Exhibit 1.1
PLACEMENT AGENCY AGREEMENT
September 30, 2024
AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc.
8201 E. 34th Cir N, Suite 1307
Wichita, Kansas 67226
Attention: William Irby, Chief Executive Officer
Dear Mr. Irby:
This agreement (the “Agreement”) constitutes the agreement between Spartan Capital Securities, LLC (the “Placement Agent”) and AgEagle Aerial Systems, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), pursuant to which the Placement Agent shall serve as the exclusive placement agent for the Company, on a “reasonable best efforts” basis, in connection with the proposed public offering (the “Placement”) of up to an aggregate of $12.0 million of (a) shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Shares”) and/or pre-funded warrants to subscribe for Common Shares (the “Prefunded Warrants”), (b) five year Class A Warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Class A Warrants”) and (c) five year Class B Warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Class B Warrants” and together with the Class A Warrants the “Warrants”). The Common Shares underlying the Prefunded Warrants shall hereinafter be referred to as the “Prefunded Warrant Shares”, the Common Shares underlying the Warrants shall hereinafter be referred to as the “Warrant Shares”, and the Shares, the Prefunded Warrants, the Prefunded Warrant Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant Shares shall hereinafter be referred to collectively as the “Securities.” The terms of the Placement and the Securities shall be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the purchasers (each, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”) and nothing herein constitutes that the Placement Agent would have the power or authority to bind the Company or any Purchaser or an obligation for the Company to issue any Securities or complete the Placement. The Placement Agent shall act solely as the Company’s agent and not as principal. The Company shall have the sole right to accept offers to purchase Securities and may reject any such offer, in whole or in part. The purchase price to the Purchasers for each Common Share is $0.24, the purchase price to the Purchasers for each Pre-Funded Warrant is $0.239, the exercise price to the Purchasers for each Prefunded Warrant Share issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants is $0.001, the exercise price to the Purchasers for each Warrant Share issuable upon exercise of the Class A Warrants is $0.24, and the exercise price to the Purchasers for each Warrant Share issuable upon exercise of the Class B Warrants is $0.50. This Agreement and the documents executed and delivered by the Company and the Purchasers in connection with the Placement, including but not limited to the Purchase Agreement (as defined below), and the forms of the Prefunded Warrants and Warrants shall be collectively referred to herein as the “Transaction Documents.” The date of the closing of the Placement shall be referred to herein as the “Closing Date.” The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that the Placement Agent’s obligations hereunder are on a reasonable best-efforts basis only and that the execution of this Agreement does not constitute a commitment by the Placement Agent to purchase the Securities and does not ensure the successful placement of the Securities or any portion thereof or the success of the Placement Agent with respect to securing any other financing on behalf of the Company. With the prior written consent of the Company, the Placement Agent may retain other brokers or dealers to act as sub-agents or selected-dealers on its behalf in connection with the Placement. The sale of the Securities to any Purchaser will be evidenced by a securities purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) between the Company and such Purchaser in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company and the Placement Agent. Capitalized terms that are not otherwise defined herein have the meanings given to such terms in the Purchase Agreement. Prior to the signing of any Purchase Agreement, officers of the Company will be available to answer inquiries from prospective Purchasers.
SECTION 1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY; COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
A. Representations of the Company. Each of the representations and warranties (together with any related disclosure schedules thereto) and covenants made by the Company to the Purchasers in the Purchase Agreement in connection with the Placement is hereby incorporated herein by reference into this Agreement (as though fully restated herein) and is, as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, hereby made to, and in favor of, the Placement Agent. In addition to the foregoing, the Company represents and warrants that:
1. The Company has prepared and filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (Registration No. 333-281897), and amendments thereto, for the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the Securities, which registration statement, as so amended (including post-effective amendments, if any) became effective on September 30, 2024. Such registration statement, including the exhibits thereto, as of the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the “Registration Statement.” Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement shall each be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”) on or before the date of this Agreement; and any reference in this Agreement to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), after the date of this Agreement, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included,” “described,” “referenced,” “set forth” or “stated” in the Registration Statement (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, and no proceeding for any such purpose is pending or has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened by the Commission. For purposes of this Agreement, the “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus, if any, together with the free writing prospectuses, if any, used in connection with the Placement, including any documents incorporated by reference therein.
