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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 26, 2023

 

 

GRIID Infrastructure Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-39872   85-3477678

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

2577 Duck Creek Road

Cincinnati, Ohio

  45212
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

(513) 268-6185

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp.

1345 Avenue of the Americas, 33rd Floor

New York, New York 10105

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communication pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencements communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading

Symbols

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share   ADEX   NYSE American LLC
Redeemable warrants, exercisable for shares of common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share   ADEX.WS   NYSE American LLC

  Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

 

 

 


Introductory Note

On December 29, 2023 (the “Closing Date”), Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and our predecessor company (“ADEX”), consummated the previously announced merger (the “Merger”) pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 29, 2021 (the “Initial Merger Agreement”), by and among ADEX, ADEX Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly owned direct subsidiary of ADEX (“Merger Sub”), and Griid Holdco LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Legacy GRIID”), as amended by the first amendment to the Initial Merger Agreement, dated December 23, 2021 (the “First Amendment”), the second amendment to the Initial Merger Agreement, dated October 17, 2022 (the “Second Amendment”), and the third amendment to the Initial Merger Agreement, dated February 8, 2023 (the “Third Amendment”, and the Initial Merger Agreement as amended by the First Amendment, the Second Amendment, and the Third Amendment, the “Merger Agreement”). Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, (a) ADEX amended and restated its amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, and amended and restated bylaws; (b) Merger Sub merged with and into Legacy GRIID, and the separate limited liability company existence of Merger Sub ceased and Legacy GRIID, as the surviving company of the Merger continued its existence under the Limited Liability Company Act of the State of Delaware (the “DLLCA”) as a wholly owned subsidiary of ADEX; (c) the limited liability company agreement of Legacy GRIID was amended and restated to, among other things, admit ADEX as the sole member thereof (as so amended and restated, the “A&R LLCA”); (d) at the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”), pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each limited liability company membership interest of Merger Sub was converted into an equivalent limited liability company membership interest in Legacy GRIID; (e) at the Effective Time, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each limited liability company membership unit of Legacy GRIID issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time was converted into the right to receive such unit’s share, as determined in accordance with the Merger Agreement, of 58,500,000 shares of ADEX’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Merger Consideration”). Post-Merger ADEX is referred to herein as “GRIID” and, unless the context otherwise requires, “we”, “us”, “our” and "the Company" refer to GRIID.

The foregoing description of the Merger Agreement and the Merger does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Merger Agreement (including the First Amendment, the Second Amendment, and the Third Amendment to the Merger Agreement), copies of which are attached hereto as Exhibits 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4, respectively, and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 1.01

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Indemnification Agreements

In connection with the consummation of the Merger, GRIID entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers. These indemnification agreements provide the directors and executive officers with contractual rights to indemnification and the advancement of certain expenses incurred by each such director or executive officer in any action or proceeding arising out of his or her services as one of GRIID’s directors or executive officers, or any of its subsidiaries or any other company or enterprise to which the person provides services at GRIID’s request.

The foregoing description of the indemnification agreements does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the form of indemnification agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Investor Rights Agreement

In connection with closing of the Merger (the “Closing”), GRIID, certain ADEX stockholders and certain Legacy GRIID members entered into an investor rights agreement (the “Investor Rights Agreement”) to provide for certain registration rights related to the shares of GRIID common stock, par value $0.0001 per share ( “Common Stock”), and GRIID warrants issued in the private placement consummated concurrently with ADEX’s initial public offering. GRIID agreed to, among other things, file within 30 days of closing of the Merger a resale shelf registration statement covering the resale of all securities registrable under the Investor Rights Agreement. The foregoing description of the Investor Rights Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the form of Investor Rights Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.3 and is incorporated herein by reference.


Item 2.01

Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets

Reference is made to the disclosure described in the “Introductory Note” of this Current Report on Form 8-K (this “Current Report”), which is incorporated herein by reference.

FORM 10 INFORMATION

Item 2.01(f) of Form 8-K states that if the predecessor registrant was a “shell company” (as such term is defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), as ADEX was immediately before the Merger, then the registrant must disclose the information that would be required if the registrant were filing a general form for registration of securities on Form 10. As a result of the consummation of the Merger, and as discussed below in Item 5.06 of this Current Report, GRIID has ceased to be a shell company. Accordingly, GRIID is providing the information below that would be included in a Form 10 if GRIID were to file a Form 10. Please note that the information provided below relates to GRIID as the combined company after the consummation of the Merger, unless otherwise specifically indicated or the context otherwise requires.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Current Report contains statements that are forward-looking and as such are not historical facts. This includes, without limitation, statements regarding the financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations. These statements constitute projections, forecasts and forward-looking statements, and are not guarantees of performance. Such statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. When used in this Current Report, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “strive,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. When we discuss our strategies or plans, we are making projections, forecasts or forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on the beliefs of, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to, our management.

Forward-looking statements in this Current Report may include, for example, statements about:

 

   

the benefits of the Merger;

 

   

the anticipated growth rate and market opportunities of GRIID following the Merger;

 

   

the financial performance of GRIID following the Merger;

 

   

the potential liquidity and trading of GRIID’s Common Stock and warrants;

 

   

our ability to maintain our listing on any other exchange on which the securities of GRIID may be traded;

 

   

our ability to raise capital in the future;

 

   

our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel and to manage our growth effectively;

 

   

our ability to implement and maintain effective internal controls; and

 

   

factors relating to the business, operations and financial performance of GRIID following the Merger, including:

 

   

the lack of a market for GRIID securities;

 

   

changes adversely affecting the business in which GRIID is engaged;

 

   

fluctuations in GRIID’s revenue and operating results;

 

   

the uncertainty of the projected financial information with respect to GRIID;

 

   

the fact that the terms of its credit agreement restrict GRIID’s current and future operations, particularly its ability to take certain actions;

 

   

the fact that GRIID’s business is highly dependent on a small number of bitcoin mining equipment suppliers;

 

   

GRIID’s reliance on third parties, including utility providers, for the reliable and sufficient supply of electrical power to its infrastructure;

 

   

GRIID’s ability to obtain and maintain access to its targets of carbon-free power supply;

 

   

the ability of GRIID to execute its business model, including market acceptance of bitcoin; and


   

the risks relating to GRIID’s status as an early-stage company with a history of operating losses.

We caution you that the foregoing list may not contain all of the forward-looking statements made in this Current Report.

These forward-looking statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those described in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Current Report. It is not possible for the management of GRIID to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this Current Report may not occur, and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements in this Current Report.

The forward-looking statements included in this Current Report are made only as of the date hereof. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. GRIID does not undertake any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this Current Report to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in expectations, except as required by law.

You should read this Current Report and the documents that have been filed as exhibits hereto with the understanding that the actual future results, levels of activity, performance, events and circumstances of GRIID may be materially different from what is expected.

Business

The business of the Company is described in the proxy statement/prospectus dated November 3, 2023, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission by ADEX on November 3, 2023 (the “Proxy Statement/Prospectus”), in the section titled “Information About GRIID” beginning on page 218, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Risk Factors

Reference is made to the section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 48 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Reference is made to the sections of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of GRIID—Components of Results of Operations—Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of GRIID—Cash and Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021,” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of GRIID—Restatement of Previously Issued Financial Statements,” beginning on pages 247, 260, and 253 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, respectively, which are incorporated by reference herein.

Properties

Reference is made to the section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Information About GRIID—Mining Facilities,” beginning on page 225 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference.


Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of GRIID’s Common Stock immediately following consummation of the Merger by:

 

   

each person, or group of affiliated persons, known by GRIID to beneficially own more than 5% of GRIID’s Common Stock immediately following the consummation of the Merger;

 

   

each of GRIID’s named executive officers and directors immediately following the consummation of the Merger; and

 

   

all of GRIID’s executive officers and directors as a group immediately following the consummation of the Merger.

Beneficial ownership is determined according to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which generally provide that a person has beneficial ownership of a security if he, she, or it possesses sole or shared voting or investment power over that security. Under those rules, beneficial ownership includes securities that the individual or entity has the right to acquire, such as through the exercise of warrants, by February 27, 2024.

Shares subject to warrants that are currently exercisable or exercisable by February 27, 2024 are considered outstanding and beneficially owned by the person holding such warrants for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of that person but are not treated as outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. Except as noted by footnote, and subject to community property laws where applicable, based on the information provided to us, we believe that the persons and entities named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares shown as beneficially owned by them. Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of our directors and executive officers is c/o GRIID Infrastructure Inc., 2577 Duck Creek Road, Cincinnati, OH 45212. The percentage of beneficial ownership is calculated based on 65,616,298 shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following consummation of the Merger.

 

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner

   Number of
Shares
     %  

Five Percent Holders:

     

Griid Holdings, LLC (1)

     29,586,702        45.10

Blockchain Capital Solutions (US), Inc. (2)

     6,561,629        10.00

Adit EdTech Sponsor, LLC (3)

     14,102,500        19.35

GEM Yield Bahamas Ltd. (4)

     1,733,726        2.57

Directors and Named Executive Officers:

     

Cristina Dolan

     7,500        *

Michael W. Hamilton

     734,954        *

Sharmila Kassam

     10,000        *

James D. Kelly III (1)

     29,586,702        45.10

David L. Shrier (5)

     5,125        *

Neal Simmons

     —          —  

Sundar Subramaniam

     —          —  

Allan J. Wallander

     459,346        *

Thomas J. Zaccagnino (6)

     4,175,129        6.36

All Directors and Executive Officers as a group (13 individuals)

     36,999,879        56.38

 

*

Less than 1%

(1)

Represents shares held by Grid Holdings, LLC. James D. Kelly, a director and our Chief Executive Officer, is the sole member of this entity. Mr. Kelly has sole voting and/or investment power of the securities held by this entity and, as a result, is deemed to have beneficial ownership of the shares held by this entity.

(2)

The address of this entity is Blockchain Capital Solutions (US), Inc. 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, DE 19808.


(3)

Includes 7,270,000 shares issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants. Adit EdTech Sponsor, LLC (the “Sponsor”) is the record holder of these shares. John J. D’Agostino, Michael Block, Eric L. Munson, Elizabeth B. Porter and David L. Shrier are the five directors of the Sponsor’s board of directors. Any action by the Sponsor with respect to us or our shares, including voting and dispositive decisions, requires a vote of four out of the five directors of the board of directors. Under the so-called “rule of three,” because voting and dispositive decisions are made by four out of the five directors of the board of directors, none of the directors is deemed to be a beneficial owner of securities held by the Sponsor. Accordingly, none of the directors on the Sponsor’s board of directors are deemed to have or share beneficial ownership of the shares held by the Sponsor.

