SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.1
This
Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”)
is
dated as of April 11, 2007, among Startech Environmental Corporation, a Colorado
corporation (the “Company”),
and
each purchaser identified on Schedule I attached hereto (each, including its
successors and assigns, a “Purchaser”
and
collectively the “Purchasers”).
WHEREAS,
subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and pursuant
to
Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”)
and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, the Company desires to issue and sell
to
each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to
purchase from the Company, securities of the Company as more fully described
in
this Agreement.
NOW,
THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement,
and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which
are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agree as
follows:
ARTICLE
I.
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Definitions
.
In
addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, for all purposes
of
this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section
1.1:
“Affiliate”
means
any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries,
controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person as such
terms are used in and construed under Rule 144 under the Securities Act. With
respect to a Purchaser, any investment fund or managed account that is managed
on a discretionary basis by the same investment manager as such Purchaser will
be deemed to be an Affiliate of such Purchaser.
“Business
Day”
means
any day except Saturday, Sunday, any day which shall be a federal legal holiday
in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State
of
New Jersey are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to
close.
“Class
A Warrant”
means
a
warrant in the form of Exhibit B to purchase shares of Common Stock of the
Company at a Warrant Exercise Price of $3.40.
“Class
B Warrant”
means
a
warrant in the form of Exhibit B to purchase shares of Common Stock of the
Company at a Warrant Exercise Price of $4.40.
“Closing”
means
the closing of the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to Section
2.1.
“Closing
Date”
means
the Trading Day when all of the Transaction Documents have been executed and
delivered by the applicable parties thereto, and all conditions precedent to
(i)
the Purchasers’ obligations to pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the
Company’s obligations to deliver the Securities have been satisfied or
waived.
“Closing
Price”
means
on any particular date (a) the last reported closing price per share of
Common Stock on such date on the Trading Market (as reported by Bloomberg L.P.
at 4:15 PM (New York time)), or (b) if there is no such price on such date,
then
the closing price on the Trading Market on the date nearest preceding such
date
(as reported by Bloomberg L.P. at 4:15 PM (New York time)), or (c) if the
Common Stock is not then listed or quoted on the Trading Market and if prices
for the Common Stock are then reported in the “pink sheets” published by Pink
Sheets LLC (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions
of
reporting prices), the most recent price per share of the Common Stock so
reported, or (d) if the shares of Common Stock are not then publicly traded
the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an appraiser
selected in good faith by the Purchasers of a majority in interest of the Shares
then outstanding.
“Commission”
means
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common
Stock”
means
the common stock of the Company, no par value per share, and any other class
of
securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed
into.
“Common
Stock Equivalents”
means
any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder
thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation,
any
debt, preferred stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is
at
any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise
entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.
“Disclosure
Schedules”
means
the Disclosure Schedules of the Company delivered concurrently herewith.
“Effective
Date”
means
the date that the initial Registration Statement filed by the Company pursuant
to the Registration Rights Agreement is first declared effective by the
Commission.
“Exempt
Issuance”
means
the issuance of (a) shares of Common Stock or options to employees, officers
or
directors of the Company pursuant to any stock option agreements existing on
the
date of this Agreement or any other stock or option plan duly adopted by a
majority of the non-employee members of the Board of Directors of the Company
or
a majority of the members of a committee of non-employee directors established
for such purpose, (b) securities upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion
of any Securities issued hereunder and/or other securities exercisable or
exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock issued and
outstanding on the date of this Agreement; provided
that
such securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to
increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise, exchange
or
conversion price of any such securities, (c) securities issued pursuant to
acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the
disinterested directors of the Company’s Board of Directors; provided
any such
issuance shall only be to a Person which is, itself or through its subsidiaries,
an operating company in a business synergistic with the business of the Company
and in which the Company
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receives
benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a
transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose
of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in
securities, and (d) shares of Common Stock issued to Cornell Capital Partners,
L.P. (”Cornell”)
pursuant to the Standby Equity Distribution Agreement (the “SEDA”)
entered into on or about the date hereof between the Company and
Cornell.
“Exchange
Act”
means
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
“GAAP”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).
“Indebtedness”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(aa).
“Intellectual
Property Rights”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(o).
“Legend
Removal Date”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.1(c).
“Liens”
means
a
lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive
right or other restriction.
“Material
Adverse Effect”
shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1(b).
“Material
Permits”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(m).
“Per
Share Purchase Price”
equals
$2.40, subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock
dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Common
Stock
that occur after the date of this Agreement.
“Person”
means
an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated
association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company,
government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any
kind.
“Proceeding”
means
an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without
limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition),
whether commenced or threatened.
“Purchaser
Party”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.9.
“Registration
Rights Agreement”
means
the Registration Rights Agreement among the Company and the Purchasers, in
the
form of Exhibit
A
attached
hereto.
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“Registration
Statement”
means
a
registration statement meeting the requirements set forth in the Registration
Rights Agreement and covering the resale by the Purchasers of the Shares and
the
Warrant Shares.
“Required
Approvals”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(e).
“Rule
144”
means
Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such
Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation
hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as
such
Rule.
“SEC
Reports”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).
“Securities”
means
the Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant Shares.
“Securities
Act”
means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
“Shares”
means
the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable to each Purchaser pursuant to
this
Agreement.
“Short
Sales”
shall
include all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the
Exchange Act (but
shall not be deemed to include the location and/or reservation of borrowable
shares of Common Stock).
“Subscription
Amount”
means,
as to each Purchaser, the aggregate amount to be paid for the Shares and
Warrants purchased hereunder as specified across from such Purchaser’s name on
Schedule I of this Agreement and next to the heading “Subscription Amount,” in
United States Dollars and in immediately available funds.
“Subsidiary”
means
any subsidiary of the Company as set forth on Schedule
3.1(a).
