UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT between AD.VENTURE PARTNERS, INC. and WEDBUSH MORGAN SECURITIES, INC. Dated: _____________, 2005
Exhibit 1.1
between
and
WEDBUSH XXXXXX SECURITIES, INC.
Dated: _____________, 2005
__________, 2005
Wedbush Xxxxxx Securities, Inc.
As Representative of the several Underwriters
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, 00xx xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
As Representative of the several Underwriters
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, 00xx xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned, Ad.Venture Partners, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), hereby
confirms its agreement with Wedbush Xxxxxx Securities, Inc. (being referred to herein variously as
“you,” “Wedbush” or the “Representative”) and with the other underwriters named on Schedule I
hereto for which Wedbush is acting as Representative (the Representative and the other Underwriters
being collectively called the “Underwriters” or, individually, an “Underwriter”) as follows:
1. Purchase and Sale of Securities.
1.1 Firm Securities.
1.1.1 Purchase of Firm Units. On the basis of the representations and warranties
herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to
issue and sell, severally and not jointly, to the several Underwriters, an aggregate of 12,500,000
units (“Firm Units”) of the Company, at a purchase price (net of discounts and commissions) of
$5.76 per Firm Unit. The Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the
Company the number of Firm Units set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule I attached
hereto and made a part hereof at a purchase price (net of discounts and commissions) of $5.76 per
Firm Unit. The Firm Units are to be offered initially to the public (“Offering”) at the offering
price of $6.00 per Firm Unit. Each Firm Unit consists of one share of the Company’s common stock,
par value $.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), and two warrants (“Warrant(s)”). The shares of Common
Stock and the Warrants included in the Firm Units will not be separately transferable until the
earlier to occur of (i) the expiration of the Underwriter’s option to purchase up to 1,875,000
additional units to cover overallotments or (ii) 20 days after the exercise in full or in part by
the Underwriters of such option, but in no event will Wedbush allow separate trading before an
audited balance sheet has been prepared reflecting receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the
Offering and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) with a Current
Report on Form 8-K. Each Warrant entitles its holder to exercise it to purchase one share of
Common Stock for $5.00 during the period commencing on the later of the consummation by the Company
of its “Business Combination” or one year from the effective date (“Effective Date”) of the
Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 hereof) and terminating on the five-year
anniversary of the Effective Date. “Business Combination” shall mean the acquisition by the
Company, whether by merger, capital stock exchange, asset or stock acquisition or other similar
type of transaction or a combination of the foregoing, of one or more companies operating in the
technology, media or telecommunications industries (as described more fully in the Registration
Statement).
1.1.2 Payment and Delivery. Delivery and payment for the Firm Units shall be made at
1:00 P.M., New York time, on the third business day following the effective date of the
Registration Statement (or the fourth business day following the effective date, if the
Registration Statement is declared effective after 4:30 p.m.) or at such earlier time as shall be
agreed upon by the Representative and the Company at the offices of the Representative or at such
other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company. The hour and date of
delivery and payment for the Firm Units are called “Closing Date.” Payment for the Firm Units
shall be made on the Closing Date at the Representative’s election by wire transfer in Federal
(same day) funds or by certified or bank cashier’s check(s) in New York Clearing House funds,
payable as follows: $70,565,000 of the proceeds received by the Company for the Firm Units shall
be deposited in the trust fund established by the Company for the benefit of the public
stockholders as described in the Registration Statement (“Trust Fund”) pursuant to the terms of an
Investment Management Trust Agreement (“Trust Agreement”) and the remaining
1.
proceeds shall be paid to the order of the Company upon delivery to you of certificates (in
form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Firm Units (or through the
facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)) for the account of the Underwriters. The Firm
Units shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the
Representative may request in writing at least two full business days prior to the Closing Date.
The Company will permit the Representative to examine and package the Firm Units for delivery, at
least one full business day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell
or deliver the Firm Units except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all the Firm
Units.
1.2 Over-Allotment Option.
1.2.1 Option Units. For the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection
with the distribution and sale of the Firm Units, the Underwriters are hereby granted, severally
and not jointly, an option to purchase up to an additional 1,875,000 units from the Company
(“Over-allotment Option”). Such additional 1,875,000 units are hereinafter referred to as “Option
Units.” The Firm Units and the Option Units are hereinafter collectively referred to as the
“Units,” and the Units, the shares of Common Stock and the Warrants included in the Units and the
shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants are hereinafter referred to
collectively as the “Public Securities.” The purchase price to be paid for the Option Units will
be the same price per Option Unit as the price per Firm Unit set forth in Section 1.1.1 hereof.
1.2.2 Exercise of Option. The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 1.2.1
hereof may be exercised by the Representative as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to
time) of the Option Units within 45 days after the Effective Date. The Underwriters will not be
under any obligation to purchase any Option Units prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment
Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of oral notice to
the Company by the Representative, which must be confirmed in writing by overnight mail or
facsimile transmission setting forth the number of Option Units to be purchased and the date and
time for delivery of and payment for the Option Units (the “Option Closing Date”), which will not
be later than five full business days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be
agreed upon by the Company and the Representative, at the offices of the Representative or at such
other place as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative. Upon exercise of the
Over-allotment Option, the Company will become obligated to convey to the Underwriters, and,
subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Underwriters will become obligated to
purchase, the number of Option Units specified in such notice.
1.2.3 Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Option Units shall be made on the Option
Closing Date at the Representative’s election by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds or by
certified or bank cashier’s check(s) in New York Clearing House funds, payable to the Trust Fund at
the offices of the Representative or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the
Representative and the Company upon delivery to you of certificates representing such securities
(or through the facilities of DTC). The certificates representing the Option Units to be delivered
will be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representative requests not less
than two full business days prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, and will be made available to the Representative for inspection, checking and packaging at the
aforesaid office of the Company’s transfer agent or correspondent not less than one full business
day prior to such Closing Date.
1.3 Representative’s Purchase Option.
1.3.1 Purchase Option. The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to the
Representative (and/or its designees) on the Effective Date an option (“Representative’s Purchase
Option”) for the purchase of up to an aggregate of 625,000 units (“Representative’s Units”) for an
aggregate purchase price of $100. Each of the Representative’s Units is identical to the Firm
Units except that the Warrants included in the Representative’s Units (“Representative’s Warrants”)
have an exercise price of $6.65 (133% of the exercise price of the Warrants included in the Units
sold to the public). The Representative’s Purchase Option shall be exercisable, in whole or in
part, commencing on the later of (i) one year from the Effective Date and (ii) the consummation of
a Business Combination and expiring on the five-year anniversary of the Effective Date at an
initial exercise price per Representative’s Unit of $7.50, which is equal to one hundred twenty
five percent (125%) of the initial public offering price of a Unit. The Representative’s Purchase
Option, the Representative’s Units, the Representative’s Warrants, the Common Stock included in the
Representative Units and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s
Warrants are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Representative’s
2.
Securities.” The Public Securities and the Representative’s Securities are hereinafter
referred to collectively as the “Securities.”