(4)

Represents 1,733,726 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of a warrant. Christopher F. Brown, as Manager of this entity, has voting and/or investment power of the securities held by this entity. Mr. Brown disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by this entity except to the extent of his individual pecuniary interest therein. The address of this entity is 3 Bayside Executive Park, West Bay Street & Blake Road, P.O. Box N-4875, Nassau, The Bahamas.

(5)

Consists of (i) 4,675 shares of Common Stock, including 3,325 held by David L. Shrier personally and 1,350 held by Visionary Future LLC, the sole member of which is the David Shrier Revocable Trust, of which David L. Shrier is the sole beneficiary and (ii) 450 warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock held by David L. Shrier personally. David L. Shrier holds, indirectly through an entity controlled by such individual, an equity interest in the Sponsor. John J. D’Agostino, Michael Block, Eric L. Munson, Elizabeth B. Porter and David L. Shrier are the five directors of the Sponsor’s board of directors. Any action by the Sponsor with respect to GRIID’s shares, including voting and dispositive decisions, requires a vote of four out of the five directors of the board of directors. Under the so-called “rule of three,” because voting and dispositive decisions are made by four out of the five directors of the board of directors, none of the directors is deemed to be a beneficial owner of securities held by the Sponsor. Accordingly, none of the directors on the Sponsor’s board of directors is deemed to have or share beneficial ownership of the shares held by the Sponsor.

(6)

Includes 41,010 shares held by the Thomas J. Zaccagnino 2020 Irrevocable Trust. Mr. Zaccagnino is the grantor and trustee of such trust, with his children as the primary beneficiaries. As a result, Mr. Zaccagnino may be deemed to beneficially own such shares.

Directors and Executive Officers

Reference is made to the disclosure in the subsections entitled “Board of Directors” and “Executive Officers” in Item 5.02 of this Current Report, which is incorporated herein by reference. Further reference is made to the section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Management After the Merger,” beginning on page 263 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Information with respect to the independence of GRIID’s directors is set forth beginning on page 267 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus in the section titled “Management After the Merger-Director Independence,” which is incorporated herein by reference.

Executive Compensation

Reference is made to the section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Management After the Merger,” beginning on page 263 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, and “Executive Compensation,” beginning on page 272 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

On the Closing Date, in connection with the consummation of the Merger, the GRIID Infrastructure Inc. 2023 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2023 Plan”) became effective.


The 2023 Plan is described in greater detail in the section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Proposal No. 5-The Incentive Plan Proposal” beginning on page 174 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus. That summary and the description of the 2023 Plan do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the text of the 2023 Plan, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.2 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Director Compensation

A description of the compensation of the directors of Legacy GRIID before the consummation of the Merger is set forth on page 277 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus in the section entitled “Executive Compensation—GRIID—Non-Employee Director Compensation,” which is incorporated herein by reference.

Following the completion of the Merger, the Board of Directors of GRIID (the “Board”) intends to develop and adopt a non-employee director compensation program that is designed to align compensation with GRIID’s business objectives and the creation of stockholder value, while enabling GRIID to attract, retain, incentivize and reward directors who contribute to the long-term success of GRIID.

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

Reference is made to the sections of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Certain ADEX Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” “Certain GRIID Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” and “Management After the Merger-Director Independence” beginning on pages 282, 285 and 267 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, respectively, which are incorporated herein by reference.

Legal Proceedings

Reference is to made to the section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Information About GRIID-Legal Proceedings” beginning on page 232 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus which is incorporated herein by reference.

Market Price of and Dividends on the Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters

Prior to the Closing Date, ADEX’s publicly traded common stock, warrants and units were listed on NYSE American under the symbols “ADEX,” “ADEX.WS,” and “ADEX.U,” respectively. On December 26, 2023, we announced our intent to voluntarily de-list our Common Stock, warrants, and units from the NYSE American. On January 2, 2024, our Common Stock began trading on Cboe Canada under the symbol “GRDI,” and it is anticipated that on January 3, 2024, our Common Stock and Public Warrants will begin to be quoted on the OTC Pink under the symbols “GRDI” and “GRDI.WS”, respectively.

ADEX’s publicly traded units automatically separated into their component securities upon the Closing, and as a result, no longer trade as a separate security and will be delisted from the NYSE American.

As of the close of business on the Closing Date, GRIID had 65,616,298 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding held of record by approximately 112 holders.

GRIID has not paid any cash dividends on shares of its Common Stock to date. The payment of any cash dividends in the future will be within the discretion of the Board. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be contingent upon GRIID’s revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements, and general financial condition. It is the present intention of the Board to retain all earnings, if any, for use in business operations, and accordingly, the Board does not anticipate declaring any dividends in the foreseeable future.

Reference is made to the section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Market Price and Dividend Information,” beginning on page 287 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

Reference is made to the disclosure in Item 3.02 of this Current Report, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Description of Registrant’s Securities to be Registered

Reference is made to the section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Description of Securities,” beginning on page 288 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference.


Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Reference is made to the disclosure under the subheading “Indemnification Agreements” in Items 1.01 and 5.02 of this Current Report, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

Reference is made to the disclosure in Item 4.01 of this Current Report, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Financial Statements, Exhibits and Supplementary Data

Reference is made to the disclosure in Item 9.01 of this Current Report, which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 3.01

Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard; Transfer of Listing.

On December 26, 2023, the Company, acting pursuant to authorization from its Board of Directors, notified the NYSE American of its intention to voluntarily withdraw the listing of its Common Stock, Units and warrants from the NYSE American.

On January 2, 2024, the Company received a notification from the NYSE American stating that the staff of NYSE Regulation has determined to commence proceedings to delist the Company’s Common Stock, Units and warrants (collectively, the “Securities”) pursuant to Section 119(f) of the NYSE American Company Guide because the Company consummated a business combination transaction without the required authorization from the NYSE American. At this time, the Securities have been suspended from trading and will not continue to trade on the NYSE American.

As indicated in the notification, the Company has a right to a review of the delisting determination by a Committee of the Board of Directors of the NYSE American, provided a written request for such review is requested no later than January 9, 2024. The Company has notified the NYSE American that it will not make such a request.

 

Item 3.02

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

From September 2022 to December 2023, Legacy GRIID entered into bridge financing arrangements with sixty-six accredited investors (the “Bridge Lenders”). In connection with such bridge financings, Legacy GRIID issued bridge promissory notes in an aggregate principal amount of $19,867,500 and certain warrants to purchase Class B interests in Legacy GRIID as described below. Of the $19,867,500 aggregate principal amount of bridge promissory notes, $15,162,500 aggregate principal amount is due on June 30, 2025, and an aggregate of $4,705,000 is due on dates that are less than eighteen (18) months from the notes’ respective dates of issuance and have a mandatory prepayment provision. Such bridge promissory notes with a mandatory prepayment provision provide that, in the event that GRIID issues shares of its Common Stock to GEM Yield Bahamas Limited (“GYBL”) pursuant to that certain share purchase agreement (the “Share Purchase Agreement”), dated as of September 9, 2022, among GYBL, GEM Global Yield LLC SCS (the “Purchaser”), ADEX and the Company prior to the maturity date, the proceeds from such issuance must be used to prepay the then outstanding principal amount of the bridge promissory notes, together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon. The bridge promissory notes contain certain events of default, including, without limitation, non-payment, breaches of certain covenants of GRIID, bankruptcy and insolvency of GRIID, or if GRIID commences dissolution proceedings or otherwise ceases operations of its business. If an event of default occurs, the bridge promissory notes may become due and payable.

In connection with the bridge financings, Legacy GRIID issued to the Bridge Lenders warrants to acquire Class B Units of Legacy GRIID. Immediately prior to the consummation of the Merger, the warrants were automatically exercised into 1,239,060 Class B Units of Legacy GRIID and such Class B Units were exchanged for merger consideration of 5,746,316 shares of GRIID’s Common Stock, or 6.5% of the total number of shares of Common Stock of the Company on a fully-diluted basis.

The foregoing description of the bridge financing promissory notes does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the forms of bridge financing promissory notes, copies of which are attached hereto as Exhibits 4.3 and 4.5 and are incorporated herein by reference.


Legacy GRIID issued the bridge financing promissory notes and warrants under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and/or Rule 506 of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act, in transactions not requiring registration under Section 5 of the Securities Act.

 

Item 3.03

Material Modifications to Rights of Security Holders.

In connection with the consummation of the Merger, ADEX changed its name to “GRIID Infrastructure Inc.” and adopted a Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Charter”) and Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”). Reference is made to the sections of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Proposal No.2-The Charter Amendment Proposal,” “Proposal No.3-The Advisory Charter Proposals,” “Comparison of Stockholder Rights” and “Description of Securities” beginning on pages 168, 170, 296 and 288 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, respectively, which are incorporated herein by reference. This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Charter and the Bylaws of GRIID, which are attached as Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2 hereto, respectively, and which are incorporated herein by reference.

In accordance with Rule 12g-3(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), GRIID is the successor issuer to Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp. and has succeeded to the attributes of Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp as the registrant. In addition, the shares of the Common Stock, as the successor to ADEX, are deemed to be registered under Section 12(b) and/or 12(g) of the Exchange Act. Holders of uncertificated shares of common stock of ADEX prior to the Closing have continued as holders of shares of uncertificated shares of the Common Stock. After consummation of the Merger, the Common Stock and warrants were listed on Cboe Canada under the symbols “GRDI” and “GRDI.WS,” respectively, and the CUSIP numbers relating to the Common Stock and warrants were changed to 398501106 and 398501114, respectively. Holders of shares of Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp. who have filed reports under the Exchange Act with respect to those shares should indicate in their next filing, or any amendment to a prior filing, filed on or after the Closing Date that GRIID is the successor to ADEX.

 

Item 4.01

Change in the Registrant’s Certifying Accountant.

On December 29, 2023, the Board appointed RSM US LLP (“RSM”) as GRIID’s independent registered public accounting firm to audit GRIID’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. RSM served as the independent registered public accounting firm of Legacy GRIID prior to Merger. Accordingly, Marcum LLP (“Marcum”), ADEX’s independent registered public accounting firm prior to the Merger, was informed on December 29, 2023 that it will be dismissed as GRIID’s independent registered public accounting firm, effective on December 29, 2023.