2. The Registration Statement (and any further documents to be filed with the Commission) contains all exhibits and schedules as required by the Securities Act. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations (the “Rules and Regulations”) of the Commission promulgated thereunder and did not and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Incorporated Documents, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations, and none of such documents, when they were filed with the Commission, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein (with respect to Incorporated Documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement), in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations, as applicable, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. No post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement reflecting any facts or events arising after the date thereof which represent, individually or in the aggregate, a fundamental change in the information set forth therein is required to be filed with the Commission. There are no documents required to be filed with the Commission in connection with the transaction contemplated hereby that (x) have not been filed as required pursuant to the Securities Act or (y) will not be filed within the requisite time period. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits or schedules to the Registration Statement, which (x) have not been described or filed as required or (y) will not be filed within the requisite time period.
3. Neither the Company nor any of its directors and officers has distributed, and none of them will distribute, prior to the Closing Date, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the Time of Sale Prospectus.
4. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Time of Sale Prospectus and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of each of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors”) or the Company’s shareholders in connection therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals (as defined in the Purchase Agreement). This Agreement has been duly executed by the Company and, when duly execute by the Placement Agent and delivered in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.
5. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated pursuant to the Time of Sale Prospectus, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby to which it is a party do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Purchase Agreement).
6. Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Placement Agent or to counsel for the Placement Agent shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to the Placement Agent as to the matters set forth therein.
7. The Company acknowledges that the Placement Agent will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and warranties and hereby consents to such reliance.
8. No forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
9. Any statistical, industry-related and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus, are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes to be reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.
10. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Time of Sale Prospectus, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company, any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement. There are no other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its shareholders that may affect the Placement Agent’s compensation, as determined by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). Other than payments to the Placement Agent for this Placement, the Company has not made and has no agreements, arrangements or understanding to make any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member participating in the offering as defined in FINRA Rule 5110 (a “Participating Member”); or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any Participating Member, within the 180-day period preceding the initial filing of the Registration Statement through the 60-day period after the effective date of the Registration Statement. None of the net proceeds of the Placement will be paid by the Company to any Participating Member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein. To the Company’s knowledge, no officer, director or any beneficial owner of 10% or more of the Company’s Common Shares or Common Share equivalents has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any Participating Member in the Placement. Except for securities purchased on the open market, no Company affiliate is an owner of stock or other securities of any Participating Member. No Company affiliate has made a subordinated loan to any Participating Member. No proceeds from the sale of the Securities (excluding placement agent compensation as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Time of Sale Prospectus) will be paid to any Participating Member, any persons associated with a Participating Member or an affiliate of a Participating Member. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Company has not issued any warrants or other securities or granted any options, directly or indirectly, to the Placement Agent within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement. Except for securities issued to the Placement Agent as disclosed in the Registration Statement, no person to whom securities of the Company have been privately issued within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Time of Sale Prospectus is a Participating Member, is a person associated with a Participating Member or is an affiliate of a Participating Member. No Participating Member in the Placement has a conflict of interest with the Company. For this purpose, a “conflict of interest” exists when a Participating Member, the parent or affiliate of a Participating Member or any person associated with a Participating Member in the aggregate beneficially own 5% or more of the Company’s outstanding subordinated debt or common equity, or 5% or more of the Company’s preferred equity. “FINRA member participating in the Placement” includes any associated person of a Participating Member in the Placement, any member of such associated person’s immediate family and any affiliate of a Participating Member in the Placement. When used in this Section 1.A.10 the term “affiliate of a FINRA member” or “affiliated with a FINRA member” means an entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with a FINRA member. The Company will advise the Placement Agent and its counsel if it learns that any officer, director or owner of 10% or more of the Company’s outstanding Common Shares or Common Share equivalents is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a Participating Member.