“Trading
Day”
means
a
day on which the Common Stock is traded on a Trading Market.
“Trading
Market”
means
the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted
for trading on the date in question: the American Stock Exchange, the New York
Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Capital Market, or the
National Association of Securities Dealers’ OTC Bulletin Board.
“Transaction
Documents”
means
this Agreement, the Warrants and the Registration Rights Agreement and any
other
documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereunder.
“Warrants”
means
the Class A Warrants and the Class B Warrants.
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“Warrant
Shares”
means
the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.
ARTICLE II.
PURCHASE
AND SALE
2.1 Closing.
On the
Closing Date, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein,
substantially concurrent with the execution and delivery of this Agreement
by
the parties hereto, the Company agrees to sell, and the Purchasers agree to
purchase, severally and not jointly, in the aggregate, $2,000,000 of Shares
and
Warrants. Each Purchaser shall deliver to the Company via wire transfer or
a
certified check immediately available funds equal to their Subscription Amount
and the Company shall deliver to each Purchaser their respective Shares and
Warrants, as
determined pursuant to Section 2.2(a) and the other items set forth in Section
2.2 issuable at the Closing. Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth
in
Sections 2.2 and 2.3, the Closing shall occur at the offices of the Purchaser,
or such other location as the parties shall mutually agree.
2.2 Deliveries
(a) On
or
prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered
to
each Purchaser the following:
(i) this
Agreement duly executed by the Company;
(ii) a
legal
opinion of counsel to the Company, in the form of Exhibit
B
attached
hereto;
(iii) a
copy of
the irrevocable instructions to the Company’s transfer agent instructing the
transfer agent to deliver a certificate evidencing a number of Shares equal
to
such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount divided by the Per Share Purchase Price,
registered in the name of such Purchaser;
(iv) Warrants
registered in the name of such Purchaser to purchase up to a number of shares
of
Common Stock set forth next to such Purchaser’s name in column (4) and (5) of
Schedule I attached hereto; and
(v) the
Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by the Company.
(b) On
or
prior to the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered
to the Company (except as noted) the following:
(i) this
Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser;
(ii) such
Purchaser’s Subscription Amount by wire transfer to the Company, as set forth
above; and
(iii) the
Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser.
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2.3 Closing
Conditions.
(a) The
obligations of the Company hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject
to the following conditions being met:
(i) the
accuracy in all material respects when made and on the Closing Date of the
representations and warranties of the Purchasers contained herein;
(ii) all
obligations, covenants and agreements of the Purchasers required to be performed
at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;
and
(iii) the
delivery by the Purchasers of the items set forth in Section 2.2(b) of this
Agreement.
(b) The
respective obligations of the Purchasers hereunder in connection with the
Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:
(i) the
accuracy in all material respects on the Closing Date of the representations
and
warranties of the Company contained herein;
(ii) all
obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed
at
or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;
(iii) the
delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.2(a) of this
Agreement;
(iv) there
shall have been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company since
the
date hereof; and
(v) from
the
date hereof to the Closing Date, trading in the Common Stock shall not have
been
suspended by the Commission or the Company’s principal Trading Market (except
for any suspension of trading of limited duration agreed to by the Company,
which suspension shall be terminated prior to the Closing), and, at any time
prior to the Closing Date, trading in securities generally as reported by
Bloomberg Financial Markets shall not have been suspended or limited, or minimum
prices shall not have been established on securities whose trades are reported
by such service, or on any Trading Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have
been declared either by the United States or New York State authorities nor
shall there have occurred any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities
or
other national or international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on,
or
any material adverse change in, any financial market which, in each case, in
the
reasonable judgment of each Purchaser, makes it impracticable or inadvisable
to
purchase the Shares and the Warrants at the Closing.
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ARTICLE
III.
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
3.1 Representations
and Warranties of the Company.
Except
as
set forth in the SEC Documents or under the corresponding section of the
Disclosure Schedules which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof
and to qualify any representation or warranty otherwise made herein to the
extent of such disclosure, the Company hereby makes the representations and
warranties set forth below to each Purchaser:
(a) Subsidiaries.
All of
the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company are set forth on
Schedule
3.1(a).
The
Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity
interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all the issued
and
outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and
are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to
subscribe for or purchase securities.
(b) Organization
and Qualification.
The
Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (as applicable), with the
requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and
to
carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary is in violation or default of any of the provisions of its respective
certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or
charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified
to
conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other
entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or
property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the
failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not
have or reasonably be expected to result in (i) a material adverse effect on
the
legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a
material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business or
condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken
as
a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform
in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction
Document (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material
Adverse Effect”)
and no
Proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting
or
curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority
or
qualification.
(c) Authorization;
Enforcement.
The
Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to
consummate the transactions contemplated by each of the Transaction Documents
and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The
execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents 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, its Board of Directors or its
stockholders in connection therewith other than in connection with the Required
Approvals. Each Transaction Document has been (or upon delivery will have been)
duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms
hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the
Company enforceable
7
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.
(d) No
Conflicts.
The
execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company,
the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation by the Company of
the
other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby 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) subject to the Required Approvals,
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.
(e) Filings,
Consents and Approvals.
The
Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order
of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court
or
other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other Person
in
connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the
Transaction Documents, other than (i) filings required pursuant to Section
4.4
of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, (ii) the filing with
the Commission of the Registration Statement, (iii) application(s) to each
applicable Trading Market for the listing of the Securities for trading thereon
in the time and manner required thereby, and (iv) the filing of Form D with
the
Commission and such filings as are required to be made under applicable state
securities laws (collectively, the “Required
Approvals”).
(f) Issuance
of the Securities.