The report of Marcum on ADEX’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainties, audit scope or accounting principles, except that such reports each contained an explanatory paragraph which noted that there was substantial doubt as to ADEX’s ability to continue as a going concern because ADEX’s cash and working capital as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 were not sufficient to fund its operations for a reasonable period of time.

During ADEX’s fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the subsequent interim periods through September 30, 2023, there were no disagreements between ADEX and Marcum on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial disclosure or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Marcum, would have caused it to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreements in its reports on ADEX’s consolidated financial statements for such year or subsequent interim period.

During ADEX’s fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, there were no “reportable events” (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K (“Regulation S-K”) under the Exchange Act), except that Marcum advised ADEX of material weaknesses related to internal control over financial reporting related to the accounting of complex financial instruments.

GRIID provided Marcum with a copy of the foregoing disclosures and has requested that Marcum furnish GRIID with a letter addressed to the SEC stating whether it agrees with the statements made by GRIID set forth above. A copy of Marcum’s letter, dated January 2, 2024, is filed as Exhibit 16.1 hereto.


During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the subsequent interim periods through September 30, 2023, neither GRIID, nor any party on behalf of GRIID, consulted with RSM with respect to either (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of the audit opinion that might be rendered with respect to GRIID’s consolidated financial statements, and no written report or oral advice was provided to GRIID by RSM that was an important factor considered by GRIID in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue, or (ii) any matter that was subject to any disagreement (as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions) or a reportable event (as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).

 

Item 5.01

Changes in Control of Registrant.

Reference is made to the section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Proposal No.1-The Merger Proposal-General Description of the Merger; Structure of the Merger,” beginning on page 123 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference. Further reference is made to disclosure in the section entitled “Introductory Note” and in Item 2.01 of this Current Report, which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.02

Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Departure and Election of Board of Directors

Upon the consummation of the Merger, Eric L. Munson, Jacob Cohen and Sheldon Levy resigned from the Board. In addition, the size of the Board was increased from five to seven directors, and five new individuals were elected to the Board. The Board was divided into three staggered classes of directors and each director was assigned to one of the three classes. At each annual meeting of the stockholders of GRIID, a class of directors will be elected for a three-year term to succeed the directors of the same class whose terms are then expiring. The Board consists of the following directors:

 

   

Two Class I directors: David L. Shrier and Christina Dolan and their terms will expire at the first annual meeting of stockholders to be held after the Closing Date.

 

   

Two Class II directors: Sharmila Kassam and Neal Simmons and their terms will expire at the second annual meeting of stockholders to be held after the Closing Date.

 

   

Three Class III directors: Sundar Subramaniam, Tom Zaccagnino and James D. Kelly III and their terms will expire at the third annual meeting of stockholders to be held after the Closing Date.

James D. Kelly III serves as chair of the Board. The primary responsibilities of the Board are to provide oversight, strategic guidance, counseling and direction to GRIID’s management. The Board meets on a regular basis and additionally as required.

Furthermore, effective as of the Effective Time, the Board established three standing committees: an audit committee, a nominating and corporate governance committee, and a compensation committee. The members of the audit committee are Sharmila Kassam, Cristina Dolan and Tom Zaccagnino, and Ms. Kassam chairs the audit committee. The members of the compensation committee are Tom Zaccagnino, Sharmila Kassam and Sundar Subramaniam, and Mr. Zaccagnino chairs the compensation committee. The members of the nominating and corporate governance committee are Sundar Subramaniam, Tom Zaccagnino, and Cristina Dolan, and Mr. Subramaniam chairs the nominating and corporate governance committee.

Reference is made to the description of the compensation of the directors of Legacy GRIID and of ADEX before the consummation of the Merger described in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus in the section entitled “Executive Compensation-Director Compensation” beginning on page 272 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference.

GRIID’s non-employee director compensation program is designed to align compensation with business objectives and the creation of stockholder value, while enabling GRIID to attract, retain, incentivize and reward individuals who contribute to its long-term success.


Independence of Directors

GRIID adheres to the rules of the NYSE American in determining whether a director is independent. The NYSE American’s listing standards generally define an “independent director” as a person other than an executive officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship which in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. The Board has determined that each of the directors, other than James D. Kelly III, David L. Shrier and Neal Simmons, qualify as independent directors, as defined under the rules of the NYSE American and Cboe Canada, and the Board will consist of a majority of “independent directors,” as defined under the rules of the SEC, the NYSE American and Cboe Canada.

Departure and Election of Executive Officers

Upon consummation of the Merger, the following individuals were appointed to serve as executive officers of GRIID.

 

Name   

Age

   Position(s)
James D. Kelly III    35    Chief Executive Officer and Director
Dwaine Alleyne    41    Chief Technology Officer
Michael W. Hamilton    41    Chief Research Officer
Gerard F. King II    66    Chief Operating Officer
Allan J. Wallander    62    Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
Harry Sudock    30    Chief Strategy Officer
Alexander G. Fraser    63    General Counsel and Secretary

In addition, effective as of the Effective Time, David L. Shrier resigned from his position as President and Chief Executive Officer of GRIID, John J. D’Agostino resigned from his position as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of GRIID and Elizabeth B. Porter resigned from her position as Chief Technology Officer and Secretary of GRIID.

Reference is made to the section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Management After the Merger,” beginning on page 263 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference.

GRIID Infrastructure Inc. 2023 Omnibus Incentive Plan

Upon the Closing, GRIID adopted the 2023 Plan. The 2023 Plan is described in greater detail in the section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Proposal No. 5-The Incentive Plan Proposal,” beginning on page 174 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus. That summary and the foregoing description of the 2023 Plan do not purport to be complete and each is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the 2023 Plan, which is attached as Exhibit 10.2 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

Employment Agreements with Named Executive Officers

Reference is made to the disclosure regarding Legacy GRIID’s employment arrangements with its named executive officers (the “named executive officers”) in the section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Executive Compensation-GRIID,” beginning on page 274 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control

GRIID expects to grant to the named executive officers stock options subject to the general terms of the 2023 Plan. A description of the termination and change in control provisions in the 2023 Plan that are applicable to the stock options granted to the named executive officers under the 2023 Plan is included in the section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Proposal No.5-Incentive Plan Proposal” beginning on pages 174 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus.


This summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the 2023 Plan, which is attached as Exhibit 10.2 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

Indemnification Agreements

At the Effective Time, GRIID entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers. These indemnification agreements provide the directors and executive officers with contractual rights to indemnification and advancement of certain expenses incurred by such director or executive officer in any action or proceeding arising out of his or her services as one of GRIID’s directors or executive officers.

The foregoing description of the indemnification agreements does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the form of indemnification agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions

Reference is made to the sections of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Certain ADEX Relationships and Related Party Transactions” and “Certain GRIID Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” beginning on pages 282 and 285, respectively of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, which are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.03

Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

On the Closing Date, GRIID adopted the Charter and the Bylaws amending and restating its existing amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, and bylaws, respectively. Copies of the Charter and the Bylaws are attached as Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2 hereto, respectively, and are incorporated herein by reference.

Reference is made to the disclosure regarding the material changes to the Charter and the rights of GRIID’s stockholders set forth therein in the sections of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Proposal No. 2-The Charter Amendment Proposal,” “Description of Securities” and “Comparison of Stockholders’ Rights,” beginning on pages 168, 288 and 296 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, respectively, which are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.05

Amendments to the Registrant’s Code of Ethics, or Waiver of a Provision of the Code of Ethics.

On the Closing Date, the Board adopted a new Code of Conduct and Ethics that applies to all of its employees, officers and directors, including the named executive officers. The full text of GRIID’s Code of Conduct and Ethics is available on GRIID’s website at www.griid.com.

The adoption of the Code of Conduct and Ethics did not relate to or result in any waiver, explicit or implicit, of any provision of ADEX’s Code of Conduct. Any waivers under the Code of Conduct and Ethics will be disclosed on a Current Report on Form 8-K or as otherwise permitted by the rules of the SEC and the NYSE American (or other stock exchange on which GRIID’s securities are then listed).

 

Item 5.06

Change in Shell Company Status.

As a result of the Merger, GRIID ceased to be a shell company upon the Closing. The material terms of the Merger are described in the section of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus entitled “Proposal No.1-The Merger Proposal,” beginning on page 123 of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 7.01

Regulation FD Disclosure.

On January 2, 2024, GRIID issued a press release announcing the listing of its Common Stock on Cboe Canada. Reference is made to such press release, which is furnished as Exhibit 99.4 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing (including Exhibit 99.4) is being furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and will not be deemed to be filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise be subject to the liabilities of that section, nor will it be deemed to be incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.


Item 8.01

Other Events

On December 29, 2023, GRIID issued a press release announcing the consummation of the Merger. A copy of such press release is filed as Exhibit 99.3 hereto. On January 2, 2024, the Company’s Common Stock began trading on Cboe Canada under the symbol “GRDI.”

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a)    Financial statements of businesses acquired.

The audited consolidated financial statements of Legacy GRIID as of and for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 are included in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus beginning on page F-51 and are incorporated herein by reference.

Reference is made to the unaudited financial statements of GRIID as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, which are set forth in Exhibit 99.1 hereto and are incorporated herein by reference.

(b)    Pro forma financial information.

Reference is made to the unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet as of September 30, 2023 and the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the nine months ended September 30, 2023, which are included as Exhibit 99.2 hereto and are incorporated herein by reference.


