REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT 10.2
Execution Copy
This Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of February 29, 2024 among Quantum Leap Energy LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), and the persons identified on Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Investors” and, each individually, an “Investor”).
WHEREAS, the Company and the Investors are parties to a Convertible Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the “Purchase Agreement”), pursuant to which the Investors are purchasing Notes (as defined below) from the Company; and
WHEREAS, in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement, the parties hereto desire to enter into this Agreement in order to grant certain registration rights to the Investors as set forth below.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual and dependent covenants hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
“Affiliate” of a Person means any other Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. The term “control” (including the terms “controlling”, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.
“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Alternative IPO Entities” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.
“Board” means the board of directors (or any successor governing body) of the Company.
“Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other federal agency administering the Securities Act and the Exchange Act at the time.
“Common Equity” means the Company’s common equity interests or, if the Company is then a corporation, the Company’s common stock, and any other units or shares issued or issuable with respect thereto (whether by way of a stock dividend or stock split or in exchange for or upon conversion of such shares or otherwise in connection with a combination of shares, distribution, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, other corporate reorganization or other similar event with respect to the Common Equity).
“Company” has the meaning set forth in the preamble and includes the Company’s successors by merger, acquisition, reorganization or otherwise.
“Controlling Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a)(xvi).
“Demand Registration” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
“DTCDRS” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a)(xvii).
“Effectiveness Deadlines” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
“Effectiveness Failure” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Filing Deadlines” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
“Filing Failure” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, local or foreign government or political subdivision thereof, or any agency or instrumentality of such government or political subdivision, or any self-regulated organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority or quasi-governmental authority (to the extent that the rules, regulations or orders of such organization or authority have the force of law), or any arbitrator, court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction.
“Inspectors” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a)(viii).
“Investors” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“IPO” means an initial underwritten offering of the Common Equity pursuant to an effective Registration Statement filed under the Securities Act (other than a registration (i) pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (or other registration solely relating to an offering or sale to employees or directors of the Company pursuant to any employee stock plan or other employee benefit arrangement), (ii) pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (or similar form that relates to a transaction subject to Rule 145 under the Securities Act or any successor Rule thereto), or (iii) in connection with any dividend or distribution reinvestment or similar plan).
“Long-Form Filing Deadline” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
“Long-Form Registration” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
“Maintenance Failure” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Notes” means the Convertible Promissory Notes of the Company issued or issuable to the Investors pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
“Person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, Governmental Authority, unincorporated organization, trust, association or other entity.
“Piggyback Registration” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).
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“Piggyback Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth inSection 3(a).
“Piggyback Shelf Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).
“Piggyback Shelf Takedown” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).
“Post-IPO Long-Form Effectiveness Deadline” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
“Prospectus” means the prospectus or prospectuses included in any Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A under the Securities Act or any successor Rule thereto), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement and by all other amendments and supplements to the prospectus, including post-effective amendments and all material incorporated by reference in such prospectus or prospectuses.
“Purchase Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Records” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a)(viii).
“Registration Default” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Registration Delay Payments” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
“Registrable Securities” means (a) any units or shares of Common Equity issuable upon conversion of the Notes, and (b) any units or shares of Common Equity issued or issuable with respect to any shares described in subsection (a) above by way of a stock dividend or stock split or in exchange for or upon conversion of such shares or otherwise in connection with a combination of shares, distribution, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, other reorganization or other similar event with respect to the Common Equity (it being understood that, for purposes of this Agreement, a Person shall be deemed to be a holder of Registrable Securities whenever such Person has the right to then acquire or obtain from the Company any Registrable Securities, whether or not such acquisition has actually been effected). As to any particular Registrable Securities, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when (i) the Commission has declared a Registration Statement covering such securities effective and such securities have been disposed of pursuant to such effective Registration Statement, (ii) such securities are sold under circumstances in which all of the applicable conditions of Rule 144 under the Securities Act are met, (iii) such securities become eligible for sale pursuant to Rule 144 without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144(c)(1), or (iv) such securities have ceased to be outstanding.
“Registration Date” means the date on which the Company becomes subject to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
“Registration Request” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
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“Registration Statement” means any registration statement of the Company, including the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, all exhibits and all material incorporated by reference in such registration statement.
“Rule 144” means Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any successor Rule thereto.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Selling Expenses” means all underwriting discounts, selling commissions and stock transfer taxes applicable to the sale of Registrable Securities, and fees and disbursements of counsel for any holder of Registrable Securities, except for the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the holders of Registrable Securities required to be paid by the Company pursuant to Section 0.
