Exhibit 1.1
Gelteq Limited
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
[__________], 2024
The Benchmark Company, LLC
150 East 58th St., 17th Floor
New York, NY 10155
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This underwriting agreement (this “Agreement”) constitutes the agreement between Gelteq Limited, an Australian public limited company limited to shares (the “Company”), on the one hand, and The Benchmark Company, LLC (the “Representative”), for itself as underwriter and as representative of the several underwriters listed on Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), on the other hand, pursuant to which the Underwriters shall serve as the underwriters for the Company in connection with the proposed offering (the “Offering”) by the Company of its Offered Securities (as defined below).
The Company proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the Underwriters an aggregate of 1,300,000 authorized but unissued ordinary shares (the “Firm Shares”), no par value, of the Company (such shares generally, the “Ordinary Shares”), and to grant the Underwriters the option to purchase an aggregate of up to 195,000 additional Ordinary Shares (the “Option Shares”) as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the Offering. The Firm Shares and Option Shares are collectively referred to as the “Offered Securities.” The Offered Securities and the Underwriters’ Warrant (as defined below) and the Warrant Shares (as defined below) are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities.”
The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the Representative as follows:
Section 1. Fees and Expenses; Survival and Other Activities.
(a) Underwriting Discount; Underwriters’ Warrants; Expenses.
(i) Underwriting Discount. The Underwriters shall be entitled to receive an underwriting discount equal to 7% of the aggregate gross proceeds from the sale of the Offered Securities on a Closing Date, as defined in Section 3(c) herein, which will be paid to and allocated by the Representative among the Underwriters or selling syndicate and soliciting dealers.
(ii) Reserved
(iii) Underwriters’ Warrants. The Company hereby agrees to issue to the Representative (and/or its permitted designees) on a Closing Date, a warrant or warrants, as applicable (in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto, the “Underwriters’ Warrant”) to purchase the number of Ordinary Shares equal to seven percent (7%) of the number of Firm Shares and Option Shares, if any, issued in the Offering (“Warrant Shares”).
The Underwriters’ Warrants will be exercisable at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, during the five (5) year period commencing six (6) months from the commencement of sales of the Offering, at an initial exercise price equal to 125% of the price per share paid by investors in the Offering. The Representative understands and agrees that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 against transferring the Underwriters’ Warrants and the Warrant Shares during the one hundred eighty (180) days after the effective date (the “Effective Date”) of the Registration Statement (as defined below), and by its acceptance thereof shall agree that it will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Underwriters’ Warrants, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date to anyone other than the circumstances listed under FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2). Delivery of the Underwriters’ Warrants shall be made on a Closing Date and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request. The Underwriters’ Warrants may be exercised as to all or a lesser number of the underlying Ordinary Shares, will provide for cashless exercise and will contain provisions for one demand registration of the sale of the underlying Ordinary Share at the Company’s expense, an additional demand registration at the Underwriter’s Warrants holder’s expense provided such demand registration rights will not be greater than five years from the date of the commencement of sales of this Offering in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(C), and immediate and unlimited “piggyback” registration rights for a period of five (5) years after the Effective Date at the Company’s expense. The Underwriters’ Warrants shall further provide for adjustment in the number and price of such warrants (and the Ordinary Share underlying such Warrants) in the event of recapitalization, dividend, share split, merger or other structural transaction to prevent dilution.
(iv) Expenses. The Company hereby agrees to pay all costs and expenses incident to the Offering, subject to a cap of $125,000, including, but not limited to: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses associated with the review of this Offering by FINRA; (b) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of securities offered under the securities laws of foreign jurisdictions designated by the Representative; (c) the fees and expenses of the underwriters’ legal counsel (“Benchmark Legal Expenses”) which shall be capped at $100,000; (d) the underwriters’ use of Ipreo’s book-building, prospectus tracking and compliance software for the Offering; (e) “road show” expenses for the Offering; and (f) the costs associated with receiving commemorative mementos and lucite tombstones. In addition to the forgoing, the Company shall be responsible for either (i) providing or (ii) paying for costs of background checks on its senior management in an amount not to exceed $7,500.
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The Benchmark Legal Expenses shall be capped at $50,000 if the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are not consummated or if this Agreement is terminated, and paid in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Representative within fifteen (15) calendar days of receipt by the Company of the documented expenses.
The Company shall also pay to the Representative a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the gross proceeds of the Offering at Closing.
(b) Survival and Other Activities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company’s obligation to pay fees actually earned and payable and to reimburse expenses actually incurred and reimbursable pursuant to Section 1 hereof and which are permitted to be reimbursed under FINRA Rule 5110(g)(5)(A), will survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to limit the ability of the Underwriters or their Affiliates to pursue, investigate, analyze, invest in, or engage in investment banking, financial advisory or any other business relationship with Persons (as defined below) other than the Company. As used herein (i) “Persons” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind and (ii) “Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
Section 2. Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Company. The Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to the Underwriters, as of the date hereof, and as of the Closing Date, except as set out in the Registration Statement as follows:
(a) Securities Law Filings. The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form F-1 (Registration File No. 333-280804) under the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission (the “Rules and Regulations”) promulgated thereunder and under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). At the time of the Effective Date, the Registration Statement and amendments met the requirements of Form F-1 under the Securities Act. The Company will file with the Commission pursuant to Rules 430A and 424(b) under the Securities Act, a final prospectus included in such registration statement relating to the Offering and the underwriting thereof and has advised the Representative of all further information (financial and other) with respect to the Company required to be set forth therein. Such registration statement, including the exhibits thereto, as amended at the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the “Registration Statement”; such prospectus in the form in which it appears in the Registration Statement as amended at the date of this Agreement is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.” If the Company has filed or files an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term Registration Statement shall include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement or filed with the Commission under the Securities Act is hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus.” All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that is “contained,” “included,” “described,” “referenced,” “set forth” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be. The Registration Statement has been declared effective on the date hereof. The Company shall, prior to the Closing Date, file with the Commission a Form 8-A providing for the registration under the Exchange Act of the Ordinary Shares.