11. The Board of Directors is comprised of the persons set forth under the heading of the Registration Statement captioned “Management.” The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the Board of Directors comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder applicable to the Company and the rules of the Trading Market (as defined below). In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent” as defined under the rules of the Trading Market.
12. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires most recently completed by each of the Company’s directors and officers is true and correct in all respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in such questionnaires become inaccurate and incorrect.
B. Covenants of the Company.
1. The Company has delivered, or will as promptly as practicable deliver, to the Placement Agent materially complete conformed copies of the Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts, as applicable, filed as a part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without exhibits), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as the Placement Agent reasonably requests. Neither the Company nor any of its directors and officers has distributed and none of them will distribute, prior to the Closing Date, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities pursuant to the Placement other than the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Registration Statement, copies of the documents incorporated by reference therein and any other materials permitted by the Securities Act.
2. Section 4.15 of the Purchase Agreement as in effect on the date hereof may not be amended or waived without the prior written consent of the Placement Agent.
3. The Company covenants that it will not, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Placement Agent, make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a Company Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Securities Act. In the event that the Placement Agent expressly consents in writing to any such free writing prospectus (a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus”), the Company covenants that it shall (i) treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as a Company Free Writing Prospectus, and (ii) comply with the requirements of Rule 164 and 433 of the Securities Act applicable to such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.
4. The Company will maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Common Shares.
5. The Company shall (a) hold a special meeting of stockholders (which may also be at the annual meeting of stockholders) at the earliest practicable date after the date hereof, or (b) obtain by written consent the Stockholder Approval, but in no event later than twenty (20) business days (which time period, for the avoidance of doubt, does not include the time required to file and mail an information statement on Schedule 14C with respect to such written consent as required under the Exchange Act), after the Closing Date for the purpose of obtaining Stockholder Approval (as defined below), if required to effect the purpose thereof, with the recommendation of the Board that such proposal be approved, and the Company shall, if applicable, solicit proxies from its stockholders in connection therewith in the same manner as all other management proposals in such proxy statement and all management-appointed proxyholders shall vote their proxies in favor of such proposal. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain such Stockholder Approval, and officers, directors and stockholders subject to Lock-Up Agreement pursuant to Section 7Q shall, if applicable, cast their proxies in favor of such proposal. If the Company does not obtain Stockholder Approval at the first meeting or by written consent, the Company shall call a meeting every twenty (20) days thereafter to seek Stockholder Approval until the earlier of the date Stockholder Approval is obtained or the Warrants are no longer outstanding. “Stockholder Approval” has the meaning set forth in the Warrants.
6. The Company shall effect a reverse stock split within seven (7) business days after the date that is the earlier of the date on which (x) the first meeting of stockholders to obtain Stockholder Approval is held or (y) the items to be approved under the Stockholder Approval have been approved in accordance with the applicable laws and corporate governing documents of the Company (including, if applicable and without limitation, the filing and mailing of an information statement on Schedule 14C (the “First Reverse Split Date”). No reverse stock split shall be effectuated before the First Reverse Split Date, except if the consent has been obtained from a purchasers of a majority of the Shares.
SECTION 2. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PLACEMENT AGENT. The Placement Agent represents and warrants that it (i) is a member in good standing of FINRA, (ii) is registered as a broker/dealer under the Exchange Act, (iii) is licensed as a broker/dealer under the laws of the states applicable to the offers and sales of the Securities by such Placement Agent, (iv) is and will be a body corporate validly existing under the laws of its place of incorporation, and (v) has full power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Placement Agent will immediately notify the Company in writing of any change in its status as such. The Placement Agent covenants that it will use its reasonable best efforts to conduct the Placement hereunder in compliance with the provisions of this Agreement and the requirements of applicable law.
SECTION 3. COMPENSATION. In consideration of the services to be provided for hereunder, the Company shall pay to the Placement Agent or their respective designees their pro rata portion (based on the Securities placed) of the following compensation with respect to the Securities which they are placing:
A. A cash fee (the “Cash Fee”) equal to 8.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in the Placement. The Company also agrees to pay the Placement Agent a non-accountable expense allowance of 0.5% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in the Placement (the “Non-Accountable Expense Allowance”). Each of the Cash Fee and the Non-Accountable Expense Allowance shall be paid at the closing of the Placement (the “Closing”).