The
Shares are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with
the
applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other
than
restrictions on transfer provided for in the Transaction Documents. The Warrant
Shares, when issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Transaction
Documents, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear
of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Company has reserved from
its
8
duly
authorized capital stock the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable
pursuant to this Agreement and the Warrants.
(g) Capitalization.
As of
the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of
800,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 10,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock,
no
par value (“Preferred
Stock”)
of
which 21,465,919 shares of Common Stock and no shares of Preferred Stock are
issued and outstanding. All of such outstanding shares have been validly issued
and are fully paid and nonassessable. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports,
the Company has not issued any capital stock since its most
recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, other
than pursuant to the exercise of stock options under the Company’s stock option
plans, the issuance of shares of Common Stock to employees pursuant to the
Company’s employee stock purchase plan and pursuant to the conversion or
exercise of Common Stock Equivalents outstanding as of the date of the most
recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act. No Person has any right
of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar
right
to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
Except as set forth in the SEC Reports or as a result of the purchase and sale
of the Securities, there are no outstanding options, warrants, script rights
to
subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to,
or
securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire,
any shares of Common Stock, or contracts, commitments, understandings or
arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound
to
issue additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents. The
issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company to issue
shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the
Purchasers) and will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities
to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under any of such
securities. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance
with all applicable federal and state securities laws, and none of such
outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar
rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. No further approval or
authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors of the Company or
others is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities. There are no
stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with
respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to
the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s
stockholders.
(h) SEC
Reports; Financial Statements.
Except
as set forth in the Disclosure Schedules, the Company has filed all reports,
schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it
under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section
13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the two years preceding the date hereof (or such
shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such
material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents
incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as
the
“SEC
Reports”)
on a
timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has
filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As
of
their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with
the requirements
9
of
the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports,
when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they
were made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company included
in
the SEC Reports comply in all material respects with applicable accounting
requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect
thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such financial statements have
been
prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting
principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved
(“GAAP”),
except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes
thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all
footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the
financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of and
for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the
periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal,
immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.
(i) Material
Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments.
Since
the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC
Reports, except as specifically disclosed in a subsequent SEC Report, (i) there
has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that would
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company
has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade
payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected
in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or disclosed in filings
made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of
accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or
distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased,
redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital
stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer,
director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans.
The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for
confidential treatment of information. Except for the issuance of the Securities
contemplated by this Agreement or as set forth on Schedule
3.1(i),
no
event, liability or development has occurred or exists with respect to the
Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective business, properties, operations
or financial condition, that would be required to be disclosed by the Company
under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made that
has not been publicly disclosed at least one (1) Trading Day prior to the date
that this representation is made.
(j) Litigation.
There
is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation
pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting
the
Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by
any
court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority
(federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”)
which
(i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability
of
any of the Transaction Documents or the Securities or (ii) would, if there
were
an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or
officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any
10
Action
involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities
laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the
knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any
investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former
director or officer of the Company. The Commission has not issued any stop
order
or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed
by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.
(k) Labor
Relations.
Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is involved in any labor dispute nor,
to
the knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, is any such dispute
threatened. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of
a union and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relations with
their employees are good.
(l) Compliance.
Neither
the Company nor any Subsidiary (i) is in default under or in violation of (and
no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of
time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under),
nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is
in
default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit
agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by
which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or
violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any order of any court,
arbitrator or governmental body, or (iii) is or has been in violation of any
statute, rule or regulation of any governmental authority, including without
limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws applicable to its business
and all such laws that affect the environment, except in each case as would
not
have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(m) Regulatory
Permits.
The
Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and
permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory
authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in
the
SEC Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits would not have
or
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (“Material
Permits”),
and
neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings
relating to the revocation or modification of any Material Permit.
(n) Title
to Assets.
The
Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to
all
real property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company
and
the Subsidiaries and good and marketable title in all personal property owned
by
them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries,
in
each case free and clear of all Liens, except for Liens as do not materially
affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the
use
made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the
Subsidiaries and Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, the
payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real
property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries
are
held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the
Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with such
11
exceptions
as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to
be
made of such property and buildings by the Company and its
Subsidiaries.
(o) Patents
and Trademarks.
To the
knowledge of the Company, the Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have
adequate rights or licenses to use, all patents, patent applications,
trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets,
inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and
similar rights necessary or material for use in connection with their respective
businesses as described in the SEC Reports and which the failure to so have
would have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual
Property Rights”).
Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or
otherwise) that the Intellectual Property Rights used by the Company or any
Subsidiary violates or infringes upon the rights of any Person. To the knowledge
of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there
is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual
Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security
measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their
intellectual properties, except where failure to do so would not, individually
or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(p) Insurance.
The
Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial
responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent
and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are
engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance
coverage at least equal to the aggregate Subscription Amount. Neither the
Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able
to
renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or
to
obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue
its business without a significant increase in cost.
(q) Transactions
With Affiliates and Employees.
Except
as set forth in the SEC Reports, none of the officers or directors of the
Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the
Company is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any
Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors),
including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the
furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal
property to or from, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer,
director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in
which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest
or
is an officer, director, trustee or partner, in each case in excess of $60,000
other than (i) for payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered,
(ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii)
for
other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock
option plan of the Company.
(r) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx;
Internal Accounting Controls.
The
Company is in material compliance with all provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act
of 2002 which are applicable to it as of the Closing Date. The
Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i)
12
transactions
are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations,
(ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability, (iii)
access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or
specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is
compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action
is taken with respect to any differences. The Company has established disclosure
controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and
15d-15(e)) for the Company and designed such disclosure controls and procedures
to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the
reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed,
summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s
rules and forms. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the
effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of the end
of the period covered by the Company’s most recently filed periodic report under
the Exchange Act (such date, the “Evaluation
Date”).
