FORM OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.22
FORM OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of [Date of Liquidity Event] (this “Agreement”), is by and among AdVen Inc., an Alberta corporation (“Company”), and each of the Holders listed on the signature pages hereto under the caption “Holders” (collectively, “Holders”). Except as otherwise specified herein or in the Exchange Agreement (defined below), all capitalized terms used in this Agreement are defined in Exhibit B attached hereto.
RECITALS:
A. The Company and the Holders are parties to that Agreement to Exchange dated as of May ___, 2023 (“Exchange Agreement”) pursuant to which the Holders acquired the Company’s Series A PIK Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock (“Series A Shares”), and Warrants (as such terms are defined in the Exchange Agreement).
B. As an inducement for the Holders to acquire the Series A Shares and Warrants, the Company has agreed to register the Registrable Securities (as defined below) pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
In consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties to this Agreement hereby agree as follows:
Section 1 Piggyback Registrations.
(a) Right to Piggyback.
(i) Whenever the Company is required or proposes to register any of its equity securities under the Securities Act (including primary and secondary registrations, and other than pursuant to an Excluded Registration) (“Piggyback Registration”), the Company will give at least fifteen (15) days prior written notice to all Holders of its intention to effect such Piggyback Registration and, subject to the terms of Section 1(b), will include in such Piggyback Registration (and in all related registrations or qualifications under blue sky laws and in any related underwriting) all Registrable Securities with respect to which the Company has received written requests for inclusion therein within ten (10) days after delivery of the Company’s notice. Such written requests for inclusion will inform the Company of the number of Registrable Securities such Holder wishes to include in such registration statement. If a Holder decides not to include all of its Registrable Securities in any registration statement thereafter filed by the Company, such Xxxxxx will nevertheless continue to have the right to include any Registrable Securities in any subsequent registration statement or registration statements as may be filed by the Company with respect to offerings of its securities, all upon the terms and conditions set forth herein. Any Participating Holders may withdraw its request for inclusion at any time prior to executing the underwriting agreement, or if none, prior to the applicable registration statement becoming effective.
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(ii) If a registration statement under which the Company gives notice under this section 1 is for an underwritten offering, then the Company will so advise the Holders of Registrable Securities. In such event, the right of any such Holder’s Registrable Securities to be included in a registration pursuant to this section 1 will be conditioned upon such Holder’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided herein. All Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through such underwriting will enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the managing underwriter or underwriter(s) selected for such underwriting. If any Holder disapproves of the terms of any such underwriting, such Holder may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice to the Company and the underwriter, delivered at least five (5) Business Days prior to the effective date of the registration statement. Any Registrable Securities excluded or withdrawn from such underwriting will be excluded and withdrawn from the registration but are eligible for a future registration. For any Holder which is a partnership or corporation, the partners, retired partners and shareholders of such Holder, or the estates and Family Group of any such partners and retired partners and any trusts for the benefit of any of the foregoing persons will be deemed to be a single ‘Holder,’ and any pro rata reduction with respect to such ‘Holder’ will be based upon the aggregate amount of shares carrying registration rights owned by all entities and individuals included in such ‘Holder,’ as defined in this sentence.
(b) Priority on Primary Registrations. If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten primary registration on behalf of the Company, and the managing underwriters advise the Company in writing that in their good faith opinion the number of securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without adversely affecting the marketability, proposed offering price, timing or method of distribution of the offering, the Company will include in such registration: (i) first, the securities the Company proposes to sell; (ii) second, any Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration by any Holder which, in the opinion of the underwriters, can be sold without any such adverse effect, pro rata among such Holders on the basis of the number of Registrable Securities owned by each such Holder; and (iii) third, other securities requested to be included in such registration which, in the opinion of the underwriters, can be sold without any such adverse effect.
(c) Priority on Secondary Registrations. If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten secondary registration on behalf of holders of the Company’s equity securities and the managing underwriters advise the Company in writing that in their good faith opinion the number of securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without adversely affecting the marketability, proposed offering price, timing or method of distribution of the offering, the Company will include in such registration: (i) first, the Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration, pro rata among the Participating Holders holding such Registrable Securities on the basis of the number of Registrable Securities owned by each such Participating Holders which, in the opinion of the underwriters, can be sold without any such adverse effect; and (ii) second, other securities requested to be included in such registration which, in the opinion of the underwriters, can be sold without any such adverse effect.
