UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
☒ Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020
Commission File Number 001-39852
VICKERS VANTAGE CORP. I
| Cayman Islands | 6770 | N/A | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
1
Harbourfront Avenue, #16-06
Keppel Bay Tower, Singapore 098632
Singapore
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (646) 974-8301
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of Each Class | Trading Symbol(s) |
Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| Units, each consisting of one ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant | VCKAU | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||
| Ordinary Shares, par value $0.0001 per share | VCKA | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||
| Redeemable warrants, exercisable for ordinary shares at an exercise price of $11.50 per share | VCKAW | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934 during the past 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirement for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer ☐ | Accelerated filer ☐ |
| Non-accelerated filer ☒ | Smaller reporting company ☒ |
| Emerging growth company ☒ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☒ No ☐
As of June 30, 2020, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, the registrant’s ordinary shares were not publicly traded. Accordingly, there was no market value for the registrant’s ordinary shares on such date.
As of March 31, 2021, 17,250,000 ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, were issued and outstanding.
Documents Incorporated by Reference: None.
VICKERS VANTAGE CORP. I
FORM 10-K
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| i |
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS; SUMMARY OF RISK FACTORS
Certain statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Annual Report”) may constitute “forward-looking statements” for purposes of the federal securities laws. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this Annual Report may include, for example, statements about:
| ● | our ability to select an appropriate target business or businesses; |
| ● | our ability to complete our initial business combination; |
| ● | our expectations around the performance of the prospective target business or businesses; |
| ● | our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination; |
| ● | our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination; |
| ● | our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination; |
| ● | our pool of prospective target businesses; |
| ● | the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential acquisition opportunities; |
| ● | our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading; |
| ● | the lack of a market for our securities; |
| ● | the use of proceeds not held in the trust account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance; |
| ● | the trust account not being subject to claims of third parties; or |
| ● | our financial performance. |
The forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the section of this Annual Report entitled “Risk Factors”. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
| ii |
Summary of Risk Factors
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. The occurrence of one or more of the events or circumstances described in the section titled “Risk Factors,” alone or in combination with other events or circumstances, may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. Such risks include, but are not limited to:
| ● | Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares to cash. |
| ● | Our initial shareholders will control a substantial interest in us and thus may influence certain actions requiring a stockholder vote. |
| ● | The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into an agreement for an initial business combination or optimize our capital structure. |
| ● | We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within 18 months after the closing of our Initial Public Offering, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, and we would redeem our public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account, and we would liquidate. In such event, our warrants would expire worthless. |
| ● | If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our ordinary shares, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15%. |
| ● | We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent valuation or appraisal firm and, consequently, you may have no assurance from an independent source that the price we are paying for the target(s) of our initial business combination is fair from a financial point of view. |
| ● | Our warrants and founder shares may have an adverse effect on the market price of our ordinary shares and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination. |
| ● | We may issue additional shares of capital stock or debt securities to complete a business combination, which would reduce the equity interest of our shareholders and likely cause a change in control of our ownership. |
| ● | We may be unable to obtain additional financing, if required, to complete a business combination or to fund the operations and growth of the target business. |
| ● | Resources could be wasted in researching acquisitions that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. |
| ● | Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and other events, and the status of debt and equity markets. |
| ● | We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may effect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. |
| iii |
| ● | If we consummate a business combination with a target company with assets located outside of the United States, our results of operations and prospects could be subject to the economic, political, and legal policies, developments, and conditions in the country in which we operate. Further, exchange rate fluctuations and currency policies may cause our ability to succeed in the international markets to be diminished. |
| ● | Past performance by our management team and their affiliates may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in the Company. |
| ● | Our officers and directors presently have fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. |
| ● | Our officers and directors may have interests in a potential business combination that are different than yours, which may create conflicts of interest. |
| ● | We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by a majority of the then outstanding warrants. |
| ● | We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless. |
| ● | Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions. |
| ● | If third parties bring claims against us, and if our directors decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our Sponsors, or if our Sponsors do not have the funds to indemnify us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.10 per share. |
| ● | Provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our ordinary shares and could entrench management. |
| ● | Our shareholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their shares. |
| ● | We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders until after the consummation of our initial business combination. |
| ● | We are a newly formed company with no operating history, and, accordingly, you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective. |
| ● | If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. |
| ● | We are an emerging growth company and smaller reporting company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies, this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies. |
| ● | Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss. |
| iv |
In this Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “Form 10-K”), references to the “Company” and to “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Vickers Vantage Corp. I
We are a Cayman Islands company incorporated on February 21, 2020 as an exempted company with limited liability for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (the “Business Combination”). Our efforts to identify a prospective target business will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region.
The registration statement for our initial public offering was declared effective on January 6, 2021. On January 11, 2021, we consummated the initial public offering of 13,800,000 units (each, a “Unit” and collectively, the “Units”) at $10.00 per Unit, including 1,800,000 units subject to the underwriters’ over-allotment option. Each Unit consists of one ordinary share, $.0001 par value (” Ordinary Shares “), of the Company, and one-half of one redeemable warrant (each, a “Public Warrant”). Each Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment.
Simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering, we consummated the private placement (the “Private Placement”) of 6,840,000 warrants (each, a “Private Placement Warrant” and collectively, the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $0.75 per Private Placement Warrant, generating gross proceeds of $5,130,000. The Private Placement Warrants were purchased by the Company’s Sponsors, Vickers Venture Fund VI Pte Ltd and Vickers Venture Fund VI (Plan) Pte Ltd. Each Private Placement Warrant is exercisable for one ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share.
$139,380,000 ($10.10 per Unit) of the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the Initial Public Offering, the Over-allotment and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, is held in a trust account (“Trust Account”), and invested only in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 185 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by the Company meeting the conditions of paragraph (d) of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account.
Effecting a Business Combination
General
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any substantive commercial business for an indefinite period of time. We intend to utilize cash derived from the proceeds of our initial public offering and the private placement of Private Placement Warrants, our capital stock, debt or a combination of these in effecting a business combination. Although substantially all of the net proceeds of the initial public offering and the private placement of Private Placement Warrants are intended to be applied generally toward effecting a business combination, the proceeds are not otherwise being designated for any more specific purposes. A business combination may involve the acquisition of, or merger with, a company which does not need substantial additional capital but which desires to establish a public trading market for its shares, while avoiding what it may deem to be adverse consequences of undertaking a public offering itself. These include time delays, significant expense, loss of voting control and compliance with various Federal and state securities laws. In the alternative, we may seek to consummate a business combination with a company that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth. While we may seek to effect simultaneous business combinations with more than one target business, we will probably have the ability, as a result of our limited resources, to effect only a single business combination.
Sources of Target Businesses
We anticipate that target business candidates will be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment bankers and private investment funds. Target businesses may be brought to our attention by such unaffiliated sources as a result of being solicited by us through calls or mailings. These sources may also introduce us to target businesses in which they think we may be interested on an unsolicited basis, since many of these sources will have read this annual report and know what types of businesses we are targeting. Our officers and directors, as well as their affiliates, and our other shareholders may also bring to our attention target business candidates that they become aware of through their business contacts as a result of formal or informal inquiries or discussions they may have, as well as attending trade shows or conventions. In addition, we expect to receive a number of proprietary deal flow opportunities that would not otherwise necessarily be available to us as a result of the track record and business relationships of our officers and directors. We may also determine to engage the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions on a formal basis, in which event we may pay a finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm’s length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction. If we decide to enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our officers, directors or initial shareholders, we will do so only if we have obtained an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that the business combination is fair to our unaffiliated shareholders from a financial point of view.
| 1 |
Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of a Business Combination
Subject to the limitations that a target business have a fair market value of at least 80% of the balance in the Trust Account (excluding deferred underwriting fees and taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the execution of a definitive agreement for our initial business combination, as described below in more detail, our management will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting a prospective target business. We have not established any other specific attributes or criteria (financial or otherwise) for prospective target businesses. In evaluating a prospective target business, our management may consider a variety of factors, including one or more of the following:
| ● | financial condition and results of operation; | |
| ● | growth potential; | |
| ● | brand recognition and potential; | |
| ● | experience and skill of management and availability of additional personnel; | |
| ● | capital requirements; | |
| ● | competitive position; | |
| ● | barriers to entry; | |
| ● | stage of development of the products, processes or services; | |
| ● | existing distribution and potential for expansion; | |
| ● | degree of current or potential market acceptance of the products, processes or services; | |
| ● | proprietary aspects of products and the extent of intellectual property or other protection for products or formulas; | |
| ● | impact of regulation on the business; | |
| ● | regulatory environment of the industry; | |
| ● | costs associated with effecting the business combination; | |
| ● | industry leadership, sustainability of market share and attractiveness of market industries in which a target business participates; and | |
| ● | macro competitive dynamics in the industry within which the company competes. |
These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular business combination will be based, to the extent relevant, on the above factors as well as other considerations deemed relevant by our management in effecting a business combination consistent with our business objective. In evaluating a prospective target business, we will conduct an extensive due diligence review which will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and inspection of facilities, as well as review of financial and other information which is made available to us. This due diligence review will be conducted either by our management or by unaffiliated third parties we may engage, although we have no current intention to engage any such third parties.
The time and costs required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete the business combination cannot presently be ascertained with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which a business combination is not ultimately completed will result in a loss to us and reduce the amount of capital available to otherwise complete a business combination.
| 2 |
Fair Market Value of Target Business
Pursuant to Nasdaq listing rules, the target business or businesses that we acquire must collectively have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance of the funds in the trust account (excluding deferred underwriting fees and taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the execution of a definitive agreement for our initial business combination, although we may acquire a target business whose fair market value significantly exceeds 80% of the trust account balance. We currently anticipate structuring a business combination to acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure a business combination where we merge directly with the target business or where we acquire less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, only the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% fair market value test. In order to consummate such an acquisition, we may issue a significant amount of our debt or equity securities to the sellers of such businesses and/or seek to raise additional funds through a private offering of debt or equity securities. Since we have no specific business combination under consideration, we have not entered into any such fund raising arrangement and have no current intention of doing so. The fair market value of the target will be determined by our board of directors based upon one or more standards generally accepted by the financial community (such as actual and potential sales, earnings, cash flow and/or book value). If our board is not able to independently determine that the target business has a sufficient fair market value, we will obtain an opinion from an unaffiliated, independent investment banking firm, or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. We will not be required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm, or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, as to the fair market value if our board of directors independently determines that the target business complies with the 80% threshold.
Lack of Business Diversification
Our business combination must be with a target business or businesses that collectively satisfy the minimum valuation standard at the time of such acquisition, as discussed above, although this process may entail the simultaneous acquisitions of several operating businesses at the same time. Therefore, at least initially, the prospects for our success may be entirely dependent upon the future performance of a single business. Unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations of entities operating in multiple industries or multiple areas of a single industry, it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses. By consummating a business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:
| ● | subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to a business combination, and | |
| ● | result in our dependency upon the performance of a single operating business or the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services. |
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses and such businesses are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other acquisitions, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete the business combination. With multiple acquisitions, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business.
Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target Business’ Management
Although we intend to scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting a business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of the target business’ management will prove to be correct. In addition, we cannot assure you that the future management will have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of our officers and directors, if any, in the target business following a business combination cannot presently be stated with any certainty. While it is possible that some of our key personnel will remain associated in senior management or advisory positions with us following a business combination, it is unlikely that they will devote their full time efforts to our affairs subsequent to a business combination. Moreover, they would only be able to remain with the company after the consummation of a business combination if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for them to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to the company after the consummation of the business combination. Additionally, our officers and directors may not have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.
| 3 |
Following a business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that any such additional managers we do recruit will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
Shareholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve an Initial Business Combination
In connection with any proposed business combination, we will either (1) seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination at a meeting called for such purpose at which shareholders may seek to redeem their shares, regardless of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination, into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable), or (2) provide our shareholders with the opportunity to sell their shares to us by means of a tender offer (and thereby avoid the need for a stockholder vote) for an amount equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable), in each case subject to the limitations described herein. If we determine to engage in a tender offer, such tender offer will be structured so that each stockholder may tender all of his, her or its shares rather than some pro rata portion of his, her or its shares. The decision as to whether we will seek stockholder approval of a proposed business combination or will allow shareholders to sell their shares to us in a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would otherwise require us to seek stockholder approval. In the case of a tender offer, we will file tender offer documents with the SEC which will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. We will consummate our initial business combination only if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation and, if we seek stockholder approval, a majority of the outstanding ordinary shares voted are voted in favor of the business combination.
Submission of Our Initial Business Combination to a Shareholder Vote
In the event that we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, we will distribute proxy materials and, in connection therewith, provide our public shareholders with the redemption rights described above upon completion of the initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we receive an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shareholders who attend and vote at a general meeting of the company. A quorum for such meeting will be present if the holders of a majority of issued and outstanding shares entitled to vote at the meeting are represented in person or by proxy. Our initial shareholders will count toward this quorum and, pursuant to that certain letter agreement, our Sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote their Founder Shares and any public shares purchased during or after the Public Offering (including in open market and privately-negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or whether they were a public shareholder on the record date for the shareholder meeting held to approve the proposed transaction. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association require that at least five days’ notice will be given of any such shareholder meeting.
Redemption Rights
At any meeting called to approve an initial business combination, public shareholders may seek to redeem their shares, regardless of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination, or do not vote at all, their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination, less any taxes then due but not yet paid. Alternatively, we may provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to sell their ordinary shares to us through a tender offer (and thereby avoid the need for a stockholder vote) for an amount equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, less any taxes then due but not yet paid.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of his or any other person with whom he is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to 20% or more of the shares sold in the Initial Public Offering. Such a public stockholder would still be entitled to vote against a proposed business combination with respect to all shares owned by him or his affiliates.
Liquidation if No Business Combination
If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 18 months if we extend the period of time we have to consummate an initial business combination as described below), we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than five business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining holders of ordinary shares and our board of directors, proceed to commence a voluntary liquidation and thereby a formal dissolution of the company, subject (in the case of (ii) and (iii) above) to our obligations to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of applicable law.
| 4 |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we anticipate that we may not be able to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months, we may, by resolution of our board if requested by our sponsors, extend the period of time to consummate a business combination up to two times, each by an additional three months (for a total of up to 18 months to complete a business combination), subject to the sponsors depositing additional funds into the trust account as set forth below. Our shareholders will not be entitled to vote or redeem their shares in connection with any such extensions. Pursuant to the terms of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the trust agreement entered into between us and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, in order for the time available for us to consummate our initial business combination to be extended, our sponsor or its affiliates or designees must deposit into the trust account $900,000, or $1,035,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.075 per unit in either case), on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each of the available three month extensions providing a total possible business combination period of 18 months for a total payment value of $1,800,000, or $2,070,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($0.15 per unit in either case). Any such deposits will be in the form of non-interest bearing loans to us. If we complete our initial business combination, we will, at the option of our sponsors, repay such loaned amounts or convert a portion or all of the total loan amount into warrants at a price of $0.75 per warrant, which warrants will be identical to the private warrants. If we do not complete a business combination, we will repay such loans only from funds held outside of the trust account. Furthermore, the letter agreement with our initial shareholders contains a provision pursuant to which our sponsors have agreed to waive their right to be repaid for such loans to the extent there is insufficient funds held outside of the trust account in the event that we do not complete a business combination. Our sponsors and their affiliates or designees are not obligated to fund the trust account to extend the time for us to complete our initial business combination.
If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the allotted time period, we may propose to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to modify the timing by which we must consummate our initial business combination, which proposal must be approved by our shareholders. In such event, our public shareholders shall be entitled to receive funds from the trust account if they redeem their shares in connection with such shareholder vote.
In connection with our redemption of 100% of our issued and outstanding public shares for a portion of the funds held in the trust account, each public shareholder will receive a full pro rata portion of the amount then in the trust account, plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us and less up to $50,000 for liquidation expenses. Holders of warrants will receive no proceeds in connection with the liquidation with respect to such warrants, which will expire worthless.
Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business, we may encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources than us and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. Our ability to compete in acquiring certain sizable target businesses may be limited by our available financial resources.
