EXHIBIT 10.11
PLACEMENT AGENCY AGREEMENT
May 26, 2006
Ambient Corporation
00 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This Placement Agency Agreement (the "AGREEMENT") confirms the
retention by Ambient Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), of
Pond Equities, Inc. (the "PLACEMENT AGENT"), to act as the exclusive placement
agent on a "best efforts" basis in connection with the private placement (the
"PLACEMENT") of Units (as defined below) of the Company on the terms set forth
in the Securities Purchase Agreement (as defined below).
1. PLACEMENT
a) The securities of the Company which are the subject of the
Placement shall be up to a maximum of Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000) of 8%
Senior Secured Convertible Debentures of at least a two year duration
("Debentures") and Class A Warrants and Class B Warrants (the "Warrants") equal
to, in the aggregate, 100% of the Conversion Shares (as defined in the
Securities Purchase Agreement) (the Debentures and Warrants are referred to
herein as the "Units") (the "MAXIMUM AMOUNT").
(i) The Units, the Debentures, the Warrants, the Warrant
Shares and the Placement Agent Warrants (as defined herein or in the Securities
Purchase Agreement) (and underlying securities) are sometimes referred to
collectively herein as the "SECURITIES."
(b) The Placement Agent will, on an exclusive basis, conduct the
Placement on a "best efforts" basis, it being understood and agreed, however,
that the Placement Agent shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to invite
other NASD member firms to participate in the Placement, and to pay (or, with
the reasonable agreement of the Company, cause the Company to pay) a portion of
the compensation to be received by the Placement Agent pursuant to this
Agreement to any such NASD member firm. The Company shall not pursue any other
equity financing (including convertible securities) of the Company's securities
during the term of this Agreement.
(c) The Closing is expected to be on or before the Termination Date
(hereinafter defined) (the " CLOSING DATE"), subject to extension by the
Placement Agent and the Company by mutual agreement without notice to investors
in the Placement (the "INVESTORS"); provided, however, that the Closing Date
shall be held prior to June 30, 2006. Unless terminated earlier in the Company's
sole discretion, the offering period for the Placement (the "OFFERING PERIOD")
will commence on the date hereof and expire on the earlier to occur of: (i) June
30, 2006 (the "TERMINATION DATE"), (ii) the
date on which the Maximum Amount is subscribed for and accepted by the Company
or (iii) the termination of the Placement pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement. The Termination Date may be extended by an additional 30 days by
mutual agreement of the Company and the Placement Agent without notice to the
Investors.
(d) The Placement will be made pursuant to the Securities Purchase
Agreement (as defined in Section 2 below). The Securities will not be registered
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any applicable successor
statute (the "SECURITIES ACT"), but will be issued in reliance on the private
offering exemption available under Section 4(2) of the Securities Act and the
Rules and Regulations (as defined below) promulgated thereunder, including
Regulation D ("REGULATION D"). The Placement Agent understands that all
subscriptions for Units are subject to acceptance by the Company. The Company
and the Placement Agent reserve the right in their discretion to accept or
reject any or all subscriptions for Units, in whole or in part for any reason or
for no reason whatsoever, regardless whether any funds have been deposited into
an escrow account. As used herein, the term "RULES AND REGULATIONS" means the
applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Securities Act and the
Exchange Act.
(e) Until the Closing is held, all subscription funds received shall be
held by American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "ESCROW AGENT") in a non
interest bearing escrow account established for such purpose (the "ESCROW
ACCOUNT"). The Placement Agent shall not have any independent obligation to
verify the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in any
documents or the authenticity, sufficiency or validity of any check delivered by
any prospective Investor in payment for the Units, nor shall the Placement Agent
incur any liability with respect to any such verification or failure to verify.
All subscription checks and funds shall be promptly and directly delivered
without offset or deduction to the Escrow Agent for deposit into the Escrow
Account.
2. SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT AND RELATED MATTERS
(a) The Company is entering into a Securities Purchase Agreement with
each investor relating to the Placement (such agreement, together with the
exhibits, annexes and attachments thereto or available thereunder and any
amendments or supplements thereto, being referred to herein as the "SECURITIES
PURCHASE AGREEMENT"), which Securities Purchase Agreement, among other things,
describes the Placement. Capitalized terms used herein and not defined have the
meaning given to them in the Securities Purchase Agreement.
(b) The Company has been and will continue to be responsible for
preparing and filing required documentation, if any, with the authorities in the
United States or any state located therein (and subsequent to, if required by
the laws of any such jurisdiction) in connection with the distribution of the
Securities Purchase Agreement to prospective Investors (the parties
acknowledging, however, that the Placement of the Units is intended and expected
to be wholly or partially exempt from filing requirements in the United States
by reason of an "accredited investor" exemption). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Placement Agent's counsel, at the expense of the Company, will be
responsible for filing all documents required by each jurisdiction in which the
Units will be offered.
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(c) Securities Purchase Agreement shall contain such representations,
warranties, conditions and covenants as are customary in private placements of
corporate debt and equity securities with United States investors that qualify
as "accredited investors", as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act
("ACCREDITED INVESTORS"). The Placement Agent and its counsel have had or will
have a sufficient opportunity, in their discretion, to review the final form of
the Securities Purchase Agreement and the form of Debenture and Warrant prior to
the distribution thereof to prospective Investors, and the Securities Purchase
Agreement and documents annexed thereto, will be the only offering documents (by
the Placement Agent and any documents made available to Investors in accordance
with the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement) shown to prospective
Investors. The Placement Agent shall advise the Company of those jurisdictions
in which the Placement Agent is licensed as a broker-dealer and in which the
Placement Agent desires to offer the Units and the Company and its counsel will
thereafter advise the Placement Agent and its counsel in writing of those
jurisdictions in which the Units may lawfully be offered and sold and the
Placement Agent agrees that the Units will be offered or sold only in such
jurisdictions and in the manner specified by the Company; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that the Placement Agent shall not be responsible for independently verifying
such written advice with respect to the jurisdictions in which the Units may be
offered and sold and with respect to the manner in which the Units may be
offered and sold in such jurisdictions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Placement Agent shall determine whether it is licensed to offer and sell the
Units and Securities in each jurisdiction in which it intends to do so.
(d) The Placement will be made in accordance with the requirements of
Section 4(2) under the Securities Act and/or Regulation D only to Accredited
Investors, purchasing for their own account for investment purposes only and not
for distribution in violation of applicable securities laws. Furthermore,
prospective Investors will have been provided with the Securities Purchase
Agreement and access to the management of the Company and afforded the
opportunity to ask questions concerning the Company and the Units.
