UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended
OR
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM
TO
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(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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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 ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has submitted electronically 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 file such reports) and has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
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. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ |
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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 accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes
The aggregate market value of the registrant’s ordinary shares held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2023 was $
As of March 29, 2024, the Registrant had
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
None.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the statements contained in this 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 report may include, for example, statements about:
| · | our ability to select an appropriate target business or businesses; |
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| · | our ability to complete our initial business combination; |
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| · | our expectations around the performance of the prospective target business or businesses; |
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| · | our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination; |
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| · | our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination; |
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| · | our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination; |
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| · | our pool of prospective target businesses; |
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| · | our ability to consummate an initial business combination due to the uncertainty resulting from hostilities and public health concerns; |
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| · | the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential business combination opportunities; |
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| · | our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading; |
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| · | the lack of a market for our securities; |
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| · | the use of proceeds not held in the Trust Account or available to us from interest income on the Trust Account balance; |
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| · | the Trust Account not being subject to claims of third parties; or |
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| · | our financial performance following our Public Offering. |
The forward-looking statements contained in this 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 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.
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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:
| · | 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. |
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| · | Our public shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our public shareholders do not support such a combination. |
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| · | Your only opportunity to effect your investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash. |
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| · | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor and management team have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote. |
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| · | The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into a business combination with a target. |
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| · | The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure. |
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| · | The requirement that we complete our initial business combination by June 17, 2024 may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination and may limit the time we have in which to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets, in particular as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders. |
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| · | Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by new outbreaks, or continuation of any existing outbreaks, of any infectious disease (such as COVID-19) and other events, and the status of debt and equity markets.. |
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| · | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may elect to purchase shares or warrants from public shareholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our securities. |
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| · | If a shareholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for submitting or tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed. |
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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 approximately $10.97 per share. |
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| · | You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the Trust Account, except under certain limited circumstances. Therefore, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss. |
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| · | The New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) 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. |
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| · | Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.97 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on our redemption of their shares, and our warrants will expire worthless. |
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| · | If the proceeds not being held in the Trust Account are insufficient to allow us to operate until June 17, 2024, it could limit the amount of cash available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination, and we will depend on loans from our sponsor or management team to fund our search and to complete our initial business combination. |
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| · | Past performance by our management team and their affiliates, including investments and transactions in which they have participated and businesses with which they have been associated, may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in the Company. |
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| · | Unlike some other similarly structured SPACs, our initial shareholders will receive additional Class A ordinary shares if we issue certain shares to consummate an initial business combination. |
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PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Introduction
Battery Future Acquisition Corp. (the “Company” or “us” or “we” or other similar pronouns) is a blank check company incorporated on July 29, 2021 as a Cayman Islands exempted company with the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenue to date.
On August 4, 2021, Battery Future Sponsor LLC (the “sponsor”) purchased an aggregate of 7,187,500 Founder Shares (“Founder Shares”) for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.003 per share. Prior to the sponsor’s initial investment of $25,000, the Company had no assets, tangible or intangible.
On November 21, 2021, the sponsor surrendered 2,966,667 Founder Shares for cancellation for nominal consideration. On December 14, 2021, we effected a share capitalization with respect to our Class B ordinary shares of 1,353,056, resulting in our Sponsor holding 5,573,889 Founder Shares.
On December 17, 2021, we consummated our initial public offering (“Public Offering”) of 34,500,000 units, including the issuance of 4,500,000 units as a result of the underwriters’ full exercise of their over-allotment option. Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share. The units were sold at an offering price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds, before expenses, of $345,000,000.
Simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering, pursuant to the private placement warrants purchase agreement by and among us, the sponsor and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. (the “Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement”), the securities purchase agreement by and between us and Roth Capital Partners, LLC (the “Roth Securities Purchase Agreement”) and the securities purchase agreements by and between the Company and Pala Investments Limited (the “Pala Securities Purchase Agreements, and together with Roth Securities Purchase Agreement, the “Securities Purchase Agreements”), the Company consummated the private placement of an aggregate of 16,300,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) and 3,051,111 Founder Shares to our sponsor, Pala, Cantor and Roth, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $16,300,000. No underwriting discounts or commissions were paid with respect to such sale.
Upon the closing of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, $351,900,000 was placed in a Trust Account with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee (the “Trust Account”). We are not permitted to withdraw any of the principal or interest held in the Trust Account, except for the withdrawal of interest to pay our taxes and up to $100,000 of interests to pay dissolution expenses, as applicable, if any, until the earliest of (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete our initial business combination by June 17, 2024, subject to applicable law, or (iii) the redemption of our public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (“Memorandum and Articles of Association”) (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated our initial business combination by June 17, 2024 or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity. The proceeds held in the Trust Account may only be held as cash or in demand deposit accounts or invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations.
On November 14, 2023, we adopted an amendment to the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association on November 14, 2023, allowing us to (1) remove the monthly extension payment the Company was required to make into the Trust Account to extend the date by which the Company had to consummate an initial Business Combination to June 17, 2024 without depositing additional funds in the Trust Account.
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In connection with this amendment, on November 14, 2023, 6,266,236 Class A ordinary shares of the Company exercised their right to redeem such shares (the “Redemption”) for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the Trust Account. As a result, approximately $68.2 million (approximately $10.88 per share) was removed from the Trust Account to pay such holders and approximately $56.3 million remained in the Trust Account.
Following the aforementioned redemptions, the Company has 13,795,599 ordinary shares outstanding, which includes 5,170,599 Class A ordinary shares and 8,625,000 Class B ordinary shares.
On January 16, 2024, the Company, the sponsor, Pala and Camel Bay, LLC (the “Purchaser”) entered into a share purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”). Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, among other things: (a) the sponsor and Pala transferred to the Purchaser an aggregate of 4,193,695 Founder Shares; (b) the sponsor, Pala and certain other holders of Founder Shares gave to Purchaser the irrevocable right to vote the Founder Shares on their behalf and to take certain other actions on their behalf (the “POA Agreements”); and (c) the sponsor, Pala and Cantor and Roth entered into surrender and cancellation agreements whereby such parties have agreed to cancel an aggregate of 16,300,000 Private Placement Warrants purchased by them at the time of the IPO. In addition, each of the underwriters in the Public Offering entered into an agreement whereby such parties waived their entitlement to the payment of any cash fees and expenses pursuant to that certain business combination marketing agreement, dated December 14, 2021.
Effecting Our Initial Business Combination
General
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations for an indefinite period of time. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination, shares issued to the owners of the target, debt issued to bank or other lenders or the owners of the target, or a combination of the foregoing.
We may pursue an initial business combination target in any industry or geographic region we choose other than China (including Hong Kong and Macau).
Sourcing and Evaluation of Business Combination Targets
We utilize the networks and industry experience of our management team and independent directors, as well as investment market participants, private equity groups, investment banking firms, family offices, lenders, attorneys, consultants, accounting firms, large business enterprises and other trusted advisors, to identify potential business combination targets. While we do not presently anticipate engaging the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions on any formal basis, we may engage these firms or other individuals in the future, in which event we may pay a finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm’s length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction. However, in no event will our officers, directors, initial shareholders or any of their respective affiliates be paid any finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation by us prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate, the completion of our initial business combination.
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a due diligence review which may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspection of facilities, as applicable, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information which will be made available to us. If we determine to move forward with a particular target, we will proceed to structure and negotiate the terms of the business combination transaction. The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of, and negotiation with, a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination.
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We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a business combination target that is affiliated with our officers, directors, initial shareholders or any of their affiliates, or from completing the business combination through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with any of the foregoing. If we seek to complete our initial business combination with a target that is affiliated with our officers, directors, initial shareholders or any of their affiliates, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) or a valuation or appraisal firm that such an initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
Our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors is included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
Some of our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to another entity pursuant to which such officer or director is or may be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such other entity, subject to their fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law. Our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association provides that to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other.
Fair Market Value of Target Business
The rules of the NYSE and our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association require that we consummate an initial business combination with one or more operating businesses or assets with a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the net assets held in the Trust Account at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination (including with the assistance of financial advisors), we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA or a valuation or appraisal firm. While we consider it likely that our board of directors will be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of the target’s assets or prospects.
We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the 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. 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. 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 would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target.
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However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be taken into account for purposes of the 80% fair market value assets test described above. If the business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% fair market value test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses and we will treat the target businesses together as the initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking shareholder approval, as applicable.
Redemption Rights for Holders of Public Shares Upon Consummation of Our Initial Business Combination
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations and on the conditions described herein. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our warrants. Our officers, directors and initial shareholders have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their Founder Shares and any public shares they may acquire after the Public Offering in connection with the completion of our initial business combination.
If a shareholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E under the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers; and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies.
Resources and Competition
Our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association provides that we will have until June 17, 2024. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination by June 17, 2024, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any) and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and in all cases subject to the other requirements of applicable law.
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our initial business combination, we may encounter competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other special purpose acquisition companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, public companies and operating businesses seeking strategic acquisitions. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess similar or greater financial, technical, human and other resources than us. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public shareholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination and our issued and outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Either of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination.
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Facilities
We currently utilize office space at 8 The Green, #18195, Dover, Delaware 19901. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.
Employees
We currently have one officer: Fanghan Sui. This individual is not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but he intends to devote as much of his time as he deems necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time he will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the stage of the business combination process we are in. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination.
Available Information
We are required to file Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q with the SEC on a regular basis, and are required to disclose certain material events (e.g., changes in corporate control, acquisitions or dispositions of a significant amount of assets other than in the ordinary course of business (including our initial business combination) and bankruptcy) in a Current Report on Form 8-K. The SEC maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s Internet website is located at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, the Company will provide copies of these documents without charge upon request from us in writing at 8 The Green, #18195, Dover, Delaware 19901 or by telephone at 929-465-9707.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of the Public Offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period. References herein to “emerging growth company” have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates is equal to or exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30th and (2) our annual revenues were equal to or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates is equal to or exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th.
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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and the prospectus associated with our Public Offering, before making a decision to invest in our securities. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Relating to our Search for, and Consummation of or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination
Our shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, and even if we hold a vote, holders of our Founder Shares will participate in such vote, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our public shareholders do not support such a combination.
We may choose not to hold a shareholder vote to approve our initial business combination if the business combination would not require shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement. Except for as required by applicable law or stock exchange requirement, the decision as to whether we will seek shareholder 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 shareholder approval. Even if we seek shareholder approval, the holders of our Founder Shares will participate in the vote on such approval. Accordingly, we may complete our initial business combination even if a majority of our public shareholders do not approve of the business combination we complete.
As the number of SPACs 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.
Since 2020, the number of SPACs that have been formed has increased substantially. Many potential targets for SPACs have already entered into an initial business combination, and there are still many SPACs preparing for an initial public offering, as well as many such companies currently in registration. As a result, at times, fewer attractive targets may be available to consummate an initial business combination.
In addition, because there are more SPACs seeking to enter into an initial business combination with available targets, the competition for available targets with attractive fundamentals or business models may increase, which could cause target companies to demand improved financial terms. Attractive deals could also become scarcer for other reasons, such as economic or industry sector downturns, geopolitical tensions (including hostilities between Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Hamas) 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.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, the holders of the Founder Shares have agreed to vote such shares in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote.
Our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association provides that, if we seek shareholder approval of an initial business combination, such initial business combination will be approved if we obtain approval by way of an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law which requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shareholders who attend and vote at our general meeting. Accordingly, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, the agreement by the holders of the Founder Shares to vote in favor of our initial business combination will increase the likelihood that we will receive the requisite shareholder approval for such initial business combination.
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 our initial business combination. Since our board of directors may complete a business combination without seeking shareholder approval, public shareholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the business combination, unless we seek such shareholder vote. Accordingly, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding our initial 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.
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The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into a business combination with a target.
We may seek to enter into a business combination transaction agreement with a minimum cash requirement for (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights, we would not be able to meet such closing condition and, as a result, would not be able to proceed with the business combination.
Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would make us unable to satisfy a minimum cash 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 will be aware of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into a 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 complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
At the time we enter into an agreement for our initial business combination, we will not know how many shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, and therefore will need to structure the transaction based on our expectations as to the number of shares that will be submitted for redemption. If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the Trust Account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, we will need to reserve a portion of the cash in the Trust Account to meet such requirements, or arrange for third party financing. In addition, if a larger number of shares is submitted for redemption than we initially expected, we may need to restructure the transaction to reserve a greater portion of the cash in the Trust Account or arrange for third party financing. Raising additional third party financing may involve dilutive equity issuances or the incurrence of indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. Furthermore, this dilution would increase to the extent that the anti-dilution provision of the Class B ordinary shares results in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure.
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your shares.
If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the Trust Account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our initial business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the Trust Account until we liquidate the Trust Account. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your shares in the open market; however, at such time our shares may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in the Trust Account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with your exercise of redemption rights until we liquidate or you are able to sell your shares in the open market.
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The requirement that we complete our initial business combination by June 17, 2024 may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination and may limit the time we have in which to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets, in particular as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders.
Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning a business combination will be aware that we must complete our initial business combination by June 17, 2024. Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating a 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.
Our search for an initial business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate an initial business combination, may be materially adversely affected by new outbreaks, or continuation of any existing outbreaks, of any infectious disease (such as COVID-19) and other events, and the status of debt and equity markets.
Any new outbreaks, or continuation of any existing outbreaks, of any infectious disease (such as COVID-19) or other events (such as terrorist attacks, armed conflicts or natural disasters) could adversely affect the economies and financial markets worldwide, and the business of any potential target business with which we consummate an initial business combination could be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, we may be unable to complete an initial business combination if concerns relating to any outbreak of a disease restricts travel or limits the ability to have meetings with potential investors or the target company’s personnel, vendors and services providers. The extent to which any new outbreak or the continuation of any existing situation impacts our search for an initial business combination will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted. If any such event (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases) continues for an extensive period of time, our ability to consummate an initial business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate an initial business combination, may be materially adversely affected.
In addition, our ability to consummate a transaction may be dependent on the ability to raise equity and debt financing which may be impacted by outside events (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of infectious diseases), including as a result of increased market volatility, decreased market liquidity in third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all.
We may not be able to complete our initial business combination by June 17, 2024, 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 may not be able to find a suitable target business and complete our initial business combination by June 17, 2024. 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 have not completed our initial business combination within such time period, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any) and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.
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If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates may elect to purchase shares or public warrants from public shareholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. There is no limit on the number of shares that may be purchased in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and the NYSE rules. However, other than as expressly stated herein, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds in the Trust Account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions. Such purchases may include a contractual acknowledgment 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.
The purpose of any such purchases of shares would be to reduce the number of shares being submitted for redemption. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements.
In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares or public warrants and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, possibly making it difficult to maintain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
If a shareholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed.
We will comply with the proxy rules or tender offer rules, as applicable, when conducting redemptions in connection with our initial business combination. Despite our compliance with these rules, if a shareholder fails to receive our proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, such shareholder may not become aware of the opportunity to redeem its shares. In addition, proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will describe the various procedures that must be complied with in order to validly tender or submit public shares for redemption. For example, we intend to require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to, at the holder’s option, either deliver their share certificates to our transfer agent, or to deliver their shares to our transfer agent electronically prior to the date set forth in the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable. In the case of proxy materials, this date may be up to two business days prior to the vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination. In addition, if we conduct redemptions in connection with a shareholder vote, we intend to require a public shareholder seeking redemption of its public shares to also submit a written request for redemption to our transfer agent two business days prior to the vote in which the name of the beneficial owner of such shares is included. In the event that a shareholder fails to comply with these or any other procedures disclosed in the proxy or tender offer materials, as applicable, its shares may not be redeemed.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association provides that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in the Public Offering without our prior consent, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares.” However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Your inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce your influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, you will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And as a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell your shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
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Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We expect to encounter competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including private investors (which may be individuals or investment partnerships), other blank check companies and other entities, domestic and international, competing for the types of businesses we intend to acquire. Many of these individuals and entities are well-established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess similar or greater technical, human and other resources to ours or more local industry knowledge than we do and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there are numerous target businesses we could potentially acquire with the net proceeds of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses that are sizable will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, we are obligated to offer holders of our public shares the right to redeem their shares for cash at the time of our initial business combination in conjunction with a shareholder vote or via a tender offer. Target companies will be aware that this may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination. Any of these obligations may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating a business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
If the funds not being held in the Trust Account are insufficient to allow us to operate until June 17, 2024, it could limit our search for a target business or businesses and we will be required to depend on loans from our shareholders, members of our management team or their affiliates to fund our search and to complete our initial business combination.
If the funds not being held in the Trust Account are insufficient to allow us to operate until June 17, 2024, it could limit our search for a target business or businesses and we will be required to depend on loans from our shareholders, members of our management team or their affiliates to fund our search and to complete our initial business combination. If we are required to seek additional capital, we would need to borrow funds from our shareholders, management team or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. None of our officers, directors, shareholders or their affiliates is under any obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Any such advances would be repaid only from funds held outside the Trust Account or from funds released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our officers, directors or their affiliates as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our Trust Account. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the Trust Account. Consequently, our public shareholders may only receive an estimated $10.97 per share, or possibly less, on our redemption of our public shares, and our warrants will expire worthless.
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If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the Trust Account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than approximately $10.97 per share.
Our placing of funds in the Trust Account may not protect those funds from third party claims against us. Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account for the benefit of our public shareholders, such parties may not execute such agreements, or even if they execute such agreements they may not be prevented from bringing claims against the Trust Account, including, but not limited to, fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the Trust Account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the Trust Account, our management will consider whether competitive alternatives are reasonably available to us and will only enter into an agreement with such third party if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be in our best interests under the circumstances. The underwriters of the Public Offering as well as our independent registered public accounting firm will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the Trust Account.
Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the Trust Account for any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed timeframe, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may be brought against us within the 10 years following redemption. Accordingly, the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders could be less than the approximately $10.97 per public share initially held in the Trust Account, due to claims of such creditors. Pursuant to the letter agreement the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement relating to the Public Offering, our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.97 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.97 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the Trust Account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor did it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of the Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and we believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the Trust Account, the funds available for our initial business combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.97 per public share. In such event, we may not be able to complete our initial business combination, and you would receive such lesser amount per share in connection with any redemption of your public shares. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
Our directors may decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our sponsor, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the Trust Account available for distribution to our public shareholders.
In the event that the proceeds in the Trust Account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.97 per share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.97 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case less taxes payable, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment and subject to their fiduciary duties may choose not to do so in any particular instance. If our independent directors choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations, the amount of funds in the Trust Account available for distribution to our public shareholders may be reduced below $10.97 per share.
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If, after we distribute the proceeds in the Trust Account to our public shareholders, we file a winding-up petition or an involuntary winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a bankruptcy or insolvency court may seek to recover such proceeds, and the members of our board of directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors, thereby exposing the members of our board of directors and us to claims of punitive damages.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the Trust Account to our public shareholders, we file a winding-up petition or an involuntary winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy or insolvency laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy or insolvency court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. In addition, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or having acted in bad faith, by paying public shareholders from the Trust Account prior to addressing the claims of creditors, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the Trust Account to our public shareholders, we file a winding-up petition or an involuntary winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our shareholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the Trust Account to our public shareholders, we file a winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the Trust Account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the Trust Account, the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including:
| · | restrictions on the nature of our investments; and |
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| · | restrictions on the issuance of securities, |
each of which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including:
| · | registration as an investment company with the SEC; |
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| · | adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and |
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| · | reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations that we are not subject to. |
In order not to be regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, unless we can qualify for an exclusion, we must ensure that we are engaged primarily in a business other than investing, reinvesting or trading of securities and that our activities do not include investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading “investment securities” constituting more than 40% of our assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. Our business is to identify and complete a business combination and thereafter to operate the post-transaction business or assets for the long term. We do not plan to buy businesses or assets with a view to resale or profit from their resale. We do not plan to buy unrelated businesses or assets or to be a passive investor.
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We do not believe that our principal activities subject us to the Investment Company Act. To this end, the proceeds held in the Trust Account may only be held as cash or cash equivalents (including being held in demand deposit accounts) or invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Pursuant to the trust agreement, the trustee is not permitted to invest in other securities or assets. By restricting the investment of the proceeds to these instruments, and by having a business plan targeted at acquiring and growing businesses for the long term (rather than on buying and selling businesses in the manner of a merchant bank or private equity fund), we intend to avoid being deemed an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act. The Trust Account is intended as a holding place for funds pending the earliest to occur of either: (i) the completion of our initial business combination; (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by June 17, 2024; and (iii) absent an initial business combination by June 17, 2024 or with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, our return of the funds held in the Trust Account to our public shareholders as part of our redemption of the public shares. If we do not invest the proceeds as discussed above, we may be deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act. If we were deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act, compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expenses for which we have not allotted funds and may hinder our ability to complete a business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
If we are deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we could be forced to liquidate and investors in our company would not be able to participate in any benefits of owning stock in an operating business, including the potential appreciation of our stock following a business combination and our warrants would expire worthless.
