SCIENTIFIC LEARNING CORPORATION
1998 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
(INCENTIVE AND NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTIONS)
Pursuant to the Stock Option Grant Notice ("Grant Notice") and this Stock
Option Agreement, Scientific Learning Corporation (the "Company") has granted
you an option under its 1998 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan") to purchase the
number of shares of the Company's Common Stock indicated in the Grant Notice at
the exercise price indicated in the Grant Notice. Defined terms not explicitly
defined in this Stock Option Agreement but defined in the Plan shall have the
same definitions as in the Plan.
The details of your option are as follows:
1. VESTING. Subject to the limitations contained herein, your option
will vest as provided in the Grant Notice, provided that vesting will cease upon
the termination of your Continuous Service.
2. NUMBER OF SHARES AND EXERCISE PRICE. The number of shares subject to
your option and your exercise price per share referenced in the Grant Notice may
be adjusted from time to time for Capitalization Adjustments, as provided in the
Plan.
3. EXERCISE PRIOR TO VESTING ("EARLY EXERCISE"). If permitted in the
Grant Notice (i.e., the "Exercise Schedule" indicates that "Early Exercise" of
your option is permitted) and subject to the provisions of this option, you may
elect at any time that is both (i) during the period of your Continuous Service
and (ii) during the term of your option, to exercise all or part of your option,
including the nonvested portion of your option; provided, however, that:
(a) a partial exercise of your option shall be deemed to cover first
vested shares and then the earliest vesting installment of unvested shares;
(b) any shares so purchased from installments which have not vested
as of the date of exercise shall be subject to the purchase option in favor of
the Company as described in the Company's form of Early Exercise Stock Purchase
Agreement;
(c) you shall enter into the Company's form of Early Exercise Stock
Purchase Agreement with a vesting schedule that will result in the same vesting
as if no early exercise had occurred; and
(d) if your option is an incentive stock option, then, as provided in
the Plan, to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the
time of grant) of stock with respect to which your option plus all other
incentive stock options you hold are exercisable for the first time by you
during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and its Affiliates)
exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), the options or portions thereof
that exceed
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such limit (according to the order in which they were granted) shall be treated
as nonstatutory stock options.
4. METHOD OF PAYMENT. Payment of the exercise price is due in full upon
exercise of all or any part of your option. You may elect to make payment of
the exercise price in cash or by check or in any other manner PERMITTED BY THE
GRANT NOTICE, which may include one or more of the following:
(a) In the Company's sole discretion at the time your option is
exercised and provided that at the time of exercise the Common Stock is publicly
traded and quoted regularly in THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, pursuant to a program
developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board which,
prior to the issuance of Common Stock, results in either the receipt of cash (or
check) by the Company or the receipt of irrevocable instructions to pay the
aggregate exercise price to the Company from the sales proceeds.
(b) Provided that at the time of exercise the Common Stock is
publicly traded and quoted regularly in THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, by delivery of
already-owned shares of Common Stock, held for the period required to avoid a
charge to the Company's reported earnings (generally six months) or were not
acquired, directly or indirectly from the Company, owned free and clear of any
liens, claims, encumbrances or security interests, and valued at its Fair Market
Value on the date of exercise. "Delivery" for these purposes, in the sole
discretion of the Company at the time your option is exercised, shall include
delivery to the Company of your attestation of ownership of such shares of
Common Stock in a form approved by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
your option may not be exercised by tender to the Company of Common Stock to the
extent such tender would constitute a violation of the provisions of any law,
regulation or agreement restricting the redemption of the Company's stock.
(c) Pursuant to the following deferred payment alternative:
(i) Not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the aggregate
exercise price, plus accrued interest, shall be due four (4) years from date of
exercise or, at the Company's election, upon termination of your Continuous
Service.
(ii) Interest shall be compounded at least annually and shall
be charged at the minimum rate of interest necessary to avoid the treatment as
interest, under any applicable provisions of the Code, of any portion of any
amounts other than amounts stated to be interest under the deferred payment
arrangement.
(iii) At any time that the Company is incorporated in Delaware,
payment of the Common Stock's "par value," as defined in the Delaware General
Corporation Law, shall be made in cash and not by deferred payment.
(iv) In order to elect the deferred payment alternative, you
must, as a part of your written notice of exercise, give notice of the election
of this payment alternative and, in order to secure the payment of the deferred
exercise price to the Company hereunder, if the
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Company so requests, you must tender to the Company a promissory note and a
security agreement covering the purchased shares, both in form and substance
satisfactory to the Company, or such other or additional documentation as the
Company may request.
5. WHOLE SHARES. Your option may only be exercised for whole shares.
6. SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained herein, your option may not be exercised unless the shares issuable
upon exercise of your option are then registered under the Securities Act or, if
such shares are not then so registered, the Company has determined that such
exercise and issuance would be exempt from the registration requirements of the
Securities Act. The exercise of your option must also comply with other
applicable laws and regulations governing the option, and the option may not be
exercised if the Company determines that the exercise would not be in material
compliance with such laws and regulations.
7. TERM. The term of your option commences on the Date of Grant and
expires upon the EARLIEST of the following:
(a) three (3) months after the termination of your Continuous Service
for any other reason, provided that if during any part of such three- (3-)month
period the option is not exercisable solely because of the condition set forth
in paragraph 6, the option shall not expire until the earlier of the Expiration
Date or until it shall have been exercisable for an aggregate period of three
(3) months after the termination of your Continuous Service;
(b) twelve (12) months after the termination of your Continuous
Service due to Disability;
(c) eighteen (18) months after your death if you die either during
your Continuous Service or within three (3) months after your Continuous Service
terminates;
(d) the Expiration Date indicated in the Grant Notice; or
(e) the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Date of Xxxxx.