The following also may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses:
| ● | our obligation to seek stockholder approval of a business combination or engage in a tender offer may delay the completion of a transaction; | |
| ● | our obligation to redeem or repurchase ordinary shares held by our public shareholders may reduce the resources available to us for a business combination; | |
| ● | our obligation to pay the underwriters in our initial public offering deferred underwriting commissions of an aggregate fee of up to 3.5% of the gross proceeds of the offering upon consummation of our initial business combination; and | |
| ● | our outstanding warrants and unit purchase options, and the potential future dilution they represent. |
In recent years, and especially since the fourth quarter of 2020, the number of special purpose acquisition companies that have been formed has increased substantially. Many potential targets for special purpose acquisition companies have already entered into an initial business combination, and there are still many special purpose acquisition companies seeking targets for their initial business combination, as well as many such companies currently in registration. As a result, at times, fewer attractive targets may be available, and it may require more time, more effort and more resources to identify a suitable target and to consummate an initial business combination.
If we succeed in effecting a business combination, there will be, in all likelihood, intense competition from competitors of the target business. We cannot assure you that, subsequent to a business combination, we will have the resources or ability to compete effectively.
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Employees
We have two executive officers. These individuals are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters and intend to devote only as much time as they deem necessary to our affairs. The amount of time they will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for the business combination and the stage of the business combination process the company is in. Accordingly, once management locates a suitable target business to acquire, they will spend more time investigating such target business and negotiating and processing the business combination (and consequently spend more time to our affairs) than they would prior to locating a suitable target business. We presently expect each of our executive officers to devote such amount of time as they reasonably believe is necessary to our business. We do not intend to have any full time employees prior to the consummation of a business combination.
Facilities
We currently maintain our executive offices at 1 Harbourfront Avenue, #16-06, Keppel Bay Tower, Singapore 098632, Singapore. Such space, utilities and secretarial and administrative services will be provided to us free of charge by an affiliate of our executive officers. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the prospectus associated with our Initial Public Offering and the registration statement of which such prospectus forms a part, before making a decision to invest in our securities, before making a decision to invest in our units. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Relating to Searching for and Consummating a Business Combination
The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering if we have extended the period of time to consummate an initial business combination as described herein) may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating our initial business combination and may limit the amount of time we have to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to consummate our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders.
Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning our initial business combination will be aware that we must consummate our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering if we have extended the period of time to consummate an initial business combination as described herein). Consequently, such target businesses may obtain leverage over us in negotiating our initial business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the timeframe described above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation.
We may not be able to consummate our initial business combination within the required time period, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate.
We must complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering (or up to 18 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering if we have extended the period of time to consummate an initial business combination as described herein). We may not be able to find a suitable target business and consummate our initial business combination within such time period. Our ability to complete our initial business combination may be negatively impacted by general market conditions, volatility in the capital and debt markets and the other risks described herein. If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within the required time period, we will, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than five business days thereafter, distribute the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable, and less up to $50,000 of interest to pay liquidation expenses), pro rata to our public shareholders by way of redemption and cease all operations except for the purposes of winding up of our affairs, as further described herein. This redemption of public shareholders from the trust account shall be effected as required by function of our memorandum and articles of association and prior to any voluntary winding up.
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Our public shareholders will not be entitled to vote or redeem their shares in connection with each of our potential three-month extensions.
If we are not able to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months, we may, by resolution of our board if requested by our Sponsors, extend the period of time to consummate a business combination up to two times, each by an additional three months, as long as our Sponsors or their affiliates or designees, prior to the applicable deadline, deposits into the trust account $1,035,000 ($0.075 per unit, an aggregate of $2,070,000, $0.075 per unit) on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three-month extension. Our public shareholders will not be entitled to vote or redeem their shares in connection with any such extension. As a result, we may conduct such an extension even though a majority of our public shareholders do not support such an extension and will not be able to redeem their shares in connection therewith. This feature is different than the traditional special purpose acquisition company structure, in which any extension of the company’s period to complete a business combination requires a vote of the company’s shareholders and shareholders have the right to redeem their public shares in connection with such vote.
Our Sponsors may decide not to extend the term we have to consummate our initial business combination, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate, and the warrants will be worthless.
We will have until 12 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering to consummate our initial business combination. However, if we anticipate that we may not be able to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months, we may, by resolution of our board if requested by our Sponsors, extend the period of time to consummate a business combination up to two times, each by an additional three months (for a total of up to 18 months to complete a business combination), subject to the Sponsors depositing additional funds into the trust account. Our shareholders will not be entitled to vote or redeem their shares in connection with any such extension. However, our shareholders will be entitled to vote and redeem their shares in connection with a shareholder meeting held to approve an initial business combination or in a tender offer undertaken in connection with an initial business combination if we propose such a business combination during any three-month extension period. In order for the time available for us to consummate our initial business combination to be extended, our Sponsors or their affiliates or designees must deposit into the trust account $1,035,000 ($0.075 per unit), and $2,070,000 or $0.15 per unit, on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three month extension. Any such deposits will be in the form of non-interest bearing loans to us. If we complete our initial business combination, we will, at the option of our Sponsors, repay such loaned amounts or redeem a portion or all of the total loan amount into warrants at a price of $0.75 per warrant, which warrants will be identical to the private warrants. If we do not complete a business combination, we will repay such loans only from funds held outside of the trust account. Our Sponsors and their affiliates or designees are not obligated to fund the trust account to extend the time for us to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within the applicable time period, we will liquidate as described herein. In such event, the warrants will be worthless.
If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months of the closing of the Initial Public Offering (or up to 18 months if the time to consummate an initial business combination has been extended as described above), our public shareholders may be forced to wait beyond such period of time before redemption from our trust account.
If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering (or up to 18 months if the time to consummate an initial business combination has been extended as described above), we will, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than five business days thereafter, distribute the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable, and less up to $50,000 of interest to pay liquidation expenses), pro rata to our public shareholders by way of redemption and cease all operations except for the purposes of winding up of our affairs by way of a voluntary liquidation, as further described herein. Any redemption of public shareholders from the trust account shall be effected as required by our memorandum and articles of association prior to our commencing any voluntary liquidation. If we are required to liquidate prior to distributing the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable, and less up to $50,000 of interest to pay liquidation expenses) pro rata to our public shareholders, then such winding up, liquidation and distribution must comply with the applicable provisions of the Companies Act. In that case, investors may be forced to wait beyond 12 months (or up to 18 months if we extend the period of time to consummate an initial business combination as described above) before the redemption proceeds of our trust account become available to them, and they receive the return of their pro rata portion of the proceeds from our trust account. Except as otherwise described herein, we have no obligation to return funds to investors prior to the date of any redemption required as a result of our failure to consummate our initial business combination within the period described above or our liquidation, unless we consummate our initial business combination prior thereto and only then in cases where investors have sought to redeem their ordinary shares. Only upon any such redemption of public shares as we are required to effect or any liquidation will public shareholders be entitled to distributions if we are unable to complete our initial business combination.
Our public shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed business combination, which means we may consummate our initial business combination even though a majority of our public shareholders do not support such a combination.
If we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote in conjunction with our initial business combination for business or other legal reasons, we will conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC and our memorandum and articles of association. Nasdaq rules currently allow us to engage in a tender offer in lieu of a general meeting, provided that we were not seeking to issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding shares to a target business as consideration in any business combination. Furthermore, shareholder approval would not be required pursuant to the Companies Act if our initial business combination were structured as a purchase of assets, a purchase of stock, shares or other equity securities of the target not involving a merger with us, or a merger of the target into a subsidiary of our company, or if we otherwise entered into contractual arrangements with a target to obtain control of such company. Accordingly, we may consummate our initial business combination even if holders of a majority of our public shares do not approve of the business combination.
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Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash.
At the time of your investment in us, you will not be provided with an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of one or more target businesses. Because our board of directors may consummate our initial business combination without seeking shareholder approval, public shareholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the business combination. Accordingly, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to exercising your redemption rights within the period of time (which will be at least 20 business days) set forth in our tender offer documents mailed to our public shareholders in which we describe our initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval of our business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 20% of our ordinary shares, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 20% of our ordinary shares.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our memorandum and articles of association provides that a public shareholder, individually or together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 20% of the shares sold in the Initial Public Offering. Your inability to redeem more than an aggregate of 20% of the shares sold in the Initial Public Offering will reduce your influence over our ability to consummate our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell such excess shares in open market transactions. As a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 20% and, in order to dispose of such shares, you would be required to sell your shares in open market transaction, potentially at a loss.
Our initial shareholders control a substantial interest in us and thus may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.
Upon closing of the Initial Public Offering and the private placement, our initial shareholders own 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares. Accordingly, they may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our memorandum and articles of association. If our initial shareholders purchase any units in the Initial Public Offering or if they purchase any additional ordinary shares in the aftermarket or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase their control.
The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into our initial business combination with a target.
We may enter into a transaction agreement with a prospective target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights, we may not be able to meet such closing condition, and as a result, would not be able to proceed with such business combination. Furthermore, in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 immediately prior to or upon the consummation of our initial business combination or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. Our memorandum and articles of association requires us to provide all of our public shareholders with an opportunity to redeem all of their shares in connection with the consummation of any initial business combination. Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 immediately prior to or upon the consummation of our initial business combination, or such greater amount necessary to satisfy a closing condition as described above, we would not proceed with such redemption and the related business combination and may instead search for an alternate business combination. Prospective targets would be aware of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into our initial business combination transaction with us.
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to consummate the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
In connection with the successful consummation of our initial business combination, we may redeem up to that number of ordinary shares that would permit us to maintain net tangible assets of $5,000,001 immediately prior to or upon the consummation of our initial business combination. If our initial business combination requires us to use substantially all of our cash to pay the purchase price, the redemption threshold may be further limited. Alternatively, we may need to arrange third party financing to help fund our business combination in case a larger percentage of shareholders exercise their redemption rights than we expect. If the acquisition involves the issuance of our shares as consideration, we may be required to issue a higher percentage of our shares to the target or its shareholders to make up for the failure to satisfy a minimum cash requirement. Raising additional funds to cover any shortfall may involve dilutive equity financing or incurring indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. This may limit our ability to effectuate the most attractive business combination available to us.
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The ability of our public shareholders to exercise their redemption rights may not allow us to effectuate the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
If our initial business combination requires us to use substantially all of our cash to pay the purchase price, because we will not know how many public shareholders may exercise redemption rights, we may either need to reserve part of the trust account for possible payment upon such redemption, or we may need to arrange third party financing to help fund our initial business combination. In the event that the acquisition involves the issuance of our shares as consideration, we may be required to issue a higher percentage of our shares to make up for a shortfall in funds. Raising additional funds to cover any shortfall may involve dilutive equity financing or incurring indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. This may limit our ability to effectuate the most attractive business combination available to us.
The requirement that the target business or businesses that we acquire must collectively have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance of the funds in the trust account (less any deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on interest earned) at the time of the execution of a definitive agreement for our initial business combination may limit the type and number of companies that we may complete such a business combination with.
Pursuant to the Nasdaq listing rules, the target business or businesses that we acquire must collectively have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance of the funds in the trust account (less any deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on interest earned) at the time of the execution of a definitive agreement for our initial business combination. This restriction may limit the type and number of companies that we may complete an initial business combination with. If we are unable to locate a target business or businesses that satisfy this fair market value test, we may be forced to liquidate and you will only be entitled to receive your pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account.
We may be unable to consummate an initial business combination if a target business requires that we have a certain amount of cash at closing, in which case public shareholders may have to remain shareholders of our company and wait until our redemption of the public shares to receive a pro rata share of the trust account or attempt to sell their shares in the open market.
A potential target may make it a closing condition to our initial business combination that we have a certain amount of cash in excess of the $5,000,001 of net tangible assets we are required to have pursuant to our organizational documents available at the time of closing. If the number of our public shareholders electing to exercise their redemption rights has the effect of reducing the amount of money available to us to consummate an initial business combination below such minimum amount required by the target business and we are not able to locate an alternative source of funding, we will not be able to consummate such initial business combination and we may not be able to locate another suitable target within the applicable time period, if at all. In that case, public shareholders may have to remain shareholders of our company and wait the full 18 months (assuming we have extended the period of time to consummate an initial business combination as described herein) in order to be able to receive a portion of the trust account, or attempt to sell their shares in the open market prior to such time, in which case they may receive less than they would have in a liquidation of the trust account.
The requirement that we maintain a minimum net worth or retain a certain amount of cash could increase the probability that our business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your shares.
If, pursuant to the terms of our proposed business combination, we are required to maintain a minimum net worth or retain a certain amount of cash in trust in order to consummate the business combination and regardless of whether we proceed with redemptions under the tender or proxy rules, the probability that our business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the trust account until we liquidate. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your shares in the open market; however, at such time our shares may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in our trust account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with our redemption until we liquidate or you are able to sell your shares in the open market.
We intend to offer each public shareholder the option to vote in favor of the proposed business combination and still seek redemption of such shareholders’ shares.
In connection with any general meeting held to approve an initial business combination, we will offer each public shareholder (but not our initial shareholders, officers or directors) the right to have his, her or its ordinary shares redeemed for cash (subject to the limitations described elsewhere in Annual Report on Form 10-K, the prospectus associated with our Initial Public Offering and the registration statement of which such prospectus forms a part) regardless of whether such shareholder votes for or against such proposed business combination or does not vote at all. We will consummate our initial business combination only if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 immediately prior to or upon such consummation and a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares voted are voted in favor of the business combination. This is different than other similarly structured blank check companies where shareholders are offered the right to redeem their shares only when they vote for or against a proposed business combination. This threshold and the ability to seek redemption while voting in favor of a proposed business combination may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination.
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We will require public shareholders who wish to redeem their ordinary shares in connection with a proposed business combination to comply with specific requirements for redemption that may make it more difficult for them to exercise their redemption rights prior to the deadline for exercising their rights.
We will require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option, prior to the expiration date set forth in the tender offer documents mailed to such holders, or in the event we distribute proxy materials, up to two business days prior to the vote on the proposal to approve the business combination. In order to obtain a physical share certificate, a shareholder’s broker and/or clearing broker, DTC and our transfer agent will need to act to facilitate this request. It is our understanding that shareholders should generally allot at least two weeks to obtain physical certificates from the transfer agent. However, because we do not have any control over this process or over the brokers or DTC, it may take significantly longer than two weeks to obtain a physical share certificate. While we have been advised that it takes a short time to deliver shares through the DWAC System, this may not be the case. Under our memorandum and articles of association, we are required to provide at least 10 days advance notice of any general meeting, which would be the minimum amount of time a shareholder would have to determine whether to exercise redemption rights. Accordingly, if it takes longer than we anticipate for shareholders to deliver their shares, shareholders who wish to redeem may be unable to meet the deadline for exercising their redemption rights and thus may be unable to redeem their shares. In the event that a shareholder fails to comply with the various procedures that must be complied with in order to validly tender or redeem public shares, its shares may not be redeemed.
Additionally, despite our compliance with the proxy rules or tender offer rules, as applicable, shareholders may not become aware of the opportunity to redeem their shares.
Redeeming shareholders may be unable to sell their securities when they wish to in the event that the proposed business combination is not approved.
We will require public shareholders who wish to redeem their ordinary shares in connection with any proposed business combination to comply with the delivery requirements discussed above for redemption. If such proposed business combination is not consummated, we will promptly return such certificates to the tendering public shareholders. Accordingly, investors who attempted to redeem their shares in such a circumstance will be unable to sell their securities after the failed acquisition until we have returned their securities to them. The market price for our ordinary shares may decline during this time and you may not be able to sell your securities when you wish to, even while other shareholders that did not seek redemption may be able to sell their securities.
Because of our structure, other companies may have a competitive advantage and we may not be able to consummate an attractive business combination.
We expect to encounter intense competition from entities other than blank check companies having a business objective similar to ours, including private equity groups, venture capital funds, leveraged buyout funds and operating businesses competing for acquisitions. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources than we do and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. Therefore, our ability to compete in acquiring certain sizable target businesses may be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, seeking shareholder approval of our initial business combination may delay the consummation of a transaction. Any of the foregoing may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating our initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval of our business combination, our Sponsors, directors, officers and their affiliates may elect to purchase shares from shareholders, in which case they may influence a vote in favor of a proposed business combination that you do not support.
If we seek shareholder approval of our business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our Sponsors, directors, officers or their affiliates may purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the consummation of our initial business combination. Such a purchase would include a contractual acknowledgement that such shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that our Sponsors, directors, officers or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares.
The purpose of such purchases would be to (1) increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination or (2) satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of the business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. This may result in the consummation of an initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible.
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Purchases of ordinary shares in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions by our Sponsors, directors, officers or their affiliates may make it difficult for us to maintain the listing of our ordinary shares on a national securities exchange following the consummation of an initial business combination.