(d) Right to Terminate Registration. The Company will have the right to terminate or withdraw any registration initiated by it under this section 1, whether or not any holder of Registrable Securities has elected to include securities in such registration. The Company shall give prompt written notice of such termination to all Participating Holders.
(e) Selection of Underwriters. If any Piggyback Registration is an underwritten offering, the legal counsel for the Company, the investment banker(s) and manager(s) for the offering shall be selected by the Company.
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Section 2 Lock-Up/Leak Out Agreements.
(a) In connection with any underwritten Public Offering, each Holder will enter into any customary lock-up, holdback or similar agreements requested by the underwriter(s) managing such offering, in each case with such modifications and exceptions as may be approved by the Holders. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Holder hereby agrees that in connection with any Piggyback Registration that is an underwritten Public Offering, not to: (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (including sales pursuant to Rule 144), directly or indirectly, any equity securities of the Company (including equity securities of the Company that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by such Holder in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC) (collectively, “Shares”), or any securities, options or rights convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Shares (collectively, “Other Securities”); (ii) enter into a transaction which would have the same effect as described in clause (i) above; (iii) enter into any swap, hedge or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences or ownership of any Shares or Other Securities, whether such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such Shares or Other Securities, in cash or otherwise (each of (i), (ii) and (iii) above, a “Sale Transaction”); or (iv) publicly disclose the intention to enter into any Sale Transaction, commencing on the date on which the Company gives notice to the Holders that a preliminary prospectus has been circulated for such underwritten Public Offering or the ‘pricing’ of such offering and continuing to the date that is 180 days following the date of the final prospectus in the case of any other such underwritten Public Offering (such period, or such shorter period as agreed to by the managing underwriters, a “Leak-Out Period”); provided, however, that (a) all executive officers and directors of the Company then holding Common Shares of the Company shall enter into similar agreements; and (b) notwithstanding the foregoing, each Holder shall be entitled to sell, dispose, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate or enter into any such transaction to such effect, directly or indirectly (including, without limitation, any sales, short sales, swaps or any derivative transactions that would be equivalent to any sales or short positions) (each a “Disposition”), on any day during the Leak-Out Period (any such date, a “Date of Determination”), shares of unrestricted Common Shares equal to no more than ten percent (10%) of the trading volume of Common Shares as reported by Bloomberg, LP for the one (1) trading day immediately preceding the applicable Date of Determination. The Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to any Shares or Other Securities subject to the restrictions set forth in this section 2 until the end of such Leak-Out Period.
(b) The restrictions in the foregoing paragraph shall not apply to (a) any Disposition of Shares acquired in open market transactions following the closing of the Public Offering, provided the Disposition would not require any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act and no such filing is voluntarily made, (b) the conversion or exercise of outstanding Other Securities into Shares, provided that any such Shares received upon such conversion or exercise (as the case may be) shall be subject to the restrictions on Disposition set forth in this Leak-Out Agreement, or (c) the Disposition of Shares or any Other Security pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer for securities of the Company, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction that is approved by the board of directors of the Company, made to all holders of Common Shares involving a change of control (as defined below), provided that all of a Holder’s Relevant Securities shall remain subject to the restrictions herein. For purposes of the foregoing, “change of control” means any bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of affiliated persons, other than the Company, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of 50% or more of the total voting power of the voting stock of the Company (or the surviving entity). As used herein, the term “Relevant Security” or “Relevant Securities” means any Shares or any Other Securities or any warrant to purchase or any other security of the Company or any other entity that is convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for any other equity security of the Company, in each case owned beneficially or otherwise by the Holder on the date of closing of the Public Offering or acquired by the Holder during the Leak-Out Period.
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(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section or anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, each Holder may transfer such Holder’s Relevant Securities: (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts; (ii) to any immediate family member of the Holder, or to any trust, partnership, limited liability company or other legal entity commonly used for estate planning purposes which is established for the direct or indirect benefit of the Holder or a member or members of the immediate family of the Holder; (iii) if the Holder is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, (1) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is a direct or indirect Affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the Holder, (2) to partners, limited liability company members or stockholders of the Holder or holders of similar equity interests in the Holder, or (3) in connection with a sale, merger or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Holder or any other change of control of the Holder, not undertaken for the purpose of avoiding the restrictions imposed by this Section 2; (iv) if the Holder is a trust, to the trustee or beneficiary of such trust or to the estate of a beneficiary of such trust; (v) by testate or intestate succession; (vi) by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement; (vii) to the Holder’s Affiliates or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the Holder; and (viii) to the underwriters in a Public Offering.