(e) The Company recognizes, agrees and confirms that the Placement Agent
(or any selling agent permitted to be utilized by the Placement Agrement under
Section 3(a) hereof): (i) will use and rely primarily on the information
contained in the Securities Purchase Agreement and on information available from
generally recognized public sources in performing the services contemplated by
this Agreement without having independently verified the same; (ii) is
authorized, as the Company's exclusive placement agent in connection with the
Placement, to transmit to any prospective Investor a copy or copies of the
Securities Purchase Agreement , and any other documentation supplied to the
Placement Agent for transmission to any prospective Investor by or on behalf of
the Company or by any of the Company's officers, representatives or agents, in
connection with the performance of the Placement Agent's services hereunder or
any transaction contemplated hereby; (iii) does not assume responsibility for
the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the Securities
Purchase Agreement or any such other information, except for information
expressly supplied by the Placement Agent in writing; (iv) will not make an
appraisal of the Company or any assets of the Company or the securities being
offered by the Company in the Placement; and (v) retains the right to continue
to perform due diligence of the Company during the course of the Company's
engagement of the Placement Agent.
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3. PLACEMENT AGENT
(a) The Company hereby employs the Placement Agent as its exclusive
placement agent (subject to the provisions of Section 1(b) hereof) in the United
States for the purpose of offering the Units to Investors and engaging in any
equity financing during the Offering Period for the account and risk of the
Company. This appointment shall be exclusive through the Termination Date with
respect to the Placement and otherwise as provided herein, and the Company shall
not have the right to appoint additional sales agents in the United States in
connection therewith without the Placement Agent's express prior written
consent. The Company hereby agrees that the Placement Agent shall have the right
to utilize other selling broker-dealers in connection with the Placement of the
Units on terms approved by the Placement Agent, PROVIDED that the Company shall
not be required to pay any compensation to any such selling broker-dealers other
than a portion of the compensation otherwise payable to the Placement Agent in
accordance with this Agreement. Subject to the provisions of Section 5 hereof
and to the performance by the Company of all of its obligations to be performed
hereunder, the Placement Agent agrees to use its best efforts to assist in
arranging for sales of the Units. The Company acknowledges and agrees that "best
efforts" does not assure that the Placement will be consummated. It is
understood and agreed that this Agreement does not create any partnership, joint
venture or other similar relationship between or among the Placement Agent and
the Company, and that the Placement Agent is acting only as a sales agent.
(b) For the services of the Placement Agent hereunder, the Company will
pay or cause to be paid to the Placement Agent at any Closing the following
fees:
(i) a cash fee equal to ten percent (10%) of the aggregate gross
proceeds (prior to the payment of expenses) received by the Company in the
Placement (to be paid simultaneously with each applicable Closing);
(ii) Three (3) warrants (the "Placement Agent Warrants") to
purchase shares of the Company's Common Stock. One warrant will be for the
purchase of a number of shares equal to 10% of the aggregate Issue Date
Conversion shares of all Investors, will have an exercise price equal to the
Closing Date Sale Price and an expiration date five years from the Closing Date.
The second warrant will be for the purchase of a number of shares equal to 10%
of the shares issuable pursuant to the Class A Warrants of all Investors and
will have the same exercise price and expiration date as provided in the Class A
Warrants. The third warrant will be for the purchase of a number of shares equal
to 10% of the shares issuable pursuant to the Class B Warrants of all Investors
and will have the same exercise price and expiration date as provided in the
Class B Warrants. Except as otherwise provided above, the Placement Agent's
Warrants will otherwise have the same terms (including provisions relating to
cashless exercise rights, adjustments to number of shares and exercise price,
and registration rights, among others) as are provided in the form of Warrant
attached as an exhibit to the Securities Purchase Agreement. The shares of
Common Stock issuable on exercise of the Placement Agent's Warrants will be
included in the Registration Statement contemplated by the Registration
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Rights Agreement. The Placement Agent agrees that the Company shall reserve such
number of shares of Common Stock sufficient to honor the exercise in full of the
Placement Agent Warrants.
(iii) a cash fee equal to ten percent (10%) of the gross proceeds
received by the Company upon the exercise of Warrants, payable within five
busienss days' of the Company's receipt of the proceeds of such exercise. If a
holder of a Warrant exercises such Warrant, the Company shall give written
notice of such occurrence to the Placement Agent, which notice shall include a
statement of the fee to be paid to the Placement Agent;
(iv) Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement pursuant to
the terms hereof or otherwise, if on or before the twelve (12) month anniversary
of the final Closing Date (or twelve (12) months after any termination of this
Agreement), the Company consummates a financing with any investor introduced to
the Company by the Placement Agent during the term of this Agreement and where
subsequernt to such introduction the Company and the Placement Agent had
discussions with such prospective investor during such period or such investor
purchased securities in the Placement, the Company shall pay to the Placement
Agent, at and subject to the closing of any such offering or financing, the fees
described in, and in accordance with the terms and provisions of, Section
3(b)(i) above. For the sake of clarity, in the event that pending the closing of
the Placement the Company shall consummate short-term funding with one or more
investors not introduced to it by the Placement Agent, the Company shall not owe
to the Placement Agent any fee in respect of any such advance.
(v) Subject to the raise of at least $9 million in gross proceeds
to the Company from the Placement, in addition to the foregoing, the Company
hereby grants to the Placement Agent the right of first refusal ("RIGHT OF FIRST
REFUSAL") to manage any private offering of debt or equity or other securities
of the Company (a "FUTURE OFFERING") for a period of six (6) months from the
Closing Date where the Company retains or otherwise uses the services of an
investment bank or similar financial advisor or any other person acting in a
finder or placement capacity; provided, however, that the Right of First Refusal
shall be contingent upon the Placement agent participating in any Future
Offering upon the same terms and conditions which are set forth in a bona fide
offer received by the Company from a third party ("Bona Fide Offer"). At any
time within 5 business days after receipt of written notification of a Bona Fide
Offer, Placement Agent may, by giving written notice to the Company, elect to
exercise its Right of First Refusal. The failure of Placement Agent to give such
notice within such 5 business day period will be deemed an election not to
exercise its Right of First Refusal solely with respect to the applicable Bona
Fide Offer. The above provisions shall not apply to an investment by a strategic
investor in the Company.
(c) In the event that the Aggregate Purchase Price of investors
introduced by the Placement Agent is less than $10 million, then, subject to the
other terms and conditions contained herein, the
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Company shall be entitled to accept subscriptions from other eligible accredited
investors not introduced to it by the Placement Agent ("Other Investors"), whose
collective subscriptions, when added to the Aggregate Purchase Price, do not
exceed $10 million. The terms of the transaction agreements for the Other
Investors shall be substantially identical to (and in no event shall include
provisions more beneficial to the Other Investors than) the Transaction
Agreements executed in connection with the transactions with the investors
introduced by the Placement Agent. If the Company enters into one or more
transactions meeting such conditions, the Company will not be required to pay to
the Placement Agent any of the cash fees specified herein in respect of the
investments of the Other Investors or the issuance or exercise of their
warrants, but the Placement Agent will be issued warrants (on the terms referred
to below) with respect to the Company's transactions with each Other Investor.
