consequences of the redemption to the Non-U.S. holder will be as described below under the heading “Non-U.S. Holders — Gain on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A ordinary shares, Warrants and Rights” depending on such characterization.
Gain on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A ordinary shares, Warrants and Rights. A Non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax in respect of gain recognized on a sale, taxable exchange or other taxable disposition of our Class A ordinary share, which would include a dissolution and liquidation in the event we do not complete an initial business combination within the required time period, or warrants (including an expiration or redemption of our warrants), in each case without regard to whether those securities were held as part of a unit, unless:
| ● | the gain is effectively connected with the conduct by the Non-U.S. holder of a trade or business within the United States (and, under certain income tax treaties, is attributable to a United States permanent establishment or fixed base maintained by the Non-U.S. holder); or |
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| ● | we are or have been a “United States real property holding corporation” for U.S. federal income tax purposes at any time during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of disposition or the period that the Non-U.S. holder held our Class A ordinary share, and, in the case where Class A ordinary shares are regularly traded on an established securities market, the Non-U.S. holder has owned, directly or constructively, more than 5% of our Class A ordinary shares at any time within the shorter of the five-year period preceding the disposition or such Non-U.S. holder’s holding period for our Class A ordinary shares. There can be no assurance that our Class A ordinary shares will be treated as regularly traded on an established securities market for this purpose. |
Unless an applicable treaty provides otherwise, gain described in the first bullet point above will be subject to tax at generally applicable U.S. federal income tax rates as if the Non-U.S. holder were a U.S. resident. Any gains described in the first bullet point above of a Non-U.S. holder that is a foreign corporation may also be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” imposed at a 30% rate (or lower treaty rate).
If the second bullet point above applies to a Non-U.S. holder, gain recognized by such holder on the sale, exchange or other disposition of our Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights will be subject to tax at generally applicable U.S. federal income tax rates. In addition, a buyer of our Class A ordinary shares, warrants or rights from such holder may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 15% of the amount realized upon such disposition. We cannot determine whether we will be a “United States real property holding corporation” in the future until we complete an initial business combination. We will be classified as a United States real property holding corporation if the fair market value of our “United States real property interests” equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market value of our worldwide real property interests plus our other assets used or held for use in a trade or business, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Redemption of Class A ordinary share. The characterization for U.S. federal income tax purposes of the redemption of a Non-U.S. holder’s Class A ordinary share pursuant to the redemption provisions described in the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities — Shares” generally will correspond to the U.S. federal income tax characterization of such a redemption of a U.S. holder’s Class A ordinary share, as described under “U.S. Holders — Redemption of Class A ordinary shares” above, and the consequences of the redemption to the Non-U.S. holder will be as described above under “Non-U.S. Holders — Taxation of Distributions” and “Non-U.S. Holders — Gain on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A ordinary shares and Warrants,” as applicable.
Because it may not be certain at the time a Non-U.S. holder is redeemed whether such Non-U.S. holder’s redemption will be treated as a sale of shares or a distribution constituting a dividend, and because such determination will depend in part on a Non-U.S. holder’s particular circumstances, we or the applicable withholding agent may not be able to determine whether (or to what extent) a Non-U.S. holder is treated as receiving a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Therefore, we or the applicable withholding agent may withhold tax at a rate of 30% on the gross amount of any consideration paid to a Non-U.S. holder in redemption of such Non-U.S. holder’s Class A ordinary share unless special procedures are available to Non-U.S. holders to certify that they are entitled to exemptions from, or reductions in, such withholding tax. However, there can be no assurance that such special certification procedures will be available. A Non-U.S. holder generally may obtain a refund of any such excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS. Non-U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of the foregoing rules in light of their particular facts and circumstances.