If our Sponsors, directors, officers or their affiliates purchase ordinary shares in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, the public “float” of our ordinary shares and the number of beneficial holders of our securities would both be reduced, possibly making it difficult to maintain the listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange following consummation of the business combination.
Because we are not limited to any particular business or specific geographic location or any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’ operations.
We may pursue acquisition opportunities in any geographic region and in any business industry or sector. Except for the limitations that a target business have a fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the trust account (less any deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on interest earned) and that we are not permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations, we will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting a prospective acquisition candidate. Because we have not yet identified or approached any specific target business with respect to our initial business combination, there is no basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition or prospects. To the extent we consummate our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable or a development stage entity. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. An investment in our units may not ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in an acquisition target.
We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity, and consequently, an independent source may not confirm that the price we are paying for the business is fair to our company (or shareholders) from a financial point of view.
Unless we consummate our initial business combination with an affiliated entity, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that the price we are paying is fair to our company (or shareholders) from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our shareholders will be relying on the judgment of our board of directors, who will determine fair market value based on standards generally accepted by the financial community. Our board of directors will have significant discretion in choosing the standard used to establish the fair market value of the target acquisition. Such standards used will be disclosed in our tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.
A provision of our warrant agreement may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination.
If:
| (i) | we issue additional ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at a Newly Issued Price of less than $9.20 per share; |
| (ii) | the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and |
| (iii) | the Market Value is below $9.20 per share, |
then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price. Potential targets may seek a SPAC that does not have warrants that contain this provision, which may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination with a target business.
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Our warrants may have an adverse effect on the market price of our ordinary shares and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.
We issued warrants to purchase 6,900,000 ordinary shares in the units sold in our Initial Public Offering and private warrants to purchase 6,840,000 ordinary shares in the private placement, in each case, at a price of $11.50 per share. In addition, our initial shareholders, officers and directors or their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, make certain loans to us, up to $1,500,000 of which may be redeemed upon consummation of our initial business combination into additional private warrants at a price of $0.75 per warrant (which, for example, would result in the holders being issued warrants to purchase an aggregate of 2,000,000 ordinary shares). To the extent we issue ordinary shares to effectuate a business transaction, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional ordinary shares upon exercise of these warrants could make us a less attractive acquisition vehicle to a target business. Any such issuance will increase the number of issued and outstanding ordinary shares and reduce the value of the ordinary shares issued to complete the business transaction. Therefore, our warrants may make it more difficult to effectuate a business combination or increase the cost of acquiring the target business.
We may issue additional ordinary or preferred shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan upon or after consummation of our initial business combination, which would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.
Our memorandum and articles of association authorize the issuance of 200,000,000 ordinary shares and 1,000,000 preferred shares. We may issue a substantial number of additional ordinary or preferred shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan upon or after consummation of our initial business combination. Although no such issuance of ordinary or preferred shares will affect the per share amount available for redemption from the trust account, the issuance of additional ordinary or preferred shares:
| ● | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in the Initial Public Offering, who will not have pre-emption rights in respect of such an issuance; |
| ● | may subordinate the rights of holders of ordinary shares if preferred shares are issued with rights created by amendment of our memorandum and articles of association by resolution of the directors senior to those afforded our ordinary shares; |
| ● | could cause a change in control if a substantial number of ordinary shares are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; and |
| ● | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, ordinary shares and/or warrants. |
We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete our initial business combination, which may adversely affect our financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.
Although we have no commitments as of the date of Annual Report to issue any notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur outstanding debt, we may choose to incur substantial debt to complete initial business combination. Furthermore, we may issue a substantial number of additional ordinary or preferred shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan upon or after consummation of our initial business combination. We and our officers and directors have agreed that we will not incur any indebtedness unless we have obtained from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account. As such, no issuance of debt will affect the per share amount available for redemption from the trust account. Nevertheless, the incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including:
| ● | default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after our initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
| ● | acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
| ● | our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; |
| ● | our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding; |
| ● | our inability to pay dividends on our ordinary shares; |
| ● | using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; |
| ● | limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; |
| ● | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and |
| ● | limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt. |
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We may only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of the Initial Public Offering, and the sale of the private warrants, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business, which may have a limited number of products or services. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operations and profitability.
The net proceeds from the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the private warrants provided us with approximately $139,380,000 that we may use to complete our initial business combination (including deferred underwriting commissions being held in the trust account).
We may effectuate our initial business combination with a single target business or multiple target businesses simultaneously. However, we may not be able to effectuate our initial business combination with more than one target business because of various factors, including the existence of complex accounting issues and the requirement that we prepare and file pro forma financial statements with the SEC that present operating results and the financial condition of several target businesses as if they had been operated on a combined basis. By consummating our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities, which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
| ● | solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset, or |
| ● | dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services. |
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.
We may attempt to simultaneously consummate business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to consummate our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability.
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses that are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete the initial business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.
Resources could be wasted in researching acquisitions that are not consummated, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business.
We anticipate that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting, and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents, and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys and others. If we decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to consummate our initial business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive $10.10 per share or potentially less than $10.10 per share on our redemption, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive $10.10 per share or potentially less than $10.10 per share on our redemption, and the warrants will expire worthless.
Although we believe that the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the private warrants, together with interest earned on the trust account proceeds available to us, will be sufficient to allow us to consummate our initial business combination, because we have not yet identified any prospective target business we cannot ascertain the capital requirements for any particular transaction. If the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the private warrants, together with available interest from the trust account proceeds, prove to be insufficient, either because of the size of our initial business combination, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, the obligation to repurchase for cash a significant number of shares from shareholders who elect redemption in connection with our initial business combination or the terms of negotiated transactions to purchase shares in connection with our initial business combination, we may be required to seek additional financing or to abandon the proposed business combination. Financing may not be available on acceptable terms, if at all. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to consummate our initial business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular initial business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive $10.10 per share or potentially less than $10.10 per share on our redemption, and the warrants will expire worthless. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to consummate our initial business combination, we may require such financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our officers, directors or shareholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after our initial business combination.
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Because we must furnish our shareholders with target business financial statements, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial business combination with some prospective target businesses.
The United States federal proxy rules require that a proxy statement with respect to a vote on a business combination meeting certain financial significance tests include historical and/or pro forma financial statement disclosure in periodic reports. We will include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with our tender offer documents, whether or not they are required under the tender offer rules. These financial statements must be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, or International Financial Reporting Standard as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IFRS, and the historical financial statements must be audited in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), or PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and consummate our initial business combination within our 12, up to 18 month time frame.
Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a widespread health crisis that has adversely affected the economies and financial markets worldwide, and the business of any potential target business with which we consummate a business combination may have been materially and adversely affected or may be so affected in the future. Furthermore, we may be unable to complete a business combination if continued concerns relating to COVID-19 restrict travel, limit the ability to have meetings with potential investors or the target company’s personnel, vendors and services providers are unavailable to negotiate and consummate a transaction in a timely manner. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our search for a business combination will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19 and the actions to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, among others. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19 or other matters of global concern continue for an extended period of time, our ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected.
As the number of special purpose acquisition companies evaluating targets increases, attractive targets may become scarcer and there may be more competition for attractive targets. This could increase the cost of our initial business combination and could even result in our inability to find a target or to consummate an initial business combination.
In recent years, the number of special purpose acquisition companies that have been formed has increased substantially, especially in the last several months. Many potential targets for special purpose acquisition companies have already entered into an initial business combination, and there are still many special purpose acquisition companies seeking targets for their initial business combination, as well as many such companies currently in registration. As a result, at times, fewer attractive targets may be available, and it may require more time, more effort and more resources to identify a suitable target and to consummate an initial business combination.
In addition, because there are more special purpose acquisition companies seeking to enter into an initial business combination with available targets, the competition for available targets with attractive fundamentals or business models may increase, which could cause targets companies to demand improved financial terms. Attractive deals could also become scarcer for other reasons, such as economic or industry sector downturns, geopolitical tensions, or increases in the cost of additional capital needed to close business combinations or operate targets post-business combination. This could increase the cost of, delay or otherwise complicate or frustrate our ability to find and consummate an initial business combination, and may result in our inability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to our investors altogether.
Changes in the market for directors and officers liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate and complete an initial business combination.
In recent months, the market for directors and officers liability insurance for special purpose acquisition companies has changed. The premiums charged for such policies have generally increased and the terms of such policies have generally become less favorable. There can be no assurance that these trends will not continue.
The increased cost and decreased availability of directors and officers liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate an initial business combination. In order to obtain directors and officers liability insurance or modify its coverage as a result of becoming a public company, the post-business combination entity might need to incur greater expense, accept less favorable terms or both. However, any failure to obtain adequate directors and officers liability insurance could have an adverse impact on the post-business combination’s ability to attract and retain qualified officers and directors.
In addition, even after we were to complete an initial business combination, our directors and officers could still be subject to potential liability from claims arising from conduct alleged to have occurred prior to the initial business combination. As a result, in order to protect our directors and officers, the post-business combination entity will likely need to purchase additional insurance with respect to any such claims (“run-off insurance”). The need for run-off insurance would be an added expense for the post-business combination entity, and could interfere with or frustrate our ability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to our investors.
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Risks Relating to the Post-Business Combination Company
We may seek investment opportunities outside of our management’s area of expertise and our management may not be able to adequately ascertain or assess all significant risks associated with the target company.
There is no limitation on the industry or business sector we may consider when contemplating our initial business combination. We may therefore be presented with a business combination candidate in an industry unfamiliar to our management team, but determine that such candidate offers an attractive investment opportunity for our company. In the event we elect to pursue an investment outside of our management’s expertise, our management’s experience may not be directly applicable to the target business or their evaluation of its operations.
We may seek investment opportunities with a financially unstable business or in its early stages of development.
To the extent we effect our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in such company or business. These risks include volatile revenues or earnings and difficulties in obtaining and retaining key personnel. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors and we may not have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.
Although we identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines.
Although we have identified specific criteria and guidelines for evaluating prospective target businesses, it is possible that a target business with which we enter into our initial business combination will not have all of these positive attributes. If we consummate our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these guidelines, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria and guidelines. In addition, if we announce our initial business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria and guidelines, a greater number of shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if shareholder approval of the transaction is required by law or the rules of Nasdaq, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain shareholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria and guidelines. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive $10.10 per share or potentially less than $10.10 per share on our redemption, and our warrants will expire worthless.
Subsequent to our consummation of our initial business combination, we may be required to subsequently take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and our share price, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
Even if we conduct thorough due diligence on a target business with which we combine, this diligence may not surface all material issues that may be present inside a particular target business, that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining post-combination debt financing.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be largely dependent upon the efforts of our officers, directors and key personnel, some of whom may join us following our initial business combination. The loss of our officers, directors, or key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our business.
Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our officers and directors. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our officers and directors, at least until we have consummated our initial business combination. In addition, our officers and directors are not required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs and, accordingly, will have conflicts of interest in allocating management time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. We do not have an employment agreement with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our directors or officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or officers could have a detrimental effect on us. Additionally, we do not intend to have any full time employees prior to the consummation of our initial business combination.
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The role of such persons in the target business, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of such persons may remain with the target business in senior management or advisory positions following our initial business combination, it is likely that some or all of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we engage after our initial business combination, our assessment of these individuals may not prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a company regulated by the SEC, which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements.
We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may effect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company.
When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business’ management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target’s management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted.
The officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon consummation of our initial business combination. The loss of an acquisition target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
The role of an acquisition candidate’s key personnel upon the consummation of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an acquisition candidate’s management team will remain associated with the acquisition candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that some members of the management team of an acquisition candidate will not wish to remain in place.
Our management team and our shareholders may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination.
We may structure our initial business combination to acquire less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will only consummate such business combination if we will become the majority shareholder of the target (or control the target through contractual arrangements in limited circumstances for regulatory compliance purposes) or are otherwise not required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even though we may own a majority interest in the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock, shares or other equity securities of a target. In this case, we acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding shares subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority shareholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger share of the company’s stock, shares or other equity securities than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that we will not be able to maintain our control of the target business.
We may reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination and such reincorporation may result in taxes imposed on shareholders.
We may, in connection with our initial business combination, reincorporate in the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located or in another jurisdiction. The transaction may require a shareholder to recognize taxable income in the jurisdiction in which the shareholder is a tax resident or in which its members are resident if it is a tax transparent entity. We do not intend to make any cash distributions to shareholders to pay such taxes. Shareholders may be subject to withholding taxes or other taxes with respect to their ownership of us after the reincorporation.
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We may re-domicile or continue out of the Cayman Islands into another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination, and the laws of such jurisdiction will likely govern all of our material agreements and we may not be able to enforce our legal rights.
In connection with our initial business combination, we may relocate the home jurisdiction of our business or re-domicile or continue out of from the Cayman Islands to another jurisdiction. If we determine to do this, the laws of such jurisdiction would likely govern all of our material agreements. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the United States. The inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss of business, business opportunities or capital. Any such reincorporation and the international nature of our business will likely subject us to foreign regulation.
Investors may have difficulty enforcing judgments against our management or our target business.
After the consummation of a business combination, it is likely that substantially all or a significant portion of our assets may be located outside of the United States and some of our officers and directors may reside outside of the United States. As a result, it may not be possible for investors in the United States to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of United States courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties of our directors and officers under federal securities laws.
Risks Associated with Acquiring and Operating a Business Outside of the United States
If we effect our initial business combination with a company located outside of the United States, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.
If we effect our initial business combination with a company located outside of the United States, we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in the target business’ home jurisdiction, including any of the following:
| ● | rules and regulations or currency redemption or corporate withholding taxes on individuals; |
| ● | laws governing the manner in which future business combinations may be effected; |
| ● | exchange listing and/or delisting requirements; |
| ● | tariffs and trade barriers; |
| ● | regulations related to customs and import/export matters; |
| ● | longer payment cycles; |
| ● | tax issues, such as tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States; |
| ● | currency fluctuations and exchange controls; |
| ● | rates of inflation; |
| ● | challenges in collecting accounts receivable; |
| ● | cultural and language differences; |
| ● | employment regulations; |
| ● | crime, strikes, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist attacks and wars; and |
| ● | deterioration of political relations with the United States. We may not be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, our operations might suffer. |
Because of the costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations, our results of operations may be negatively impacted.
Managing a business, operations, personnel or assets in another country is challenging and costly. Any management that we may have (whether based abroad or in the U.S.) may be inexperienced in cross-border business practices and unaware of significant differences in accounting rules, legal regimes and labor practices. Even with a seasoned and experienced management team, the costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations, personnel and assets can be significant (and much higher than in a purely domestic business) and may negatively impact our financial and operational performance.
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Many countries have difficult and unpredictable legal systems and underdeveloped laws and regulations that are unclear and subject to corruption and inexperience, which may adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.
Our ability to seek and enforce legal protections, including with respect to intellectual property and other property rights, or to defend ourselves with regard to legal actions taken against us in a given country, may be difficult or impossible, which could adversely impact our operations, assets or financial condition.
Rules and regulations in many countries are often ambiguous or open to differing interpretation by responsible individuals and agencies at the municipal, state, regional and federal levels. The attitudes and actions of such individuals and agencies are often difficult to predict and inconsistent.
Delay with respect to the enforcement of particular rules and regulations, including those relating to customs, tax, environmental and labor, could cause serious disruption to operations abroad and negatively impact our results.
If our management following our initial business combination is unfamiliar with United States securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws, which could lead to various regulatory issues.
Following our initial business combination, certain members of our management team will likely resign from their positions as officers or directors of the company and the management of the target business at the time of the business combination will remain in place. Management of the target business may not be familiar with United States securities laws. If new management is unfamiliar with our laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws. This could be expensive and time-consuming and could lead to various regulatory issues, which may adversely affect our operations.
After our initial business combination, substantially all of our assets may be located in a foreign country and substantially all of our revenue may be derived from our operations in such country. Accordingly, our results of operations and prospects will be subject, to a significant extent, to the economic, political and legal policies, developments and conditions in the country in which we operate.
The economic, political and social conditions, as well as government policies, of the country in which our operations are located could affect our business. If in the future such country’s economy experiences a downturn or grows at a slower rate than expected, there may be less demand for spending in certain industries. A decrease in demand for spending in certain industries could materially and adversely affect our ability to find an attractive target business with which to consummate our initial business combination and if we effect our initial business combination, the ability of that target business to become profitable.
Exchange rate fluctuations and currency policies may cause a target business’ ability to succeed in the international markets to be diminished.