As indicated above, we have until June 17, 2024 to consummate an initial business combination. It is possible that a claim in the future could be made that we have been operating as an unregistered investment company. It is also possible that the investment of funds from the Public Offering and private placement of Private Placement Warrants during our life as a blank check company, and the earning and use of interest from such investment, could increase the likelihood of us being found to have been operating as an unregistered investment company. If we are deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act and found to have been operating as an unregistered investment company, it could cause us to liquidate. If we are forced to liquidate, investors in our company would not be able to participate in any benefits of owning stock in an operating business, including the potential appreciation of our stock following a business combination and our warrants would expire worthless.
Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.
We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we are required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.
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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 offense and may be liable for a fine of $18,292.68 and to imprisonment for five years in the Cayman Islands.
We may not hold an annual general meeting until after the consummation of our initial business combination, which could delay the opportunity for our shareholders to appoint directors.
In accordance with NYSE corporate governance requirements, we are required to hold an annual general meeting no later than one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on the NYSE. There is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or extraordinary general meetings to appoint directors. Until we hold an annual general meeting, public shareholders may not be afforded the opportunity to appoint directors and to discuss Company affairs with management. Our board of directors is divided into three classes with only one class of directors being appointed in each year and each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual general meeting) serving a three-year term. In addition, as holders of our Class A ordinary shares, our public shareholders will not have the right to vote on the appointment of directors until after the consummation of our initial business combination.
Because we are neither limited to evaluating a target business in a particular industry sector nor have we selected any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations.
Our efforts to identify a prospective initial business combination target may include any industry, sector or geographic region (except for China). We shall not undertake our initial business combination with any entity with its principal business operations in China (including Hong Kong and Macau). Our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association prohibits us from effectuating a business combination with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations. Because we have not yet selected any specific target business with respect to a business combination, there is no basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition or prospects. To the extent we complete our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable or a development stage entity. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in a business combination target. Accordingly, any shareholders or warrant holders who choose to remain shareholders or warrant holders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders or warrant holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
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We may seek business combination opportunities with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenue, cash flow or earnings, which could subject us to volatile revenues, cash flows or earnings or difficulty in retaining key personnel.
To the extent we complete our initial business combination with an early-stage company, a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenues or earnings, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine. These risks include investing in a business without a proven business model or with limited historic financial data, volatile revenues or earnings, intense competition and difficulties in obtaining and retaining key personnel. Some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.
We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or from a valuation or appraisal firm, and consequently, you may have no assurance from an independent source that the price we are paying for the business is fair to our shareholders from a financial point of view.
Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity or our board of directors cannot independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses (including with the assistance of financial advisors), we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or from a valuation or appraisal firm that the price we are paying is fair to our 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. Such standards used will be disclosed in our proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.
We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.
We may choose to issue notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We and our officers have agreed that we will not incur any indebtedness unless we have obtained from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to the monies held in the Trust Account. As such, no issuance of debt will affect the per share amount available for redemption from the Trust Account. Nevertheless, the incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including:
| · | default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
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| · | acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
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| · | our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt is payable on demand; |
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| · | our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt is outstanding; |
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| · | our inability to pay dividends on our Class A ordinary shares; |
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| · | using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our Class A ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; |
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| · | limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; |
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| · | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and |
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| · | 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 a business combination with a single target business, which could 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.
We may effectuate our initial business combination with a single target business or multiple target businesses simultaneously or within a short period of time. However, we may not be able to effectuate our initial business combination with more than one target business because of various factors, including the existence of complex accounting issues and the requirement that we prepare and file pro forma financial statements with the SEC that present operating results and the financial condition of several target businesses as if they had been operated on a combined basis. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
| · | solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset; or |
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| · | dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services. |
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.
We may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability.
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses that are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete our initial business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.
We do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete our initial business combination with which a substantial majority of our shareholders or warrant holders do not agree.
Our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association does not provide a specified maximum redemption threshold. However, our proposed initial business combination may impose a minimum cash requirement for: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions. As a result, we may be able to complete our initial business combination even though a substantial majority of our public shareholders do not agree with the transaction and have redeemed their shares or, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, have entered into privately negotiated agreements to sell their shares to our officers, directors, initial shareholders, advisors or any of their affiliates. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all Class A ordinary shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the business combination or redeem any shares in connection with such initial business combination, all Class A ordinary shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination.
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In order to effectuate an initial business combination, SPACs have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and other governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination and that our shareholders may not support.
In order to effectuate a business combination, SPACs have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. For example, SPACs have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds and extended the time to consummate an initial business combination and, with respect to their warrants, amended their warrant agreements to require the warrants to be exchanged for cash and/or other securities. Amending our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association requires a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of a majority of at least two-thirds of the shareholders who attend and vote at a general meeting of the Company, and amending our warrant agreement will require a vote of holders of at least 50% of the public warrants and, solely with respect to any amendment to the terms of the Private Placement Warrants or any provision of the warrant agreement with respect to the Private Placement Warrants, 50% of the then outstanding Private Placement Warrants. In addition, our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association requires us to provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash if we propose an amendment to our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete an initial business combination by June 17, 2024 or (B) with respect to any other provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre- initial business combination activity. To the extent any of such amendments would be deemed to fundamentally change the nature of the securities offered through the registration statement relating to our Public Offering, we would register, or seek an exemption from registration for, the affected securities. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association or governing instruments or extend the time to consummate an initial business combination in order to effectuate our initial business combination.
The provisions of our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association that relate to our pre-business combination activity (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our Trust Account) may be amended with the approval of holders of not less than two-thirds of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting of the Company (or 65% of our ordinary shares with respect to amendments to the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our Trust Account), which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other SPACs. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support.
Our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association provides that any of its provisions related to pre-business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants into the Trust Account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances, and to provide redemption rights to public shareholders as described herein) may be amended if approved by special resolution, under Cayman Islands law which requires the affirmative vote of a majority of at least two-thirds of the shareholders who attend and vote at a general meeting of the Company, and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our Trust Account may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our ordinary shares. Holders of our Founder Shares will participate in any vote to amend our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association which govern our pre-business combination behavior more easily than some other SPACs, and this may increase our ability to complete a business combination with which you do not agree. Our shareholders may pursue remedies against us for any breach of our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association.
The holders of our Founder Shares and our officers and directors and have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by June 17, 2024 or (B) with respect to any other provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A ordinary shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares. Our shareholders are not parties to, or third-party beneficiaries of, these agreements and, as a result, will not have the ability to pursue remedies against our initial shareholders, officers or directors for any breach of these agreements.
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The holders of our Founder Shares 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.
The holders of our Founder Shares beneficially own an aggregate of 62.5% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares. Accordingly, they may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association. If they purchase any additional Class A ordinary shares in the aftermarket or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase their control. Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, our board of directors is divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being appointed in each year. We may not hold an annual general meeting of the Company to elect new directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination, in which case all of the current directors will continue in office until at least the completion of the business combination. If there is an annual general meeting, as a consequence of our “staggered” board of directors, only a minority of the board of directors will be considered for appointment to the board of directors and because of the ownership position of the holders of our Founder Shares, will have considerable influence regarding the outcome. Accordingly, they will continue to exert control at least until the completion of our initial business combination.
Because we must furnish our shareholders with target business financial statements, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial business combination with some prospective target businesses.
The federal proxy rules require that the proxy statement with respect to the vote on an initial business combination include historical and pro forma financial statement disclosure. We will include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with our tender offer documents, whether or not they are required under the tender offer rules. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”), or international financial reporting standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”), depending on the circumstances and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”). These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such financial statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame.
Because we are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, you may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. Federal courts may be limited.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon our directors or officers, or enforce judgments obtained in the United States courts against our directors or officers.
Our corporate affairs will be governed by our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act (as the same may be supplemented or amended from time to time) and the common law of the Cayman Islands. We are also subject to the federal securities laws of the United States. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from English common law, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding on a court in the Cayman Islands.
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The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are different from what they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States, and certain states, such as Delaware, may have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholders’ derivative action in a Federal court of the United States.
We have been advised by Maples and Calder (Cayman) LLP, 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, 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.
The value of the Founder Shares following completion of our initial business combination is likely to be substantially higher than the nominal price paid for them, even if the trading price of our ordinary shares at such time is substantially less than $10.00 per share.
Our insiders collectively invested in us an aggregate of $16,325,000 to purchase the Founder Shares and the Private Placement Warrants. Assuming a trading price of $10.00 per share upon consummation of our initial business combination, the 8,625,000 Founder Shares would have an aggregate implied value of $86,250,000. Even if the trading price of our ordinary shares was substantially below $10.00 per share, the value of the Founder Shares would be substantially greater to our initial shareholders’ initial investment in us. As a result, the holders of the Founder Shares are likely to be able to recoup their investment in us and make a substantial profit on that investment, even if our public shares have lost significant value. Accordingly, our management team, which owns interests in the Founder Shares, may have an economic incentive that differs from that of the public shareholders to pursue and consummate an initial business combination rather than to liquidate and to return all of the cash in the trust to the public shareholders, even if that business combination were with a riskier or less-established target business. For the foregoing reasons, you should consider our management team’s financial incentive to complete an initial business combination when evaluating whether to redeem your shares prior to or in connection with the initial business combination.
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Risks Relating to the Post-Business Combination Company
Subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and the price of our securities, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business with which we combine, we cannot assure you that this diligence will identify all material issues that may be present with a particular target business, that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining debt financing to partially finance the initial business combination or thereafter. Accordingly, any shareholders or warrant holders who choose to remain shareholders or warrant holders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders or warrant holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
Resources could be wasted in researching business combinations that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We anticipate that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys and others. If we decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to complete our initial business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, some of whom may join us following our initial business combination. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post- combination business.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel. The role of our key personnel in the target business, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of our key personnel may remain with the target business in senior management or advisory positions following our initial business combination, it is likely that some or all of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we engage after our initial business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a company regulated by the SEC, which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements.
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Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination, and a particular business combination may be conditioned on the retention or resignation of such key personnel. 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 our company after the completion 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 completion of the business combination. Such negotiations also could make such key personnel’s retention or resignation a condition to any such agreement. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business, subject to their fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law.
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’s management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target business’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target business’s management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, any shareholders or warrant holders who choose to remain shareholders or warrant holders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders or warrant holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
The officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The loss of a business combination 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 completion 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 members of the management of an acquisition candidate will not wish to remain in place.
Our management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination. We cannot provide assurance that, upon loss of control of a target business, new management will possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business.
We may structure our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for us not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We will not consider any transaction that does not meet such criteria. Even if the post-transaction company owns 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the 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. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new Class A ordinary shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock, shares or other equity interests of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new Class A ordinary shares, our shareholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our outstanding Class A ordinary shares subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority shareholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger share of the Company’s shares than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that our management will not be able to maintain control of the target business.
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Risks Relating to Acquiring and Operating a Business in Foreign Countries
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 adversely affect us.
If we pursue a target company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we may face additional burdens in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing such initial business combination, and if we effect such initial business combination, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.
If we pursue a target company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we would be subject to risks associated with cross-border business combinations, including in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing our initial business combination, conducting due diligence in a foreign jurisdiction, having such transaction approved by any local governments, regulators or agencies and changes in the purchase price based on fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
If we effect our initial business combination with such a company, we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in an international setting, including any of the following:
| · | costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations; |
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| · | rules and regulations regarding currency redemption; |
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| · | complex corporate withholding taxes on individuals; |
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| · | laws governing the manner in which future business combinations may be effected; |
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| · | exchange listing and/or delisting requirements; |
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| · | tariffs and trade barriers; |
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| · | regulations related to customs and import/export matters; |
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| · | local or regional economic policies and market conditions; |
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| · | unexpected changes in regulatory requirements; |
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| · | challenges in managing and staffing international operations; |
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| · | longer payment cycles; |
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| · | tax issues, such as tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States; |
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| · | currency fluctuations and exchange controls; |
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| · | rates of inflation; |
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| · | challenges in collecting accounts receivable; |
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| · | cultural and language differences; |
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| · | employment regulations; |
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| · | underdeveloped or unpredictable legal or regulatory systems; |
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| · | corruption; |
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| · | protection of intellectual property; |
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| · | social unrest, crime, strikes, riots and civil disturbances; |
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| · | regime changes and political upheaval; |
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| · | terrorist attacks and wars; and |
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| · | deterioration of political relations with the United States. |
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We may not be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, we may be unable to complete such initial business combination, or, if we complete such initial business combination, our operations might suffer, either of which may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Exchange rate fluctuations and currency policies may cause a target business’ ability to succeed in the international markets to be diminished.
In the event that we acquire a non-U.S. target, all revenues and income would likely be received in a foreign currency, and 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.
We may reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination, and the laws of such jurisdiction may govern some or all of our future material agreements and we may not be able to enforce our legal rights.
In connection with our initial business combination, we may relocate the home jurisdiction of our business from the Cayman Islands to another jurisdiction. If we determine to do this, the laws of such jurisdiction may govern some or all of our future material agreements. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the Cayman Islands or 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.
Risks Relating to our Management Team
Past performance by our management team and their affiliates may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.
Information regarding performance by, or businesses associated with, our management team or businesses associated with them is presented for informational purposes only. While members of our management team have prior SPAC experiences, such past performances do not guarantee either (i) that we will be able to locate a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or (ii) success with respect to any business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record of the performance of our management team’s or businesses associated with them as indicative of our future performance of an investment in us or the returns we will, or is likely to, generate going forward.
We may seek business combination opportunities in industries or sectors that may be outside of our management’s areas of expertise.
We will consider a business combination outside of our management’s areas of expertise if a business combination candidate is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive business combination opportunity for us. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in any particular business combination candidate, we cannot assure you that we will adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to investors in the Public Offering than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in a business combination candidate. In the event we elect to pursue a business combination outside of the areas of our management’s expertise, our management’s expertise may not be directly applicable to its evaluation or operation, and the information regarding the areas of our management’s expertise would not be relevant to an understanding of the business that we elect to acquire. As a result, our management may not be able to ascertain or assess adequately all of the relevant risk factors. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
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We are dependent upon our executive officers and directors and their loss could adversely affect our ability to operate.
Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our executive officers and directors. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our officers and directors, at least until we have completed our initial business combination. In addition, our executive 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 their 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 executive officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or executive officers could have a detrimental effect on us.
Members of our management team have significant experience as founders, board members, officers, executives or employees of other companies. Certain of those persons have been, may be, or may become, involved in litigation, investigations or other proceedings, including related to those companies or otherwise. The defense or prosecution of these matters could be time-consuming and could divert our management’s attention, and may have an adverse effect on us, which may impede our ability to consummate an initial business combination.
During the course of their careers, members of our management team have had significant experience as founders, board members, officers, executives or employees of other companies. As a result of their involvement and positions in these companies, certain of those persons have been, may be or may in the future become involved in litigation, investigations or other proceedings, including relating to the business affairs of such companies, transactions entered into by such companies, or otherwise. Individual members of our management team also may become involved in litigation, investigations or other proceedings involving claims or allegations related to or as a result of their personal conduct, either in their capacity as a corporate officer or director or otherwise, and may be personally named in such actions and potentially subject to personal liability. Any such liability may or may not be covered by insurance and/or indemnification, depending on the facts and circumstances. The defense or prosecution of these matters could be time-consuming. Any litigation, investigations or other proceedings and the potential outcomes of such actions may divert the attention and resources of our management team away from identifying and selecting a target business or businesses for our initial business combination and may negatively affect our reputation, which may impede our ability to complete an initial business combination.
Our executive officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Our executive officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any fulltime employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our executive officers is engaged in several other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation, and our executive officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. Our independent directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities. If our executive officers’ and directors’ other business affairs require them to devote substantial amounts of time to such affairs in excess of their current commitment levels, it could limit their ability to devote time to our affairs which may have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.
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Our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, 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.
Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have, additional fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us, subject to their fiduciary duties under Cayman law. Our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association provides that to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other.
In addition, our initial shareholders and our officers and directors may sponsor or form other SPACs similar to us or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. As a result, our initial shareholders, officers and directors could have conflicts of interest in determining whether to present business combination opportunities to us or to any other SPACs with which they may become involved. However, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Our executive officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests.
We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, executive officers, security holders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In fact, we may enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our directors or executive officers or their affiliates, although we do not intend to do so. Nor do we have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own account in business activities of the types conducted by us. Accordingly, such persons or entities may have a conflict between their interests and ours.
The personal and financial interests of our 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. If this were the case, it would be a breach of their fiduciary duties to us as a matter of Cayman Islands law and we or our shareholders might have a claim against such individuals for infringing on our shareholders’ rights.
We may engage in a business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with one of our initial shareholders, executive officers, directors or existing holders which may raise potential conflicts of interest.
In light of the involvement of our executive officers and directors with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with one of our initial shareholders, executive officers, directors or existing holders. Such entities may compete with us for business combination opportunities. Our initial shareholders, officers and directors are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to complete our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no substantive discussions concerning a business combination with any such entity or entities. Although we will not be specifically focusing on, or targeting, any transaction with any affiliated entities, we would pursue such a transaction if we determined that such affiliated entity met our criteria for a business combination and such transaction was approved by a majority of our independent and disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or a valuation or appraisal firm regarding the fairness to our company from a financial point of view of a business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with one of our initial shareholders, executive 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.
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Risks Relating to our Securities
You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the Trust Account, except under certain limited circumstances. Therefore, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the Trust Account only upon the earliest to occur of: (i) our completion of an initial business combination, and then only in connection with those Class A ordinary shares that such shareholder properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by June 17, 2024 or with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete an initial business combination by June 17, 2024. In addition, if our plan to redeem our public shares if we are unable to complete an initial business combination by June 17, 2024, compliance with Cayman Islands law may require that we submit a plan of dissolution to our then-existing shareholders for approval prior to the distribution of the proceeds held in our Trust Account. In that case, public shareholders may be forced to wait beyond June 17, 2024 before they receive funds from our Trust Account. In no other circumstances will a public shareholder have any right or interest of any kind in the Trust Account. Holders of warrants will not have any right to the proceeds held in the Trust Account with respect to the warrants. Accordingly, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.
We may issue our shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price that is less than the prevailing market price of our shares at that time.
In connection with our initial business combination, we may issue shares to investors in private placement transactions (so-called PIPE transactions) at a price of less than $10.00 per share. The purpose of such issuances will be to enable us to provide sufficient liquidity to the post-business combination entity. The price of the shares we issue may therefore be less, and potentially significantly less, than the market price for our shares at such time.
NYSE 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.
Our units are listed on the NYSE. Our Class A ordinary shares and warrants are separately trading on the NYSE. In order to continue listing our securities on the NYSE prior to our initial business combination, we must maintain certain financial, distribution and share price levels. Additionally, in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to demonstrate compliance with the NYSE’s initial listing requirements, which are more rigorous than the NYSE’s continued listing requirements, in order to continue to maintain the listing of our securities on the NYSE. We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time.
If NYSE delists our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our securities on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
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| · | a determination that our Class A ordinary shares are a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A ordinary shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities; |
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| · | a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and |
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| · | a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. |
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The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because our units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants are listed on the NYSE, our units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants qualify as covered securities under the statute. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of our securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. While we are not aware of a state having used these powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of securities issued by blank check companies, certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if we were no longer listed on the NYSE, our securities would not qualify as covered securities under the statute, and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities.
You will not be permitted to exercise your warrants unless we register and qualify the underlying Class A ordinary shares or certain exemptions are available.
If the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of the warrants is not registered, qualified or exempt from registration or qualification under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, holders of warrants will not be entitled to exercise such warrants and such warrants may have no value and expire worthless. In such event, holders who acquired their warrants as part of a purchase of units will have paid the full unit purchase price solely for the Class A ordinary shares included in the units.
We have not registered the Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants under registration statement for the Public Offering. However, under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed that, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 20 business days, after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC a post-effective amendment to the registration statement for the Public Offering or a new registration statement covering the registration under the Securities Act of the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and thereafter will use our commercially reasonable efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days following our initial business combination and to maintain a current prospectus relating to the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration or redemption of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. We cannot assure you that we will be able to do so if, for example, any facts or events arise which represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement or prospectus, the financial statements contained or incorporated by reference therein are not current, correct or complete or the SEC issues a stop order.
If the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act, under the terms of the warrant agreement, holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants will not be permitted to do so for cash and, instead, will be required to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption.
In no event will warrants be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, and we will not be obligated to issue any shares to holders seeking to exercise their warrants, unless the issuance of the shares upon such exercise is registered or qualified under the securities laws of the state of the exercising holder, or an exemption from registration or qualification is available.
If our Class A ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of “covered securities” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, not permit holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants to do so for cash and, instead, require them to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act; in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement or register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws, and in the event we do not so elect, we will use our best efforts to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws to the extent an exemption is not available.
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In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant, or issue securities (other than upon a cashless exercise as described above) or other compensation in exchange for the warrants in the event that we are unable to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws.
You may only be able to exercise your public warrants on a “cashless basis” under certain circumstances, and if you do so, you will receive fewer Class A ordinary shares from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.