1.3.2 Payment and Delivery. Delivery and payment for the Representative’s Purchase
Option shall be made on the Closing Date. The Company shall deliver to the Underwriters, upon
payment therefor, certificates for the Representative’s Purchase Option in the name or names and in
such authorized denominations as the Representative may request.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to
the Underwriters as follows:
2.1 Filing of Registration Statement.
2.1.1 Pursuant to the Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a registration
statement and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form S-1 (File No. 333-124141), including any
related preliminary prospectus (“Preliminary Prospectus”), for the registration of the Public
Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Act”), which registration statement and
amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of
the Act, and the rules and regulations (“Regulations”) of the Commission under the Act. Except as
the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the
Commission at the time the registration statement becomes effective (including the prospectus,
financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof or
incorporated therein and all information deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to
paragraph (b) of Rule 430A of the Regulations), is hereinafter called the “Registration Statement,”
and the form of the final prospectus dated the Effective Date included in the Registration
Statement (or, if applicable, the form of final prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424 of the Regulations), is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.” The Registration Statement
has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof.
2.1.2 Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Form
8-A (File Number 000-51456) providing for the registration under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), of the Units, the Common Stock and the Warrants. The
registration of the Units, Common Stock and Warrants under the Exchange Act has been declared
effective by the Commission on the date hereof.
2.2 No Stop Orders, Etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the best of the Company’s
knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order or threatened to issue any order
preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or has instituted or, to the best of
the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute any proceedings with respect to such an order.
2.3 Disclosures in Registration Statement.
2.3.1 10b-5 Representation. At the time the Registration Statement became effective
and at all times subsequent thereto up to the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus will contain all material statements that are required to
be stated therein in accordance with the Act and the Regulations, and will in all material respects
conform to the requirements of the Act and the Regulations; neither the Registration Statement nor
the Prospectus, nor any amendment or supplement thereto, on such dates, will contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading. When any Preliminary Prospectus was first filed with the Commission (whether filed
as part of the Registration Statement for the registration of the Securities or any amendment
thereto or pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the Regulations) and when any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto was first filed with the Commission, such Preliminary Prospectus and any amendments thereof
and supplements thereto complied or will comply in all material respects with the applicable
provisions of the Act and the Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to
believe that the market-related data included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus is
not based on or derived from sources that are
3.
reliable and accurate (in accordance with the methodologies used to derive such market-related
data set forth in the underlying source material) in all material respects.
2.3.2 Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform to the descriptions thereof contained therein and
there are no agreements or other documents required to be described in the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement,
that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however
characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which its property or business is
or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Prospectus, or (ii) is material to
the Company’s business, has been duly and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and
effect and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties
thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y)
as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal
and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other
forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the
court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought, and none of such agreements or
instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the best of the
Company’s knowledge, any other party is in breach or default thereunder and, to the best of the
Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or
both, would constitute a breach or default thereunder. To the best of the Company’s knowledge,
performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not
result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree
of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or
any of its assets or businesses, including, without limitation, those relating to environmental
laws and regulations.
2.3.3 Prior Securities Transactions. No securities of the Company have been sold by
the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling,
controlled by, or under common control with the Company since the formation of the Company, except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement.
2.3.4 Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement concerning the
effects of Federal, State and local regulation on the Company’s business as currently contemplated
are correct in all material respects and do not omit to state a material fact.
2.4 Changes After Dates in Registration Statement.
2.4.1 No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated
therein, (i) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or
business prospects of the Company, (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by
the Company, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement, and (iii) no member of the
Company’s management has resigned from any position with the Company.
2.4.2 Recent Securities Transactions, Etc. Subsequent to the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and except as may
otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or therein, the Company has not (i) issued any
securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or
(ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its equity
securities.
2.5 Independent Accountants. Xxxxxx LLP (“Xxxxxx”), whose report is filed with the
Commission as part of the Registration Statement, are independent accountants as required by the
Act and the Regulations. Xxxxxx has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements
included in the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in
Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.
2.6 Financial Statements. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and
supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, fairly present the
financial position, the results of operations and the cash flows of the Company at the dates and
for the periods to which they apply; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity
with United States generally accepted accounting principles
4.
(“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved. The Registration Statement
discloses all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including
contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or
other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial
condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures,
capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses.
2.7 Authorized Capital; Options; Etc. The Company had at the date or dates indicated
in the Prospectus duly authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock as set forth in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted stock
capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date and on the Closing Date, there will be no
options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized but unissued
shares of Common Stock of the Company or any security convertible into shares of Common Stock of
the Company, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell shares of Common Stock or any such
options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.
2.8 Valid Issuance of Securities; Etc.
2.8.1 Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company
have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders
thereof have no rights of rescission with respect thereto, and are not subject to personal
liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of
the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights
granted by the Company. The authorized Common Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto
contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the
outstanding Common Stock were at all relevant times either registered under the Act and the
applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws or, based in part on the representations and
warranties of the purchasers of such shares of Common Stock, exempt from such registration
requirements.
2.8.2 Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement. The Securities have been duly
authorized and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable;
the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such
holders; the Securities are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of
any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate
action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Securities has been
duly and validly taken. The Securities conform in all material respects to all statements with
respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement. When issued, the Representative’s
Purchase Option, the Representative’s Warrants and the Warrants will constitute valid and binding
obligations of the Company to issue and sell, upon exercise thereof and payment of the respective
exercise prices therefor, the number and type of securities of the Company called for thereby in
accordance with the terms thereof and such Representative’s Purchase Option, the Representative’s
Warrants and the Warrants are enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective
terms, except (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization
or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as enforceability of any
indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities
laws, and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable
relief may be subject to equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding therefor may be brought.
2.9 Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the Prospectus, no
holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or
exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any
such securities of the Company under the Act or to include any such securities in a registration
statement to be filed by the Company.
2.10 Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. This Agreement, the Warrant Agreement
(as defined in Section 2.21 hereof), the Trust Agreement (as defined in Section 2.22 hereof), those
certain letter agreements (each substantially in the forms filed as Exhibits 10.5 and 10.6 to the
Registration Statement), pursuant to which each of the Initial Stockholders agrees to certain
matters, including but not limited to, certain matters described as being agreed to by them under
the “Proposed Business” section of the Prospectus (“Insider Letters”), those certain letter
agreements (each substantially in the form filed as Exhibit 10.12 to the Registration Statement),
pursuant to which each of the Initial Stockholders agrees to purchase a certain number of the
Company’s warrants after the
5.
Offering as described under the “Principal Stockholders” section of the Prospectus (“Warrant
Purchase Commitment Letters”), and those certain lock-up agreements (each substantially in the form
filed as Exhibit 10.7 to the Registration Statement), whereby the Common Stock owned by the Initial
Stockholders will be subject to the lock-up until six-months after the consummation of an initial
Business Combination (as defined in the Registration Statement) (“Lock-Up Agreements”), the
Representative’s Purchase Option and the Services Agreement (as defined in Section 2.27 hereof)
have been duly and validly authorized by the Company and constitute the valid and binding
agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective
terms, except (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization
or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as enforceability of any
indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities
laws, and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable
relief may be subject to equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding therefor may be brought.
2.11 No Conflicts, Etc. The execution, delivery, and performance by the Company of
this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Representative’s Purchase Option, the Trust Agreement,
the Insider Letters, the Services Agreement and the Lock-up Agreements, the consummation by the
Company of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by the Company with
the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse
of time or both (i) result in a breach of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or
constitute a default under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of
any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of
any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party except pursuant to the Trust Agreement
referred to in Section 2.22 hereof; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Company; or (iii) violate any
existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or
court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties or
business.