Possible Constructive Distributions. The terms of each warrant provide for an adjustment to the number of Class A ordinary shares for which the warrant may be exercised or to the exercise price of the warrant in certain events, as discussed in the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities — Redeemable Warrants — Public Shareholders’ Warrants.” An adjustment which has the effect of preventing dilution generally is not a taxable event. Nevertheless, a Non-U.S. holder of warrants would be treated as receiving a constructive distribution from us if, for example, the adjustment increases the holder’s proportionate interest in our assets or earnings and profits (e.g., through an increase in the number of Class A ordinary shares that would be obtained upon exercise or through a decrease in the exercise price of the warrants), which adjustment may be made as a result of a distribution of cash or other property, such as other securities, to the holders of our Class A ordinary share, or as a result of the issuance of a share dividend to holders of our Class A ordinary share, in each case, which is taxable to such holders as a distribution. Any constructive distribution received by a Non-U.S. holder would be subject to U.S. federal income tax (including any applicable withholding) in the same manner as if such Non-U.S. holder received a cash distribution from us equal to the fair market value of such increased interest without any corresponding receipt of cash. It is possible that any withholding tax on such a constructive distribution might be satisfied by us or the applicable withholding agent through a sale of a portion of the Non-U.S. holder’s Class A ordinary shares, warrants or other property held or controlled by us or the applicable withholding agent on behalf of the Non-U.S. holder or might be withheld from distributions or proceeds subsequently paid or credited to the Non-U.S. holder.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding. Information returns will be filed with the IRS in connection with payments of dividends and the proceeds from a sale or other disposition of our units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants and rights. A Non-U.S. holder may have to comply with certification procedures to establish that it is not a United States person in order to avoid information reporting and backup withholding requirements. The certification procedures required to claim a reduced rate of withholding under a treaty generally will satisfy the certification requirements necessary to avoid the backup withholding as well. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. The amount of any backup withholding from a payment to a Non-U.S. holder will be allowed as a credit against such holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle such holder to a refund, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
FATCA Withholding Taxes. Provisions commonly referred to as “FATCA” impose withholding of 30% on payments of dividends (including constructive dividends) on our Class A ordinary share to “foreign financial institutions” (which is broadly defined for this purpose and in general includes investment vehicles) and certain other non-U.S. entities unless various U.S. information reporting and due diligence requirements (generally relating to ownership by United States persons of interests in or accounts with those entities) have been satisfied by, or an exemption applies to, the payee (typically certified as to by the delivery of a properly completed IRS Form W-8BEN-E). Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules. Under certain circumstances, a Non-U.S. holder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such withholding taxes, and a Non-U.S. holder might be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return to claim such refunds or credits. Thirty percent withholding under FATCA was scheduled to apply to payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of property that produces U.S.-source interest or dividends beginning on January 1, 2019, but on December 13, 2018, the IRS released proposed regulations that, if finalized in their proposed form, would eliminate the obligation to withhold on gross proceeds. Such proposed regulations also delayed withholding on certain other payments received from other foreign financial institutions that are allocable, as provided for under final Treasury Regulations, to payments of U.S.-source dividends, and other fixed or determinable annual or periodic income. Although these proposed Treasury Regulations are not final, taxpayers generally may rely on them until final Treasury Regulations are issued. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the effects of FATCA on their investment in our securities.
UNDERWRITING
Subject to the terms and conditions stated in the underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus, each underwriter named below has severally agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to that underwriter, the number of units set forth opposite the underwriter’s name.
Underwriter | | Number of Units | |
JonesTrading Institutional Services LLC | | | 10,000,000 | |
Total | | | 10,000,000 | |
The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters are obligated to purchase all of the units in the offering if any are purchased, other than those units covered by the over-allotment option described below.
The underwriters have an option to buy up to an additional 1,500,000 units from the company to cover sales by the underwriters of a greater number of units than the total number set forth in the table above. They may exercise that option for 45 days.
The underwriters propose to offer the units initially at the public offering price on the cover page of this prospectus and to selling group members at that price less a selling concession of $ per unit. After the initial public offering the underwriters may change the public offering price and concession and discount to broker/dealers. The offering of the shares by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.
The following table shows the per unit and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid in cash to the underwriters by the company. Such amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase 1,500,000 additional units.
| | Paid by the Company | |
| | No Exercise | | | Full Exercise | |
Per Unit(1) | | $ | 0.55 | | | $ | 0.55 | |
Total(1) | | $ | 5,500,000 | | | $ | 6,325,000 | |
(1) | $0.55 per unit, or $5,500,000 in the aggregate (or $6,325,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), is payable upon the closing of this offering. |
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(2) | will receive a fee of [●] from the total underwriting discount in consideration for its services and expenses incurred as a “qualified independent underwriter.” |
If the company does not complete its initial business combination within the time period required by its Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, inclusive of any extensions, as described in this prospectus, the underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission.
Units sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be offered at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus.
After the initial offering of the units, the representative may change the offering price and the other selling terms. The offering of the units by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.
The company and its sponsors, officers, and directors have agreed with the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to, except with the prior written consent of the underwriters, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any units, Class A ordinary shares, warrants, rights or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Class A ordinary shares during the period from the date of this prospectus continuing through the date 180 days after the date of this prospectus; provided, however, that the company may (1) issue and sell the additional units to cover the underwriters’ over-allotment option (if any), (2) register with the SEC pursuant to an agreement to be entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in this offering, the resale of the founder shares and the placement units or the placement warrants and Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the placement warrants and (3) issue securities in connection with a business combination. The underwriters in their sole discretion may release any of the securities subject to these lock-up agreements at any time without notice.
The company’s initial stockholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) 12 months after the completion of the company’s initial business combination and (B) the date on which the company completes a liquidation, merger, capital share exchange, rights issuance, reorganization or other similar transaction after the company’s initial business combination that results in all of the company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property; except to certain permitted transferees and under certain circumstances as described herein under “Principal Shareholders — Restrictions on Transfers of Founder Shares and Placement Units”. Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of the company’s initial stockholders with respect to any founder shares. The company refers to such transfer restrictions throughout this prospectus as the lock-up. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the converted Class A ordinary shares will be released from the lock-up if (i) the last reported sale price of the company’s Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other transactions) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing 150 days after the initial business combination or (ii) if the company completes a transaction after its initial business combination which results in all of its shareholders having the right to exchange their shares for cash, securities or other property. The placement units, placement shares, placement warrants (including the Class A ordinary share issuable upon exercise of the placement warrants) and placement rights (including the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the placement rights) will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the date of the completion of our initial business combination (except with respect to permitted transferees as described herein under the section of this prospectus entitled “Principal Shareholders — Restrictions on Transfers of Founder Shares and Placement Units”).