B. Subject to compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g), out of the aggregate gross proceeds of raised in the Placement, the Company also agrees to pay Spartan up to $215,000for fees and expenses of legal counsel and other out-of-pocket expenses, roadshow expenses and cost of background checks, escrow agent or clearing agent fees; plus the additional amount payable by the Company pursuant to Paragraph A hereunder and, if applicable, the costs associated with the use of a third-party electronic road show service The Company will reimburse the Placement Agent directly out of the gross proceeds of the Closing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any amounts paid or payable under this Section 3(B) in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution obligations set forth in Section 4 hereof and any advance received by the Placement Agent will be reimbursed to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).
C. The Placement Agent will be entitled to the cash compensation set forth above, with respect to any public or private offering or other financing or capital-raising transaction of any kind (“Tail Financing”) to the extent that such financing or capital is provided to the Company by investors whom Placement Agent had contacted during the 12-month term of that Engagement Agreement dated June 28, 2024 by and between the Company and the Placement Agent (the “Engagement Agreement”) or introduced to the Company during such term, if such Tail Financing is consummated at any time within the 12-month period following the expiration or termination of the Engagement Agreement.
D. The Placement Agent reserves the right to reduce any item of its compensation or adjust the terms thereof as specified herein in the event that a determination shall be made by FINRA to the effect that such Placement Agent’s aggregate compensation is in excess of FINRA rules or that the terms thereof require adjustment.
SECTION 4. INDEMNIFICATION. The Company agrees to the indemnification and other agreements set forth in the indemnification provisions (the “Indemnification Provisions”) attached hereto as Addendum A, the provisions of which are incorporated herein by reference and shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement.
SECTION 5. PLACEMENT AGENT INFORMATION. The Company agrees that any information or advice rendered by the Placement Agent in connection with this engagement is for the confidential use of the Company only in their evaluation of the Placement and, except as otherwise required by law, the Company will not disclose or otherwise refer to the advice or information in any manner without the Placement Agent’s prior written consent.
SECTION 6. NO FIDUCIARY RELATIONSHIP. This Agreement does not create, and shall not be construed as creating rights enforceable by any person or entity not a party hereto, except those entitled hereto by virtue of the Indemnification Provisions hereof. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Placement Agent is not and shall not be construed as a fiduciary of the Company and shall have no duties or liabilities to the equity holders or the creditors of the Company or any other person by virtue of this Agreement or the retention of the Placement Agent hereunder, all of which are hereby expressly waived.
SECTION 7. CLOSING. The obligations of the Placement Agent, and the closing of the sale of the Securities hereunder, are subject to the accuracy, when made and on the Closing Date, of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company and its subsidiaries contained herein and in the Purchase Agreement, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company and its subsidiaries made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and its subsidiaries of their obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions, except as otherwise disclosed to and acknowledged and waived by the Placement Agent to the Company:
A. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request for additional information on the part of the Commission (to be included in the Registration Statement or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Placement Agent. Any filings required to be made by the Company in connection with the Placement shall have been timely filed with the Commission.
B. The Placement Agent shall not have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date that the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Placement Agent, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the reasonable opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and was not remedied prior to the Closing Date by the filing of an amendment to the Registration Statement.
C. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form, execution, delivery and validity of each of this Agreement, the Securities, the Registration Statement and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the Placement Agent, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
D. The Placement Agent shall have received on the Closing Date the favorable opinion of Duane Morris, LLP, counsel to the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, including, without limitation, a negative assurance letter addressed to the Placement Agent and in form and substance satisfactory to the Placement Agent.
E. The Placement Agent shall have received “comfort” letters from WithumSmith+Brown, PC (the Company’s independent registered accounting firm) (“Auditor”) as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, addressed to the Placement Agent and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the Placement Agent and Placement Agent’s counsel.