2.12 No Defaults; Violations. No material default exists in the due performance and
observance of any term, covenant or condition of any material license, contract, indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, note, loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or instrument
evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other material agreement or instrument to which
the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of the properties or
assets of the Company is subject. The Company is not in violation of any term or provision of its
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or in violation of any material
franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any
governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of
its properties or businesses.
2.13 Corporate Power; Licenses; Ownership.
2.13.1 Conduct of Business. The Company has all requisite corporate power and
authority, and has all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and
permits of and from all governmental regulatory officials and bodies that it needs as of the date
hereof to conduct its business and to consummate a Business Combination as described in the
Prospectus. The disclosures in the Registration Statement concerning the effects of federal, state
and local regulation on this offering and the Company’s business purpose as currently contemplated
are correct in all material respects and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading.
2.13.2 Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all corporate power and
authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof, and
all consents, authorizations, approvals and orders required in connection therewith have been
obtained. No consent, authorization or order of, and no filing with, any court, government agency
or other body is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery, of the Securities and the
consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement, the Warrant
Agreement, the Representative’s Purchase Option, the Trust Agreement, the Insider Letters, the
Services Agreement, and the Lock-up Agreements and as contemplated by the Prospectus, except with
respect to applicable federal and state securities laws.
6.
2.13.3 Ownership. Except as set forth in the Prospectus, the Company owns or has
valid leasehold interests in all material properties and assets required for the operation of its
business as now conducted or as presently proposed to be conducted, including those described in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as being owned by it; and the Company has good and
marketable title to all properties and assets owned by it material to its business in each case
free from liens, encumbrances and defects that would materially affect the value thereof or
materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by the Company or its subsidiaries.
All real property leases to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party are valid,
subsisting and, to the knowledge of the Company, enforceable by the Company or such subsidiary, in
each case with no exceptions that would materially interfere with the use made or to be made
thereof by the Company or its subsidiaries and each of the Company and its subsidiaries enjoys
peaceful and undisturbed possession under all such leases to which it is a party as lessee. The
Company owns or possesses, or can acquire on a timely basis and on commercially reasonable terms,
all material trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights,
confidential information and other intellectual property necessary for the Company’s purpose as
currently contemplated.
2.14 D&O Questionnaires. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, all information
contained in the director and officer questionnaires and NASD supplemental questionnaires
(“Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s stockholders immediately prior to the
Offering (“Initial Stockholders”) and provided to the Underwriters as an exhibit to his or her
Insider Letter (as defined in Section 2.10) is true and correct and the Company has not become
aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the questionnaires
completed by each Initial Stockholder to become inaccurate and incorrect.
2.15 Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding,
inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the best
of the Company’s knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the best of the
Company’s knowledge, any Initial Stockholder, which has not been disclosed in the Registration
Statement or the Questionnaires, except for actions, suits, proceedings, inquiries, arbitrations,
investigations, litigation or government proceedings pending against any Initial Stockholder that
would not individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on such Initial
Stockholder, the Company or the Offering.
2.16 Good Standing. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
corporation and is in good standing under the laws of its state of incorporation, and is duly
qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in
which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification,
except where the failure to qualify would not have a material adverse effect on the Company.
2.17 Stop Orders. The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending
the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus or any part thereof.
2.18 Transactions Affecting Disclosure to NASD.
2.18.1 Finder’s Fees. Except as described in the Prospectus, there are no claims,
payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s,
consulting or origination fee by the Company or any Initial Stockholder with respect to the sale of
the Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or,
to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any Initial Stockholder that may affect the Underwriters’
compensation, as determined by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”).
2.18.2 Payments Within Twelve Months. The Company has not made any direct or indirect
payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) (i) to any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or
otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the
Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company, (ii) to any NASD member or (iii) to
any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any NASD
member, within the twelve months prior to the Effective Date.
2.18.3 Use of Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the
Company to any participating NASD member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized
herein and except as may be paid in connection with a Business Combination as contemplated by the
Prospectus.
7.
2.18.4 Insiders’ NASD Affiliation. Based on the Questionnaires distributed to such
persons, except as set forth on Schedule 2.18.4, no officer, director or any beneficial owner of
the Company’s unregistered securities has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with
any NASD member. The Company will advise the Representative and its counsel if it learns that any
officer, director or owner of at least 5% of the Company’s outstanding Common Shares is or becomes
an affiliate or associated person of an NASD member participating in the Offering.
2.19 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor any of the Initial
Stockholders or any other person acting on behalf of the Company has, directly or indirectly, given
or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to
customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a
customer or supplier, or official or employee of any governmental agency or instrumentality of any
government (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or
foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who
was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist it in
connection with any actual or proposed transaction) that (i) might subject the Company to any
damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding, (ii) if not
given in the past, might have had a material adverse effect on the assets, business or operations
of the Company as reflected in any of the financial statements contained in the Prospectus or (iii)
if not continued in the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or
prospects of the Company. The Company’s internal accounting controls and procedures are sufficient
to cause the Company to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
2.20 Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of
the Company and delivered to you or to your counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty
by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
2.21 Warrant Agreement. The Company has entered into a warrant agreement with respect
to the Warrants and the Representative’s Warrants with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
substantially in the form filed as Exhibit 4.4 to the Registration Statement (“Warrant Agreement”).
2.22 Investment Management Trust Agreement. The Company has entered into the Trust
Agreement with respect to certain proceeds of the Offering substantially in the form filed as
Exhibit 10.8 to the Registration Statement (“Trust Agreement”).
2.23 Covenants Not to Compete. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, no Initial
Stockholder, employee, officer or director of the Company is subject to any noncompetition
agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer which could materially
affect his ability to be an Initial Stockholder, employee, officer and/or director of the Company.
2.24 Investments. No more than 45% of the “value” (as defined in Section 2(a)(41) of
the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Investment Company Act”)) of the Company’s total assets
consist of, and no more than 45% of the Company’s net income after taxes is derived from,
securities other than “Government securities” (as defined in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment
Company Act).
2.25 Subsidiaries. The Company does not own an interest in any corporation,
partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other business entity.
2.26 Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related party
transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Prospectus
that have not been described as required.
2.27 Administrative Services. The Company has entered into an agreement (the
“Services Agreement”) with eXact Advertising, LLC substantially in the form annexed as Exhibit
10.13 to the Registration Statement pursuant to which the Affiliate will make available to the
Company general and secretarial support for the Company’s use for $7,500 per month.
8.
3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:
3.1 Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company will deliver to the
Representative, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or
Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and not file any such amendment or
supplement to which the Representative shall reasonably object in writing.
3.2 Federal Securities Laws.
3.2.1 Compliance. During the time when a Prospectus is required to be delivered under
the Act, the Company will use all reasonable efforts to comply with all requirements imposed upon
it by the Act, the Regulations and the Exchange Act and by the regulations under the Exchange Act,
as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or
dealings in the Public Securities in accordance with the provisions hereof and the Prospectus. If
at any time when a Prospectus relating to the Public Securities is required to be delivered under
the Act, any event shall have occurred as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel for the
Company or counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, includes
an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Prospectus to comply with
the Act, the Company will notify the Representative promptly and prepare and file with the
Commission, subject to Section 3.1 hereof, an appropriate amendment or supplement in accordance
with Section 10 of the Act.
