INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
UNDER THE AWARE, INC.
2023 EQUITY AND INCENTIVE PLAN
Name of Optionee:
No. of Option Shares:
Option Exercise Price per Share: $
Grant Date:
Expiration Date:
Pursuant to the Aware, Inc. 2023 Equity and Incentive Plan (as amended through the date hereof, the “Plan”), Aware, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby grants to the Optionee named above an option (the “Stock Option”) to purchase on or prior to the Expiration Date specified above all or part of the number of shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Stock”) specified above at the Option Exercise Price per Share specified above, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Plan.
1.Vesting Schedule. No portion of this Stock Option may be exercised until such portion shall have vested. This Stock Option shall vest and become exercisable with respect to the following number of Option Shares on the dates indicated so long as the Optionee remains in a Service Relationship (as defined in the Plan) on such dates:
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Number of
Option Shares Vesting |
Vesting Date |
_____________ (___%) |
____________ |
_____________ (___%) |
____________ |
_____________ (___%) |
____________ |
_____________ (___%) |
____________ |
_____________ (___%) |
____________ |
To the extent vested and exercisable, this Stock Option shall continue to be exercisable at any time or times prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, subject to the provisions hereof and of the Plan.
(a)From time to time on or prior to the Expiration Date of this Stock Option, the Optionee may exercise this Stock Option by giving written notice to the Administrator of the Optionee’s election to purchase some or all of the Option Shares exercisable at the time of such notice. This notice shall specify the number of Option Shares to be purchased.
Payment of the Option Exercise Price for the Option Shares may be made by one or more of the following methods: (i) in cash or by certified or bank check or other instrument acceptable to the Administrator; (ii) through the delivery (or attestation to the ownership) of shares of Stock that have been purchased by the Optionee on the open market or that are beneficially owned by the Optionee and are not then subject to any restrictions under any Company plan and that otherwise satisfy any holding periods as may be required by the Administrator; (iii) by the Optionee delivering to the Company a properly executed exercise notice together with irrevocable instructions to a broker to promptly deliver to the Company cash or a check payable and acceptable to the Company to pay the Option Exercise Price, provided that in the event the Optionee chooses to pay the Option Exercise Price as so provided, the Optionee and the broker shall comply with such procedures and enter into such agreements of indemnity and other agreements as the Administrator shall prescribe as a condition of such payment procedure; (iv) with the consent of the Administrator, by a “net exercise” arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of shares of Stock issuable upon exercise by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the Option Exercise Price (and the Optionee shall make a cash payment equal to the difference between the Fair Market Value of such shares and the Option Exercise Price); or (v) a combination of (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) above. Payment instruments will be received subject to collection.
The transfer to the Optionee on the records of the Company or of the transfer agent of the Option Shares will be contingent upon (i) the Company’s receipt from the Optionee of the full Option Exercise Price for the Option Shares, as set forth above, (ii) the fulfillment of any other requirements contained herein or in the Plan or in any other agreement or provision of laws, and (iii) the receipt by the Company of any agreement, statement or other evidence that the Company may require to satisfy itself that the issuance of Stock to be purchased pursuant to the exercise of Stock Options under the Plan and any subsequent resale of the shares of Stock will be in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. In the event the Optionee chooses to pay the Option Exercise Price by previously-owned shares of Stock through the attestation method, the number of shares of Stock transferred to the Optionee upon the exercise of the Stock Option shall be net of the Shares attested to.
(b)The shares of Stock purchased upon exercise of this Stock Option shall be transferred to the Optionee on the records of the Company or of the transfer agent upon compliance to the satisfaction of the Administrator with all requirements under applicable laws or regulations in connection with such transfer and with the requirements hereof and of the Plan. The determination of the Administrator as to such compliance shall be final and binding on the Optionee. The Optionee shall not be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares of Stock subject to this Stock Option unless and until this Stock Option shall have been exercised pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company or the transfer agent shall have transferred the shares to the Optionee, and the Optionee’s name shall have been entered as the stockholder of record on the books of the Company. Thereupon, the Optionee shall have full voting, dividend and other ownership rights with respect to such shares of Stock.
(c)Notwithstanding any other provision hereof or of the Plan, no portion of this Stock Option shall be exercisable after the Expiration Date hereof.
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3.Termination of Service Relationship. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship is terminated, the period within which to exercise this Stock Option may be subject to earlier termination as set forth below.
(a)Termination Due to Death. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship terminates by reason of the Optionee’s death, any portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date, to the extent exercisable on the date of death, may thereafter be exercised by the Optionee’s legal representative or legatee for a period of 12 months from the date of death or until the Expiration Date, if earlier. Any portion of this Stock Option that is not exercisable on the date of death shall terminate immediately and be of no further force or effect.
(b)Termination Due to Disability. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship terminates by reason of the Optionee’s Disability, any portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date, to the extent exercisable on the date of such termination, may thereafter be exercised by the Optionee for a period of 12 months from the date of termination due to Disability or until the Expiration Date, if earlier. For purposes hereof, “Disability” shall mean that the Optionee is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, and shall be determined in accordance with Section 22(e)(3) of the Code. Any portion of this Stock Option that is not exercisable on the date of termination due to Disability shall terminate immediately and be of no further force or effect.