F. On the Closing Date, the Placement Agent shall have received a certificate duly executed by an executive officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, certifying (i) the resolutions with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby as adopted by the Company’s board of directors, (ii) the certificate of incorporation of the Company and (iii) the bylaws of the Company, each as in effect at the Closing.
G. On the Closing Date, the Placement Agent shall have received a certificate duly executed by an executive officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, certifying that each and every representation and warranty of the Company shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), in all respects) as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though originally made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such specific date) and the Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Closing Date;
H. On the Closing Date, the Placement Agent shall have received a certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, providing a customary certification as to such accounting or financial matters that are included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement that the Auditor is unable to provide assurances on in the letter contemplated by Section 7.E above.
I. On the Closing Date, the Placement Agent shall have received a letter from the Transfer Agent certifying the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on the Closing Date immediately prior to the Closing.
J. The Placement Agent shall have received evidence of the good standing of the Company as of the date of the Agreement and at the Closing Date, in its jurisdictions of organization (to the extent the concept of “good standing” or such equivalent concept exists under the laws of the applicable jurisdictions) and its good standing as foreign entities in such other jurisdictions as the Placement Agent may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions. If the applicable jurisdiction does not have a concept of “good standing,” the Company will furnish evidence in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities that the relevant company was duly incorporated and remains duly registered in the jurisdiction of its incorporation.
K. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, as applicable, (i) shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood, terrorist act or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, or (ii) since such date there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any material change, or any development involving a prospective material change, in or affecting the business, general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, and (iii) since such date there shall not have been any new or renewed inquiries by the Commission, FINRA or any other regulatory body regarding the Company, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii), is, in the judgment of the Placement Agent, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Registration Statement.
L. The Common Shares are registered under the Exchange Act and, as of the Closing Date, the Shares and the Common Shares underlying the Prefunded Warrants shall be listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Trading Market”) or other applicable U.S. national exchange, or an application for such listing shall have been submitted to the Trading Market, and satisfactory evidence of such action shall have been provided to the Placement Agent. The Company shall have taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting or suspending from trading the Common Shares from the Trading Market or other applicable U.S. national exchange, nor, except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus and Registration Statement, has the Company received any information suggesting that the Commission or the Trading Market or other U.S. applicable national exchange is contemplating terminating such registration or listing.
M. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any governmental agency or body which would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company; and no injunction, restraining order or order of any other nature by any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company.
N. The Company shall have prepared and filed with the Commission a Form 8-K with respect to the Placement, including as an exhibit thereto this Agreement.
O. The Company shall have entered into a Purchase Agreement with each of the Purchasers and such agreements shall be in full force and effect and shall contain representations, warranties and covenants of the Company as agreed between the Company and the Purchasers.
P. FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms and arrangements of this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall, if requested by the Placement Agent, make or authorize Placement Agent’s counsel to make on the Company’s behalf, any filing with the FINRA Corporate Financing Department pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 with respect to the Placement and pay all filing fees required in connection therewith.
Q. On the Closing Date, Placement Agent shall have received signed lock-up agreements, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, addressed to the Placement Agent by each of the Company, the Company’s directors, officers and any other holder(s) of five percent (5.0%) or more of the outstanding shares of Common Shares of the Company as of the effective date of the Registration Statement. The Company shall not amend, modify, waive or terminate any provision of any of the lock-up agreements without the prior written consent of the Placement Agent, except to extend the term of the lock-up period, and shall enforce the provisions of each lock-up agreement in accordance with its terms. If any party to a lock-up agreement breaches any provision of a lock-up agreement, the Company shall promptly use its best efforts to seek specific performance of the terms of such lock-up agreement.
R. Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Placement Agent such further information, certificates and documents as the Placement Agent may reasonably request.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 7 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement, or if any of the certificates, opinions, written statements or letters furnished to the Placement Agent or to the Placement Agent’s counsel pursuant to this Section 7 shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Placement Agent and to the Placement Agent’s counsel, all obligations of the Placement Agent hereunder may be cancelled by the Placement Agent at, or at any time prior to, the consummation of the Closing. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or orally. Any such oral notice shall be confirmed promptly thereafter in writing.