Anything else herein to the contrary, the Company's rights under this provision
shall expire on the earlier of the date which is 30 days after the Closing Date
or the filing of the Registration Statement.
4. PAYMENT BY COMPANY OF EXPENSES
The Company will pay for or promptly reimburse the Placement Agent, as the case
may be, and whether or not any Units are sold in connection with the Placement,
all out of pocket expenses of the Placement Agent relating to the Placement
relating to activities under this Agreement, including, without limitation: (i)
the preparation, printing, reproduction, filing, distribution and mailing of the
Securities Purchase Agreement and all other documents relating to the Placement,
and any supplements or amendments thereto, and the cost of all copies thereof;
(ii) the public registration and listing of, or the registration and
qualification of the Shares issuable upon conversion of the Debentures (the
"Debenture Shares") and the Warrant Shares and the shares of Common Stock
underlying the Placement Agent Warrants (the "PLACEMENT AGENT WARRANT SHARES"),
or the securing of an exemption therefrom under state or foreign "blue sky" or
securities laws, including, without limitation, filing fees payable in the
jurisdictions in which such registration or qualification or exemption therefrom
is sought, the costs of preparing preliminary, supplemental and final "blue sky
surveys" relating to the offer and sale of the Units and the fees and
disbursements of counsel to the Placement Agent in connection with such "blue
sky" matters; (iii) the filing fees, if any, payable to the applicable
securities regulatory authorities including, but not limited to, the NASD in
connection with filings made via the NASD's COBRADesk filing system (the "COBRA
Filing"); the (iv) the legal fees in an amount of $5,000 in connection with the
COBRA Filing and in the amount not exceeding $5,000 in connection with the "blue
sky" filings, each of which shall be paid at the Closing (v) all Escrow Agent
fees; and (vi) all road show expenses, travel, and other related expenses in an
aggregate amount not exceeding $5,000. Regardless of who pays the initial
expense with respect to all such out-of-pocket expenses, the Company shall
promptly reimburse such expenses if such expenses are not paid by it. Any such
expenses in excess of $1,000 shall be subject to prior approval by the Company,
which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
5. TERMINATION OF PLACEMENT
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The Placement may be terminated: (i) by the Placement Agent or the
Company at any time upon five (5) days prior written notice or (ii) immediately
by the Placement Agent upon giving written notice to the Company, but only in
the event that:
(a) in the opinion of the Placement Agent, the Securities Purchase
Agreement contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements appearing therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances in
which they were made, and the Company shall not have corrected such untrue
statement or omission to the reasonable satisfaction of the Placement Agent and
its counsel within ten (10) days after the Company receives notice of such
untrue statement or omission, provided that notwithstanding such ten (10) day
period, in the event of the Company's receipt of any such notice, the Closing
or, as the case may be, any Subsequent Closing shall not occur hereunder until
the Placement Agent shall notify the Company that it is satisfied, in its sole
and absolute determination, that the Company has taken such steps (including
circulating amended offering materials and affording prospective Investors a
reasonable opportunity to review such amendments) to allow the Closing to occur;
or
(b) the Company shall be in material breach of any representation,
warranty, agreement or covenant made by it in this Agreement, or any other
document relating to the Placement and, in the case thereof, the Company has not
cured any such breach after the expiration of seven (7) days written notice by
the Placement Agent.; or
(c) (i) any calamitous domestic or international event or act or
occurrence has taken place and, in the Placement Agent's opinion, has or will
materially disrupt general securities markets in the United States in the
immediate future; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange, the
American Stock Exchange, or in the over-the-counter 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 required on the
over-the-counter market by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
("NASD") or by order of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") or any
other government authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) if the United States
shall have become involved in a war, major hostilities (other than hostilities
in which the United States is currently involved) or the like; or (iv) if a
banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority;
or (v) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss, whether or not
insured, by reason of fire, flood, accident or other calamity; or (vi) if there
shall have been such material adverse change in the conditions or prospects of
the Company, involving a change not contemplated by the Securities Purchase
Agreement ; or (vii) if there shall have been such material adverse general
market conditions as in the Placement Agent's reasonable judgment would make it
inadvisable to proceed with the Placement or the sale or delivery of the Units.
6. OFFERING PERIOD; CLOSINGS
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Sections 5 and 10 hereof, the
Units will be offered during the Offering Period as described in Section 1(b)
hereof. Unless there shall be a closing by the Termination Date (as the same may
be extended pursuant to the terms hereof), the Placement will be terminated and
all proceeds held by the Escrow Agent will be returned to Investors without
interest
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or deduction. Each Closing shall be undertaken in a manner agreed to by
the Company and the Placement Agent.
7. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
The Company represents and warrants to the Placement Agent, as of the date
hereof, the Closing Date and each Subsequent Closing Date, that, except as
otherwise provided in the the Securities Purchase Agreement or the Company
Documents (as defined below):
(a) The Company has been validly formed and is legally existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with full
corporate power and authority to conduct its business as currently conducted,
and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its
business or the nature of its properties requires such qualification or
authorization, except where the failure to be so qualified or authorized and in
good standing could not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect
on the business and financial condition of the Company and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole (a "MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT"). As of the date hereof, the
Company does not have, directly or indirectly, any significant subsidiaries
other than as disclosed in the Company's filings with the SEC (collectively, the
"SUBSIDIARIES"). Each Subsidiary has been duly organized, is validly existing
and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has
the power and authority to own its properties and to conduct its business and is
duly qualified and authorized to transact business and is in good standing in
each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or the nature of its
properties requires such qualification or authorization, except where the
failure to be so qualified or authorized and in good standing could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except for the Subsidiaries and as otherwise disclosed in the
Securities Purchase Agreement and the Company's SEC filings, the Company holds
no ownership or other interest, nominal or beneficial, direct or indirect, in
any corporation, partnership, joint venture or other business entity. Except as
otherwise disclosed in the Securities Purchase Agreement and the Company's SEC
filings, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary is
owned by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, mortgage, pledge,
security interest, claim, equity, trust or other encumbrance, preferential
arrangement, defect or restriction of any kind whatsoever (each, a "LIEN"), and
has been duly authorized and validly issued, and is non-assessable.