The
Company presented in its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange
Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the
disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the
Evaluation Date. Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no changes in the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in
the Exchange Act) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to
materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial
reporting.
(s) Certain
Fees.
No
brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company
to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent,
investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions
contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Purchasers shall have no
obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or
on
behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that
may
be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
Documents.
(t) Private
Placement.
Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers representations and warranties set
forth
in Section 3.2, no registration under the Securities Act is required for the
offer and sale of the Securities by the Company to the Purchasers as
contemplated hereby. The issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does
not
contravene the rules and regulations of the Trading Market.
(u) Investment
Company.
The
Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of
payment for the Securities, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment
company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become
subject to the Investment Company Act.
(v) Registration
Rights.
Except
as set forth in the Disclosure Schedules, other than each of the Purchasers,
no
Person has any right to cause the Company to effect the registration under
the
Securities Act of any securities of the Company.
13
(w) Listing
and Maintenance Requirements.
The
Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange
Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge
is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common
Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification
that
the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. The Company
has
not, in the twelve (12) months preceding the date hereof, received notice from
any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is or has been listed or quoted
to
the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance
requirements of such Trading Market. The Company is, and has no reason to
believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance
with all such listing and maintenance requirements.
(x) Disclosure.
Except
with respect to the terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by
the
Transaction Documents, the Company confirms that, neither it nor any other
Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Purchasers or their agents
or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute
material, non-public information. The Company understands and confirms that
the
Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions
in securities of the Company. All disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the
Company to the Purchasers regarding the Company, its business and the
transactions contemplated hereby, including the Disclosure Schedules to this
Agreement, with respect to the representations and warranties made herein are
true and correct with respect to such representations and warranties and do
not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company
acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes or has made any representations
or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than
those specifically set forth in Section 3.2 hereof.
(y) No
Integrated Offering.
Assuming
the accuracy of the Purchasers’ representations and warranties set forth in
Section 3.2, and except for the SEDA, neither the Company, nor any of its
Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or
indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers
to
buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the
Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes
of
the Securities Act or any applicable shareholder approval provisions of any
Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or
designated.
(z) Solvency.
The
Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe
that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or
reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date.
The SEC Reports set forth as of the dates thereof all outstanding secured and
unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the
Company or any Subsidiary has commitments. For the purposes of this Agreement,
“Indebtedness”
shall
mean (a) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $50,000
(other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business),
(b) all guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect
of
Indebtedness of
14
others,
whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s balance
sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable
instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary
course of business; and (c) the present value of any lease payments
in excess of $50,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance
with GAAP. Neither
the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any
Indebtedness.
(aa) Tax
Status.
Except
for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably
be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each
Subsidiary has filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and
franchise tax returns and has paid or accrued all taxes shown as due thereon,
and the Company has no knowledge of a tax deficiency which has been asserted
or
threatened against the Company or any Subsidiary, in each case except taxes
being contested in good faith where an appropriate reserve has been
established.
(bb) No
General Solicitation.
Neither
the Company nor any person acting on behalf of the Company has offered or sold
any of the Securities by any form of general solicitation or general
advertising. The Company has offered the Securities for sale only to the
Purchasers and certain other “accredited investors” within the meaning of Rule
501 under the Securities Act.
(cc) Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act.
Neither
the Company, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any agent or other person
acting on behalf of the Company, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds
for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses
related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful
payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any
foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii)
failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company (or made by any
person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation
of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
(dd) Reserved.
(ee) Acknowledgment
Regarding Purchasers’ Purchase of Securities.
The
Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Purchasers is acting solely
in
the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction
Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby. The Company further
acknowledges that no Purchaser is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary
of
the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction
Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby and any advice given by
any
Purchaser or any of their respective representatives or agents in connection
with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby is
merely incidental to the Purchasers’ purchase of the Securities. The Company
further represents to each Purchaser that the Company’s decision to enter into
this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents has been based solely on
the
independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company
and its representatives.
15
(ff) Acknowledgement
Regarding Purchasers’ Trading Activity; No Holding Period
Representation.
The
Company expressly recognizes and acknowledges that any Shares or Warrant Shares
obtained or acquired by the Purchasers pursuant to this Agreement or the
Transaction Documents may be sold or otherwise traded by the Purchasers at
any
time in accordance with federal and state securities laws, and that the decision
to trade such shares is within the sole discretion of the Purchasers. The
Purchasers have made no contrary representations to the Company with regard
to
any securities contemplated by, or obtained or acquired pursuant, to this
Agreement or the Transaction Documents, or concerning or relating to the length
of time it intends to hold any such security obtained or acquired. The Company
acknowledges that such aforementioned trading activities by the Purchasers
do
not constitute a breach by the Purchasers of any of the Transaction
Documents.
(gg) Manipulation
of Price.
The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has,
(i)
taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in
the
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to
facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for,
purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the
Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for
soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company.
3.2 Representations
and Warranties of the Purchasers
.
Each
Purchaser hereby, for itself and for no other Purchaser, represents and warrants
as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as
follows:
(a) Organization;
Authority.
Such
Purchaser is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization with full right,
corporate or partnership power and authority to enter into and to consummate
the
transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry
out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution, delivery and
performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or similar action on the
part of such Purchaser. Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has
been duly executed by such Purchaser, and when delivered by such Purchaser
in
accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and legally binding
obligation of such Purchaser, enforceable against it 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.
(b) Non-Contravention.