Section 3 Registration Procedures.
(a) Company Obligations. If and whenever the Company causes the registration of any of its equity securities under the Securities Act (including primary and secondary registrations, and other than pursuant to an Excluded Registration) as provided in this Agreement, the Company will use its best efforts to effect the registration and the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof, and pursuant thereto the Company will as expeditiously as possible:
(i) prepare and file with (or submit confidentially to) the SEC a registration statement, and all amendments and supplements thereto and related prospectuses, with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective, all in accordance with the Securities Act and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (provided that before filing or confidentially submitting a registration statement or prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto, the Company will furnish to the counsel selected by the Holders covered by such registration statement copies of all such documents proposed to be filed or submitted, which documents will be subject to the review and comment of such counsel);
(ii) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such registration statement effective for a period ending when all of the securities covered by such registration statement have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of distribution by the sellers thereof set forth in such registration statement (but not in any event before the expiration of any longer period required under the Securities Act or, if such registration statement relates to an underwritten Public Offering, such longer period as in the opinion of counsel for the underwriters a prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with the sale of Registrable Securities by an underwriter or dealer) and comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such registration statement during such period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the sellers thereof set forth in such registration statement;
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(iii) furnish, without charge, to each seller of Registrable Securities thereunder and each underwriter, if any, such number of copies of such registration statement, each amendment and supplement thereto, the prospectus included in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus) (in each case including all exhibits and documents incorporated by reference therein), each amendment and supplement thereto, each Free Writing Prospectus and such other documents as such seller or underwriter, if any, may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such seller (the Company hereby consenting to the use in accordance with all applicable laws of each such registration statement, each such amendment and supplement thereto, and each such prospectus (or preliminary prospectus or supplement thereto) or Free Writing Prospectus by each such seller of Registrable Securities and the underwriters, if any, in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement or prospectus);
(iv) use its best efforts to register or qualify such Registrable Securities under such other securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any seller reasonably requests and do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such seller to consummate the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities owned by such seller (provided that the Company will not be required to: (A) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this subparagraph; (B) consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction; or (C) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction);
(v) notify in writing each seller of such Registrable Securities: (A) promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the date and time when such registration statement and each post-effective amendment thereto has become effective or a prospectus or supplement to any prospectus relating to a registration statement has been filed and when any registration or qualification has become effective under a state securities or blue sky law or any exemption thereunder has been obtained; (B) promptly after receipt thereof, of any request by the SEC for the amendment or supplementing of such registration statement or prospectus or for additional information; and (C) at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event or of any information or circumstances as a result of which the prospectus included in such registration statement contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits any fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and, if required by applicable law or to the extent requested by the Holders, the Company will use its best efforts to promptly prepare and file a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and (D) if at any time the representations and warranties of the Company in any underwriting agreement, securities sale agreement, or other similar agreement, relating to the offering shall cease to be true and correct;
(vi) use its best efforts to provide a transfer agent and registrar for all such Registrable Securities not later than the effective date of such registration statement;
(vii) enter into and perform such customary agreements (including, as applicable, underwriting agreements in customary form) and take all such other actions as the Holders or the underwriters, if any, reasonably request in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities (including, without limitation, making available the executive officers of the Company and participating in ‘road shows’, Holder presentations, marketing events and other selling efforts and effecting a stock or unit split or combination, recapitalization or reorganization);
(viii) make available for inspection by any seller of Registrable Securities, any underwriter participating in any disposition or sale pursuant to such registration statement and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any such seller or underwriter, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate and business documents and properties of the Company as will be necessary to enable them to exercise their due diligence responsibility, and cause the Company’s officers, directors, employees, agents, representatives and independent accountants to supply all information reasonably requested by any such seller, underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with such registration statement and the disposition of such Registrable Securities pursuant thereto;
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(ix) take all actions to ensure that any prospectus utilized in connection with any Piggyback Registration hereunder complies in all material respects with the Securities Act, is filed in accordance with the Securities Act to the extent required thereby, is retained in accordance with the Securities Act to the extent required thereby and, when taken together with the related prospectus, prospectus supplement and related documents, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(x) otherwise use its best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC, and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve (12) months beginning with the first day of the Company’s first full calendar quarter after the effective date of the registration statement, which earnings statement will satisfy the provisions of section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder;