(c) The authorized and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as
set forth in the Securities Purchase Agreement. There are no other shares of
capital stock of the Company authorized. All presently issued and outstanding
shares of the Company's capital stock are duly authorized, validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable and not subject to preemptive rights. The outstanding
options, warrants, rights to obtain securities of the Company and other
convertible securities of the Company are as set forth in the Securities
Purchase Agreement and the Company's filings with the SEC (collectively, the
"COMPANY DOCUMENTS"). The Debentures Shares, the Warrant Shares and the
Placement Agent Warrant Shares have been duly reserved, and when issued in
accordance with the terms of the Placement, will be validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable and not subject to preemptive or any other similar rights.
Except as provided in the Company Documents, neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary is a party to any agreement, instrument or
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understanding which calls for, and no securities of the Company or any
Subsidiary contain provisions relating to, the resetting or repricing of any
debt or equity security instrument of the Company or any Subsidiary. Except as
noted herein, neither the issuance of the Securities nor the consummation of the
Placement will trigger any resetting or repricing of any debt or equity security
instrument of the Company or any Subsidiary, except as provided in the
Placement.
(d) Intentionally Deleated
(e) Neither the Securities Purchase Agreement (as of the date hereof),
nor any of the Company Documents (as of the date such Company Document was filed
with the SEC) contained any untrue statement of a material fact, and each of the
Company Documents (as of the date such Company Document was filed with the SEC)
did not omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, except that the Company shall have no liability for any information
provided to the Company in writing by, and relating to, the Placement Agent, for
use in and used in the Securities Purchase Agreement . If, at any time before
the Placement is completed or terminated or before all subscriptions are
accepted by the Company, there should be any change which would cause the
Company Documents not to comply with this Section 7(e), the Company will
promptly advise the Placement Agent thereof and make any necessary corrective
filings with the SEC and prepare and furnish the Placement Agent with, for
distribution to Investors, after prior review and approval by the Placement
Agent and its counsel (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld), such
copies of such supplements or amendments to the Securities Purchase Agreement as
will cause the Securities Purchase Agreement, as so supplemented or amended, to
comply with this Section 7(e).
(f) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in: (i) violation of its
certificate or articles of incorporation, by-laws or other organizational
documents, (ii) default under, and no event has occurred which, with notice or
lapse of time or both, would constitute a default under or result in the
creation or imposition of any Lien upon any of its property or assets pursuant
to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or
instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its
property or assets is subject (except as disclosed in the Securities Purchase
Agreement or the Company Documents) or (iii) violation in any respect of any
law, rule, regulation, ordinance, directive, judgment, decree or order of any
judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body, foreign or
domestic, except (in the case of clause (ii) above) for any Lien disclosed in
the Securities Purchase Agreement and the exhibits thereto and except, in the
cases of clauses (ii) and (iii), where such defaults or violations do not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(g) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the
Securities Purchase Agreement, the Debentures, the Warrants, the Placement Agent
Warrants and all other documents to be entered into by the Company in connection
with any transaction described in the Securities Purchase Agreement or in
connection with the Placement, and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby, have been or will be prior to such execution,
delivery, performance or consummation, as the case may be, duly and validly
authorized by the Company and do not and will not: (i) constitute, or result in,
a breach or violation of any of the terms, provisions or conditions of the
Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
(ii) constitute,
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or result in, a material violation of any applicable statute, law, ordinance or
regulation of any state, territory or other jurisdiction, or (iii) violate,
constitute, or result in, a default under (or an event which with the passing of
time or the giving of notice or both would constitute a default under) or breach
of the terms, provisions or conditions of any material indenture, note,
contract, commitment, instrument or document to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is or will be a party or by which the Company, any of its
Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties are bound, or any award,
judgment, decree, rule or regulation of any court or governmental or regulatory
agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
or their respective activities or properties except, in the cases of clauses
(ii) and (iii), where such defaults or violations do not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(h) This Agreement, the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Debenture
Certificates, the Warrants, the Placement Agent Warrants and all other documents
to be entered into by the Company in connection with any transaction described
in the Securities Purchase Agreement or in connection with the Placement have
been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitute the
legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the
Company in accordance with their terms, except insofar as enforcement of the
indemnification or contribution provisions hereof may be limited by applicable
laws or principles of public policy and except further as to enforcement, to the
availability of equitable remedies and limitations imposed by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization and other similar laws and related court decisions
relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally.
(i) Within the last five years, the Company has not declared, paid or
made any dividends or other distributions of any kind on or in respect of its
capital stock.
(j) Except as disclosed in the Company Documents, since December 31,
2005, there has been no material adverse change (or any development involving a
prospective material adverse change), whether or not arising from transactions
in the ordinary course of business, in or affecting: (i) the business, condition
(financial or otherwise), results of operations, shareholders' equity,
properties or prospects of the Company; (ii) the long-term debt or capital stock
of the Company; or (iii) the Placement or consummation of any of the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Since the date of the latest
balance sheet presented in or attached to the Securities Purchase Agreement or
filed with the SEC, the Company has not incurred or undertaken any liabilities
or obligations, whether direct or indirect, liquidated or contingent, matured or
unmatured, or entered into any transactions, including any acquisition or
disposition of any business or asset, which are material to the Company, except
for liabilities, obligations and transactions which are disclosed in the Company
Documents, the Securities Purchase Agreement and/or the exhibits thereto.
(k) No consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or
governmental or regulatory agency or body or any individual or entity is
required on the part of the Company or any Subsidiary for the lawful
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, except for
such consents and approvals with respect to the offer and sale of the Units in
certain jurisdictions which are identified to the Placement Agent by counsel for
the Company.
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(l) The Company has all necessary consents, approvals, authorizations,
orders, registrations, qualifications, licenses, filings and permits of, with
and from all applicable judicial, regulatory and other legal or governmental
agencies and bodies and all third parties, foreign and domestic (collectively,
the "CONSENTS"), to own, lease and operate their respective properties and
conduct their respective businesses as are now being conducted and as disclosed
in the Securities Purchase Agreement (including the exhibits thereto), except
where the failure to have any such Consent would not have a Material Adverse
Effect. Each such Consent is valid and in full force and effect, and neither the
Company nor any Subsidiary has received written notice of any investigation or
proceedings which results in or, if decided adversely to the Company or any
Subsidiary, could reasonably be expected to result in, the revocation of, or
imposition of a materially burdensome restriction on, any Consent.