The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by such Purchaser, and
the
consummation by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated hereby, do
not
(i) contravene or conflict with the organizational documents of such Purchaser;
(ii) constitute a violation of any provision of any federal, state, local or
foreign law, rule, regulation, order or decree applicable to such
16
Purchaser;
or (iii) constitute a default or require any consent under, give rise to any
right of termination, cancellation or acceleration of, or to a loss of any
material benefit to which such Purchaser is entitled under, or result in the
creation or imposition of any lien, claim or encumbrance on any asset of the
such Purchaser under any material contract to which such Purchaser is a party
or
any material permit, license or similar right relating to such Purchaser or
by
which such Purchaser may be bound or affected.
(c) Litigation.
Such
Purchaser is not a party to or subject to the provisions of, any order, writ,
injunction, judgment or decree of any court or government agency or
instrumentality that is reasonably likely to prevent, enjoin, alter, challenge
or delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(d) Own
Account.
Such
Purchaser understands that the Securities are “restricted securities” and have
not been registered under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities
law and is acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account and not
with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Securities or any part
thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities
law, has no present intention of distributing any of such Securities in
violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and
has
no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other persons
to
distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities (this representation
and warranty not limiting such Purchaser’s right to sell the Securities pursuant
to the Registration Statement or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal
and state securities laws) in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable
state securities law. Such Purchaser is acquiring the Securities hereunder
in
the ordinary course of its business.
(e) Purchaser
Status.
At the
time such Purchaser was offered the Securities, it was, and at the date hereof
it is, and on each date on which it exercises any Warrants, it will be either:
(i) an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3),
(a)(7) or (a)(8) under the Securities Act or (ii) a “qualified institutional
buyer” as defined in Rule 144A(a) under the Securities Act. Such Purchaser is
not required to be registered as a broker-dealer under Section 15 of the
Exchange Act.
(f) Experience
of Such Purchaser.
Such
Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such
knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters
so as
to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment
in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment.
Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the
Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such
investment.
(g) General
Solicitation.
Such
Purchaser is not purchasing the Securities as a result of any advertisement,
article, notice or other communication regarding the Securities published in
any
newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio
or
presented at any seminar or any other general solicitation or general
advertisement.
17
(h) Short
Sales and Confidentiality Prior To The Date Hereof.
Other
than the transaction contemplated hereunder, such Purchaser has not directly
or
indirectly, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any
understanding with such Purchaser, executed any disposition, including Short
Sales, in the securities of the Company during the period commencing
from
the time
that such Purchaser first received a term sheet (written or oral) from the
Company or any other Person setting forth the material terms of the transactions
contemplated hereunder until the date hereof (“Discussion
Time”).
With
respect to each Purchaser, neither
the Purchaser nor any of its Affiliates have an open short position in the
Common Stock of the Company, and each Purchaser agrees that it shall not, and
that it will cause its Affiliates not to, engage in any Short Sales of or
hedging transactions with respect to the Common Stock as long as they hold
any
Securities. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment
vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such
Purchaser's assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the
investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions
of
such Purchaser's assets, the representation set forth above shall only apply
with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that
made
the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this
Agreement.
(i) Restricted
Securities.
Such
Purchaser understands that the Securities have not been, and will not upon
issuance be, registered under the Securities Act and such Purchaser will not
sell, offer to sell, assign, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise transfer any
of
the Securities unless (i) pursuant to an effective registration statement under
the Securities Act, (ii) such Purchaser provides the Company with an opinion
of
counsel, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company, to the effect that
a
sale, assignment or transfer of the Securities may be made without registration
under the Securities Act and the transferee agrees to be bound by the terms
and
conditions of this Agreement, or (iii) such Purchaser provides the Company
with
reasonable assurances (in the form of seller and broker representation letters)
that the Shares or the Warrant Shares, as the case may be, can be sold pursuant
to (A) Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, as such rule may be
amended from time to time, or (B) Rule 144(k) promulgated under the Securities
Act, in each case, following the applicable holding period set forth
therein.
ARTICLE
IV.
OTHER
AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES
4.1 Transfer
Restrictions.
(a) The
Securities may only be disposed of in compliance with state and federal
securities laws. In connection with any transfer of Securities other than
pursuant to an effective registration statement or Rule 144, to the Company
or
to an Affiliate of a Purchaser or in connection with a pledge as contemplated
in
Section 4.1(b), the Company may require the transferor thereof to provide to
the
Company an opinion of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably
acceptable to the Company, the form and substance of which opinion shall be
reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does
not require registration of such transferred Securities under the Securities
Act. As a condition of transfer, any such transferee shall agree in writing
to
be
18
bound
by
the terms of this Agreement and shall have the rights of a Purchaser under
this
Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
(b) The
Purchasers agree to the imprinting, so long as is required by this Section
4.1(b), of a legend on any of the Securities in the following form:
THESE
SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM
REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES
ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN
EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN
AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE
SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR
TO
SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE
COMPANY.
(c) Other
than certificates representing Shares or Warrant Shares held by Affiliates
of
the Company, certificates evidencing the Shares and Warrant Shares shall not
contain any legend (including the legend set forth in Section 4.1(b)), (i)
while
a registration statement (including the Registration Statement) covering the
resale of such security is effective under the Securities Act, (ii) following
any sale of such Shares or Warrant Shares pursuant to Rule 144, (iii) if such
Shares or Warrant Shares are eligible for sale under Rule 144(k), or (iv) if
such legend is not required under applicable requirements of the Securities
Act
(including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff
of
the Commission). The Company shall cause its counsel to issue a legal opinion
to
the Company’s transfer agent promptly after the Effective Date if required by
the Company’s transfer agent to effect the removal of the legend hereunder. If
all or any portion of a Warrant is exercised by a Purchaser that is not an
Affiliate of the Company (a “Non-Affiliated
Purchaser”)
at a
time when there is an effective registration statement to cover the resale
of
the Warrant Shares, such Warrant Shares shall be issued free of all legends.