In the event we acquire a non-U.S. target, all revenues and income would likely be received in a foreign currency, the dollar equivalent of our net assets and distributions, if any, could be adversely affected by reductions in the value of the local currency. The value of the currencies in our target regions fluctuate and are affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions. Any change in the relative value of such currency against our reporting currency may affect the attractiveness of any target business or, following consummation of our initial business combination, our financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, if a currency appreciates in value against the dollar prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, the cost of a target business as measured in dollars will increase, which may make it less likely that we are able to consummate such transaction.
Because foreign law could govern almost all of our material agreements, we may not be able to enforce our rights within such jurisdiction or elsewhere, which could result in a significant loss of business, business opportunities or capital.
Foreign law could govern almost all of our material agreements. The target business may not be able to enforce any of its material agreements or that remedies will be available outside of such foreign jurisdiction’s legal system. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws and contracts in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the United States. As a result, the inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss of business and business opportunities.
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Corporate governance standards in foreign countries may not be as strict or developed as in the United States and such weakness may hide issues and operational practices that are detrimental to a target business.
General corporate governance standards in some countries are weak in that they do not prevent business practices that cause unfavorable related party transactions, over-leveraging, improper accounting, family company interconnectivity and poor management. Local laws often do not go far to prevent improper business practices. Therefore, shareholders may not be treated impartially and equally as a result of poor management practices, asset shifting, conglomerate structures that result in preferential treatment to some parts of the overall company, and cronyism. The lack of transparency and ambiguity in the regulatory process also may result in inadequate credit evaluation and weakness that may precipitate or encourage financial crisis. In our evaluation of a business combination we will have to evaluate the corporate governance of a target and the business environment, and in accordance with United States laws for reporting companies take steps to implement practices that will cause compliance with all applicable rules and accounting practices. Notwithstanding these intended efforts, there may be endemic practices and local laws that could add risk to an investment we ultimately make and that result in an adverse effect on our operations and financial results.
Companies in foreign countries may be subject to accounting, auditing, regulatory and financial standards and requirements that differ, in some cases significantly, from those applicable to public companies in the United States, which may make it more difficult or complex to consummate a business combination. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of a foreign company may not reflect its financial position or results of operations in the way they would be reflected had such financial statements been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Moreover, foreign companies may not be subject to the same degree of regulation as are United States companies with respect to such matters as insider trading rules, tender offer regulation, shareholder proxy requirements and the timely disclosure of information.
Legal principles relating to corporate affairs and the validity of corporate procedures, directors’ fiduciary duties and liabilities and shareholders’ rights for foreign corporations may differ from those that may apply in the U.S., which may make the consummation of a business combination with an foreign company more difficult. We therefore may have more difficulty in achieving our business objective.
Because a foreign judiciary may determine the scope and enforcement of almost all of our target business’ material agreements under the law of such foreign jurisdiction, we may be unable to enforce our rights inside and outside of such jurisdiction.
The law of a foreign jurisdiction may govern almost all of our target business’ material agreements, some of which may be with governmental agencies in such jurisdiction. We cannot assure you that the target business or businesses will be able to enforce any of their material agreements or that remedies will be available outside of such jurisdiction. The inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements may have a material adverse impact on our future operations.
Mail addressed to us may not reach us in a timely manner.
Mail addressed to us and received at our registered office will be forwarded unopened to the forwarding address supplied by us to be dealt with. Neither we nor our directors, officers, advisors or service providers (including the organization which provides registered office services in the Cayman Islands) will bear any responsibility for any delay howsoever caused in mail reaching the forwarding address.
We are subject to changing law and regulations regarding regulatory matters, corporate governance and public disclosure that have increased both our costs and the risk of non-compliance.
We are subject to rules and regulations by various governing bodies, including, for example, the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are charged with the protection of investors and the oversight of companies whose securities are publicly traded, and to new and evolving regulatory measures under applicable law. Our efforts to comply with new and changing laws and regulations have resulted in and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from revenue generating activities to compliance activities.
Moreover, because these laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance becomes available. This evolution may result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and additional costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to our disclosure and governance practices. If we fail to address and comply with these regulations and any subsequent changes, we may be subject to penalty and our business may be harmed.
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Risks Relating to our Management, Directors, and Initial Shareholders
Past performance by our management team may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in the Company.
Information regarding performance by, or businesses associated with, our management team and their affiliates is presented for informational purposes only. Past performance by our management team is not a guarantee either (i) that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or (ii) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record of our management team’s performance as indicative of our future performance of an investment in the company or the returns the company will, or is likely to, generate going forward.
Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation following our initial business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous.
Our key personnel may be able to remain with the company after the consummation of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to us after the consummation of the business combination. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business. However, we believe the ability of such individuals to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will not be the determining factor in our decision as to whether or not we will proceed with any potential business combination. There is no certainty, however, that any of our key personnel will remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination. Our key personnel may not remain in senior management or advisory positions with us. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with us will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
Management’s flexibility in identifying and selecting a prospective acquisition candidate, along with our management’s financial interest in consummating our initial business combination, may lead management to enter into an acquisition agreement that is not in the best interest of our shareholders.
Subject to the requirement that our initial business combination must be with one or more target businesses or assets having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the trust account (less any deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on interest earned) at the time of the agreement to enter into such initial business combination, we will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting a prospective acquisition candidate. Investors will be relying on management’s ability to identify business combinations, evaluate their merits, conduct or monitor diligence and conduct negotiations. Management’s flexibility in identifying and selecting a prospective acquisition candidate, along with management’s financial interest in consummating our initial business combination, may lead management to enter into an acquisition agreement that is not in the best interest of our shareholders.
Certain of our officers and directors are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time and determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Following the completion of the Initial Public Offering and until we consummate our business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses. Our officers and directors are, or may in the future become, affiliated with entities that are engaged in a similar business.
Our officers also may become aware of business opportunities, which may be appropriate for presentation to us and the other entities to which they owe certain fiduciary duties or contractual obligations. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor or that a potential target business would not be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us.
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The shares beneficially owned by our officers and directors may not participate in liquidation distributions and, therefore, our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is appropriate for our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors have waived their right to redeem their founder shares or any other ordinary shares acquired in the Initial Public Offering or thereafter, or to receive distributions with respect to their founder shares upon our liquidation if we are unable to consummate our initial business combination, until all of the claims of any redeeming shareholders and creditors are fully satisfied (and then only from funds held outside the trust account). Accordingly, these securities will be worthless if we do not consummate our initial business combination. Any warrants they hold, like those held by the public, will also be worthless if we do not consummate an initial business combination. The personal and financial interests of our directors and officers may influence their motivation in timely identifying and selecting a target business and completing a business combination. Consequently, our directors’ and officers’ discretion in identifying and selecting a suitable target business may result in a conflict of interest when determining whether the terms, conditions and timing of a particular business combination are appropriate and in our shareholders’ best interest.
We may engage in our initial business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our Sponsors, officers or directors, which may raise potential conflicts of interest.
We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, officers, security holders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In light of the involvement of our Sponsor, officers and directors with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with our Sponsors, officers and directors. Our directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities. Our Sponsors, officers and directors are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to consummate our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no discussions concerning a business combination with any such entity or entities. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions regarding the fairness to our company (or shareholders) from a financial point of view of a target business affiliated with our officers, directors or existing holders, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the business combination may not be as advantageous to our public shareholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest. Our directors have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of our shareholders, whether or not a conflict of interest may exist.
Since our initial shareholders will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not consummated and our officers and directors have significant financial interests in us, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular acquisition target is appropriate for our initial business combination.
Our initial shareholders have purchased an aggregate of 3,450,000 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.009 per share. The founder shares will be worthless if we do not consummate an initial business combination. In addition, our Sponsors purchased an aggregate of 6,840,000 for an aggregate purchase price of $5,130,000 that will also be worthless if we do not consummate our initial business combination.
Risks Relating to our Securities
You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. To liquidate your investment, therefore, you may be forced to sell your public shares, potentially at a loss.
Our public shareholders shall be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only (i) in the event of a redemption to public shareholders prior to any winding up in the event we do not consummate our initial business combination or our liquidation (ii) if they redeem their shares in connection with an initial business combination that we consummate or in connection with certain amendments to our charter prior thereto or (iii) if they redeem their shares in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption rights or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 12 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering ) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity. In no other circumstances will a shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to the funds in the trust account. Accordingly, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your securities, potentially at a loss.
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The securities in which we invest the funds held in the trust account could bear a negative rate of interest, which could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.10 per share.
The proceeds held in the trust account will be invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act, which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. While short-term U.S. government treasury obligations currently yield a positive rate of interest, they have briefly yielded negative interest rates in recent years. Central banks in Europe and Japan pursued interest rates below zero in recent years, and the Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve has not ruled out the possibility that it may in the future adopt similar policies in the United States. In the event that we are unable to complete our initial business combination or make certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, our public shareholders are entitled to receive their pro-rata share of the proceeds held in the trust account, plus any interest income, net of taxes paid or payable. Negative interest rates could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.10 per share.
Our shareholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their shares.
If we are forced to enter into an insolvent liquidation, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed as an unlawful payment if it was proved that immediately following the date on which the distribution was made, we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. As a result, a liquidator could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to us or our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, thereby exposing themselves and our company to claims, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons. We and our directors and officers who knowingly and willfully authorized or permitted any distribution to be paid out of our share premium account while we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business would be guilty of an offence and may be liable for a fine of $18,292.68 and imprisonment for five years in the Cayman Islands.
Our securities may not continue to be listed on Nasdaq in the future, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
We cannot assure you of this or that our securities will continue to be listed on Nasdaq in the future. Additionally, in connection with our business combination, Nasdaq will require us to file a new initial listing application and meet its initial listing requirements as opposed to its more lenient continued listing requirements. We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time.
If Nasdaq delists our securities from trading on its exchange, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
| ● | a limited availability of market quotations for our securities; |
| ● | a reduced liquidity with respect to our securities; |
| ● | a determination that our ordinary shares are a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our ordinary shares to adhere to more stringent rules, possibly resulting in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our ordinary shares; |
| ● | a limited amount of news and analyst coverage for our company; and |
| ● | a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. |
The grant of registration rights to our initial shareholders may make it more difficult to complete our initial business combination, and the future exercise of such rights may adversely affect the market price of our ordinary shares.
Pursuant to an agreement that was entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in the Initial Public Offering, our initial shareholders and their permitted transferees can demand that we register for resale an aggregate of 3,450,000 founder shares, 6,840,000 private warrants and underlying ordinary shares and up to 2,000,000 warrants and underlying ordinary shares issuable upon redemption of working capital loans. We will bear the cost of registering these securities. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our ordinary shares. In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude. This is because the shareholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our ordinary shares that is expected when the securities owned by our initial shareholders or their respective permitted transferees are registered.
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Holders of warrants will not participate in liquidating distributions if we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the required time period.
If we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the required time period and we liquidate the funds held in the trust account, the warrants will expire and holders will not receive any of such proceeds with respect to the warrants. In this case, holders of warrants are treated in the same manner as holders of warrants of blank check companies whose units are comprised of shares and warrants, as the warrants in those companies do not participate in liquidating distributions. Nevertheless, the foregoing may provide a financial incentive to public shareholders to vote in favor of any proposed initial business combination as their warrants would entitle the holder to purchase one ordinary share, resulting in an increase in their overall economic stake in our company. If a business combination is not approved, the warrants will expire and will be worthless.
If we do not maintain a current and effective prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants, public holders will only be able to exercise such warrants on a “cashless basis” which would result in a fewer number of shares being issued to the holder had such holder exercised the warrants for cash.
If we do not maintain a current and effective prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the public warrant at the time that holders wish to exercise such warrants, they will only be able to exercise them on a “cashless basis” provided that an exemption from registration is available. As a result, the number of ordinary shares that a holder will receive upon exercise of its public warrants will be fewer than it would have been had such holder exercised its warrant for cash. Further, if an exemption from registration is not available, holders would not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis and would only be able to exercise their warrants for cash if a current and effective prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is available. Under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed to use our best efforts to meet these conditions and to maintain a current and effective prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration of the warrants. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to do so. If we are unable to do so, the potential “upside” of the holder’s investment in our company may be reduced or the warrants may expire worthless. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the private warrants may be exercisable for unregistered ordinary shares for cash even if the prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not current and effective.
An investor will only be able to exercise a warrant if the issuance of ordinary shares upon such exercise has been registered or qualified or is deemed exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the holder of the warrants.
No public warrants will be exercisable for cash and we will not be obligated to issue ordinary shares unless the ordinary shares issuable upon such exercise has been registered or qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the holder of the warrants. At the time that the warrants become exercisable, we expect to have our securities listed on a national securities exchange, which would provide an exemption from registration in every state. However, we cannot assure you of this fact. If the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not qualified or exempt from qualification in the jurisdictions in which the holders of the warrants reside, the warrants may be deprived of any value, the market for the warrants may be limited and they may expire worthless if they cannot be sold.
Our management’s ability to require holders of our warrants to exercise such warrants on a cashless basis will cause holders to receive fewer ordinary shares upon their exercise of the warrants than they would have received had they been able to exercise their warrants for cash.
If we call our public warrants for redemption after the redemption criteria described elsewhere in Annual Report on Form 10-K, the prospectus associated with our Initial Public Offering and the registration statement of which such prospectus forms a part have been satisfied, our management will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise his warrant (including the private warrants and any other warrants held by our initial shareholders or their permitted transferees) to do so on a “cashless basis.” If our management chooses to require holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis, the number of ordinary shares received by a holder upon exercise will be fewer than it would have been had such holder exercised his warrant for cash. This will have the effect of reducing the potential “upside” of the holder’s investment in our company.
We may amend the terms of the warrants in a way that may be adverse to holders with the approval by the holders of a majority of the then outstanding warrants.
Our warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any defective provision. The warrant agreement requires the approval by the holders of a majority of the then outstanding warrants (including the private warrants) in order to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders.
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The provisions of our memorandum and articles of association relating to the rights and obligations attaching to our ordinary shares may be amended prior to the consummation of our initial business combination with the approval of the holders of 65% (or 50% if for the purposes of approving, or in conjunction with, the consummation of our initial business combination) of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares attending and voting on such amendment at the relevant general meeting, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of many blank check companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our memorandum and articles of association to facilitate the consummation of our initial business combination that a significant number of our shareholders may not support.
Many blank check companies have a provision in their charter, which prohibits the amendment of certain of its provisions, including those, which relate to a company’s pre-business combination activity, without approval by a certain percentage of the company’s shareholders. Typically, amendment of these provisions requires approval by between 90% and 100% of the company’s public shareholders. Our memorandum and articles of association provides that, prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, its provisions related to pre-business combination activity and the rights and obligations attaching to the ordinary shares, may be amended if approved by holders of 65% (or 50% if approved in connection with our initial business combination) of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares attending and voting on such amendment. Prior to our initial business combination, if we seek to amend any provisions of our memorandum and articles of association relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity, we will provide dissenting public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares in connection with any such vote on any proposed amendments to our memorandum and articles of association. Other provisions of our memorandum and articles of association may be amended prior to the consummation of our initial business combination if approved by a majority of the votes of shareholders attending and voting on such amendment or by resolution of the directors. Following the consummation of our initial business combination, the rights and obligations attaching to our ordinary shares and other provisions of our memorandum and articles of association may be amended if approved by a majority of the votes of shareholders attending and voting on such amendment or by resolution of the directors. Our initial shareholders, which beneficially own approximately 20% of our ordinary shares, will participate in any vote to amend our memorandum and articles of association and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our memorandum and articles of association which govern our pre-business combination and the rights and obligations attaching to the ordinary shares behavior more easily that many blank check companies, and this may increase our ability to consummate our initial business combination with which you do not agree. However, we and our directors and officers have agreed not to propose any amendment to our memorandum and articles of association that would affect the substance and timing of our obligation to redeem the public shares of any public shareholder without the consent of that holder, if we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering.
Our memorandum and articles of association permit the board of directors by resolution to amend our memorandum and articles of association, including to create additional classes of securities, including shares with rights, preferences, designations and limitations as they determine which may have an anti-takeover effect.
Our memorandum and articles of association permits the board of directors by resolution to amend the memorandum and articles of association including to designate rights, preferences, designations and limitations attaching to the preferred shares as they determine in their discretion, without shareholder approval with respect the terms or the issuance. If issued, the rights, preferences, designations and limitations of the preferred shares would be set by the board of directors and could operate to the disadvantage of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares the holders of which would not have any pre-emption rights in respect of such an issue of preferred shares. Such terms could include, among others, preferences as to dividends and distributions on liquidation, or could be used to prevent possible corporate takeovers.