The warrant agreement provides that in the following circumstances holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants will not be permitted to do for cash and will, instead, be required to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act: (i) if the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act in accordance with the terms of the warrant agreement; (ii) if we have so elected and the Class A ordinary shares is at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of “covered securities” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act; and (iii) if we have so elected and we call the public warrants for redemption. If you exercise your public warrants on a cashless basis, you would pay the warrant exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “fair market value” of our Class A ordinary shares (as defined in the next sentence) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” is the average reported closing price of the Class A ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of exercise is received by the warrant agent or on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants, as applicable. As a result, you would receive fewer Class A ordinary shares from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.
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 Class A ordinary shares.
Our initial shareholders and their permitted transferees can demand that we register the Class A ordinary shares into which Founder Shares are convertible, and holders of warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans may demand that we register such warrants or the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of such warrants. We will bear the cost of registering these securities. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude.
We may issue additional Class A ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares upon the conversion of the Founder Shares at a ratio greater than one-to- one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.
We may issue a substantial number of additional Class A ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions as set forth therein. However, our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association provides, among other things, that prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional shares that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the Trust Account or (ii) vote as a class with our public shares (a) on any initial business combination or (b) to approve an amendment to our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association to (x) extend the time we have to consummate a business combination beyond June 17, 2024 or (y) amend the foregoing provisions. These provisions of our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, like all provisions of our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, may be amended with a shareholder vote. The issuance of additional ordinary shares or preference shares:
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| · | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in the Public Offering; |
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| · | may subordinate the rights of holders of Class A ordinary shares if preference shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our Class A ordinary shares; |
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| · | could cause a change in control if a substantial number of Class A ordinary shares is 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 |
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Unlike some other similarly structured SPACs, our initial shareholders will receive additional Class A ordinary shares if we issue certain shares to consummate an initial business combination.
The Founder Shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of our initial business combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment for share sub-divisions, share dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities are issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial business combination, the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Founder Shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the total number of Class A ordinary shares outstanding after such conversion (after giving effect to any redemptions of Class A ordinary shares by public shareholders), including the total number of Class A ordinary shares issued, or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or rights issued or deemed issued, by the Company in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the initial business combination, excluding any Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities or rights exercisable for or convertible into Class A ordinary shares issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination and any Private Placement Warrants issued to our initial shareholders, officers or directors upon conversion of working capital loans, provided that such conversion of Founder Shares will never occur on a less than one-for-one basis. This is different than some other similarly structured SPACs in which the initial shareholders will only be issued an aggregate of 20% of the total number of shares to be outstanding prior to our initial business combination.
We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants. As a result, the exercise price of your warrants could be increased, the exercise period could be shortened and the number of Class A ordinary shares purchasable upon exercise of a warrant could be decreased, all without your approval.
Our warrants have been 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, but requires the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of public warrants.
Accordingly, we may amend the terms of the public warrants in a manner adverse to a holder if holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants approve of such amendment. Although our ability to amend the terms of the public warrants with the consent of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants is unlimited, examples of such amendments could be amendments to, among other things, increase the exercise price of the warrants, convert the warrants into cash or shares (at a ratio different than initially provided), shorten the exercise period or decrease the number of Class A ordinary shares purchasable upon exercise of a warrant.
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We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.
We have the ability to redeem outstanding warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per warrant, provided that the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like and for certain issuances of Class A ordinary shares and equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period ending on the third trading day prior to proper notice of such redemption and provided that certain other conditions are met on the date we give notice of redemption. We will not redeem the warrants unless an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is effective and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares is available throughout the 30-day redemption period, except if the warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities Act. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws. Redemption of the outstanding warrants could force you to (i) exercise your warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for you to do so, (ii) sell your warrants at the then-current market price when you might otherwise wish to hold your warrants or (iii) accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding warrants are called for redemption, is likely to be substantially less than the market value of your warrants. None of the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by us so long as they are held by their initial purchasers or their permitted transferees.
Our warrants may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.
We issued warrants to purchase 17,250,000 Class A ordinary shares as part of the units offered by the prospectus relating to the Public Offering, each exercisable to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share. Moreover, we may receive loans from our officers, directors, shareholders or their affiliates, of which up to $1,500,000 will be convertible into warrants, each exercisable to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share, at a price of $1.00 per warrant, or up to $1,500,000 in the aggregate. To the extent we issue ordinary shares to effectuate a business transaction, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of these warrants could make us a less attractive acquisition vehicle to a target business. Such warrants, when exercised, will increase the number of issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares and reduce the value of the Class A ordinary shares issued to complete the business transaction. Therefore, our warrants may make it more difficult to effectuate a business transaction or increase the cost of acquiring the target business.
Our warrants are accounted for as a warrant liability and were recorded at fair value upon issuance with any changes in fair value each period reported in earnings, which may have an adverse effect on the market price of our securities or may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination.
We currently account for our warrants as a warrant liability, which means that we will record them at fair value upon issuance with any changes in fair value each period reported in earnings. The impact of changes in fair value on earnings may have an adverse effect on the market price of our securities. In addition, potential targets may seek a business combination partner that does not have warrants that are accounted for as a warrant liability, which may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination with a target business.
Our warrant agreement designates the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants, which could limit the ability of warrant holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company.
Our warrant agreement provides that, subject to applicable law, (i) any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the warrant agreement, including under the Securities Act, will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and (ii) that we irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be the exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. We will waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, these provisions of the warrant agreement will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our warrants shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the forum provisions in our warrant agreement. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope the forum provisions of the warrant agreement, is filed in a court other than a court of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (a “foreign action”) in the name of any holder of our warrants, such holder shall be deemed to have consented to: (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in the State of New York in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the forum provisions (an “enforcement action”), and (y) having service of process made upon such warrant holder in any such enforcement action by service upon such warrant holder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such warrant holder.
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This choice-of-forum provision may limit a warrant holder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with our company, which may discourage such lawsuits. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision of our warrant agreement inapplicable or unenforceable with respect to one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and result in a diversion of the time and resources of our management and board of directors.
Unanticipated changes in our effective tax rate or challenges by tax authorities could harm our future results.
We are not subject to income taxes in the Cayman Islands but we may become subject to income taxes in various other jurisdictions in the future. Our effective tax rate could be adversely affected by changes in the allocation of our pre-tax earnings and losses among countries with differing statutory tax rates, in certain non-deductible expenses as a result of acquisitions, in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities, or in federal, state, local or non-U.S. tax laws and accounting principles, including increased tax rates, new tax laws or revised interpretations of existing tax laws and precedents. Increases in our effective tax rate would adversely affect our operating results. In addition, we may be subject to income tax audits by various tax jurisdictions throughout the world. The application of tax laws in such jurisdictions may be subject to diverging and sometimes conflicting interpretations by tax authorities in these jurisdictions. Although we believe our income tax liabilities are reasonably estimated and accounted for in accordance with applicable laws and principles, an adverse resolution of one or more uncertain tax positions in any period could have a material impact on the results of operations for that period.
General Risk Factors
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 Class A ordinary shares and could entrench management.
Our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association contains provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that shareholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions include a staggered board of directors and the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preference shares, which may make the removal of management more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.
Provisions in our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association and Cayman Islands law may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers.
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against willful default, fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association provides for indemnification of our officers and directors to the maximum extent permitted by law, including for any liability incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own actual fraud, willful default or willful neglect. We purchased a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.
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Our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the Trust Account, and have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to us and will not seek recourse against the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever. Accordingly, any indemnification provided will only be able to be satisfied by us if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the Trust Account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination.
Our indemnification obligations may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.
We depend on digital technologies, including information systems, infrastructure and cloud applications and services, including those of third parties with which we may deal. Sophisticated and deliberate attacks on, or security breaches in, our systems or infrastructure, or the systems or infrastructure of third parties or the cloud, could lead to corruption or misappropriation of our assets, proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data. As an early stage company without significant investments in data security protection, we may not be sufficiently protected against such occurrences. We may not have sufficient resources to adequately protect against, or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to, cyber incidents. It is possible that any of these occurrences, or a combination of them, could have adverse consequences on our business and lead to financial loss.
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 years, the market for directors and officers liability insurance for SPACs has changed. Fewer insurance companies are offering quotes for directors and officers liability coverage and the premiums charged for such policies have generally increased. 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 may need to purchase additional insurance with respect to any such claims (“run- off insurance”). The need for run-off insurance would be an added expense for the post-business combination entity, and could interfere with or frustrate our ability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to our investors.
Recent increases in inflation in the United States and elsewhere could make it more difficult for us to complete our initial Business Combination.
Recent increases in inflation in the United States and elsewhere may lead to increased price volatility for publicly traded securities, including ours, or other national, regional or international economic disruptions, any of which could make it more difficult for us to complete our initial Business Combination.
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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
ITEM 1C. CYBER SECURITY
We are a blank check company with no business operations. Since our IPO, our sole business activity has been identifying and evaluating suitable target businesses for a business combination. Therefore, we do not consider that we face significant cybersecurity risk. Nevertheless, we employ various procedures designed to identify, protect, detect and respond to and manage reasonably foreseeable cybersecurity risks and threats given our limited operations. These include, but are not limited to, internal reporting, monitoring and detection tools and anti-virus software in. We also periodically assess risks from cybersecurity and technology threats and monitor our information systems for potential vulnerabilities, including those that could arise from internal sources and external sources such as third-party service providers we do business with. We may also consider in the future whether to engage an assessor(s), consultant(s), auditor(s) or other third party(s) to supplement our processes.
To date, we have not experienced any cybersecurity attacks. However, any such attack could adversely affect our business. Further, a penetration of our systems or a third-party’s systems or other misappropriation or misuse of personal information could subject us to business, regulatory, litigation and reputation risk, which could have a negative effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The Audit Committee of the Board oversees our cybersecurity risk and receives regular reports from our management team on various potential cybersecurity matters, including areas of emerging risks, incidents and industry trends, and other areas of importance.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Our executive offices are located at 8 The Green, #18195, Dover, Delaware 19901. This space is provided to us, free of charge, from a holder of our Founder Shares. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
As of December 31, 2023, to the knowledge of our management, there was no material litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding pending against us or any members of our management team in their capacity as such, and we and the members of our management team have not been subject to any such proceeding.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
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PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Information
Our units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants are listed on the NYSE under the symbols “BFAC.U,” “BFAC” and “BFAC.WS,” respectively.
Holders
As of March 28, 2024, there was one holder of record of our units, one holder of record of our Class A ordinary shares, eight holders of record of our Class B ordinary shares and one holder of record of our warrants. The number of holders of record does not include a substantially greater number of “street name” holders or beneficial holders whose units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants are held of record by banks, brokers and other financial institutions.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities; Use of Proceeds from Registered Offerings
Use of Proceeds
On December 14, 2021, our registration statement on Form S-l (File No. 333-261373) was declared effective by the SEC, and we subsequently filed a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-261654) pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, which was effective immediately upon filing. On December 17, 2021 we consummated the Public Offering of 34,500,000 units, including the issuance of 4,500,000 units as a result of the underwriters’ full exercise of their over-allotment option, at an offering price to the public of $10.00 per unit for an aggregate offering price of $345,000,000. Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one Warrant. Each whole Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share.
A total of $351,900,000, comprised of $335,600,000 of the proceeds from the Public Offering (which amount includes the marketing fee of $17,250,000) and $16,300,000 of the proceeds of the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, was placed in a Trust Account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee. No payments were made by us to directors, officers or persons owning ten percent or more of our ordinary shares or to their associates, or to our affiliates.
On November 14, 2023, we held a shareholder meeting to make certain changes to our charter. In connection with such meeting, holders of 6,266,236 Class A ordinary shares of the Company exercised their right to redeem such shares for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the Trust Account. As a result, approximately $68.2 million (approximately $10.88 per share) was removed from the Trust Account to pay such holders and approximately $56.3 million remained in the Trust Account.
ITEM 6. [RESERVED]
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 “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Overview
We were incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on July 29, 2021. We were incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses.
On December 17, 2021, we consummated our initial public offering (the “IPO” or the “Public Offering”) of 34,500,000 units (including the underwriters’ full exercise of their over-allotment option) at $10.00 per unit (each, a “Unit”). Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share.
The Company initially have until November 17, 2023 (or up to 30 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a Business Combination by depositing into the Trust Account, for each one-month extension, the lesser of $0.03 per outstanding share and $250,000) to consummate a Business Combination.
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Pursuant to the terms of the initial Articles and the Trust Agreement, in order for the time available for us to consummate a Business Combination to be extended, the initial shareholders or their affiliates or designees, upon five days’ advance notice prior to the applicable deadline, must deposit into the Trust Account, pro rata in accordance with their percentage ownership of the total number of outstanding Founder Shares, the lesser of $0.03 per outstanding share and $250,000 for each one-month extension, on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline. Any such payments would be made in the form of an Extension Loan. If we complete a Business Combination, we will, at the option of our initial shareholders or their affiliates or designees, repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to us. If we do not complete a Business Combination, we will repay such loans only from funds held outside of the Trust Account. Our initial shareholders or their affiliates or designees are not obligated to fund the Trust Account to extend the time for us to complete a Business Combination. If we are unable to consummate a Business Combination within the applicable time period, we will, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than five business days thereafter, redeem the public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the Trust Account and as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
If we were unable to complete a Business Combination by November 17, 2023 (or up to 30 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a Business Combination by into the Trust Account, for each one-month extension, the lesser of $0.03 per outstanding share and $250,000) or during any extension period, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject, in each case, to 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 our warrants, which will expire worthless if we fail to complete a Business Combination by November 17, 2023 (or up to 30 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a Business Combination by depositing into the Trust Account, for each one-month extension, the lesser of $0.03 per outstanding share and $250,000).
Recent Developments
On May 22, 2023, we filed a definitive proxy statement regarding an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to be held on June 12, 2023. The purpose of the extraordinary general meeting was to consider and vote upon proposals to (A) amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to give us the right to extend the Combination Period up to twelve (12) times for an additional one (1) month each time, from June 17, 2023 to June 17, 2024, by depositing into the Trust Account the lesser of (i) $0.03 for each Class A ordinary share not redeemed in connection with the extraordinary general meeting, multiplied by the number of public shares then outstanding, and (ii) $250,000 (or pro rata portion thereof if less than a full month) (the “Extension Payment”), until the earlier of (a) the completion of a Business Combination and (b) the announcement of our intention to wind up its operations and liquidate (as extended, the “Extended Date”) (the “Extension Amendment Proposal”), (B) amend our investment management trust agreement, dated as of December 14, 2021, by and between us and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, to (i) allow us to extend the Combination Period up to twelve (12) times for an additional one (1) month each time, from June 17, 2023, to the Extended Date by depositing into the Trust Account the Extension Payment until the Extended Date and (ii) provide that we shall hold the trust assets solely in cash from and after the effectiveness of the Extension Amendment Proposal and the Trust Agreement Amendment Proposal (the “Trust Agreement Amendment Proposal”) and (C) adjourn the extraordinary general meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies if, based upon the tabulated vote at the time of the extraordinary general meeting, there are not sufficient votes to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal or the Trust Agreement Amendment Proposal or where the board of directors has determined it is otherwise necessary or desirable (the “Adjournment Proposal”). The foregoing summary of the Extension Amendment Proposal, Trust Agreement Amendment Proposal and the Adjournment Proposal does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Company’s definitive proxy statement, filed with the SEC on May 22, 2023.
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On June 12, 2023, we held an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders, and our shareholders approved the Extension Amendment Proposal and the Trust Agreement Amendment Proposal.
In connection with the shareholders’ vote at the extraordinary general meeting, holders of 23,063,075 Class A ordinary shares exercised their right to redeem such shares (the “First Redemption”) for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the Trust Account. As a result, approximately $242.4 million (approximately $10.51 per share) was removed from the Trust Account to pay such holders and approximately $119.6 million remained in the Trust Account. As a result of the Redemption, we have 20,061,925 ordinary shares outstanding, which includes 11,436,925 Class A ordinary shares and 8,625,000 Class B ordinary shares immediately following in the First Redemption.
On June 14, 2023, the Extension Payment was deposited by the Sponsor into the Trust Account for our public shareholders, representing $0.024 per public share, which enabled us to extend the period of time we have to consummate a Business Combination by two months to August 17, 2023 (the “Extension”). The Extension constitutes the first two of up to twelve one-month extensions permitted under our governing documents and provides us with additional time to complete a Business Combination.
On each of August 15, 2023, September 15, 2023, and October 12, 2023, an aggregate of $250,000 was deposited by Pala into the Trust Account for our public shareholders, representing $0.024 per public share, which enabled us to extend the period of time we have to consummate a Business Combination by one month for each Extension to September 17, 2023, October 17, 2023, and November 17, 2023, respectively. The Extensions constitute the third, fourth, and fifth of up to twelve one-month extensions permitted under our governing documents and provide us with additional time to complete a Business Combination.
On October 23, 2023, October 30, 2023 and November 6, 2023, the Company and the Sponsor entered into Non-Redemption Agreements with the Investors in exchange for such Investors agreeing (i) to not redeem an aggregate of 5,000,500 Non-Redeemed Shares in connection with the Meeting and (ii) to vote in favor of the Proposals at the Meeting (other than with respect to certain shares acquired or to be acquired pursuant to the Non-Redemption Agreement). In exchange for the foregoing commitment to not redeem such shares, the Sponsor has agreed to transfer to the Investors up to an aggregate of 1,000,100 Founder Shares held by the Sponsor contemporaneously with the closing of the Company’s Business Combination, provided that the Investors do not exercise their redemption rights with respect to the Non-Redeemed Shares in connection with the Meeting and the Proposals are approved.
On November 14, 2023, the Company held an extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders and the shareholders approved the following proposals: (1) remove the monthly extension payment the Company must make into the Trust Account to extend the Combination Period and extend the Combination Period to June 17, 2024 without depositing additional funds in the Trust Account (the “Extension Payment Removal Amendment”) and (2) eliminate (i) the limitation that the Company may not redeem public shares in an amount that would cause the Company’s net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 and (ii) the limitation that the Company shall not consummate an initial business combination unless the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 immediately prior to, or upon consummation of, or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement that may be contained in the agreement relating to, such initial business combination (the “Redemption Limitation Amendment” and, collectively with the Extension Payment Removal Amendment, the “Charter Amendment”).
In connection with the shareholders’ vote at the Meeting, 6,266,326 Class A ordinary shares of the Company exercised their right to redeem such shares (the “Second Redemption”) for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the Trust Account. As a result, approximately $68.2 million (approximately $10.88 per share) was removed from the Trust Account to pay such holders and approximately $56.3 million remained in the Trust Account. Immediately following the aforementioned redemptions, the Company had 13,795,599 ordinary shares outstanding, which includes 5,170,599 Class A ordinary shares and 8,625,000 Class B ordinary shares.
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On January 16, 2024, the Company, the Sponsor, Pala, and Camel Bay, LLC (the “Purchaser”) entered into a share purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”). Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, among other things: (a) the Sponsor and Pala transferred to the Purchaser an aggregate of 4,193,695 Founder Shares; (b) the Purchaser executed a joinder agreement (the “Joinder”) to become a party to that certain letter agreement, dated December 14, 2021 (“Letter Agreement”), and that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated December 14, 2021 (“Registration Rights Agreement”), each originally entered into in connection with the IPO, among the Company, the Sponsor, Pala and certain equityholders of the Company; (c) the Sponsor, Pala and certain other holders of Founder Shares gave to Purchaser the irrevocable right to vote the Founder Shares on their behalf and to take certain other actions on their behalf (the “POA Agreements”); (d) the Sponsor, Pala and the underwriters in the IPO, entered into surrender and cancellation agreements (the “Warrant Cancellation Agreements”) whereby such parties have agreed to cancel an aggregate of 16,300,000 private placement warrants (the “Placement Warrants”) purchased by them at the time of the IPO; and (e) certain holders of promissory notes (the “Lenders”) issued by the Company to such Lenders agreed to cancel their promissory notes in an aggregate principal amount of $6,433,333 (“Debt Cancellation Agreements”). In addition, each of the Underwriters entered into an agreement (the “Underwriter Agreements”) whereby such parties waived their entitlement to the payment of any cash fees and expenses pursuant to that certain business combination marketing agreement, dated December 14, 2021. In addition, Pala agreed to pay $125,000 cash and 50,000 founder shares to a service provider, who agreed to waive an accrued liability of approximately $2,276,000 in return.
In Connection with the Purchase, certain original officers and directors submitted their resignation of their respective offices, and new officers and directors were appointed.
Results of Operations
Our entire activity from July 29, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2023 was in preparation for the Public Offering and, since the Public Offering, our search for a prospective Business Combination target. We will not generate any operating revenues until the closing and completion of our initial business combination, at the earliest. We expect to generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on marketable securities held after the 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 year ended December 31, 2023, we had net income of $5,265,974, which consisted of a unfavorable change in fair value of warrant liabilities of $1,260,642 and interest earned on investments held in trust account of $9,953,034, offset by general and administrative expenses of $3,430,328.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, we had net income of $21,252,998, which consisted of a favorable change in fair value of warrant liabilities of $17,743,846 and interest earned on investments held in trust account of $5,075,607, offset by general and administrative expenses of $1,566,455.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2023, we had $925,758 in cash and working capital of $111,819. As of December 31, 2022, we had $299,149 in cash and working capital of $62,073.