“Shelf Takedown” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Short-Form Effectiveness Deadline” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
“Short-Form Filing Deadline” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
“Short-Form Registration” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
2. Demand Registration.
(a) At any time after the earlier of 180 days after the IPO or five (5) years after the date of this Agreement, holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities then outstanding may request (the “Registration Request”) registration under the Securities Act of all or any portion of their Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1 or any successor form thereto (each, a “Long-Form Registration”). Each Registration Request for a Long-Form Registration shall specify the number of Registrable Securities requested to be included in the Long-Form Registration. Upon receipt of any such Registration Request, the Company shall promptly (but in no event later than 15 days following receipt thereof) deliver notice of such Registration Request to all other holders of Registrable Securities who shall then have 15 days from the date such notice is given to notify the Company in writing of their desire to be included in such registration. The Company shall prepare and file with (or confidentially submit to) the Commission a Registration Statement on Form S-1 or any successor form thereto covering all of the Registrable Securities that the holders thereof have requested to be included in such Long-Form Registration within 90 days after the date on which the Registration Request is given (the “Long-Form Filing Deadline”) and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission as soon as practicable thereafter (but, in the case of any such Long-Form Registration filed after the IPO only, in no event later than the 45th calendar day following the date on which such Long-Form Registration Statement is required to be filed hereunder (or, in the event of a “full review” by the Commission, the 90th calendar day following the date such Long-Form Registration Statement is required to be filed hereunder) (the “Post-IPO Long-Form Effectiveness Deadline”)). The Company shall not be required to effect a Long-Form Registration more than two (2) times for the holders of Registrable Securities as a group.
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(b) After an IPO, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to qualify and remain qualified to register the offer and sale of securities under the Securities Act pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 or any successor form thereto. At such time as the Company shall have qualified for the use of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 or any successor form thereto, the holders of Registrable Securities shall have the right to deliver a Registration Request to request registrations under the Securities Act of all or any portion of their Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 or any similar short-form Registration Statement (each, a “Short-Form Registration” and, together with each Long-Form Registration, a “Demand Registration”). Each Registration Request for a Short-Form Registration shall specify the number of Registrable Securities requested to be included in the Short-Form Registration. Upon receipt of any such request, the Company shall promptly (but in no event later than 15 days following receipt thereof) deliver notice of such Registration Request to all other holders of Registrable Securities who shall then have 15 days from the date such notice is given to notify the Company in writing of their desire to be included in such registration. The Company shall prepare and file with (or confidentially submit to) the Commission a Registration Statement on Form S-3 or any successor form thereto covering all of the Registrable Securities that the holders thereof have requested to be included in such Short-Form Registration within 30 days after the date on which the Registration Request (the “Short-Form Filing Deadline” and, together with the Long-Form Filing Deadline, the “Filing Deadlines”) is given and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission as soon as practicable thereafter but in no event later than the 45th calendar day following the date on which such Registration Statement is required to be filed hereunder (or, in the event of a “full review” by the Commission, the 90th calendar day following the date such additional Registration Statement is required to be filed hereunder) (the “Short-Form Effectiveness Deadline” and, together with the Post-IPO Long-Form Effectiveness Deadline, the “Effectiveness Deadlines”). The Company shall not be required to effect a Short-Form Registration more than two (2) times for the holders of Registrable Securities as a group.
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(c) If a Registration Statement covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities required to be covered thereby and required to be filed by the Company pursuant to this Agreement (A) is not filed with the Commission on or before the applicable Filing Deadline for such Registration Statement (a “Filing Failure”) (it being understood that if the Company files a Registration Statement without affording one counsel selected by holders of a majority of such Registrable Securities the opportunity to review and comment on the same, the Company shall be deemed to not have satisfied this clause (A) and such event shall be deemed to be a Filing Failure) or (B) is not declared effective by the SEC on or before the applicable Effectiveness Deadline for such Registration Statement (an “Effectiveness Failure”) (it being understood that if on the second Business Day immediately following the effective date for such Registration Statement the Company shall not have filed a “final” prospectus for such Registration Statement with the Commission under Rule 424(b) (whether or not such a prospectus is technically required by such rule), the Company shall be deemed to not have satisfied this clause (B) and such event shall be deemed to be an Effectiveness Failure), or (C) on any day after the effective date of a Registration Statement, sales of all of the Registrable Securities required to be included on such Registration Statement cannot be made pursuant to such Registration Statement (including, without limitation, because of a failure to keep such Registration Statement effective, a failure to disclose such information as is necessary for sales to be made pursuant to such Registration Statement, a suspension or delisting of (or a failure to timely list) the Common Equity on the then principal market for such Common Equity or any other limitations imposed by the principal market for the Common Equity, or a failure to register a sufficient number of Common Equity or by reason of a stop order) or the prospectus contained therein is not available for use for any reason, for more than ten (10) consecutive calendar days or more than an aggregate of fifteen (15) calendar days (which need not be consecutive calendar days) during any 12-month period (a “Maintenance Failure”; and each of a Filing Failure, an Effectiveness Failure and a Maintenance Failure being referred to as a “Registration Default”), then, as partial relief for the damages to any holder by reason of any such delay in, or reduction of, its ability to sell its Registrable Securities (which remedy shall not be exclusive of any other remedies available at law or in equity, including, without limitation, specific performance), the Company shall pay to each holder of