(m) The Company is in compliance with all applicable laws, rules,
regulations, ordinances, directives, judgments, decrees and orders, foreign and
domestic, except where the failure to so comply does or would not have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(n) Neither the Company nor any of its directors, officers, employees,
agents or representatives ("COMPANY REPRESENTATIVES") has taken or will take any
action which has caused or may cause the Placement not to qualify for exemption
from the registration requirements of the Securities Act or of other federal,
state or other securities or other laws. In connection with the Placement,
neither the Company nor the Company Representatives shall offer or cause to be
offered the Units by any form of general solicitation or general advertising as
defined in Rule 502(c) of Regulation D. The Company and the Company
Representatives have not taken and shall not take any action (except for actions
contemplated by the Securities Purchase Agreement ) that would cause the
Placement to be integrated with other transactions under Rule 502(a) of
Regulation D. Neither the Company nor, to the Company's knowledge, any of its
Affiliates or Company Representatives has, prior to the date hereof, made any
offer or sale of any securities which could be "integrated" for purposes of the
Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations with the offer and sale of the
Securities pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement .
(o) Except as disclosed in the Securities Purchase Agreement or Company
Documents, and except for such matters that, individually or in the aggregate,
would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the business, operations or
financial results of the Company and its subsidiaries (either individually or in
the aggregate) there are no claims, actions, suits, investigations or
proceedings before or by any arbitrator, court, governmental authority or
instrumentality pending or threatened against or affecting the Company or any of
its subsidiaries or involving the properties of the Company which might affect
the business, properties or financial condition of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or which might affect the transactions or other acts contemplated
by this Agreement or the validity or enforceability of this Agreement.
(p) Intentionally omitted.
11
(q) So long as the Debentures and the Warrants (including the Common
Stock issuable upon the exercise or conversion thereof) are "restricted
securities" within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under the Securities Act, the
Company, during any period in which it is not subject to and in compliance with
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, or is not exempt from such reporting
requirements pursuant to and in compliance with Rule 12g3-2b under the Exchange
Act, will provide to each holder of Common Stock and to each prospective
purchaser (as designated by such holder) of Common Stock upon the request of
such holder or prospective holder, any information required to be provided by
Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
(r) Except as disclosed in the Securities Purchase Agreement , there are
no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person
that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Placement Agent
for a brokerage commission, finder's fee or other like payment in connection
with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or, to the Company's
knowledge, any arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuance
with respect to the Company or any of its officers, directors, shareholders,
partners, employees, Subsidiaries or affiliates that may affect the Placement
Agent's compensation.
(s) The Company owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to
the conduct of its business as presently operated. The Company has good and
marketable title to all personal property owned by it, free and clear of all
Liens except such as are described in the Securities Purchase Agreement and the
Company Documents or such as do not (individually or in the aggregate)
materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property
by the Company. Any real property and buildings held under lease or sublease by
the Company are held by it under valid and enforceable leases with such
exceptions as are not material to, and do not interfere with, the use made and
proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company. The Company
has not received any written notice (or, to the Company's knowledge, any other
notice) of any claim adverse to its ownership of any personal property or of any
claim against the continued possession of any real property, whether held under
lease or sublease by the Company or any Subsidiary.
(t) In addition to the foregoing, to the extent not set forth herein,
the Placement Agent may rely on the representations and warranties made by the
Company in the Securities Purchase Agreement provided by the Company and used in
connection with the Placement.
(u) The Company is not aware of and the Company is not the subject of
any SEC or NASD inquiry or formal or informal investigation and has not received
any notice of the same.
8. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF THE PLACEMENT AGENT
The Placement Agent hereby represents and warrants to, and covenants
with, the Company that:
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(a) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Placement Agent and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of
the Placement Agent, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except
insofar as enforcement of the indemnification or contribution provisions hereof
may be limited by applicable laws or principles of public policy and subject, as
to enforcement, to the availability of equitable remedies and limitations
imposed by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other similar laws and
related court decisions relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally.
(b) The Placement Agent will cooperate with the Company to ensure that
the offering and sale of the Units will comply with the requirements of the
Securities Act, including, without limitation, the general conditions contained
in Regulation D and the federal securities laws, and will follow the reasonable
advice of the Company with respect to the manner in which to offer and sell the
Units so as to ensure that the offering and sale thereof will comply with the
securities laws of any jurisdiction in which Securities are offered by the
Placement Agent, and the Placement Agent will not make an offer of Securities in
any jurisdiction in which the Company advises it in writing that such offer
would be unlawful for the Placement Agent to offer or sell securities.
(c) The Placement Agent is: (i) a registered broker-dealer under the
Exchange Act; (ii) a member in good standing of the NASD; and (iii) registered
as a broker-dealer in each jurisdiction in which it is required to be registered
as such in order to offer and sell the Units in such jurisdiction.
(d) The Placement Agent has not and will not make an offer of Units (or
of any securities, the offering of which may be integrated with the Placement)
on the basis of any communications or documents relating to the Company or the
Units except the Securities Purchase Agreement and the exhibits thereto and
documents described or referred to therein and annexes. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the Placement Agent has not and will not make any
representation as to any rate of return on investment that an offeree may obtain
from the ownership of the Securities other than as set forth in the Securities
Purchase Agreement. The Placement Agent will deliver a copy of the Securities
Purchase Agreement to each prospective Investor solicited by it or, in the case
of amendments or supplements to the Securities Purchase Agreement (other than
those amendments and supplements approved in writing by the Company but
designated in writing as not subject to this requirement), prior to such
offeree's execution of an acknowledgment of receipt of such amendment or
supplement and reconfirmation of intent to subscribe.
(e) The Placement Agent has not and will not knowingly make an offer of
Units on behalf of the Company, or of any securities, the offering of which may
be integrated with the Placement, by any form of general solicitation or general
advertising in violation of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D such as would cause the
offering of Units not to qualify under Section 4(2) of the Securities Act as a
transaction exempt from Section 5 thereof. The Placement Agent has not and will
not supply in writing for inclusion in the Securities Purchase Agreement or any
related sales materials any information relating to the Placement Agent
containing any untrue statement of a material fact or omitting to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make such
information, in light of the circumstances under which it is used, not
misleading.
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(f) The Placement Agent will periodically notify the Company of the
jurisdiction in which the Securities are being offered by it or will be offered
by it pursuant to this Agreement, and will periodically notify the Company of
the status of the offering conducted pursuant to this Agreement. Such notices
will be accompanied by copies of all filings made by the Placement Agent's
counsel in each such jurisdiction so as to enable the Company to timely comply
with its filing obligations under applicable state laws.
(g) The Placement Agent has delivered or caused to be delivered (or will
so deliver prior to the applicable closing date) the Securities Purchase
Agreement to each prospective Investor.
9. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS OF THE COMPANY
The Company covenants to and agrees with the Placement Agent that, from
the date hereof through the Termination Date, it shall:
(a) Notify the Placement Agent as soon as practicable, and confirm such
notice promptly in writing: (i) when any event shall have occurred during the
period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the later of the Closing Date
as a result of which the Securities Purchase Agreement would include 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 not misleading, and
(ii) of the receipt of any notification with respect to the modification,
rescission, withdrawal or suspension of the qualification or registration of the
Securities or of an exemption from such registration or qualification in any
jurisdiction. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the
issuance of any such modification, rescission, withdrawal or suspension and, if
any such modification, rescission, withdrawal or suspension is issued, to obtain
the lifting thereof as promptly as possible.
