PLACEMENT AGENCY AGREEMENT
Exhibit 99.1
August 19, 2024
Xx. Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
President and Chief Executive Officer
000 000xx Xx. X,
Xxxxxxxxx, XX, X0X 0X0
Canada
Dear Xx. Xxxxx:
This agreement (the “Agreement”) constitutes the agreement between Maxim Group LLC (“Maxim” or the “Placement Agent”) and Draganfly Inc., a company incorporated under the laws of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the “Company”), pursuant to which the Placement Agent shall serve as the exclusive placement agent for the Company, on a “reasonable best efforts” basis, in connection with the proposed placement (the “Placement”) of common shares (the “Shares”) of the Company, no par value per share (“Common Shares”), prefunded warrants to purchase Common Shares (the “Prefunded Warrants”), and warrants to purchase Common Shares (the “Common Warrants”, collectively with the Prefunded Warrants, the “Warrants” and collectively with the Shares and the Prefunded Warrants, the “Securities”). The terms of the Placement and the Securities shall be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the purchasers (each, a “Purchaser” and, collectively, the “Purchasers”) and nothing herein constitutes that the Placement Agent would have the power or authority to bind the Company or any Purchaser or an obligation for the Company to issue any Securities or complete the Placement. This Agreement and the documents executed and delivered by the Company and the Purchasers in connection with the Placement, including but not limited to the Purchase Agreement (as defined below), the form of Prefunded Warrant and the form of Common Warrant, shall be collectively referred to herein as the “Transaction Documents.” The date of the closing of the Placement shall be referred to herein as the “Closing Date.” The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that the Placement Agent’s obligations hereunder are on a reasonable best efforts basis only and that the execution of this Agreement does not constitute a commitment by the Placement Agent to purchase the Securities and does not ensure the successful placement of the Securities or any portion thereof or the success of the Placement Agent with respect to securing any other financing on behalf of the Company. The Placement Agent may retain other brokers or dealers to act as sub-agents or selected-dealers on its behalf in connection with the Placement. The sale of the Securities to any Purchaser will be evidenced by a securities purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) between the Company and such Purchaser in a form mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Placement Agent. Capitalized terms that are not otherwise defined herein have the meanings given to such terms in the Purchase Agreement. Prior to the signing of the Purchase Agreement, officers of the Company will be available to answer inquiries from prospective Purchasers.
SECTION 1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY; COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
A. Representations of the Company. Each of the representations and warranties (together with any related disclosure schedules thereto) and covenants made by the Company to the Purchasers in the Purchase Agreement in connection with the Placement is hereby incorporated herein by reference into this Agreement (as though fully restated herein) and is, as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, hereby made to, and in favor of, the Placement Agent. In addition to the foregoing, the Company represents and warrants that:
1. Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Registration Statement, Prospectuses and Prospectus Supplement and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of each of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Company’s Board of Directors or the Company’s shareholders in connection therewith. This Agreement has been duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.
2. No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated pursuant to the Registration Statement, Prospectuses and Prospectus Supplement, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby to which it is a party do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
3. There are no affiliations with any FINRA member firm among the Company’s officers, directors or, to the knowledge of the Company, any ten percent (10.0%) or greater stockholder of the Company, except as set forth in the Registration Statement and SEC Reports.
B. Covenants of the Company.
1. The Company has delivered or made available, or will as promptly as practicable deliver or make available, to the Placement Agent complete conformed copies of the Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts, as applicable, filed as a part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without exhibits), the Prospectuses, and the Prospectus Supplement, as amended or supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as the Placement Agent reasonably requests. Neither the Company nor any of its directors and officers has distributed and none of them will distribute, prior to the Closing Date, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities pursuant to the Placement other than the Prospectuses, the Prospectus Supplement, the Registration Statement, copies of the Incorporated Documents and any other materials permitted by the Securities Act.
SECTION 2. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PLACEMENT AGENT.
A. The Placement Agent represents and warrants that it (i) is a member in good standing of FINRA, (ii) is registered as a broker/dealer under the Exchange Act, (iii) is licensed as a broker/dealer under the laws of the states applicable to the offers and sales of the Securities by such Placement Agent, (iv) is and will be a corporate entity validly existing under the laws of its place of incorporation, and (v) has full power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Placement Agent will immediately notify the Company in writing of any change in its status as such. The Placement Agent covenants that it will use its reasonable best efforts to conduct the Placement hereunder in compliance with the provisions of this Agreement and the requirements of applicable law.