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(b) Assurances. 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, at all other subsequent times until the Closing Date, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (provided, however, that the preceding representations and warranties contained in this sentence shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Representative expressly for use therein, which information shall consist solely of (i) the names of the Underwriters appearing in the Prospectus, (ii) the statement regarding delivery of the Ordinary Shares set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus, (iii) the securities dealer discount referred to in the second paragraph of the section of the Prospectus captioned “Underwriting”, (iv) the information set forth in the fourth paragraph of the section of the Prospectus captioned “Underwriting” and (v) the table showing the number of securities to be purchased by each Underwriter (the “Underwriter Information”). Each Preliminary Prospectus, as of its date, complies in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations. The Prospectus, as of its date, complies in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations. As of its date, each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus did not and will not contain as of the date thereof any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a s fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (provided, however, that the preceding representations and warranties contained in this sentence shall not apply to any Underwriter Information). All post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement reflecting facts or events arising after the date thereof which represent, individually or in the aggregate, a fundamental change in the information set forth therein have been so 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. The Company is eligible to use “free writing prospectuses” in connection with the Offering pursuant to Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations. Each such free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations. The Company has not and will not, without the prior consent of the Representative, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus. Each such free writing prospectus shall be deemed to be included as part of the Registration Statement for purposes of this Agreement.
(c) Offering Materials. The Company has delivered, or will as promptly as practicable deliver, to the Underwriters 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), any Preliminary Prospectus, any free writing prospectus and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as the Underwriters reasonably request. 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 Offered Securities other than the Prospectus, the Registration Statement, and any free writing prospectus authorized in advance by the Representative.
(d) Subsidiaries. All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company (the “Subsidiaries”) are described in the Registration Statement to the extent required by the Rules and Regulations. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of its capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any liens, charges, security interests, encumbrances, rights of first refusal, preemptive rights or other restrictions (collectively, “Liens”) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities.
(e) Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing (where applicable) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation or material default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not reasonably be expected to result in: (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, the Underwriters’ Warrant or any other agreement or instrument entered into between the Company and the Underwriters (“Transaction Documents”), (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under this Agreement or the Offering (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material Adverse Effect”) and to the knowledge of the Company, no action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened (“Proceeding”) has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.
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(f) Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents and the Offering and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and each of the other Transaction Documents and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby 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 below). This Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by the Company and, when 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.
(g) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s memorandum and articles of association, 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 conflict, default or violation could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(h) Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the transactions contemplated hereby where the failure to obtain any such consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration would not, singularly or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, other than: (i) the filing with the Commission of the final Prospectus as required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act, (ii) application to the Nasdaq for the listing of the Offered Securities for trading thereon in the time and manner required thereby and (iii) such filings as are required to be made under applicable state securities laws (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).
(i) Issuance of the Securities. The Offered Securities are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, and the terms of the Offering as described in the Prospectus, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and free and clear of all Liens. The Underwriters’ Warrant has been duly authorized for issuance, and the Warrant Shares, when issued, paid for and delivered upon due exercise of the Underwriters’ Warrant, will be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens. The Company has sufficient authorized Ordinary Shares for the issuance of the maximum number of Securities issuable pursuant to the Offering as described in the Prospectus.
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(j) Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Company has not issued any Ordinary Shares since February, 2022, other than (i) “Item 7. Recent sales of unregistered securities”, (ii) pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (the “Company Incentive Plans”), (iii) the issuance of Ordinary Shares to employees, directors or consultants pursuant to the Company Incentive Plans and pursuant to the conversion and/or exercise of any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire Ordinary Shares at any time, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred shares, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Ordinary Shares (“Ordinary Share Equivalents”) as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and (iv) Pre-IPO raising as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right or right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Except as a result of the purchase and sale of the Offered Securities or as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any Ordinary Shares or the capital stock of any Subsidiary, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional Ordinary Shares or Ordinary Share Equivalents or capital stock of any Subsidiary. Except as disclosed in the Registration statement or the Prospectus, the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities will not obligate the Company or any Subsidiary to issue Ordinary Shares or other securities to any Person (other than the Underwriters) and will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under any of such securities. Except as disclosed in the Registration statement or the Prospectus, there are no securities of the Company or any Subsidiary that have any anti-dilution rights (other than adjustments for stock splits, recapitalizations, and the like) to the exercise or conversion price, have any exchange rights, or reset rights. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary that contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or such Subsidiary. The Company does not have any share appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement relating to rights in Ordinary Shares. All of the outstanding Ordinary Shares are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, have been issued in compliance in all material respects with all applicable securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. No further approval or authorization of any shareholder, the Board of Directors or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities. Except as disclosed in the Registration statement or the Prospectus, there are no shareholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Ordinary Shares or other securities of the Company to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s shareholders.