Registrable Securities relating to such Registration Statement an amount in cash equal to one percent (1%) of the aggregate purchase price paid by the Investor with respect to the Registrable Securities required to be included in such Registration Statement (1) on the date of such Filing Failure, Effectiveness Failure, or Maintenance Failure as applicable; (2) on every thirty (30) day anniversary of (I) a Filing Failure until such Filing Failure is cured or (II) an Effectiveness Failure until such Effectiveness Failure is cured or (III) a Maintenance Failure until such Maintenance Failure is cured. The payments to which a holder of Registrable Securities shall be entitled pursuant to this Section 2(c) are referred to herein as “Registration Delay Payments.” Following the initial Registration Delay Payment for any particular event or failure (which shall be paid on the date of such event or failure, as set forth above), without limiting the foregoing, if an event or failure giving rise to the Registration Delay Payments is cured prior to any thirty (30) day anniversary of such event or failure, then such Registration Delay Payment shall be made on the third (3rd) Business Day after such cure. In the event the Company fails to make Registration Delay Payments in a timely manner in accordance with the foregoing, such Registration Delay Payments shall bear interest at the rate of 1.5% per month (prorated for partial months) until paid in full.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Registration Delay Payments shall be owed to an Investor with respect to any period during which all of such Investor’s Registrable Securities may be sold by such Investor without restriction under Rule 144 (including, without limitation, volume restrictions) and without the need for current public information required by Rule 144(c)(1). In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, a Registration Default shall be deemed not to have occurred and be continuing, and no Registration Delay Payments shall accrue as a result thereof, in relation to a Registration Statement if (i) (A) such Registration Default has occurred solely as a result of material events, with respect to the Company that would need to be described in such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus, and the Company is proceeding promptly and in good faith to amend or supplement the Registration Statement to describe such material events or (B) the Registration Default relates to any information supplied or failed to be supplied by a holder of Registrable Securities.
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(d) The Company shall not be obligated to effect any Long-Form Registration within 180 days after the effective date of a previous Long-Form Registration or a previous Piggyback Registration in which holders of Registrable Securities were permitted to register the offer and sale under the Securities Act, and actually included such Registrable Securities for registration thereunder and sold all of the shares of Registrable Securities requested to be included therein. The Company may postpone for up to 180 days the filing or effectiveness of a Registration Statement for a Demand Registration or the filing of a supplement for the purpose of effecting an offering pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act or any successor rule thereto (a “Shelf Takedown”) if the Board determines in its reasonable good faith judgment that such Demand Registration or Shelf Takedown would (i) materially interfere with a significant acquisition, corporate organization, financing, securities offering or other similar transaction involving the Company; (ii) require premature disclosure of material information that the Company has a bona fide business purpose for preserving as confidential; or (iii) render the Company unable to comply with requirements under the Securities Act or Exchange Act (each, a “Grace Period Event”); provided, that in such event the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities initiating such Demand Registration or Shelf Takedown shall be entitled to withdraw such request and, if such request for a Demand Registration is withdrawn, such Demand Registration shall not count as one of the permitted Demand Registrations hereunder and the Company shall pay all registration expenses in connection with such registration; provided, further that a Registration Default shall be deemed not to have occurred and be continuing, and no Registration Delay Payments shall accrue as a result thereof, in relation to a Registration Statement during the period that the Grace Period Event or its effect is continuing (up to a maximum 180-day allowable grace period). The Company may delay a Demand Registration or Xxxxx Takedown hereunder only once in any period of 12 consecutive months.
(e) If the holders of the Registrable Securities initially requesting a Demand Registration or Shelf Takedown elect to distribute the Registrable Securities covered by their request in an underwritten offering, they shall so advise the Company as a part of their request made pursuant to Section 2(a), Section 2(b) or Section 2(c), and the Company shall include such information in its notice to the other holders of Registrable Securities. The holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities initially requesting the Demand Registration or Shelf Takedown shall select the investment banking firm or firms to act as the managing underwriter or underwriters in connection with such offering; provided, that such selection shall be subject to the consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
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(f) The Company shall not include in any Demand Registration or Shelf Takedown any securities which are not Registrable Securities without the prior written consent of the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities initially requesting such Demand Registration or Shelf Takedown. If a Demand Registration or Shelf Takedown involves an underwritten offering and the managing underwriter of the requested Demand Registration or Shelf Takedown advises the Company and the holders of Registrable Securities in writing that in its reasonable and good faith opinion the number of units or shares of Common Equity proposed to be included in the Demand Registration or Shelf Takedown, including all Registrable Securities and all other units or shares of Common Equity proposed to be included in such underwritten offering, exceeds the number of units or shares of Common Equity which can be sold in such underwritten offering and/or the number of units or shares of Common Equity proposed to be included in such Demand Registration or Shelf Takedown would adversely affect the price per share of the Common Equity proposed to be sold in such underwritten offering, the Company shall include in such Demand Registration or Shelf Takedown (i) first, the units or shares of Common Equity that the holders of Registrable Securities propose to sell, and (ii) second, the units or shares of Common Equity proposed to be included therein by any other Persons (including units or shares of Common Equity to be sold for the account of the Company and/or other holders of Common Equity) allocated among such Persons in such manner as they may agree. If the managing underwriter determines that less than all of the Registrable Securities proposed to be sold can be included in such offering, then the Registrable Securities that are included in such offering shall be allocated pro rata among the respective holders thereof on the basis of the number of Registrable Securities owned by each such holder.