3.2.2 Filing of Final Prospectus. The Company will file the Prospectus (in form and
substance satisfactory to the Representative) with the Commission pursuant to the requirements of
Rule 424 of the Regulations.
3.2.3 Exchange Act Registration. Until the earlier of five years from the Effective
Date or the date that the Company is liquidated, the Company will use its best efforts to maintain
the registration of the Units, Common Stock and Warrants under the provisions of the Exchange Act.
The Company will not deregister the Units under the Exchange Act without the prior written consent
of Wedbush.
3.3 Blue Sky Filings. The Company will endeavor in good faith, in cooperation with
the Representative, at or prior to the time the Registration Statement becomes effective, to
qualify the Public Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions
as the Representative may reasonably designate, provided that no such qualification shall be
required in any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof, the Company would be subject to service of
general process or to taxation as a foreign corporation doing business in such jurisdiction. Until
the earliest of (i) the date on which all Underwriters shall have ceased to engage in market making
activities in respect of the Public Securities, (ii) the date on which the Public Securities are
listed or quoted, as the case may be, on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange
or the Nasdaq National Market (or any successor to such entities) and (iii) the date of the
liquidation of the Company (the period from the Effective Date to such earliest date, the “Blue Sky
Compliance Period”), in each jurisdiction where such qualification shall be effected, the Company
will, unless the Representative agrees that such action is not at the time necessary or advisable,
use all reasonable efforts to file and make such statements or reports at such times as are or may
be required by the laws of such jurisdiction.
3.4 Delivery to Underwriters of Prospectuses. The Company will deliver to each of the
several Underwriters, without charge, from time to time during the period when the Prospectus is
required to be delivered under the Act or the Exchange Act, such number of copies of each
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus as such Underwriters may reasonably request and, as soon
as the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto becomes effective, deliver to
you two original executed Registration Statements, including exhibits, and all post-effective
amendments thereto and copies of all exhibits filed therewith or incorporated therein by reference
and all original executed consents of certified experts.
3.5 Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Representative. The Company will
use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective until distribution of
the Public Securities is complete and will notify the Representative immediately and confirm the
notice in writing (i) of the effectiveness of the
9.
Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of
any stop order or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose, (iii)
of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the
qualification of the Public Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the
initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose, (iv) of the mailing and
delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement
or Prospectus, (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from
the Commission, and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in Section 3.4
hereof that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any state
securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification during any such time,
the Company will make every reasonable effort to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.
3.6 Affiliated Transactions.
3.6.1 Business Combinations. The Company will not consummate a Business Combination
with any entity which is affiliated with any Initial Stockholder unless the Company obtains an
opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of the NASD that the Business
Combination is fair to the Company’s stockholders from a financial perspective.
3.6.2 Compensation. Except for payments made to eXact Advertising, LLC as disclosed
in the Prospectus, the Company shall not pay any Initial Stockholder or any of their affiliates any
fees or compensation from the Company, for services rendered to the Company prior to, or in
connection with, the consummation of a Business Combination; provided that the Initial Stockholders
and their affiliates shall be entitled to reimbursement from the Company for their reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with seeking and consummating a Business Combination.
3.7 Secondary Market Trading and Standard & Poor’s. During the Blue Sky Compliance
Period, and in any event no less than 60 days prior to the consummation of a Business Combination,
the Company will apply to be included in Standard & Poor’s Daily News and Corporation Records
Corporate Descriptions for a period of five years from the consummation of a Business Combination.
The Company shall promptly take such action as may be reasonably requested by the Representative to
maintain secondary market trading in such other states as may be requested by the Representative.
3.8 Reports to the Representative.
3.8.1 Periodic Reports, Etc. For a period of five years from the Effective Date, the
Company will furnish to the Representative and its counsel copies of such financial statements and
other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders
of any class of its securities, and promptly furnish to the Representative (i) a copy of each
periodic report the Company shall be required to file with the Commission, (ii) a copy of every
press release and every news item and article with respect to the Company or its affairs which was
released by the Company, (iii) a copy of each Current Report on Form 8-K and Schedules 13D, 13G,
14D-1 or 13E-4 received or prepared by the Company, (iv) five copies of each registration statement
filed by the Company with the Commission under the Securities Act, (v) a copy of monthly
statements, if any, setting forth such information regarding the Company’s results of operations
and financial position (including balance sheet, profit and loss statements and data regarding
outstanding purchase orders) as is regularly prepared by management of the Company and (vi) such
additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future
subsidiaries of the Company as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request.
3.8.2 Transfer Sheets. During the Blue Sky Compliance Period, the Company shall
retain a transfer and warrant agent acceptable to the Representative (“Transfer Agent”) and will
furnish to the Underwriters at the Company’s sole cost and expense such transfer sheets of the
Company’s securities as the Representative may request, including the daily and monthly
consolidated transfer sheets of the Transfer Agent and DTC. The Underwriters acknowledge that
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company is an acceptable Transfer Agent.
10.
3.8.3 Secondary Market Trading Survey. Until such time as the Public Securities are
listed or quoted, as the case may be, on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange
or the Nasdaq National Market, the Company shall engage Xxxxxxx XxXxxxxxx LLP, counsel to the
Underwriters (“Xxxxxxx”) to deliver and update to the Underwriters on a timely basis, but in any
event on the Effective Date and at the beginning of each fiscal quarter, a written report detailing
those states in which the Public Securities may be traded in non-issuer transactions under the Blue
Sky laws of the fifty States (“Secondary Market Trading Survey”).
3.9 Payment of Expenses. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date
and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses
incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including but
not limited to (i) the preparation (exclusive of the fees and expenses of counsel to the
Underwriters), printing, filing and mailing (including the payment of postage with respect to such
mailing) of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary and Final Prospectuses and the printing and
mailing of this Agreement and related documents, including the cost of all copies thereof and any
amendments thereof or supplements thereto supplied to the Underwriters in quantities as may be
required by the Underwriters, (ii) the printing, engraving, issuance and delivery of the Units, the
shares of Common Stock and the Warrants included in the Units and the Representative’s Purchase
Option, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the qualification of the
Public Securities under state or foreign securities or Blue Sky laws, including the costs of
preparing, printing and mailing the “Preliminary Blue Sky Memorandum,” and all amendments and
supplements thereto, the preparation of the Secondary Market Trading Survey (as defined above), and
the reasonable fees and disbursements of Xxxxxxx related thereto; provided that the Company shall
not be required to reimburse the Representative or Xxxxxxx for any amounts under this clause (iii)
in excess of $50,000, (iv) filing fees, costs and expenses (excluding fees and disbursements for
the Representative’s counsel) incurred in registering the Offering with the NASD and the
Commission, (v) fees and disbursements of the Transfer Agent, (vi) the Company’s expenses
associated with “due diligence” and “road show” meetings arranged by the Representative, and (vii)
all other costs and expenses customarily borne by an issuer incident to the performance of its
obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 3.9. The
Company also agrees that, if requested by the Representative, it will engage and pay for an
investigative search firm of the Representative’s choice to conduct an investigation of the
principals of the Company as shall be mutually selected by the Representative and the Company. The
Representative may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the
Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth in this Agreement to be
paid by the Company to the Representative and others.
3.10 Application of Net Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the
Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application described under the caption
“Use Of Proceeds” in the Prospectus.