SECTION 3. COMPENSATION.
A. In consideration of the services to be provided for hereunder, the Company shall pay to the Placement Agent or their respective designees, the following compensation with respect to the placement of the Securities:
1. A cash fee (the “Cash Fee”) equal to an aggregate of up to seven percent (7.0%) of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in the Placement. The Cash Fee shall be paid to the Placement Agent at the Closing of the Placement.
2. Subject to compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(D), the Company also agrees to reimburse the Placement Agent for all travel and other out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees, costs and disbursements of its legal counsel, in an amount not to exceed an aggregate of $75,000. The Company will reimburse the Placement Agent directly out of the Closing of the Placement. In the event that this Agreement shall terminate prior to the consummation of the Placement, Maxim shall nevertheless still be entitled to reimbursement for its actual expenses; provided, however, that such expenses shall not exceed $25,000, in the aggregate.
3. In addition, at each closing date of the Placement, the Company shall grant and issue to Maxim (or its designated affiliates) warrants (the “Placement Agent Warrants”) to purchase such number of common shares of the Company equal up to 5% of the total number of securities being sold in such Offering. The Placement Agent Warrants shall have a term of three years and the exercise price of such Placement Agent Warrants shall equal to 125% of the public offering price in the Offering. The Company shall agree to register the shares issuable upon exercise of the Placement Agent Warrants under the Securities Act, and will file all necessary undertakings in connection therewith. The Placement Agent Warrants will contain provisions for one demand registration of the sale of the underlying shares at the Company’s expense, an additional demand registration at the warrant holders’ expense, and unlimited “piggyback” registration rights. The Placement Agent Warrants shall further provide for customary adjustments in the number and price of such warrants (and the shares underlying such warrants) to prevent dilution as permitted by FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8).
4. In addition, if within six (6) months of the Closing Date, the Company completes any financing of equity or equity-linked capital-raising activity or debt (excluding commercial bank debt) offerings with, or receives proceeds from, any of the investors that invest in the offering or are directly introduced to the Company via telephone, video conferencing, or a physical meeting by the Placement Agent, then the Company shall pay to the Placement Agent upon closing of such financing or receipt of such proceeds the compensation equivalent to that set forth in Section 3(a) herein, provided, that, within ten (10) business days of a written request from the Company, the Placement Agent provides a list to the Company of such investors. For greater clarity, solely in connection with this Placement, Xxxxx will not be entitled to a tail fee under Section 4(r) of the underwriting agreement between Maxim and the Company dated February 21, 2024 in respect of any investors for which Maxim is entitled to compensation pursuant to this Agreement (it being the intent that Maxim shall not receive double compensation in connection with proceeds of this Placement).
5. Upon the Closing of the Placement, the Company grants Maxim – for a period running from the date hereof until October 31, 2024 – the right of first refusal to act as exclusive underwriters or agents for any and all future public or private equity, equity-linked or debt (excluding commercial bank debt) offerings for which the Company retains the service of an underwriter, agent, advisor, finder or other person or entity in connection with such offering. The Company shall not offer to retain any entity or person in connection with any such offering on terms more favorable than terms on which it offers to retain Maxim. Such offer shall be made in writing in order to be effective. Maxim shall notify the Company within ten (10) business days of its receipt of the written offer contemplated above as to whether or not either or both entities agree to accept such retention. If Maxim should decline such retention, the Company shall have no further obligations to Maxim with respect to the offering for which it has offered to retain them, except as otherwise provided for herein.
B. The Placement Agent reserves the right to reduce any item of its compensation or adjust the terms thereof as specified herein in the event that a determination shall be made by FINRA to the effect that such Placement Agent’s aggregate compensation is in excess of FINRA Rules or that the terms thereof require adjustment.
SECTION 4. INDEMNIFICATION. The Company agrees to the indemnification and other agreements set forth in the Indemnification Provisions (the “Indemnification Provisions”) attached hereto as Addendum A, the provisions of which are incorporated herein by reference and shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement.
SECTION 5. ENGAGEMENT TERM. The Placement Agent engagement hereunder shall be until the final closing date of the Placement (such date, the “Termination Date” and the period of time during which this Agreement remains in effect is referred to herein as the “Term”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the provisions concerning the Company’s obligation to pay any fees actually earned pursuant to Section 3 hereof and the provisions concerning confidentiality, indemnification and contribution contained herein and the Company’s obligations contained in the Indemnification Provisions will survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated prior to the completion of the Placement, all fees due to the Placement Agent shall be paid by the Company to the Placement Agent on or before the Termination Date (in the event such fees are earned or owed as of the Termination Date). The Placement Agent agrees not to use any confidential information concerning the Company provided to the Placement Agent by the Company for any purposes other than those contemplated under this Agreement.