3. Piggyback Registration.
(a) Whenever the Company proposes to register the offer and sale of any units or shares of its Common Equity under the Securities Act (other than a registration (i) pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (or other registration solely relating to an offering or sale to employees or directors of the Company pursuant to any employee stock plan or other employee benefit arrangement), (ii) pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (or similar form that relates to a transaction subject to Rule 145 under the Securities Act or any successor Rule thereto), or (iii) in connection with any dividend or distribution reinvestment or similar plan), whether for its own account or for the account of one or more stockholders of the Company and the form of Registration Statement (a “Piggyback Registration Statement”) to be used may be used for any registration of Registrable Securities (a “Piggyback Registration”), the Company shall give prompt written notice (in any event no later than 20 days prior to the filing of such Registration Statement) to the holders of Registrable Securities of its intention to effect such a registration and, subject to Section 3(b) and Section 3(c), shall include in such registration all Registrable Securities with respect to which the Company has received written requests for inclusion from the holders of Registrable Securities within 10 days after the Company’s notice has been given to each such holder. The Company may postpone or withdraw the filing or the effectiveness of a Piggyback Registration at any time in its sole discretion. A Piggyback Registration shall not be considered a Demand Registration for purposes of Section 2. If any Piggyback Registration Statement pursuant to which holders of Registrable Securities have registered the offer and sale of Registrable Securities is a Registration Statement on Form S-3 or the then appropriate form for an offering to be made on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act or any successor Rule thereto (a “Piggyback Shelf Registration Statement”), such holder(s) shall have the right, but not the obligation, to be notified of and to participate in any offering under such Piggyback Shelf Registration Statement (a “Piggyback Shelf Takedown”).
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(b) If a Piggyback Registration or Piggyback Shelf Takedown is initiated as a primary underwritten offering on behalf of the Company and the managing underwriter advises the Company and the holders of Registrable Securities (if any holders of Registrable Securities have elected to include Registrable Securities in such Piggyback Registration or Piggyback Shelf Takedown) in writing that in its reasonable and good faith opinion the number of units or shares of Common Equity proposed to be included in such registration or takedown, including all Registrable Securities and all other units or shares of Common Equity proposed to be included in such underwritten offering, exceeds the number of units or shares of Common Equity which can be sold in such offering and/or that the number of units or shares of Common Equity proposed to be included in any such registration or takedown would adversely affect the price per share of the Common Equity to be sold in such offering, the Company shall include in such registration or takedown (i) first, the units or shares of Common Equity that the Company proposes to sell; (ii) second, the units or shares of Common Equity requested to be included therein by holders of Registrable Securities, allocated pro rata among all such holders on the basis of the number of Registrable Securities owned by each such holder or in such manner as they may otherwise agree; and (iii) third, the units or shares of Common Equity requested to be included therein by holders of Common Equity other than holders of Registrable Securities, allocated among such holders in such manner as they may agree.
(c) If a Piggyback Registration or Piggyback Shelf Takedown is initiated as an underwritten offering on behalf of a holder of Common Equity other than Registrable Securities, and the managing underwriter advises the Company in writing that in its reasonable and good faith opinion the number of units or shares of Common Equity proposed to be included in such registration or takedown, including all Registrable Securities and all other units or shares of Common Equity proposed to be included in such underwritten offering, exceeds the number of units or shares of Common Equity which can be sold in such offering and/or that the number of units or shares of Common Equity proposed to be included in any such registration or takedown would adversely affect the price per share of the Common Equity to be sold in such offering, the Company shall include in such registration or takedown (i) first, the units or shares of Common Equity requested to be included therein by the holder(s) requesting such registration or takedown and by the holders of Registrable Securities, allocated pro rata among all such holders on the basis of the number of units or shares of Common Equity other than the Registrable Securities (on a fully diluted, as converted basis) and the number of Registrable Securities, as applicable, owned by all such holders or in such manner as they may otherwise agree; and (ii) second, the units or shares of Common Equity requested to be included therein by other holders of Common Equity, allocated among such holders in such manner as they may agree.
(d) If any Piggyback Registration or Piggyback Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx is initiated as a primary underwritten offering on behalf of the Company, the Company shall select the investment banking firm or firms to act as the managing underwriter or underwriters in connection with such offering.