(xi) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable the sellers thereof to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities;
(xii) if requested by any managing underwriter, include in any prospectus or prospectus supplement updated financial or business information for the Company’s most recent period or current quarterly period (including estimated results or ranges of results) if required for purposes of marketing the offering in the view of the managing underwriter;
(xiii) take no direct or indirect action prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that to the extent that any prohibition is applicable to the Company, the Company will take such action as is necessary to make any such prohibition inapplicable;
(xiv) use its best efforts to provide: (A) a legal opinion of the Company’s outside counsel, dated the effective date of such registration statement addressed to the Company; and (B) on the date that such Registrable Securities are delivered to the underwriters for sale in connection with a Piggy-Back Registration, if such securities are being sold through underwriters, or, if such securities are not being sold through underwriters, on the closing date of the applicable sale, (1) one or more legal opinions of the Company’s outside counsel, dated such date, in form and substance as customarily given to underwriters in an underwritten public offering or, in the case of a non-underwritten offering, to the broker, placement agent or other agent of the Holders assisting in the sale of the Registrable Securities, and (2) one or more ‘negative assurances letters’ of the Company’s outside counsel, dated such date, in form and substance as is customarily given to underwriters in an underwritten public offering or, in the case of a non-underwritten offering, to the broker, placement agent or other agent of the Holders assisting in the sale of the Registrable Securities, in each case, addressed to the underwriters, if any, or, if requested, in the case of a non-underwritten offering, to the broker, placement agent or other agent of the Holders assisting in the sale of the Registrable Securities, (3) a ‘comfort’ letter dated as of such date, from the independent certified public accountants of the Company, in form and substance as is customarily given by independent certified public accountants to underwriters in an underwritten public offering and reasonably satisfactory to a majority in interest of the Holders requesting registration, or, in the case of a non-underwritten offering, to the broker, placement agent or other agent of the Holders assisting in the sale of the Registrable Securities, in each case, addressed to the underwriters, if any, or, if requested, in the case of a non-underwritten offering, to the broker, placement agent or other agent of the Holders assisting in the sale of the Registrable Securities and to the Holders, and (4) customary certificates executed by authorized officers of the Company as may be requested by any Holder or any underwriter of such Registrable Securities;
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(b) Additional Information. The Company may require each seller of Registrable Securities as to which any registration is being effected to furnish the Company such information regarding such seller and the distribution of such securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing, as a condition to such seller’s participation in such registration.
(c) Other. To the extent that any of the Holders are or may be deemed to be an ‘underwriter’ of Registrable Securities pursuant to any SEC comments or policies, the Company agrees that: (i) the indemnification and contribution provisions contained in section 5 shall be applicable to the benefit of such Holders in their role as an underwriter or deemed underwriter in addition to their capacity as a Holder, and (ii) such Holders shall be entitled to conduct the due diligence which they would normally conduct in connection with an offering of securities registered under the Securities Act, including without limitation receipt of customary opinions and comfort letters addressed to such Holders.
Section 4 Registration Expenses.
Except as expressly provided herein, all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Company or any Holders in connection with the performance of or compliance with this Agreement and/or in connection with any Piggyback Registration, whether or not the same shall become effective, shall be paid by the Company, including, without limitation: (i) all registration and filing fees, and any other fees and expenses associated with filings required to be made with the SEC or FINRA; (ii) all fees and expenses in connection with compliance with any securities or ‘blue sky’ laws; (iii) all printing, duplicating, word processing, messenger, telephone, facsimile and delivery expenses (including expenses of printing certificates for the Registrable Securities in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company or other depositary and of printing prospectuses and Company Free Writing Prospectuses); (iv) all fees and disbursements of all independent certified public accountants of the Company (including the expenses of any special audit and cold comfort letters required by or incident to such performance); (v) Securities Act liability insurance or similar insurance if the Company so desires or the underwriters so require in accordance with then-customary underwriting practice; (vi) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange on which similar securities of the Company are then listed (or on which exchange the Registrable Securities are proposed to be listed); (vii) all applicable rating agency fees with respect to the Registrable Securities; (viii) all fees and disbursements of legal counsel for the Company; (ix) any fees and disbursements of underwriters customarily paid by issuers or sellers of securities; (x) all fees and expenses of any special experts or other Persons retained by the Company in connection with any Registration; (xi) all of the Company’s internal expenses (including all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties); and (xii) all expenses related to the ‘road-show’ for any underwritten offering, including all travel, meals and lodging. All such expenses are referred to herein as “Registration Expenses.” The Company shall not be required to pay, and each Person that sells securities pursuant to a Piggyback Registration hereunder will bear and pay, all underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Registrable Securities sold for such Person’s account and all transfer taxes (if any) attributable to the sale of Registrable Securities.