The
Company agrees that following the Effective Date or at such time as such legend
is no longer required under this Section 4.1(c), it will use its best efforts
to, no later than three (3) Trading Days following the delivery by a
Non-Affiliated Purchaser to the Company or the Company’s transfer agent of a
certificate representing Shares or Warrant Shares, as the case may be, issued
with a restrictive legend (such third Trading Day, the “Legend
Removal Date”),
deliver or cause to be delivered to such Non-Affiliated Purchaser a certificate
representing such shares that is free from all restrictive and other legends.
The Company may not make any notation on its records or give instructions to
any
transfer agent of the Company that expand the restrictions on transfer set
forth
in this Section. Certificates for Securities subject to legend removal hereunder
shall be transmitted by the transfer agent of the Company to such Purchasers
by
crediting the account of such Purchaser’s prime broker with the Depository Trust
Company
19
System.
The Purchasers’ acknowledge that the Company’s agreement hereunder to remove all
legends from Shares or Warrant Shares is not an affirmative statement or
representation that such Shares or Warrant Shares are freely
tradeable.
(d) Each
Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, agrees that
the
removal of the restrictive legend from certificates representing Securities
as
set forth in this Section 4.1 is predicated upon the Company’s reliance that the
Purchaser will sell any Securities pursuant to either the registration
requirements of the Securities Act, including any applicable prospectus delivery
requirements, or an exemption therefrom, and that if Securities are sold
pursuant to a Registration Statement, they will be sold in compliance with
the
plan of distribution set forth therein.
4.2 Furnishing
of Information
.
As long
as any Purchaser owns Securities, the Company covenants to timely file (or
obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace
period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof
pursuant to the Exchange Act. As long as any Purchaser owns Securities, if
the
Company is not required to file reports pursuant to the Exchange Act, it will
prepare and furnish to the Purchasers and make publicly available in accordance
with Rule 144(c) such information as is required for the Purchasers to sell
the
Securities under Rule 144. The Company further covenants that it will take
such
further action as any holder of Securities may reasonably request, to the extent
required from time to time to enable such Person to sell such Securities without
registration under the Securities Act within the requirements of the exemption
provided by Rule 144.
4.3 Integration
.
The
Company will not sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise
negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in Section 2 of the Securities
Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities in a
manner that would require the registration under the Securities Act of the
sale
of the Securities to the Purchasers or that would be integrated with the offer
or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules and regulations of any
Trading Market such that it would require shareholder approval prior to the
closing of such other transaction unless shareholder approval is obtained before
the closing of such subsequent transaction.
4.4 Securities
Laws Disclosure; Publicity.
The
Company shall, by 4:00 p.m. Eastern time no later than two (2) Trading Days
following the date hereof, issue a Current Report on Form 8-K, disclosing the
material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and shall attach the
Transaction Documents thereto. The Company and each Purchaser shall consult
with
each other in issuing any other press releases with respect to the transactions
contemplated hereby, and neither the Company nor any Purchaser shall issue
any
such press release or otherwise make any such public statement without the
prior
consent of the Company, with respect to any press release of any Purchaser,
or
without the prior consent of each Purchaser, with respect to any press release
of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld or delayed,
except if such disclosure is required by law, in which case the disclosing
party
shall promptly provide the other party with prior notice of such public
statement or communication. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall
not
publicly disclose the name of any Purchaser, or include the name of any
Purchaser in any filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency or Trading
Market, without the prior written consent of such Purchaser, except
20
(i)
as
required by federal securities law in connection with (A) any registration
statement contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement and (B) the filing
of final Transaction Documents (including signature pages thereto) with the
Commission and (ii) to the extent such disclosure is required by law or Trading
Market regulations, in which case the Company shall provide the Purchasers
with
prior notice of such disclosure permitted under this subclause
(ii).
4.5 Shareholder
Rights Plan. No claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, with the
consent of the Company, any other Person, that any Purchaser is an “Acquiring
Person” under any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill
(including any distribution under a rights agreement) or similar anti-takeover
plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that
any
Purchaser could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or
arrangement, by virtue of receiving Securities under the Transaction Documents
or under any other agreement between the Company and the
Purchasers.
4.6 Non-Public
Information. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the
transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company covenants
and agrees that neither it nor any other Person authorized to act on its behalf
will provide any Purchaser or its agents or counsel with any information that
the Company believes constitutes material non-public information, unless prior
thereto such Purchaser shall have executed a written agreement reasonably
acceptable to the Company regarding the confidentiality and use of such
information. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall
be
relying on the foregoing representations in effecting transactions in securities
of the Company.
4.7 Use
of
Proceeds. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.7 attached hereto, the Company
shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder for working
capital purposes and not for the satisfaction of any portion of the Company’s
debt (other than payment of trade payables in the ordinary course of the
Company’s business and prior practices), to redeem any Common Stock or Common
Stock Equivalents or to settle any outstanding litigation.
4.8 Indemnification
of Purchasers. Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.8, the Company
will indemnify and hold each Purchaser and its directors, officers,
shareholders, members, partners, employees and agents (and any other Persons
with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles
notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title), each Person who
controls such Purchaser (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities
Act
and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, shareholders,
agents, members, partners or employees (and any other Persons with a
functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding
a
lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling persons (each, a
“Purchaser Party”) harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations,
claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments,
amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and
costs of investigation that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as
a
result of or relating to (a) any breach of any of the representations,
warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or
in
the other Transaction Documents or (b) any action instituted against a
Purchaser, or any of them or their respective Affiliates, by any stockholder
of
the Company who is not an Affiliate of such Purchaser, with respect to any
of
the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action
is based upon a breach of such Purchaser’s representations, warranties or
covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings
21
such
Purchaser may have with any such stockholder or any violations by the Purchaser
of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by such Purchaser which
constitutes fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct or malfeasance). If
any
action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which
indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall
promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right
to
assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing reasonably
acceptable to the Purchaser Party. Any Purchaser Party 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 Purchaser Party except to the extent that (i) the employment thereof has
been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (ii) the Company has
failed after a reasonable period of time following the Company’s receipt of
written notice from the Purchaser Party to assume such defense and to employ
counsel or (iii) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion of such
separate counsel, a material conflict on any material issue between the position
of the Company and the position of such Purchaser Party, in which case the
Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more
than one such separate counsel. The Company will not be liable to any Purchaser
Party under this Agreement (i) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party effected
without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed; or (ii) to the extent, but only to the extent that a loss,
claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party’s breach of
any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by such
Purchaser Party in this Agreement or in the other Transaction
Documents.