(b) Not supplement or amend the Securities Purchase Agreement unless the
Placement Agent and its counsel shall have approved of such supplement or
amendment in writing, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or
conditioned. If, at any time during the period commencing on the date hereof and
ending on the final Closing Date, any event shall have occurred as a result of
which the Securities Purchase Agreement contains 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 not misleading, or if, in the
opinion of counsel to the Company or counsel to the Placement Agent, it is
necessary at any time to supplement or amend the Securities Purchase Agreement
to comply with the Securities Act, Regulation D or any applicable securities or
"blue sky" laws, the Company will promptly prepare an appropriate supplement or
amendment (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent
and its counsel) which will correct such statement or omission or which will
effect such compliance.
(c) Deliver without charge to the Placement Agent such number of copies
of the Securities Purchase Agreement and any supplement or amendment thereto as
may reasonably be requested by the Placement Agent.
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(d) Not, directly or indirectly, in connection with the Placement or as
otherwise agreed to in this Agreement, solicit any offer to buy from, or offer
to sell to, any person or entity, any Securities or other securities of the
Company except through the Placement Agent.
(e) Not solicit any offer to buy or offer to sell Securities by any form
of general solicitation or advertising, including, without limitation, any
advertisement, article, notice or other communication published in any
newspaper, magazine or similar medium or broadcast over the Internet, television
or radio or at any seminar or meeting whose attendees have been invited by any
general solicitation or advertising or accept any subscription from an investor
who contacted the Company regarding the Placement due to any Company
announcement or public filing.
(f) At all times during the period commencing on the date hereof and
ending on the final Closing Date, provide to each prospective Investor or his
purchaser representative, if any, on reasonable request, such information (in
addition to that contained in the Securities Purchase Agreement ) concerning the
Placement, the Company, the Securities and any other relevant matters as it
possesses or can acquire without unreasonable effort or expense and extend to
each prospective Investor or his purchaser representative, if any, the
opportunity to ask questions of, and receive answers from the Company concerning
the terms and conditions of the Placement and the business of the Company and to
obtain any other additional information, to the extent it possesses the same or
can acquire it without unreasonable effort or expense, as such prospective
Investor or purchaser representative may consider necessary in making an
informed investment decision or in order to verify the accuracy of the
information furnished to such prospective Investor or purchaser representative,
as the case may be, in each csae subject to applicable law.
(g) Notify the Placement Agent promptly of the acceptance or rejection
of any Securities Purchase Agreement.
(h) At the Closing, provide the Placement Agent with the Lock-Up
Agreements attached as Annex VII to the Securities Purchase Agreement.
(i) File five (5) copies of a Notice of Sales of Securities on Form D
with the SEC no later than 15 days after the first sale of the Securities, if
required by law. The Company shall file promptly such amendments to such Notices
on Form D as shall become necessary and shall also comply with any filing
requirement imposed by the laws of any state, province or jurisdiction in which
offers and sales are made, including all appropriate "blue sky" filings pursuant
to documentation prepared by the Placement Agent's counsel. The Placement
Agent's counsel shall furnish the Placement Agent and the Company with copies of
all filings made hereunder with respect to the laws of any such state, province,
or jurisdiction and the Company shall furnish the Placement Agent with copies of
all such filings with the SEC.
(j) Place substantially the following legend on all certificates
representing the Debentures and the Warrants:
"THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
15
AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS AND NEITHER THE
SECURITIES NOR ANY INTEREST THEREIN MAY BE OFFERED, SOLD,
TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF EXCEPT PURSUANT TO
AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER SUCH ACT OR SUCH LAWS
OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER SUCH ACT AND SUCH LAWS
WHICH, IN THE OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY, IS AVAILABLE."
(k) Not, directly or indirectly, knowingly engage in any act or activity
which may jeopardize the status of the offering and sale of the Units as exempt
transactions under the Securities Act or under the securities or "blue sky" laws
of any jurisdiction in which the Placement may be made.
(l) Apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Units for the purposes
set forth under Annex IX, "Use of Proceeds" in the Securities Purchase Agreement
in the manner indicated thereunder.
(m) Not, prior to the completion of the Placement, bid for, purchase,
attempt to induce others to purchase, or sell, directly or indirectly, any
shares of Common Stock or any other securities in violation of the provisions of
Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
(n) Register the Debenture Shares, Warrant Shares and Placement Agent
Warrant Shares and pay the applicable SEC and NASD filing fees in accordance
with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement. The Company shall bear all
expenses of the Registration Statement, including reasonable fees and expenses,
if any, of counsel or other advisors to the Placement Agent. The Company shall
also pay all reasonable legal fees of the Company's counsel for any "144
opinions" or other opinions which are required by the Investors or the Placement
Agent in connection with any sales or dispositions of Securities made by such
parties under Rule 144 or any other applicable sale or transfer (including,
without limitation, sales made pursuant to prospectus delivery, or the
reasonable legal fees of counsel to the Investors or the Placement Agent if the
Company's counsel declines to provide any such opinion). In addition to the
foregoing, the Company also grants to the Placement Agent, with respect to the
Placement Agent Warrant Shares, each of the registration rights and the
anti-dilution protections granted to the Investors in the Placement, as such
rights are memorialized in the Warrant.
The Company is aware that the Corporate Financing Rule 2710 ("NASD
Rule 2710") of the National Association of Securities Dealers ("NASD") is or may
become applicable to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreements
or to the sale by a Holder of any of the Securities. If NASD Rule 2710 is so
applicable, the Company shall cooperate with any broker or selling shareholder
in respect of any filling, consents, authorizations or approvals that may be
necessary for the NASD to timely and expeditiously permit the shareholder to
sell the securities.
(o) Not, and will not knowingly, make an offer of Units, or of any
securities, the offering of which may be integrated with the Placement, by any
form of general solicitation or general
16
advertising in violation of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D such as would cause the
offering of Units not to qualify under Section 4(2) of the Securities Act as a
transaction exempt from Section 5 thereof. The Company has not and will not
supply in writing for inclusion in the Securities Purchase Agreement or any
related sales materials any information relating to the Company containing any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitting to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make such information, in light of
the circumstances under which it is used, not misleading.
(p) In addition to the foregoing, to the extent not set forth herein, the
Placement Agent may rely on the covenants made by the Company in the Securities
Purchase Agreement used in connection with the Placement.