SECTION 6. PLACEMENT AGENT INFORMATION. The Company agrees that any information or advice rendered by the Placement Agent in connection with this engagement is for the confidential use of the Company only in their evaluation of the Placement and, except as otherwise required by law, the Company will not disclose or otherwise refer to the advice or information in any manner without the Placement Agent’s prior written consent.
SECTION 7. NO FIDUCIARY RELATIONSHIP. This Agreement does not create, and shall not be construed as creating rights enforceable by any person or entity not a party hereto, except those entitled hereto by virtue of the Indemnification Provisions hereof. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Placement Agent is not and shall not be construed as a fiduciary of the Company and shall have no duties or liabilities to the equity holders or the creditors of the Company or any other person by virtue of this Agreement or the retention of such Placement Agent hereunder, all of which are hereby expressly waived.
SECTION 8. CLOSING. The obligations of the Placement Agent, and the closing of the sale of the Securities hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on the Closing Date, of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein and in the Purchase Agreement, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of their obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions, except as otherwise disclosed to and acknowledged and waived by the Placement Agent by the Company:
A. Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of United States Counsel for the Company. On the Closing Date, the Placement Agent shall have received an opinion and Rule 10b-5 negative assurance statement of Lucosky Xxxxxxxx LLP, and with regard to any United States subsidiary opinions from such counsel as the Company may designate, addressed to the Placement Agent, and dated the Closing Date, in the form and substance as may be reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Placement Agent.
B. Canadian Securities Law Opinion. The Placement Agent receiving a favourable legal opinion of DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, Canadian counsel to the Company, addressed to the Placement Agent, dated as of the Closing Date, as to the qualification of the Units for sale to the Purchaser and as to other matters governed by the laws of the Qualifying Jurisdictions including but not limited to customary corporate opinions in relation to the Company and its Material Subsidiaries, provided that DLA Piper (Canada) LLP shall be entitled to rely exclusively upon the opinions of local counsel as to matters governed by the laws of any Qualifying Jurisdictions in which it is not qualified to practice, in each case in a form acceptable in all reasonable respects to counsel to the Placement Agent.
C. Accountants’ Comfort Letters. The Placement Agent shall have received from DMCL LLP, independent public or certified public accountants for the Company, (i) letters dated the date of the Closing Date, and addressed to the Purchasers, the Placement Agent and the board of directors of the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountant’s “comfort letters” to underwriters which letters shall cover with respect to the Financial Statements, including without limitation, certain financial and accounting disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectuses and the Prospectus Supplements, and (ii) confirming that they are independent public, certified public or chartered accountants as required by the Securities Act.
D. Agreement and Securities. The Company shall have delivered this Agreement duly executed by the Company.
E. Company Compliance with Prospectus and Registration Requirements; No Stop Order. For the period from and after effectiveness of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:
i. the U.S. Prospectus shall have been filed with the SEC in the manner and within the time period required by the Securities Act, and the Canadian Prospectus shall have been filed with the Canadian Commissions in each of the Qualifying Jurisdictions and in accordance with the Canadian Securities Laws, and a receipt obtained therefor;
ii. no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, shall be in effect and no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the SEC;
iii. no order preventing or suspending the use of the Canadian Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by any Canadian Commission or other securities regulatory authority in Canada;
iv. no order, ruling, determination having the effect of suspending the issuance, sale, exercise or conversion or ceasing the trading of the Common Shares or securities convertible into Common Shares, or any other securities of the Company shall have been issued by any Governmental Authority in Canada or the United States and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall be pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, shall be contemplated or threatened by any such court, securities regulatory authority or stock exchange;
v. the Canadian Prospectus Supplement shall have been filed with the Canadian Commissions in each of the Qualifying Jurisdictions in accordance with the Shelf Procedures and a U.S. Prospectus Supplement shall have been filed with the SEC;
vi. the Registration Statement and all amendments thereto shall not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and (a) neither the Prospectuses nor any amendment or supplement thereto, shall include a misrepresentation or an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, and (b) none of the free writing prospectuses, if any, shall include an untrue statement of a material fact or, omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; and
vii. all requests for additional information on the part of the SEC or any Canadian Commission shall have been complied with.