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Section 5 Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) By the Company. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by law and without limitation as to time, each Holder, such Holder’s affiliates and their respective officers, directors employees, agents, fiduciaries, stockholders, managers, partners, members, affiliates, direct and indirect equity holders, consultants and representatives, and any successors and assigns thereof, and each Person who controls such Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) (“Indemnified Parties”) against all losses, claims, actions, damages, liabilities and expenses (including with respect to actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, and including reasonable attorney fees and expenses) (collectively, “Losses”) caused by, resulting from, arising out of, based upon or related to any of the following (each, a “Violation”) by the Company: (i) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in: (A) any registration statement, prospectus, preliminary prospectus or Free-Writing Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or (B) any application or other document or communication (in this section 5, collectively called an “application”) executed by or on behalf of the Company or based upon written information furnished by or on behalf of the Company filed in any jurisdiction in order to qualify any securities covered by such registration under the “blue sky” or securities laws thereof; (ii) any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act or any other similar federal or state securities laws or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder applicable to the Company and relating to action or inaction required of the Company in connection with any such registration, qualification or compliance. In addition, the Company will reimburse such Indemnified Party for any legal or any other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating, defending or settling any such Losses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such Losses result from, arise out of, are based upon, or relate to an untrue statement, or omission, made in such registration statement, any such prospectus, preliminary prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any application, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information prepared and furnished in writing to the Company by such Indemnified Party expressly for use therein or by such Indemnified Party’s failure to deliver a copy of the registration statement or prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto after the Company has furnished such Indemnified Party with a sufficient number of copies of the same. In connection with an underwritten offering, the Company will indemnify such underwriters, their officers and directors, and each Person who controls such underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Indemnified Parties or as otherwise agreed to in the underwriting agreement executed in connection with such underwritten offering. Such indemnity and reimbursement of expenses shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Indemnified Party and shall survive the transfer of such securities by such seller.
(b) By Holders. In connection with any registration statement in which a Holder is participating, each such Holder will furnish to the Company in writing such information and affidavits as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such registration statement or prospectus and, to the extent permitted by law, will indemnify the Company, its officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives, and each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) against any Losses resulting from (as determined by a final and non-appealable judgment, order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction) any untrue statement of material fact contained in the registration statement, prospectus or preliminary prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information or affidavit so furnished in writing by such Holder expressly for use therein; provided that the obligation to indemnify will be individual, not joint and several, and pro-rata based on the number of Registrable Shares included in such registration statement for each Holder and will be limited to the net amount of proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such registration statement.
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(c) Claim Procedure. Any Person entitled to indemnification hereunder will: (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided that the failure to give prompt notice will impair any Person’s right to indemnification hereunder only to the extent such failure has prejudiced the indemnifying party); and (ii) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party will not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim will not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of any indemnified party a conflict of interest may exist between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties with respect to such claim or the indemnifying party. In such instance, the conflicted indemnified parties will have a right to retain one separate counsel, chosen by the majority of the conflicted indemnified parties involved in the indemnification and approved by the Holders, at the expense of the indemnifying party.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this section 5 is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to, or is insufficient to hold harmless, an indemnified party or is otherwise unenforceable with respect to any Loss referred to herein, then such indemnifying party will contribute to the amounts paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such Loss: (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party on the one hand and of the indemnified party on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Loss as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) of this Section 5(d) is not permitted by applicable law, then in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative fault but also the relative benefit of the Company on the one hand and of the sellers of Registrable Securities and any other sellers participating in the registration statement on the other in connection with the statement or omissions which resulted in such Losses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided that the maximum amount of liability in respect of such contribution will be individual, not joint and several, and pro-rata based on the number of Registrable Securities included in such registration statement for each Holder and shall be limited, in the case of each seller of Registrable Securities, to an amount equal to the net proceeds actually received by such seller from the sale of Registrable Securities effected pursuant to such registration. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and of the indemnified party will be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue (or, as applicable alleged) untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the indemnifying party or by the indemnified party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just or equitable if the contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account such equitable considerations. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the Losses referred to herein will be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending against any action or claim which is the subject hereof. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any Person who is not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(e) Release. No indemnifying party will, except with the consent of the indemnified party, consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement that does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a full and unconditional release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.