10. CONDITIONS OF THE PLACEMENT AGENT'S OBLIGATIONS
The obligations of the Placement Agent pursuant to this Agreement shall
be subject, in its discretion, to the continuing accuracy of the representations
and warranties of the Company contained herein and in each certificate and
document contemplated under this Agreement to be delivered to the Placement
Agent or otherwise at the first Closing and each other Closing (if there are
more that one Closing, referred to herein as a "Subsequent Closing"), as of the
date hereof and as of the Closing Date or the date of any Closing subsequent to
the Closing Date, to the performance by the Company of its obligations
hereunder, and to the following conditions:
(a) The Closing and each Subsequent Closing, the Company shall have
delivered as required by the Securities Purchase Agreement certificates for the
Debentures sold to the Investors in the Placement, duly executed and made out in
the name of such Investors for the amount of Debentures purchased.
(b) At the Closing and each Subsequent Closing, the Company shall have
delivered as required by the Securities Purchase Agreement warrant certificates
for the Warrants sold to the Investors in the Placement, duly executed and made
out in the name of such Investors for the amount of the Warrant Shares which may
be received upon the exercise thereof.
(c) At the Closing and each Subsequent Closing, the Placement Agent
shall have received warrant certificates for the Placement Agent Warrants issued
to the Placement Agent in the Placement, duly executed and made out in the names
to be designated by the Placement Agent for the amount of Placement Agent
Warrant Shares which may be received upon the exercise thereof.
(d) At the Closing and each Subsequent Closing, the Placement Agent
shall have received the applicable fees payable to the Placement Agent as
described in Section 3 hereof.
(e) At the Closing and each Subsequent Closing, the Placement Agent
shall have received the favorable opinion from counsel for the Company, such
opinion to be in the form and substance annexed to the Securities Purchase
Agreement.
17
(f) At the initial Closing, the Placement Agent shall have received
"lock-up" agreements, in the form attached as an Annex VII to the Securities
Purchase Agreement, duly executed by each person set forth in such Annex.
(g) At each Closing, the Placement Agent shall have received a
certificate of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, dated, as applicable,
as of the date of such Closing: (i) to the effect that, as of the date of this
Agreement and as of the applicable date, the representations and warranties of
the Company contained herein were and are accurate, and that, as of the
applicable date, the obligations to be performed by the Company hereunder on or
prior thereto have been fully performed, and (ii) with respect to the incumbency
of the officers of the Company executing the documentation delivered at such
Closing.
(h) At each Closing, the Placement Agent shall have received a
certificate of the Secretary of the Company, dated, as applicable, as of the
date of such Closing, certifying to the charter, by-laws, good standing in their
respective states of incorporation and board resolutions relating to the
Placement of, as applicable, the Company and the Subsidiaries.
(i) All proceedings taken in connection with the issuance, sale and
delivery of the Securities shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and
substance to the Placement Agent and its counsel.
(j) On or prior to or following the Closing Date or the date of any
Subsequent Closing, as the case may be, the Placement Agent shall have been
furnished with: (i) such information, documents and certificates as it may
reasonably require for the purpose of enabling it to review the matters referred
to in this Section 10 and in order to evidence the accuracy, completeness or
satisfaction of any of the representations, warranties, covenants, agreements or
conditions herein contained, and (ii) such other closing documentation as may be
required in order to affect the applicable Closing or as the Placement Agent may
otherwise reasonably request.
(k) Any certificate or other document signed by any officer of the
Company and delivered to the Placement Agent and its counsel as required
hereunder shall, unless stated otherwise therein, be deemed a representation and
warranty by the Company hereunder as to the statements made therein. If any
condition to the Placement Agent's obligations hereunder have not been fulfilled
as and when required to be so fulfilled, the Placement Agent may terminate this
Agreement or, if the Placement Agent so elects, in writing waive any such
conditions which have not been fulfilled or extend the time for their
fulfillment. In the event that the Placement Agent elects to terminate this
Agreement, the Placement Agent shall notify the Company of such election in
writing. Upon such termination, neither party shall have any further liability
nor obligation to the other except as provided in Section 11 hereof.
(l) If there is more than one Closing, then at each such Closing there
shall be delivered to the Placement Agent upon its request updated opinions,
certificates or other information described in this Section 10.
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(m) The funds shall have been deposited into an escrow account pursuant
to the Escrow Agreement and at each Closing the funds shall be distributed
pursuant to a flow of funds memorandum reviewed and executed by each of the
Company and the Placement Agent.
11. INDEMNIFICATION
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Placement
Agent, any person who controls the Placement Agent within the meaning of the
Securities Act, Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act or any applicable statute, and
each partner, director, officer, employee, counsel, agent and representative of
the Placement Agent and its representatives from and against any loss, damage,
expense, liability or claim, or actions or proceedings in respect thereof
(including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses incurred
in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation commenced,
collectively "DAMAGES") which any such person or entity may incur or which may
be made or brought against any such person arising out of or based upon: (i) any
breach of any of the agreements, representations or warranties of the Company
contained in or contemplated by this Agreement or the Securities Purchase
Agreement, including, without limitation, those arising out of or based on any
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state a material fact
required to be stated in the Securities Purchase Agreement or the Subscription
Documents or necessary in order to make the statements appearing therein not
misleading in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, (ii) any
violation by the Company of any federal or state securities laws attributable to
the Placement, or (iii) any violation of law by the Company or any affiliate
thereof, or any director, officer, employee, agent or representative of any of
them, related to or arising out of the Placement. The Company will not, however,
be responsible for any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses
relating thereto) that are judicially determined in a judgment not subject to
appeal to have resulted from the willful misconduct of any indemnified person.
This indemnity agreement by, and the agreements, warranties and representations
of, the Company shall survive the offer, sale and delivery of the Units and the
termination of this Agreement and shall remain in full force and effect
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any person indemnified
hereunder, and termination of this Agreement and acceptance of any payment for
the Units hereunder.
(b) The Placement Agent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company and its affiliates, any person who controls any of them within the
meaning of the Securities Act, Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act or any
applicable statute, and each officer, director, employee, counsel, agent and
representative of the Company or any of its affiliates from and against any
Damages which any such person or entity may incur or which may be made or
brought against any such person, but only to the extent the same arises out of
or is based upon: (i) any breach of any of the agreements, representations or
warranties of the Placement Agent contained in or contemplated by this
Agreement, or (ii) any untrue statement of a material fact in any information
provided to the Company in writing by the Placement Agent, expressly for use in
and used in the Securities Purchase Agreement , or (iii) any violations of
federal or state securities or other laws by the Placement Agent or its
officers, directors, employees or agents. This indemnity agreement by, and the
agreements, warranties and representations of, the Placement Agent shall survive
the offer, sale and delivery of
19
the Units and the termination of this Agreement and shall remain in full force
and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any person
indemnified hereunder, and termination of this Agreement and acceptance of any
payment for the Units hereunder.