EXHIBIT
NUMBER

 

EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION

  2.1 ^#   Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 29, 2021, by and among Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp., ADEX Merger Sub, LLC and Griid Holdco LLC (attached as Annex A-1 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
  2.2#   First Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of December 23, 2021, by and among Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp., ADEX Merger Sub, LLC and Griid Holdco LLC (attached as Annex A-2 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
  2.3 #   Second Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of October 17, 2022, by and among Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp., ADEX Merger Sub, LLC and Griid Holdco LLC (attached as Annex A-3 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
  2.4 #   Third Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February 8, 2023, by and among Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp., ADEX Merger Sub, LLC and Griid Holdco LLC (attached as Annex A-4 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
  3.1   Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of GRIID Infrastructure Inc.
  3.2   Amended and Restated Bylaws of GRIID Infrastructure Inc.
  4.1 #   Amended and Restated Warrant Agreement, dated as of December 23, 2021, by and between Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp. and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
  4.2^   Warrant, dated December 29, 2023, issued to GEM Yield Bahamas Limited.
  4.3 ^#   Form of GRIID Holdco LLC Promissory Note (filed as Exhibit 4.4 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
  4.4 ^   Promissory Note, dated December 29, 2023, issued by the GRIID Infrastructure Inc. to EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.
  4.5 ^   Form of GRIID Holdco LLC Promissory Note.
10.1 +   Form of GRIID Infrastructure Inc. Indemnification Agreement.
10.2 +   GRIID Infrastructure Inc. 2023 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan.
10.3   Investor Rights Agreement by and between GRIID Infrastructure Inc. and the signatories party thereto.
10.4 ^*#   Ground Lease, dated as of August 20, 2021, as amended as of October 14, 2021 and further amended as of November 8, 2021, by and between Griid Infrastructure LLC and Michael Skelly (filed as Exhibit 10.4 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement of Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.5 ^#   Power Supply Contract, effective as of January 1, 2020, by and between Union Data LLC and Knoxville Utilities Board (filed as Exhibit 10.5 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.6 ^#   Amendment to Power Supply Contract, effective as of May 1, 2020, by and between Union Data LLC and Knoxville Utilities Board (filed as Exhibit 10.6 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.7 ^#   Amendment to Power Supply Contract, effective as of April 1, 2021, by and between Union Data LLC and Knoxville Utilities Board (filed as Exhibit 10.7 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.8 ^#   Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of November 19, 2021, by and between Griid Infrastructure LLC, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Blockchain Access UK Limited (filed as Exhibit 10.8 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).


10.8.1 ^#   Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 9, 2022, by and between Griid Infrastructure LLC, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Blockchain Access UK Limited (filed as Exhibit 10.8.1 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.8.2 ^#   Settlement and Release Agreement, dated as of October 9, 2022, by and between Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp., Griid Infrastructure LLC, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Blockchain Access UK Limited (filed as Exhibit 10.8.2 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.9 ^*#   Development and Operation Agreement, dated as of August 31, 2021, by and between Data Black River LLC and Helix Digital Partners, LLC (filed as Exhibit 10.9 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.10 ^#   Supply Agreement, dated as of September 8, 2021, by and between Griid Infrastructure LLC and Intel Corporation (filed as Exhibit 10.10 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.10.1^#   First Amendment to Supply Agreement, dated as of September 9, 2022, by and between Griid Infrastructure LLC and Intel Corporation (filed as Exhibit 10.10.1 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.11 ^#   Site Location and Development Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2020, by and between Red Dog Technologies LLC and Johnson City Energy Authority d/b/a Brightridge (filed as Exhibit 10.11 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.12#   Amendatory Agreement, dated as of October 28, 2020, by and between Red Dog Technologies LLC and Johnson City Energy Authority d/b/a Brightridge (filed as Exhibit 10.12 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.13#   Amendatory Agreement, dated as of November 30, 2020, by and between Red Dog Technologies LLC and Johnson City Energy Authority d/b/a Brightridge (filed as Exhibit 10.13 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.14#   Amendatory Agreement, dated as of December 30, 2020, by and between Red Dog Technologies LLC and Johnson City Energy Authority d/b/a Brightridge (filed as Exhibit 10.14 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.15#   Amendatory Agreement, dated as of January 28, 2021, by and between Red Dog Technologies LLC and Johnson City Energy Authority d/b/a Brightridge (filed as Exhibit 10.15 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.16#   Amendatory Agreement, dated as of February 22, 2021, by and between Red Dog Technologies LLC and Johnson City Energy Authority d/b/a Brightridge (filed as Exhibit 10.16 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.17#   Amendatory Agreement, dated as of March 30, 2021, by and between Red Dog Technologies LLC and Johnson City Energy Authority d/b/a Brightridge (filed as Exhibit 10.17 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.18+^#   Offer Letter, dated as of August 23, 2019, by and between Griid Infrastructure LLC and Michael W. Hamilton (filed as Exhibit 10.18 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.19+#   Offer Letter, dated as of April 14, 2021, by and between Griid Infrastructure LLC and Allan J. Wallander (filed as Exhibit 10.19 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.20^#   Amended and Restated Mining Services Agreement, by and between Griid Infrastructure LLC and Blockchain Capital Solutions (US), Inc., dated as of October 9, 2022 (filed as Exhibit 10.20 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).


10.21 ^#    Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 9, 2022, among Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp., Griid Infrastructure LLC, GEM Global Yield LLC SCS, and GEM Yield Bahamas Limited (incorporated by reference to exhibit 10.1 to Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp.’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-39872), filed with the SEC on September 12, 2022).
10.22^#    Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of September 9, 2022, among Griid Infrastructure LLC, GEM Global Yield LLC SCS, and GEM Yield Bahamas Limited (incorporated by reference to exhibit 10.2 to Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp.’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-39872), filed with the SEC on September 12, 2022).
10.23^#    Electric Service Contract #1, dated as of June 1, 2022, by and between Ava Data, LLC and Lenoir City Utilities Board (filed as Exhibit 10.26 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.24^#    Electric Service Contract #2, dated as of June 1, 2022, by and between Ava Data, LLC and Lenoir City Utilities Board (filed as Exhibit 10.27 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.25^#    Interruptible Power Product Agreement, dated as of May 20, 2022, by and between Ava Data, LLC and Tennessee Valley Authority (filed as Exhibit 10.28 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.26#    Engagement Letter Agreement, dated April 17, 2021, by and between Deucalion Partners, LLC and GRIID Infrastructure Inc. (filed as Exhibit 10.31 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
10.27#    Amendment No. 1 to the Engagement Letter Agreement, dated November 14, 2022, by and between Deucalion Partners, LLC and GRIID Infrastructure Inc. (filed as Exhibit 10.31.1 to the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-261880), filed with the SEC on November 1, 2023).
14.1    Code of Business Conduct and Ethics of GRIID Infrastructure Inc., effective December 29, 2023.
16.1    Letter from Marcum LLP to the SEC, dated January 2, 2024.
21.1    List of Subsidiaries of GRIID Infrastructure Inc.
99.1    Unaudited consolidated financial statements of Griid Infrastructure LLC as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.
99.2    Unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information of GRIID Infrastructure Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2022 and as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.
99.3    Press release of GRIID Infrastructure Inc., dated December 29, 2023.
99.4    Press release of GRIID Infrastructure Inc., dated January 2, 2024.
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

 

 

*

Annexes, schedules and exhibits have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. The registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted attachment to the SEC on a confidential basis upon request.

^

Certain confidential information contained in this exhibit, marked by brackets, has been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(10)(iv) because the information (i) is not material and (ii) is the type of information that the Company both customarily and actually treats as private and confidential.

+

Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

#

Incorporated by reference.


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

GRIID Infrastructure Inc.
By:  

/s/ Allan J. Wallander

  Allan J. Wallander
  Chief Financial Officer

Dated: January 2, 2024

Exhibit 3.1

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

ADIT EDTECH ACQUISITION CORP.

Pursuant to Sections 242 and 245 of the

Delaware General Corporation Law

Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp., a corporation existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), by its duly authorized officer, hereby certifies as follows:

1. The present name of the Corporation is “Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp.”

2. The Corporation’s original Certificate of Incorporation was filed in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on October 15, 2020.

3. The Corporation’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amended and Restated Certificate”) was filed in the office of the Secretary of the State of Delaware on January 11, 2021.

4. This Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (this “Second Amended and Restated Certificate”) restates, integrates and also further amends the Amended and Restated Certificate.

5. This Second Amended and Restated Certificate was duly adopted in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) and was duly approved by the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with the applicable provisions of Section 211 of the DGCL.

6. The text of the Amended and Restated Certificate is hereby amended, integrated and restated to read in full as follows:

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the corporation is Griid Infrastructure Inc. (the “Corporation”).

ARTICLE II

REGISTERED AGENT

The registered office of the Corporation is to be located at c/o PHS Corporate Services, Inc., 1313 N. Market Street, Suite 5100, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19801. The name of its registered agent at that address is PHS Corporate Services, Inc.


ARTICLE III

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL. In addition to the powers and privileges conferred upon the Corporation by law and those incidental thereto, the Corporation shall possess and may exercise all the powers and privileges that are necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of the business or purposes of the Corporation.

ARTICLE IV

CAPITALIZATION

Section 4.1. Authorized Capital Stock.

(a) The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 501,000,000 shares, consisting of (i) 500,000,000 shares of common stock, par value of $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and (ii) 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value of $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”).

(b) Subject to the rights of the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, the number of authorized shares of any class of the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased, in each case by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the total voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL, and no vote of the holders of any class of the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock voting separately as a class will be required therefor. Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, the number of authorized shares of any particular class may not be decreased below the number of shares of such class then outstanding.

Section 4.2. Classes of Shares. The designation, relative rights, preferences and limitations of the shares of each class of stock are as follows:

(a) Common Stock.

(i) Voting Rights.

(1) Each holder of Common Stock will be entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock held of record by such holder on all matters on which stockholders generally are entitled to vote, except that, in each case, to the fullest extent permitted by law and subject to Section 4.2(a)(i)(2), holders of shares of Common Stock, as such, will have no voting power with respect to, and will not be entitled to vote on, any amendment to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of any outstanding Preferred Stock if the holders of such Preferred Stock are entitled to vote as a separate class thereon under this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of Preferred Stock) or under the DGCL.

(2) The holders of the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to vote separately as a class upon any amendment to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including by merger, consolidation, reorganization or similar event) that would alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Common Stock so as to affect the Common Stock adversely.

(3) Except as otherwise required in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate or by the DGCL, the holders of Common Stock will vote together as a single class on all matters (or, if any holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together with the holders of Common Stock, as a single class with the holders of Preferred Stock).

 

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(4) There shall be no cumulative voting.

(ii) Dividends. Subject to applicable law and the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock or any class or series of stock having a preference senior to or the right to participate with the Common Stock with respect to the payment of dividends, such dividends and other distributions of cash, stock or property may be declared and paid on the Common Stock out of the assets of the Corporation that are by law available therefor, at the times and in the amounts as the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) in its discretion may determine.

(iii) Liquidation. Subject to applicable law and the rights, if any, of the holder of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock, in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the affairs of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation and of the preferential and other amounts, if any, to which the holders of Preferred Stock are entitled, if any, the holders of all outstanding shares of Common Stock will be entitled to receive an amount per share equal to the par value thereof, and thereafter the holders of all outstanding shares of Common Stock will be entitled to receive the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution ratably in proportion to the number of shares of Common Stock.