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(f) Non-exclusive Remedy; Survival. The indemnification and contribution provided for under this Agreement will be in addition to any other rights to indemnification or contribution that any indemnified party may have pursuant to law or contract (and the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be considered the indemnitors of first resort in all such circumstances to which this section 5 applies) and will remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director or controlling Person of such indemnified party and will survive the transfer of Registrable Securities and the termination or expiration of this Agreement.
Section 6 Cooperation with Underwritten Offerings.
No Person may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder unless such Person: (i) agrees to sell such Person’s securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Person or Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements (including, without limitation, pursuant to the terms of any over-allotment or ‘green shoe’ option requested by the underwriters; provided that no Holder will be required to sell more than the number of Registrable Securities such Holder has requested to include in such registration); and (ii) completes, executes and delivers all questionnaires, powers of attorney, stock powers, custody agreements, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents and agreements required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements or as may be reasonably requested by the Company and the lead managing underwriter(s). To the extent that any such agreement is entered into pursuant to, and consistent with, section 2, section 3 and/or this section 6, the respective rights and obligations created under such agreement will supersede the respective rights and obligations of the Holders, the Company and the underwriters created thereby with respect to such registration.
Section 7 Joinder.
The Holders or the Company may from time to time permit any Person who acquires Common Shares (or rights to acquire Common Shares) to become a party to this Agreement and to be entitled to and be bound by all of the rights and obligations as a Holder by obtaining a Joinder. Upon the execution and delivery of an executed joinder to this Agreement from such Person in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (“Joinder”) by such Person, the Common Shares held by such Person shall be considered to have Registrable Securities, and such Person shall be deemed the category of Holder (i.e. Holders), in each case as set forth on the signature page to such Joinder. For the avoidance of doubt, no Person shall be considered a Holder hereunder without execution of a Xxxxxxx and no assignment shall otherwise be permitted.
Section 8 General Provisions.
(a) Amendments and Waivers. Except as otherwise provided herein, the provisions of this Agreement may be amended, modified or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and the Holders holding shares of Registrable Securities representing a majority of all Registrable Securities; provided that no such amendment, modification or waiver that would treat a specific Holder or group of Holders of Registrable Securities (i.e., Other Holders) in a manner materially and adversely different than any other Holder or group of Holders will be effective against such Holder or group of Holders without the consent of the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities that are held by the group of Holders that is materially and adversely affected thereby. The failure or delay of any Person to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement will in no way be construed as a waiver of such provisions and will not affect the right of such Person thereafter to enforce each and every provision of this Agreement in accordance with its terms. A waiver or consent to or of any breach or default by any Person in the performance by that Person of his, her or its obligations under this Agreement will not be deemed to be a consent or waiver to or of any other breach or default in the performance by that Person of the same or any other obligations of that Person under this Agreement.
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(b) Remedies. The parties to this Agreement will be entitled to enforce their rights under this Agreement specifically (without posting a bond or other security), to recover damages caused by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights existing in their favor. The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that a breach of this Agreement would cause irreparable harm and money damages would not be an adequate remedy for any such breach and that, in addition to any other rights and remedies existing hereunder, any party will be entitled to seek specific performance and/or other injunctive relief from any court of law or equity of competent jurisdiction (without posting any bond or other security) in order to enforce or prevent violation of the provisions of this Agreement.
(c) Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be prohibited, invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or regulation in any jurisdiction, such prohibition, invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect the validity, legality or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement in such jurisdiction or in any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such prohibited, invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.
(d) Entire Agreement. Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement contains the complete agreement and understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and preempts any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties hereto, written or oral, which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way.