If your option is an incentive stock option, note that, to obtain the
federal income tax advantages associated with an "incentive stock option," the
Code requires that at all times beginning on the date of grant of the option and
ending on the day three (3) months before the date of the option's exercise, you
must be an employee of the Company or an Affiliate, except in the event of your
death or your Disability. The Company has provided for extended exercisability
of your option under certain circumstances for your benefit, but cannot
guarantee that your option will necessarily be treated as an "incentive stock
option" if you provide services to the Company or an Affiliate as a Consultant
or Director or if you exercise your option more than three (3) months after the
date your employment with the Company or an Affiliate terminates.
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8. EXERCISE.
(a) You may exercise the vested portion of your option (and the
unvested portion of your option if the Grant Notice so permits) during its term
by delivering a Notice of Exercise (in a form designated by the Company)
together with the exercise price to the Secretary of the Company, or to such
other person as the Company may designate, during regular business hours,
together with such additional documents as the Company may then require.
(b) By exercising your option you agree that, as a condition to any
exercise of your option, the Company may require you to enter an arrangement
providing for the payment by you to the Company of any tax withholding
obligation of the Company arising by reason of (1) the exercise of your option,
(2) the lapse of any substantial risk of forfeiture to which the shares are
subject at the time of exercise, or (3) the disposition of shares acquired upon
such exercise.
(c) If your option is an incentive stock option, by exercising your
option you agree that you will notify the Company in writing within fifteen (15)
days after the date of any disposition of any of the shares of the Common Stock
issued upon exercise of your option that occurs within two (2) years after the
date of your option grant or within one (1) year after such shares of Common
Stock are transferred upon exercise of your option.
9. TRANSFERABILITY. Your option is not transferable, except by will or
by the laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable during your life
only by you. Notwithstanding the foregoing, by delivering written notice to the
Company, in a form satisfactory to the Company, you may designate a third party
who, in the event of your death, shall thereafter be entitled to exercise your
option.
10. RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL/RIGHT OF REPURCHASE. Vested shares that are
received upon exercise of your option are subject to any right of first refusal
that may be described in the Company's bylaws in effect at such time the Company
elects to exercise its right. The Company's right of first refusal shall expire
on the date of the first registration of an equity security of the Company under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act. In addition, to the extent provided in the
Company's bylaws as amended from time to time, the Company shall have the right
to repurchase all or any part of the shares received pursuant to the exercise of
your option.
11. OPTION NOT A SERVICE CONTRACT. Your option is not an employment or
service contract, and nothing in your option shall be deemed to create in any
way whatsoever any obligation on your part to continue in the employ of the
Company or an Affiliate, or of the Company or an Affiliate to continue your
employment. In addition, nothing in your option shall obligate the Company or
an Affiliate, their respective shareholders, Boards of Directors, Officers or
Employees to continue any relationship that you might have as a Director or
Consultant for the Company or an Affiliate.
12. WITHHOLDING OBLIGATIONS.
(a) At the time your option is exercised, in whole or in part, or at
any time thereafter as requested by the Company, you hereby authorize
withholding from payroll and any
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other amounts payable to you, and otherwise agree to make adequate provision for
(including by means of a "cashless exercise" pursuant to a program developed
under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board to the extent
permitted by the Company), any sums required to satisfy the federal, state,
local and foreign tax withholding obligations of the Company or an Affiliate, if
any, which arise in connection with your option.
(b) Upon your request and subject to approval by the Company, in its
sole discretion, and compliance with any applicable conditions or restrictions
of law, the Company may withhold from fully vested shares of Common Stock
otherwise issuable to you upon the exercise of your option a number of whole
shares having a Fair Market Value, determined by the Company as of the date of
exercise, not in excess of the minimum amount of tax required to be withheld by
law. If the date of determination of any tax withholding obligation is deferred
to a date later than the date of exercise of your option, share withholding
pursuant to the preceding sentence shall not be permitted unless you make a
proper and timely election under Section 83(b) of the Code, covering the
aggregate number of shares of Common Stock acquired upon such exercise with
respect to which such determination is otherwise deferred, to accelerate the
determination of such tax withholding obligation to the date of exercise of your
option. Notwithstanding the filing of such election, shares shall be withheld
solely from fully vested shares of Common Stock determined as of the date of
exercise of your option that are otherwise issuable to you upon such exercise.
Any adverse consequences to you arising in connection with such share
withholding procedure shall be your sole responsibility.
(c) Your option is not exercisable unless the tax withholding
obligations of the Company and/or any Affiliate are satisfied. Accordingly, you
may not be able to exercise your option when desired even though your option is
vested, and the Company shall have no obligation to issue a certificate for such
shares or release such shares from any escrow provided for herein.
13. NOTICES. Any notices provided for in your option or the Plan shall be
given in writing and shall be deemed effectively given upon receipt or, in the
case of notices delivered by the Company to you, five (5) days after deposit in
the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to you at the last address
you provided to the Company.
14. GOVERNING PLAN DOCUMENT. Your option is subject to all the provisions
of the Plan, the provisions of which are hereby made a part of your option, and
is further subject to all interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations
which may from time to time be promulgated and adopted pursuant to the Plan. In
the event of any conflict between the provisions of your option and those of the
Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall control.
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