(b) Preferred Stock. Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series of any number of shares, provided that the aggregate number of shares issued and not retired of any and all such series shall not exceed the total number of shares of Preferred Stock hereinabove authorized, and with such powers, including voting powers, if any, and the designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, if any, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, all as shall hereafter be stated and expressed in the resolution or resolutions providing for the designation and issue of such shares of Preferred Stock from time to time adopted by the Board pursuant to authority so to do which is hereby expressly vested in the Board. The powers, including voting powers, if any, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of each series of Preferred Stock, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, may differ from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding. The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, without a separate vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock, or any series thereof, unless a vote of any such Preferred Stock holders is required pursuant to the designations for such Preferred Stock.

Section 4.3. Rights and Options. The Corporation has the authority to create and issue rights, warrants and options entitling the holders thereof to acquire from the Corporation any shares of its capital stock of any class or classes, with such rights, warrants and options to be evidenced by or in instrument(s) approved by the Board. The Board is empowered to set the exercise price, duration, times for exercise and other terms and conditions of such rights, warrants or options; provided, however, that the consideration to be received for any shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise thereof may not be less than the par value thereof.

ARTICLE V

POWERS OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 5.1. Election. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by, or under the direction of, the Board. Election of directors of the Corporation (the “Directors”) need not be by ballot unless the bylaws of the Corporation (as such bylaws may be amended from time to time, the “Bylaws”) so provide.

 

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Section 5.2. Bylaws. The Board shall have the power, without the assent or vote of the stockholders, to make, alter, amend, change, add to or repeal the Bylaws as provided in the Bylaws.

Section 5.3. Submission for Stockholder Approval/Ratification. The Directors in their discretion may submit any contract or act for approval or ratification at any annual meeting of the stockholders or at any meeting of the stockholders called for the purpose of considering any such act or contract, and any contract or act that shall be approved or be ratified by the vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation which is represented in person or by proxy at such meeting and entitled to vote thereat (provided that a lawful quorum of stockholders be there represented in person or by proxy), shall be as valid and binding upon the Corporation and upon all the stockholders as though it had been approved or ratified by every stockholder of the Corporation, whether or not the contract or act would otherwise be open to legal attack because of Directors’ interests, or for any other reason.

Section 5.4. Number of Directors.

(a) Except as otherwise provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Section 4.2(b) of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate relating to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional Directors, the total number of Directors constituting the entire Board shall, (a) as of the date of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate, be seven (7) and (b) thereafter, shall be fixed solely and exclusively by one or more resolutions adopted from time to time by the Board.

(b) During any period when the holders of any series of Preferred Stock have the right to elect additional Directors as provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Section 4.2(b) (“Preferred Stock Directors”), upon the commencement, and for the duration, of the period during which such right continues: (i) the then total authorized number of Directors shall automatically be increased by such specified number of Preferred Stock Directors, and the holders of the related Preferred Stock shall be entitled to elect the Preferred Stock Directors pursuant to the provisions of the Board’s designation for the series of Preferred Stock and (ii) each such Preferred Stock Director shall serve until such Preferred Stock Director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such Preferred Stock Director’s right to hold such office terminates pursuant to such provisions, whichever occurs earlier, subject to his or her earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal. Except as otherwise provided by the Board in the resolution or resolutions establishing such series, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect Preferred Stock Directors are divested of such right pursuant to the provisions of such stock, the terms of office of all such Preferred Stock Directors elected by the holders of such Preferred Stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such Preferred Stock Directors, shall forthwith terminate and the total and authorized number of Directors shall be reduced accordingly.

Section 5.5. Classified Board. The Board shall be divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible: Class I, Class II, and Class III. Only one class of Directors shall be elected in each year and each class shall serve a three-year term. Class I Directors shall initially serve until the first annual meeting of stockholders following the adoption of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate; Class II Directors shall initially serve until the second annual meeting of stockholders following the adoption of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate; and Class III Directors shall initially serve until the third annual meeting of stockholders following the adoption of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate. Each Director of each class, the term of which shall then expire, shall be elected to hold office for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation next following the annual meeting

 

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at which such director was elected. In case of any increase or decrease, from time to time, in the number of Directors (other than Preferred Stock Directors), the Directors in each class shall be apportioned as nearly equal as possible. In the event of any change in the number of Directors, the Board shall apportion any newly created directorships among, or reduce the number of directorships in, such class or classes as shall equalize, as nearly as possible, the number of Directors in each class. In no event will a decrease in the number of Directors shorten the term of any incumbent director.

Section 5.6. Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships. Subject to any limitations imposed by applicable law and the rights, if any, of the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies on the Board resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall, unless the Board determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by the stockholders and except as otherwise provided by the DGCL, be filled solely and exclusively, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors then in office, even if less than a quorum of the Board, and not by the stockholders. Any director so chosen shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such director shall have been chosen and until his or her successor shall be duly elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal.

Section 5.7. Removal of Directors. Subject to any limitations imposed by the DGCL, except for Preferred Stock Directors, any director or the entire Board may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the total voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

Section 5.8. Powers Generally. In addition to the powers and authorities hereinbefore or by statute expressly conferred upon them, the Directors are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation; subject, nevertheless, to the DGCL, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate, and to any Bylaws from time to time made by the stockholders; provided, however, that no bylaw so made shall invalidate any prior act of the Directors which would have been valid if such Bylaw had not been made.

ARTICLE VI

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

Section 6.1. Action by Written Consent. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation may be effected only at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.

Section 6.2. Meetings of Stockholders.

(a) An annual meeting of stockholders for the election of Directors to succeed those whose terms expire and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting shall be held at such place (or electronically), on such date, and at such time as the Board shall determine.

(b) Subject to any special rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, and to the requirements of applicable law, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by (i) the chairperson of the Board, (ii) the chief executive officer of the Corporation or (iii) at the direction of the Board pursuant to a written resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of Directors that the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies. Any business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to matters relating to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of meeting. The ability of holders of Common Stock to call a special meeting of the stockholders is hereby specifically denied.

 

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(c) Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of Directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII

LIMITED LIABILITY; INDEMNIFICATION

Section 7.1. Limited Liability. A Director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (a) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (b) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (c) under Section 174 of the DGCL, or (d) for any transaction from which the Director derived an improper personal benefit. If the DGCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a Director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended. Any repeal or modification of this Section 7.1 by the stockholders of the Corporation shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a Director with respect to events occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification.

Section 7.2. Indemnification. The Corporation, to the full extent permitted by Section 145 of the DGCL, as amended from time to time, shall indemnify all Persons whom it may indemnify pursuant thereto. Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative action, suit or proceeding for which such officer or director may be entitled to indemnification hereunder shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized hereby.

Section 7.3. Nonexclusivity of Rights. The rights and authority conferred in this Article VII shall not be exclusive of any other right that any Person may otherwise have or hereafter acquire.

ARTICLE VIII

INSOLVENCY, SALE, LEASE OR EXCHANGE OF ASSETS

Whenever a compromise or arrangement is proposed between this Corporation and its creditors or any class of them and/or between this Corporation and its stockholders or any class of them, any court of equitable jurisdiction within the State of Delaware may, on the application in a summary way of this Corporation or of any creditor or stockholder thereof or on the application of any receiver or receivers appointed for this Corporation under Section 291 of Title 8 of the Delaware Code or on the application of trustees in dissolution or of any receiver or receivers appointed for this Corporation under Section 279 of Title 8 of the Delaware Code order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of this Corporation, as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as the said court directs. If a majority in number representing three fourths in value of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of this Corporation, as the case may be, agree to any compromise or arrangement and to any reorganization of this Corporation as a consequence of such compromise or arrangement, the said compromise or arrangement and the said reorganization shall, if sanctioned by the court to which the said application has been made, be binding on all the creditors or class of creditors, and/or on all the stockholders or class of stockholders, of this Corporation, as the case may be, and also on this Corporation.

 

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ARTICLE IX

EXCLUSIVE FORUM

Section 9.1. Exclusive Forum. Subject to the last sentence of this Section 9.1, and unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction, any state court located within the State of Delaware, or, if and only if all such state courts lack subject matter jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) and any appellate court therefrom shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any stockholder (including a beneficial owner) to bring (a) any derivative claim or action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (b) any claim or action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer or other employee, agent or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (c) any claim or action asserting a claim against the Corporation, or any current or former director, officer or employee of the Corporation arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate or the Bylaws of the Corporation (as each may be amended from time to time), (d) any claim or cause of action seeking to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate or the Bylaws of the Corporation (as each may be amended from time to time, including any right, obligation or remedy thereunder); (e) any claim or cause of action as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, (f) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation, or any director, officer or employee of the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine or otherwise related to the Corporation’s internal affairs, in all cases to the fullest extent permitted by law and subject to the court having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants. Article IX shall not apply to claims or causes of action brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the 1933 Act.

Section 9.2. Foreign Action. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of Section 9.1 immediately above is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (a) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce Section 9.1 immediately above (a “Foreign Enforcement Action”), and (b) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such Foreign Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.

Section 9.3. Deemed Notice and Consent. Any Person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to this Article IX.

ARTICLE X

SEVERABILITY

If any provision or provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any Person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Second Amended and

 

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Restated Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other Persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (b) the provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its Directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their service or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

ARTICLE XI

CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY

The doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any other analogous doctrine, shall not apply with respect to the Corporation or any of its officers or Directors in circumstances where the application of any such doctrine would conflict with any fiduciary duties or contractual obligations they may have as of the date of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate or in the future. In addition to the foregoing, the doctrine of corporate opportunity shall not apply to any other corporate opportunity with respect to any of the Directors or officers of the Corporation unless such corporate opportunity is offered to such Person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation and such opportunity is one the Corporation is legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for the Corporation to pursue.