Prior to the offering, there has been no public market for the units. The initial public offering price has been negotiated among the company and the underwriters. The determination of the per unit offering price was more arbitrary than would typically be the case if the company was an operating company. Among the factors considered in determining initial public offering price were the history and prospects of companies whose principal business is the acquisition of other companies, prior offerings of those companies, the company’s management, the company’s capital structure, and currently prevailing general conditions in equity securities markets, including current market valuations of publicly traded companies considered comparable to the company.
An application will be made to quote the units on Nasdaq under the symbol “PROQU”.
In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell units in the open market.
These transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of units than they are required to purchase in the offering, and a short position represents the amount of such sales that have not been covered by subsequent purchases. A “covered short position” is a short position that is not greater than the amount of additional units for which the underwriters’ option described above may be exercised. The underwriters may cover any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional units or purchasing units in the open market. In determining the source of units to cover the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of units available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase additional units pursuant to the option described above. “Naked” short sales are any short sales that create a short position greater than the amount of additional units for which the option described above may be exercised. The underwriters must cover any such naked short position by purchasing units in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the units in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of units made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.
The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased units sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.
Purchases to cover a short position and stabilizing transactions, as well as other purchases by the underwriters for their own accounts, may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the company’s units, and together with the imposition of the penalty bid, may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the units. As a result, the price of the common stock may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. The underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may end any of these activities at any time. These transactions may be effected on Nasdaq, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area (each a “Member State”), no units have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in that Member State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the units which has been approved by the competent authority in that Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Member State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation), except that offers of units may be made to the public in that Member State at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:
| (a) | to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under the Prospectus Regulation; |
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| (b) | to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the Representative for any such offer; or |
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| (c) | in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation, |
provided that no such offer of units shall require the company or any Representative to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any units in any Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any units to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any units, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom
The underwriters have represented and agreed that:
| (a) | they have only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA)) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the units in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the company; and |
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| (b) | they have complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the units in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom. |
Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada
The securities may be sold in Canada only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions, and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the securities must be made in accordance with an exemption form, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.
Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this offering memorandum (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.
Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong
The units may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32 of the Laws of Hong Kong) (“Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance”) or which do not constitute an invitation to the public within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) (“Securities and Futures Ordinance”), or (ii) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance, and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the units may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to units which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” in Hong Kong as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made thereunder.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Singapore
This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the units may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the units be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined under Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”)) under Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to conditions set forth in the SFA.
Where the units are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor, the securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation shall not be transferable for 6 months after that corporation has acquired the shares under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA), (2) where such transfer arises from an offer in that corporation’s securities pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, (3) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer, (4) where the transfer is by operation of law, (5) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA, or (6) as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore (“Regulation 32”).
Where the units are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an accredited investor, the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferable for 6 months after that trust has acquired the shares under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA), (2) where such transfer arises from an offer that is made on terms that such rights or interest are acquired at a consideration of not less than $200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction (whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets), (3) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer, (4) where the transfer is by operation of law, (5) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA, or (6) as specified in Regulation 32.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Japan
The securities have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan (Act No. 25 of 1948, as amended), or the FIEA. The securities may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of any resident of Japan (including any person resident in Japan or any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan) or to others for reoffering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of any resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the FIEA and otherwise in compliance with any relevant laws and regulations of Japan.
The company and the selling stockholders estimate that their share of the total expenses of the offering, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $645,000.
The company and the selling stockholders have agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933. The company has also agreed to pay the FINRA- related fees and expenses of the underwriter’s legal counsel, not to exceed $25,000.
The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include sales and trading, commercial and investment banking, advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, market making, brokerage and other financial and non-financial activities and services. Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates have provided, and may in the future provide, a variety of these services to the issuer and to persons and entities with relationships with the issuer, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses.
In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates, officers, directors and employees may purchase, sell or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade securities, derivatives, loans, commodities, currencies, credit default swaps and other financial instruments for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and trading activities may involve or relate to assets, securities and/or instruments of the issuer (directly, as collateral securing other obligations or otherwise) and/or persons and entities with relationships with the issuer. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also communicate independent investment recommendations, market color or trading ideas and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such assets, securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they should acquire, long and/or short positions in such assets, securities and instruments.
LEGAL MATTERS
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, Washington, D.C. is acting as counsel in connection with the registration of our securities under the Securities Act, and Ogier, will pass upon the validity of the securities offered in this prospectus with respect to the ordinary shares and matters of Cayman Islands Law. Certain legal matters will be passed upon on behalf of the underwriters by King & Spalding.
EXPERTS
The financial statements of PROTONIQ Acquisition Corp as of May 18, 2022, and for the period from March 8, 2022 (inception) through May 18, 2022 appearing in this prospectus have been audited by MaloneBailey, LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report herein (which contains an explanatory paragraph relating to substantial doubt about the ability of PROTONIQ Acquisition Corp to continue as a going concern as described in Note 1 to the financial statements), appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities we are offering by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For further information about us and our securities, you should refer to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed with the registration statement. Whenever we make reference in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents, the references are materially complete but may not include a description of all aspects of such contracts, agreements or other documents, and you should refer to the exhibits attached to the registration statement for copies of the actual contract, agreement or other document.