Our liquidity needs up to the closing of the IPO on December 17, 2021 were satisfied through a payment from the Sponsor of $25,000 for the Founder Shares to cover certain offering costs and a loan under an unsecured promissory note from the Sponsor of $300,000. The promissory note was fully repaid as of the closing of the IPO.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of our officers and directors, may, but are not obligated to, provide us Working Capital Loans. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company had approximately $1,089,491 and $0 of borrowings under the Working Capital Loans, respectively.
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On April 5, 2023, we issued an unsecured convertible promissory note in the aggregate principal amount of $1,000,000 (the “Pala Note”) to Pala Investments Limited (“Pala”) with each advance not to exceed $500,000. The Pala Note originally bore interest at a rate of ten percent (10.00%) per annum payable upon the earlier of June 16, 2023 (as may be extended in accordance with the terms of the Pala Note) and the effective date of the Company’s Business Combination. In the event that we do not consummate a Business Combination, the Pala Note will be repaid only from amounts remaining outside of our Trust Account. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $908,000 outstanding under the Pala Note. For the year ended September 30, 2023, the Company had approximately $76,000, in interest expense on the Pala Note. The Pala Note has a conversion feature that is considered an embedded derivative, but the value is de minimis. As such, the Pala Note is presented at fair value on the accompanying balance sheets. On August 8, 2023, the Company and Pala amended and restated the Pala Note (the “A&R Pala Note”) to (i) distinguish between loans made for the purposes of funding (x) the Company’s working capital requirements (the “Pala Working Capital Loans”) and (y) the Company’s trust account to extend the Company’s deadline to complete its business combination (the “Pala Trust Extension Loans”), (ii) permit interest to accrue at a rate equal to twenty percent (20.00%) per annum, compounded annually, on any and all then-outstanding Pala Working Capital Loans, (iii) clarify that no interest shall accrue on the Pala Trust Extension Loans and (iv) clarify that up to $6,900,000 of Pala Trust Extension Loans may be converted into Warrants, subject to availability.
On June 14, 2023, the Sponsor loaned the Extension Payment to the Company in order to support the Extension (the “Extension Loan”) and caused the Extension Payment to be deposited in the Company’s Trust Account for its public shareholders. In connection with the Extension Payment, the Company issued an unsecured promissory note in the aggregate principal amount of $2,000,000 (the “Sponsor Note”) to the Sponsor. The Sponsor Note originally bore interest at a rate of ten percent (10.0%) per annum. The Sponsor Note will be due and payable (subject to the waiver against trust provisions) on the earlier of (i) the date on which the Business Combination is consummated and (ii) the date of the Company’s liquidation. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $1,250,000 outstanding under the Sponsor Note. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $76,149, in interest expense on the Sponsor Note.
On July 31, 2023, the Company and the Sponsor amended and restated the Sponsor Note (the “A&R Sponsor Note”) to (i) increase the aggregate principal amount available to be borrowed to up to $5,000,000, (ii) distinguish between loans made for the purposes of funding (x) the Sponsor Working Capital Loans and (y) the Sponsor Extension Loans, and (iii) clarify that up to $6,900,000 of Sponsor Working Capital Loans and up to $1,500,000 of Sponsor Trust Extension Loans may be converted into Warrants, subject to availability.
On August 8, 2023, the Company and the Sponsor amended and restated the A&R Sponsor Note (the “Second A&R Sponsor Note”) to (i) permit interest to accrue at a rate equal to twenty percent (20.00%) per annum, compounded annually, on any and all then-outstanding Sponsor Working Capital Loans and (ii) clarify that no interest shall accrue on the Sponsor Trust Extension Loans.
On each of August 15, 2023, September 15, 2023 and October 12, 2023, an aggregate of $250,000 was deposited by Pala into the Trust Account for our public shareholders, representing $0.024 per public share, which enabled us to extend the period of time we have to consummate our Business Combination by one month for each Extension to September 17, 2023, October 17, 2023 and November 17, 2023, respectively. The Extensions constitute the third, fourth and fifth of up to twelve one-month extensions permitted under our governing documents and provide us with additional time to complete our Business Combination.
On October 12, 2023, the Company and Pala amended and restated the A&R Pala Note (the “Second A&R Pala Note”) to increase the aggregate principal amount available to be borrowed by up to $250,000.
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,” the Company has until November 17, 2023 to consummate a Business Combination. It is uncertain that the Company will be able to consummate a Business Combination by this time. Additionally, the Company may not have sufficient liquidity to fund the working capital needs of the Company until one year from the issuance of these financial statements. If a Business Combination is not consummated by this date, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution of the Company. Management has determined that the liquidity condition and mandatory liquidation, should a Business Combination not occur, and potential subsequent dissolution, raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities should the Company be required to liquidate after November 17, 2023.
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Critical Accounting Policies
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. 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 periods.
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.
Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption
The Company accounts for its ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as a liability instrument and measured at fair value.
Conditionally redeemable ordinary shares (including ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ equity. The Company’s Class A ordinary shares feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, 11,436,925 Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption are presented at redemption value as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of the Company’s balance sheets.
The Company recognizes changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and adjusts the carrying value of Class A ordinary shares to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. Increases or decreases in the carrying amount of redeemable ordinary shares are affected by charges against additional paid-in capital and accumulated deficit.
Net Income Per Ordinary Share
The Company has two classes of shares, which are referred to as Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Earnings and losses are shared pro rata between the two classes of shares. Calculation of diluted net income per share for the year ended December 31, 2023 does not consider the effect of the warrants underlying the Units sold in the Public Offering and the Private Placement Warrants to purchase an aggregate of 33,550,000 Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in the calculation of diluted income per share because they are contingent on future events and their inclusion would be anti-dilutive under the treasury stock method. As a result, diluted net income per ordinary share is the same as basic net income per ordinary share for such periods.
Warrant Liabilities
We account for the warrants issued in connection with the Public Offering in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 815-40. Such guidance provides that because the warrants do not meet the criteria for equity treatment thereunder, each warrant must be recorded as a liability. Accordingly, we will classify each warrant as a liability at its fair value. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each condensed balance sheet date. With each such re-measurement, the warrant liability will be adjusted to fair value, with the change in fair value recognized in our statements of operations.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on our financial statements.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.
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Commitments and Contractual Obligations
Registration Rights Agreement
Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, dated December 14, 2021, by and among us, the Sponsor, Pala, Cantor, Roth and the other holders party thereto, the holders of the (i) Founder Shares, (ii) Private Placement Warrants and the Class A ordinary shares underlying such Private Placement Warrants, (iii) Private Placement Warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans and (iv) Private Placement Warrants that may be issued upon conversion of the Extension Loans will have registration rights to require us to register a sale of any of our securities held by them. The holders of these securities are entitled to certain demand and “piggyback” registration rights. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
We granted the underwriters a 45-day option from the date of the IPO to purchase up to an additional 4,500,000 Units to cover over-allotments, if any. The underwriters exercised their over-allotment option in full on December 17, 2021.
On December 17, 2021, the underwriters earned a cash underwriting discount of two percent (2.0%) of the gross proceeds of the IPO, or $6,900,000. Additionally, the underwriters will be entitled to a marketing fee of five percent (5.0%) of the gross proceeds of the IPO, or $17,250,000, upon the completion of our Business Combination.
JOBS Act
On April 5, 2012, the JOBS Act was signed into law. The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We qualify as an “emerging growth company” under the JOBS Act and are allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We elected to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
As an “emerging growth company,” we are not required to, among other things, (i) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting, (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies, (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis), and (iv) disclose comparisons of the chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five (5) years following the completion of the Public Offering or until we otherwise no longer qualify as an “emerging growth company.”
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information otherwise required under this item.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
This information appears following Item 15 of this Report and is included herein by reference.
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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 chief executive officer and chief financial officer (our “Certifying Officers”), the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2023, pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our Certifying Officers concluded that, as of the evaluation date, 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.
Management’s Report on Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting
Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or because the degree of compliance with policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Management conducted, under the supervision of our Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, commonly referred to as the “COSO” criteria. Based on the assessment performed, management concluded that our internal controls over financial reporting were effective as of December 31, 2023.
This Annual Report on Form 10-K does not include an attestation report of our registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by rules of the SEC for an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012.
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) under 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 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
During the quarter ended December 31, 2023, (i) no director or officer adopted or terminated any (i) “Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement,” as defined in Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K intending to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5–1(c) or (ii) “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement,” as defined in Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K; (ii) the Company did not adopt or terminate any Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement; and (iii) there was no information that was required to be disclosed on a Current Report on Form 8-K during such quarter that was not so disclosed.
ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
Not applicable.
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PART III
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Directors and Executive Officers
Our directors and executive officers are as follows:
Name |
| Age |
| Position |
Fanghan Sui |
| 29 |
| Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board |
Hao Tian |
| 31 |
| Director |
Zixun Jin |
| 36 |
| Director |
Wei Qian |
| 39 |
| Director |
Fanghan Sui, CEO and Chairman
Fanghan Sui has served as our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board since March 2024. Mr. Sui has been involved in crafting and analyzing high-performance campaigns across various digital platforms since he joined Agency Within, LLC dba WITHIN, a global digital marketing firm, in 2021. His approach brings innovative solutions to marketing challenges, enhancing the digital presence of his clients. Mr. Sui received a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from the University of California, Davis and a Master’s degree in TESOL from the University of Pennsylvania. The Company believes that Fanghan Sui is well qualified to serve on its board of directors due to his relationships, contacts and experience.
Hao Tian, Director
Hao Tian has served as an independent director on the Company’s Board since January 2024. Hao Tian is a risk manager at Amazon.com, Inc. (“Amazon”) and brings professional experience in due diligence investigation, anti-money laundering, and sanctions compliance. Before joining Amazon in 2021, Mr. Tian was a lead associate at Kroll, LLC (formerly Duff & Phelps), a premier investigation and financial risk advisory firm headquartered in New York, based in its Toronto and Reston offices. He started his career with the corporate security division at the World Bank Group based in Washington D.C. Mr. Tian holds a Master’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a Bachelor’s degree in international relations and French studies from Lehigh University. The Company believes that Hao Tian is well qualified to serve on its board of directors due to his relationships, contacts and experience.
Zixun Jin, Director
Zixun Jin has served as an independent director on the Company’s Board since January 2024. Zixun Jin is experienced in operations management and data analysis. He has held the role of Operation Manager at European Dismantler Inc. since 2013, where his role is overseeing operations and implementing effective processes. Prior to his tenure at European Dismantler Inc., Mr. Jin worked as a Data Mining Analyst at Lehigh University, utilizing analytical skills to extract insights from complex datasets. His ability to uncover meaningful patterns and trends within the data contributed to improved decision-making and strategic planning. Mr. Jin holds a Master’s degree in Industrial and System Engineering from Lehigh University, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Hefei University of Technology. The Company believes that Zixun Jin is well qualified to serve on its board of directors due to his relationships, contacts and experience.
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Wei Qian, Director
Wei Qian has served as an independent director on the Company’s Board since March 2024. Mr. Qian has served as the Director of Capital Markets at Fusion Park, LLC, a US-based firm specializing in climate change tech investments and consulting, since March 2023. Mr. Qian’s past roles include Interim CEO of Hemp Logic Inc., a US-based CBD company to spearhead its expansion in China, from August 2020 to May 2021, Director of Investment at Xingtong Capital, an investment fund within the Shanshan Group, from July 2015 to July 2017, and Vice Director of Investment at Transfar Holding Group, an investment company within Transfar Group, from July 2017 to August 2018. Mr. Qian’s career began in 2011 and he has had experience in private equity and venture capital, focusing on TMT, healthcare, and climate tech sectors. Mr. Qian received a bachelor’s degree from Shanghai Jiaotong University and an MBA from St. John’s University. The Company believes Wei Qian is well qualified to serve on its board of directors due to his relationships, contacts and experience.
Number and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors
Our board of directors consists of four members and is divided into three classes with only one class of directors being appointed in each year, and with each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting) serving a three-year term. In accordance with the NYSE corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on the NYSE.
Our officers are appointed by the board of directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors, rather than for specific terms of office. Our board of directors is authorized to appoint officers as it deems appropriate pursuant to our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Director Independence
The rules of the NYSE require that a majority of our board of directors be independent within one year of the Public Offering. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person who, in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, has no material relationship with the listed company (either directly or as a partner, shareholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with the company). Our board of directors has determined that each of Hao Tian, Zixun Jin and Wei Qian an “independent director” as defined in the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
Board Committees
Our board of directors has three standing committees: an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee. Our audit committee, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee are composed solely of independent directors. Subject to phase-in rules, the rules of the NYSE and Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors, and the rules of the NYSE require that the compensation committee and the nominating and corporate governance committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors. Each committee operates pursuant to a charter approved by our board and have the composition and responsibilities described below. The charter of each committee is available on our website.
Audit Committee
We established an audit committee of the board of directors. Hao Tian, Zixun Jin and Wei Qian serve as members of our audit committee. Under the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have at least three members of the audit committee, all of whom must be independent. Each of Hao Tian, Zixun Jin and Wei Qian meet the independent director standard under the NYSE listing standards and under Rule 10A-3(b)(l) under the Exchange Act.
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Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our board of directors has determined that Mr. Qian qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules and has accounting or related financial management expertise.
We have adopted an audit committee charter, detailing the principal functions of the audit committee, including:
| · | meeting with our independent registered public accounting firm regarding, among other issues, audits, and adequacy of our accounting and control systems; |
|
|
|
| · | monitoring the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm; |
|
|
|
| · | 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; |
|
|
|
| · | 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 registered public accounting firm, including the fees and terms of the services to be performed; |
|
|
|
| · | appointing or replacing the independent registered public accounting firm; |
|
|
|
| · | determining the compensation and oversight of the work of the independent registered public accounting firm (including resolution of disagreements between management and the independent registered public accounting firm 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; |
|
|
|
| · | monitoring compliance on a quarterly basis with the terms of the Public Offering and, if any noncompliance is identified, immediately taking all action necessary to rectify such noncompliance or otherwise causing compliance with the terms of the Public Offering; and |
|
|
|
| · | reviewing and approving all payments made to our existing shareholders, executive officers or directors and their respective affiliates. Any payments made to members of our audit committee will be reviewed and approved by our board of directors, with the interested director or directors abstaining from such review and approval. |
Compensation Committee
We established a compensation committee of the board of directors. Hao Tian, Zixun Jin and Wei Qian serve as members of our compensation committee.
We have adopted a compensation committee charter, detailing the principal functions of the compensation committee, including:
| · | 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 Section 16 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; |
|
|
|
| · | 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. |
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The charter also provides that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, independent legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by the NYSE and the SEC.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, as indicated below, no compensation of any kind, including finders, consulting or other similar fees, will be paid to any of our officers, directors, initial shareholders or any of their respective affiliates, prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate the consummation of an initial business combination. Accordingly, it is likely that prior to the consummation of an initial business combination, the compensation committee will only be responsible for the review and recommendation of any compensation arrangements to be entered into in connection with such initial business combination.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
We established a nominating and corporate governance committee of the board of directors. The members of our nominating and corporate governance are Hao Tian, Zixun Jin and Wei Qian.
We have adopted a nominating and corporate governance committee charter detailing the purpose and responsibilities of the nominating and corporate governance committee, including:
| · | screening and reviewing individuals qualified to serve as directors, consistent with criteria approved by the board, and recommending to the board of directors candidates for nomination for election at the annual meeting of shareholders or to fill vacancies on the board of directors; |
|
|
|
| · | developing and recommending to the board of directors and overseeing implementation of our corporate governance guidelines; |
|
|
|
| · | coordinating and overseeing the annual self-evaluation of the board of directors, its committees, individual directors and management in the governance of the Company; and |
|
|
|
| · | reviewing on a regular basis our overall corporate governance and recommending improvements as and when necessary. |
The charter also provides that the nominating and corporate governance committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of, and terminate, any search firm to be used to identify director candidates, and will be directly responsible for approving the search firm’s fees and other retention terms.
We have not formally established any specific, minimum qualifications that must be met or skills that are necessary for directors to possess. In general, in identifying and evaluating nominees for director, the board of directors considers educational background, diversity of professional experience, knowledge of our business, integrity, professional reputation, independence, wisdom, and the ability to represent the best interests of our shareholders. Prior to our initial business combination, holders of our public shares will not have the right to recommend director candidates for nomination to our board of directors.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and Committee Charters
We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees. We filed a copy of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics as an exhibit to the registration statement relating to the Public Offering. You may review this document by accessing our public filings at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and the charters of the committees of our board of directors will be provided without charge upon request from us. If we make any amendments to our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics other than technical, administrative or other non-substantive amendments, or grant any waiver, including any implicit waiver, from a provision of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller or persons performing similar functions requiring disclosure under applicable SEC or NYSE rules, we will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver on our website.
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ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
None of our executive officers or directors has received any cash compensation for services rendered. Our executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our officers, directors, shareholders or our or their affiliates. Other than these payments and reimbursements, no compensation of any kind, including finder’s and consulting fees, will be paid to our executive officers, directors, shareholders or any of their respective affiliates, prior to completion of our initial business combination.
It is possible that some or all of our officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements with the post-transaction company after our initial business combination. Any such arrangements will be disclosed in the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, furnished to our shareholders in connection with a proposed business combination, to the extent they are known at such time.
The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements may influence our management’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business, but we do not believe that such arrangements will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination.
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The following table presents the number of shares and percentage of our ordinary shares owned by:
| · | each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares; |
|
|
|
| · | each of our officers and directors; and |
|
|
|
| · | all our officers and directors as a group. |
The following table is based on 5,170,599 Class A ordinary shares outstanding and 8,625,000 Class B ordinary shares outstanding. Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all of our ordinary shares beneficially owned by them.