4.9 Reservation
of Common Stock.
As of
the date hereof, the Company has reserved and the Company shall continue to
reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, a sufficient
number of shares of Common Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to
issue Shares pursuant to this Agreement and Warrant Shares pursuant to any
exercise of the Warrants.
4.10 Listing
of Common Stock.
The
Company hereby agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain
the
listing or quotation of the Common Stock on a Trading Market, and if applicable,
as soon as reasonably practicable following the Closing (but not later than
the
earlier of the Effective Date and the first anniversary of the Closing Date)
to
list all of the Shares and Warrant Shares on such Trading Market. The Company
further agrees, if the Company applies to have the Common Stock traded on any
other Trading Market, it will include in such application all of the Shares
and
Warrant Shares, and will take such other action as is necessary to cause all
of
the Shares and Warrant Shares to be listed on such other Trading Market as
promptly as possible. The Company will take all action reasonably necessary
to
continue the listing and trading of its Common Stock on a Trading Market and
will comply in all respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other
obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Trading Market.
4.11 Equal
Treatment of Purchasers. No consideration shall be offered or paid to any
Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of
any
of the Transaction Documents unless the same consideration is also offered
to
all of the parties to the Transaction Documents. For clarification purposes,
this provision constitutes a separate right granted to each Purchaser by the
Company and negotiated separately by each Purchaser, and is intended to treat
for the Company the Purchasers as a class and shall not in any way be
construed
22
as
the Purchasers acting in concert or as a group with respect to the purchase,
disposition or voting of Securities or otherwise.
4.12 Subsequent
Equity Sales. From the date hereof until 90 days after the Effective Date,
without the prior written consent of the Purchasers, neither the Company nor
any
Subsidiary shall issue shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents for
a
consideration per share less than $2.70, except for Exempt Issuances; provided,
however, that the 90 day period set forth in this Section 4.14 shall be extended
for the number of Trading Days during such period in which (i) trading in the
Common Stock is suspended by any Trading Market, or (ii) following the Effective
Date, the Registration Statement is not effective or the prospectus included
in
the Registration Statement may not be used by the Purchasers for the resale
of
the Shares and Warrant Shares, including pursuant to Section 3(r) of the
Registration Rights Agreement.
4.13 Rights
of First Refusal. For
a
period of one year from the date hereof, if the Company intends to raise
additional capital by the issuance or sale of capital stock of the Company,
including without limitation shares of any class of common stock, any class
of
preferred stock, options, warrants or any Common Stock Equivalents (whether
the
offering is conducted by the Company, underwriter, placement agent or any third
party) the Company shall be obligated to offer to the Purchaser such issuance
or
sale of capital stock, by providing in writing the principal amount of capital
it intends to raise and outline of the material terms of such capital raise,
prior to the offering or such issuance or sale of capital stock to any
third parties including, but not limited to, current or former officers or
directors, current or former shareholders and/or investors of the Company,
underwriters, brokers, agents or other third parties. The Purchaser shall
have five (5) business days from receipt of such notice of the sale or issuance
of capital stock to accept or reject all or a portion of such capital raising
offer.
4.14 Delivery
of Securities After Closing. The Company shall deliver, or cause to be
delivered, the respective Securities purchased by each Purchaser to such
Purchaser within three (3) Trading Days of the Closing Date.
4.15 Form
D; Blue Sky Filings. The Company agrees to timely file a Form D with respect
to the Securities as required under Regulation D and to provide a copy thereof,
promptly upon request of any Purchaser. The Company shall take such action
as
the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to obtain an
exemption for, or to qualify the Securities for, sale to the Purchasers at
the
Closing under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the
United States, and shall provide evidence of such actions promptly upon request
of any Purchaser.
4.16 Review
of Public Disclosures. All SEC filings (including, without limitation, all
filings required under the Exchange Act, which include Forms 10-Q, 10-K, and
8-K, etc) and other public disclosures made by the Company, including, without
limitation, all press releases, investor relations materials, and scripts of
analysts meetings and calls, shall be reviewed and approved for release by
the
Company’s attorneys and, if containing financial information, the Company’s
independent certified public accountants.
23
ARTICLE
V.
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1 Fees
and Expenses.
The
Company shall deliver, prior to the Closing, a completed and executed copy
of
the Closing Statement, attached hereto as Annex A. Each of the Company and
the
Purchasers shall pay all costs and expenses incurred by such party in connection
with the negotiation, investigation, preparation, execution and delivery of
the
Transaction Documents. The Company shall pay all transfer agent fees, stamp
taxes and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the delivery of
any
Securities to the Purchasers. The Company shall pay Cornell Capital Partners,
L.P. or its designees an origination as follows (i) Ninety Five Thousand Dollars
($95,000) shall be paid in immediately available funds directly from the
proceeds of the Closing as set forth the Closing Statement, and (ii) One Hundred
Thousand Dollars ($100,000) shall be paid by the issuance of shares of Common
Stock of the Company (the “Origination Shares”) on the date hereof at a price of
$2.40 per share.