(k) Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the Registration Statement, except as specifically disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”), or disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its shareholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any Ordinary Shares and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans, if any. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information. Except for the issuance of the Offered Securities contemplated by the Prospectus or as disclosed in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective business, prospects (as such prospects are described in the Prospectus), properties, operations, assets or financial condition that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or the Rules and Regulations as of the date of this Agreement that has not been so disclosed under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or the Rules and Regulations.
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(l) Financial Statements. The financial statements of the Company, together with the related notes and schedules, included in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations, and fairly present, in all material respects, the financial condition of the Company as of the dates indicated and the results of operations and changes in cash flows for the periods therein specified in conformity with IFRS consistently applied throughout the periods involved. No other financial statements or schedules are required under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or the Rules and Regulations to be included in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. The pro forma financial statements included in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus include assumptions that provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions and events described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma adjustments reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the historical financial statements amounts in the pro forma financial statements included in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. The pro forma financial statements included in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the application requirements of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act. No other pro forma financial information or schedules are required under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or the rules and regulations thereunder to be included in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(m) Litigation. There is no action, suit, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary, any of their respective properties or any of the Company’s officers or directors before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”) which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any of the Transaction Documents or the Offering or the Securities or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer thereof, is or has within the last 10 years been the subject of any Action involving an order, judgment, decree, or finding of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company.
(n) Labor Relations. No material labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. No executive officer, to the knowledge of the Company, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(o) Compliance. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus , neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree or order of any court, arbitrator or governmental body or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws relating to taxes, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety and employment and labor matters, except in each case as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(p) Regulatory Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess such permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (“Material Permits”), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Material Permit.
(q) Regulatory Matters. The tests conducted by or on behalf of or sponsored by the Company or its Subsidiaries that are described or referred to in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus were and, if still pending, are being conducted in accordance in all material respects with all statutes, laws, rules and regulations, as applicable. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has received any notices or other correspondence from any foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority with respect to any ongoing tests requiring the termination or suspension of such tests. Except as would not be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has failed to file with any foreign, federal, state or local governmental or the applicable regulatory authorities any filing, declaration, listing, registration, report or submission that is required to be so filed. All such filings were in material compliance with applicable laws when filed and no deficiencies have been asserted by any applicable regulatory authority with respect to any such filings, declarations, listings, registrations, reports or submissions.
(a) Title to Assets. The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for Liens disclosed in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, Liens as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries and Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance except for any breach that could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Patents and Trademarks. The Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights necessary or required for use in connection with their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and which the failure to so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). None of, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of, the Intellectual Property Rights has expired, terminated or been abandoned, or is expected to expire or be abandoned, within two (2) years from the date of this Agreement, except where such action would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, a written notice of a claim or otherwise has any knowledge that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any Person, except as would not have or reasonably be expected to not have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no knowledge that it lacks or will be unable to obtain any rights or licenses to use all Intellectual Property Rights that are necessary to conduct its business.
(c) Transactions With Affiliates and Employees. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, none of the officers or directors of the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock option plan of the Company.
(d) No Undisclosed Contracts. There is no contract or document required by the Securities Act or by the Rules and Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement or in the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which is not so described or filed therein as required. All descriptions of any such contracts or documents contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and in the Prospectus are accurate and complete descriptions of such documents in all material respects. Other than as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, no such contract has been suspended or terminated for convenience or default by the Company or any Subsidiary party thereto or any of the other parties thereto, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received notice, and the Company has no knowledge, of any such pending or threatened suspension or termination, except for suspensions or terminations that are not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(e) No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on the one hand, and the directors, officers, shareholders (or analogous interest holders), customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on the other hand, which is required to be described in or filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and which is not so described or filed.
(f) Continued Business. No supplier, customer, distributor or sales agent of the Company or any Subsidiary has notified the Company or any Subsidiary that it intends to discontinue or decrease the rate of business done with the Company or any Subsidiary, except where such discontinuation or decrease has not resulted in and could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(g) Sarbanes-Oxley; Accounting and Disclosure Controls. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus, the Company is in compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that are effective and applicable to the Company as of the date hereof, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date. The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company and the Subsidiaries have established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Company and the Subsidiaries and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms.
(h) Certain Fees, FINRA Affiliation. Except as set forth herein and in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company or any Subsidiary to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus, to the Company’s knowledge, there are no other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its stockholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA. Except as already disclosed to the Representative, Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, investing fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who provided capital to the Company, (ii) any FINRA member, or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member within the 12-month period prior to the date on which the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission (the “Filing Date”) or thereafter. To the Company’s knowledge, no (i) officer or director of the Company or its subsidiaries, (ii) owner of 10% or more of the Company’s unregistered securities or that of its subsidiaries or (iii) owner of any amount of the Company’s unregistered securities acquired within the 180-day period prior to the Filing Date, has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member. The Company will advise the Representative if it becomes aware that any officer, director or stockholder of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering.
(i) Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Offered Securities, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(j) Registration Rights. No Person has any right to cause the Company to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company.
(k) Solvency. Based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of the Closing Date, after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Offered Securities hereunder, the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, are sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date. The Registration Statement and the Prospectus sets forth as of the date provided therein under the “Capitalization” section all outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or any Subsidiary has commitments. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Indebtedness” means (x) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $50,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (y) all guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (z) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $50,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with IFRS. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any Indebtedness.