ARTICLE XII

ADOPTION, AMENDMENT OR REPEAL OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

Subject to Section 4.2, the Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change, add or repeal any provision contained in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate and the DGCL, and except as set forth in Article VII, all rights, preferences and privileges of whatsoever nature conferred upon stockholders, Directors or any other Persons whomsoever by and pursuant to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation in its present form or as hereafter amended, are granted and held subject to the right reserved in this Article XII. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate, and notwithstanding that a lesser percentage may be permitted from time to time by applicable law, no provision of Section 5.5, or Articles VI, VII, IX, or XII may be altered, amended or repealed in any respect, nor may any provision or by-law inconsistent therewith be adopted, unless in addition to any other vote required by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate or otherwise required by law, such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption is approved by, in addition to any other vote otherwise required by law, the affirmative vote of the holders of sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the total voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors, voting together as a single class, at a meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose.

ARTICLE XIII

DEFINITIONS

As used in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate, unless the context otherwise requires or as set forth in another Article or Section of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate, the term:

(a) “Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person; provided, that (i) neither the Corporation nor any of its subsidiaries will be deemed an Affiliate of any stockholder of the Corporation or any of such stockholders’ Affiliates and (ii) no stockholder of the Corporation will be deemed an Affiliate of any other stockholder of the Corporation, in each case, solely by reason of any investment in the Corporation (including any representatives of such stockholder serving on the Board).

 

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(b) “Amended and Restated Certificate” is defined in the recitals.

(c) “Board” is defined in Section 4.2(a)(ii)(1).

(d) “Bylaws” is defined in Section 5.1.

(e) “Common Stock” is defined in Section 4.1(a).

(f) “control” (including the terms “controlling” and “controlled”), with respect to the relationship between or among two or more Persons, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the affairs or management of such subject Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, as trustee or executor, by contract or otherwise.

(g) “Corporation” is defined in the recitals.

(h) “DGCL” is defined in the recitals.

(i) “Director” is defined in Section 5.1.

(j) “Foreign Action” is defined in Section 9.2.

(k) “Foreign Enforcement Action” is defined in Section 9.2.

(l) “Person” means any individual, partnership, firm, corporation, limited liability company, association, trust, unincorporated organization or other entity.

(m) “Preferred Stock” is defined in Section 4.1(a).

(n) “Preferred Stock Designation” is defined in Section 4.2(b).

(o) “Preferred Stock Director” is defined in Section 5.4(b).

(p) “Second Amended and Restated Certificate” is defined in the recitals.

(q) “1933 Act” is defined in Section 9.1.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Second Amended and Restated Certificate to be signed by its duly authorized officer, as of the 29th day of December, 2023.

 

/s/ James D. Kelly III
James D. Kelly III
CEO & President

[Signature Page to Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation]

Exhibit 3.2

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE INC.

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

1.1 Registered Office. The registered office of Griid Infrastructure Inc. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware shall be established and maintained at c/o PHS Corporate Services, Inc., 1313 N. Market Street, Suite 5100, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware 19801 and PHS Corporate Services, Inc. shall be the registered agent of the corporation in charge thereof.

1.2 Other Offices. The Corporation may also have offices at such other places both within and without the State of Delaware as the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.

ARTICLE II

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

2.1 Place of Meetings. All meetings of the stockholders shall be held at such place, date and hour, either within or without the State of Delaware, as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting or in a duly executed waiver of notice thereof; provided that the Board of Directors may in its sole discretion determine that a meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) and pursuant to Section 8.10 of these bylaws (the “Bylaws”).

2.2 Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held on such date and at such time as may be fixed by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting, for the purpose of electing directors of the Corporation (“Directors”) and for the transaction of only such other business as is properly brought before the meeting in accordance with these Bylaws.

Written notice of an annual meeting stating the place, date and hour of the meeting, shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the annual meeting.

2.3 Notice of Stockholder Business and Nominations.

(a) Annual Meetings of Stockholders.

Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of other business to be considered by the stockholders may be brought before an annual meeting (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (ii) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time of giving notice provided for in these Bylaws, who is entitled to vote at the meeting, who is present (in person or by proxy) at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in these Bylaws as to such nomination or business. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing clause (ii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to bring nominations or business properly before an annual meeting (other than matters properly brought under Rule 14a-8 (or any successor rule) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), and such stockholder must comply with the notice and other procedures set forth in Section 2.3 of this Article to bring such nominations or business properly before an annual meeting. In addition to the other requirements set forth in these Bylaws, for any proposal of business to be considered at an annual meeting, it must be a proper subject for action by stockholders of the Corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware.


For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to the paragraph above, the stockholder must (i) have given Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation, (ii) have provided any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by these Bylaws and (iii) together with the beneficial owner(s), if any, on whose behalf the nomination or business proposal is made, have acted in accordance with the representations set forth in the Solicitation Statement (as defined below) required by these Bylaws. To be timely, a stockholder’s written notice shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event the annual meeting is first convened more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, or if no annual meeting were held in the preceding year, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be received by the Secretary of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to the scheduled date of such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made (such notice within such time periods shall be referred to as “Timely Notice”). Such stockholder’s Timely Notice shall set forth:

 

   

as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a Director, all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of Directors in an election contest, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act (including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a Director if elected);

 

   

as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event such business includes a proposal to amend these Bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person (as defined below);

 

   

the name and address of the stockholder giving the notice, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and the names and addresses of the other Proposing Persons (if any);

 

   

as to each Proposing Person, the following information: (a) the class or series and number of all shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially or of record by such Proposing Person or any of its affiliates or associates (as such terms are defined in Rule 12b-2 promulgated under the Exchange Act), including any shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Person or any of its affiliates or associates has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future, (b) all Synthetic Equity Interests (as defined below) in which such Proposing Person or any of its affiliates or associates, directly or indirectly, holds an interest, including a description of the material terms of each such Synthetic Equity Interest, including without limitation, identification of the counterparty to each such Synthetic Equity Interest and disclosure, for each such Synthetic Equity Interest, as to (x) whether or not such Synthetic Equity Interest conveys any voting rights, directly or indirectly, in such shares to such Proposing Person, (y) whether or not such Synthetic Equity Interest is required to be, or is capable of being, settled through

 

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delivery of such shares and (z) whether or not such Proposing Person, and/or, to the extent known, the counterparty to such Synthetic Equity Interest, has entered into other transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such Synthetic Equity Interest, (c) any proxy (other than a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the Exchange Act), agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship pursuant to which such Proposing Person has or shares a right to, directly or indirectly, vote any shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation, (d) any rights to dividends or other distributions on the shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, and (e) any performance-related fees (other than an asset based fee) that such Proposing Person, directly or indirectly, is entitled to, based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation or any Synthetic Equity Interests (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (a) through (e) are referred to, collectively, as “Material Ownership Interests”);

 

   

a description of the material terms of all agreements, arrangements or understandings (whether or not in writing) entered into by any Proposing Person or any of its affiliates or associates with any other person for the purpose of acquiring, holding, disposing or voting of any shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation;

 

   

a description of all agreements, arrangements or understandings by and among any of the Proposing Persons, or by and among any Proposing Persons and any other person (including with any proposed nominee(s)), pertaining to the nomination(s) or other business proposed to be brought before the meeting of stockholders (which description shall identify the name of each other person who is party to such an agreement, arrangement or understanding);

 

   

identification of the names and addresses of other stockholders (including beneficial owners) known by any of the Proposing Persons to support nominations or other business proposal(s), and to the extent known the class and number of all shares of the Corporation’s capital stock owned beneficially or of record by such other stockholder(s) or other beneficial owner(s); and

 

   

a statement whether or not the stockholder giving the notice and/or the other Proposing Person(s), if any, will deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of, in the case of a business proposal, at least the percentage of voting power of all of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation required under applicable law to approve the proposal or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, at least the percentage of voting power of all of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation reasonably believed by such Proposing Person to be sufficient to elect the nominee or nominees proposed to be nominated by such stockholder (such statement, the “Solicitation Statement”).

For purposes of this Article, the term “Proposing Person” shall mean the following persons: (i) the stockholder of record providing the notice of nominations or business proposed to be brought before a stockholders’ meeting, and (ii) the beneficial owner(s), if different, on whose behalf the nominations are made, or business is proposed to be brought before a stockholders’ meeting. For purposes of Section 2.3 of this Article, the term “Synthetic Equity Interest” shall mean any transaction, agreement or arrangement (or series of transactions, agreements or arrangements), including, without limitation, any derivative, swap, hedge, repurchase or so-called “stock borrowing” agreement or arrangement, the purpose or effect of which is to, directly or indirectly: (a) give a person or entity economic benefit and/or risk similar to ownership of shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation, in whole or in part, including due to the

 

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fact that such transaction, agreement or arrangement provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit or avoid a loss from any increase or decrease in the value of any shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation, (b) mitigate loss to, reduce the economic risk of or manage the risk of share price changes for any person or entity with respect to any shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation, (c) otherwise provide in any manner the opportunity to profit or avoid a loss from any decrease in the value of any shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation, or (d) increase or decrease the voting power of any person or entity with respect to any shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation.

To be eligible to be a nominee of any stockholder for election or reelection as a Director, a person must deliver (in accordance with the time periods prescribed for nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors by stockholders under Section 2.3 of this Article) to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation a written questionnaire with respect to the background and qualification of such individual and the background of any other person or entity on whose behalf, directly or indirectly, the nomination is being made (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Secretary upon written request), all information relating to such person that would be required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies by the Corporation for election of such person as a Director in an election contest, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, and a written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the Secretary upon written request) that such individual (a) is not and will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such person, if elected as a Director, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”) that has not been disclosed to the Corporation and (2) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such individual’s ability to comply, if elected as a Director, with such individual’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (b) is not and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a Director that has not been disclosed therein, (c) in such individual’s personal capacity and on behalf of any person or entity on whose behalf, directly or indirectly, the nomination is being made, would be in compliance, if elected as a Director, and will comply, with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality and stock ownership and trading policies and guidelines of the Corporation publicly disclosed from time to time and (d) consents to being named as a nominee in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-4(d) under the Exchange Act and any associated proxy card of the Corporation and agrees to serve if elected as a Director.

A stockholder providing Timely Notice of nominations or business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting and any person providing information pursuant to the paragraph above shall, in each case, further update and supplement such notice and information, if necessary, so that the information (including, without limitation, the Material Ownership Interests information) provided or required to be provided therein pursuant to these Bylaws shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to such annual meeting, and such update and supplement shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the fifth (5th) business day after the record date for the annual meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date), and not later than the close of business on the eighth (8th) business day prior to the date of the annual meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting).

Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of the second paragraph of Section 2.3(a) of this Article to the contrary, in the event that the number of Directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased and there is no public announcement naming all of the nominees for Director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors made by the Corporation at least ten (10) days before the last day,

 

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a stockholder may deliver a notice of nomination in accordance with the second sentence of the second paragraph of Section 2.3(a) of this Article, a stockholder’s notice required by these Bylaws shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be received by the Secretary of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

(b) General.

Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws shall be eligible for election and to serve as Directors and only such business shall be conducted at an annual meeting as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors or a designated committee thereof shall have the power to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws. If neither the Board of Directors nor such designated committee makes a determination as to whether any stockholder proposal or nomination was made in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws, the presiding officer of the annual meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether the stockholder proposal or nomination was made in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws. If the Board of Directors or a designated committee thereof or the presiding officer, as applicable, determines that any stockholder proposal or nomination was not made in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws, such proposal or nomination shall be disregarded and shall not be presented for action at the annual meeting.

Except as otherwise required by law, nothing in Section 2.3 of this Article shall obligate the Corporation or the Board of Directors to include in any proxy statement or other stockholder communication distributed on behalf of the Corporation or the Board of Directors information with respect to any nominee for Director or any other matter of business submitted by a stockholder.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of Section 2.3 of this Article, if the nominating or proposing stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual meeting to present a nomination or any business, such nomination or business shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies, in respect of such vote, may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of Section 2.3 of this Article, to be considered a qualified representative of the proposing stockholder, a person must be authorized by a written instrument executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such written instrument or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the written instrument or electronic transmission, to the presiding officer at the meeting of stockholders.

For purposes of these Bylaws, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of these Bylaws, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in these Bylaws. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights of (i) stockholders to have proposals included in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor rule), as applicable, under the Exchange Act and, to the extent required by such rule, have such proposals considered and voted on at an annual meeting or (ii) the holders of any series of the Preferred Stock (as defined in the Certificate of Incorporation (as defined below)) to elect Directors under specified circumstances.

 

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2.4 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, unless otherwise prescribed by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (as may be amended from time to time, the “Certificate of Incorporation”), may only be called by a majority of the entire Board of Directors, or the President or the Chairman.

Unless otherwise provided by law, written notice of a special meeting of stockholders, stating the time, place and purpose or purposes thereof, shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting, not less than ten (10) or more than sixty (60) days before the date fixed for the meeting. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice.

2.5 Quorum. The holders of a majority of the capital stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders for the transaction of business except as otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation. If, however, such quorum shall not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the holders of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the stockholders entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting.

2.6 Organization. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall act as chairman of meetings of the stockholders. The Board of Directors may designate any other officer or Director to act as chairman of any meeting in the absence of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, and the Board of Directors may further provide for determining who shall act as chairman of any stockholders meeting in the absence of the Chairman of the Board of Directors and such designee.

The Secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary of all meetings of the stockholders, but in the absence of the Secretary the presiding officer may appoint any other person to act as secretary of any meeting.

2.7 Voting. Unless otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any question (other than the election of Directors) brought before any meeting of stockholders shall be decided by the vote of the holders of a majority of the stock represented and entitled to vote thereat. At all meetings of stockholders for the election of Directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect Directors. Each stockholder represented at a meeting of stockholders shall be entitled to cast one vote for each share of the capital stock entitled to vote thereat held by such stockholder, unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize any person or persons to act for him by proxy. All proxies shall be executed in writing and shall be filed with the Secretary of the Corporation not later than the day on which exercised. No proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, or the officer of the Corporation presiding at a meeting of stockholders, in his discretion, may require that any votes cast at such meeting shall be cast by written ballot.

 

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2.8 No Stockholder Action by Written Consent. No action that is required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be effected by written consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting.

2.9 Voting List. The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, the stockholder’s agent or attorney, at the stockholder’s expense, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the election, either at the principal place of business of the Corporation or on a reasonably accessible electronic network as provided by applicable law. If the meeting is to be held at a place, the list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be inspected by any stockholder of the Corporation who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting.

2.10 Stock Ledger. The stock ledger of the Corporation shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the stock ledger, the list required by Article II Section 2.9 or the books of the Corporation, or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

2.11 Adjournment. Any meeting of the stockholders, including one at which Directors are to be elected, may be adjourned for such periods as the presiding officer of the meeting or the stockholders present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote shall direct.

2.12 Ratification. Any transaction questioned in any stockholders’ derivative suit, or any other suit to enforce alleged rights of the Corporation or any of its stockholders, on the ground of lack of authority, defective or irregular execution, adverse interest of any Director, officer or stockholder, nondisclosure, miscomputation or the application of improper principles or practices of accounting may be approved, ratified and confirmed before or after judgment by the Board of Directors or by the holders of Common Stock (as defined in the Certificate of Incorporation) and, if so approved, ratified or confirmed, shall have the same force and effect as if the questioned transaction had been originally duly authorized, and said approval, ratification or confirmation shall be binding upon the Corporation and all of its stockholders and shall constitute a bar to any claim or execution of any judgment in respect of such questioned transaction.

2.13 Inspectors. The election of Directors and any other vote by ballot at any meeting of the stockholders shall be supervised by at least one inspector. Such inspectors shall be appointed by the Board of Directors in advance of the meeting. If the inspector so appointed shall refuse to serve or shall not be present, such appointment shall be made by the officer presiding at the meeting.

ARTICLE III

DIRECTORS

3.1 Powers; Number; Qualifications. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise provided by law or in the Certificate of Incorporation. The number of Directors which shall constitute the Board of Directors shall be not less than one (1) nor more than nine (9). The exact number of Directors shall be fixed from time to time, within the limits specified in Section 3.1 of this Article or in the Certificate of Incorporation, by the Board of Directors. Directors need not be stockholders of the Corporation.

 

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3.2 Election; Term of Office; Resignation; Removal; Vacancies. Each Director shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders at which his or her class stands for election or until such Director’s earlier resignation, removal from office, death or incapacity. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of Directors or from any other cause may be filled by a majority of the Directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining Director, and each Director so chosen shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such Director shall have been chosen, and until his successor shall be elected and qualified, or until such Director’s earlier resignation, removal from office, death or incapacity. No decrease in the number of Directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent Director.

3.3 Nominations. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors at a meeting of stockholders of the Corporation may be made at such meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, by any committee or persons appointed by the Board of Directors or by any stockholder of the Corporation entitled to vote for the election of Directors at the meeting who complies with the notice procedures set forth in Article II Section 2.3. Such nominations by any stockholder shall be made pursuant to Timely Notice in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation and such stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth the information specified in Article II Section 2.3. The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a Director. No person shall be eligible for election as a Director unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in Article II Section 2.3. The officer of the Corporation presiding at an annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a nomination was not made in accordance with the procedure set forth in Article II Section 2.3, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and the defective nomination shall be disregarded.

3.4 Meetings. The Board of Directors may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or without the State of Delaware. The first meeting of each newly elected Board of Directors shall be held immediately after and at the same place as the meeting of the stockholders at which it is elected and no notice of such meeting shall be necessary to the newly elected Directors in order to legally constitute the meeting, provided a quorum shall be present. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such time and place as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President, Chairman or a majority of the entire Board of Directors. Notice thereof stating the place, date and hour of the meeting shall be given to each Director either by mail not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the date of the meeting, by telephone, facsimile, telegram or e-mail on twenty-four (24) hours’ notice, or on such shorter notice as the person or persons calling such meeting may deem necessary or appropriate in the circumstances.

3.5 Quorum. Except as may be otherwise specifically provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, at all meetings of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, a majority of the entire Board of Directors or such committee, as the case may be, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of the Directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board of Directors. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof, a majority of the Directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.

3.6 Organization of Meetings. The Board of Directors shall elect one of its members to be Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall lead the Board of Directors in fulfilling its responsibilities as set forth in these Bylaws, including its responsibility to oversee the performance of the Corporation, and shall determine the agenda and perform all other duties and exercise all other powers which are or from time to time may be delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors.

 

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Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or in his or her absence, by the President, or, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the President, by such other person as the Board of Directors may designate or the members present may select.

3.7 Actions of Board of Directors Without Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board of Directors or of such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filled with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee.

3.8 Removal of Directors by Stockholders. The entire Board of Directors or any individual Director may be removed from office with or without cause by a majority vote of the holders of the outstanding shares then entitled to vote at an election of Directors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors is classified, stockholders may effect such removal only for cause. In case the Board of Directors or any one or more Directors be so removed, new Directors may be elected at the same time for the unexpired portion of the full term of the Director or Directors so removed.

3.9 Resignations. Any Director may resign at any time by submitting his written resignation to the Board of Directors or Secretary of the Corporation. Such resignation shall take effect at the time of its receipt by the Corporation unless another time be fixed in the resignation, in which case it shall become effective at the time so fixed. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be required to make it effective.

3.10 Committees. The Board of Directors may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the Directors. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he, she or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another Director to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided by law and in the resolution of the Board of Directors establishing such committee, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to amending the Certificate of Incorporation, adopting an agreement of merger or consolidation, recommending to the stockholders the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s property and assets, recommending to the stockholders a dissolution of the Corporation or a revocation of a dissolution or amending the Bylaws of the Corporation; and, unless the resolution expressly so provides, no such committee shall have the power or authority to declare a dividend or to authorize the issuance of stock or to adopt a certificate of ownership and merger. Unless the Board of Directors provides otherwise, at all meetings of such committee, a majority of the then authorized members of the committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the vote of a majority of the members of the committee present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the committee. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board of Directors when required.

 

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3.11 Compensation. The Directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and shall receive such compensation for their services as shall be determined by a majority of the Board of Directors, or a designated committee thereof, provided that directors who are serving the Corporation as employees and who receive compensation for their services as such, shall not receive any salary or other compensation for their services as directors of the Corporation. No such payment shall preclude any Director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for attending committee meetings.

3.12 Interested Directors. No contract or transaction between the Corporation and one or more of its Directors or officers, or between the Corporation and any other corporation, partnership, association, or other organization in which one or more of its Directors or officers are Directors or officers, or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the Director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board of Directors or committee thereof which authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because his or their votes are counted for such purpose, if (i) the material facts as to his or their relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Board of Directors or the committee, and the Board of Directors or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested Directors, even though the disinterested Directors be less than a quorum; or (ii) the material facts as to his or their relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders; or (iii) the contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified, by the Board of Directors, a committee thereof or the stockholders. Common or interested Directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors or of a committee which authorizes the contract or transaction.