5.2 Entire
Agreement. The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and
schedules thereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect
to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and
understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties
acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and
schedules.
5.3 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 delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth
on
the signature pages attached hereto prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time)
on a
Trading Day (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or
electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party), (b) the next
Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication
is
delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth on the signature
pages
attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m.
(New
York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the 2nd
Trading
Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized
overnight 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 attached hereto.
5.4 Amendments;
Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived or amended except in a
written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and
each
Purchaser or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement
of
any such waived provision is sought. No waiver of any default with respect
to
any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to
be
a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or
a
waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any
delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner
impair the exercise of any such right.
5.5 Headings.
The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this
Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions
hereof.
24
5.6 Successors
and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit
of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns. The Company may
not
assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior
written consent of each Purchaser (other than by merger). Any Purchaser may
assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom
such
Purchaser assigns or transfers any Securities, provided such transferee agrees
in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Securities, by the
provisions of the Transaction Documents that apply to the
“Purchasers”.
5.7 No
Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the
parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is
not
for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other
Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.8.
5.8 Governing
Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and
interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed
and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New Jersey,
without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees
that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and
defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other
Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective
affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents) shall be
commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in Xxxxxx County,
New Jersey. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction
of the Superior Court of New Jersey, sitting in Xxxxxx County and the United
States District Court for the District of New Jersey sitting in Newark, New
Jersey for the adjudication of any civil action asserted pursuant to this
Paragraph (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction
Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any
suit,
action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the
jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper
or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. The parties hereby waive all
rights to a trial by jury.
5.9 Survival.
The representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing
and the delivery of the Shares and Warrant Shares for a period of one year
following the Effective Date.
5.10 Execution.
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 by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data 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.
5.11 Severability.
If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by
a
court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable,
the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth
herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected,
impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto
25
shall
use
their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means
to
achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such
term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared
to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such
that
may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
5.12 Rescission
and Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in
(and without limiting any similar provisions of) any of the other Transaction
Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election, demand or option
under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely perform its related
obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Purchaser may rescind
or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to
the
Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without
prejudice to its future actions and rights.
5.13 Replacement
of Securities. If any certificate or instrument evidencing any Securities is
mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be
issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof (in the
case of mutilation), or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate
or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to
the
Company of such loss, theft or destruction and a standard indemnity reasonably
satisfactory to the Company. The applicant for a new certificate or instrument
under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs
(including customary indemnity) associated with the issuance of such replacement
Securities.
5.14 Remedies.
In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted
by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Purchasers and the Company
will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The
parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any
loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the
Transaction Documents and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert in any action
for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at
law
would be adequate.
5.15 Payment
Set Aside. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any
Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or
exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds
of
such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated,
declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged
by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company,
a trustee, receiver or any other person under any law (including, without
limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable
cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation
or
part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued
in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such
enforcement or setoff had not occurred.
5.16 Independent
Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each
Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not joint with the
obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in
any
way for the performance or non-performance of the obligations of any other
Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any
other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any
26
Purchaser
pursuant thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership,
an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a
presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group
with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the
Transaction Documents. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect
and enforce its rights, including without limitation, the rights arising out
of
this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not
be
necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any
proceeding for such purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own
separate legal counsel in their review and negotiation of the Transaction
Documents. The Company has elected to provide all Purchasers with the same
terms
and Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because
it
was required or requested to do so by the Purchasers.
5.17 Liquidated
Damages. The Company’s obligations to pay any partial liquidated damages or
other amounts owing under the Transaction Documents is a continuing obligation
of the Company and shall not terminate until all unpaid partial liquidated
damages and other amounts have been paid notwithstanding the fact that the
instrument or security pursuant to which such partial liquidated damages or
other amounts are due and payable shall have been canceled.
5.18 Construction.
The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel has reviewed
and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore,
the
normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be
resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation
of the Transaction Documents or any amendments hereto.
(Signature
Pages Follow)
27
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF,
the
parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly
executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first
indicated above.
COMPANY:
|
|
STARTECH
ENVIRONMENTAL CORPORATION
|
|
By:__________________
|
|
Name: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
Title: Chief
Financial Officer
|
|
Address
for Notice:
Startech
Environmental Corporation
00
Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 0X
Xxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
|
|
With
a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP
0000
Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Esq.
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
|
[REMAINDER
OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE
PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]
28
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase
Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as
of
the date first indicated above.
PURCHASER:
|
|
CORNELL
CAPITAL PARTNERS, L.P.
|
|
By:
Yorkville
Advisors, LLC
|
|
Its:
Investment
Manager
|
|
By: ____________________________
|
|
Name: Xxxx
Xxxxxx
|
|
Its:
Portfolio
Manager
|
29
SCHEDULE
I
SCHEDULE
OF PURCHASERS
(1)
|
(2)
|
(3)
|
(4)
|
(5)
|
(6)
|
Purchaser
|
Subscription
Amount
|
Shares
|
Number
of Warrant Shares
|
Legal
Representative’s Address and Facsimile Number
|
|
Class
A Warrants
|
Class
B Warrant
|
||||
Cornell
Capital Partners, L.P.
000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxx Xxxxxx
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
Residence:
Cayman Islands
|
$2,000,000
|
833,333
|
833,333
|
833,333
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Esq.
000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
|
30
Annex
A
CLOSING
STATEMENT
Pursuant
to the attached Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date thereto,
the
Purchasers, for an aggregate purchase price of $2,000,000, shall purchase from
Startech Environmental Corporation (the “Company”)
833,333 shares of Common Stock and Warrants to purchase an aggregate of
1,666,666 shares of Common Stock. All funds will be disbursed in accordance
with
this Closing Statement as follows:
31