F. No Material Adverse Effect. For the period from the date of this Agreement and to and including the Closing Date, in the reasonable judgment of the Placement Agent, there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Effect.
G. Officers’ Certificate. On the Closing Date, the Placement Agent shall have received a written certificate, addressed to the Placement Agent, executed by the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Chief Legal Officer of the Company, in each case, in such capacity and not in their personal capacity, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the conditions set forth in Section 6(e) have been met, and further to the effect that: (i) the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of such Closing Date, except that any representations and warranties qualified by materiality or “Material Adverse Effect” shall be true and correct in all respects; (ii) as at the Closing Date, no order, ruling or determination having the effect of ceasing or suspending trading in the Common Shares or any securities convertible into Common Shares has been issued and no proceedings for such purpose are pending or, to the best of the knowledge, information and belief of the person signing such certificate, are contemplated or threatened; and (iii) the Company has complied with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date.
H. Secretary’s Certificate. On the Closing Date, the Placement Agent shall have received a written certificate, addressed to the Placement Agent, signed by the Corporate Secretary of the Company, in such capacity and not personally, in form and content satisfactory to the Placement Agent, acting reasonably, with respect to: (i) the constating documents and articles and by-laws of the Company; (ii) the resolutions of the directors of the Company relevant to the distribution of the Units in each of the Qualifying Jurisdictions and in the United States, allotment, issue (or reservation for issue) and sale of the Units, the authorization of this Agreement, and the other agreements and transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (iii) the incumbency and signatures of signing officers of the Company.
I. Good Standing. The Placement Agent shall have received on and as of the day prior to the Closing Date, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its Material Subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate Governmental Authorities of such jurisdictions.
J. Company’s Agent for Service. Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Placement Agent satisfactory evidence of its due and valid authorization of C T Corporation System as its agent to receive service of process in the United States pursuant to Section 20 hereof, and satisfactory evidence from C T Corporation System accepting its appointment as such agent.
K. Listing. The Unit Shares and Warrant Shares shall have been approved for listing on the CSE, subject to the fulfillment of the usual post-closing requirements, and notification of the offering of the Unit Shares and Warrant Shares shall have been provided to Nasdaq. The Company shall have taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of terminating the registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting or suspending from trading the Common Shares from the Exchanges, nor has the Company received any information suggesting that the Commissions or the Exchange is contemplating terminating such registration or listing except as are disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectuses and the Prospectus Supplement
L. Lock-Up Agreements from Directors and Officers of the Company. On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Placement Agent an agreement in the form of Exhibit “B” hereto from each of the persons listed on Exhibit “A” hereto, and such agreement shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.
M. Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form, execution, delivery and validity of each of this Agreement, the Securities, the Registration Statement, the Prospectuses and the Prospectus Supplement and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for Maxim, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
N. Other Events. The Company (i) shall not have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectuses and the Prospectus Supplement, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood, terrorist act or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectuses and the Prospectus Supplement, and (ii) since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectuses and the Prospectus Supplement there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the business, general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company, otherwise than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectuses and the Prospectus Supplement, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is, in the judgment of the Placement Agent, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Prospectuses and Prospectus Supplement.
O. Actions. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any governmental agency or body which would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company; and no injunction, restraining order or order of any other nature by any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company.
P. The Company shall have prepared and filed with the Commission a Report on Form 6-K with respect to the Placement, including as an exhibit thereto this Agreement.
Q. The Company shall have entered into a Purchase Agreement with each of the Purchasers and such agreements shall be in full force and effect and shall contain representations, warranties and covenants of the Company as agreed between the Company and the Purchasers.
R. XXXXX shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms and arrangements of this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall, if requested by the Placement Agent, make or authorize Placement Agent’s counsel to make on the Company’s behalf, any filing with the FINRA Corporate Financing Department pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 with respect to the Placement and pay all filing fees required in connection therewith.
S. Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Placement Agent such further information, certificates and documents as the Placement Agent may reasonably request.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 8 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement, or if any of the certificates, opinions, written statements or letters furnished to the Placement Agent or to Placement Agent’s counsel pursuant to this Section 8 shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Placement Agent and to Placement Agent’ counsel, all obligations of the Placement Agent hereunder may be cancelled by the Placement Agent at, or at any time prior to, the consummation of the Closing. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or orally. Any such oral notice shall be confirmed promptly thereafter in writing.