Upon completion of this offering, we will be subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act and will file annual, quarterly and current event reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can read our SEC filings, including the registration statement, over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of
PROTONIQ Acquisition Corp
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of PROTONIQ Acquisition Corp ( the “Company”) as of May 18, 2022, and the related statement of operations, shareholders’ deficit, and cash flows for the period from March 8, 2022 (inception) through May 18, 2022, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of May 18, 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the period from March 8, 2022 (inception) through May 18, 2022, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Going Concern Matter
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the financial statements, the Company has no revenue, its business plan is dependent on the completion of a financing transaction and the Company’s cash and working capital are not sufficient to complete its planned activities for the upcoming year. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s evaluation of the events and conditions and management’s plans regarding these matters are also described in Note 1 to the financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. Our opinion is not modified with respect to that matter.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ MaloneBailey, LLP
www.malonebailey.com
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2022.
Houston, Texas
July 25, 2022
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP
BALANCE SHEET
| | May 18, 2022 | |
ASSETS | | | | |
Current asset | | | | |
Deferred offering costs | | $ | 50,000 | |
Total Assets | | $ | 50,000 | |
| | | | |
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT) | | | | |
Current Liabilities | | | | |
Accrued expense | | $ | 6,522 | |
Promissory note- related party | | | 50,000 | |
Total Liabilities | | $ | 56,522 | |
| | | | |
Commitments and Contingencies | | | | |
| | | | |
Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit) | | | | |
Preferred shares, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding | | | - | |
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 479,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding | | | - | |
Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001; 20,000,000 shares authorized; 2,875,000 issued and outstanding (1) | | | 288 | |
Additional paid-in capital | | | 24,712 | |
Subscription receivable | | | (25,000 | ) |
Accumulated deficit | | | (6,522 | ) |
Total Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit) | | | (6,522 | ) |
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit) | | $ | 50,000 | |
(1) | This number includes up to 375,000 Class B ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters (see Note 5). |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 2022 (INCEPTION) THROUGH MAY 18, 2022
| | For the Period from March 8, 2022 (inception) through May 18, 2022 | |
Operating costs | | $ | (6,522 | ) |
Net Loss | | $ | (6,522 | ) |
| | | | |
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted (1) | | | 2,500,000 | |
Basic and diluted net loss per ordinary share | | $ | (0.00 | ) |
(1) | This number excludes an aggregate of up to 375,000 Class B ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters (see Note 5). |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 2022 (INCEPTION) THROUGH MAY 18, 2022
| | Class B | | | Additional | | | | | | | | | Total Shareholders’ | |
| | Ordinary Shares | | | Paid-in | | | Subscription | | | Accumulated | | | Equity | |
| | Shares (1) | | | Amount | | | Capital | | | Receivable | | | Deficit | | | (Deficit) | |
Balance as of March 8, 2022 (inception) | | | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | |
Class B ordinary shares issued to Sponsor | | | 2,875,000 | | | | 288 | | | | 24,712 | | | | (25,000 | ) | | | — | | | | — | |
Net loss | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | (6,522 | ) | | | (6,522 | ) |
Balance as of May 18, 2022 | | | 2,875,000 | | | $ | 288 | | | $ | 24,712 | | | $ | (25,000 | ) | | $ | (6,522 | ) | | $ | (6,522 | ) |
(1) | This number includes up to 375,000 Class B ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters (see Note 5). |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 2022 (INCEPTION) THROUGH MAY 18, 2022
| | For the Period from March 8, 2022 (inception) through May 18, 2022 | |
Cash flows from Operating Activities: | | | | |
Net Loss | | $ | (6,522 | ) |
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | | | | |
Accrued expense | | | 6,522 | |
Net cash provided by operating activities | | | - | |
| | | | |
Net Change in Cash | | | - | |
Cash – Beginning of period | | | - | |
Cash – Ending of period | | $ | - | |
| | | | |
Supplemental Disclosures of Noncash Financing Activities | | | | |
Deferred offering costs included in promissory note-related party | | $ | 50,000 | |
Deferred offering costs paid by Sponsor in exchange for Class B Ordinary Shares | | $ | 25,000 | |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND GOING CONCERN
PROTONIQ Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) is a blank check company incorporated in the Cayman Islands on March 8, 2022. The Company was formed for the purpose of acquiring, engaging in a share exchange, share reconstruction and amalgamation with, purchasing all or substantially all of the assets of, entering into contractual arrangements with, or engaging in any other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (“Business Combination”). Although the Company is not limited to a particular industry or geographic region for purposes of consummating a Business Combination, the Company intends to focus on a fintech industry.
At May 18, 2022, the Company had not yet commenced any operations. All activity through May 18, 2022 relates to the Company’s formation and the Proposed Offering (as defined below). The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents from the proceeds derived from the Proposed Offering. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end. The Company is an early stage and emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies.
