NOVO NETWORKS, INC.
NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
pursuant to the
NOVO NETWORKS, INC. 1999 OMNIBUS SECURITIES PLAN
THIS NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT (this "Agreement")
is made and entered into by and between NOVO NETWORKS, INC.,
formerly eVentures Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and XXXXXXX X. XXXXXXX (the "Optionee"), effective
February 21, 2003 (the "Date of Grant").
1. GRANT OF OPTION. The Company hereby grants to the Optionee
and the Optionee hereby accepts, subject to the terms and
conditions hereof, a Nonqualified Stock Option (the "Option") to
purchase up to 25,000 shares of Company's common stock, par value
$0.00002 per share (the "Common Stock"), at the Exercise Price
per share set forth in Section 4 below.
2. GOVERNING PLAN. This Option is granted pursuant to the
Company's 1999 Omnibus Securities Plan (the "Plan"), a copy of
which is attached hereto. Capitalized terms used but not
otherwise defined herein have the meanings as set forth in the
Plan. The Optionee agrees to be bound by the terms and
conditions of the Plan, which are incorporated herein by
reference and which control in case of any conflict with this
Agreement, except as otherwise specifically provided for in the
Plan.
3. EXPIRATION AND TERMINATION OF THE OPTION. The Option (to
the extent not earlier exercised or terminated in accordance with
the Plan or this Agreement) will expire at the end of business
February 21, 2013, ten (10) years from the Date of Grant of the
Option (the "Expiration Date"). In the event the Optionee ceases
to serve as a member of the Company's board of directors, the
unexercised portion of the Option will terminate on the earlier
of the date that is (a) five (5) years after the date the
Optionee ceased being a director or (b) the Expiration Date. The
Option may not be exercised after its expiration or termination.
4. EXERCISE PRICE. The "Exercise Price" of the Option is five
and one half cents ($0.055) per share of Common Stock. The
Exercise Price is subject to adjustment or amendment as set forth
in the Plan, including, without limitation, Section 3.4, Section
4.5(b) or Section 6.2 of the Plan.
5. VESTING. The Option shall vest as of the Date of Grant and
be immediately exercisable for the total number of shares of
Common Stock set forth in Section 1 hereof.
6. EXERCISE OF THE OPTION. The Option may be exercised, to the
extent not previously exercised, in whole or in part, at any time
or from time to time prior to the expiration or termination of
the Option, except that no Option shall be exercisable except in
respect to whole shares, and not less than one hundred (100)
shares may be purchased at one time unless the number purchased
is the total number at the time available for purchase under the
terms of the Option. Exercise shall be accomplished by providing
the Company with written notice in the form of Exhibit "A"
attached hereto, which notice shall be irrevocable when delivered
and effective upon payment in full of the Option Price in
accordance with Section 5.4 of the Plan and Section 7 hereof and
any amounts required in accordance with Section 5.11 of the Plan
for withholding taxes, and the satisfaction of all other
conditions to exercise imposed under the Plan.
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7. PAYMENT OF EXERCISE PRICE. Upon any exercise of the Option,
the total Exercise Price for the number of shares for which the
Option is then being exercised and the amount of any federal,
state and local withholding taxes imposed thereon shall be paid
in full to the Company in cash or with shares of Common Stock
that have been owned for at least six months by the Optionee (or
by the Optionee and his or her spouse jointly), or a combination
thereof, or in such other form permitted by applicable law and
the Plan as the Administering Body deems acceptable at the time
of exercise, all in accordance with the applicable provisions of
Section 5.4 and Section 5.11 of the Plan.
8. ACKNOWLEDGMENT REGARDING OPTIONS. Optionee hereby
represents, acknowledges, agrees and understands that Optionee
has no other options with respect to shares of stock or equity in
the Company and/or any Affiliated Entity (including any
subsidiaries or affiliates of the Company, such as Paciugo
Management, LLC, a Texas limited liability company ("Paciugo"),
Ad Astra Holdings, LP, a Texas limited partnership ("Ad Astra"),
Axistel Communications, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Axistel"),
and/or e.Volve Technology Group, Inc., f/k/a Orix Global
Communications, Inc., a Nevada corporation ("e.Volve")), validly
granted, verbally promised or otherwise, prior to the effective
date of this Agreement, except as otherwise described on Exhibit
"B" to this Agreement. Optionee further acknowledges, agrees and
understands that the Company is relying on the statements
contained herein with respect to the granting of options as
provided herein.
9. NONTRANSFERABILITY OF OPTION. The Option shall not be
transferable or assignable by the Optionee, other than in
accordance with Section 5.9 of the Plan or by will or the laws of
descent and distribution (or as otherwise permitted by the
Administering Body in its sole discretion), and shall be
exercisable during the Optionee's lifetime only by him or her or
by his or her legal representative(s) or guardian(s) or any
permitted transferee.
10. ADMINISTRATION. The Plan and this Agreement shall be
administered and may be definitively interpreted by the
Administering Body, and the Optionee agrees that the decisions of
such Administering Body concerning administration and
interpretation of the Plan and this Agreement shall be final,
binding and conclusive on all persons.
11. SEVERABILITY. If any of the provisions of this Agreement
should be deemed unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall
remain in full force and effect.