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(l) Tax Status. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each Subsidiary (i) has made or filed all income and franchise tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any Subsidiary know of no basis for any such claim.
(m) Auditors. UHY Haines Norton LLP (the “Auditor”) is the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the financial statements of the Company for the periods filed with the Registration Statement. To the knowledge and belief of the Company, such accounting firm (i) is a registered public accounting firm as required by the Exchange Act and (ii) has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries for the periods filed with the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.
(n) Office of Foreign Assets Control. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director or officer of the Company or any Subsidiary, or any employee, representative, agent or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”), and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities contemplated hereby, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(o) Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as, in the Company’s reasonable belief, is adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties.
(p) Company Not Ineligible Issuer. (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement relating to the Offered Securities and (ii) as of the date of the execution and delivery of this Agreement (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company met all the requirements set forth in General Instruction I of Form F-1.
(q) Emerging Growth Company. From the time of the initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communications) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act.
(r) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in either the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(s) Statistical or Market-Related Data. Any statistical, industry-related and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the 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.
(t) Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The Securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. The Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements. The Offered Securities are currently eligible for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation and the Company is current in payment of the fees to the Depository Trust Company (or such other established clearing corporation) in connection with such electronic transfer. The issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does not contravene the rules and regulations of Nasdaq.
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(u) Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company (or made by any person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
(v) Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Offered Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Offered Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, other than, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), compensation paid to the Underwriters in connection with the Offering.
(w) Testing the Waters Communications. The Company (a) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representative with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (b) has not authorized anyone other than the Underwriters to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Underwriters have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications.
(x) Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no Action or Proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, threatened.
(y) Certificates. Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters set forth therein.
(z) Reliance. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and warranties and hereby consents to such reliance.
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Section 3. Delivery and Payment.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Firm Shares to the Underwriters, and the Underwriters agree to purchase the Firm Shares. The purchase price for each Firm Share shall be $[ ] per share (the “Per Share Price”).
(b) The Company hereby grants to the Representative the option to purchase some or all of the Option Shares, and, upon the basis of the warranties and representations and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all or any portion of the Option Shares at the Per Share Price as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby. This option may be exercised by the Representative at any time (but not more than once) on or before the forty-fifth (45th) day following the date of the Prospectus, by written notice to the Company (the “Option Notice”). The Option Notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised, and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered (such date and time being herein referred to as the “Option Closing Date”); provided, however, that the Option Closing Date shall not be earlier than the initial Closing Date (as defined below) nor earlier than the first business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised unless the Company and the Representative otherwise agree. Payment of the purchase price for and delivery of the Option Shares shall be made at the Option Closing Date in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Firm Shares as set forth in subparagraph (c) below.
(c) The Firm Shares will be delivered by the Company to the Representative against payment of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of same day funds payable to the order of the Company’s offices, or such other location as may be mutually acceptable, at a mutually agreeable time, on the first (or if the Firm Shares are priced, as contemplated by Rule 15c6-1(c) under the Exchange Act, after 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, the second) full business day following the date hereof, or at such other time and date as the Representative and the Company determine pursuant to Rule 15c6-1(a) under the Exchange Act, or, in the case of the Option Shares, at such date and time set forth in the Option Notice. The time and date of delivery of the Firm Shares or the Option Shares, as applicable, is referred to herein as the “Closing Date.” If the Representative so elects, delivery of the Firm Shares and Option Shares may be made by credit through full fast transfer to the account at The Depository Trust Company designated by the Representative.
Section 4. Covenants and Agreements of the Company. The Company further covenants and agrees with the Underwriters as follows:
(a) Registration Statement Matters. The Registration Statement and any amendments thereto have been declared effective, and if Rule 430A is used or the filing of the Prospectus is otherwise required under Rule 424(b), the Company will file the Prospectus (properly completed if Rule 430A has been used) pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the prescribed time period and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representative of such timely filing. The Company will advise the Representative promptly after they receive notice thereof of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any supplement or amendment to the Prospectus has been filed and will furnish the Representative with copies thereof. The Company will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the Offering. The Company will advise the Representative promptly after it receives notice thereof (i) of any request by the Commission to amend the Registration Statement or to amend or supplement the Prospectus or for additional information, and (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, of the suspension of the qualification of the Offered Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the institution or threatened institution of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or for additional information. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or prevention or suspension of such use. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order or order or notice of prevention or suspension at any time, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment, or will file a new registration statement and use commercially reasonable efforts to have such new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rules 424(b), 430A, 430B and 430C, as applicable, under the Securities Act, including with respect to the timely filing of documents thereunder, and will use commercially reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) are received in a timely manner by the Commission.
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(b) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will cooperate with the Representative in endeavoring to qualify the Offered Securities for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions (United States and foreign) as the Representative may reasonably request and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such information as may be reasonably required for that purpose; provided the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or required to file such a consent; and provided further that the Company shall not be required to produce any new disclosure document other than the Prospectus. The Company will, from time to time, prepare and file such statements, reports and other documents as are or may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period as the Representative may reasonably request for distribution of the Offered Securities. The Company will advise the Representative promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Offered Securities for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(c) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Matters. The Company will comply with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Offered Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and the Prospectus. If during the period in which a prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with the distribution of Offered Securities contemplated by the Prospectus (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), any event shall occur as a result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the opinion of the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, as the case may be, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, and furnish at its own expense to the Underwriters and to any dealers, an appropriate amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus that is necessary in order to make the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, as the case may be, not misleading, or so that the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as so amended or supplemented, will comply with law. Before amending the Registration Statement or supplementing the Prospectus in connection with the Offering, the Company will furnish the Representative with a copy of such proposed amendment or supplement and will not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably objects; the Representative and its counsel shall have a reasonable amount of time to review and return any comments to the Company.