The Company’s ability to commence operations is contingent upon obtaining adequate financial resources through a proposed initial public offering of 10,000,000 units at $10.00 per unit (or 11,500,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) (the “Units” and, with respect to the ordinary shares included in the Units being offered, the “Public Shares”) which is discussed in Note 3 (the “Proposed Offering”) and the sale of 511,842 Units (or 564,342 Units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) (the “Placement Units”) at a price of $10.00 per Unit in a private placement to the Company’s sponsor, PROTONIQ LLC (the “Sponsor”), that will close simultaneously with the Proposed Offering. The Company intends to list the Units on the Nasdaq Global Market (“NASDAQ”). The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Proposed Offering and sale of the Placement Units, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. NASDAQ rules provide that the Business Combination must be with one or more target businesses that together have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in the Trust Account (as defined below) (less any deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on interest earned and less any interest earned thereon that is released for taxes) at the time of the signing of an agreement to enter into a Business Combination. The Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-Business Combination company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). There is no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully effect a Business Combination. Upon the closing of the Proposed Offering, management has agreed that $10.00 per Unit sold in the Proposed Offering, including the proceeds of the sale of the Placement Units, will be held in a trust account (“Trust Account”) and invested in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 180 days or less, or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the consummation of a Business Combination or (ii) the distribution of the funds in the Trust Account to the Company’s shareholders, as described below.
The Company will provide its shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. In connection with a proposed Business Combination, the Company may seek shareholder approval of a Business Combination at a meeting called for such purpose at which shareholders may seek to redeem their shares, regardless of whether they vote for or against a Business Combination. The Company will proceed with a Business Combination only if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation of a Business Combination and, if the Company seeks shareholder approval, a majority of the outstanding shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination.
If the Company seeks shareholder approval of a Business Combination and it does not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association provides that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to 15% or more of the Public Shares without the Company’s prior written consent.
The shareholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially $10.15 per share, plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its tax obligations). The per-share amount to be distributed to shareholders who redeem their Public Shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions the Company will pay to the underwriter.
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
If a shareholder vote is not required and the Company does not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, offer such redemption pursuant to the tender offer rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and file tender offer documents containing substantially the same information as would be included in a proxy statement with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination.
The Sponsor has agreed (a) to vote its Class B ordinary shares, the ordinary shares included in the Placement Units (the “Placement Shares”) and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Proposed Offering in favor of a Business Combination, (b) not to propose an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association with respect to the Company’s pre-Business Combination activities prior to the consummation of a Business Combination unless the Company provides dissenting public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares in conjunction with any such amendment; (c) not to redeem any shares (including the Class B ordinary share) and Placement Units (including underlying securities) into the right to receive cash from the Trust Account in connection with a shareholder vote to approve a Business Combination (or to sell any shares in a tender offer in connection with a Business Combination if the Company does not seek shareholder approval in connection therewith) or a vote to amend the provisions of the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association relating to shareholders’ rights of pre-Business Combination activity and (d) that the Class B ordinary shares and Placement Units (including underlying securities) shall not participate in any liquidating distributions upon winding up if a Business Combination is not consummated. However, the Sponsor will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any Public Shares purchased during or after the Proposed Offering if the Company fails to complete its Business Combination.
The Company will have until 12 months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering to consummate a Business Combination (the “Combination Period”) (subject to a six month extension of time). If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than five business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the outstanding Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned (net of taxes payable and less interest to pay dissolution expenses up to $100,000), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the Company’s board of directors, proceed to commence a voluntary liquidation and thereby a formal dissolution of the Company, subject in each case to its obligations to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of applicable law. The underwriter has agreed to waive its rights to the deferred underwriting commission held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the assets remaining available for distribution will be less than the Proposed Offering price per Unit ($10.15).
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to the Company, if and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amounts in the Trust Account to below $10.15 per share (whether or not the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account and except as to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Proposed Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). In the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (except for the company’s independent registered accounting firm), prospective target businesses or other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.
Going Concern Consideration
At May 18, 2022, we had $0 in cash and working capital deficit of $56,522. Further, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of our financing and acquisition plans. Management plans to address this uncertainty through a Proposed Public Offering as discussed in Note 3. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to consummate an initial business combination will be successful. These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from our inability to consummate this offering or our inability to continue as a going concern.
NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of presentation
The accompanying financial statements are presented in U.S. Dollars and conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.
Emerging growth company
The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Use of estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.
Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
Deferred offering costs
Deferred offering costs consist of underwriting, legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the Proposed Offering and that will be charged to shareholder’s equity upon the completion of the Proposed Offering. Should the Proposed Offering prove to be unsuccessful, these deferred costs, as well as additional expenses incurred, will be charged to operations.
Income taxes
The Company complies with the accounting and reporting requirements of ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes,” which requires an asset and liability approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed for differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities that will result in future taxable or deductible amounts, based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.
ASC Topic 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits, if any, as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties for the period from March 8, 2022 (inception) through May 18, 2022. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position.
There is currently no taxation imposed on income by the Government of the Cayman Islands. In accordance with Cayman income tax regulations, income taxes are not levied on the Company. Consequently, income taxes are not reflected in the Company’s financial statements. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.