3.11 Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company will make
generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than the first
day of the sixteenth full calendar month following the Effective Date, an earnings statement (which
need not be certified by independent public or independent certified public accountants unless
required by the Act or the Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under
Section 11(a) of the Act) covering a period of at least twelve consecutive months beginning after
the Effective Date.
3.12 Notice to NASD. In the event any person or entity (excluding attorneys,
accountants, engineers, environmental or labor consultants, investigatory firms, technology
consultants and specialists and similar service providers that are not affiliated or associated
with the NASD and are not brokers or finders) is engaged, in writing, to assist the issuer in
finding or evaluating a Target Business, the Company will provide the following to the NASD and
Wedbush prior to consummation of the Business Combination: (i) copies of agreements governing said
services (which details or agreements may be appropriately redacted to account for privilege or
confidentiality concerns), and (ii) a justification as to why the person or entity providing the
merger and acquisition services should not be considered an “underwriter or related person” with
respect to the Company’s initial public offering as such term is defined in Rule 2710(a)(6) of the
NASD Conduct Rules. The Company also agrees that proper disclosure of such arrangement or
potential arrangement will be made in the proxy statement which the Company will file for purposes
of soliciting stockholder approval for the Business Combination.
11.
3.13 Stabilization. Except with respect to the agreements between Wedbush and certain
of the Initial Stockholders substantially in the form filed as Exhibit 10.12 to the Registration
Statement, neither the Company, nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or
stockholders (without the consent of Wedbush) has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any
action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result
in, under the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any
security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Units.
3.14 Internal Controls. During the Blue Sky Compliance Period, the Company will
maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that:
(i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization,
(ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for
assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or
specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing
assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
3.15 Form 8-K. The Company shall, on the date hereof, retain its independent public
accountants to audit the financial statements of the Company as of the Closing Date (“Audited
Financial Statements”) reflecting the receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the initial public
offering. As soon as the Audited Financial Statements become available, the Company shall
immediately file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission, which Report shall contain the
Company’s Audited Financial Statements.
3.16 NASD. During the period of the distribution of the Public Securities, the
Company shall advise the NASD if it is aware that any 5% or greater stockholder of the Company
becomes an affiliate or associated person of an NASD member participating in the distribution of
the Company’s Public Securities.
3.17 Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters
necessary to carry out the provisions of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby
shall have been done to the reasonable satisfaction to counsel for the Underwriters.
3.18 Investment Company. The Company shall cause the proceeds of the Offering to be
held in the Trust Fund to be invested only in “government securities” with specific maturity dates
as set forth in the Trust Agreement and disclosed in the Prospectus. The Company will otherwise
conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act.
Furthermore, once the Company consummates a Business Combination, it will be engaged in a business
other than that of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading securities.
3.19 Colorado Trust Filing. In the event the Securities are registered in the State
of Colorado, the Company will cause a Colorado Form ES to be filed with the Commissioner of the
State of Colorado no less than 10 days prior to the distribution of the Trust Fund in connection
with a Business Combination and will do all things necessary to comply with Section 00-00-000 and
Rule 51-3.4 of the Colorado Securities Act.
3.20 Deferred Compensation. Upon the consummation of the initial Business
Combination, the Company will pay to the Representative, on behalf of the Underwriters, an amount
equal to 2% of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Units (before giving
effect to any discounts and commissions).
3.21 Nonaccountable Expenses. Upon the consummation of the initial Business
Combination, the Company will pay to Wedbush an amount equal to 1% of the gross proceeds received
by the Company from the sale of the Firm Units (before giving effect to any discounts and
commissions).
4. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters to
purchase and pay for the Units, as provided herein, shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of
the representations and warranties of the Company as of the date hereof and as of each of the
Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the accuracy of the statements of officers of
the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof and to the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder and to the following conditions:
12.
4.1 Regulatory Matters.
4.1.1 Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement shall have
become effective not later than 5:00 P.M., New York time, on the date of this Agreement or such
later date and time as shall be consented to in writing by you, and, at each of the Closing Date
and the Option Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for the purpose shall have been instituted or
shall be pending or contemplated by the Commission and any request on the part of the Commission
for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of Xxxxxxx.
4.1.2 NASD Clearance. By the Effective Date, the Representative shall have received
clearance from the NASD as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters
as described in the Registration Statement.
4.1.3 No Blue Sky Stop Orders. No order suspending the sale of the Units in any
jurisdiction designated by you pursuant to Section 3.3 hereof shall have been issued on either on
the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been
instituted or shall be contemplated.
4.2 Company Counsel Matters.
4.2.1 Closing Date Opinion of Counsel. On each of the Closing Date and the Option
Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion of Xxxxxx
Godward LLP (“Xxxxxx”), counsel to the Company, dated the as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance
satisfactory to Xxxxxxx and attached hereto as Exhibit A.
4.2.2 Reliance. In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (i) as to matters
involving the application of laws other than the laws of the United States and jurisdictions in
which they are admitted, to the extent such counsel deems proper and to the extent specified in
such opinion, if at all, upon an opinion or opinions (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory
to Xxxxxxx) of other counsel reasonably acceptable to Xxxxxxx, familiar with the applicable laws,
and (ii) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates or other written
statements of officers of the Company and officers of departments of various jurisdictions having
custody of documents respecting the corporate existence or good standing of the Company, provided
that copies of any such statements or certificates shall be delivered to Xxxxxxx if requested. The
opinion of counsel for the Company and any opinion relied upon by such counsel for the Company
shall include a statement to the effect that it may be relied upon by counsel for the Underwriters
in its opinion delivered to the Underwriters.
4.3 Cold Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed, and at each of the
Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, you shall have received a letter, addressed to
the Representative and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects (including the
non-material nature of the changes or decreases, if any, referred to in clause (iii) below) to you
and to Xxxxxxx from Xxxxxx dated, respectively, as of the date of this Agreement and as of the
Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any:
(i) Confirming that they are independent accountants with respect to the Company within the
meaning of the Act and the applicable Regulations and that they have not, during the periods
covered by the financial statements included in the Prospectus, provided to the Company any
non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act;
(ii) Stating that in their opinion the financial statements of the Company included in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the published Regulations thereunder;
(iii) Stating that, on the basis of a limited review which included a reading of the latest
available unaudited interim financial statements of the Company (with an indication of the date of
the latest available unaudited interim financial statements), a reading of the latest available
minutes of the stockholders and board of directors and the various committees of the board of
directors, consultations with officers and other
13.
employees of the Company responsible for financial and accounting matters and other specified
procedures and inquiries, nothing has come to their attention which would lead them to believe that
(a) the unaudited financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement do not
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act
and the Regulations or are not fairly presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles applied on a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited financial
statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement, (b) at a date not later than five
days prior to the Effective Date, Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, there
was any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company, or any decrease in the
stockholders’ equity of the Company as compared with amounts shown in the April 13, 2005 balance
sheet included in the Registration Statement, other than as set forth in or contemplated by the
Registration Statement, or, if there was any decrease, setting forth the amount of such decrease,
and (c) during the period from April 13, 2005 to a specified date not later than five days prior to
the Effective Date, Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, there was any decrease
in revenues, net earnings or net earnings per share of Common Stock, in each case as compared with
the corresponding period in the preceding year and as compared with the corresponding period in the
preceding quarter, other than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, or, if
there was any such decrease, setting forth the amount of such decrease;
(iv) Setting forth, at a date not later than five days prior to the Effective Date, the amount
of liabilities of the Company (including a break-down of commercial papers and notes payable to
banks);
(v) Stating that they have compared specific dollar amounts, numbers of shares, percentages of
revenues and earnings, statements and other financial information pertaining to the Company set
forth in the Prospectus in each case to the extent that such amounts, numbers, percentages,
statements and information may be derived from the general accounting records, including work
sheets, of the Company and excluding any questions requiring an interpretation by legal counsel,
with the results obtained from the application of specified readings, inquiries and other
appropriate procedures (which procedures do not constitute an examination in accordance with
generally accepted auditing standards) set forth in the letter and found them to be in agreement;
(vi) Stating that they have not during the immediately preceding five year period brought to
the attention of the Company’s management any reportable condition related to internal structure,
design or operation as defined in the Statement on Auditing Standards No. 60 “Communication of
Internal Control Structure Related Matters Noted in an Audit,” in the Company’s internal controls;
and
(vii) Statements as to such other matters incident to the transaction contemplated hereby as
you may reasonably request.