SECTION 9. [RESERVED].
SECTION 10. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed entirely in such State. This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without the prior written consent of the other party. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Any right to trial by jury with respect to any dispute arising under this Agreement or any transaction or conduct in connection herewith is waived. Any dispute arising under this Agreement may be brought into the courts of the State of New York or into the Federal Court located in New York, New York and, by execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company hereby accepts for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of aforesaid courts. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by delivering a copy thereof via overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. If either party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of a Transaction Document, then the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorney’s fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.
SECTION 11. ENTIRE AGREEMENT/MISC. This Agreement (including the attached Indemnification Provisions) embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, relating to the subject matter hereof. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect or any other provision of this Agreement, which will remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may not be amended or otherwise modified or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by the Placement Agent and the Company. The representations, warranties, agreements and covenants contained herein shall survive the closing of the Placement and delivery of the Securities. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or a .pdf format file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or .pdf signature page were an original thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the terms of the Engagement Agreement shall continue to be effective pursuant to the terms thereof.
SECTION 12. CONFIDENTIALITY. The Placement Agent (i) will keep the Confidential Information (as such term is defined below) confidential and will not (except as required by applicable law or stock exchange requirement, regulation or legal process (“Legal Requirement”)), without the Company’s prior written consent, disclose to any person any Confidential Information, and (ii) will not use any Confidential Information other than in connection with the Placement. The Placement Agent further agrees to disclose the Confidential Information only to its Representatives (as such term is defined below) who need to know the Confidential Information for the purpose of the Placement, and who are informed by the Placement Agent of the confidential nature of the Confidential Information. The term “Confidential Information” shall mean, all confidential, proprietary and non-public information (whether written, oral or electronic communications) furnished by the Company to a Placement Agent or its Representatives in connection with such Placement Agent’s evaluation of the Placement. The term “Confidential Information” will not, however, include information which (i) is or becomes publicly available other than as a result of a disclosure by a Placement Agent or its Representatives in violation of this Agreement, (ii) is or becomes available to a Placement Agent or any of its Representatives on a non-confidential basis from a third-party, (iii) is known to a Placement Agent or any of its Representatives prior to disclosure by the Company or any of its Representatives, or (iv) is or has been independently developed by a Placement Agent and/or the Representatives without use of any Confidential Information furnished to it by the Company. The term “Representatives” shall mean the Placement Agent’s directors, board committees, officers, employees, financial advisors, attorneys and accountants. This provision shall be in full force until the earlier of (a) the date that the Confidential Information ceases to be confidential and (b) two years from the date hereof. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, in the event that the Placement Agent or any of its Representatives are required by Legal Requirement to disclose any of the Confidential Information, such Placement Agent and its Representatives will furnish only that portion of the Confidential Information which such Placement Agent or its Representative, as applicable, is required to disclose by Legal Requirement as advised by counsel, and will use reasonable efforts to obtain reliable assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded the Confidential Information so disclosed.
SECTION 13. NOTICES. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (a) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is sent to the email address specified on the signature pages attached hereto prior to 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a business day, (b) the next business day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is sent to the email address on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a business day or later than 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any business day, (c) the third business day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. internationally recognized air courier service, or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages hereto.
SECTION 14. Press Announcements. The Company agrees that the Placement Agent shall, from and after any Closing, have the right to reference the Placement and the Placement Agent’s role in connection therewith in the Placement Agent’s marketing materials and on its website and to place advertisements in financial and other newspapers and journals, in each case at its own expense.