The provision for income taxes was deemed to be de minimis for the period from March 8, 2022 (inception) to May 18, 2022.
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Net loss per share
The Company complies with accounting and disclosure requirements of ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share.” Net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of ordinary share outstanding during the period, excluding ordinary shares subject to forfeiture. Weighted average shares were reduced for the effect of an aggregate of 375,000 Class B Ordinary shares that are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised by the underwriters (see Note 6). At May 18, 2022, the Company did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into ordinary shares and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted loss per share is the same as basic loss per share for the periods presented.
Concentration of credit risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution which, at times may exceed the Federal depository insurance coverage of $250,000. At May 18, 2022, the Company had not experienced losses on this account and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such account.
Fair value of financial instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the accompanying balance sheet, primarily due to their short-term nature.
Recently issued accounting pronouncements
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.
Risks and Uncertainties
Management is currently evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the virus could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations, close of the Proposed Public Offering, and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
NOTE 3. PROPOSED OFFERING
Pursuant to the Proposed Offering, the Company will offer for sale up to 10,000,000 Units (or 11,500,000 Units if the underwriters’ overallotment option is exercised in full) at a purchase price of $10.00 per Unit. Each Unit will consist of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant (“Public Warrant”) and one right (“Public Right”). Each Public Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one half of one Class A ordinary share at an exercise price of $11.50 per whole share (see Note 7). Each Public Right entitles the holder to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon consummation of our initial business combination, so you must hold rights in multiples of 10 in order to receive shares for all of your rights upon closing of a business combination (see Note 7).
NOTE 4. PRIVATE PLACEMENT
The Sponsor has committed to purchase an aggregate of 511,842 Placement Units (or 564,342 Placement Units if the underwriters’ over-allotment is exercised in full) at a price of $10.00 per Placement Unit, ($5,118,420 in the aggregate, or $5,643,420 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment is exercised in full), from the Company in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of the Proposed Offering. The proceeds from the sale of the Placement Units will be added to the net proceeds from the Proposed Offering held in the Trust Account. The Placement Units are identical to the Units sold in the Proposed Offering, except for the placement warrants (“Placement Warrants”), as described in Note 7. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the proceeds from the sale of the Placement Units will be used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law) and the Placement Warrants and the rights underlying the Placement Units (“Private Rights”) will expire worthless.
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Class B Ordinary share
During the period ended May 18, 2022, the Company issued an aggregate of 2,875,000 Class B ordinary shares to the Sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 in cash. Such Class B ordinary shares includes an aggregate of up to 375,000 shares subject to forfeiture by the Sponsor to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment is not exercised in full or in part, so that the Sponsor will collectively own 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Proposed Offering (assuming the initial shareholders do not purchase any Public Shares in the Proposed Offering and excluding the Placement Units and underlying securities). During April 2022, our Sponsor transferred 25,000 Class B ordinary shares to Chief Executive Officer, 15,000 Class B ordinary shares to both our Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operation Officer, and 14,000 Class B ordinary shares to three of our independent directors.
The initial shareholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until earliest of (A) twelve months after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing 150 days after our initial business combination, or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
Promissory Note – Related Party
On April 9, 2022, the Sponsor issued an unsecured promissory note to the Company, pursuant to which the Company may borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $300,000, to be used for payment of costs related to the Proposed Offering. The note is non-interest bearing and payable on the earlier of (i) March 31, 2023 or (ii) the consummation of the Proposed Offering. These amounts will be repaid upon completion of this offering out of the $578,420 of offering proceeds that has been allocated for the payment of offering expenses. As of May 18, 2022, the Company had borrowed $50,000 under the promissory note with our sponsor.
Administrative Services Arrangement
The Company’s Sponsor has agreed, commencing from the date that the Company’s securities are first listed on NASDAQ through the earlier of the Company’s consummation of a Business Combination and its liquidation, to make available to the Company certain general and administrative services, including office space, utilities and administrative services, as the Company may require from time to time. The Company has agreed to pay an affiliate of the Sponsor $10,000 per month for these services.
Related Party Loans
In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Company’s Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). Such Working Capital Loans would be evidenced by promissory notes. The notes would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of notes may be converted upon consummation of a Business Combination into additional Placement Units at a price of $10.00 per Unit. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans, but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. As of May 18, 2022, no amount of Working Capital loans were outstanding.
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 6. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Registration Rights
The holders of the insider shares, as well as the holders of the Placement Units (and underlying securities) and any securities issued in payment of working capital loans made to the Company, will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to an agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of Proposed Public Offering. The holders of a majority of these securities are entitled to make up to two demands that the Company register such securities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the underwriters (and/or their designees) may only make a demand registration (i) on one occasion and (ii) during the five year period beginning on the effective date of the Proposed Public Offering. The holders of the majority of the insider shares can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time commencing three months prior to the date on which these ordinary shares are to be released from escrow. The holders of a majority of the Placement Units (and underlying securities) and securities issued in payment of working capital loans (or underlying securities) can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time after the Company consummates a Business Combination. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the consummation of a Business Combination. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the underwriters (and/or their designees) may participate in a “piggy-back” registration only during the seven year period beginning on the effective date of the Proposed Public Offering. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, under FINRA Rule 5110, the underwriters and/or their designees may only make a demand registration (i) on one occasion and (ii) during the five-year period beginning on the effective date of the registration statement relating to the Proposed Public Offering, and the underwriters and/or their designees may participate in a “piggy-back” registration only during the seven-year period beginning on the effective date of the registration statement relating to the Proposed Public Offering.