|
| Class A Ordinary Shares |
|
| Class B Ordinary Shares |
| ||||||||||
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1) |
| Number of Shares Beneficially Owned |
|
| % of Class |
|
| Number of Shares Beneficially Owned (2) |
|
| % of Class |
| ||||
Battery Future Sponsor LLC(3) |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
|
| 2,751,601 |
|
|
| 31.9 | % |
Camel Bay, LLC(4) |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
|
| 4,193,695 |
|
|
| 48.6 | % |
Polar Asset Management Partners Inc. (5) |
|
| 500,000 |
|
|
| 9.70 | % |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
Periscope Capital Inc. (6) |
|
| 325,000 |
|
|
| 6.30 | % |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (7) |
|
| 329,668 |
|
|
| 6.38 | % |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
Fir Tree Capital Management L(8)P |
|
| 350,000 |
|
|
| 6.77 | % |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
First Trust Merger Arbitrage Fund(9) |
|
| 430,000 |
|
|
| 8.32 | % |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
First Trust Capital Management L.P. (9) |
|
| 500,000 |
|
|
| 9.67 | % |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
First Trust Capital Solutions L.P. (9) |
|
| 500,000 |
|
|
| 9.67 | % |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
FTCS Sub GP LLC(9) |
|
| 500,000 |
|
|
| 9.67 | % |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
Shaolin Capital Management LLC(10) |
|
| 263,000 |
|
|
| 5.09 | % |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
Radcliffe Capital Management(11) |
|
| 634,751 |
|
|
| 5.55 | % |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
Fanghan Sui |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
Hao Tian |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
Zixun Jin |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
Wei Qian |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
All officers and directors as a group (four individuals) |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
|
| 4,193,695 |
|
|
| 48.6 | % |
* | Less than one percent |
|
|
(1) | Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following entities or individuals is 8 The Green, #18195 Dover, Delaware 19901. |
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(2) | Interests shown consist solely of Founder Shares, classified as Class B ordinary shares. Such shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment, as described elsewhere herein. |
(3) | Battery Future Manager LLC is the manager of our sponsor. Kristopher Salinger is the sole member of Battery Future Manager LLC and has voting and investment discretion with respect to the ordinary shares held of record by Battery Future Sponsor LLC. Includes shares over which a power of attorney has been granted to Camel Bay, LLC indicated below. Mr. Salinger disclaims any beneficial ownership of the shares held by such entity, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. |
(4) | Shares beneficially owned are based on the Schedule 13D filed with the SEC on January 19, 2024 by Camel Bay, LLC (“Camel Bay”) and Graham Wood, LLC (“Wood”). Represents 4,193,695 Founder Shares beneficially owned by Camel Bay. Does not include an aggregate of 3,006,205 Founder Shares that are subject to powers of attorney granted to Camel Bay. The business address of each of Camel Bay and Wood, as reported in the Schedule 13D, is 8 The Green, Suite 15614, Dover, DE 19901. |
(5) | Shares beneficially owned are based on the Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 9, 2024 by Polar Asset Management Partners Inc. (“Polar”), which serves as the investment advisor to Polar Multi-Strategy Master Fund, a Cayman Islands exempted company (“PMSMF”) with respect to the shares directly held by PMSMF. Polar has sole voting and dispositive power with respect to 500,000 Class A ordinary shares. The business address of each of Polar and PMSMF, as reported in the Schedule 13G, is 16 York Street, Suite 2900, Toronto, ON, Canada M5J 0E6. |
(6) | Shares beneficially owned are based on the Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 9, 2024 by Periscope Capital Inc. (“Periscope”), which acts as investment manager of, and exercises investment discretion with respect to, certain private investment funds (each, a “Periscope Fund”) that collectively directly own 0 Ordinary Shares. Periscope has shared voting and dispositive power with respect to 325,000 Class A ordinary shares The business address of Periscope, as reported in the Schedule 13G, is 333 Bay Street, Suite 1240, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 2R2. |
|
|
(7) | Shares beneficially owned are based on the Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 13, 2024 by Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (“Mizuho”). Mizuho has sole voting and dispositive power with respect to 329,668 Class A ordinary shares The business address of Periscope, as reported in the Schedule 13G, is 1–5–5, Otemachi, Chiyoda–ku, Tokyo 100–8176, Japan. |
|
|
(8) | Shares beneficially owned are based on the Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 14, 2024 by Fir Tree Capital Management LP (“Fir Tree”). Fir Tree has sole voting and dispositive power with respect to 350,000 Class A ordinary shares The business address of Periscope, as reported in the Schedule 13G, is 500 5th Avenue, 9th Floor, New York, New York 10110. |
|
|
(9) | Shares beneficially owned are based on the Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 28, 2024 jointly by First Trust Merger Arbitrage Fund (“First Trust”), First Trust Capital Management L.P. (“FTCM”), First Trust Capital Solutions L.P. (“FTCS”) and FTCS Sub GP LLC (“Sub GP”). VARBX is a series of Investment Managers Series Trust II, an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. FTCM is an investment adviser registered with the SEC that provides investment advisory services to, among others, (i) series of Investment Managers Series Trust II, an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, specifically First Trust Multi-Strategy Fund and VARBX, (ii) First Trust Alternative Opportunities Fund, an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and (iii) Highland Capital Management Institutional Fund II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (collectively, the “Client Accounts”). FTCS is a Delaware limited partnership and control person of FTCM. Sub GP is a Delaware limited liability company and control person of FTCM. |
|
|
(10) | Shares beneficially owned are based on the Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 13, 2024 by Shaolin Capital Management LLC (“Shaolin”), which serves as the investment advisor to Shaolin Capital Partners Master Fund, Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company, MAP 214 Segregated Portfolio, a segregated portfolio of LMA SPC, DS Liquid DIV RVA SCM LLC and Shaolin Capital Partners SP, a segregated portfolio of PC MAP SPC being managed accounts advised by Shaolin. The business address of Shaolin, as reported in the Schedule 13G, is 230 NW 24th Street, Suite 603, Miami, Florida 33127. |
|
|
(11) | Shares beneficially owned are based on the Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on June 13, 2023 by Radcliffe Capital Management, L.P. (“Radcliffe”). Radcliffe has shared voting and dispositive power with respect to 634,751 Class A ordinary shares with the following entities and individuals: RGC Management Company LLC; Steven B. Katznelson; Christopher Hinkel; Radcliffe SPAC Master Fund, L.P. and Radcliffe SPAC GP, LLC. The business address of Radcliffe, as reported in the Schedule 13G, is 50 Monument Road, Suite 300 Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004. |
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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
On August 4, 2021, the sponsor purchased an aggregate of 7,187,500 Founder Shares for a purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.003 per share. On November 21, 2021, the sponsor surrendered 2,966,667 Founder Shares for cancellation for nominal consideration. On December 14, 2021, we effected a share capitalization with respect to our Class B ordinary shares of 1,353,056, resulting in the sponsor holding 5,573,889 Founder Shares. Roth purchased 300,000 Founder Shares in a private placement that closed simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering. Additionally, Pala purchased 2,751,111 Founder Shares in a private placement that closed simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering.
In connection with the Public Offering, the sponsor, Pala, Cantor and Roth purchased an aggregate of 16,300,000 Private Placement Warrants for $1.00 per warrant for aggregate consideration of $16,300,000
No compensation of any kind, including finder’s and consulting fees, will be paid by the company to our sponsor, officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered prior to or in connection with the completion of an initial business combination. However, these individuals will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our officers, directors, shareholders and their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required on a non-interest basis. If we complete an initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our Trust Account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into Private Placement Warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. Such warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our Trust Account.
Any of the foregoing payments to our sponsor or repayments of working capital loans prior to our initial business combination will be made using funds held outside the Trust Account.
After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our shareholders, to the extent then known, in the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, furnished to our shareholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a shareholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation.
On January 16, 2024, the Company, sponsor, Pala and the Purchaser entered into the Purchase Agreement. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, among other things: (a) the Sponsor and Pala transferred to the Purchaser an aggregate of 4,193,695 Founder Shares; (b) the Sponsor, Pala and certain other holders of Founder Shares gave to Purchaser the irrevocable right to vote the Founder Shares on their behalf and to take certain other actions on their behalf; and (c) the Sponsor, Pala, Cantor and Roth entered into surrender and cancellation agreements whereby such parties agreed to cancel the 16,300,000 Private Placement Warrants. In addition, each of the Underwriters entered into an agreement whereby such parties waived their entitlement to the payment of any cash fees and expenses pursuant to that certain business combination marketing agreement, dated December 14, 2021.
The holders of Founder Shares will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement signed on December 14, 2021. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion the Company’s initial business combination. In addition, they may participate in a “piggy-back” registration only during the seven-year period beginning on the effective date of the registration statement relating to the Public Offering. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
The firm of WithumSmith+Brown, PC, or Withum, acted as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. The following is a summary of fees paid to Withum for services rendered during such time periods.
Audit Fees. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, fees for our independent registered public accounting firm were $43,160 and $123,385, respectively, for the services Withum performed in connection with the audit and review of our financial statements included in our periodic reports filed with the SEC.
Audit-Related Fees. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, Withum did not render assurance and related services related to the performance of the audit or review of financial statements.
Tax Fees. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, Withum did not render services to us for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning.
All Other Fees. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, there were no fees billed for products and services provided by Withum other than those set forth above.
Pre-Approval Policy
Our audit committee was formed upon the consummation of the 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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PART IV
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a) The following documents are filed as part of this report:
(1) Financial Statements
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| F-4 |
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| F-5 |
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| F-6 |
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| F-7 |
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(2) Financial Statement Schedule
None.
(3) Exhibits
We hereby file as part of this Report the exhibits listed in the attached Exhibit Index.
Exhibit |
| Description |
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101.INS |
| Inline XBRL Instance Document | |
101.SCH |
| Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document | |
101.CAL |
| Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document | |
101.DEF XBRL |
| Inline Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document | |
101.LAB XBRL |
| Inline Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document | |
101.PRE XBRL |
| Inline Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document | |
104 |
| Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101 | |
ITEM 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY
None.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 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.
March 29, 2024
BATTERY FUTURE ACQUISITION CORP. |
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By: | /s/ Fanghan Sui |
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Name: Fanghan Sui Title: Chief Executive Officer and Director |
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Pursuant to the requirements of 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.
Name |
| Position |
| Date |
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/s/ Fanghan Sui |
| Chief Executive Officer |
| March 29, 2024 |
Fanghan Sui | (Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) and Director |
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/s/ Hao Tian |
| Director |
| March 29, 2024 |
Hao Tian |
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/s/ Zixun Jin |
| Director |
| March 29, 2024 |
Zixun Jin |
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/s/ Wei Qian |
| Director |
| March 29, 2024 |
Wei Qian |
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| 56 |
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders,
Battery Future Acquisition Corp.
Cayman Islands
OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Battery Future Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2023, and the related statement of operations and comprehensive income, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the year then ended, 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, 2023 and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the year then ended, 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 these financial statements based on our audits. 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 Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB and in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits 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 audits, 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 audits 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 audits 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 audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/
Bush & Associates CPA LLC
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2024.
March 26, 2024
PCAOB ID Number
| F-1 |
| Table of Contents |
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of
Battery Future Acquisition Corp.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of Battery Future Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the related statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ deficit and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2022 and for the period from July 29, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, 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, 2022 and 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2022 and for the period from July 29, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Going Concern
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the financial statements, if the Company is unable to raise additional funds to alleviate liquidity needs and complete a business combination by June 14, 2023, then the Company will cease all operations except for the purpose of liquidating. The liquidity condition and date for mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 1. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
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 audits. 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 audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits 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 audits, 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 audits 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 audits 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 audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC |
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We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2021. |
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New York, New York March 29, 2023 PCAOB ID Number 100 |
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| F-2 |
| Table of Contents |
BATTERY FUTURE ACQUISITION CORP.
BALANCE SHEETS
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| December 31, 2023 |
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| December 31, 2022 |
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Assets |
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Cash and cash equivalents |
| $ |
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| $ |
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Prepaid expenses |
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Total current assets |
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Prepaid expenses - non-current portion |
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Cash held in Trust Account |
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Total assets |
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| $ |
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Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity |
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Accrued offering costs and expenses |
| $ |
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| $ |
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Due to related party |
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Total current liabilities |
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Warrant liability |
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Total liabilities |
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Commitments |
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Class A ordinary share subject to possible redemption |
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Shareholders’ Equity: |
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Preference shares, $ |
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Class A ordinary shares, $ |
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Class B ordinary shares, $ |
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Additional paid-in capital |
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Accumulated deficit |
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Total shareholders’ equity |
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| ( | ) |
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Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity |
| $ |
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| $ |
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| F-3 |
| Table of Contents |
BATTERY FUTURE ACQUISITION CORP.
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
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| For the year endedDecember 31, 2023 |
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| For the year endedDecember 31, 2022 |
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Formation and operating costs |
| $ |
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| $ |
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Loss from operations |
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| ( | ) |
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Other income/(expense) |
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Change in fair value of warrants |
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(Loss) on promissory note - related party |
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Debt forgiveness |
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Interest income – trust account |
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Total other income/(expense) |
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Net income |
| $ |
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| $ |
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Weighted average shares outstanding of Class A redeemable ordinary shares |
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Basic and diluted net income per share, Class A |
| $ |
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| $ |
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Weighted average shares outstanding of Class B non-redeemable ordinary shares |
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Basic and diluted net income per share, Class B |
| $ |
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| $ |
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| F-4 |
| Table of Contents |
BATTERY FUTURE ACQUISITION CORP.
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023 AND 2022
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| Preferrence Share |
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| Class A Ordinary Share |
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| Class B Ordinary Share |
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| Additional Paid-in |
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| Accumulated |
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| Total Shareholders' Equity |
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| Shares |
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| Amount |
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| Shares |
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| Amount |
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| Shares |
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| Amount |
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| Capital |
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| Deficit |
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Balance as of December 31, 2021 |
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Accretion for shares subject to redemption |
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| ( | ) |
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| (5,075,607 | ) |
Net Income |
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Balance as of December 31, 2022 |
|
| - |
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| - |
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| ( | ) |
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| ( | ) | |||||
Accretion for shares subject to redemption |
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Net Income |
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Balance as of December 31, 2023 |
|
| - |
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| - |
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| ( | ) |
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| ( | ) | |||||
| F-5 |
| Table of Contents |
BATTERY FUTURE ACQUISITION CORP.
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
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| For the year ended December 31, 2023 |
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| For the year ended December 31, 2022 |
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Cash flows from operating activities: |
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Net income |
| $ |
|
| $ |
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Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: |
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Interest earned on cash held in Trust Account |
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| ( | ) |
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| ( | ) |
Interest on working capital loan - related party |
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Changes in fair value of warrant liability |
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Prepaid assets |
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Prepaid Assets non-current assets |
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Accounts payable |
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Net cash used in operating activities |
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| ( | ) |
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| ( | ) |
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Cash flows from investing activities: |
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Cash withdrawn for redemptions |
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Investment of cash in Trust Account |
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Net cash provided by investing activities |
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Cash flows from financing activities: |
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Proceeds from promissory note |
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Redemption of common stock |
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| ( | ) |
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Net cash used in financing activities |
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| ( | ) |
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Net change in cash |
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| ( | ) |
|
| ( | ) |
Cash, beginning of the period |
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Cash, end of period |
| $ |
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| $ |
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Non-cash investing and financing transactions: |
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Change in value of Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption |
| $ |
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| $ |
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| F-6 |
| Table of Contents |
BATTERY FUTURE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2023
NOTE 1 – ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS OPERATION AND LIQUIDITY
Battery Future Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) was incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on July 29, 2021. The Company was incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar Business Combination with one or more businesses (“Business Combination”).
As of December 31, 2023, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from July 29, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2023, relates to the Company’s formation and the initial public offering (“Public Offering” or “IPO”) described below, and since the Public Offering, the Company’s search for a prospective Business Combination. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company generates non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Public Offering. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.
The Company’s sponsor is Battery Future Sponsor LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”).
The registration statement for the Company’s Public Offering was declared effective on December 14, 2021 (the “Effective Date”). On December 17, 2021, the Company consummated the IPO of
Simultaneously with the consummation of the IPO, the Company consummated the private placement of
Transaction costs related to the IPO amounted to $
The Company must complete one or more initial Business Combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least
| F-7 |
| Table of Contents |
Upon the closing of the Public Offering, management deposited $
Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account that may be released to the Company to pay its taxes, the proceeds from the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants will not be released from the Trust Account until the earliest of (i) the completion of the initial Business Combination, (ii) the redemption of the public shares if the Company is unable to complete the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period, subject to applicable law, and (iii) the redemption of the public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (the “Articles”) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem
The Company will provide its public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of the initial Business Combination either (i) in connection with a general meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) without a shareholder vote by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek shareholder approval of a proposed Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its 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 the Company to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement.
The Company will provide its public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of the initial Business Combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations and on the conditions described herein. The amount initially deposited into the Trust Account upon the consummation of the Public Offering was $
All of the public shares contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such public shares in connection with the Company’s liquidation if there is a shareholder vote or tender offer in connection with the Company’s Business Combination and in connection with certain amendments to the Articles. In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 480-10-S99, redemption provisions not solely within the control of a company require Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption to be classified outside of permanent equity. Given that the public shares will be issued with other freestanding instruments (i.e., Public Warrants), the initial carrying value of Class A ordinary shares classified as temporary equity will be the allocated proceeds determined in accordance with ASC 470-20. The Class A ordinary shares are subject to ASC 480-10-S99. If it is probable that the equity instrument will become redeemable, the Company has the option to either (i) accrete changes in the redemption value over the period from the date of issuance (or from the date that it becomes probable that the instrument will become redeemable, if later) to the earliest redemption date of the instrument or (ii) recognize changes in the redemption value immediately as they occur and adjust the carrying amount of the instrument to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. The Company has elected to recognize the changes immediately. While redemptions cannot cause the Company’s net tangible assets to fall below $
| F-8 |
| Table of Contents |
Redemptions of the Company’s public shares may be subject to the satisfaction of conditions, including minimum cash conditions, pursuant to an agreement relating to the Company’s Business Combination. If the Company seeks shareholder approval of the Business Combination, the Company will proceed with a Business Combination if a majority of the shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination, or such other vote as required by law or stock exchange rule. If a shareholder vote is not required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements, and the Company does not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Articles, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If, however, shareholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements, or the Company decides to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, the Company 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 the Company seeks shareholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor has agreed to vote its Founder Shares and any public shares purchased during or after the IPO 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 the proposed transaction.
The ordinary shares subject to redemption will be recorded at a redemption value and classified as temporary equity upon the completion of the Public Offering, in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) ASC Topic 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” In such case, the Company will proceed with a Business Combination if the Company’s Class A ordinary shares are not classified as a “penny stock” upon such consummation of a Business Combination and, if the Company seeks shareholder approval, a majority of the issued and outstanding shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination.
The Company initial have until June 17, 2023 (or up to 24 months from the closing of the Public Offering until if the Company extends the period of time to consummate a Business Combination by depositing into the Trust Account, for each one-month extension, the lesser of $
On June 12, 2023, the Company held an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders and the Company’s shareholders approved the following proposals: (1) a proposal to approve by special resolution an amendment of the Articles to give the Company the right to extend the Combination Period up to twelve (12) times for an additional one (1) month each time, from June 17, 2023 to June 17, 2024, by depositing into the Trust Account the lesser of (i) $0.03 per outstanding share and (ii) $
| F-9 |
| Table of Contents |
In connection with the shareholders’ vote at the extraordinary general meeting, holders of
On June 14, 2023, an aggregate of $
On each of August 15, 2023, September 15, 2023 and October 12, 2023, an extension payment of $
On November 14, 2023, the Company held an extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders and the shareholders approved the following proposals: (1) remove the monthly extension payment the Company must make into the Trust Account to extend the Combination Period and extend the Combination Period to June 17, 2024 without depositing additional funds in the Trust Account (the “Extension Payment Removal Amendment”) and (2) eliminate (i) the limitation that the Company may not redeem public shares in an amount that would cause the Company’s net tangible assets to be less than $
In connection with the shareholders’ vote at the Meeting,
The Company’s initial shareholders, officers and directors, Pala and Roth have entered into a letter agreement with the Company, pursuant to which they have agreed to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares and public shares they hold in connection with the completion of the initial Business Combination, (ii) waive their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares and public shares they hold in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to the Articles to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the public shares if the Company has not consummated an initial Business Combination within the Combination Period or with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity and (iii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any Founder Shares they hold if the Company fails to complete the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period or any extended period of time that the Company may have to consummate an initial Business Combination as a result of an amendment to the Articles (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any public shares they hold if the Company fails to complete the initial Business Combination within the prescribed time frame).
| F-10 |
| Table of Contents |
The Sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement or Business Combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.20 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.20 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the Trust Account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). However, the Company has not asked the Sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor has the Company independently verified whether the Sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations, and the Company believes that the Sponsor’s only assets are securities of the Company. Therefore, the Company cannot assure that the Sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2023, the Company had $
The Company’s liquidity needs up to the closing of the IPO on December 17, 2021 had been satisfied through a payment from the Sponsor of $
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide the Company Working Capital Loans (as defined in Note 5). As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had approximately $
In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” the Company has until November 17, 2023 to consummate a Business Combination. It is uncertain that the Company will be able to consummate a Business Combination by this time. Additionally, the Company may not have sufficient liquidity to fund the working capital needs of the Company until one year from the issuance of these financial statements. If a Business Combination is not consummated by this date, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution of the Company. Management has determined that the liquidity condition and mandatory liquidation, should a Business Combination not occur, and potential subsequent dissolution, raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The Company intends to complete a Business Combination before the mandatory liquidation date.
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 these unaudited condensed financial statements. The unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
| F-11 |
| Table of Contents |
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and pursuant to the accounting and disclosure 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.
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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934) 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 unaudited condensed financial statements in conformity with U.S. 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 unaudited condensed 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 unaudited condensed 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 had $
Cash and Investments Held in Trust Account
As of December 31, 2022, substantially all of the assets held in the Trust Account were invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of
Since May 18, 2023, all of the assets held in the Trust Account have been held solely in cash in an interest-bearing demand deposit account at a bank. Interest on bank deposit accounts is variable and such accounts currently yield interest of approximately
| F-12 |
| Table of Contents |
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash accounts in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation coverage of $
Offering Costs associated with the Initial Public Offering
Offering costs consist of underwriting, legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the condensed balance sheet date that are directly related to the IPO. The Company complies with the requirements of the ASC 340-10-S99-1. Offering costs are allocated ratably with the redeemable and non-redeemable shares they are allocated to. Offering costs associated with warrant liabilities are expensed, and offering costs associated with the Class A ordinary shares are charged to temporary equity. The Company incurred offering costs amounting to $
Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption
The Company accounts for its Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Class A ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as a liability instrument and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable ordinary shares (including shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ deficit. The Company’s Class A ordinary shares sold in the IPO feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022,
The Company recognizes changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and adjusts the carrying value of redeemable ordinary shares to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. Such changes are reflected in additional paid-in capital, or in the absence of additional capital, in accumulated deficit.
As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Class A ordinary shares reflected in the condensed balance sheets are reconciled in the following table:
Gross proceeds |
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Less: |
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Proceeds allocated to Public Warrants |
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Class A ordinary shares issuance cost |
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Add: |
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Accretion of carrying value of redemption value |
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Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption, December 31, 2022 |
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Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption, December 31, 2023 |
| $ |
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| F-13 |
| Table of Contents |
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the condensed balance sheets, primarily due to its short-term nature.
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for sale of an asset or paid for transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. U.S. GAAP establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The Company’s financial instruments are classified as either Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3. These tiers include:
● | Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical instruments in active markets; |
● | Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable such as quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and |
● | Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions, such as valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. |
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company evaluates its financial instruments to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives in accordance with ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging”. The Company’s derivative instruments are recorded at fair value on the condensed balance sheets with changes in the fair value reported in the unaudited condensed statements of operations. Derivative assets and liabilities are classified on the condensed balance sheets as current or non-current based on whether or not net-cash settlement or conversion of the instrument could be required within 12 months of the condensed balance sheet date.