(d) Copies of any Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus. The Company will furnish the Underwriter, without charge, during the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the final Closing Date of the Offering, as many copies of the Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto as the Representative may reasonably request.
(e) Free Writing Prospectus. The Company covenants that it has not and will not, unless it has obtained or will obtain the prior consent of the Representative, make any offer relating to the Offered Securities that would 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 Representative 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.
(f) Registration. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and a current Prospectus relating thereto for as long as the Securities remain outstanding. During any period when the Company fails to have maintained an effective Registration Statement or a current Prospectus relating thereto and a holder of a Underwriters’ Warrant desires to exercise such warrants and, in the opinion of counsel to the holder, Rule 144 is not available as an exemption from registration for the resale of the Warrant Shares, the Company shall promptly file a registration statement registering the resale of the Warrant Shares and use commercially reasonable efforts to have it declared effective by the Commission within ninety (90) days.
(g) Transfer Agent. The Company will maintain, at its expense, Colonial Stock Transfer, or another mutually acceptable entity, as the transfer agent and registrar for the Company’s Ordinary Shares for a period of three (3) years after the initial Closing Date.
(h) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable and in accordance with applicable requirements under the Securities Act, but in any event not later than 18 months after the last Closing Date, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representative an earnings statement, covering a period of at least 12 consecutive months beginning after the last Closing Date, that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 under the Securities Act.
(i) Periodic Reporting Obligations. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will duly file, on a timely basis, with the Commission all reports and documents required to be filed under the Exchange Act within the time periods and in the manner required by the Exchange Act.
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(j) No Manipulation of Price. The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company.
(k) Company Lock-Up. The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, from the date of execution of this Agreement and continuing for a period of 6 months from the initial Closing Date (the “Lock-Up Period”): (i) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly (including the issuance of Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of currently outstanding options), or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, Ordinary Shares or Ordinary Share Equivalents, or modify the terms of any existing securities, or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Ordinary Shares or any Ordinary Share Equivalents, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Ordinary Shares or any Ordinary Share Equivalents, in cash or otherwise, except to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement. The Company agrees not to accelerate the vesting of any option or warrant or the lapse of any repurchase right prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period.
(l) Listing and Registration. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing and the registration of the Ordinary Shares and the Ordinary Shares underlying the Underwriters’ Warrant on the Exchange for at least three (3) years from the date of this Agreement.
(m) Accountants. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company has retained an independent registered public accounting firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative, and the Company shall continue to retain a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm for a period of at least three (3) years after the date of this Agreement. The Representative acknowledges that the Auditor is acceptable to the Representative.
(n) Public Relations Firm. The Company has engaged a financial public relations firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative, which firm shall be experienced in assisting issuers in public offerings of securities and in their relations with their security holders, and shall continue to retain a mutually acceptable firm for a period of two years after the Closing Date.
(o) Corporation Records Service. The Company has registered with the Corporation Records Service (including annual report information) published by Standard & Poor’s Corporation and will maintain such registration for a period of three (3) years from the Closing Date.
(p) “Key Man” Life Insurance. The Company shall have procured and shall maintain “key man” life insurance (in amounts agreed to by the Representative and with the Company as the sole beneficiary thereof) with an insurer rated at least AA or better in the most recent edition of “Best’s Life Reports” on the lives of to be determined executive officer or officers of the Company.
(q) Acknowledgment. The Company acknowledges that any advice given by any of the Underwriters to the Company is solely for the benefit and use of the Board of Directors of the Company and may not be used, reproduced, disseminated, quoted or referred to, without such Underwriter’s prior written consent.
(r) D&O Insurance. The Company shall have procured D&O insurance in a manner consistent with the Company’s business and industry standards.
(s) Financial Printer. The Company retaining a financial printer reasonably acceptable to the Representative to handle the printing and related aspects of the Offering.
Section 5. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 2 hereof, in each case as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though then made, to the timely performance by each of the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder on and as of such dates, and to each of the following additional conditions:
(a) Auditors’ Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, the Representative shall have received, and the Company shall have caused to be delivered to the Representative, a letter from the Auditor addressed to the Representative, dated as of the date hereof, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative. The letter shall not disclose any change in the condition (financial or other), earnings, operations, business or prospects of the Company from that set forth in the Prospectus, which, in the Representative’s sole judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in the Representative’s sole judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the Offering of the Offered Securities as contemplated by the Prospectus.
(b) Bring-down Comfort Letter. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received from the Auditor a letter dated as of such Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 5, except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days prior to such Closing Date.
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(c) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No Objection from FINRA. The Registration Statement shall have become effective and all necessary regulatory and listing approvals shall have been received not later than 5:30 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement, or at such later time and date as shall have been consented to in writing by the Representative. The Prospectus (in accordance with Rule 424(b)) and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall have been duly filed with the Commission in a timely fashion in accordance with the terms thereof. At or prior to the Closing Date and the actual time of the Closing, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; no order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; no order having the effect of ceasing or suspending the distribution of the Offered Securities or any other securities of the Company shall have been issued by any securities commission, securities regulatory authority or stock exchange and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall be pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, contemplated by any securities commission, securities regulatory authority or stock exchange; all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with; and the FINRA shall have raised no objections to the fairness and reasonableness of the placement terms and arrangements.