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4. Lock-Up Agreement. Each holder of Registrable Securities agrees that in connection with any registered offering of the Common Equity or other equity securities of the Company, and upon the request of the managing underwriter in such offering, such holder shall not, without the prior written consent of such managing underwriter, during the period commencing on the effective date of such registration and ending on/ the date specified by such managing underwriter (such period not to exceed 180 days in the case of an IPO or 90 days in the case of any registration under the Securities Act other than an IPO), (a) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, grant any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, hedge the beneficial ownership of or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any units or shares of Common Equity or any securities convertible into, exercisable for or exchangeable for units or shares of Common Equity held immediately before the effectiveness of the Registration Statement for such offering (whether such shares or any such securities are then owned by the holder or are thereafter acquired), or (b) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of such securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (a) or (b) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Equity or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing provisions of this Section 4 shall not apply to sales of Registrable Securities to be included in such offering pursuant to Section 2(a), Section 2(b), Section 2(c) or Section 3(a), and shall be applicable to the holders of Registrable Securities only if all officers and directors of the Company and beneficial owners of 5% of the Common Equity of the Company are subject to the same restrictions. Each holder of Registrable Securities agrees to execute and deliver such other agreements as may be reasonably requested by the Company or the managing underwriter which are consistent with the foregoing or which are necessary to give further effect thereto. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 4, each holder of Registrable Securities shall be released, pro rata, from any lock-up agreement entered into pursuant to this Section 4 in the event and to the extent that the managing underwriter or the Company permit any discretionary waiver or termination of the restrictions of any lock-up agreement pertaining to any officer, director or 5% beneficial owner.
5. Registration Procedures.
(a) If and whenever the holders of Registrable Securities request that the offer and sale of any Registrable Securities be registered under the Securities Act pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect the registration of the offer and sale of such Registrable Securities under the Securities Act in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof, and pursuant thereto the Company shall as soon as reasonably practicable and as applicable:
(i) subject to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b), prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to be declared effective;
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(ii) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective pursuant to Rule 415 for resales by the Investors on a delayed or continuous basis at then-prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices) at all times until the earlier of (A) the date as of which all of the Investors may sell all of the Registrable Securities required to be covered by such Registration Statement without restriction pursuant to Rule 144 (including, without limitation, volume restrictions) and without the need for current public information required by Rule 144(c)(1) (or Rule 144(i)(2), if applicable) or (B) the date on which the Investors shall have sold all of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement;
(iii) within a reasonable time before filing such Registration Statement, Prospectus or amendments or supplements thereto with the Commission, furnish to one counsel selected by holders of a majority of such Registrable Securities copies of such documents proposed to be filed, which documents shall be subject to the review, comment and approval of such counsel;
(iv) notify each selling holder of Registrable Securities, promptly after the Company receives notice thereof, of the time when such Registration Statement has been declared effective or a supplement to any Prospectus forming a part of such Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission;
(v) furnish to each selling holder of Registrable Securities such number of copies of the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement (including each preliminary Prospectus) and any supplement thereto (in each case including all exhibits and documents incorporated by reference therein), and such other documents as such seller may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such seller;
(vi) use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify such Registrable Securities under such other securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions as any selling holder reasonably requests and do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such holders to consummate the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities owned by such holders; provided, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business, subject itself to general taxation or consent to general service of process in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to do so but for this Section 5(a)(vi);
(vii) notify each selling holder of such Registrable Securities, at any time when a Prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event that would cause the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement to contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit any fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and, at the request of any such holder, the Company shall promptly prepare a supplement or amendment to such Prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such Prospectus shall not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and notify each selling holder of Registrable Securities of such filing and, subsequently, of the effectiveness of such amended filing;
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(viii) make available for inspection by any selling holder of Registrable Securities, any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such Registration Statement and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any such holder or underwriter (collectively, the “Inspectors”), all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company (collectively, the “Records”), and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Inspector in connection with such Registration Statement;
(ix) provide a transfer agent and registrar (which may be the same entity) for all such Registrable Securities not later than the effective date of such registration;
(x) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange on which the Common Equity is then listed or, if the Common Equity is not then listed, on a national securities exchange selected by the holders of a majority of such Registrable Securities and use its best efforts to arrange for at least two market makers to register with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) as such with respect to such Registrable Securities. In addition, the Company shall cooperate with each Investor and any broker or dealer through which any such Investor proposes to sell its Registrable Securities in effecting a filing with FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 as requested by such Investor. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this subsection (j);
(xi) in connection with an underwritten offering, enter into such customary agreements (including underwriting and lock-up agreements in customary form) and take all such other customary actions as the holders of such Registrable Securities or the managing underwriter of such offering reasonably request in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities (including, without limitation, making appropriate officers of the Company available to participate in “road show” and other customary marketing activities (including one-on-one meetings with prospective purchasers of the Registrable Securities));