(c) If any action is brought against a party (the "INDEMNIFIED PARTY")
in respect of which indemnity may be sought against one or more other parties
(the "INDEMNIFYING PARTY" or "INDEMNIFYING Parties"), the Indemnified Party
shall promptly notify the Indemnifying Party or Parties in writing of the
institution of such action; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, the failure to give such notice
shall not release the Indemnifying Party or Parties from its or their obligation
to indemnify the Indemnified Party hereunder except to the extent the
Indemnifying Party actually incurs damage by reason of such failure and shall
not release the Indemnifying Party or Parties from any other obligations or
liabilities to the Indemnified Party in any event. The Indemnifying Party or
Parties may at its or their own expense elect to assume the defense of such
action, including the employment of counsel reasonably acceptable to the
Indemnified Party; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no Indemnifying or Indemnified Party
shall consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement by which
the other party is to be bound without the prior written consent of such other
party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event the
Indemnifying Party or Parties assume a defense hereunder, the Indemnified Party
shall be entitled to retain its own counsel in connection therewith and, except
as provided below, shall bear the fees and expenses of any such counsel, and
counsel to the Indemnified Party or Parties shall cooperate with such counsel to
the Indemnifying Party in connection with such proceeding. If an Indemnified
Party reasonably determines that there are or may be differing or additional
defenses available to the Indemnified Party which are not available to the
Indemnifying Party, or that there is or may be a conflict between the respective
positions of the Indemnifying Party and of the Indemnified Party in conducting
the defense of any action, then the Indemnifying Party shall bear the reasonable
fees and expenses of one additional counsel retained by the Indemnified Party in
connection with such proceeding. All references to the Indemnified Party
contained in this Section 11(c) include, and extend to and protect with equal
effect, any persons who may control the Indemnified Party within the meaning of
the Securities Act, Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act or any applicable statute,
any successor to the Indemnified Party and each of its partners, officers,
directors, employees, agents and representatives. The indemnity agreements set
forth in this Section 11 shall be in addition to any other obligations or
liabilities of the Indemnifying Party or Parties hereunder or at common law or
otherwise. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event shall
the Placement Agent be obligated to indemnify any person or entity in an amount
in excess of the gross consideration received by the Placement Agent for
services rendered hereunder.
(q) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 11(a) and 11(b) hereof,
no Indemnified Party hereunder shall be entitled to or receive indemnification
pursuant to this Agreement if it is determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction (not subject to appeal) that the Damages in question were caused
primarily by the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified
Party.
(r) If recovery is not available under the foregoing indemnification
provisions of this Section 11, for any reason other than as specified therein,
the party entitled to indemnification by the terms thereof shall be entitled to
contribution to losses, damages, liabilities and expenses of the nature
contemplated by such indemnification provisions. In determining the amount of
such
20
contribution, there shall be considered the relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand, and the Placement Agent on the other hand from the
Placement (which shall be deemed to be the portion of the proceeds of the
Placement realized by each party), the parties' relative knowledge and access to
information concerning the matter with respect to which the claim was asserted,
the opportunity to correct and prevent any statement or omission, the relative
culpability of the parties, the relative benefits received by the parties and
any other equitable considerations appropriate under the circumstances. No party
shall be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled
without its consent. Any party entitled to contribution will, promptly after
receipt of notice of commencement of any action, suit or proceeding against such
party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made against another
party or parties under this Section 11, notify such party or parties from whom
contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify such party or parties
shall not relieve the party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from
any obligation it or they may have under this Section 11 or otherwise. For
purposes of this Section 11, each person, if any, who controls a party to this
Agreement within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section
20(a) of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as that
party to this Placement Agreement. Notwithstanding the forgoing, except for any
willful action, in no event shall the Placement Agent be obligated for
contribution to any person or entity in an amount in excess of the gross
consideration received by the Placement Agent for services rendered hereunder.
12. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) The agreements set forth in this Agreement have been made and are
made solely for the benefit of the Company, the Placement Agent, and the
respective affiliates, heirs, personal representatives and successors and
permitted assigns thereof, and except as expressly provided herein nothing
expressed or mentioned herein is intended or shall be construed to give any
other person, firm or corporation any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim
under or in respect of this Agreement or any representation, warranty or
agreement herein contained. The term "successors and assigns" as used herein
shall not include any purchaser of any Units merely because of such purchase.
(b) As used herein, the words "include" or "including" shall be
interpreted to mean "including, without limitation."
(c) Neither party will be liable to the other by reason of any failure
in performances of this Agreement if the failure arises out of the
unavailability of third party communication facilities or energy sources or acts
of God, acts of governmental authority, fires, strikes, delays in
transportation, riots or war, or any cause beyond the reasonable control of such
party.
(d) Any notice or other communication required or appropriate under the
provisions of this Agreement shall be given in writing (and may be delivered by
facsimile transmission, with confirmation of receipt) addressed as follows: (i)
if to the Company, at the address set forth on the first page of this Agreement,
Attention: Chief Executive Officer; with a copy to Aboudi & Xxxxxxxxxx, Law
Offices, # Gavish St., Kfar Saba, Israel 44641,, Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxx and
(ii) if to the Placement Agent, Pond Equities, Inc., 0000 Xx. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Xx. Xxxxx Xxxxxx; with a copy to Ellenoff
Xxxxxxxx & Schole LLP, 000 Xxxxxxxxx
00
Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Esq., or at such
other address as any party may designate to the others in accordance with this
Section 12(c).
(e) This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law
provisions thereof (other than Section 5-1401 of the New York General
Obligations Law).
(s) Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted
exclusively in New York Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The parties hereto
hereby: (i) waive any objection which they may now have or hereafter have to the
venue of any such suit, action or proceeding, and (ii) irrevocably consent to
the jurisdiction of the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, and the
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in any such
suit, action or proceeding. The parties further agree to accept and acknowledge
service of any and all process which may be served in any such suit, action or
proceeding in the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York and agree that
service of process upon a party mailed by certified mail to such party's address
shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon such party in
any such suit, action or proceeding.
(t) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties
hereto with respect to the Placement and the subject matter hereof and
supercedes any and all prior agreements, and may be amended or modified only by
a duly authorized writing signed by such parties. This Agreement may be executed
in any number of counterparts and by facsimile, each of which shall be deemed an
original and all of which shall constitute a single instrument.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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This Placement Agency Agreement is executed and shall be effective as of
May __, 2006
Very truly yours,
POND EQUITIES, INC.
By: ________________________________
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title: President
ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO:
AMBIENT CORPORATION
By: ___________________________________
Name:
Title:
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO PLACEMENT AGENCY AGREEMENT]
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