4.4 Officers’ Certificates.
4.4.1 Officers’ Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date,
if any, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Chairman
of the Board or the President and the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company, dated the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, respectively, to the effect that the
Company has performed all covenants and complied with all conditions required by this Agreement to
be performed or complied with by the Company prior to and as of the Closing Date, or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, and that the conditions set forth in Section 4.5 hereof have been
satisfied as of such date and that, as of Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 2 hereof are true and
correct. In addition, the Representative will have received such other and further certificates of
officers of the Company as the Representative may reasonably request.
4.4.2 Secretary’s Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing
Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the
Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Date, as the
case may be, respectively, certifying (i) that the Bylaws and Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company are true and complete, have not been modified and are in full force
and effect, (ii) that the resolutions relating to the public offering contemplated by this
Agreement are in full force and effect and have not been modified, (iii) all correspondence between
the
14.
Company or its counsel and the Commission, and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of
the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
4.5 No Material Changes. Prior to and on each of the Closing Date and the Option
Closing Date, if any, (i) there shall have been no material adverse change or development involving
a prospective material adverse change in the condition or prospects or the business activities,
financial or otherwise, of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set
forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, (ii) no action suit or proceeding, at law or in
equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Initial Stockholder before
or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may materially adversely affect the business, operations,
prospects or financial condition or income of the Company, except as set forth in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus, (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Act and no
proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission, and (iv) the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain
all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Act and the
Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the
Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or
supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4.6 Delivery of Agreements.
4.6.1 Effective Date Deliveries. On the Effective Date, the Company shall have
delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Lock-up Agreements, the Trust Agreement, the
Warrant Agreement, the Insider Letters and the Warrant Commitment Purchase Letters.
4.6.2 Closing Date Deliveries. On the Closing Date, the Company shall have delivered
to the Representative the Representative’s Purchase Option.
4.7 Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. All proceedings taken in connection with
the authorization, issuance or sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be reasonably
satisfactory in form and substance to you and to Xxxxxxx and you shall have received from such
counsel a favorable opinion, dated the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, with
respect to such of these proceedings as you may reasonably require. On or prior to the Effective
Date, the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, counsel for the
Underwriters shall have been furnished such documents, certificates and opinions as they may
reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to review or pass upon the matters referred to
in this Section 4.7, or in order to evidence the accuracy, completeness or satisfaction of any of
the representations, warranties or conditions herein contained.
4.8 Secondary Market Trading Survey. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall
have received the Secondary Market Trading Survey from Xxxxxxx.
5. Indemnification.
5.1 Indemnification of Underwriters.
5.1.1 General. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless each of the Underwriters, and each dealer selected by you that
participates in the offer and sale of the Securities (each a “Selected Dealer”) and each of their
respective directors, officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls any such
Underwriter (“controlling person”) within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20(a) of
the Exchange Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever
(including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in
investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim
whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriters and the Company or
between any of the Underwriters and any third party or otherwise) to which they or any of them may
become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or
15.
at common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries, arising out of or based
upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (i) any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (as from time to time each may
be amended and supplemented); (ii) in any post effective amendment or amendments or any new
registration statement and prospectus in which is included securities of the Company issued or
issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Purchase Option; or (iii) any application or other
document or written communication (in this Section 5 collectively called “application”) executed by
the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order
to qualify the Securities under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state
securities commission or agency, Nasdaq or any securities exchange; or the omission or alleged
omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company with respect to an Underwriter by or on behalf of such
Underwriter expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or
Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereof, or in any application, as the case may be.
With respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in
the Preliminary Prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph shall not inure to
the benefit of any Underwriter to the extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of
such Underwriter results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not given or sent to the
person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the written confirmation
of sale of the Securities to such person as required by the Act and the Regulations, and if the
untrue statement or omission has been corrected in the Prospectus, unless such failure to deliver
the Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Company with its obligations under Section 3.4
hereof. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Representative of the commencement of any
litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or controlling
persons in connection with the issue and sale of the Securities or in connection with the
Registration Statement or Prospectus.
5.1.2 Procedure. If any action is brought against an Underwriter, a Selected Dealer
or a controlling person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to
Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter or Selected Dealer shall promptly notify the Company in writing of
the institution of such action and the Company shall assume the defense of such action, including
the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the reasonable approval of such Underwriter or
Selected Dealer, as the case may be) and payment of actual expenses; provided, that the
failure to give such notice shall not relieve the Company from any liability it may have under
Sections 5.1.1 or 5.1.2 hereof, except to the extent the Company has been materially prejudiced
(through forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure and; provided
further, that the failure to notify the Company shall not relieve the Company from any
liability that it may have to an indemnified party as determined under Sections 5.1.1 or 5.1.2
hereof. Such Underwriter, Selected Dealer or controlling person shall have the right to employ its
or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the
expense of such Underwriter, Selected Dealer or controlling person unless (i) the employment of
such counsel at the expense of the Company shall have been authorized in writing by the Company in
connection with the defense of such action, or (ii) the Company shall not have employed counsel to
take charge of the defense of such action, or (iii) such indemnified party or parties shall have
reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or
additional to those available to the Company (in which case the Company shall not have the right to
direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which
events the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one additional firm of attorneys selected
by the Underwriter, Selected Dealer and/or controlling person shall be borne by the Company.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if the Underwriter, Selected Dealer or
controlling person shall assume the defense of such action as provided above, the Company shall
have the right to approve the terms of any settlement of such action which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld.
5.2 Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly,
agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers and employees and agents
who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange
Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing
indemnity from the Company to the several Underwriters, as incurred, but only with respect to
untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in
any application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, written information furnished to
the Company with respect to such Underwriter by or on behalf of the Underwriter expressly for use
in such Preliminary Prospectus, the
16.
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any such
application. In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so
indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought
against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company,
and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the
several Underwriters by the provisions of Section 5.1.2.