If we do not hold an annual general meeting until after the consummation of our initial business combination, shareholders will not be afforded an opportunity to appoint directors and to discuss company affairs with management until such time.
We may not call an annual general meeting until after we consummate our initial business combination. There is no requirement under the Companies Law for us to hold annual or extraordinary general meetings to appoint directors. Accordingly, shareholders would not have the right to attend such a meeting or appoint directors, unless the holders of not less than 10% in par value capital of our company request such a meeting. As a result, it is unlikely that there will be an annual general meeting to appoint new directors prior to the consummation of a business combination, in which case all of the current directors will continue in office until at least the consummation of the business combination. Until we hold an annual general meeting, public shareholders may not be afforded the opportunity to appoint directors and to discuss company affairs with management.
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General Risk Factors
We are a blank check company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
We are a blank check company with no operating results, and we will not commence operations until obtaining funding through the Initial Public Offering. Because we lack an operating history, you have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination with one or more target businesses. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning our initial business combination and may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we fail to complete our initial business combination, we will never generate any operating revenues.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including restrictions on the nature of our investments and restrictions on the issuance of securities, each of which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including registration as an investment company, adoption of a specific form of corporate structure and reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations.
If we were deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act, compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expenses for which we have not allotted funds and may hinder our ability to consummate our initial business combination.
Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, investments and results of operations.
We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we will be required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application also may change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate our initial business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing a business combination.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2022. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer will we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company, we will not be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. The fact that we are a blank check company makes compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act particularly burdensome on us as compared to other public companies because a target company with which we seek to complete our business combination may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of its internal controls. The development of the internal control of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such business combination.
Because we are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands and our executive offices are located in Singapore, you may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. Federal courts may be limited.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands and our executive offices are located in Singapore. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States on our company, or enforce judgments obtained in the United States courts against our company.
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Our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Law and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from English common law, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are different from statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholders derivative action in a Federal court of the United States.
We have been advised by our Cayman Islands legal counsel that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (i) to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum, and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, and or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by management, members of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a United States company.
We are an “emerging growth company” and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies will make our securities less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging growth” within the meaning of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As a result, our shareholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier. We cannot predict whether investors will find our securities less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result of our reliance on these exemptions, the trading prices of our securities may be lower than they otherwise would be, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the trading prices of our securities may be more volatile.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accountant standards used.
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained in Annual Report on Form 10-K, the prospectus associated with our Initial Public Offering and the registration statement of which such prospectus forms a part, which reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance, and any other statements of a future or forward-looking nature, constitute “forward-looking statements” for the purpose of the federal securities laws. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in Annual Report on Form 10-K, the prospectus associated with our Initial Public Offering and the registration statement of which such prospectus forms a part may include, for example, statements about:
| ● | our ability to complete our initial business combination; |
| ● | our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination; |
| ● | our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination, as a result of which they would then receive expense reimbursements; |
| ● | our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination; |
| ● | our pool of prospective target businesses, including their industry and geographic location; |
| ● | the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential investment opportunities; |
| ● | failure to list or delisting of our securities from Nasdaq or an inability to have our securities listed on Nasdaq following a business combination; |
| ● | our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading; |
| ● | the lack of a market for our securities; or |
| ● | our financial performance following the Initial Public Offering or an initial business combination. |
The forward-looking statements contained in Annual Report on Form 10-K, the prospectus associated with our Initial Public Offering and the registration statement of which such prospectus forms a part are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. Future developments affecting us may not be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the heading “Risk Factors.” Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Not applicable.
We maintain executive offices at c/o Vickers Vantage Corp. I, 1 Harbourfront Avenue, #16-06, Keppel Bay Tower, Singapore 098632, Singapore. We consider our current office space, combined with the other office space otherwise available to our executive officers, adequate for our current operations.
None.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
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ITEM 5. MARKET FOR COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Information
Our units, ordinary shares and warrants are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbols VCKAU, VCKA and VCKAW, respectively. Our units commenced public trading on January 7, 2021 and the ordinary shares and warrants commenced separate public trading on March 3, 2021.
Holders
As of March 31, 2021, there was one holder of record of our units, six holders of record of our ordinary shares and two holders of record of our warrants.
Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of a business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be contingent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements, and general financial condition subsequent to completion of a business combination. Further, under any indebtedness incurred in connection with our initial business combination, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith. The payment of any dividends subsequent to a business combination will be within the discretion of our then board of directors. It is the present intention of our board of directors to retain all earnings, if any, for use in our business operations and, accordingly, our board does not anticipate declaring any dividends in the foreseeable future.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities; Use of Proceeds from Registered Securities
Our initial shareholders have purchased an aggregate of 3,450,000 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.009 per share.
On January 11, 2021, we consummated our Initial Public Offering of 13,800,000 units, each consisting of one ordinary share and one-half of one warrant to purchase one ordinary share for $11.50 per share, including 1,800,000 units subject to the underwriters’ over-allotment option. Simultaneously with the consummation of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the private placement of 6,840,000 Private Placement Warrants at a price of $0.75 per Private Placement Warrant, generating total proceeds of $5,130,000. The issuances of the Private Placement Warrants was made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
Maxim Group LLC acted as sole book-running manager for the Initial Public Offering. The securities in the offering were registered under the Securities Act on a registration statement on Form S-1 (Registration Nos. 333-251352 and 333-251927). The Securities and Exchange Commission declared the registration statement effective on January 6, 2021.
The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Warrants sold in the Initial Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants are non-redeemable and may be exercised on a cashless basis, in each case so long as they continue to be held by the initial shareholders or their permitted transferees. Additionally, the purchasers of the Private Placement Warrants have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of the Private Placement Warrants (except to certain permitted transferees) until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination.
Of the gross proceeds received from the initial public offering (including pursuant to the over-allotment option) and private placement of Private Placement Warrants, $139,380,000 ($10.10 per Unit sold in the initial public offering, including from the over-allotment option) was placed in the trust account.
Transaction costs amounted to $8,149,473, consisting of $2,400,000 in cash underwriting fees, $5,190,000 in deferred underwriting fees, and $559,473 of other offering costs. In addition, as of January 11, 2021, cash of $559,637 was held outside of the Trust Account and is available for the payment of offering costs and for working capital purposes.
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We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the trust account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the trust account not previously released to us (less taxes payable and deferred underwriting commissions) to complete our initial business combination. We may withdraw interest to pay our income taxes, if any. To the extent that our equity or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the trust account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions, and pursue our growth strategies.
We intend to use the funds held outside the trust account primarily to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants, or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, and structure, negotiate, and complete a business combination.
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Not applicable.
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our audited financial statements and the notes related thereto which are included in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including those set forth under “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated in the Cayman Islands on February 21, 2020 formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, amalgamation, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar Business Combination with one or more businesses. We intend to effectuate our Business Combination using cash derived from the proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, our shares, debt or a combination of cash, shares and debt.
We expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our acquisition plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to complete a Business Combination will be successful.
Results of Operations
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any operating revenues to date. Our only activities from inception through December 31, 2020 were organizational activities and those necessary to prepare for the Initial Public Offering, described below. We do not expect to generate any operating revenues until after the completion of our initial Business Combination. We expect to generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on marketable securities held after the Initial Public Offering. We expect that we will incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses in connection with searching for, and completing, a Business Combination.
For the period from February 21, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020, we had a net loss of $6,276, which consisted of formation and operating expenses.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2020, we had cash of $30,511. Until the consummation of the Initial Public Offering, our only source of liquidity was an initial purchase of ordinary shares by the Sponsors and loans from our Sponsor.
On January 11, 2021, we consummated the Initial Public Offering of 13,800,000 Units, at a price of $10.00 per Unit, which included the full exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option in the amount of 1,800,000 Units, generating gross proceeds of $138,000,000. Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the sale of 6,840,000 Private Placement Warrants to the Sponsor at a price of $0.75 per Private Placement Warrant generating gross proceeds of $5,130,000.
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Following the Initial Public Offering, full exercise of the over-allotment option, and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, a total of $139,380,000 was placed in the Trust Account, and we had $559,637 of cash held outside of the Trust Account, after payment of costs related to the Initial Public Offering, and available for working capital purposes. We incurred $8,149,473 in transaction costs, including $2,400,000 of underwriting fees, $5,190,000 of deferred underwriting fees and $559,473 of other offering costs.
We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the Trust Account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the Trust Account, which interest shall be net of taxes payable and excluding deferred underwriting commissions, to complete our Business Combination. We may withdraw interest from the Trust Account to pay taxes, if any. To the extent that our share capital or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete a Business Combination, the remaining proceeds held in the Trust Account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.
We intend to use the funds held outside the Trust Account primarily to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, structure, negotiate and complete a Business Combination.
In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, our Sponsor or an affiliate of our Sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete a Business Combination, we may repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to us. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account to repay such loaned amounts, but no proceeds from our Trust Account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants, at a price of $0.75 per warrant, at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants.
The Company may extend the period of time to consummate a Business Combination up to two times, each by an additional three months (until July 11, 2022 to complete a Business Combination). In order to extend the time available for the Company to consummate a Business Combination, the Sponsor or its affiliates or designees must deposit into the Trust Account $1,035,000 ($0.075 per Public Share in either case), on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three month extension, providing a total possible Business Combination period up until July 11, 2022 for a total payment value of $2,070,000 ($0.15 per unit in either case). Any such deposits would be made in the form of non-interest bearing loans. Such notes would either be paid upon consummation of a Business Combination, or, at the relevant insider’s discretion, converted upon consummation of a Business Combination into additional Private Placement Warrants at a price of $0.75 per Private Placement Warrant. The Sponsor and its affiliates or designees intend, but are not obligated, to fund the Trust Account to extend the time for the Company to complete a Business Combination.
We do not believe we will need to raise additional funds in order to meet the expenditures required for operating our business. However, if our estimate of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating a Business Combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to our initial Business Combination. Moreover, we may need to obtain additional financing either to complete our Business Combination or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of our Business Combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such Business Combination.
Going Concern
In connection with our assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standard Board’s Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” management has determined that the mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. The Company’s Sponsors intend, but are not obligated to, utilize the available extensions to extend the time to complete the initial business combination. These extensions, along with utilizing the working capital loans available to the Company, are expected to sustain the Company. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities should we extend or be required to liquidate after January 11, 2022.
Off-Balance Sheet Financing Arrangements
We have no obligations, assets or liabilities, which would be considered off-balance sheet arrangements as of December 31, 2020. We do not participate in transactions that create relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, often referred to as variable interest entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements. We have not entered into any off-balance sheet financing arrangements, established any special purpose entities, guaranteed any debt or commitments of other entities, or purchased any non-financial assets.
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Contractual Obligations
We do not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities.
As part of our Initial Public Offering, the underwriters were paid $2,400,000 in cash underwriting fees. The underwriters are also entitled to a deferred fee of (i) 3.5% of the gross proceeds of the initial 12,000,000 Units sold in the Initial Public Offering, or $4,200,000, and (ii) 5.5% of the gross proceeds from the Units sold pursuant to the over-allotment option, or $990,000. The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that we complete a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
Critical Accounting Policies
The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and income and expenses during the periods reported. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. We have not identified any critical accounting policies.
Recent Accounting Standards
Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on our financial statements.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
Not required for smaller reporting companies.
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
This information appears following Item 15 of this Report and is included herein by reference.
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
None.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Disclosure controls are procedures that are designed with the objective of ensuring that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the Exchange Act, such as this Report, is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time period specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls are also designed with the objective of ensuring that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Our management evaluated, with the participation of our current chief executive officer and chief financial officer (our “Certifying Officers”), the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2020, pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our Certifying Officers concluded that, as of December 31, 2020, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
We do not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures will prevent all errors and all instances of fraud. Disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the disclosure controls and procedures are met. Further, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all disclosure controls and procedures, no evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures can provide absolute assurance that we have detected all our control deficiencies and instances of fraud, if any. The design of disclosure controls and procedures also is based partly on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.
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Management’s Report on Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting
This Annual Report on Form 10-K does not include a report of management’s assessment regarding internal control over financial reporting or an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by rules of the SEC for newly public companies.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) during the most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
This information appears following Item 16 of this Report and is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE.
None.
ITEM 9A. CONTROL AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures
Disclosure controls and procedures are controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in company reports filed or submitted under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in company reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
As required by Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2020. Based upon such evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
Management’s report on internal control over financial reporting
This Annual Report on Form 10-K does not include a report of management’s assessment regarding internal control over financial reporting or an attestation report of our registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by rules of the SEC for newly public companies.
During the quarter ended December 31, 2020, there has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Limitations on the effectiveness of controls
A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within a company have been detected. Our disclosure controls and procedures are designed to provide reasonable assurance of achieving its objectives. Our principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective at that reasonable assurance level.
Not applicable.
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ITEM 10. DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT
Directors and Executive Officers
Our current directors and executive officers are as follows:
| Name | Age | Position | ||
| Jeffrey Chi | 52 | Chairman and CEO | ||
| Chris Ho | 33 | Chief Financial Officer and Director | ||
| Pei Wei Woo | 44 | Director | ||
| Suneel Kaji | 51 | Director | ||
| Steve Myint | 62 | Director |
Jeffrey Chi has served as our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since our inception. Dr. Chi co-founded Vickers Ventures Partners in 2005 and is a member of its Investment Committee. From 2013 to April 2017, Dr. Chi also served as the Chairman of the Singapore Venture Capital and Private Equity Association. From 2001 to 2005, Dr. Chi was with Pegasus Capital, where he initially served as a Senior Consultant with the Monitor Group and later served as Corporate Finance Specialist and an Executive Director managing engagements for a wide range of clients in both the public and private sectors. Dr. Chi’s operational background includes working on the management team of an engineering and construction group where he oversaw operations in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and Indonesia from 1992 to 1998. Dr. Chi graduated from the University of Cambridge with First Class Honors in Engineering and has a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also a CFA charterholder, and is fluent in English and Mandarin. We believe Dr. Chi is well-qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his experience and relationships and contacts.
Chris Ho has served as our Chief Financial Officer and member of our board of directors since our inception. Mr. Ho joined VVP in 2016 as a Venture Principal, sourcing and evaluating international new investments and acquisitions, with a particular focus on technology investments. Prior to joining VVP, Mr. Ho worked at ZS Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm, from January 2014 to April 2017 where he specialized in sales transformation projects. His work ranged from portfolio and business strategy and customer segmentation to incentive compensation plan design and effectiveness diagnostics, across a broad spectrum of industries including high-tech, travel and transportation, and agri-chemicals. Mr. Ho received a B.S. in Political Science and an MS in Electrical Engineering, both from Columbia University. He is fluent in English and Mandarin. We believe Mr. Ho is well-qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his experience and relationships and contacts.
Pei Wei Woo has served as a member of our board of directors since October 2020. Since January 2019, Ms. Woo has served as Managing Director of FOSUN, one of the largest private conglomerates in China with global businesses in healthcare and consumer products, financial services, tourism, entertainment and real estate. In 2018, Ms. Woo served as head of all international capital allocation, asset management and investment products at Lu International PTE Ltd., the global financial technology headquarters for Lufax Holdings, China’s largest online wealth management platform. From 2014 to 2017, she served as Senior Director of CDPQ Asias Pacific PTE Ltd., one of Canada’s largest pension plans. From 2013 to 2014, she served as Vice President of JPMorgan Asset Management. From 2007 to 2012, Ms. Woo was a Director at Cenenium Capital Partners, a single family office in New York. From 1999 to 2017, she was a Director at the Economic Development Board in Singapore. Ms. Woo received a B.Sc. in Economics from London School of Economics and an M.A. in Economics from Yale University. We believe Ms. Woo is well-qualified to serve on our board of directors due to her experience and relationships and contacts.