(d) Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters in connection with this Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and the registration, sale and delivery of the Offered Securities, shall have been completed or resolved in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters’ counsel.
(e) No Material Adverse Effect. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date, in the Underwriter’s sole judgment after consultation with the Company, there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Effect.
(f) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date the favorable opinion and negative assurances statement of Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, counsel to the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, including, without limitation, a customary negative assurance letter, addressed to the Representative in customary form reasonably satisfactory to the Representative. The Underwriters and Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, shall be entitled to rely on the opinion of each of the Company’s Australian counsel filed as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement, as to the due incorporation, validity of the Securities and due authorization, execution and delivery of the Agreement.
(g) Opinion of Australian Counsel for the Company. The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date the favorable opinion of Vistra Aus Corporate Services Pty Ltd t/a Vistra Australia Legal Services, Australian counsel to the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, including, without limitation, a customary negative assurance letter, addressed to the Representative in customary form reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.
(h) [intentionally omitted].
(i) Officers’ Certificate. The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate of the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, signed by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, to the effect that, and the Representative shall be satisfied that, the signers of such certificate have reviewed the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and this Agreement and to the further effect that:
(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct, as if made on and as of such Closing Date, and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to such Closing Date;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened under the Securities Act; no order having the effect of ceasing or suspending the distribution of the Offered Securities or any other securities of the Company has been issued by any securities commission, securities regulatory authority or stock exchange in the United States and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, contemplated by any securities commission, securities regulatory authority or stock exchange in the United States;
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(iii) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been: (a) any Material Adverse Effect; (b) any transaction that is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except transactions entered into in the ordinary course of business; (c) any obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, incurred by the Company or any Subsidiary, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business; (d) any material change in the capital stock (except changes thereto resulting from the exercise of outstanding options or warrants or conversion of outstanding indebtedness into Ordinary Shares) or outstanding indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary (except for the conversion of such indebtedness into Ordinary Shares); (e) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on Ordinary Shares; or (f) any loss or damage (whether or not insured) to the property of the Company or any Subsidiary which has been sustained or will have been sustained which has a Material Adverse Effect.
(j) Secretary’s Certificate. As of the Closing Date the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date, certifying: (i) that each of the Company’s constitution and bylaws attached to such certificate is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (ii) that each of the Subsidiaries constitution and bylaws or charter documents attached to such certificate is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (iii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Offering attached to such certificate are in full force and effect and have not been modified; and (iv) the good standing of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries, but only to the extent good standing is a concept applicable in the jurisdiction of formation of a Subsidiary. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
(i) Additional Documents. On or before the Closing Date, the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters shall have received such customary information and documents as they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained. If any condition specified in this Section 5 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Section 6 (Payment of Expenses), Section 7 (Indemnification and Contribution) and Section 8 (Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery) shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
(j) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company (other than as described in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus) or any change or development involving a change, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, in the business, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, shareholders’ equity, properties or prospects of the Company, taken as a whole, including but not limited to the occurrence of any fire, flood, storm, explosion, accident, act of war or terrorism or other calamity, the effect of which, in any such case described above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representative, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale of Offered Securities or Offering as contemplated hereby.
(k) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and up to a Closing Date, there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities generally on the Nasdaq or any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, or any tier of the markets operated by OTC Markets Group, Inc. shall not have commenced, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or state authorities or a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities in which it is not currently engaged, the subject of an act of terrorism, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United States, or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States, or (iv) there shall have occurred any other calamity or crisis or any actual or prospective change in general economic, political or financial conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event in clause (ii) or (iv) makes it, in the sole judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale or delivery of the Offered Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Prospectus.
(l) Schedule A hereto contains a complete and accurate list of the Company’s officers, directors and holders of four percent (4.0%) or more of the outstanding Ordinary Shares as of the Effective Date and all holders of securities exercisable for or convertible into Ordinary Shares) (each, a “Lock-Up Party”, and collectively, the “Lock-Up Parties”). The Company has caused each of the Lock-Up Parties to deliver to the Representative an executed Lock-Up Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Schedule B ) (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), prior to the execution of this Agreement. The Company will enforce the terms of each Lock-Up Agreement and issue stop-transfer instructions to its transfer agent and registrar for the Ordinary Shares with respect to any transaction or contemplated transaction that would constitute a breach of or default under the applicable Lock-Up Agreement. If the Representative, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions of any Lock-Up Agreement between an officer or director of the Company and the Representative and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three Business Days before the effective date of such release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by means of a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, issued through a major news service, at least two Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
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(m) No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Offered Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Offered Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company.
(n) Due Diligence. Satisfactory completion by the Representative of its due diligence investigation and analysis of: (i) the Company’s arrangements with its officers, directors, employees, affiliates, customers and suppliers, (ii) the audited historical financial statements of the Company as required by the Commission (including any relevant stub periods), and (iii) the Company’s projected financial results for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 5 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 Representative or to Underwriters’ counsel pursuant to this Section 5 shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and to Underwriters’ counsel, all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be cancelled by the Representative at, or at any time prior to, the consummation of the Offering. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing.
Section 6. Reserved.