5.3 Contribution.
5.3.1 Contribution Rights. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution
under the Act in any case in which (i) any person entitled to indemnification under this Section 5
makes claim for indemnification pursuant hereto but it is judicially determined (by the entry of a
final judgment or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to appeal
or the denial of the last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be enforced in such
case notwithstanding the fact that this Section 5 provides for indemnification in such case, or
(ii) contribution under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise may be required on the part of any
such person in circumstances for which indemnification is provided under this Section 5, then, and
in each such case, the Company and the Underwriters shall contribute to the aggregate losses,
liabilities, claims, damages and expenses of the nature contemplated by said indemnity agreement
incurred by the Company and the Underwriters, as incurred, in such proportions that the
Underwriters are responsible for that portion represented by the percentage that the underwriting
discount appearing on the cover page of the Prospectus bears to the initial offering price
appearing thereon and the Company is responsible for the balance; provided, that, no person guilty
of a fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5.3.1, no Underwriter shall be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Public
Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the
amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay in respect of such
losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses. For purposes of this Section 5, each director,
officer and employee of an Underwriter or the Company, as applicable, and each person, if any, who
controls an Underwriter or the Company, as applicable, within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act
shall have the same rights to contribution as the Underwriters or the Company, as applicable.
5.3.2 Contribution Procedure. Within fifteen days after receipt by any party to this
Agreement (or its representative) of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding,
such party will, if a claim for contribution in respect thereof is to be made against another party
(“contributing party”), notify the contributing party of the commencement thereof, but the omission
to so notify the contributing party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any
other party other than for contribution hereunder. In case any such action, suit or proceeding is
brought against any party, and such party notifies a contributing party or its representative of
the commencement thereof within the aforesaid fifteen days, the contributing party will be entitled
to participate therein with the notifying party and any other contributing party similarly
notified. Any such contributing party shall not be liable to any party seeking contribution on
account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding effected by such party seeking
contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding effected by such party
seeking contribution without the written consent of such contributing party. The contribution
provisions contained in this Section 5 are intended to supersede, to the extent permitted by law,
any right to contribution under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise available. The
Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5.3 are several and not joint.
6. Default by an Underwriter.
6.1 Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Units or Option Units. If any Underwriter or
Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase the Firm Units or the Option
Units, if the over-allotment option is exercised, hereunder, and if the number of the Firm Units or
Option Units with respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the
number of Firm Units or Option Units that all Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, then
such Firm Units or Option Units to which the default relates shall be purchased by the
non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder.
17.
6.2 Default Exceeding 10% of Firm Units or Option Units. In the event that the
default addressed in Section 6.1 above relates to more than 10% of the Firm Units or Option Units,
you may in your discretion arrange for yourself or for another party or parties to purchase such
Firm Units or Option Units to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If within
one business day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Firm Units or Option Units you
do not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Units or Option Units, then the Company shall be
entitled to a further period of one business day within which to procure another party or parties
reasonably satisfactory to you to purchase said Firm Units or Option Units on such terms. In the
event that neither you nor the Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Units or Option Units
to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement will be terminated without
liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 3.11 and 5 hereof) or the
several Underwriters (except as provided in Section 5 hereof); provided, however, that if such
default occurs with respect to the Option Units, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm
Units; and provided further that nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of its
liability, if any, to the other several Underwriters and to the Company for damages occasioned by
its default hereunder.
6.3 Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Units or Option Units to
which the default relates are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be
purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, you or the Company shall have the right to
postpone the Closing Date or Option Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event
exceeding five business days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the
Company agrees to file promptly any amendment to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that
in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters may thereby be made necessary. The term
“Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 6
with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such
Securities.
7. Additional Covenants.
7.1 Additional Shares or Options. The Company hereby agrees that until the earlier of
the consummation of a Business Combination or the distribution of the Trust Fund referred to in
Section 7.7 hereof, it shall not issue any shares of Common Stock or any options or other
securities convertible into Common Stock, or any shares of Preferred Stock which participate in any
manner in the Trust Fund or which vote as a class with the Common Stock on a Business Combination.
7.2 Trust Fund Waiver Acknowledgment. The Company hereby agrees that it will not
commence its due diligence investigation of any operating business in the technology, media or
telecommunications industries which the Company seeks to acquire (each a “Target Business”) or
obtain the services of any vendor or other third party unless and until such Target Business,
vendor, or other third party acknowledges in writing, whether through a letter of intent,
memorandum of understanding or other similar document (and subsequently acknowledges the same in
any definitive document replacing any of the foregoing), that (a) it understands that the Company
has established the Trust Fund, initially in an amount of $70,565,000 (without giving effect to any
exercise of the Over-allotment Option) for the benefit of the Public Stockholders and that the
Company may disburse monies from the Trust Fund only (i) to the Public Stockholders in the event
they elect to convert their IPO Shares (described below in Section 7.7), (ii) to the Public
Stockholders in the event that the Company does not effect a Business Combination within 18 months
from the consummation of this Offering (subject to extension for an additional 6-month period, as
described in the Prospectus) or (iii) to the Company after it consummates a Business Combination
and (b) for and in consideration of the Company (1) agreeing to evaluate such Target Business for
purposes of consummating a Business Combination with it or (2) agreeing to engage the services of
the vendor or other third party, as the case may be, such Target Business, vendor or other third
party agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any
monies in the Trust Fund (“Claim”) and waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of,
or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with the Company and will not seek
recourse against the Trust Fund for any reason whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the
event any Target Business, vendor or other third party refuses to acknowledge in writing that it
does not have any rights, title, interest or claims of any kind in or to any monies in the Trust
Fund, the Company may nonetheless commence its due diligence investigations of such Target Business
or obtain the services of any such vendor or third party if and only if the Company’s board of
directors determines in good faith after due inquiry that the Company would be unable to obtain, on
a reasonable basis, substantially similar services or opportunities from another entity willing to
execute such a waiver.
18.
7.3 Insider Letters and Lock-up Agreements. The Company shall not take any action or
omit to take any action that would cause a breach of any of the Insider Letters executed between
each Initial Stockholder and Wedbush or any of the Lock-up Agreements executed between each Initial
Stockholder and the Company and will not allow any amendments to, or waivers of any provisions of,
such Insider Letters or Lock-up Agreements without the prior written consent of Wedbush.
7.4 Warrant Purchase Commitment Letters. The Company shall not take any action or omit
to take any action that would cause a breach of any of the Warrant Purchase Commitment Letters
executed between each Initial Stockholder and Wedbush and will not allow any amendments to, or
waivers of any provisions of, such Warrant Purchase Commitment Letters without the prior written
consent of Wedbush.
7.5 Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws. The Company shall not take any action or
omit to take any action that would cause the Company to be in breach or violation of its Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws. Prior to the consummation of a Business
Combination or until the distribution of the Trust Fund referred to in Section 7.7 hereof, the
Company will not amend its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation without the prior
written consent of Wedbush.
7.6 Blue Sky Requirements. The Company shall provide counsel to the Representative
with ten copies of all proxy information and all related material filed with the Commission in
connection with a Business Combination concurrently with such filing with the Commission. In
addition, the Company shall furnish any other state in which its initial public offering was
registered, such information as may be requested by such state.