Suneel Kaji has served as a member of our board of directors since October 2020. Since May 2019, Mr. Kaji has served as a Managing Director of Everstone Capital, which manages in excess of US$6.5 billion, and its Everstone Capital US and Everstone Capital Asia Pte group of funds, for which he co-leads control equity and special situations investing in consumer and business services and cross-border investments between the US and Asia. Mr. Kaji was formerly a member of the board of directors of Twelve Seas Investment Company, a blank check company, from June 2018 until it an initial business combination with Brooge Holdings in December 2019. Previously from October 2016 through the spring of 2019, Mr. Kaji had served as an employee director of the University of Texas and Texas A&M System Management Company (UTIMCO), advising on co- and direct principal investments globally as well as emerging markets’ fund selection. Prior to joining UTIMCO, Mr. Kaji served as a Managing Director of Accordion Partners LLC, a private equity consultancy with three offices globally. He established and led the firm’s investment affiliate (established in 2014) that co-invests with the firm’s consultancy clientele. From 2008 to June 2014, Mr. Kaji had been a Managing Director and Senior Investment Manager-Private Investments at TRG Management (an affiliate of the Rohatyn Group). He managed non-real estate private investment activity across Asia, including cross-border investments with the US and Australia. He was responsible for origination, evaluation, and structuring of private equity and distressed credits across diverse industries such as natural resource services, chemicals, logistics, and consumer services. Mr. Kaji also sat on the boards of two joint venture real estate and infrastructure funds in Asia. From 2003 to 2008, Mr. Kaji was a Managing Director at the GEM-Kinderhook Funds in New York, focused on mid-cap control investments, structured minority equity and hybrid credit transactions in the US, as well as opportunistic pursuits in China, the Middle East North Africa region, and India. From 1999 to 2003, Mr. Kaji was a Principal at Crown Capital Group, a mid-cap private equity group established by DLJ Merchant Banking, Apollo Management and former employees thereof. Previously he was a Vice President at DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (1996 to 1999), based in New York and Hong Kong. Mr. Kaji started his career in finance with Salomon Brothers (1991 to 1994) and entered the principal investment business at Goldman Sachs (1995). He graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelors of Science in Economics, magna cum laude, and Stanford University with an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. We believe Mr. Kaji is well-qualified to serve on our board of directors due to her experience and relationships and contacts.
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Dr. Steve Myint has served as a member of our board of directors since October 2020. Dr. Myint has served as a Senior Fellow to A*Star, a Singapore research agency for economic oriented research in scientific discovery and innovative technology, since 2010, and a consultant to its commercialization arm, Accelerate. He has also served as an adjunct Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School since 2015. From 2007 to 2009, he was Chief Medical Officer at BTG International, one of the United Kingdom’s largest life science companies which was sold to Boston Scientific in 2018. Prior to that, he was Global Medical Director of SmithKline Beecham (which subsequently became part ort of GlaxoSmithKline) where he was responsible for leading its global development programs. He is a former Professor of Microbiology & Immunology in Leicester and Dean of Medicine & Head of the Health Schools at the University of Surrey. He was also the co-founder of Innovatum partners, Finland’s first specialist investor in life sciences and advisor in life sciences to Finland’s sovereign wealth fund. He is also founder of 42 and ambassador to Institute of Ethics and Values in Slovenia, both of which promote ethical values in companies and society. He is also chairman of the boards of SGVector and INeX, Singaporean life science companies. Dr. Myint received a MD from London University and a PhD from Wurzburg University. We believe Dr. Myint is well-qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his experience and relationships and contacts.
Director Independence
Nasdaq listing standards require that a majority of our board of directors be independent. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship which in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director.
Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present. Any affiliated transactions will be on terms no less favorable to us than could be obtained from independent parties. Any affiliated transactions must be approved by a majority of our independent and disinterested directors.
Our board of directors has determined that Pei Wei Woo, Suneel Kaji and Steve Myint are “independent directors” as defined in the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
Any affiliated transactions will be on terms no less favorable to us than could be obtained from independent parties. Our board of directors will review and approve all affiliated transactions with any interested director abstaining from such review and approval.
Audit Committee
Effective January 6, 2021, we established an audit committee of the board of directors, in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act, which consists of Pei Wei Woo, Suneel Kaji and Steve Myint, each of whom is an independent director under Nasdaq’s listing standards. The audit committee’s duties, which are specified in our Audit Committee Charter, include, but are not limited to:
| ● | reviewing and discussing with management and the independent auditor the annual audited financial statements, and recommending to the board whether the audited financial statements should be included in our Form 10-K; | |
| ● | discussing with management and the independent auditor significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of our financial statements; | |
| ● | discussing with management major risk assessment and risk management policies; | |
| ● | monitoring the independence of the independent auditor; | |
| ● | verifying the rotation of the lead (or coordinating) audit partner having primary responsibility for the audit and the audit partner responsible for reviewing the audit as required by law; | |
| ● | reviewing and approving all related-party transactions; | |
| ● | inquiring and discussing with management our compliance with applicable laws and regulations; | |
| ● | pre-approving all audit services and permitted non-audit services to be performed by our independent auditor, including the fees and terms of the services to be performed; | |
| ● | appointing or replacing the independent auditor; | |
| ● | determining the compensation and oversight of the work of the independent auditor (including resolution of disagreements between management and the independent auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work; | |
| ● | establishing procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by us regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or reports which raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies; and | |
| ● | approving reimbursement of expenses incurred by our management team in identifying potential target businesses. | |
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Financial Experts on Audit Committee
The audit committee will at all times be composed exclusively of “independent directors” who are “financially literate” as defined under Nasdaq’s listing standards. In addition, we must certify to Nasdaq that the committee has, and will continue to have, at least one member who has past employment experience in finance or accounting, requisite professional certification in accounting, or other comparable experience or background that results in the individual’s financial sophistication. Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our board of directors has determined that Mr. Kaji qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules.
Nominating Committee
Effective January 6, 2021, we established a nominating committee of the board of directors, which consists of ei Wei Woo, Suneel Kaji and Steve Myint, each of whom is an independent director under Nasdaq’s listing standards. The nominating committee is responsible for overseeing the selection of persons to be nominated to serve on our board of directors. The nominating committee considers persons identified by its members, management, shareholders, investment bankers and others.
Guidelines for Selecting Director Nominees
The guidelines for selecting nominees, which are specified in the Nominating Committee Charter, generally provide that persons to be nominated:
| ● | should have demonstrated notable or significant achievements in business, education or public service; | |
| ● | should possess the requisite intelligence, education and experience to make a significant contribution to the board of directors and bring a range of skills, diverse perspectives and backgrounds to its deliberations; and | |
| ● | should have the highest ethical standards, a strong sense of professionalism and intense dedication to serving the interests of the shareholders. |
The Nominating Committee will consider a number of qualifications relating to management and leadership experience, background, and integrity and professionalism in evaluating a person’s candidacy for membership on the board of directors. The nominating committee may require certain skills or attributes, such as financial or accounting experience, to meet specific board needs that arise from time to time and will also consider the overall experience and makeup of its members to obtain a broad and diverse mix of board members. The nominating committee does not distinguish among nominees recommended by shareholders and other persons.
There have been no material changes to the procedures by which security holders may recommend nominees to our board of directors.
Compensation Committee
Effective January 6, 2021, we established a compensation committee of the board of directors, which consists of Pei Wei Woo, Suneel Kaji and Steve Myint, each of whom is an independent director under Nasdaq’s listing standards. The compensation committee’s duties, which are specified in our Compensation Committee Charter, include, but are not limited to:
| ● | reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation, evaluating our Chief Executive Officer’s performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration (if any) of our Chief Executive Officer based on such evaluation; | |
| ● | reviewing and approving the compensation of all of our other executive officers; | |
| ● | reviewing our executive compensation policies and plans; | |
| ● | implementing and administering our incentive compensation equity-based remuneration plans; | |
| ● | assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and annual report disclosure requirements; | |
| ● | approving all special perquisites, special cash payments and other special compensation and benefit arrangements for our executive officers and employees; | |
| ● | if required, producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement; and | |
| ● | reviewing, evaluating, and recommending changes, if appropriate, to the remuneration for directors. |
Code of Ethics
Effective January 6, 2021 we adopted a code of ethics that applies to all of our executive officers, directors, and employees. The code of ethics codifies the business and ethical principles that govern all aspects of our business.
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ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Executive Compensation
No executive officer has received any cash compensation for services rendered to us.
No compensation or fees of any kind, including finder’s, consulting fees, and other similar fees, will be paid to our initial shareholders, members of our management team, or their respective affiliates, for services rendered prior to or in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, they will receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection with activities on our behalf, such as identifying potential target businesses, performing business due diligence on suitable target businesses and business combinations, as well as traveling to and from the offices, plants, or similar locations of prospective target businesses to examine their operations. There is no limit on the amount of out-of-pocket expenses reimbursable by us.
After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management, or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to shareholders, to the extent then known, in the proxy solicitation materials furnished to our shareholders. The amount of such compensation may not be known at the time of a shareholder meeting held to consider an initial business combination, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation. In this event, such compensation will be publicly disclosed at the time of its determination in a Current Report on Form 8-K, as required by the SEC.
Since our formation, we have not granted any stock options or stock appreciation rights or any other awards under long-term incentive plans to any of our executive officers or directors.
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares as of the date of this annual report by:
| ● | each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding ordinary shares; | |
| ● | each of our officers and directors; and | |
| ● | all of our officers and directors as a group. |
Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares beneficially owned by them. The following table does not reflect record of beneficial ownership of the warrants included in the units offered in the IPO or the Private Placement Warrants as these warrants are not exercisable within 60 days of the date hereof.
| Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1) | Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership | Approximate Percentage of Outstanding Shares | ||||||
| Jeffrey Chi | 3,375,000 | (2) | 19.5 | % | ||||
| Chris Ho | 3,375,000 | (2) | 19.5 | % | ||||
| Pei Wei Woo | 25,000 | * | % | |||||
| Suneel Kaji | 25,000 | * | % | |||||
| Steve Myint | 25,000 | * | % | |||||
| Vickers Venture Fund VI Pte Ltd | 3,054,499 | 17.6 | % | |||||
| Vickers Venture Fund VI (Plan) Pte Ltd | 320,501 | 1.9 | % | |||||
| All directors and executive officers as a group (five individuals) | 3,450,000 | 20 | % | |||||
| * | Less than 1%. |
| (1) | Unless otherwise indicated, the business address of each of the individuals is 1 Harbourfront Avenue, #16-06, Keppel Bay Tower, Singapore 098632, Singapore. |
| (2) | Represents shares held by our sponsors. Messrs. Chi and Ho have voting and dispositive power over the shares held by our sponsors through their positions with VVP. |
All of the Founders’ Shares outstanding prior to our IPO have been placed in escrow with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as escrow agent, until (1) with respect to 50% of the founders’ shares, the earlier of six months after the date of the consummation of our initial business combination and the date on which the closing price of our ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.50 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after our initial business combination and (2) with respect to the remaining 50% of the founders’ shares, six months after the date of the consummation of our initial business combination, or earlier, in either case, if, subsequent to our initial business combination, we consummate a liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their shares for cash, securities or other property.
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During the escrow period, the holders of the Founders’ Shares will not be able to sell or transfer their securities except for transfers, assignments or sales (i) to our initial shareholders, officers, directors, consultants or their affiliates, (ii) to an initial stockholder’s members upon its liquidation, (iii) to relatives and trusts for estate planning purposes, (iv) by virtue of the laws of descent and distribution upon death, (v) pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, (vi) to us for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination, or (vii) in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination, by private sales at prices no greater than the price at which the shares were originally purchased, in each case (except for clause (vi) or with our prior consent) where the transferee agrees to the terms of the escrow agreement and to be bound by these transfer restrictions, but will retain all other rights as our shareholders, including, without limitation, the right to vote their shares and the right to receive cash dividends, if declared. If dividends are declared and payable in shares, such dividends will also be placed in escrow. If we are unable to effect a business combination and liquidate, there will be no liquidation distribution with respect to the Founders’ Shares.
Equity Compensation Plans
As of December 31, 2020, we had no compensation plans (including individual compensation arrangements) under which equity securities of the registrant were authorized for issuance.
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
Our initial shareholders have purchased an aggregate of 3,450,000 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.009 per share.
All of the founders’ shares were placed in escrow with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as escrow agent, until (1) with respect to 50% of the founders’ shares, the earlier of six months after the date of the consummation of our initial business combination and the date on which the closing price of our ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.50 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after our initial business combination and (2) with respect to the remaining 50% of the founders’ shares, six months after the date of the consummation of our initial business combination, or earlier, in either case, if, subsequent to our initial business combination, we consummate a liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their shares for cash, securities or other property. The holders of the founders’ shares have agreed (A) to vote any shares owned by them in favor of any proposed business combination, (B) not to redeem any shares in connection with a stockholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination or any amendment to our charter documents prior to consummation of an initial business combination or sell any shares to us in a tender offer in connection with a proposed initial business combination and (C) that the founders’ shares shall not participate in any liquidating distribution from the trust account upon winding up if a business combination is not consummated.
Our Sponsors, Vickers Venture Fund VI Pte Ltd and Vickers Venture Fund VI (Plan) Pte Ltd. purchased an aggregate of 6,840,000 Private Placement Warrants for a total purchase price of $5,130,000. The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the public warrants except that the Private Placement Warrants: (i) will not be redeemable by us and (ii) may be exercised for cash or on a cashless basis so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or any of their permitted transferees. The initial purchasers have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of the Private Placement Warrants and underlying securities (except to certain permitted transferees) until the completion of our initial business combination.
In order to meet our working capital needs following the consummation of our initial public offering, our initial shareholders, officers and directors or their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds, from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion. Each loan would be evidenced by a promissory note. The notes would either be paid upon consummation of our initial business combination, without interest, or, at holder’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of the notes may be redeemed into warrants at a price of $0.75 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts, but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment.
The holders of our founders’ shares, as well as the holders of the Private Placement Warrants and any warrants our initial shareholders, officers, directors or their affiliates may be issued in payment of working capital loans made to us (and all underlying securities), will be entitled to registration rights. The holders of a majority of these securities are entitled to make up to two demands that we register such securities. The holders of the majority of the founders’ shares can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time commencing three months prior to the date on which these ordinary shares are to be released from escrow. The holders of a majority of the private warrants and warrants issued in payment of working capital loans made to us (or underlying securities) can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time after we consummate a business combination. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our consummation of a business combination. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
We currently maintain our executive offices at 1 Harbourfront Avenue, #16-06, Keppel Bay Tower, Singapore 098632, Singapore. Such space, utilities and secretarial and administrative services will be provided to us free of charge by an affiliate of our executive officers. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.
| 37 |
No compensation or fees of any kind, including finder’s, consulting fees and other similar fees, will be paid to our initial shareholders, members of our management team or their respective affiliates, for services rendered prior to or in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, such individuals will receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection with activities on our behalf, such as identifying potential target businesses, performing business due diligence on suitable target businesses and business combinations as well as traveling to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses to examine their operations. There is no limit on the amount of out-of-pocket expenses reimbursable by us.
Related Party Policy
Our Code of Ethics, which we adopted upon consummation of our initial public offering, requires us to avoid, wherever possible, all related party transactions that could result in actual or potential conflicts of interests, except under guidelines approved by the board of directors (or the audit committee). Related-party transactions are defined as transactions in which (1) the aggregate amount involved will or may be expected to exceed $120,000 in any calendar year, (2) we or any of our subsidiaries is a participant, and (3) any (a) executive officer, director or nominee for election as a director, (b) greater than 5% beneficial owner of our ordinary shares, or (c) immediate family member, of the persons referred to in clauses (a) and (b), has or will have a direct or indirect material interest (other than solely as a result of being a director or a less than 10% beneficial owner of another entity). A conflict of interest situation can arise when a person takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her work objectively and effectively. Conflicts of interest may also arise if a person, or a member of his or her family, receives improper personal benefits as a result of his or her position.
We also require each of our directors and executive officers to annually complete a directors’ and officers’ questionnaire that elicits information about related party transactions.
Our audit committee, pursuant to its written charter, is responsible for reviewing and approving related-party transactions to the extent we enter into such transactions. All ongoing and future transactions between us and any of our officers and directors or their respective affiliates will be on terms believed by us to be no less favorable to us than are available from unaffiliated third parties. Such transactions will require prior approval by our audit committee and a majority of our uninterested “independent” directors, or the members of our board who do not have an interest in the transaction, in either case who had access, at our expense, to our attorneys or independent legal counsel. We will not enter into any such transaction unless our audit committee and a majority of our disinterested “independent” directors determine that the terms of such transaction are no less favorable to us than those that would be available to us with respect to such a transaction from unaffiliated third parties. Additionally, we require each of our directors and executive officers to complete a directors’ and officers’ questionnaire that elicits information about related party transactions.
These procedures are intended to determine whether any such related party transaction impairs the independence of a director or presents a conflict of interest on the part of a director, employee or officer.