Warrant Liabilities
The Company accounts for the warrants issued in connection with the Public Offering in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 815-40. Such guidance provides that because the warrants do not meet the criteria for equity treatment thereunder, each warrant must be recorded as a liability. Accordingly, the Company will classify each warrant as a liability at its fair value. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each condensed balance sheet date. With each such re-measurement, the warrant liability will be adjusted to fair value, with the change in fair value recognized in the Company’s unaudited condensed statements of operations.
Net Income per Ordinary Share
The Company complies with accounting and disclosure requirements of FASB ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share.” Net income per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period, excluding ordinary shares subject to forfeiture by the Sponsor. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into ordinary shares and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted income per Class B ordinary share is the same as basic income per Class B ordinary share for the periods presented.
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| F-14 |
| Table of Contents |
Income Taxes
The Company complies with the accounting and reporting requirements of FASB ASC 740, “Income Taxes,” which 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 only major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals, or material deviation from its position.
The Company is considered an exempted Cayman Islands company and is presently not subject to income taxes or income tax filing requirements in the Cayman Islands or the United States. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Management does not believe that recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.
NOTE 3 – INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING
Public Units
On December 17, 2021, the Company consummated its IPO of
Public Warrants
Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $
The warrants will become exercisable
| F-15 |
| Table of Contents |
Redemption of warrants
Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants (except as described herein with respect to the Private Placement Warrants):
| ● | in whole and not in part; |
| ● | at a price of $ |
| ● | upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption, which the Company refers to as the |
| ● | if, and only if, the closing price of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $ |
NOTE 4 – PRIVATE PLACEMENT WARRANTS
Simultaneously with the consummation of the IPO, the Company consummated the Private Placement of
If the Private Placement Warrants are held by holders other than their initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by the holders on the same basis as the warrants included in the units being sold in the Public Offering.
NOTE 5 – RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Founder Shares
On August 4, 2021, the Sponsor paid $
On November 21, 2021, the Sponsor surrendered
On December 14, 2021, the Company issued
| F-16 |
| Table of Contents |
On December 16, 2021, the Company and Pala entered into a securities purchase agreement, pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue and sell
On October 23, 2023, October 30, 2023 and November 6, 2023, the Company and the Sponsor entered into non-redemption agreements (the “Non-Redemption Agreements”) with unaffiliated third parties (collectively, the “Investors”) in exchange for such Investors agreeing (i) to not redeem an aggregate of
The Company’s initial shareholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of (A) one year after the completion of the initial Business Combination and (B) the date on which the Company complete a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange or other similar transaction after the initial Business Combination that results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property; except to certain permitted transferees and under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus relating to the Public Offering. Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of the Company’s initial shareholders with respect to any Founder Shares. The Company refers to such transfer restrictions as the lock-up. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
Promissory Note – Related Party
On August 3, 2021, the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company up to $
On April 5, 2023, the Company issued an unsecured convertible promissory note in the aggregate principal amount of $
| F-17 |
| Table of Contents |
On June 14, 2023, the Sponsor loaned the Extension Payment to the Company in order to support the Extension (the “Extension Loan”) and caused the Extension Payment to be deposited in the Company’s Trust Account for its public shareholders. In connection with the Extension Payment, the Company issued an unsecured promissory note in the aggregate principal amount of $
On July 31, 2023, the Company and the Sponsor amended and restated the Sponsor Note (the “A&R Sponsor Note”) to (i) increase the aggregate principal amount available to be borrowed to up to $
On August 8, 2023, the Company and the Sponsor amended and restated the A&R Sponsor Note (the “Second A&R Sponsor Note”) to (i) permit interest to accrue at a rate equal to twenty percent (20.00%) per annum, compounded annually, on any and all then-outstanding Sponsor Working Capital Loans and (ii) clarify that no interest shall accrue on the Sponsor Trust Extension Loans (see Note 10).
On each of August 15, 2023, September 15, 2023 and October 12, 2023, an aggregate of $
On October 12, 2023, the Company and Pala amended and restated the A&R Pala Note (the “Second A&R Pala Note”) to increase the aggregate principal amount available to be borrowed by up to $
Working Capital Loans
In order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (the “Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes the initial Business Combination, the Company may repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Working Capital Loans may be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. In the event that the initial Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds from the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Up to $1,500,000 of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into warrants of the post-Business Combination entity at a price of $
Office Space, Secretarial and Administrative Services
Commencing on the date that the Company’s securities are first listed on the NYSE through the earlier of consummation of the initial Business Combination and the liquidation, the Company has agreed to pay the Sponsor a total of up to $
| F-18 |
| Table of Contents |
Service Provider Agreements
From time to time, the Company has entered into and may enter into agreements with various service providers and advisors, including investment banks, to help the Company identify targets, negotiate terms of potential Business Combinations, consummate a Business Combination and/or provide other services. In connection with these agreements, the Company may be required to pay such service providers and advisors fees in connection with their services to the extent that certain conditions, including the closing of a potential Business Combination, are met. If a Business Combination does not occur, the Company would not expect to be required to pay these contingent fees. There can be no assurance that the Company will complete a Business Combination.
NOTE 6 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Registration Rights
The holders of the (i) Founder Shares, (ii) Private Placement Warrants and the Class A ordinary shares underlying such Private Placement Warrants and (iii) Private Placement Warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans will have registration rights to require the Company to register a sale of any of the Company’s securities held by them pursuant to a registration rights agreement signed in connection with the Public Offering. Pursuant to the registration rights agreement, the underwriters’ exercise of their over-allotment option in full and $
Underwriting Agreement
The underwriters earned a cash underwriting discount of two percent (
The Company granted the underwriters a
Business Combination Marketing Agreement
The Company engaged Cantor and Roth as advisors in connection with the Business Combination to assist in holding meetings with the shareholders to discuss the potential Business Combination and the target business’ attributes, introduce the Company to potential investors that are interested in purchasing securities in connection with the Business Combination, assist in obtaining shareholder approval for the Business Combination and assist with press releases and public filings in connection with the Business Combination. The Company will pay Cantor and Roth a cash fee for such services upon the consummation of the Business Combination in an amount equal to
| F-19 |
| Table of Contents |
NOTE 7 – WARRANT LIABILITIES
The Company accounts for the
NOTE 8 – RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for sale of an asset or paid for transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. U.S. GAAP (as defined in Note 2) establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). These tiers consist of:
● | Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical instruments in active markets; |
● | Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable such as quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and |
● | Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions, such as valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. |
At December 31, 2023, assets held in the Trust Account were comprised of $
At December 31, 2022, assets held in the Trust Account were comprised of $
The following tables present fair value information as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis and indicate the fair value hierarchy of the valuation techniques the Company utilized to determine such fair value:
December 31, 2023 |
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| F-20 |
| Table of Contents |
At December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company used a Monte Carlo model to value the private warrants. The estimated fair value of the public and private warrant liability is determined using Level 3 inputs. If factors or assumptions change, the estimated fair values could be materially different. Inherent in a binomial options pricing model are assumptions related to expected share-price volatility, expected life, risk-free interest rate and dividend yield.
The following table provides quantitative information regarding Level 3 fair value measurements:
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The following table presents the changes in the fair value of Level 3 warrant liabilities:
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| Warrant Liabilities |
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Fair value as of December 31, 2022 |
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Change in fair value |
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Fair value as of December 31, 2023 |
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Transfers to/from Levels 1, 2 and 3 are recognized at the end of the reporting period in which a change in valuation technique or methodology occurs. There were no transfers to/from Levels 1, 2, and 3 during the year ended December 31, 2023.
NOTE 9 – SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
Preference shares – The Company is authorized to issue
Class A ordinary shares – The Company is authorized to issue
Class B ordinary shares – The Company is authorized to issue
| F-21 |
| Table of Contents |
Holders of record of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders. Unless specified in the Articles or as required by the Companies Act or stock exchange rules, 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, is generally required to approve any matter voted on by the Company’s shareholders. Approval of certain actions require a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of a majority of at least two-thirds of the shareholders who attend and vote at a general meeting of the company, and pursuant to the Articles, such actions include amending the Articles and approving a statutory merger or consolidation with another company. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the appointment of directors, meaning, following the Business Combination, the holders of more than
The Founder Shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of the Business Combination on a
| F-22 |
| Table of Contents |
NOTE 10 – SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the condensed balance sheet date up to the date that the financial statements were issued. Based upon this review, other than as noted below, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements.
On January 16, 2024, the Company, the Sponsor, Pala, and Camel Bay, LLC (the “Purchaser”) entered into a share purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”). Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, among other things: (a) the Sponsor and Pala transferred to the Purchaser an aggregate of
F-23 |
EXHIBIT 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the use in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, of our report dated March 29, 2023 relating to the financial statements of Battery Future Acquisition Corp. (which includes an explanatory paragraph relating to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern) relating to the 2022 financial statements which appear in this Form 10-K.
| /s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC |
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| New York, New York |
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| March 28, 2024 |
EXHIBIT 31.1
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY
ACT OF 2002
I, Fanghan Sui, certify that:
| 1. | I have reviewed this Annual Report on Form 10-K of Battery Future Acquisition Corp.; | ||
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| 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; | ||
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| 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; | ||
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| 4. | The registrant’s other certifying officer 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)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) for the registrant and have: | ||
| (a) | Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; | |||
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| (b) | Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; | |||
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| (c) | Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our 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 | |||
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| (d) | Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter 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 and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and to 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 | |||
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| (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. | |||
| Dated: March 29, 2024 | BATTERY FUTURE ACQUISITION CORP. |
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| By: | /s/ Fanghan Sui |
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| Fanghan Sui |
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| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER |
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| (PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING OFFICER) |
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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 Battery Future Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Report”), the undersigned, in the capacities and on the date indicated below, hereby certifies pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 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 |
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| 2. | The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operation of the Company. |
| Dated: March 29, 2024 | BATTERY FUTURE ACQUISITION CORP. |
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| By: | /s/ Fanghan Sui |
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| Fanghan Sui |
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| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER |
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| (PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING OFFICER) |
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EXHIBIT 97.1
BATTERY FUTURE ACQUISITION CORP.
CLAWBACK POLICY
Introduction
The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Battery Future Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) believes that it is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to create and maintain a culture that emphasizes integrity and accountability and that reinforces a pay-for-performance compensation philosophy. The Board has therefore adopted this policy which provides for the recoupment of certain executive compensation in the event of an accounting restatement resulting from material noncompliance with financial reporting requirements under the federal securities laws (the “Policy”). This Policy is designed to comply with Section 10D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act").
Administration
This Policy shall be administered by the Board or, if so designated by the Board, the Compensation Committee, in which case references herein to the Board shall be deemed references to the Compensation Committee. Any determinations made by the Board shall be final and binding on all affected individuals.
Covered Executives
This Policy applies to the Company’s current and former executive officers, as determined by the Board in accordance with Section 10D of the Exchange Act, and the listing standards of the national securities exchange on which the Company's securities are listed, and such other senior executives and employees who may from time to time be deemed subject to the Policy by the Board (“Covered Executives”).
Recoupment; Accounting Restatement
In the event the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement of its financial statements due to the Company's material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, the Board will require reimbursement or forfeiture of any excess Incentive Compensation (as defined below) received by any Covered Executive during the three completed fiscal years immediately preceding the date on which the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement.
Incentive Compensation
For purposes of this Policy, “Incentive Compensation” means any of the following:
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| · | Annual bonuses and other short- and long-term cash incentives; |
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| · | Stock options; |
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| · | Stock appreciation rights; |
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| · | Restricted stock; |
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| · | Restricted stock units; |
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| · | Performance shares; or |
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provided that, such compensation is granted, earned or vested based wholly or in part on the attainment of a financial reporting measure. Financial reporting measures include:
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| · | Company stock price; |
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| · | Total shareholder return; |
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| · | Revenues; |
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| · | Net income; |
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| · | Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA); |
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| · | Funds from operations; |
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| · | Liquidity measures such as working capital or operating cash flow; |
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| · | Return measures such as return on invested capital or return on assets; and |
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| · | Earnings measures such as earnings per share. |
Excess Incentive Compensation: Amount Subject to Recovery
The amount to be recovered will be the excess of the Incentive Compensation paid to the Covered Executive based on the erroneous data over the Incentive Compensation that would have been paid to the Covered Executive had it been based on the restated results, as determined by the Board.
If the Board cannot determine the amount of excess Incentive Compensation received by the Covered Executive directly from the information in the accounting restatement, then it will make its determination based on a reasonable estimate of the effect of the accounting restatement.
Method of Recoupment
The Board will determine, in its sole discretion, the method for recouping Incentive Compensation hereunder which may include, without limitation:
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| (a) | requiring reimbursement of cash Incentive Compensation previously paid; |
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| (b) | seeking recovery of any gain realized on the vesting, exercise, settlement, sale, transfer, or other disposition of any equity-based awards; |
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| (c) | offsetting the recouped amount from any compensation otherwise owed by the Company to the Covered Executive; |
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| (d) | cancelling outstanding vested or unvested equity awards; and/or |
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| (e) | taking any other remedial and recovery action permitted by law, as determined by the Board. |
No Indemnification
The Company shall not indemnify any Covered Executives against the loss of any incorrectly awarded Incentive Compensation.
Interpretation
The Board is authorized to interpret and construe this Policy and to make all determinations necessary, appropriate, or advisable for the administration of this Policy. Any determination of the Board shall be conclusive and binding on the Company and the applicable Covered Executives. The determination of the Board need not be uniform with respect to one or more Covered Executives.
| 2 |
It is intended that this Policy be interpreted in a manner that is consistent with the requirements of Section 10D of the Exchange Act and any applicable rules or standards adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission or any national securities exchange on which the Company's securities are listed.
Effective Date
This Policy shall be effective as of the date it is adopted by the Board (the “Effective Date”) and shall apply to Incentive Compensation that is received by any Covered Executive on or after October 2, 2023 (being the effective date of the applicable listing standard for the stock exchange on which the Company’s securities are currently listed).
Amendment; Termination
The Board may amend this Policy from time to time in its discretion and shall amend this Policy as it deems necessary to comply with regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 10D of the Exchange Act, any rules or standards adopted by any national securities exchange on which the Company's securities are listed and any other “clawback” provision required by law. The Board may terminate this Policy at any time.
Other Recoupment Rights
The Board intends that this Policy will be applied to the fullest extent of the law. The Board may require that any employment agreement, equity award agreement, or similar agreement entered into on or after the Effective Date shall, as a condition to the grant of any benefit thereunder, require a Covered Executive to agree to abide by the terms of this Policy. Any right of recoupment under this Policy is in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other remedies or rights of recoupment that may be available to the Company pursuant to the terms of any similar policy in any employment agreement, equity award agreement, or similar agreement and any other legal remedies available to the Company, including termination of employment, the initiation of civil or criminal proceedings, and any right to repayment under applicable law.
Impracticability
The Board shall recover any excess Incentive Compensation in accordance with this Policy unless such recovery would be impracticable, as determined by the Board in accordance with Rule 10D-1 of the Exchange Act and the listing standards of the national securities exchange on which the Company's securities are listed.
Successors
This Policy shall be binding and enforceable against all Covered Executives and their beneficiaries, heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives.
| 3 |
BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) - $ / shares |
Dec. 31, 2023 |
Dec. 31, 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred shares par or stated value per share | $ 0.0001 | $ 0.0001 |
| Preferred shares authorized | 34,500,000 | 34,500,000 |
| Preferred shares issued | 0 | 0 |
| Preferred shares outstanding | 0 | 0 |
| Common Class A [Member] | ||
| Ordinary shares par or stated value per share | $ 0.0001 | $ 0.0001 |
| Ordinary shares authorized | 200,000,000 | 200,000,000 |
| Ordinary shares outstanding | 0 | 0 |
| Ordinary shares issued | 0 | 0 |
| Common Class B [Member] | ||
| Ordinary shares par or stated value per share | $ 0.0001 | $ 0.0001 |
| Ordinary shares authorized | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 |
| Ordinary shares outstanding | 8,625,000 | 8,625,000 |
| Ordinary shares issued | 8,625,000 | 8,625,000 |
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) |
12 Months Ended | |
|---|---|---|
Dec. 31, 2023 |
Dec. 31, 2022 |
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| Formation and operating costs | $ 3,430,328 | $ 1,566,455 |
| Loss from operations | (3,430,328) | (1,566,455) |
| Other income/(expense) | ||
| Change in fair value of warrants | (1,260,642) | 17,743,846 |
| (Loss) on promissory note - related party | (76,149) | |
| Debt forgiveness | 80,059 | 0 |
| Interest income - trust account | 9,953,034 | 5,075,607 |
| Total other income/(expense) | 8,696,302 | 22,819,453 |
| Net income | $ 5,265,974 | $ 21,252,998 |
| Class B Non Redeemable Ordinary Share [Member] | ||
| Other income/(expense) | ||
| Weighted average shares outstanding of Class B non-redeemable ordinary shares | 8,625,000 | 8,625,000 |
| Basic and diluted net income per share, Class B | $ 0.18 | $ 0.49 |
| Class A Redeemable Ordinary Shares [Member] | ||
| Other income/(expense) | ||
| Weighted average shares outstanding of Class A redeemable ordinary shares | 20,693,851 | 34,500,000 |
| Basic and diluted net income per share, Class A | $ 0.18 | $ 0.49 |
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS DEFICIT - USD ($) |
Total |
Preferred Stock |
Class A Ordinary Share Member |
Class B Ordinary Share Member |
Additional Paid-In Capital |
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2021 | 8,625,000 | |||||
| Balance, amount at Dec. 31, 2021 | $ (18,333,595) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 863 | $ 0 | $ (18,334,458) |
| Accretion for shares subject to redemption | (5,075,607) | (5,075,607) | ||||
| Net Income | 21,252,998 | 21,252,998 | ||||
| Balance, amount at Dec. 31, 2022 | $ (2,156,204) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 863 | $ 0 | $ (2,157,067) |
| Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8,625,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Accretion for shares subject to redemption | $ 3,628,263 | $ 3,628,263 | ||||
| Net Income | 5,265,974 | 5,265,974 | ||||
| Balance, amount at Dec. 31, 2023 | $ (8,093,891) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 863 | $ 0 | $ (8,094,754) |
| Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2023 | 0 | 0 | 8,625,000 |
ORGANIZATION BUSINESS OPERATION AND LIQUIDITY |
12 Months Ended |
|---|---|
Dec. 31, 2023 | |
| ORGANIZATION BUSINESS OPERATION AND LIQUIDITY | |
| ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS OPERATION AND LIQUIDITY | NOTE 1 – ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS OPERATION AND LIQUIDITY
Battery Future Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) was incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on July 29, 2021. The Company was incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar Business Combination with one or more businesses (“Business Combination”).
As of December 31, 2023, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from July 29, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2023, relates to the Company’s formation and the initial public offering (“Public Offering” or “IPO”) described below, and since the Public Offering, the Company’s search for a prospective Business Combination. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company generates non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Public Offering. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.
The Company’s sponsor is Battery Future Sponsor LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”).
The registration statement for the Company’s Public Offering was declared effective on December 14, 2021 (the “Effective Date”). On December 17, 2021, the Company consummated the IPO of 34,500,000 units (including the underwriters’ full exercise of their over-allotment option) at $10.00 per unit (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A ordinary shares included in the Units, the “public shares”), which is discussed in Note 3. Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant (the “Public Warrants”). Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share.
Simultaneously with the consummation of the IPO, the Company consummated the private placement of 16,300,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) and 3,051,111 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Founder Shares”) to the Sponsor, Pala Investments Limited (“Pala”), Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. (“Cantor”) and Roth Capital Partners, LLC (“Roth”), generating gross proceeds to the Company of $16,300,000 (the “Private Placement”). In the Private Placement, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 9,445,000 Private Placement Warrants, Pala purchased an aggregate of 3,095,000 Private Placement Warrants and 2,751,111 Founder Shares, Cantor purchased an aggregate of 2,760,000 Private Placement Warrants and Roth purchased an aggregate of 1,000,000 Private Placement Warrants and 300,000 Founder Shares.
Transaction costs related to the IPO amounted to $7,607,233, consisting of $6,900,000 of underwriting commissions, and $707,233 of other offering costs. In addition, $979,690 of cash was held outside of the Trust Account (as defined below) and was available for working capital purposes.
The Company must complete one or more initial Business Combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the net assets held in the Trust Account (as defined below) (excluding the taxes payable on the interest earned on the Trust Account) at the time of signing a definitive agreement in connection with the initial Business Combination. However, the Company will complete the initial Business Combination only if the post-Business Combination company in which its public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or is otherwise not required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act (the “Investment Company Act”). There is no assurance that the Company will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully. Upon the closing of the Public Offering, management deposited $351,900,000, or $10.20 per Unit sold in the Public Offering, including the proceeds of the Private Placement Warrants, in a trust account (“Trust Account”) and were only invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. However, on May 18, 2023, to mitigate the risk of being deemed to have been operating as an unregistered investment company under the Investment Company Act, the Company instructed Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the trustee with respect to the Trust Account, to liquidate the U.S. government securities or money market funds held in the Trust Account and thereafter to hold all funds in the Trust Account in cash in an interest-bearing bank deposit account until the earlier of (i) the completion of a Business Combination or (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account. Interest on bank deposit accounts is variable and such accounts currently yield interest of approximately 4.65 % per annum. If the Company is unable to achieve more than minimal interest on the funds held in the Trust Account, the dollar amount the public shareholders would otherwise receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the Company would be less than if the assets in the Trust Account had remained in U.S. government securities or money market funds. Pursuant to the Trust Agreement, the trustee is not permitted to invest in other securities or assets.
Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account that may be released to the Company to pay its taxes, the proceeds from the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants will not be released from the Trust Account until the earliest of (i) the completion of the initial Business Combination, (ii) the redemption of the public shares if the Company is unable to complete the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period, subject to applicable law, and (iii) the redemption of the public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (the “Articles”) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the public shares if the Company has not consummated an initial Business Combination within the Combination Period or with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity. The proceeds deposited in the Trust Account could become subject to the claims of the Company’s creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of its public shareholders.
The Company will provide its public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of the initial Business Combination either (i) in connection with a general meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) without a shareholder vote by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek shareholder approval of a proposed Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its 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 the Company to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement.
The Company will provide its public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of the initial Business Combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations and on the conditions described herein. The amount initially deposited into the Trust Account upon the consummation of the Public Offering was $351,900,000, representing $10.20 per public share. The per share amount the Company will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the marketing fee the Company will pay to the underwriters. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of the initial Business Combination with respect to the Company’s warrants.
All of the public shares contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such public shares in connection with the Company’s liquidation if there is a shareholder vote or tender offer in connection with the Company’s Business Combination and in connection with certain amendments to the Articles. In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 480-10-S99, redemption provisions not solely within the control of a company require Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption to be classified outside of permanent equity. Given that the public shares will be issued with other freestanding instruments (i.e., Public Warrants), the initial carrying value of Class A ordinary shares classified as temporary equity will be the allocated proceeds determined in accordance with ASC 470-20. The Class A ordinary shares are subject to ASC 480-10-S99. If it is probable that the equity instrument will become redeemable, the Company has the option to either (i) accrete changes in the redemption value over the period from the date of issuance (or from the date that it becomes probable that the instrument will become redeemable, if later) to the earliest redemption date of the instrument or (ii) recognize changes in the redemption value immediately as they occur and adjust the carrying amount of the instrument to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. The Company has elected to recognize the changes immediately. While redemptions cannot cause the Company’s net tangible assets to fall below $5,000,001, the public shares are redeemable and are classified as such on the condensed balance sheets until such date that a redemption event takes place. Redemptions of the Company’s public shares may be subject to the satisfaction of conditions, including minimum cash conditions, pursuant to an agreement relating to the Company’s Business Combination. If the Company seeks shareholder approval of the Business Combination, the Company will proceed with a Business Combination if a majority of the shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination, or such other vote as required by law or stock exchange rule. If a shareholder vote is not required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements, and the Company does not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Articles, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If, however, shareholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements, or the Company decides to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, the Company 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 the Company seeks shareholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor has agreed to vote its Founder Shares and any public shares purchased during or after the IPO 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 the proposed transaction.
The ordinary shares subject to redemption will be recorded at a redemption value and classified as temporary equity upon the completion of the Public Offering, in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) ASC Topic 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” In such case, the Company will proceed with a Business Combination if the Company’s Class A ordinary shares are not classified as a “penny stock” upon such consummation of a Business Combination and, if the Company seeks shareholder approval, a majority of the issued and outstanding shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination.
The Company initial have until June 17, 2023 (or up to 24 months from the closing of the Public Offering until if the Company extends the period of time to consummate a Business Combination by depositing into the Trust Account, for each one-month extension, the lesser of $0.03 per outstanding share and $250,000) to consummate the initial Business Combination. If the Company is unable to complete the initial Business Combination by the date by which it has to complete a Business Combination (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 the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining 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 the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period.
On June 12, 2023, the Company held an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders and the Company’s shareholders approved the following proposals: (1) a proposal to approve by special resolution an amendment of the Articles to give the Company the right to extend the Combination Period up to twelve (12) times for an additional one (1) month each time, from June 17, 2023 to June 17, 2024, by depositing into the Trust Account the lesser of (i) $0.03 per outstanding share and (ii) $250,000 (the “Extension Payment”), until the earlier of (a) the completion of a Business Combination and (b) the announcement of the Company’s intention to wind up its operations and liquidate (the “Extension Amendment Proposal”), and (2) a proposal to approve an amendment to the Trust Agreement to (a) provide the Company the right to extend the Combination Period up to twelve (12) times for an additional one (1) month each time from June 17, 2023 to June 17, 2024 by depositing into the Trust Account, for each one-month extension, the Extension Payment and (b) provide that the company shall hold the trust assets solely in cash in an interest-bearing demand deposit account at a bank from and after the effectiveness of the Charter Amendment and the Trust Amendment (the “Trust Agreement Amendment Proposal”). In connection with the shareholders’ vote at the extraordinary general meeting, holders of 23,063,075 Class A ordinary shares of the Company exercised their right to redeem such shares (the “First Redemption”) for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the Trust Account. As a result, approximately $243.2 million (approximately $10.55 per share) was removed from the Trust Account to pay such holders and approximately $120.9 million remained in the Trust Account. As a result of the Redemption, the Company had 20,061,925 ordinary shares outstanding immediately following the redemption, which include 11,436,925 Class A ordinary shares and 8,625,000 Class B ordinary shares.
On June 14, 2023, an aggregate of $500,000 was deposited by the Sponsor into the Trust Account of the Company for the Company’s public shareholders, representing $0.024 per public share, which enabled the Company to extend the period of time it has to consummate its Business Combination by two months to August 17, 2023 (the “Extension”). The Extension constitutes the first two of up to twelve one-month extensions permitted under the Company’s governing documents and provides the Company with additional time to complete its Business Combination.
On each of August 15, 2023, September 15, 2023 and October 12, 2023, an extension payment of $250,000 for an aggregate amount of $750,000 was deposited by Pala into the Trust Account of the Company for the Company’s public shareholders, representing $0.024 per public share, which enabled the Company to extend the period of time it has to consummate its Business Combination by one month for each Extension to September 17, 2023, October 17, 2023 and November 17, 2023, respectively. The Extensions constitute the third, fourth and fifth of up to twelve one-month extensions permitted under the Company’s governing documents and provide the Company with additional time to complete its Business Combination.
On November 14, 2023, the Company held an extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders and the shareholders approved the following proposals: (1) remove the monthly extension payment the Company must make into the Trust Account to extend the Combination Period and extend the Combination Period to June 17, 2024 without depositing additional funds in the Trust Account (the “Extension Payment Removal Amendment”) and (2) eliminate (i) the limitation that the Company may not redeem public shares in an amount that would cause the Company’s net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 and (ii) the limitation that the Company shall not consummate an initial business combination unless the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 immediately prior to, or upon consummation of, or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement that may be contained in the agreement relating to, such initial business combination (the “Redemption Limitation Amendment” and, collectively with the Extension Payment Removal Amendment, the “Charter Amendment”).
In connection with the shareholders’ vote at the Meeting, 6,266,326 Class A ordinary shares of the Company exercised their right to redeem such shares (the “Second Redemption”) for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the Trust Account. As a result, approximately $68.2 million (approximately $10.88 per share) was removed from the Trust Account to pay such holders and approximately $56.3 million remained in the Trust Account. Immediately following the aforementioned redemptions, the Company had 13,795,599 ordinary shares outstanding, which includes 5,170,599 Class A ordinary shares and 8,625,000 Class B ordinary shares.
The Company’s initial shareholders, officers and directors, Pala and Roth have entered into a letter agreement with the Company, pursuant to which they have agreed to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares and public shares they hold in connection with the completion of the initial Business Combination, (ii) waive their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares and public shares they hold in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to the Articles to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the public shares if the Company has not consummated an initial Business Combination within the Combination Period or with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity and (iii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any Founder Shares they hold if the Company fails to complete the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period or any extended period of time that the Company may have to consummate an initial Business Combination as a result of an amendment to the Articles (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any public shares they hold if the Company fails to complete the initial Business Combination within the prescribed time frame). The Sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement or Business Combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.20 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.20 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the Trust Account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). However, the Company has not asked the Sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor has the Company independently verified whether the Sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations, and the Company believes that the Sponsor’s only assets are securities of the Company. Therefore, the Company cannot assure that the Sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2023, the Company had $123,724 in cash and a working capital deficit of $4,614,345.
The Company’s liquidity needs up to the closing of the IPO on December 17, 2021 had been satisfied through a payment from the Sponsor of $25,000 (see Note 5) for the Founder Shares to cover certain offering costs and the loan under an unsecured promissory note from the Sponsor of $300,000 (see Note 5). The promissory note was fully repaid as of the closing of the IPO.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide the Company Working Capital Loans (as defined in Note 5). As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had approximately $1,089,000 and $0 of borrowings under the Working Capital Loans, respectively.
In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” the Company has until November 17, 2023 to consummate a Business Combination. It is uncertain that the Company will be able to consummate a Business Combination by this time. Additionally, the Company may not have sufficient liquidity to fund the working capital needs of the Company until one year from the issuance of these financial statements. If a Business Combination is not consummated by this date, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution of the Company. Management has determined that the liquidity condition and mandatory liquidation, should a Business Combination not occur, and potential subsequent dissolution, raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The Company intends to complete a Business Combination before the mandatory liquidation date.
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 these unaudited condensed financial statements. The unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. |
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
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| SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and pursuant to the accounting and disclosure 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.
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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934) 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 unaudited condensed financial statements in conformity with U.S. 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 unaudited condensed 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 unaudited condensed 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 had $111,819 and $299,149 in cash and no cash equivalents as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.
Cash and Investments Held in Trust Account
As of December 31, 2022, substantially all of the assets held in the Trust Account were invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations.
Since May 18, 2023, all of the assets held in the Trust Account have been held solely in cash in an interest-bearing demand deposit account at a bank. Interest on bank deposit accounts is variable and such accounts currently yield interest of approximately 4.65% per annum. Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash accounts in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation coverage of $250,000. Any loss incurred or a lack of access to such funds could have a significant adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
Offering Costs associated with the Initial Public Offering
Offering costs consist of underwriting, legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the condensed balance sheet date that are directly related to the IPO. The Company complies with the requirements of the ASC 340-10-S99-1. Offering costs are allocated ratably with the redeemable and non-redeemable shares they are allocated to. Offering costs associated with warrant liabilities are expensed, and offering costs associated with the Class A ordinary shares are charged to temporary equity. The Company incurred offering costs amounting to $7,607,233, consisting of $6,900,000 of underwriting commissions and $707,233 of other offering costs. Of this amount, $321,236 was allocated to warrants and charged to expense and the remainder was charged to temporary equity.
Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption
The Company accounts for its Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Class A ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as a liability instrument and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable ordinary shares (including shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ deficit. The Company’s Class A ordinary shares sold in the IPO feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, 5,170,689 and 34,500,000 Class A ordinary shares, respectively, subject to possible redemption are presented at redemption value as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of the Company’s condensed balance sheets.
The Company recognizes changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and adjusts the carrying value of redeemable ordinary shares to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. Such changes are reflected in additional paid-in capital, or in the absence of additional capital, in accumulated deficit.
As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Class A ordinary shares reflected in the condensed balance sheets are reconciled in the following table:
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the condensed balance sheets, primarily due to its short-term nature.
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for sale of an asset or paid for transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. U.S. GAAP establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The Company’s financial instruments are classified as either Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3. These tiers include:
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company evaluates its financial instruments to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives in accordance with ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging”. The Company’s derivative instruments are recorded at fair value on the condensed balance sheets with changes in the fair value reported in the unaudited condensed statements of operations. Derivative assets and liabilities are classified on the condensed balance sheets as current or non-current based on whether or not net-cash settlement or conversion of the instrument could be required within 12 months of the condensed balance sheet date.
Warrant Liabilities
The Company accounts for the warrants issued in connection with the Public Offering in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 815-40. Such guidance provides that because the warrants do not meet the criteria for equity treatment thereunder, each warrant must be recorded as a liability. Accordingly, the Company will classify each warrant as a liability at its fair value. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each condensed balance sheet date. With each such re-measurement, the warrant liability will be adjusted to fair value, with the change in fair value recognized in the Company’s unaudited condensed statements of operations.
Net Income per Ordinary Share
The Company complies with accounting and disclosure requirements of FASB ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share.” Net income per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period, excluding ordinary shares subject to forfeiture by the Sponsor. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into ordinary shares and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted income per Class B ordinary share is the same as basic income per Class B ordinary share for the periods presented.
Income Taxes
The Company complies with the accounting and reporting requirements of FASB ASC 740, “Income Taxes,” which 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 only major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals, or material deviation from its position.
The Company is considered an exempted Cayman Islands company and is presently not subject to income taxes or income tax filing requirements in the Cayman Islands or the United States. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Management does not believe that recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements. |
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INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING |
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| INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING | |||||||||||||
| INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING | NOTE 3 – INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING
Public Units
On December 17, 2021, the Company consummated its IPO of 34,500,000 Units at a purchase price of $10.00 per Unit, which included the exercise of the underwriters’ full over-allotment option. Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one Public Warrant.
Public Warrants
Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as discussed herein. In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of the initial Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per Class A ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to the Company’s initial shareholders or their affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by the Company’s initial shareholders 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 the initial Business Combination on the date of the consummation of the initial Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day after the day on which the Company consummate the initial 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, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described below under “Redemption of warrants for cash” 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 warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination and will expire five years after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation. Redemption of warrants
Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants (except as described herein with respect to the Private Placement Warrants):
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PRIVATE PLACEMENT WARRANTS |
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Dec. 31, 2023 | |
| PRIVATE PLACEMENT WARRANTS | |
| PRIVATE PLACEMENT WARRANTS | NOTE 4 – PRIVATE PLACEMENT WARRANTS
Simultaneously with the consummation of the IPO, the Company consummated the Private Placement of 16,300,000 Private Placement Warrants and 3,051,111 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company to the Sponsor, Pala, Cantor and Roth, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $16,300,000. In the Private Placement, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 9,445,000 Private Placement Warrants, Pala purchased an aggregate of 3,095,000 Private Placement Warrants and 2,751,111 Founder Shares, Cantor purchased an aggregate of 2,760,000 Private Placement Warrants and Roth purchased an aggregate of 1,000,000 Private Placement Warrants and 300,000 Founder Shares.
If the Private Placement Warrants are held by holders other than their initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by the holders on the same basis as the warrants included in the units being sold in the Public Offering. |
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS |
12 Months Ended |
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Dec. 31, 2023 | |
| RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS | |
| RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS | NOTE 5 – RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Founder Shares
On August 4, 2021, the Sponsor paid $25,000, or approximately $0.003 per share, to cover certain offering costs in consideration for 7,187,500 Founder Shares, par value $0.0001.
On November 21, 2021, the Sponsor surrendered 2,966,667 Founder Shares for cancellation for nominal consideration. Roth committed to purchase 300,000 Founder Shares and 1,000,000 Private Placement Warrants in a private placement that closed simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering. Additionally, Pala purchased 2,751,111 shares and 3,095,000 Private Placement Warrants in a private placement that closed simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering.
On December 14, 2021, the Company issued 1,353,056 Founder Shares by way of a share capitalization which resulted in an aggregate of 8,540,556 Founder Shares outstanding. This total is comprised of 5,573,889 Founder Shares owned by the Sponsor, 2,666,667 owned by Pala and 300,000 owned by Roth. All shares and related amounts have been retroactively restated. On December 16, 2021, the Company and Pala entered into a securities purchase agreement, pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue and sell 84,444 Founder Shares and 95,000 Private Placement Warrants to Pala for an aggregate purchase price of $190,000. This resulted in outstanding Founder Shares of 8,625,000 (5,573,889 owned by the Sponsor, 2,751,111 owned by Pala and 300,000 owned by Roth), of which 1,625,000 were subject to forfeiture to the extent the underwriters did not exercise their over-allotment option. On December 17, 2021, the underwriters fully exercised this option leaving no Founder Shares subject to forfeiture.
On October 23, 2023, October 30, 2023 and November 6, 2023, the Company and the Sponsor entered into non-redemption agreements (the “Non-Redemption Agreements”) with unaffiliated third parties (collectively, the “Investors”) in exchange for such Investors agreeing (i) to not redeem an aggregate of 5,000,500 Class A ordinary shares of the Company sold in its IPO (the “Non-Redeemed Shares”) in connection with the Meeting (as defined below) and (ii) to vote in favor of the Proposals (as defined below) at the Meeting (other than with respect to certain shares acquired or to be acquired pursuant to the Non-Redemption Agreements). In exchange for the foregoing commitment to not redeem such shares, the Sponsor has agreed to transfer to the Investors up to an aggregate of 1,000,100 Founder Shares held by the Sponsor contemporaneously with the closing of the Company’s Business Combination, provided that the Investors do not exercise their redemption rights with respect to the Non-Redeemed Shares in connection with the Meeting and the Proposals (as defined below) are approved.
The Company’s initial shareholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of (A) one year after the completion of the initial Business Combination and (B) the date on which the Company complete a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange or other similar transaction after the initial Business Combination that results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property; except to certain permitted transferees and under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus relating to the Public Offering. Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of the Company’s initial shareholders with respect to any Founder Shares. The Company refers to such transfer restrictions as the lock-up. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Founder Shares will be released from the lockup if (1) the closing price of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the initial Business Combination or (2) if the Company consummates a transaction after the initial Business Combination which results in its shareholders having the right to exchange their shares for cash, securities or other property.
Promissory Note – Related Party
On August 3, 2021, the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company up to $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of the Public Offering. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of March 31, 2022 or the closing of the Public Offering. The loan was repaid upon the closing of the Public Offering out of the offering proceeds not held in the Trust Account. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had no borrowings under the promissory note and the promissory note is no longer available to the Company.
On April 5, 2023, the Company issued an unsecured convertible promissory note in the aggregate principal amount of $1,000,000 (the “Pala Note”) to Pala with each advance not to exceed $500,000. The Pala Note originally bore interest at a rate of ten percent (10.00%) per annum payable upon the earlier of June 16, 2023 (as may be extended in accordance with the terms of the Pala Note) and the effective date of the Company’s Business Combination. In the event that the Company does not consummate a Business Combination, the Pala Note will be repaid only from amounts remaining outside of the Company’s Trust Account. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $508,000 outstanding under the Pala Note. For the three and nine months ended December 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $15,000 and $27,000, respectively, in interest expense on the Pala Working Capital Note. The Pala Note has a conversion feature that is considered an embedded derivative, but the value is de minimis. As such, the Pala Note is presented at fair value on the accompanying condensed balance sheets. On August 8, 2023, the Company and Pala amended and restated the Pala Note (the “A&R Pala Note”) to (i) distinguish between loans made for the purposes of funding (x) the Company’s working capital requirements (the “Pala Working Capital Loans”) and (y) the Company’s Trust Account to extend the Company’s deadline to complete its business combination (the “Pala Trust Extension Loans”), (ii) permit interest to accrue at a rate equal to twenty percent (20.00%) per annum, compounded annually, on any and all then-outstanding Pala Working Capital Loans, (iii) clarify that no interest shall accrue on the Pala Trust Extension Loans and (iv) clarify that up to $6,900,000 of Pala Trust Extension Loans may be converted into Warrants, subject to availability. On June 14, 2023, the Sponsor loaned the Extension Payment to the Company in order to support the Extension (the “Extension Loan”) and caused the Extension Payment to be deposited in the Company’s Trust Account for its public shareholders. In connection with the Extension Payment, the Company issued an unsecured promissory note in the aggregate principal amount of $2,000,000 (the “Sponsor Note”) to the Sponsor. The Sponsor Note originally bore interest at a rate of ten percent (10.0%) per annum. The Sponsor Note will be due and payable (subject to the waiver against trust provisions) on the earlier of (i) the date on which the Business Combination is consummated and (ii) the date of the Company’s liquidation. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $1,250,000 outstanding under the Sponsor Note.
On July 31, 2023, the Company and the Sponsor amended and restated the Sponsor Note (the “A&R Sponsor Note”) to (i) increase the aggregate principal amount available to be borrowed to up to $5,000,000, (ii) distinguish between loans made for the purposes of funding (x) the Company’s working capital requirements (the “Sponsor Working Capital Loans”) and (y) the Company’s Trust Account to extend the Company’s deadline to complete its Business Combination (the “Sponsor Trust Extension Loans”), and (iii) clarify that up to $1,500,000 of Sponsor Working Capital Loans and up to $6,900,000 of Sponsor Trust Extension Loans may be converted into Warrants, subject to availability (see Note 10).
On August 8, 2023, the Company and the Sponsor amended and restated the A&R Sponsor Note (the “Second A&R Sponsor Note”) to (i) permit interest to accrue at a rate equal to twenty percent (20.00%) per annum, compounded annually, on any and all then-outstanding Sponsor Working Capital Loans and (ii) clarify that no interest shall accrue on the Sponsor Trust Extension Loans (see Note 10).