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(xii) furnish to each selling holder of Registrable Securities and each underwriter, if any, with (A) a written legal opinion of the Company’s outside counsel, dated the closing date of the offering, in form and substance as is customarily given in opinions of the Company’s counsel to underwriters in underwritten registered offerings; and (B) on the date of the applicable Prospectus, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the applicable Registration Statement and at the closing of the offering, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, a “comfort” letter signed by the Company’s independent certified public accountants in form and substance as is customarily given in accountants’ letters to underwriters in underwritten registered offerings;
(xiii) without limiting Section 5(a)(vi), use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registrable Securities to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Company to enable the holders of such Registrable Securities to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with their intended method of distribution thereof;
(xiv) notify the holders of Registrable Securities promptly of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of such Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information;
(xv) advise the holders of Registrable Securities, promptly after it shall receive notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of the issuance of any stop order by the Commission suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose and promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal at the earliest possible moment if such stop order should be issued;
(xvi) permit any holder of Registrable Securities which holder, in its sole and exclusive judgment, might be deemed to be an underwriter or a “controlling person” (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act) (a “Controlling Person”) of the Company, to participate in the preparation of such Registration Statement and to require the insertion therein of language, furnished to the Company in writing, which in the reasonable judgment of such holder and its counsel should be included;
(xvii) cooperate with the holders of the Registrable Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to such Registration Statement or Rule 144 free of any restrictive legends and representing such number of units or shares of Common Equity and registered in such names as the holders of the Registrable Securities may reasonably request a reasonable period of time prior to sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement or Rule 144; provided, that the Company may satisfy its obligations hereunder without issuing physical stock certificates through the use of The Depository Trust Company’s Direct Registration System (the “DTCDRS”);
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(xviii) not later than the effective date of such Registration Statement, provide a CUSIP number for all Registrable Securities and provide the applicable transfer agent with printed certificates for the Registrable Securities which are in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company; provided, that the Company may satisfy its obligations hereunder without issuing physical stock certificates through the use of the DTCDRS;
(xix) take no direct or indirect action prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act; provided, that, to the extent that any prohibition is applicable to the Company, the Company will take all reasonable action to make any such prohibition inapplicable; and
(xx) ensure that, when filed and at all times while effective, each Registration Statement (including, without limitation, all amendments and supplements thereto) and the Prospectus (including, without limitation, all amendments and supplements thereto) used in connection with such Registration Statement (1) shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of prospectuses, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made) not misleading and (2) will disclose (whether directly or through incorporation by reference to other filing with the SEC to the extent permitted) all material information regarding the Company and its securities;
(xxi) hold in confidence and not make any disclosure of information concerning an Investor provided to the Company unless (A) disclosure of such information is necessary to comply with federal or state securities laws, (B) the disclosure of such information is necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration Statement or is otherwise required to be disclosed in such Registration Statement pursuant to the Securities Act, (C) the release of such information is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other final, non-appealable order from a court or governmental body of competent jurisdiction, or (D) such information has been made generally available to the public other than by disclosure in violation of this Agreement or the Purchase Agreement or Notes. The Company agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such information concerning an Investor is sought in or by a court or governmental body of competent jurisdiction or through other means (including pursuant to the foregoing items (A), (B) or (C) in this subparagraph (xx)), give prompt written notice to such Investor and allow such Investor, at such Investor’s expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order for, such information; and
(xxii) otherwise use its commercially reasonable efforts to take all other steps necessary to effect the registration of such Registrable Securities contemplated hereby.
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(b) In connection with any registration in which a holder of Registrable Securities is participating, each such holder shall furnish to the Company in writing such information as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such Registration Statement or Prospectus. The Company may require each selling holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company a certified statement as to the number of Registrable Securities beneficially owned by such holder and, if required by the Commission, the natural persons thereof that have voting and dispositive control over such Registrable Securities. During any periods that the Company is unable to meet its obligations hereunder with respect to the registration of the Registrable Securities because any holder of Registrable Securities fails to furnish such information within five Business Days of the Company’s request, any liquidated damages that are accruing at such time shall be tolled and any Registration Default that may occur because of such delay shall be suspended, until such information is delivered to the Company.
6. Expenses. All expenses (other than Selling Expenses) incurred by the Company in complying with its obligations pursuant to this Agreement and in connection with the registration and disposition of Registrable Securities shall be paid by the Company, including, without limitation, all (i) registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, any fees relating to filings required to be made with, or the listing of any Registrable Securities on, any securities exchange or over-the-counter trading market on which the Registrable Securities are listed or quoted); (ii) underwriting expenses (other than fees, commissions or discounts); (iii) expenses of any audits incident to or required by any such registration; (iv) fees and expenses of complying with securities and “blue sky” laws (including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with “blue sky” qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities); (v) printing expenses; (vi) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses; (vii) fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants; (viii) Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. filing fees (if any); and (ix) reasonable fees and expenses of one counsel for the holders of Registrable Securities participating in such registration as a group (selected by, in the case of a registration under Section 2(a), the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities initially requesting such registration, and, in the case of all other registrations hereunder, the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in the registration). In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties) and the expense of any annual audits. All Selling Expenses relating to the offer and sale of Registrable Securities registered under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement shall be borne and paid by the holders of such Registrable Securities, in proportion to the number of Registrable Securities included in such registration for each such holder.
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7. Indemnification.