Underwriting Agreement
The Company will grant the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to 1,500,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments at the Proposed Offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions.
The underwriters will be entitled to a cash underwriting discount of: (i) two percent (2.00%) of the gross proceeds of the Proposed Offering, or $2,000,000 (or up to $2,300,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment is exercised in full). In addition, the underwriters are entitled to a deferred fee of three and a half percent (3.50%) of the gross proceeds of the Proposed Offering, or $3,500,000 (or up to $4,025,000 if the underwriters’ over- allotment is exercised in full) upon closing of the Business Combination. The deferred fee will be paid in cash upon the closing of a Business Combination from the amounts held in the Trust Account, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
Right of First Refusal
For a period beginning on the closing of this offering and ending 12 months from the closing of a business combination, we have granted JonesTrading a right of first refusal to act as lead-left book running manager and lead left manager for any and all future private or public equity, convertible and debt offerings during such period. In accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(E)(i), such right of first refusal shall not have a duration of more than three years from the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 7. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Class A Ordinary share — The Company is authorized to issue 479,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of the Company’s Class A ordinary share are entitled to one vote for each share. At May 18, 2022, there were no Class A ordinary share issued and outstanding.
Class B Ordinary share — The Company is authorized to issue 20,000,000 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of the Company’s Class B ordinary shares are entitled to one vote for each share. At May 18, 2022, there were 2,875,000 Class B ordinary shares issued and outstanding, of which 2,875,000 were held by the Sponsor (and of which 375,000 of such shares held by the Sponsor being subject to forfeiture to the extent that the underwriter’s over-allotment option is not exercised in full) so that the Initial Shareholders will own 20% of the issued and outstanding shares after the Proposed Offering (assuming the Initial Shareholders do not purchase any Public Shares in the Proposed Offering and excluding the Founder Shares). Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into shares of Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination on a one-for-one basis.
Preferred Shares — The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 preferred shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share with such designation, rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s Board of Directors. At May 18, 2022, there were no preferred shares issued or outstanding.
Warrants — Public Warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the Public Warrants. The Public Warrants will become exercisable on the later of (a) the consummation of a Business Combination or (b) 12 months from the effective date of the registration statement relating to the Proposed Offering. No Public Warrants will be exercisable for cash unless the Company has an effective and current registration statement covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants and a current prospectus relating to such ordinary share. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the Public Warrants is not effective within 90 days from the consummation of a Business Combination, the holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise the Public Warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to an available exemption from registration under the Securities Act. If an exemption from registration is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their Public Warrants on a cashless basis. The Public Warrants will expire five years from the consummation of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
The Company may call the warrants for redemption (excluding the Placement Warrants), in whole and not in part, at a price of $0.01 per warrant:
| ● | at any time while the Public Warrants are exercisable, |
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| ● | upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption to each Public Warrant holder, |
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| ● | if, and only if, the reported last sale price of the ordinary share equals or exceeds $18 per share, for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the notice of redemption to Public Warrant holders, and |
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| ● | if, and only if, there is a current registration statement in effect with respect to the ordinary share underlying such warrants at the time of redemption and for the entire 30-day trading period referred to above and continuing each day thereafter until the date of redemption. |
PROTONIQ ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Placement Warrants will be identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units being sold in the Proposed Offering, except that the Placement Warrants and the ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the Placement Warrants will not be transferable, assignable or salable until after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Placement Warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis and be non-redeemable so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. If the Placement Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants.
If the Company calls the Public Warrants for redemption, management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise the Public Warrants to do so on a “cashless basis,” as described in the warrant agreement. The exercise price and number of ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, extraordinary dividend or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuances of ordinary shares at a price below its exercise price. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the warrants. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless.
The exercise price is $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described herein. In addition, if (x) we issue additional shares of Class A ordinary share or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share of Class A ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to our sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any founder shares held by our sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of our Class A ordinary share during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which we consummate our initial business combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the greater of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described below under “Redemption of warrants” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the greater of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
Rights
Each holder of a right will receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon consummation of a Business Combination, even if the holder of such right redeemed all shares held by it in connection with a Business Combination. No fractional shares will be issued upon exchange of the rights. No additional consideration will be required to be paid by a holder of rights in order to receive its additional shares upon consummation of a Business Combination as the consideration related thereto has been included in the unit purchase price paid for by investors in the Proposed Offering. If the Company enters into a definitive agreement for a Business Combination in which the Company will not be the surviving entity, the definitive agreement will provide for the holders of rights to receive the same per share consideration the holders of the Class A ordinary share will receive in the transaction on an as-converted into Class A ordinary share basis and each holder of a right will be required to affirmatively convert its rights in order to receive 1/10 share underlying each right (without paying additional consideration). The shares issuable upon exchange of the rights will be freely tradable (except to the extent held by affiliates of the Company).