(c)Termination for Cause. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship terminates for Cause, any portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date shall terminate immediately and be of no further force and effect. For purposes hereof, “Cause” shall mean, unless otherwise provided in an employment or service agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and the Optionee, (i) any material breach by the Optionee of any agreement between the Optionee and the Company or a Subsidiary; (ii) the conviction of, indictment for or plea of nolo contendere by the Optionee to a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude; or (iii) any material misconduct or willful and deliberate non-performance by the Optionee of the Optionee’s duties to the Company or a Subsidiary.
(d)Other Termination. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship terminates for any reason other than the Optionee’s death, the Optionee’s Disability, or Cause, and unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, any portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date may be exercised, to the extent exercisable on the date of termination, for a period of three months from the date of termination or until the Expiration Date, if earlier. Any portion of this Stock Option that is not exercisable on the date of termination shall terminate immediately and be of no further force or effect.
The Administrator’s determination of the reason for termination of the Optionee’s Service Relationship shall be conclusive and binding on the Optionee and the Optionee’s representatives or legatees.
4.Incorporation of Plan. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Agreement shall be subject to and governed by all the terms and conditions of the Plan, including the powers of the Administrator set forth in Section 3(b) of the Plan. In the event of any conflict
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between the terms hereof and those of the Plan, the latter shall prevail. Capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning specified in the Plan, unless a different meaning is specified herein.
5.Transferability. This Agreement is personal to the Optionee, is non-assignable and is not transferable in any manner, by operation of law or otherwise, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. This Stock Option is exercisable, during the Optionee’s lifetime, only by the Optionee, and thereafter, only by the Optionee’s legal representative or legatee.
6.Status of the Stock Option. This Stock Option is intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code, but the Company does not represent or warrant that this Stock Option qualifies as such. To the extent any portion of this Stock Option does not so qualify as an “incentive stock option,” including as a result of exceeding the “$100,000 limit” described in Section 6(c) of the Plan, such portion shall be deemed to be a non-qualified stock option. The Optionee should consult with the Optionee’s own tax advisors regarding the tax effects of this Stock Option and the requirements necessary to obtain favorable income tax treatment under Section 422 of the Code, including, but not limited to, holding period requirements and the requirement that this Stock Option must be exercised within three months after termination of employment as an employee (or 12 months in the case of death or Disability) to qualify as an “incentive stock option.” If the Optionee disposes of any Option Shares (whether by sale, gift, transfer or otherwise) within the one-year period beginning on the day after the transfer of such shares to the Optionee, or within the two-year period beginning on the day after the Grant Date of this Stock Option, the Optionee must notify the Company within 30 days of such disposition.
7.Tax Withholding. To the extent that any portion of this Stock Option does not qualify as an incentive stock option at the time of exercise, the Optionee shall, not later than the date as of which the exercise of this Stock Option becomes a taxable event for Federal income tax purposes, pay to the Company or make arrangements satisfactory to the Administrator for payment of any Federal, state, and local taxes required by law to be withheld on account of such taxable event. The Company shall have the authority to cause any required tax withholding obligation to be satisfied, in whole or in part, by (i) withholding from shares of Stock to be issued to the Optionee a number of shares of Stock with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would satisfy the withholding amount due; or (ii) causing its transfer agent to sell from the number of shares of Stock to be issued to the Optionee, the number of shares of Stock necessary to satisfy the Federal, state and local taxes required by law to be withheld from the Optionee on account of such taxable event.
8.No Obligation to Continue Service Relationship. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is obligated by or as a result of the Plan or this Agreement to continue the Optionee’s Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary, and neither the Plan nor this Agreement shall interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate the Optionee’s Service Relationship at any time.
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9.Integration. This Agreement and the Plan constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to this Stock Option and supersede all prior agreements and discussions between the parties concerning this Stock Option.
10.Data Privacy Consent. In order to administer the Plan and this Agreement and to implement or structure future equity grants, the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates and certain agents thereof (together, the “Relevant Companies”) may process any and all personal or professional data, including but not limited to Social Security or other identification number, home address and telephone number, date of birth and other information that is necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan and/or this Agreement (the “Relevant Information”). By entering into this Agreement, the Optionee (i) authorizes each Relevant Company to collect, process, register and transfer to each other Relevant Company all Relevant Information; (ii) waives any privacy rights the Optionee may have with respect to the Relevant Information; (iii) authorizes the Relevant Companies to store and transmit such information in electronic form; and (iv) authorizes the transfer of the Relevant Information to any jurisdiction which a Relevant Company considers appropriate. The Optionee shall have access to, and the right to change, the Relevant Information. Relevant Information will only be used in accordance with applicable law.
11.Notices. Notices hereunder shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its principal place of business and shall be mailed or delivered to the Optionee at the address on file
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with the Company or, in either case, at such other address as one party may subsequently furnish to the other party in writing.
AWARE, INC.
By:
Title:
The foregoing Agreement is hereby accepted and the terms and conditions thereof hereby agreed to by the undersigned. Electronic acceptance of this Agreement pursuant to the Company’s instructions to the Optionee (including through an online acceptance process) is acceptable.
Dated:
Optionee’s Signature
Optionee’s name and address:
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