(a) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by law, each holder of Registrable Securities, such holder’s officers, directors, managers, members, partners, stockholders and Affiliates, each underwriter, broker or any other Person acting on behalf of such holder of Registrable Securities and each other Controlling Person, if any, who controls any of the foregoing Persons, against all losses, claims, actions, damages, liabilities and expenses, joint or several, to which any of the foregoing Persons may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, actions, damages, liabilities or expenses arise out of or are based upon any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, Prospectus, preliminary Prospectus, free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act or any successor Rule thereto) or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a Prospectus, preliminary Prospectus or free writing prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading; and shall reimburse such Persons for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by any of them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, action, damage or liability, except insofar as the same are caused by or contained in any information furnished in writing to the Company by such holder expressly for use therein or by such holder’s failure to deliver a copy of the Registration Statement, Prospectus, preliminary Prospectus, free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act or any successor Rule thereto) or any amendments or supplements thereto (if the same was required by applicable law to be so delivered) after the Company has furnished such holder with a sufficient number of copies of the same prior to any written confirmation of the sale of Registrable Securities. This indemnity shall be in addition to any liability the Company may otherwise have.
(b) In connection with any registration in which a holder of Registrable Securities is participating, each such holder shall furnish to the Company in writing such information as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such Registration Statement or Prospectus and, to the extent permitted by law, shall indemnify and hold harmless, the Company, each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who shall sign such Registration Statement, each underwriter, broker or other Person acting on behalf of the holders of Registrable Securities and each Controlling Person who controls any of the foregoing Persons against any losses, claims, actions, damages, liabilities or expenses resulting from any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in the Registration Statement, Prospectus, preliminary Prospectus, free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act or any successor Rule thereto) or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a Prospectus, preliminary Prospectus or free writing prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information so furnished in writing by such holder; provided, that the obligation to indemnify shall be several, not joint and several, for each holder and shall not exceed an amount equal to the net proceeds (after underwriting fees, commissions or discounts) actually received by such holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. This indemnity shall be in addition to any liability the selling holder may otherwise have.
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(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party of notice of the commencement of any action involving a claim referred to in this Section 7, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is made against an indemnifying party, give written notice to the latter of the commencement of such action. The failure of any indemnified party to notify an indemnifying party of any such action shall not (unless such failure shall have a material adverse effect on the indemnifying party) relieve the indemnifying party from any liability in respect of such action that it may have to such indemnified party hereunder. In case any such action is brought against an indemnified party, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in and to assume the defense of the claims in any such action that are subject or potentially subject to indemnification hereunder, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified to the extent that it may wish, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, and after written notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be responsible for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof; provided, that, if (i) any indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be one or more legal or equitable defenses available to such indemnified party which are additional to or conflict with those available to the indemnifying party, or that such claim or litigation involves or could have an effect upon matters beyond the scope of the indemnity provided hereunder, or (ii) such action seeks an injunction or equitable relief against any indemnified party or involves actual or alleged criminal activity, the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party without such indemnified party’s prior written consent (but, without such consent, shall have the right to participate therein with counsel of its choice) and such indemnifying party shall reimburse such indemnified party and any Controlling Person of such indemnified party for that portion of the fees and expenses of any counsel retained by the indemnified party which is reasonably related to the matters covered by the indemnity provided hereunder. If the indemnifying party is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim, it shall 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. In such instance, the conflicting indemnified parties shall have a right to retain one separate counsel, chosen by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in the registration, at the expense of the indemnifying party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for hereunder is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to an indemnified party with respect to any loss, claim, damage, liability or action referred to herein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party hereunder, shall contribute to the amounts paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage, liability or action 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 in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided, that the maximum amount of liability in respect of such contribution shall be limited, in the case of each holder of Registrable Securities, to an amount equal to the net proceeds (after underwriting fees, commissions or discounts) 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 shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged 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 agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant hereto were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method or allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to herein. No Person guilty or liable of fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
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8. Participation in Underwritten Registrations. No Person may participate in any registration hereunder which is underwritten unless such Person (a) 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 and (b) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements; provided, that no holder of Registrable Securities included in any underwritten registration shall be required to make any representations or warranties to the Company or the underwriters (other than representations and warranties regarding such holder, such holder’s ownership of its units or shares of Common Equity to be sold in the offering and such holder’s intended method of distribution) or to undertake any indemnification obligations to the Company or the underwriters with respect thereto, except as otherwise provided in Section 7.
9. Rule 144 Compliance. With a view to making available to the holders of Registrable Securities the benefits of Rule 144 and any other rule or regulation of the Commission that may at any time permit a holder to sell securities of the Company to the public without registration, the Company shall:
(a) make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144, at all times after the Registration Date;
(b) use commercially reasonable efforts to file with the Commission in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, at any time after the Registration Date; and
(c) furnish to any holder so long as the holder owns Registrable Securities, promptly upon request, a written statement by the Company as to its compliance with the reporting requirements of Rule 144 and of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company, and such other reports and documents so filed or furnished by the Company as such holder may reasonably request in connection with the sale of Registrable Securities without registration.