7.7 Acquisition/Distribution Procedure. The Company agrees: (i) that, prior to the
consummation of the initial Business Combination, it will submit such transaction to the Company’s
stockholders for their approval (“Business Combination Vote”) even if the nature of the acquisition
is such as would not ordinarily require stockholder approval under applicable state law; and (ii)
that, in the event that the Company does not effect a Business Combination within 18 months from
the consummation of this Offering (subject to extension for an additional six-month period, as
described in the Prospectus), the Company will be liquidated and will distribute to all holders of
IPO Shares (as defined below) an aggregate sum equal to the Company’s “Liquidation Value.” The
Company’s “Liquidation Value” shall mean the Company’s book value, as determined by the Company and
approved by Xxxxxx. In no event, however, will the Company’s Liquidation Value be less than the
Trust Fund, inclusive of any net interest income thereon. Only holders of IPO Shares shall be
entitled to receive liquidating distributions and the Company shall pay no liquidating
distributions with respect to any other shares of capital stock of the Company. With respect to
the initial Business Combination Vote, the Company shall cause all of the Initial Stockholders to
vote the shares of Common Stock owned by them immediately prior to this Offering in accordance with
the vote of the holders of a majority of the IPO Shares. At the time the Company seeks approval of
the initial Business Combination, the Company will offer each holder of the Company’s Common Stock
issued in this Offering (the “IPO Shares”) the right to convert their IPO Shares at a per share
conversion price (the “Conversion Price”) equal to the amount in the Trust Fund (inclusive of any
interest income therein) calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of such
proposed Business Combination divided by the total number of IPO Shares. If holders of less than
20% in interest of the Company’s IPO Shares vote against such approval of a Business Combination
and elect to convert their IPO Shares, the Company may, but will not be required to, proceed with
such Business Combination. If the Company elects to so proceed, it will convert shares, based upon
the Conversion Price, from those holders of IPO Shares who affirmatively requested such conversion
and who voted against the Business Combination. Only holders of IPO Shares shall be entitled to
receive distributions from the Trust Fund and the Company shall pay no distributions with respect
to any other shares of capital stock of the Company. If holders of 20% or more in interest of the
IPO Shares vote against approval of any potential Business Combination and elect to convert their
IPO Shares, the Company will not proceed with such Business Combination and will not convert such
shares.
7.8 Rule 419. The Company agrees that it will use its best efforts to prevent the
Company from becoming subject to Rule 419 under the Act prior to the consummation of any Business
Combination, including but not limited to using its best efforts to prevent any of the Company’s
outstanding securities from being deemed to be a “xxxxx stock” as defined in Rule 3a-51-1 under the
Exchange Act during such period.
19.
7.9 Presentation of Potential Target Businesses. The Company shall cause each of the
Initial Stockholders to agree that, in order to minimize potential conflicts of interest which may
arise from multiple affiliations, the Initial Stockholders will present to the Company for its
consideration, prior to presentation to any other person or company, any suitable opportunity to
acquire a Target Business, until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of a Business
Combination, the distribution of the Trust Fund or until such time as the Initial Stockholders
cease to be an officer or director of the Company, subject to any pre-existing fiduciary
obligations the Initial Stockholders might have.
7.10 Target Net Assets. The Company agrees that the initial Target Business(es) in a
Business Combination must have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the Company’s net
assets at the time of such Business Combination. The fair market value of such business(es) must
be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company based upon standards generally accepted by
the financial community, such as actual and potential sales, earnings and cash flow and book value.
If the Board of Directors of the Company is not able to independently determine that the Target
Business(es) has a fair market value of at least 80% of the Company’s net assets at the time of
such Business Combination, the Company will obtain an opinion from an unaffiliated, independent
investment banking firm which is a member of the NASD with respect to the satisfaction of such
criteria.
8. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. Except as the context otherwise
requires, all representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement shall be
deemed to be representations, `warranties and agreements at the Closing Dates and such
representations, warranties and agreements of the Underwriters and Company, including the indemnity
agreements contained in Section 5 hereof, shall remain operative and in full force and effect
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Company or any
controlling person, and shall survive termination of this Agreement or the issuance and delivery of
the Securities to the several Underwriters.
9. Effective Date of This Agreement and Termination Thereof.
9.1 Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective on the Effective Date at
the time the Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission.
9.2 Termination. You shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time
prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has
materially disrupted, or in your opinion will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general
securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange, the
American Stock Exchange, the Boston Stock Exchange or on the NASD OTC Bulletin Board (or successor
trading market) shall have been suspended, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been
fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for
prices for securities shall have been required on the NASD OTC Bulletin Board or by order of the
Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction, or (iii) if the United States
shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities, or (iv) if a banking
moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority, or (v) if a moratorium on
foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States
securities market, or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood,
accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether
or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in your opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed
with the delivery of the Units, (vii) if any of the Company’s representations, warranties or
covenants hereunder are breached, or (viii) if the Representative shall have become aware after the
date hereof of such a material adverse change in the conditions or prospects of the Company, or
such adverse material change in general market conditions, including without limitation as a result
of terrorist activities after the date hereof, as in the Representative’s judgment would make it
impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Units or to enforce
contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Securities.
9.3 Expenses. In the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any
reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms
herein, the obligations of the Company to pay the out of pocket expenses related to the
transactions contemplated herein shall be governed by Section 3.9 hereof.
20.
9.4 Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this
Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this
Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall not be in any way effected
by, such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part
hereof.
10. Miscellaneous.
10.1 Notices. All communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically
provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed, delivered or telecopied and confirmed and shall
be deemed given when so delivered or telecopied and confirmed or if mailed, two days after such
mailing
If to the Representative:
Wedbush Xxxxxx Securities, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, 00xx xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxxx XxXxxxxxx, Vice President
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, 00xx xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxxx XxXxxxxxx, Vice President
Copy to:
Xxxxxxx XxXxxxxxx LLP
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
If to the Company:
Copy to:
Xxxxxx Godward LLP
Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxx-Xxxxxxx aMarca, Esq.
Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxx-Xxxxxxx aMarca, Esq.
10.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience
of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the
terms or provisions of this Agreement.
10.3 Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed
by each of the parties hereto.
10.4 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements and
documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitute the entire
agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and
supersede all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to
the subject matter hereof.
10.5 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be
binding upon the Representative, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling persons,
directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective successors, legal
representatives and assigns, and no other person shall have or
21.
be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or
by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained.
10.6 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws. The
Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, relating in
any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York of
the United States of America for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such
jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to
such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process
or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered
or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set
forth in this Section 10. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and
binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company agrees that the
prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all
of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or
incurred in connection with the preparation therefor.
10.7 No Fiduciary Duty. The Company acknowledges that neither the Representative, the
Underwriters nor the controlling persons of any of them shall have any fiduciary or advisory duty
to the Company or any of its controlling persons arising out of, or in connection with, this
Agreement or the offer and sale of the Units.
10.8 Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be
deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the
parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto.
10.9 Waiver, Etc. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any
of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such
provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the
right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this
Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of
this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or
parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such
breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other
or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
22.
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriters and the
Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter
shall constitute a binding agreement between us.
Very truly yours, AD.VENTURE PARTNERS, INC. |
||||
By: | ||||
Name: | Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||
Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |||
Accepted on the date first above written |
||||||
WEDBUSH XXXXXX SECURITIES INC. | ||||||
By:
|
||||||
Name: | Xxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||
Title: | Managing Director – Head of Investment Banking |
23.
SCHEDULE I
AD. VENTURE PARTNERS, INC.
[12,500,000] Units
Number of Firm Units | ||
Underwriter | to be Purchased | |
Wedbush Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
|
[___] | |
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Inc.
|
[___] | |
Maxim Group LLC
|
[___] | |
Ramius Capital Group, LLC
|
[___] | |
Legend Merchant Group
|
[___] |
SCHEDULE 2.18.4
[ List all Company directors, officers and beneficial owners of Company stock that have NASD
affiliations ]