NOTE 8. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
In accordance with ASC Topic 855, “Subsequent Events”, which establishes general standards of accounting for and disclosure of events that occur after the balance sheet date but before financial statements are issued, the Company has evaluated all events or transactions that occurred up to July 22, 2022, the date the audited financial statements were available to issue.
10,000,000 Units
PROTONIQ Acquisition Corp
PROSPECTUS
[●]
JonesTrading
Until [●], (25 days after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that buy, sell or trade our Class A ordinary share, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to its unsold allotments or subscriptions.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus.
No dealer, salesperson or any other person is authorized to give any information or make any representations in connection with this offering other than those contained in this prospectus and, if given or made, the information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by us. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security other than the securities offered by this prospectus, or an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities by anyone in any jurisdiction in which the offer or solicitation is not authorized or is unlawful.
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 13. | Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution. |
The estimated approximate expenses payable by us in connection with the offering described in this registration statement (other than the underwriting discount and commissions) will be as follows:
SEC/FINRA Expenses | | | 28,420 | |
Accounting fees and expenses | | | 50,000 | |
Printing and road show expenses | | | 10,000 | |
Reimbursement to underwriters for expenses | | | 150,000 | |
Legal fees and expenses | | | 255,000 | |
Nasdaq listing and filing fees | | | 75,000 | |
Miscellaneous | | | 10,000 | |
Total | | $ | 578,420 | |
Item 14. | Indemnification of Directors and officers. |
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against wilful default, wilful neglect, civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide for indemnification of our officers and directors to the maximum extent permitted by law, including for any liability incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own actual fraud, wilful default or wilful neglect. We will enter into agreements with our officers and directors to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, a form of which is to be filed as an exhibit to this Registration Statement. We expect to purchase a policy of officers’ and directors’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.
Our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account, as well as any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to us, and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever (except to the extent they are entitled to funds from the trust account due to their ownership of public shares). Accordingly, any indemnification provided will only be able to be satisfied by us if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination.
Our indemnification obligations may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholders’ investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
We believe that these provisions, the insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced officers and directors.
Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement to be filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Registration Statement, we have agreed to indemnify the underwriters and the underwriters have agreed to indemnify us against certain civil liabilities that may be incurred in connection with this offering, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act.
Item 15. | Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities. |
On April 5, 2022, PROTONIQ LLC, our sponsor, purchased an aggregate of 2,875,000 founder shares, for an aggregate offering price of $25,000 at an average purchase price of approximately $0.009 per share. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding ordinary shares upon completion of this offering (excluding the placement units and underlying securities). All such securities were issued in connection with our organization pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. Our sponsor is an accredited investor for purposes of Rule 501 of Regulation D.
On or before the date of the prospectus accompanying this registration statement, our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 511,842 placement units (or 564,342 placement units if the over-allotment option is exercised in full), at a price of $10.00 per unit, for an aggregate purchase price of $5,118,420 ($5,643,420 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full). These placement units will be issued pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(2) of the Securities Act as they will be sold to “accredited investors” as defined in Rule 501(a) of the Securities Act. No underwriting discounts or commissions will be paid with respect to such sales. Subscription agreements will be entered into with our sponsor in connection with these placement units and copies of such agreements will be attached as exhibits to this registration statement.
Item 16. | Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules. |
| (a) | Exhibits. The list of exhibits following the signature page of this registration statement is incorporated herein by reference. |
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| (b) | Financial Statements. See page F-1 for an index to the financial statements and schedules included in the registration statement. |
| (a) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser. |
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| (b) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
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| (c) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that: |
| (1) | For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective. |
| (2) | For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
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| (3) | For the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser, if the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use. |
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| (4) | For the purpose of determining liability of a registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of an undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
| (i) | Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
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| (ii) | Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by an undersigned registrant; |
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| (iii) | The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
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| (iv) | Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
EXHIBIT INDEX
* | Filed previously. |
** | Filed herewith. |
*** | To be filed. |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Sydney, on 25th day of July 2022.
| PROTONIQ Acquisition Corp |
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| By: | /s/ Babar Ali |
| Name: | Babar Ali |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints each of Babar Ali his true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities to sign any and all amendments including post-effective amendments to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact or his substitute, each acting alone, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Name | | Position | | Date |
| | | | |
/s/Babar Ali | | Chief Executive Officer, Director, and Chairman (Principal Executive Officer) | | July 25, 2022 |
Babar Ali | | | | |
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/s/Atle Crowe-Maxwell | | Chief Financial Officer and Director (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | | July 25, 2022 |
Atle Crowe-Maxwell | | | | |
SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED U.S. REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REGISTRANT
Pursuant to the Securities Act, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of the registrant has signed this registration statement or amendment thereto on the 25th day of July 2022.
| Cogency Global Inc. |
| Authorized U.S. Representative |
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| By: | /s/ Colleen A. De Vries |
| Name: | Colleen A. De Vries |
| Title: | Senior Vice-President on behalf of Cogency Global Inc. |