Director Independence
Currently each of Pei Wei Woo, Suneel Kaji and Steve Myint would each be considered an “independent director” under the Nasdaq listing rules, which is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship, which, in the opinion of the company’s board of directors would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES.
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
The firm of WithumSmith+Brown, PC, or Withum, acts as our independent registered public accounting firm. The following is a summary of fees paid to Withum for services rendered.
Audit Fees. During the period from February 21, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020, fees for our independent registered public accounting firm were approximately $81,388 for the services Withum performed in connection with our Initial Public Offering and the audit of our December 31, 2020 financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Audit-Related Fees. During the period from February 21, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020, our independent registered public accounting firm did not render assurance and related services related to the performance of the audit or review of financial statements.
Tax Fees. During the period from February 21, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020, our independent registered public accounting firm did not render services to us for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning.
All Other Fees. During the period from February 21, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020, there were no fees billed for products and services provided by our independent registered public accounting firm other than those set forth above.
Pre-Approval Policy
Our audit committee was formed upon the consummation of our Initial Public Offering. As a result, the audit committee did not pre-approve all of the foregoing services, although any services rendered prior to the formation of our audit committee were approved by our board of directors. Since the formation of our audit committee, and on a going-forward basis, the audit committee has and will pre-approve all auditing services and permitted non-audit services to be performed for us by our auditors, including the fees and terms thereof (subject to the de minimis exceptions for non-audit services described in the Exchange Act which are approved by the audit committee prior to the completion of the audit).
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ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, AND SCHEDULES
| (a) | The following documents are filed as part of this Form 10-K: | |
| (1) | Financial Statements: |
| (2) | Financial Statement Schedules: |
None.
| (3) | Exhibits |
We hereby file as part of this Report the exhibits listed in the attached Exhibit Index. Exhibits which are incorporated herein by reference can be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of such material can also be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates or on the SEC website at www.sec.gov.
| ** | Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (SEC File Nos. 333-251352 and 333-251927). |
None.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Section 13 or 15 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2021.
| EDTECHX HOLDINGS ACQUSIITION CORP. II | ||
| By: | /s/ Chris Ho | |
| Chris Ho | ||
| Chief Executive Officer | ||
In accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Name | Position | Date | ||
| /s/ Jeffrey Chi | Executive Chairman and Chief Investment Officer | March 31, 2021 | ||
| Jeffrey Chi | ||||
| /s/ Chris Ho | Chief Executive Officer and Director | March 31, 2021 | ||
| Chris Ho | (Principal Executive Officer) | |||
| /s/ Pei Wei Woo | Chief Financial Officer | March 31, 2021 | ||
| Pei Wei Woo | (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |||
| /s/ Suneel Kaji | Director | March 31, 2021 | ||
| Suneel Kaji | ||||
| /s/ Steve Myint | Director | March 31, 2021 | ||
| Steve Myint |
| 40 |
VICKERS VANTAGE CORP. I
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
| Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | F-2 |
| Financial Statements: | |
| Balance Sheet | F-3 |
| Statement of Operations | F-4 |
| Statement of Changes in Shareholder’s Equity | F-5 |
| Statement of Cash Flows | F-6 |
| Notes to Financial Statements | F-7 to F-14 |
| F-1 |
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholder and the Board of Directors of
Vickers Vantage Corp. I
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Vickers Vantage Corp. I (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2020, the related statements of operations, changes in shareholder’s equity and cash flows for the period from February 21, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020 and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the period from February 21, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
| /s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC |
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2020.
New York, New York
March 31, 2021
| F-2 |
VICKERS VANTAGE CORP. I
BALANCE SHEET
DECEMBER 31, 2020
| ASSETS | ||||
| Current asset – cash | $ | 30,511 | ||
| Deferred offering costs | 168,973 | |||
| TOTAL ASSETS | $ | 199,484 | ||
| LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY | ||||
| Current liabilities | ||||
| Accrued offering costs | $ | 25,760 | ||
| Advances from related party | 30,000 | |||
| Promissory note — related party | 125,000 | |||
| Total Current Liabilities | 180,760 | |||
| Commitments and Contingencies | ||||
| Shareholder’s Equity | ||||
| Preference shares, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding | — | |||
| Ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 200,000,000 shares authorized; 3,450,000 shares issued and outstanding (1) | 345 | |||
| Additional paid-in capital | 24,655 | |||
| Accumulated deficit | (6,276 | ) | ||
| Total Shareholder’s Equity | 18,724 | |||
| TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY | $ | 199,484 |
| (1) | Includes an aggregate of up to 450,000 ordinary shares that are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised (see Note 5). On October 8. 2020, the Company effected a share capitalization of 0.2 shares for each share outstanding, on December 7, 2020, the Sponsors forfeited 1,437,500 ordinary shares, which were cancelled by the Company, and on January 6, 2021, the Company effected a share capitalization of 0.2 shares for each share outstanding, resulting in 3,450,000 ordinary shares issued and outstanding (see Note 5). All share and per share amounts have been retroactively restated the reflect the share capitalization. As a result of the underwriters full exercise of their overallotment option on January 11, 2021, no shares are currently subject to forfeiture. |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
| F-3 |
VICKERS VANTAGE CORP. I
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM FEBRUARY 21, 2020 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2020
| Formation and operating costs | $ | (6,276 | ) | |
| Net Loss | $ | (6,276 | ) | |
| Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted (1) | 3,000,000 | |||
| Basic and diluted net loss per ordinary share | $ | (0.00 | ) |
| (1) | Excludes an aggregate of up to 450,000 ordinary shares that are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised (see Note 5). On October 8, 2020, the Company effected a share capitalization of 0.2 shares for each share outstanding, on December 7, 2020, the Sponsors forfeited 1,437,500 ordinary shares, which were cancelled by the Company, and on January 6, 2021, the Company effected a share capitalization of 0.2 shares for each share outstanding, resulting in 3,450,000 ordinary shares issued and outstanding (see Note 5). All share and per share amounts have been retroactively restated the reflect the share capitalization. As a result of the underwriters full exercise of their overallotment option on January 11, 2021, no shares are currently subject to forfeiture. |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
| F-4 |
VICKERS VANTAGE CORP. I
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY
FOR THE PERIOD FROM FEBRUARY 21, 2020 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2020
| Class B Ordinary Shares | Additional Paid-in | Accumulated | Total Shareholder’s | |||||||||||||||||
| Shares | Amount | Capital | Deficit | Equity | ||||||||||||||||
| Balance — February 21, 2020 (inception) | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | |||||||||||
| Issuance of ordinary shares to an affiliate of the Sponsors (1) | 3,450,000 | 345 | 24,655 | — | 25,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Net loss | — | — | — | (6,276 | ) | (6,276 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Balance — December 31, 2020 | 3,450,000 | $ | 345 | $ | 24,655 | $ | (6,276 | ) | $ | 18,724 | ||||||||||
| (1) | Includes an aggregate of up to 450,000 ordinary shares that are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised (see Note 5). On October 8. 2020, the Company effected a share capitalization of 0.2 shares for each share outstanding, on December 7, 2020, the Sponsors forfeited 1,437,500 ordinary shares, which were cancelled by the Company, and on January 6, 2021, the Company effected a share capitalization of 0.2 shares for each share outstanding, resulting in 3,450,000 ordinary shares issued and outstanding (see Note 5). All share and per share amounts have been retroactively restated the reflect the share capitalization. As a result of the underwriters full exercise of their overallotment option on January 11, 2021, no shares are currently subject to forfeiture. |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
| F-5 |
VICKERS VANTAGE CORP. I
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM FEBRUARY 21, 2020 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2020
| Cash Flows from Operating Activities: | ||||
| Net loss | $ | (6,276 | ) | |
| Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||
| Formation cost paid through advances from affiliate of Sponsors | 5,000 | |||
| Net cash used in operating activities | (1,276 | ) | ||
| Cash Flows from Financing Activities: | ||||
| Proceeds from issuance of initial shares to sponsor | 25,000 | |||
| Proceeds from promissory note — related party | 125,000 | |||
| Payment of offering costs | (118,213 | ) | ||
| Net cash provided by financing activities | 31,787 | |||
| Net Change in Cash | 30,511 | |||
| Cash – Beginning | — | |||
| Cash – Ending | $ | 30,511 | ||
| Non-cash investing and financing activities: | ||||
| Offering costs paid by advances from Sponsor | $ | 25,000 | ||
| Deferred offering costs included in accrued offering costs | $ | 25,760 |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
| F-6 |
NOTE 1 — DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Vickers Vantage Corp. I (the “Company”) is a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on February 21, 2020. The Company was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (a “Business Combination”).
The Company is not limited to a particular industry or sector for purposes of consummating a Business Combination. The Company is an early stage and emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies.
As of December 31, 2020, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from February 21, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020 relates to the Company’s formation and the initial public offering (“Initial Public Offering”), which is described below. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of a Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Initial Public Offering.
The registration statement for the Company’s Initial Public Offering was declared effective on January 6, 2021. On January 11, 2021, the Company consummated the Initial Public Offering of 13,800,000 Units (the “Units” and, with respect to the ordinary shares included in the Units sold, the “Public Shares”), which includes the full exercise by the underwriter of its over-allotment option in the amount of 1,800,000 Units, at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $138,000,000 which is described in Note 3.
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company consummated the sale of 6,840,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $0.75 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement to Vickers Venture Fund VI Pte Ltd and Vickers Venture Fund VI (Plan) Pte Ltd, (the “Sponsor”), generating gross proceeds of $5,130,000, which is described in Note 4.
Transaction costs amounted to $8,149,473, consisting of $2,400,000 in cash underwriting fees, $5,190,000 in deferred underwriting fees, and $559,473 of other offering costs.
Following the closing of the Initial Public Offering on January 11, 2021, an amount of $139,380,000 ($10.10 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants was placed in a trust account (the “Trust Account”), and invested in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), with a maturity of 185 days or less, or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund investing solely in U.S. Treasuries and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earliest of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the funds in the Trust Account to the Company’s shareholders, as described below.
The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. The stock exchange listing rules require that the Business Combination must be with one or more operating businesses or assets with a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the assets held in the Trust Account (as defined below) (less any deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the Trust Account). The Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-Business Combination company owns or acquires 50% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully effect a Business Combination.
The Company will provide the holders of the public shares (the “Public Shareholders”) with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of the Business Combination, either (i) in connection with a general meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek shareholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion. The Public Shareholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the Business Combination (initially anticipated to be $10.10 per Public Share), including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to certain limitations as described in the prospectus. The per-share amount to be distributed to the Public Shareholders who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions the Company will pay to the underwriters (as discussed in Note 6).
| F-7 |
The Company will proceed with a Business Combination only if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 and, if the Company seeks shareholder approval, it receives an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law approving a Business Combination, which requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shareholders who attend and vote at a general meeting of the Company. If a shareholder vote is not required and the Company does not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and file tender offer documents containing substantially the same information as would be included in a proxy statement with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If the Company seeks shareholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Company’s Sponsors have agreed to vote its Founder Shares (as defined in Note 5) and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Initial Public Offering in favor of approving a Business Combination. Additionally, each Public Shareholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares, without voting, and if they do vote, irrespective of whether they vote for or against a proposed Business Combination.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company seeks shareholder approval of the Business Combination and the Company does not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, a Public Shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 20% of the Public Shares without the Company’s prior written consent.
The Sponsors have agreed (a) to waive their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares and Public Shares held by them in connection with the completion of a Business Combination and (b) not to propose an amendment to the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (i) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the Company’s initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period (as defined below) or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless the Company provides the Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding Public Shares.
The Company will have until January 11, 2022 to consummate a Business Combination. However, if the Company anticipates that it may not be able to consummate a Business Combination by January 11, 2022, the Company may extend the period of time to consummate a Business Combination up to two times, each by an additional three months (until July 11, 2022 to complete a Business Combination (the “Combination Period”). In order to extend the time available for the Company to consummate a Business Combination, the Sponsor or its affiliate or designees must deposit into the Trust Account $1,035,000 ($0.075 per Public Share), on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three month extension.
If the Company has not completed a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (less up to $50,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses and which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish the rights of the Public Shareholders as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining Public Shareholders and its Board of Directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to the Company’s warrants, which will expire worthless if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period.
The Sponsors have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to the Founder Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if the Sponsors or any of their respective affiliates acquire Public Shares, such Public Shares will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission (see Note 6) held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, and in such event, such amounts will be included with the other funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the assets remaining available for distribution will be less than the amount of funds deposited into the Trust Account ($10.10 per share).
| F-8 |
In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Sponsors have agreed that it will be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party (other than the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm) for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below (1) $10.10 per Public Share or (2) such lesser amount per Public Share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account due to reductions in the value of trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account and except as to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Initial Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). In the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsors will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsors will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (other than the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses or other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.
Going Concern Consideration
In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standard Board’s Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” management has determined that the mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The Company’s Sponsor intends, but is not obligated to, utilize the available extensions to extend the time to complete the initial business combination. These extensions, along with utilizing the working capital loans available to the Company, are expected to sustain the Company through the earlier of one year from the issuance of these financial statements or the consummation of a business combination.
Risks and Uncertainties
Management continues to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the virus could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of the financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.
Emerging Growth Company
The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
| F-9 |
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period.
Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company did not have any cash equivalents as of December 31, 2020.
Deferred Offering Costs
Deferred offering costs consisted of legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the balance sheet date that were directly related to the Initial Public Offering. On January 11, 2021, offering costs amounting to $8,149,473 were charged to shareholder’s equity upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering (see Note 1). As of December 31, 2020, there were $161,238 of deferred offering costs recorded in the accompanying balance sheet.
Income Taxes
ASC Topic 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. The Company’s management determined that the Cayman Islands is the Company’s major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. As of December 31, 2020, there were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position.
The Company is considered to be an exempted Cayman Islands company with no connection to any other taxable jurisdiction and is presently not subject to income taxes or income tax filing requirements in the Cayman Islands or the United States. As such, the Company’s tax provision was zero for the period presented.
Net Loss Per Ordinary Share
Net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding during the period, excluding ordinary shares subject to forfeiture. Weighted average shares were reduced for the effect of an aggregate of 450,000 ordinary shares that were subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option was exercised (see Note 5). On January 11, 2021, the underwriters exercised their over-allotment option in full. Accordingly, none of these shares were forfeited (see Notes 3 and 5). At December 31, 2020, the Company did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into ordinary shares and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted loss per share is the same as basic loss per share for the period presented.
| F-10 |
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Depository Insurance Coverage of $250,000. The Company had not experienced losses on this account and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such account.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the Company’s balance sheet, primarily due to their short-term nature.
Recent Accounting Standards
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.
NOTE 3 — INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING
Pursuant to the Initial Public Offering, the Company sold to 13,800,000 Units which includes a full exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option in the amount of 1,800,000 Units, at a purchase price of $10.00 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant (“Public Warrant”). Each whole Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one ordinary share at an exercise price of $11.50 per whole share (see Note 7).
NOTE 4 — PRIVATE PLACEMENT
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Sponsors purchased an aggregate of 6,840,000 Private Placement Warrants at a price of $0.75 per Private Placement Warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $5,130,000, in a private placement. Each Private Placement Warrant is exercisable to purchase one ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (see Note 7). A portion of the proceeds from the Private Placement Warrants were added to the proceeds from the Initial Public Offering held in the Trust Account. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants will be used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law) and the Private Placement Warrants will expire worthless.
NOTE 5 — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Founder Shares
On July 16, 2020, the Company issued an aggregate of 3,593,750 ordinary shares to an affiliate of the Sponsors for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000. In August 2020, the affiliate transferred itsFounder Shares to the Sponsors for the same price paid for such shares. On October 8. 2020, the Company effected a share capitalization of 0.2 shares for each share outstanding, on December 7, 2020, the Sponsors forfeited 1,437,500 ordinary shares, which were cancelled by the Company, and on January 6, 2021, the Company effected a share capitalization of 0.2 shares for each share outstanding, resulting in 3,450,000 ordinary shares issued and outstanding (the “Founder Shares”). All share and per-share amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect the share transactions. The Founder Shares included an aggregate of up to 450,000 shares that were subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised, so that the number of Founder Shares will equal, on an as-converted basis, approximately 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares after the Initial Public Offering. As a result of the underwriters’ election to fully exercise their over-allotment option, no Founder Shares are currently subject to forfeiture.