(e) Successors and Assigns. Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit and be enforceable by the Company and its successors and permitted assigns and the Holders (including, specifically, the Holders) and their respective successors and permitted assigns (whether so expressed or not).
(f) Notices. Any notice, demand or other communication to be given under or by reason of the provisions of this Agreement will be in writing and will be deemed to have been given: (i) when delivered personally to the recipient, (ii) when sent by confirmed electronic mail or facsimile if sent during normal business hours of the recipient; but if not, then on the next Business Day, (iii) one Business Day after it is sent to the recipient by reputable overnight courier service (charges prepaid) or (iv) four Business Days after it is mailed to the recipient by first class mail, return receipt requested. Such notices, demands and other communications will be sent to the Company at the address specified on the signature page hereto or any Joinder and to any Holder, or at such address or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has specified by prior written notice to the sending party. Any party may change such party’s address for receipt of notice by giving prior written notice of the change to the sending party as provided herein. The Company’s address is:
Suite 0000, 000 – 0xx Xxxxxx S.W.
Calgary, Alberta,
Canada T2P 3N3
Attention: R. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, CFO
With a copy to:
Carmel, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP
00 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
New York, NY 10018
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxx, Esq.
(g) Business Days. If any time period for giving notice or taking action hereunder expires on a day that is not a Business Day, the time period will automatically be extended to the Business Day immediately following such Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.
(h) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Agreement.
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(i) No Recourse. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company and each Holder agrees and acknowledges that no recourse under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection with this Agreement, will be had against any current or future director, officer, employee, general or limited partner or member of any Holder or any Affiliate or assignee thereof, whether by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding, or by virtue of any statute, regulation or other applicable law, it being expressly agreed and acknowledged that no personal liability whatsoever will attach to, be imposed on or otherwise be incurred by any current or future officer, agent or employee of any Holder or any current or future member of any Holder or any current or future director, officer, employee, partner or member of any Holder or of any Affiliate or assignee thereof, as such for any obligation of any Holder under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection with this Agreement for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation.
(j) Descriptive Headings; Interpretation. The descriptive headings of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and do not constitute a part of this Agreement. The use of the word ‘including’ in this Agreement will be by way of example rather than by limitation.
(k) No Strict Construction. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties hereto to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction will be applied against any party.
(l) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, any one of which need not contain the signature of more than one party, but all such counterparts taken together will constitute one and the same agreement.
(m) Electronic Delivery. This Agreement, the agreements referred to herein, and each other agreement or instrument entered into in connection herewith or therewith or contemplated hereby or thereby, and any amendments hereto or thereto, to the extent executed and delivered by means of a photographic, photostatic, facsimile or similar reproduction of such signed writing using a facsimile machine or electronic mail will be treated in all manner and respects as an original agreement or instrument and will be considered to have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in person. No party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument will raise the use of a facsimile machine or electronic mail to deliver a signature or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through the use of a facsimile machine or electronic mail as a defense to the formation or enforceability of a contract and each such party forever waives any such defense.
(n) Further Assurances. In connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, each Holder agrees to execute and deliver any additional documents and instruments and perform any additional acts that may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate and perform the provisions of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.
(o) Dividends, Recapitalizations, Etc. If at any time or from time to time there is any change in the capital structure of the Company by way of a stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification, or through a merger, consolidation, reorganization or recapitalization, or by any other means, appropriate adjustment will be made in the provisions hereof so that the rights and privileges granted hereby will continue.
(p) No Third-Party Beneficiaries. No term or provision of this Agreement is intended to be, or shall be, for the benefit of any Person not a party hereto, and no such other Person shall have any right or cause of action hereunder, except as otherwise expressly provided herein.
(q) Current Public Information. At all times after the Company has filed a registration statement with the SEC pursuant to the requirements of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, the Company will file all reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and will take such further action as the Holders may reasonably request, all to the extent required to enable such Holders to sell Registrable Securities pursuant to Rule 144.
(r) Costs and Attorneys’ Fees. In the event any action, suit or other proceeding is instituted concerning or arising out of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereunder, the prevailing party will recover all of such party’s costs and attorneys’ fees incurred in each such action, suit or other proceeding, including any and all appeals or petitions therefrom.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.
| ADVEN INC. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | R. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer | |
[SIGNATURE PAGE OF HOLDERS FOLLOWS]
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[SIGNATURE PAGE OF HOLDERS]
Name of Holder: __________________________
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Holder: __________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory: _________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory: __________________________
[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]
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EXHIBIT B
DEFINITIONS
Capitalized terms used in this Agreement have the meanings set forth below.