SECTION 8. Governing Law; Jurisdiction and Venue Arbitration. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of law. Any controversy between the parties to this Agreement, or arising out of the Agreement, shall be resolved by arbitration before the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) or FINRA Arbitration (FINRA”) in New York, New York. The following arbitration agreement should be read in conjunction with these disclosures:
| (a) | ARBITRATION IS FINAL AND BINDING ON THE PARTIES. |
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| (b) | THE PARTIES ARE WAIVING THEIR RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES IN COURT, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO JURY TRIAL. |
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| (c) | PRE-ARBITRATION DISCOVERY IS GENERALLY MORE LIMITED THAN AND DIFFERENT FROM COURT PROCEEDING; AND |
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| (d) | THE ARBITRATORS’ AWARD IS NOT REQUIRED TO INCLUDE FACTUAL FINDING OR LEGAL REASONING AND ANY PARTY’S RIGHT TO APPEAL OR TO SEEK MODIFICATION OF RULINGS BY THE ARBITRATORS IS STRICTLY LIMITED. |
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| (e) | ARBITRATION AGREEMENT. ANY AND ALL CONTROVERSIES, DISPUTES OR CLAIMS BETWEEN SPARTAN AND YOU OR YOUR AGENTS, REPRESENTATIVES, EMPLOYEES, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS OR CONTROL PERSONS, ARISING OUT OF, IN CONNECTION WITH, OR WITH RESPECT TO (i) ANY PROVISIONS OF OR THE VALIDITY OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY RELATED AGREEMENTS, (ii) THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE PARTIES HERETO, OR (iii) ANY CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF YOUR BUSINESS SHALL BE CONDUCTED BY THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION UNDER ITS COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION RULES OR FINRA ARBITRATION RULES. ARBITRATION MUST BE COMMENCED BY SERVICE OF A WRITTEN DEMAND FOR ARBITRATION OR A WRITTEN NOTICE OF INTENTION TO ARBITRATE. IF YOU ARE A PARTY TO SUCH ARBITRATION, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY THE RULES OF THE APPLICABLE ARBITRATION TRIBUNAL, THE ARBITRATION SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK. THE DECISION AND AWARD OF THE ARBITRATORS(S) SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON ALL PARTIES, AND ANY JUDGMENT UPON ANY AWARD RENDERED MAY BE ENTERED IN THE STATE OR FEDERAL COURTS LOCATED IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK, OR ANY OTHER COURT HAVING JURISDICTION THEREOF, AND NEITHER PARTY SHALL OPPOSE SUCH ENTRY. |
SECTION 9. ENTIRE AGREEMENT/MISC. This Agreement (including the attached Indemnification Provisions) embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, relating to the subject matter hereof except the Engagement Letter, as amended, by and between the Company and the Placement Agent, dated , 2024. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect or any other provision of this Agreement, which will remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may not be amended or otherwise modified or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by the Placement Agent and the Company. The representations, warranties, agreements and covenants contained herein shall survive the closing of the Placement and delivery of the Securities. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or a .pdf format file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or .pdf signature page were an original thereof.
SECTION 10. NOTICES. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (a) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is sent to the email address specified on the signature pages attached hereto prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a business day, (b) the next business day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is sent to the email address on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a business day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any business day, (c) the third business day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. internationally recognized air courier service, or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages hereto.
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Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth our agreement by signing and returning to the Placement Agent the enclosed copy of this Agreement.
| Very truly yours, |
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| SPARTAN CAPITAL SECURITIES, LLC |
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| By: | /s/ Kim Monchik |
| Name: | Kim Monchik |
| Title: | CAO |
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| Address for notice: |
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| 45 Broadway, 19th Floor |
| New York, NY 10006 |
Accepted and Agreed to as of | |
the date first written above: | |
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AGEAGLE AERIAL SYSTEMS, INC. | |
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By: | /s/ William Irby | |
Name: | William Irby |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
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Address for notice: | |
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8201 E. 34th Cir N, Suite 1307 | |
Wichita, Kansas 67226 | |