The Sponsors have agreed, subject to limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of its Founder Shares until six months after the consummation of a Business Combination or earlier if, subsequent to a Business Combination, the Company consummates a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the Public Shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
| F-11 |
Advances from Related Party
During 2020, an affiliate of the Sponsors advanced the Company an aggregate of $30,000 to fund expenses in connection with the Initial Public Offering. The advances are non-interest bearing and payable upon demand. As of December 31, 2020, there was $30,000 of advances outstanding, which is currently due on demand.
Promissory Note — Related Party
On July 16, 2020, the Company issued an unsecured promissory note (the “Promissory Note”) to an affiliate of the Sponsors, pursuant to which the Company may borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $125,000. The Promissory Note is non-interest bearing and payable on the earlier of (i) December 31, 2020 or (ii) the completion of the Initial Public Offering. As of December 31, 2020, there was $125,000 in borrowings outstanding under the Promissory Note which is currently due on demand. The outstanding balance under the Promissory Note of $125,000 was repaid subsequent to the closing of the Initial Public Offering on January 14, 2021.
Related Party Loans
In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsors or an affiliate of the Sponsors, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). Such Working Capital Loans would be evidenced by promissory notes. The notes may be repaid upon completion of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of notes may be converted upon completion of a Business Combination into warrants at a price of $0.75 per warrant. Such warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had no outstanding borrowings under the Working Capital Loans.
Related Party Extension Loans
As discussed in Note 1, the Company may extend the period of time to consummate a Business Combination up to two times, each by an additional three months (until July 11, 2022 to complete a Business Combination). In order to extend the time available for the Company to consummate a Business Combination, the Sponsor or its affiliates or designees must deposit into the Trust Account $1,035,000 ($0.075 per Public Share in either case), on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three month extension, providing a total possible Business Combination period up until July 11, 2022 for a total payment value of $2,070,000 ($0.15 per unit in either case). Any such deposits would be made in the form of non-interest bearing loans. Such notes would either be paid upon consummation of a Business Combination, or, at the relevant insider’s discretion, converted upon consummation of a Business Combination into additional Private Placement Warrants at a price of $0.75 per Private Placement Warrant. The Sponsor and its affiliates or designees intend, but are not obligated, to fund the Trust Account to extend the time for the Company to complete a Business Combination.
NOTE 6 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Registration Rights
Pursuant to a registration rights agreement entered into on January 6, 2021, the holders of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and underlying ordinary shares and any securities issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement requiring the Company to register such securities for resale. The holders of these securities will be entitled to demand that the Company register such securities at any time after the Company consummates a Business Combination. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the consummation of a Business Combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
| F-12 |
Underwriting Agreement
At the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the underwriters were paid an underwriting fee in the amount of $2,400,000. The underwriters are also entitled to a deferred fee of (i) 3.5% of the gross proceeds of the initial 12,000,000 Units sold in the Initial Public Offering, or $4,200,000, and (ii) 5.5% of the gross proceeds from the Units sold pursuant to the over-allotment option, or $990,000. The deferred fee will be paid in cash upon the closing of a Business Combination from the amounts held in the Trust Account, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
NOTE 7 — SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY
Preference Shares — The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 preference shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share, with such designations, voting and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s board of directors. At December 31, 2020, there were no preference shares issued or outstanding.
Ordinary Shares — The Company is authorized to issue 200,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of the ordinary shares are entitled to one vote for each share. At December 31, 2020, there 3,450,000 ordinary shares issued and outstanding.
Warrants — Public Warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the Public Warrants. The Public Warrants will become exercisable on the later of (a) the completion of a Business Combination and (b) 12 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering. The Public Warrants will expire five years from the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
No Public Warrants will be exercisable for cash unless the Company has an effective and current registration statement covering the issuance of the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to such ordinary shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the issuance of the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants is not effective within 90 days from the closing of a Business Combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to an available exemption from registration under the Securities Act. If an exemption from registration is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. The Public Warrants will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
The Company may redeem the Public Warrants:
| ● | in whole and not in part; | |
| ● | at a price of $0.01 per warrant; | |
| ● | at any time while the warrants become exercisable; | |
| ● | upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption to each warrant holder; | |
| ● | if, and only if, the reported last sale price of the Company’s ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (subject to adjustment) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period commencing after the warrants become exercisable and ending on the third trading business day prior to the notice of redemption to the warrant holders; and | |
| ● | if, and only if, there is a current registration statement in effect with respect to the issuance of the ordinary shares underlying such warrants at the time of redemption and for the entire 30-day trading period referred to above and continuing each day thereafter until the date of redemption. |
| F-13 |
If the Company calls the Public Warrants for redemption, management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise the Public Warrants to do so on a “cashless basis,” as described in the warrant agreement.
The exercise price and number of ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a share dividend, extraordinary dividend or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuance of ordinary shares at a price below its exercise price. The Company has agreed to use its best efforts to have declared effective a prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and keep such prospectus current until the expiration of the warrants. However, if the Company does not maintain a current prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants, holders will be unable to exercise their warrants for cash and the Company will not be required to net cash settle or cash settle the warrant exercise. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of a Business Combination with respect to the Company’s warrants. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with the respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless.
In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of a Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsors or its affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by the Sponsors or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of a Business Combination on the date of the consummation of a Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of its ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates its Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units sold in the Initial Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants will be exercisable for cash (even if a registration statement covering the issuance of the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of such warrants is not effective) or on a cashless basis, at the holder’s option and will not be redeemable by the Company, in each case so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their affiliates.
NOTE 8 — SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date up to the date that the financial statements were issued. Other than as described in these financial statements, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements.
| F-14 |
Exhibit 4.6
DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES
REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
The following description of the securities of Vickers Vantage Corp. I (the “Company”, “we”, “our” or similar terms) is based upon the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (“M&A”), the Companies Law, 2020 of the Cayman Islands (“Companies Act”) and other applicable provisions of Cayman Islands law. We have summarized certain portions of the M&A below. The summary is not complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by express reference to, the provisions of our M&A, which is filed as an exhibit to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of which this Exhibit 4.6 is a part.
Authorized Capital
Pursuant to M&A, our authorized capital consists of 200,000,000 ordinary shares, par value $0.0001, and 1,000,000 preference shares, par value $0.0001.
Units
Composition. Each unit consists of one ordinary share, and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one ordinary share for an initial exercise price of $11.50 per share, for a period of five years beginning upon consummation of an initial business combination.
Listing. The Company’s units are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “VCKAU.”
Ordinary Shares
Authorization. The outstanding ordinary shares are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
Listing. The Company’s ordinary shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “VCKA.”
Voting Rights. Ordinary shareholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders.
Conversion Rights. Holders of ordinary shares issued in the Company’s initial public offering (which we refer to as “public shares”) have the right to demand that the Company convert such shares into a pro rata portion of the Company’s trust account upon the consummation of our initial business combination, either in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the business combination or by means of a tender offer.
The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek shareholder approval under the law or stock exchange listing requirement. We intend to conduct redemptions without a shareholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) unless shareholder approval is required by law or stock exchange listing requirement or we choose to seek shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons.
If a shareholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our M&A, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to consummating our initial business combination. Our M&A requires these tender offer documents to contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. If, however, shareholder approval of the transaction is required by law or Nasdaq rules, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, we will offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If we seek shareholder approval, we will consummate our initial business combination only if a majority of the outstanding ordinary voted are voted in favor of the business combination. Further, if we seek shareholder approval, we will require public shareholders, whether they are a record holder or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option, in each case prior to a date set forth in the proxy materials sent in connection with the proposal to approve the business combination. There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced delivery process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC System. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker a nominal amount and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to deliver their shares prior to a specified date. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising conversion rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated. However, in the event we require shareholders seeking to exercise redemption rights to deliver their shares prior to the consummation of the proposed business combination and the proposed business combination is not consummated this may result in an increased cost to shareholders.
Outside Date. Pursuant to our M&A, if we are unable to consummate a business combination on or before January 6, 2022 (unless such time period is extended by our shareholders, as provided in the M&A), we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than five business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining holders of ordinary shares and our board of directors, proceed to commence a voluntary liquidation and thereby a formal dissolution of the company, subject (in the case of (ii) and (iii) above) to our obligations to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of applicable law.
Our initial shareholders, which include our sponsors, officers, and directors, have entered into agreements with us, pursuant to which they have waived their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to their initial shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination by January 6, 2022 (subject to extension). However, if our initial shareholders or management team acquire public shares, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination by such date.
Transfer Restrictions. Subject to certain limited exceptions, our initial shareholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell their founder shares until six months after the date of the consummation of our initial business combination or earlier if, subsequent to our initial business combination, we consummate a subsequent liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
Additionally, the holders of ordinary shares purchased prior to our initial public offering have agreed (A) to vote any shares owned by them in favor of any proposed business combination, (B) not to redeem any shares in connection with a shareholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination or any amendment to our M&A prior to the consummation of our initial business combination and (C) not to sell any shares to us in a tender offer in connection with any proposed business combination.
Preemptive Rights, Etc. Our shareholders have no conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights and there are no sinking fund or redemption provisions applicable to the ordinary shares, except that public shareholders have the right to sell their shares to us in a tender offer or have their ordinary shares redeemed for cash equal to their pro rata share of the trust account if they vote on the proposed business combination in connection with such business combination and the business combination is completed. Public shareholders who sell or redeem their shares for their share of the trust account still have the right to exercise the warrants that they received as part of the units.
Preference Shares
Our M&A provides that preference shares may be issued from time to time in one or more series. Our board of directors is authorized to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences, the relative, participating, optional or other special rights and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions, applicable to the shares of each series. Our board of directors will be able, without shareholder approval, to issue preference shares with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of ordinary shares and could have anti-takeover effects. However, the underwriting agreement that we entered into in connection with the initial public offering prohibits us, prior to a business combination, from issuing preference shares which participate in any manner in the proceeds of the trust account, or which vote as a class with the ordinary shares on a business combination.
Warrants
Exercisability. Each whole warrant is exercisable to purchase one ordinary share.
Exercise Price. $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment.
The exercise price and number of ordinary shares issuable on exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a share dividend, extraordinary dividend or our recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuances of ordinary shares at a price below their respective exercise prices.
Exercise Period. The warrants will become exercisable on the later of January 6, 2022 or the consummation of our initial business combination. The warrants will expire five years after the consummation of our initial business combination, at 5:00 p.m., New York time, or earlier upon our failure to consummate a business combination on or before January 6, 2022 (subject to extension) or redemption of our ordinary shares or our liquidation.
No warrants will be exercisable for cash unless we have an effective and current registration statement covering the issuance of the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to such ordinary shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the issuance of the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the public warrants is not effective within 90 days from the closing of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to an available exemption from registration under the Securities Act. If an exemption from registration is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. The warrants will expire five years from the closing of our initial business combination at 5:00 p.m., New York City time or earlier redemption.
We have agreed to use our best efforts to file and have an effective registration statement covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants, to maintain a current prospectus relating to those ordinary shares until the earlier of the date the warrants expire or are redeemed and the date on which all of the warrants have been exercised, and to qualify the resale of such shares under state blue sky laws, to the extent an exemption is not available.
Redemption of Warrants. Once the warrants become exercisable, we may call the warrants for redemption (excluding the private warrants and any warrants issued to our initial shareholders, officers or directors in payment of working capital loans made to us), in whole and not in part, at a price of $0.01 per warrant, upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption (the “30-day redemption period”) to each warrant holder, and if, and only if, the reported last sale price of our ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations), for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading day period ending on the third business day prior to the notice of redemption to warrant holders. We will not redeem the warrants unless an effective registration statement covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is current and available throughout the 30-day redemption period.
If we call the warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise warrants to do so on a “cashless basis.” In such event, each holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the warrants and the fair market value by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” for this purpose shall mean the average reported last sale price of the ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. For example, if a holder held 150 warrants to purchase 150 shares and the fair market value on the trading date prior to exercise was $15.00, that holder would receive 35 shares without the payment of any additional cash consideration. Whether we will exercise our option to require all holders to exercise their warrants on a “cashless basis” will depend on a variety of factors including the price of our ordinary shares at the time the warrants are called for redemption, our cash needs at such time and concerns regarding dilutive share issuances.
Fractional Shares. No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the warrants. If, upon exercise of the warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, we will, upon exercise, round up to the nearest whole number the number of ordinary shares to be issued to the warrant holder.
Listing. The Company’s warrants are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “VCKAW.”
Certain Provisions of our M&A
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association filed under the laws of the Cayman Islands contain provisions designed to provide certain rights and protections to our shareholders prior to the consummation of a business combination. The following are the material rights and protections contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association:
• the right of public shareholders to exercise redemption rights and have their public shares repurchased in lieu of participating in a proposed business combination (up to a maximum of 20% of the public shares sold in this offering);
• a prohibition against completing a business combination unless we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 immediately prior to or upon consummation of such business combination;
• a requirement that if we seek shareholder approval of any business combination, a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares voted must be voted in favor of such business combination;
• the separation of our board of directors into three classes and the establishment of related procedures regarding the standing and appointment of such directors;
• a requirement that directors may call general meetings on their own accord and are required to call an extraordinary general meeting if holders of not less than 10% in par value of the issued shares request such a general meeting;
• a requirement that our management take all actions necessary to liquidate our trust account in the event we do not consummate a business combination by 12 months from the consummation of this offering (or up to 18 months if we extend the time to consummate a business combination as described herein;
• a prohibition, prior to a business combination, against our issuing (i) any ordinary shares or any securities convertible into ordinary shares or (ii) any other securities (including preference shares) which participate in or are otherwise entitled in any manner to any of the proceeds in the trust account or which vote as a class with the ordinary shares on a business combination; and
• the limitation on shareholders’ rights to receive a portion of the trust account.
The Companies Law permits a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands to amend its memorandum and articles of association with the approval of the holders of at least two-thirds of such company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares. A company’s articles of association may specify that the approval of a higher majority is required but, provided the approval of the required majority is obtained, any Cayman Islands company may amend its memorandum and articles of association regardless of whether its memorandum and articles of association provides otherwise. Accordingly, although we could amend any of the provisions relating to our proposed offering, structure and business plan which are contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, we view all of these provisions as binding obligations to our shareholders and neither we, nor our officers or directors, will take any action to amend or waive any of these provisions unless we provide public shareholders with the opportunity to convert their public shares in connection with any such vote. The foregoing is set forth in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and cannot be amended.
Exhibit 31.1
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-14(A) UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Jeffrey Chi, certify that:
| 1. | I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Vickers Vantage Corp. I; |
| 2. | Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; |
| 3. | Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; |
| 4. | The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have: |
| a) | Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under my supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; and |
| b) | (Paragraph omitted pursuant to SEC Release Nos. 33-8238/34-47986 and 33-8392/34-49313); |
| c) | Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report my conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and |
| d) | Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and |
| 5. | The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): |
| a) | All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and |
| b) | Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. |
Date: March 31, 2021
| /s/ Jeffrey Chi | |
| Jeffrey Chi | |
| Chief Executive Officer | |
| (Principal Executive Officer) |
Exhibit 31.2
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-14(A) UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Chris Ho, certify that:
| 1. | I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Vickers Vantage Corp. I; |
| 2. | Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; |
| 3. | Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; |
| 4. | The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have: |
| a) | Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under my supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; and |
| b) | (Paragraph omitted pursuant to SEC Release Nos. 33-8238/34-47986 and 33-8392/34-49313); |
| c) | Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report my conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and |
| d) | Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and |
| 5. | The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): |
| a) | All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and |
| b) | Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. |
Date: March 31, 2021
| /s/ Chris Ho | |
| Chris Ho | |
| Chief Financial Officer | |
| (Principal Accounting and Financial Officer) |
Exhibit 32.1
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
In connection with the Annual Report of Vickers Vantage Corp. I (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the annual period ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Report”), I, Jeffrey Chi, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350, as added by §906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:
| 1. | The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and |
| 2. | To my knowledge, the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company as of and for the period covered by the Report. |
Dated: March 31, 2021
| /s/ Jeffrey Chi | |
| Jeffrey Chi | |
| Chief Executive Officer | |
| (Principal Executive Officer) |
Exhibit 32.2
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
In connection with the Annual Report of Vickers Vantage Corp. I (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the annual period ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Report”), I, Chris Ho, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350, as added by §906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:
| 1. | The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and |
| 2. | To my knowledge, the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company as of and for the period covered by the Report. |
Dated: March 31, 2021
| /s/ Chris Ho | |
| Chris Ho | |
| Chief Financial Officer | |
| (Principal Accounting and Financial Officer) |