Section 7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Underwriters, their respective affiliates, directors and officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriters within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including in settlement of any litigation if such settlement is effected with the prior written consent of the Company) arising out of (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, including the information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness and at any subsequent time pursuant to Rules 430A and 430B of the Securities Act Regulations, or arise out of or are based upon the omission from the Registration Statement, or alleged omission to state therein, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any other materials used in connection with the Offering, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and will reimburse such Underwriter Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with evaluating, investigating or defending against such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information. The indemnification obligations under this Section 7(a) are not exclusive and will be in addition to any liability which the Company might otherwise have and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available at law or in equity to each Underwriter Indemnified Party.
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(b) The Underwriters will indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each a “Company Indemnified Party”), from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Company Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Representative), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information, and will reimburse such Company Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action. The indemnification obligations under this Section 7(b) are not exclusive and will be in addition to any liability which the Underwriters might otherwise have and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available at law or in equity to each Company Indemnified Party.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party except to the extent such indemnifying party has been materially prejudiced by such failure. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of the indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof; provided, however, that if (i) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (ii) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party), or (iii) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ a single counsel to represent it in any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 7, in which event the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying party or parties and reimbursed to the indemnified party as incurred.
(d) The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is a party or could be named and indemnity was or would be sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability for claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel pursuant to Section 7(c), such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
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(e) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then the indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the Offering and sale of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the Offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total cash fees received by the Underwriters. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the parties’ relevant intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (e) were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (e). The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (e) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending against any action or claim that is the subject of this subsection (e). No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(f) For purposes of this Agreement, the Representative confirms, and the Company acknowledges, that there is no information concerning the Underwriters furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriters specifically for preparation of or inclusion in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus other than the Underwriter Information.
Section 8. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company or any person controlling the Company, of its officers, and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriters, the Company, or any of its or their respective affiliates, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement. A successor to the Underwriters, or to the Company, its directors or officers or any person controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity, contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Agreement.
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Section 9. Termination.
(a) This Agreement shall become effective upon the mutual execution of this Agreement by the Company and the Representative. The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement by giving written notice to the Company at any time prior to the Closing Date if: (i) any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in the reasonable opinion of the Representative will in the immediate future materially disrupt, the market for the Company’s securities or securities in general; or (ii) trading on Nasdaq has been rejected by Nasdaq or made subject to material limitations, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities have been required, on the Nasdaq or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) a banking moratorium has been declared by any state or federal authority or any material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services has occurred; or (iv) (A) there has occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or acts of terrorism involving the United States or Australia or there is a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States or Australia, or (B) there has been any other calamity or crisis or any change in political, financial or economic conditions, if the effect of any such event in (A) or (B), in the reasonable judgment of the Representative, is so material and adverse that such event makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the Offering, sale and delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Prospectus.
(b) Any notice of termination pursuant to this Section 9 shall be in writing.
(c) If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to any of the provisions hereof, or if the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth herein is not satisfied or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof, the Company will, subject to demand by the Representative, reimburse the Underwriters for only the reasonable fees and expenses of their counsel actually incurred by the Underwriters in connection herewith as allowed under FINRA Rule 5110, less any amounts previously paid by the Company, subject to the cap on expenses set forth in Section 1(a)(iv) hereof. To the extent that the Underwriters’ out-of-pocket expenses are less than the sums already advanced by the Company to the Underwriter (“Advances”), the Underwriters will return to the Company that portion of the Advances not offset by actual expenses.
(d) The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date, if, prior to the Closing Date, the Ordinary Shares has not been approved for listing on the Nasdaq or any of the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”), the Company has taken any action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting the Ordinary Shares from the Exchange, or the Company has received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing.
Section 10. Right of First Refusal. The Company will grant to the Representative the right to act as lead or joint investment bankers, lead or joint book-runners, lead or joint placement agents, and/or investment banker/advisor, for each and every future public and private equity and debt offering, including all equity linked financings, and for each merger or acquisition, for the Company, or any successor to or any subsidiary of the Company, on terms customary to the Representative for a period of twelve (12) months following the Closing Date.
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Section 11. Tail Fee. If the Offering is consummated, the Representative shall be entitled to an aggregate additional cash fee of seven percent (7%) with respect to future financings consummated solely with investors (a) with whom the Company has had a conference call or a meeting arranged by the Representative during the term of the Engagement Letter by and between the Company and the Representative, dated September 4, 2024 (the “Engagement Letter”) and (b) provided that the future financing is consummated at any time within the twelve (12) month period following the Closing Date.
Section 12. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered, delivered by reputable overnight courier (i.e., Federal Express) or delivered by facsimile or e-mail transmission to the parties hereto as follows:
If to the Representative, then to:
The Benchmark Company, LLC
150 East 58th St., 17th Floor
New York, NY 10155 Attn: John J. Borer III
Email: jborer@benchmarkcompany.com
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Sichenzia Ross Ference Carmel LLP
1185 Avenue of the Americas, 31st Floor
New York, NY 10036
Attn: Darrin M. Ocasio, Esq.
Email: DMOcasio@SRFC.LAW
If to the Company:
Gelteq Limited
Level 4
100 Albert Road
South Melbourne VIC, 3025
Australia
Attention: Simon Szewach, Executive Chairman
With copies (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP
1345 Avenue of the Americas, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10105
Attn: Richard I. Anslow, Esq.
Email: ranslow@egsllp.com
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Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.