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Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth our agreement by signing and returning to Maxim the enclosed copy of this Agreement.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| MAXIM GROUP LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx | |
| Name: | Xxxxxx Xxxxx | |
| Title: | Co-Head of Investment Banking | |
| Address for notice: | ||
Accepted and Agreed to as of
the date first written above:
| DRAGANFLY INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx | |
| Name: | Xxxxxxx Xxxxx | |
| Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer | |
| Address for notice: | ||
[Signature Page to Placement Agency Agreement]
Schedule A
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Placement Agent, its affiliates and each person controlling the Placement Agent (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act), and the directors, officers, agents and employees of the Placement Agent, its affiliates and each such controlling person (the Placement Agent, and each such entity or person. an “Indemnified Person”) from and against any losses, claims, damages, judgments, assessments, costs and other liabilities (collectively, the “Liabilities”), and shall reimburse each Indemnified Person for all fees and expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of one counsel for all Indemnified Persons, except as otherwise expressly provided herein) (collectively, the “Expenses”) as they are incurred by an Indemnified Person in investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any Actions, whether or not any Indemnified Person is a party thereto, (i) caused by, or arising out of or in connection with, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Incorporated Document, the Prospectuses or any Prospectus Supplement or by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (other than untrue statements or alleged untrue statements in, or omissions or alleged omissions from, information relating to an Indemnified Person furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Indemnified Person expressly for use in the Incorporated Documents) or (ii) otherwise arising out of or in connection with advice or services rendered or to be rendered by any Indemnified Person pursuant to this Agreement, the transactions contemplated thereby or any Indemnified Person’s actions or inactions in connection with any such advice, services or transactions; provided, however, that, in the case of clause (ii) only, the Company shall not be responsible for any Liabilities or Expenses of any Indemnified Person that are finally judicially determined to have resulted solely from such Indemnified Person’s (x) gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with any of the advice, actions, inactions or services referred to above or (y) use of any offering materials or information concerning the Company in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities in the Offering which were not authorized for such use by the Company and which use constitutes gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Company also agrees to reimburse each Indemnified Person for all Expenses as they are incurred in connection with enforcing such Indemnified Person’s rights under this Agreement.
(b) Upon receipt by an Indemnified Person of actual notice of an Action against such Indemnified Person with respect to which indemnity may be sought under this Agreement, such Indemnified Person shall promptly notify the Company in writing; provided that failure by any Indemnified Person so to notify the Company shall not relieve the Company from any liability which the Company may have on account of this indemnity or otherwise to such Indemnified Person, except to the extent the Company shall have been prejudiced by such failure. The Company shall, if requested by the Placement Agent, assume the defense of any such Action including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent, which counsel may also be counsel to the Company. Any Indemnified Person shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless: (i) the Company has failed promptly to assume the defense and employ counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such action (including any impeded parties) include such Indemnified Person and the Company, and such Indemnified Person shall have been advised in the reasonable opinion of counsel that there is an actual conflict of interest that prevents the counsel selected by the Company from representing both the Company (or another client of such counsel) and any Indemnified Person; provided that the Company shall not in such event be responsible hereunder for the fees and expenses of more than one firm of separate counsel for all Indemnified Persons in connection with any action or related actions, in addition to any local counsel. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any action effected without its written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld). In addition, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Placement Agent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not such Indemnified Person is a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination includes an unconditional release of each Indemnified Person from all Liabilities arising out of such action for which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder. The indemnification required hereby shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as such expense, loss, damage or liability is incurred and is due and payable.
(c) In the event that the foregoing indemnity is unavailable to an Indemnified Person other than in accordance with this Agreement, the Company shall contribute to the Liabilities and Expenses paid or payable by such Indemnified Person in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and to the Placement Agent and any other Indemnified Person, on the other hand, of the matters contemplated by this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by the immediately preceding clause is not permitted by applicable law, not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Placement Agent and any other Indemnified Person, on the other hand, in connection with the matters as to which such Liabilities or Expenses relate, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided that in no event shall the Company contribute less than the amount necessary to ensure that all Indemnified Persons, in the aggregate, are not liable for any Liabilities and Expenses in excess of the amount of fees actually received by the Placement Agent pursuant to this Agreement. For purposes of this paragraph, the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and to the Placement Agent on the other hand, of the matters contemplated by this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as (a) the total value paid or contemplated to be paid to or received or contemplated to be received by the Company in the transaction or transactions that are within the scope of this Agreement, whether or not any such transaction is consummated, bears to (b) the fees paid to the Placement Agent under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the above, no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act, as amended, shall be entitled to contribution from a party who was not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation.
(d) The Company also agrees that no Indemnified Person shall have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract or tort or otherwise) to the Company for or in connection with advice or services rendered or to be rendered by any Indemnified Person pursuant to this Agreement, the transactions contemplated thereby or any Indemnified Person’s actions or inactions in connection with any such advice, services or transactions except for Liabilities (and related Expenses) of the Company that are finally judicially determined to have resulted solely from such Indemnified Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with any such advice, actions, inactions or services.
(e) The reimbursement, indemnity and contribution obligations of the Company set forth herein shall apply to any modification of this Agreement and shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any termination of, or the completion of any Indemnified Person’s services under or in connection with, this Agreement.