“Affiliate” of any Person means any other Person controlled by, controlling or under common control with such Person and, in the case of an individual, also includes any member of such individual’s Family Group. As used in this definition, ‘control’ (including, with its correlative meanings, ‘controlling’, ‘controlled by’ and ‘under common control with’) will mean possession, directly or indirectly, of power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies (whether through ownership of securities, by contract or otherwise).
“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the first paragraph of this document on page 1.
“Business Day” means a day that is not a Saturday or Sunday or a day on which banks in New York City are authorized or requested by law to close.
“Common Shares” means the Company’s Common Shares.
“Company” has the meaning set forth in the first paragraph of this Agreement and shall include its successor(s).
“Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, or any successor federal law then in force, together with all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Excluded Registration” means any registration of equity securities of the Company solely for a Company sponsored employee benefit plan.
“Family Group” means with respect to any individual, such individual’s current or former spouse, their respective parents, descendants of such parents (whether natural or adopted) and the spouses of such descendants, any trust, limited partnership, corporation or limited liability company established solely for the benefit of such individual or such individual’s current or former spouse, their respective parents, descendants of such parents (whether natural or adopted) or the spouses of such descendants.
“FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
“Free Writing Prospectus” means a free-writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405.
“Holder” means a holder of Registrable Securities who is a party to this Agreement (including by way of Joinder).
“Indemnified Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
“Holders” has the meaning set forth in the first paragraph of this Agreement. recitals. Any decision to be made under this Agreement by the Holders shall be made by the Holders holding a majority of the Registrable Securities held by the Holders.
“Joinder” has the meaning set forth in section 7.
“Losses” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Other Holders” has the meaning set forth in section 8(a).
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“Participating Holders” means any Holders participating in the request for a Piggyback Registration.
“Person” means an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization and a governmental entity or any department, agency or political subdivision thereof.
“Piggyback Registrations” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(a).
“Public Offering” means any sale or distribution by the Company, one of its Subsidiaries and/or Holders to the public of Common Shares or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares pursuant to an offering registered under the Securities Act.
“Registrable Securities” means, as of any date of determination, (a) all Conversion Shares (assuming on such date the Series A Shares are converted in full without regard to any exercise limitations therein), (b) all Warrant Shares (assuming on such date the Warrants are exercised in full without regard to any exercise limitations therein), (c) any additional Common Shares issued and issuable in connection with any anti-dilution provisions in the Series A Shares or Warrants (if any) (assuming on such date that the Series A Shares and Warrants are converted or exercised in full without regard to any exercise limitations therein), and (d) any securities issued or then issuable upon any share split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the foregoing; provided, however, that any such Registrable Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (and the Company shall not be required to maintain the effectiveness of any, or file another, Registration Statement hereunder with respect thereto) for so long as: (i) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such Registrable Securities is declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act and such Registrable Securities have been disposed of by the Holder in accordance with such effective Registration Statement, (ii) such Registrable Securities have been previously sold in accordance with Rule 144, or (iii) such securities become eligible for resale without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions and without current public information pursuant to Rule 144 as set forth in a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed, delivered and acceptable to the Transfer Agent and the affected Holders (assuming that such securities and any securities issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of which, or as a dividend upon which, such securities were issued or are issuable, were at no time held by any Affiliate of the Company, as reasonably determined by the Company, upon the advice of counsel to the Company.
“Registration Expenses” has the meaning set forth in section 4.
“Rule 144”, “Rule 158”, and “Rule 405”, mean, in each case, such rule promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor provision) by the SEC, as the same will be amended from time to time, or any successor rule then in force.
“SEC” means the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, or any successor federal law then in force, together with all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to the Company, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity of which: (i) if a corporation, a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of the Company or a combination thereof, or (ii) if a limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity, a majority of the limited liability company, partnership or other similar ownership interest thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company or one or more Subsidiaries of the Company or a combination thereof. For purposes hereof, a Person or Persons will be deemed to have a majority ownership interest in a limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity if such Person or Persons will be allocated a majority of limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity gains or losses or will be or control the managing director or general partner of such limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity.
“Violation” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
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