Section 13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and to their respective successors, and personal assigns, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
Section 14. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
Section 15. Governing Law; Venue; Agent for Service; Waiver of Jury Trial. This Agreement shall be deemed to have been made and delivered in New York and both this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be governed as to validity, interpretation, construction, effect and in all other respects by the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof. Each of the Underwriters and the Company: (i) agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement and/or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted exclusively in courts located in New York, New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, (ii) waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding, and (iii) irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the courts located in County of New York, New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in any such suit, action or proceeding. Each of the Underwriters and the Company further agrees to accept and acknowledge service of any and all process which may be served in any such suit, action or proceeding in the courts located in County of New York New York, or in United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and agrees that service of process upon the Company mailed by certified mail to the Company’s address shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company, in any such suit, action or proceeding, and service of process upon an Underwriter mailed by certified mail to such Underwriter’s address shall be deemed in every respect effective service process upon such Underwriter, in any such suit, action or proceeding. The Company hereby appoints Puglisi & Associates, as its authorized agent (the “Authorized Agent”) upon whom process may be served in any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated herein which may be instituted in any court referred to above. The Company hereby represents and warrants that the Authorized Agent (i) is validly existing and can lawfully accept such services of process and (ii) has accepted such appointment and has agreed to act as said agent for service of process, and the Company agrees to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all documents that may be necessary to continue such appointment in full force and effect as aforesaid. The Company hereby authorizes and directs the Authorized Agent to accept such service. Service of process upon the Authorized Agent shall be deemed, in every respect, effective service of process upon the Company. If the Authorized Agent shall cease to act as agent for service of process, the Company shall appoint, without unreasonable delay, another such agent in the United States, and notify the Representative of such appointment. This paragraph shall survive any termination of this Agreement, in whole or in part. The Company agrees that a final judgment in any such action, proceeding or counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any other courts to the jurisdiction of which the Company is or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.
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Section 16. General Provisions.
(a) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations solely with respect to the subject matters hereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, it is understood and agreed by the parties hereto that all other terms and conditions of the Engagement Letter shall remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Such counterparts may be executed and delivered by electronic means, which shall not impair such execution or delivery. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing and signed by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
(b) The Company acknowledges and agrees that in connection with the Offering of the Securities: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arm’s length, is not an agent of, and owes no fiduciary duties to the Company or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement and (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities.
[The remainder of this page has been intentionally left blank.]
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign below whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | |||
GELTEQ LIMITED | |||
By: | |||
Name: | Nathan Givoni | ||
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and agreed to of the date first above written.
THE BENCHMARK COMPANY, LLC | |||
own capacity and as representative of the Underwriters | |||
By: | |||
Name: | John J. Borer III | ||
Title: | Head of Investment Banking |
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Schedule I
Name | Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased | Number of Option Shares to be Purchased | ||||||
The Benchmark Company, LLC | ||||||||
Total |
Schedule A
Lock-up Parties
Lock-up Parties |
[ ] |
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Schedule B
Form of Lock-up Agreement
[_____________], 2024
The Benchmark Company, LLC
150 E 58th St
17th Floor
New York, NY 10155
Attn: John J. Borer III, Co-Head of Investment Banking
Re: Proposed Public Offering by Gelteq Limited
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, a stockholder of Gelteq Limited, an Australian public limited company limited to shares (the “Company”), understands that The Benchmark Company, LLC (the “Representative”) will act as the representative of the underwriters in carrying out an offering (the “Offering”) of the Company’s ordinary shares (the “Securities”). In recognition of the benefit that the Offering will confer upon the undersigned, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with the Representative that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, during a period of up to six months from the date of the initial closing of the Offering (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, directly or indirectly (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any securities of the Company (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”), whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file, or cause to be filed, any registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of the Lock-Up Securities or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.
The Representative may in its sole discretion and at any time without notice release some or all of the shares subject to lock-up agreements prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period. When determining whether or not to release shares from the lock-up agreements, the Representative will consider, among other factors, the security holder’s reasons for requesting the release, the number of shares for which the release is being requested and market conditions at the time.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer the Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of the Representative as follows, provided that (1) the Representative receives a signed lock-up agreement for the balance of the Lock-Up Period from each donee, trustee or transferee, as the case may be, (2) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (3) such transfers are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or otherwise and (4) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such transfers:
(i) as a bona fide gift or gifts (including but not limited to charitable gifts); or
(ii) to any member of the immediate family of the undersigned or to a trust or other entity for the direct or indirect benefit of, or wholly-owned by, the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); or
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(iii) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity (1) transfers to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is a direct or indirect affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned or (2) distributions of Ordinary Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable for Ordinary Shares to limited partners, limited liability company members or stockholders of the undersigned; or
(iv) if the undersigned is a trust, transfers to the beneficiary of such trust; or
(v) by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession; or
(vi) by operation of law pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement.; or
(vii) pursuant to a trading plan established pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act.
The undersigned further agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this lock-up agreement during the Lock-Up Period, it will give notice thereof to the Representative and will not consummate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Company that the Lock-Up Period has expired.
The undersigned understands that, if the Offering shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Securities, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations set forth herein.
The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
The undersigned, whether or not participating in the Offering, understands that the Representative is proceeding with the Offering in reliance upon this lock-up agreement.
This lock-up agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.
Very truly yours, | |
(Name - Please Print) | |
(Signature) |
[Signature Page to Lock-Up Agreement]
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