10. Preservation of Rights. The Company shall not (a) grant any registration rights to third parties which are more favorable than or inconsistent with the rights granted hereunder, or (b) enter into any agreement, take any action, or permit any change to occur, with respect to its securities that violates or subordinates the rights expressly granted to the holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement.
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11. Alternative IPO Entities. In the event that the Company elects to effect an underwritten registered offering of equity securities of any subsidiary or parent of the Company (collectively, “Alternative IPO Entities”) rather than the equity securities of the Company, whether as a result of a reorganization of the Company or otherwise, the Investors and the Company shall cause the Alternative IPO Entity to enter into an agreement with the Investors that provides the Investors with registration rights with respect to the equity securities of the Alternative IPO Entity that are substantially the same as, and in any event no less favorable in the aggregate to, the registration rights provided to the Investors in this Agreement.
12. Termination. This Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force or effect when there shall no longer be any Registrable Securities outstanding; provided, that the provisions of Section 6 and Section 7 shall survive any such termination.
13. Notices. All notices, requests, consents, claims, demands, waivers and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given (a) when delivered by hand (with written confirmation of receipt); (b) when received by the addressee if sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier (receipt requested); (c) on the date sent by facsimile or e-mail of a PDF document (with confirmation of transmission) if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and on the next Business Day if sent after normal business hours of the recipient; or (d) on the third day after the date mailed, by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. Such communications must be sent to the respective parties at the addresses indicated below (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 13).
If to the Company: | Quantum Leap Energy LLC 0000 Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx XX, Xxxxx 000 Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 2004 Attention: Chief Executive Officer |
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to: | Blank Rome LLP 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000 Xxxxxx, XX 00000 E-mail: xxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq |
If to any Investor, to such Investor’s address as set forth in the register of Investors maintained by the Company. |
14. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the Purchase Agreement, the Notes and any related exhibits and schedules thereto, constitutes the sole and entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement with respect to the subject matter contained herein, and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous understandings and agreements, both written and oral, with respect to such subject matter. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of any conflict between the terms and provisions of this Agreement and those of the Purchase Agreement or Notes, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.
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15. Successor and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. The Company may assign this Agreement at any time in connection with a sale or acquisition of the Company, whether by merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, or similar transaction, without the consent of the Investors; provided, that the successor or acquiring Person agrees in writing to assume all of the Company’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Each Investor may assign its rights hereunder to any purchaser or transferee of Registrable Securities; provided, that such purchaser or transferee shall, as a condition to the effectiveness of such assignment, be required to execute a counterpart to this Agreement agreeing to be treated as an Investor whereupon such purchaser or transferee shall have the benefits of, and shall be subject to the restrictions contained in, this Agreement as if such purchaser or transferee was originally included in the definition of an Investor herein and had originally been a party hereto.
16. No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and nothing herein, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person any legal or equitable right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever, under or by reason of this Agreement; provided, however, the parties hereto hereby acknowledge that the Persons set forth in Section 7 are express third-party beneficiaries of the obligations of the parties hereto set forth in Section 7.
17. Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement.
18. Amendment, Modification and Waiver. The provisions of this Agreement may only be amended, modified, supplemented or waived with the prior written consent of the Company and the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities. No waiver by any party or parties shall operate or be construed as a waiver in respect of any failure, breach or default not expressly identified by such written waiver, whether of a similar or different character, and whether occurring before or after that waiver. Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, no failure to exercise, or delay in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege arising from this Agreement shall operate or be construed as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege.
19. Severability. If any term or provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other term or provision of this Agreement or invalidate or render unenforceable such term or provision in any other jurisdiction. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby be consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible.
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20. Remedies. Each holder of Registrable Securities, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, shall be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company acknowledges that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Agreement and the Company hereby agrees to waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
21. Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. This Agreement and all matters arising out of or relating to this Agreement, whether sounding in contract, tort, or statute, will be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflict of laws provisions thereof to the extent such principles or rules would require or permit the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than those of the State of Delaware. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretation, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective Affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents) shall be commenced in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan (the “New York Courts”). Each party hereto hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New York Courts for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of this Agreement), 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 such New York Courts, or such New York Courts are improper or inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable law. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. If any party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Agreement, then the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred in the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.
22. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall be deemed to be one and the same agreement. A signed copy of this Agreement delivered by facsimile, e-mail or other means of electronic transmission shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original signed copy of this Agreement.
23. Further Assurances. Each of the parties to this Agreement shall, and shall cause their Affiliates to, execute and deliver such additional documents, instruments, conveyances and assurances and take such further actions as may be reasonably required to carry out the provisions hereof and to give effect to the transactions contemplated hereby.
[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the date first written above.
| COMPANY: |
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| Quantum Leap Energy LLC |
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| By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx |
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| Name: | Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx |
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| Title: | Chief Financial Officer |
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| Address:
0000 Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx XX, Xxxxx 000 Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000 Attention: Chief Executive Officer |
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| INVESTORS:
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| The Investor’s signature to the Convertible Note Purchase Agreement shall constitute the Investor’s signature to this Registration Rights Agreement. |
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