On each of August 15, 2023, September 15, 2023 and October 12, 2023, an aggregate of $250,000 was deposited by Pala into the Trust Account of the Company for the Company’s public shareholders, representing $0.024 per public share, which enabled the Company to extend the period of time it has to consummate its Business Combination by one month for each Extension to September 17, 2023, October 17, 2023 and November 17, 2023, respectively. The Extensions constitute the third, fourth and fifth of up to twelve one-month extensions permitted under the Company’s governing documents and provide the Company with additional time to complete its Business Combination.
On October 12, 2023, the Company and Pala amended and restated the A&R Pala Note (the “Second A&R Pala Note”) to increase the aggregate principal amount available to be borrowed by up to $250,000 (see Note 10).
Working Capital Loans
In order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (the “Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes the initial Business Combination, the Company may repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Working Capital Loans may be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. In the event that the initial Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds from the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Up to $1,500,000 of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into warrants of the post-Business Combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had approximately $1,089,000 and $0 of borrowings under the Working Capital Loans, respectively.
Office Space, Secretarial and Administrative Services
Commencing on the date that the Company’s securities are first listed on the NYSE through the earlier of consummation of the initial Business Combination and the liquidation, the Company has agreed to pay the Sponsor a total of up to $15,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative support and to reimburse the Sponsor for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial Business Combination. For the year ended December 31, 2023, and 2022, the Company incurred $0, in fees for these services. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company has unpaid accrued $11,820 for the administrative support services in due to related party. Service Provider Agreements
From time to time, the Company has entered into and may enter into agreements with various service providers and advisors, including investment banks, to help the Company identify targets, negotiate terms of potential Business Combinations, consummate a Business Combination and/or provide other services. In connection with these agreements, the Company may be required to pay such service providers and advisors fees in connection with their services to the extent that certain conditions, including the closing of a potential Business Combination, are met. If a Business Combination does not occur, the Company would not expect to be required to pay these contingent fees. There can be no assurance that the Company will complete a Business Combination. |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
12 Months Ended |
|---|---|
Dec. 31, 2023 | |
| COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | |
| COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | NOTE 6 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Registration Rights
The holders of the (i) Founder Shares, (ii) Private Placement Warrants and the Class A ordinary shares underlying such Private Placement Warrants and (iii) Private Placement Warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans will have registration rights to require the Company to register a sale of any of the Company’s securities held by them pursuant to a registration rights agreement signed in connection with the Public Offering. Pursuant to the registration rights agreement, the underwriters’ exercise of their over-allotment option in full and $1,500,000 of Working Capital Loans (which amount includes the committed sponsor loans) are converted into Private Placement Warrants, the Company will be obligated to register up to 26,425,000 Class A ordinary shares and 17,800,000 warrants. The number of Class A ordinary shares includes (i) 8,625,000 Class A ordinary shares to be issued upon conversion of the Founder Shares, (ii) 16,300,000 Class A ordinary shares to be issued upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants and (iii) 1,500,000 Class A ordinary shares underlying the Private Placement Warrants issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans. The number of warrants includes 16,300,000 Private Placement Warrants and 1,500,000 Private Placement Warrants issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggyback” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the Company’s completion of the initial Business Combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
The underwriters earned a cash underwriting discount of two percent (2%) of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering (including the over-allotment), or $6,900,000.
The Company granted the underwriters a 45-day option from the date of the Public Offering to purchase up to an additional 4,500,000 units to cover over-allotments, if any. The underwriters exercised their full over-allotment option on December 17, 2021.
Business Combination Marketing Agreement
The Company engaged Cantor and Roth as advisors in connection with the Business Combination to assist in holding meetings with the shareholders to discuss the potential Business Combination and the target business’ attributes, introduce the Company to potential investors that are interested in purchasing securities in connection with the Business Combination, assist in obtaining shareholder approval for the Business Combination and assist with press releases and public filings in connection with the Business Combination. The Company will pay Cantor and Roth a cash fee for such services upon the consummation of the Business Combination in an amount equal to 5.0% of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering (exclusive of any applicable finders’ fees which might become payable), which will only be paid upon the completion of the Company’s Business Combination. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, neither Cantor nor Roth has provided any services under this agreement. |
WARRANT LIABILITIES |
12 Months Ended |
|---|---|
Dec. 31, 2023 | |
| WARRANT LIABILITIES | |
| WARRANT LIABILITIES | NOTE 7 – WARRANT LIABILITIES
The Company accounts for the 33,550,000 warrants issued in connection with the Public Offering (17,250,000 Public Warrants and 16,300,000 Private Placement Warrants) in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 815-40. Such guidance provides that because the warrants do not meet the criteria for equity treatment thereunder, each warrant must be recorded as a liability. Accordingly, the Company classifies each warrant as a liability at its fair value. This liability is subject to remeasurement at each condensed balance sheet date. With each such remeasurement, the warrant liability will be adjusted to fair value, with the change in fair value recognized in the Company’s unaudited condensed statements of operations. |
RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS |
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| RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS | NOTE 8 – RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for sale of an asset or paid for transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. U.S. GAAP (as defined in Note 2) establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). These tiers consist of:
At December 31, 2023, assets held in the Trust Account were comprised of $56,708,101 in an interest-bearing demand deposit account at a bank. Through December 31, 2023, the Company withdrew $311,471,428 from the Trust Account in connection with the Redemption.
At December 31, 2022, assets held in the Trust Account were comprised of $356,976,495 in money market funds which are invested primarily in U.S. Treasury securities. Through December 31, 2022, the Company did not withdraw any interest income from the Trust Account.
The following tables present fair value information as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis and indicate the fair value hierarchy of the valuation techniques the Company utilized to determine such fair value:
At December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company used a Monte Carlo model to value the private warrants. The estimated fair value of the public and private warrant liability is determined using Level 3 inputs. If factors or assumptions change, the estimated fair values could be materially different. Inherent in a binomial options pricing model are assumptions related to expected share-price volatility, expected life, risk-free interest rate and dividend yield.
The following table provides quantitative information regarding Level 3 fair value measurements:
The following table presents the changes in the fair value of Level 3 warrant liabilities:
Transfers to/from Levels 1, 2 and 3 are recognized at the end of the reporting period in which a change in valuation technique or methodology occurs. There were no transfers to/from Levels 1, 2, and 3 during the year ended December 31, 2023. |
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SHAREHOLDERS DEFICIT |
12 Months Ended |
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Dec. 31, 2023 | |
| SHAREHOLDERS DEFICIT | |
| SHAREHOLDERS' DEFICIT | NOTE 9 – SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
Preference shares – The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 preference shares with a par value of $0.0001 and with such designations, voting and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s board of directors. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were no preference shares issued or outstanding.
Class A ordinary shares – The Company is authorized to issue 200,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were 5,170,689 and 34,500,000 Class A ordinary shares, respectively, issued or outstanding, of which 5,170,689 and 34,500,000 Class A ordinary shares, respectively, were subject to possible redemption.
Class B ordinary shares – The Company is authorized to issue 20,000,000 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders are entitled to one vote for each share of Class B ordinary shares. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were 8,625,000 Class B ordinary shares issued and outstanding. Of the 8,625,000 Class B ordinary shares, an aggregate of up to 1,625,000 shares were subject to forfeiture to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment option was not exercised in full or in part, so that the initial shareholders will collectively own 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares after the Public Offering. On December 17, 2021, the underwriters exercised their full over-allotment option, meaning no Founder Shares were subject to forfeiture on December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. Holders of record of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders. Unless specified in the Articles or as required by the Companies Act or stock exchange rules, 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, is generally required to approve any matter voted on by the Company’s shareholders. Approval of certain actions require a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of a majority of at least two-thirds of the shareholders who attend and vote at a general meeting of the company, and pursuant to the Articles, such actions include amending the Articles and approving a statutory merger or consolidation with another company. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the appointment of directors, meaning, following the Business Combination, the holders of more than 50% of the Company’s ordinary shares voted for the appointment of directors will be able to appoint all of the directors. Only holders of Class B ordinary shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors prior to the completion of the Business Combination. Holders of the public shares will not be entitled to vote on the appointment of directors during such time. These provisions of the Articles relating to the rights of holders of Class B ordinary shares to appoint directors may be amended if approved by holders of at least 90% of the Company’s ordinary shares voting in a general meeting. With respect to any other matter submitted to a vote of the Company’s shareholders, including any vote in connection with the Business Combination, except as required by law, holders of the Founder Shares and holders of the public shares will vote together as a single class, with each share entitling the holder to one vote. If the Company seek shareholder approval of the Business Combination, the Company will complete the Business Combination only if the Company obtain approval by way of 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. In such case, the initial shareholders, 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 the Business Combination.
The Founder Shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of the Business Combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment for share subdivisions, share capitalizations, share dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities are issued or deemed issued in connection with the Business Combination, the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Founder Shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the total number of Class A ordinary shares outstanding after such conversion (after giving effect to any redemptions of Class A ordinary shares by public shareholders), including the total number of Class A ordinary shares issued, or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity linked securities or rights issued or deemed issued, by the Company in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the Business Combination, excluding any Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities or rights exercisable for or convertible into Class A ordinary shares issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the Business Combination and any Private Placement Warrants issued to the Sponsor, officers or directors upon conversion of Working Capital Loans; provided that such conversion of Founder Shares will never occur on a less than one-for-one basis. |
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS |
12 Months Ended |
|---|---|
Dec. 31, 2023 | |
| SUBSEQUENT EVENTS | |
| SUBSEQUENT EVENTS | NOTE 10 – SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the condensed balance sheet date up to the date that the financial statements were issued. Based upon this review, other than as noted below, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements.
On January 16, 2024, the Company, the Sponsor, Pala, and Camel Bay, LLC (the “Purchaser”) entered into a share purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”). Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, among other things: (a) the Sponsor and Pala transferred to the Purchaser an aggregate of 4,193,695 Founder Shares; (b) the Purchaser executed a joinder agreement (the “Joinder”) to become a party to that certain letter agreement, dated December 14, 2021 (“Letter Agreement”), and that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated December 14, 2021 (“Registration Rights Agreement”), each originally entered into in connection with the IPO, among the Company, the Sponsor, Pala and certain equity holders of the Company; (c) the Sponsor, Pala and certain other holders of Founder Shares gave to Purchaser the irrevocable right to vote the Founder Shares on their behalf and to take certain other actions on their behalf (the “POA Agreements”); (d) the Sponsor, Pala and the underwriters in the IPO, entered into surrender and cancellation agreements (the “Warrant Cancellation Agreements”) whereby such parties have agreed to cancel an aggregate of 16,300,000 private placement warrants (the “Placement Warrants”) purchased by them at the time of the IPO; and (e) certain holders of promissory notes (the “Lenders”) issued by the Company to such Lenders agreed to cancel their promissory notes in an aggregate principal amount of $6,433,333 (“Debt Cancellation Agreements”). In addition, each of the Underwriters entered into an agreement (the “Underwriter Agreements”) whereby such parties waived their entitlement to the payment of any cash fees and expenses pursuant to that certain business combination marketing agreement, dated December 14, 2021. In addition, Pala agreed to pay $125,000 cash and 50,000 founder shares to a service provider, who agreed to waive an accrued liability of approximately $2,276,000 in return. |
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies) |
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| SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basis of Presentation | The accompanying financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and pursuant to the accounting and disclosure rules and regulations of the SEC. |
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| 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.
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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934) 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. |
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| Use of Estimates | The preparation of unaudited condensed financial statements in conformity with U.S. 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 unaudited condensed 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 unaudited condensed 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. |
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| 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 had $111,819 and $299,149 in cash and no cash equivalents as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. |
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| Cash and Investments Held in Trust Account | As of December 31, 2022, substantially all of the assets held in the Trust Account were invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations.
Since May 18, 2023, all of the assets held in the Trust Account have been held solely in cash in an interest-bearing demand deposit account at a bank. Interest on bank deposit accounts is variable and such accounts currently yield interest of approximately 4.65% per annum. |
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| Concentration of Credit Risk | Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash accounts in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation coverage of $250,000. Any loss incurred or a lack of access to such funds could have a significant adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. |
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| Offering Costs associated with the Initial Public Offering | Offering costs consist of underwriting, legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the condensed balance sheet date that are directly related to the IPO. The Company complies with the requirements of the ASC 340-10-S99-1. Offering costs are allocated ratably with the redeemable and non-redeemable shares they are allocated to. Offering costs associated with warrant liabilities are expensed, and offering costs associated with the Class A ordinary shares are charged to temporary equity. The Company incurred offering costs amounting to $7,607,233, consisting of $6,900,000 of underwriting commissions and $707,233 of other offering costs. Of this amount, $321,236 was allocated to warrants and charged to expense and the remainder was charged to temporary equity. |
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| Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption | The Company accounts for its Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Class A ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as a liability instrument and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable ordinary shares (including shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ deficit. The Company’s Class A ordinary shares sold in the IPO feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, 5,170,689 and 34,500,000 Class A ordinary shares, respectively, subject to possible redemption are presented at redemption value as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of the Company’s condensed balance sheets.
The Company recognizes changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and adjusts the carrying value of redeemable ordinary shares to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. Such changes are reflected in additional paid-in capital, or in the absence of additional capital, in accumulated deficit.
As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Class A ordinary shares reflected in the condensed balance sheets are reconciled in the following table:
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| Fair Value of Financial Instruments | The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the condensed balance sheets, primarily due to its short-term nature.
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for sale of an asset or paid for transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. U.S. GAAP establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The Company’s financial instruments are classified as either Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3. These tiers include:
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| Derivative Financial Instruments | The Company evaluates its financial instruments to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives in accordance with ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging”. The Company’s derivative instruments are recorded at fair value on the condensed balance sheets with changes in the fair value reported in the unaudited condensed statements of operations. Derivative assets and liabilities are classified on the condensed balance sheets as current or non-current based on whether or not net-cash settlement or conversion of the instrument could be required within 12 months of the condensed balance sheet date. |
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| Warrant Liabilities | The Company accounts for the warrants issued in connection with the Public Offering in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 815-40. Such guidance provides that because the warrants do not meet the criteria for equity treatment thereunder, each warrant must be recorded as a liability. Accordingly, the Company will classify each warrant as a liability at its fair value. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each condensed balance sheet date. With each such re-measurement, the warrant liability will be adjusted to fair value, with the change in fair value recognized in the Company’s unaudited condensed statements of operations. |
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| Net Income per Ordinary Share | The Company complies with accounting and disclosure requirements of FASB ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share.” Net income per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period, excluding ordinary shares subject to forfeiture by the Sponsor. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into ordinary shares and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted income per Class B ordinary share is the same as basic income per Class B ordinary share for the periods presented.
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| Income Taxes | The Company complies with the accounting and reporting requirements of FASB ASC 740, “Income Taxes,” which 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 only major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals, or material deviation from its position.
The Company is considered an exempted Cayman Islands company and is presently not subject to income taxes or income tax filing requirements in the Cayman Islands or the United States. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months. |
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| Recent Accounting Pronouncements | Management does not believe that recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements. |
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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Tables) |
12 Months Ended | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dec. 31, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Summary of Class A Ordinary Shares Temporary Equity |
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| Schedule of Basic and Diluted Net Income (Loss) Per Ordinary Share |
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RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Tables) |
12 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dec. 31, 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Summary of assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis |
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| Summary of simulation model for the private placement warrants and public warrants |
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| Summary Of Reconciliation Of Changes In Fair Value Of warrant Liabilities |
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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details) - USD ($) |
12 Months Ended | |
|---|---|---|
Dec. 31, 2023 |
Dec. 31, 2022 |
|
| Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption | $ 56,707,840 | $ 356,975,607 |
| Class A Ordinary Shares Subject To Possible Redemption [Member] | ||
| Gross Proceeds | 345,000,000 | |
| Proceeds Allocated to Public Warrants | (13,631,224) | |
| Class A ordinary shares issuance cost | (7,285,997) | |
| Accretion of carrying value of redemption value | 11,203,661 | 32,892,828 |
| Less: redemptions | (311,471,428) | |
| Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption | $ 56,707,840 | $ 356,975,607 |
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details 1) - USD ($) |
12 Months Ended | |
|---|---|---|
Dec. 31, 2023 |
Dec. 31, 2022 |
|
| Class A Ordinary Shares [Member] | ||
| Denominator | ||
| Allocation of net income | $ 3,716,834 | $ 17,002,398 |
| Weighted-average shares outstanding | 20,693,862 | 34,500,000 |
| Basic and diluted net income per share | $ 0.18 | $ 0.49 |
| Class B Ordinary Shares [Member] | ||
| Denominator | ||
| Allocation of net income | $ 1,549,140 | $ 4,250,600 |
| Weighted-average shares outstanding | 8,625,000 | 8,625,000 |
| Basic and diluted net income per share | $ 0.18 | $ 0.49 |
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details Narrative) - USD ($) |
12 Months Ended | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 17, 2021 |
Dec. 31, 2023 |
May 18, 2023 |
Dec. 31, 2022 |
|
| Cash | $ 979,690 | $ 111,819 | $ 299,149 | |
| Cash equivalents | $ 0 | $ 0 | ||
| Term of restricted investments | 185 days | |||
| Investment interest rate | 4.65% | |||
| Cash insured with federal insurance corporation | $ 250,000 | |||
| IPO [Member] | ||||
| Stock issuance costs | 7,607,233 | |||
| Payments for underwriting expense | 6,900,000 | |||
| Other offering costs | $ 707,233 | 707,233 | ||
| Offering expenses related to warrant issuance | $ 321,236 | |||
| Common Class A [Member] | ||||
| Ordinary shares subject to possible redemption | 5,170,689 | 34,500,000 |
WARRANT LIABILITIES (Details Narrative) - IPO [Member] |
Dec. 31, 2023
shares
|
|---|---|
| Number of warrants or rights outstanding | 33,550,000 |
| Public Warrants [Member] | |
| Number of warrants or rights outstanding | 17,250,000 |
| Private Placement Warrants [Member] | |
| Number of warrants or rights outstanding | 16,300,000 |
RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Details) - USD ($) |
Dec. 31, 2023 |
Dec. 31, 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Fair Value, Recurring [Member] | ||
| Total Liabilities | $ 1,725,000 | $ 1,093,650 |
| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Fair Value, Recurring [Member] | Public Warrants [Member] | ||
| Total Liabilities | 1,725,000 | 1,093,650 |
| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Fair Value, Recurring [Member] | Private Warrants [Member] | ||
| Total Liabilities | 0 | 0 |
| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | ||
| Total Liabilities | 1,754,807 | 1,125,515 |
| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Public Warrants [Member] | ||
| Total Liabilities | 0 | 0 |
| Investments held in Trust Account | 356,976,495 | |
| Total Assets | 356,976,495 | |
| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Private Placement Warrants [Member] | ||
| Total Liabilities | $ 1,754,807 | $ 1,125,515 |
RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Details 1) - $ / shares |
12 Months Ended | |
|---|---|---|
Dec. 31, 2023 |
Dec. 31, 2022 |
|
| RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS | ||
| Share price | $ 10.85 | $ 10.27 |
| Strike price | $ 11.50 | $ 11.50 |
| Term (in years) | 1 year 5 months 23 days | 5 years 4 months 28 days |
| Volatility | 0.70% | 7.80% |
| Risk-free rate | 4.52% | 4.74% |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Details 2) |
12 Months Ended |
|---|---|
|
Dec. 31, 2023
USD ($)
| |
| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | |
| Beginning balance | $ 1,125,515 |
| Change in fair value | 629,292 |
| Ending balance | 1,754,807 |
| Private Placement [Member] | |
| Beginning balance | 1,125,515 |
| Change in fair value | 629,292 |
| Ending balance | 1,754,807 |
| Public Warrants [Member] | |
| Beginning balance | 0 |
| Change in fair value | 0 |
| Ending balance | $ 0 |
RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Details Narrative) - USD ($) |
12 Months Ended | |
|---|---|---|
Dec. 31, 2023 |
Dec. 31, 2022 |
|
| RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS | ||
| Assets held in Trust Account | $ 56,708,101 | $ 356,976,495 |
| Cash withdrawn from Trust Account in connection with redemption | 311,471,428 | |
| Fair value transferred from a Level 3 measurement to a Level 1 | $ 0 |
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS (Details Narrative) - USD ($) |
1 Months Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jan. 16, 2024 |
Dec. 31, 2023 |
Nov. 06, 2023 |
Oct. 30, 2023 |
Oct. 23, 2023 |
Dec. 31, 2022 |
Dec. 17, 2021 |
Dec. 14, 2021 |
|
| Cash | $ 111,819 | $ 299,149 | $ 979,690 | |||||
| Subsequent Event [Member] | ||||||||
| Debt instrument face value | $ 6,433,333 | |||||||
| Private placement warrants cancelled | 16,300,000 | |||||||
| Pala [Member] | ||||||||
| Cash | $ 125,000 | |||||||
| Founder Shares | 50,000 | |||||||
| Accrued liability | $ 2,276,000 | |||||||
| Sponsor [Member] | ||||||||
| Founder Shares | 1,000,100 | 1,000,100 | 1,000,100 | |||||
| Sponsor [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | ||||||||
| Founder Shares | 4,193,695 |