12. MODIFICATION. This Agreement may not be modified or
amended, nor may any provision hereof be waived, in any way
except in writing signed by the parties hereto.
13. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement has been executed in two
counterparts each of which shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been executed on
behalf of the Company by its duly authorized officer, and by the
Optionee in acceptance of the above-mentioned Option, subject to
the terms and conditions of the Plan and of this Agreement, all
as of the day and year first above written.
[Signature Page Follows]
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SIGNATURE PAGE FOR NOVO NETWORKS, INC.,
NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
Signature page for Novo Networks, Inc. Nonqualified Stock
Option Agreement, dated February 21, 2003.
COMPANY:
-------
NOVO NETWORKS, INC.
By:_____________________________
Name:___________________________
Title:__________________________
OPTIONEE:
--------
________________________________
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
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EXHIBIT "A"
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
under
NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
pursuant to the
NOVO NETWORKS, INC. 1999 OMNIBUS SECURITIES PLAN
To: Novo Networks, Inc. (the "Company")
From: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Date: ________________________
Pursuant to the Novo Networks, Inc. 1999 Omnibus Securities
Plan (the "Plan") and the Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement
(the "Agreement") (capitalized terms used without definition
herein have the meanings given such terms in the Agreement or the
Plan) between the Company and myself, effective February 21,
2003, I hereby exercise my Option as follows:
Number of shares of Common Stock I wish to
purchase under the Option
Exercise Price per share $_______
Total Exercise Price $_______
"Vested Portion" of Option (see definition in
Section 5 of the Agreement)
Number of shares I have previously purchased by
exercising the Option
Expiration Date of the Option
I hereby represent, warrant, and covenant to the Company
that:
a. I am acquiring the Common Stock for my own account, for
investment, and not for distribution or resale, and I will make
no transfer of such Common Stock except in compliance with
applicable federal and state securities laws and in accordance
with the provisions of the Plan.
b. I can bear the economic risk of the investment in the Common
Stock resulting from this exercise of the Option, including a
total loss of my investment.
c. I am experienced in business and financial matters and am
capable of (i) evaluating the merits and risks of an investment
in the Common Stock; (ii) making an informed investment decision
regarding exercise of the Option; and (iii) protecting my
interests in connection therewith.
d. Any subsequent offer for sale or distribution of any of the
shares of Common Stock shall be made only pursuant to (i) a
registration statement on an appropriate form under the
Securities Act, which registration statement has become effective
and is current with regard to the shares being offered or sold,
or (ii) a specific exemption from the registration requirements
of the Securities Act, it being understood that to the extent any
such exemption is claimed, I shall, prior to any offer for sale
or sale of such shares, obtain a prior favorable written opinion,
in form and substance satisfactory to the Administering Body,
from counsel for or approved by the Administering Body, as to the
applicability of such exemption thereto.
Exhibit "A" - Page 1
I acknowledge that I must pay the total Exercise Price in
full and make appropriate arrangements for the payment of all
federal, state and local tax withholdings due with respect to the
Option exercised herein, before the stock certificate evidencing
the shares of Common Stock resulting from this exercise of the
Option will be issued to me.
Attached in full payment of the total Exercise Price for the
Option exercised herein is ( ) a check made payable to the
Company in the amount of $___________________ and/or ( ) a
stock certificate for _______ shares of Common Stock that have
been owned by me or by me and my spouse jointly for at least six
months, with a duly completed stock power attached with a total
Fair Market Value on the date hereof equal to the total Exercise
Price.
Also attached in full payment of all withholding tax
obligations arising from exercise of the Option is (___) a check
made payable to the Company in the amount of such required
withholding and/or (____) a stock certificate for ____ shares of
Common Stock that have been owned by me or by me and my spouse
jointly for at least six months, with a duly completed stock
power attached, with a total Fair Market Value on the date hereof
equal to the amount of such required withholding.
[Signature Page Follows]
Exhibit "A" - Page 2
SIGNATURE PAGE FOR "EXHIBIT A", NOTICE OF EXERCISE UNDER
NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT, PURSUANT TO THE NOVO
NETWORKS, INC. 1999 OMNIBUS SECURITIES PLAN
Signature page for "Exhibit A", Notice of Exercise under
Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement, pursuant to the Novo
Networks, Inc. 1999 Omnibus Securities Plan, dated February 21,
2003.
OPTIONEE:
--------
______________________________
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
RECEIVED BY THE COMPANY:
-----------------------
_________________________________
Name:____________________________
Date:____________________________
Exhibit "A" - Page 3
EXHIBIT "B"
DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING OPTIONS
GRANTED TO OPTIONEE
1. An option to purchase 1,400,000 shares of the Company's
Common Stock was granted to the Optionee pursuant to his
employment agreement with the Company with 350,000 shares vesting
on each of July 2, 2000; April 2, 2001; April 2, 2002; and April
2, 2003.
2. An option to purchase 1,400,000 shares of the Company's
Common Stock was granted to the Optionee under the Company's 2001
Equity Incentive Plan with 350,000 shares vesting on each of
January 10, 2001 and April 2, 2001; 233,333 shares vesting on
each of April 2, 2002 and April 2, 2003 with 233,334 shares
vesting on April 2, 2004.
Exhibit "B"