3.13 Manner of Participation. Members of the Board of Directors or any committee designed by the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or of a committee of the Board of Directors by means of teleconference, virtual conference or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this subsection shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS

4.1 General. The officers of the Corporation shall be elected by the Board of Directors and may consist of: a Chairman of the Board, Vice Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, may also elect one or more Vice Presidents (including Executive Vice Presidents and Senior Vice Presidents), Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers, a Controller and such other officers as in the judgment of the Board of Directors may be necessary or desirable, or may delegate to any elected officer of the Corporation the power to appoint and remove any such officers and to prescribe their respective terms of office, authorities and duties. Any number of offices may be held by the same person and more than one person may hold the same office, unless otherwise prohibited by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. The officers of the Corporation need not be stockholders of the Corporation, nor need such officers be Directors.

4.2 Election. The Board of Directors at its first meeting held after each annual meeting of stockholders shall elect the officers of the Corporation. Each officer of the Corporation shall hold office for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors; and all officers of the Corporation shall hold office until their successors are chosen and qualified, or until their earlier resignation or removal. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board of Directors or, in the case of appointed officers, by any elected officer upon whom such power of appointment shall have been conferred by the Board. The salaries of all officers who are Directors shall be fixed by the Board of Directors.

 

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4.3 Voting Securities Owned by the Corporation. Powers of attorney, proxies, waivers of notice of meeting, consents and other instruments relating to securities owned by the Corporation may be executed in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation by the President or any Vice President, and any such officer may, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, take all such action as any such officer may deem advisable to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of security holders of any corporation in which the Corporation may own securities and at any such meeting shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and powers incident to the ownership of such securities and which, as the owner thereof, the Corporation might have exercised and possessed if present. The Board of Directors may, by resolution, from time to time confer like powers upon any other person or persons.

4.4 Chief Executive Officer. Subject to the provisions of these Bylaws and to the direction of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer shall have ultimate authority for decisions relating to the general management and control of the affairs and business of the Corporation and shall perform such other duties and exercise such other powers which are or from time to time may be delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors or these Bylaws, all in accordance with basic policies as established by and subject to the oversight of the Board of Directors.

4.5 President. At the request of the Chief Executive Officer, or in the absence of the Chief Executive Officer, or in the event of his or her inability or refusal to act, the President shall perform the duties of the Chief Executive Officer, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon such office. The President shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors from time to time may prescribe.

4.6 Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall have general supervision, direction and control of the financial affairs of the Corporation and shall perform such other duties and exercise such other powers which are or from time to time may be delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors or these Bylaws, all in accordance with basic policies as established by and subject to the oversight of the Board of Directors. In the absence of a named Treasurer, the Chief Financial Officer shall also have the powers and duties of the Treasurer as hereinafter set forth and shall be authorized and empowered to sign as Treasurer in any case where such officer’s signature is required.

4.7 Vice Presidents. At the request of the President or in the absence of the President, or in the event of his or her inability or refusal to act, the Vice President or the Vice Presidents if there is more than one (in the order designated by the Board of Directors) shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon such office. Each Vice President shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors from time to time may prescribe. If there be no Vice President, the Board of Directors shall designate the officer of the Corporation who, in the absence of the President or in the event of the inability or refusal of such officer to act, shall perform the duties of such office, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon such office.

4.8 Secretary. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and all meetings of stockholders and record all the proceedings thereat in a book or books to be kept for that purpose; the Secretary shall also perform like duties for the standing committees when required. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or the President, under whose supervision the Secretary shall be. If the Secretary shall be unable

 

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or shall refuse to cause to be given notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, then any Assistant Secretary shall perform such actions. If there be no Assistant Secretary, then the Board of Directors or the President may choose another officer to cause such notice to be given. The Secretary shall have custody of the seal of the Corporation and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, if there be one, shall have authority to affix the same to any instrument requiring it and when so affixed, it may be attested by the signature of the Secretary or by the signature of any such Assistant Secretary. The Board of Directors may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest the affixing by his signature. The Secretary shall see that all books, reports, statements, certificates and other documents and records required by law to be kept or filed are properly kept or filed, as the case may be.

4.9 Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the President and the Board of Directors, at its regular meetings, or when the Board of Directors so requires, an account of all his transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation. If required by the Board of Directors, the Treasurer shall give the Corporation a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the duties of his office and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of his death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in his possession or under his control belonging to the Corporation.

4.10 Assistant Secretaries. Except as may be otherwise provided in these Bylaws, Assistant Secretaries, if there be any, shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the President, any Vice President, if there be one, or the Secretary, and in the absence of the Secretary or in the event of his disability or refusal to act, shall perform the duties of the Secretary, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Secretary.

4.11 Assistant Treasurers. Assistant Treasurers, if there be any, shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the President, any Vice President, if there be one, or the Treasurer, and in the absence of the Treasurer or in the event of his disability or refusal to act, shall perform the duties of the Treasurer, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Treasurer. If required by the Board of Directors, an Assistant Treasurer shall give the Corporation a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the duties of his office and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of his death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in his possession or under his control belonging to the Corporation.

4.12 Controller. The Controller shall establish and maintain the accounting records of the Corporation in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis, maintain proper internal control of the assets of the Corporation and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors, the President or any Vice President of the Corporation may prescribe.

4.13 Other Officers. Such other officers as the Board of Directors may choose shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may delegate to any other officer of the Corporation the power to choose such other officers and to prescribe their respective duties and powers.

 

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4.14 Other Powers and Duties. Subject to these Bylaws and to such limitations as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe, the officers of the Corporation shall each have such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective offices, as well as such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.

4.15 Vacancies. The Board of Directors shall have the power to fill any vacancies in any office occurring from whatever reason.

4.16 Resignations. Any officer may resign at any time by submitting his written resignation to the Corporation. Such resignation shall take effect at the time of its receipt by the Corporation, unless another time be fixed in the resignation, in which case it shall become effective at the time so fixed. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be required to make it effective. The resignation of an officer shall be without prejudice to the contract rights of the Corporation, if any.

4.17 Removal. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Board of Directors may remove any officer with or without cause by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office.

4.18 Absence or Disability. In the event of the absence or disability of any officer, the Board of Directors may designate another officer to act temporarily in place of such absent or disabled officer.

ARTICLE V

CAPITAL STOCK

5.1 Form of Certificates. The shares of stock in the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of the Corporation’s stock shall be in uncertificated form. Stock certificates shall be in such forms as the Board of Directors may prescribe and signed by any two authorized officers of the Corporation, which shall include, but not be limited to, the Chairman of the Board, the President or a Vice President, the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation.

5.2 Signatures. Any or all of the signatures on a stock certificate may be a facsimile, including, but not limited to, signatures of officers of the Corporation and countersignatures of a transfer agent or registrar. In case an officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

5.3 Lost Certificates. The Board of Directors may direct a new stock certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any stock certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new stock certificate, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or his legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as the Board of Directors shall require and/or to give the Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.

 

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5.4 Transfers. Stock of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law and in these Bylaws. Transfers of certificated stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation only by the person named in the certificate or by such person’s attorney lawfully constituted in writing and upon the surrender of the certificate therefor, which shall be canceled before a new certificate shall be issued. Transfers of uncertificated stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation only by the person then registered on the books of the Corporation as the owner of such shares or by such person’s attorney lawfully constituted in writing and written instruction to the Corporation containing such information as the Corporation or its agents may prescribe. No transfer of uncertificated stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing from and to whom transferred. The Corporation shall have no duty to inquire into adverse claims with respect to any stock transfer unless (a) the Corporation has received a written notification of an adverse claim at a time and in a manner which affords the Corporation a reasonable opportunity to act on it prior to the issuance of a new, reissued or re-registered share certificate, in the case of certificated stock, or entry in the stock record books of the Corporation, in the case of uncertificated stock, and the notification identifies the claimant, the registered owner and the issue of which the share or shares is a part and provides an address for communications directed to the claimant; or (b) the Corporation has required and obtained, with respect to a fiduciary, a copy of a will, trust, indenture, articles of co-partnership, Bylaws or other controlling instruments, for a purpose other than to obtain appropriate evidence of the appointment or incumbency of the fiduciary, and such documents indicate, upon reasonable inspection, the existence of an adverse claim. The Corporation may discharge any duty of inquiry by any reasonable means, including notifying an adverse claimant by registered or certified mail at the address furnished by him or, if there be no such address, at his residence or regular place of business that the security has been presented for registration of transfer by a named person, and that the transfer will be registered unless within thirty days from the date of mailing the notification, either (a) an appropriate restraining order, injunction or other process issues from a court of competent jurisdiction; or (b) an indemnity bond, sufficient in the Corporation’s judgment to protect the Corporation and any transfer agent, registrar or other agent of the Corporation involved from any loss which it or they may suffer by complying with the adverse claim, is filed with the Corporation.

5.5 Fixing Record Date. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date of action with a meeting is adopted by the Board of Directors, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other action. If no record date is fixed:

(a) The record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held.

(b) The record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is necessary, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent is delivered to the Corporation.

 

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(c) The record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

5.6 Registered Stockholders. Prior to due presentment for transfer of any share or shares, the Corporation shall treat the registered owner thereof as the person exclusively entitled to vote, to receive notifications and to all other benefits of ownership with respect to such share or shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.

ARTICLE VI

NOTICES

6.1 Form of Notice. Notices to Directors and stockholders other than notices to Directors of special meetings of the Board of Directors which may be given by any means stated in Article III Section 3.4, shall be in writing and delivered personally or mailed to the Directors or stockholders at their addresses appearing on the books of the Corporation. Notice by mail shall be deemed to be given at the time when the same shall be deposited in the mail, with postage prepaid. Notice to Directors may also be given by electronic transmission (as defined in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended (the “Delaware General Corporation Law”)).

6.2 Waiver of Notice. Whenever any notice is required to be given under the provisions of law or the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the person or persons entitled to notice, whether before or after such notice is required, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular, or special meeting of the stockholders, Directors, or members of a committee of Directors need be specified in any written waiver of notice unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation.

ARTICLE VII

INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

7.1 To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a Director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

 

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7.2 To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a Director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

7.3 To the extent that a Director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Sections 7.1 or 7.2 of this Article, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith.

7.4 Any indemnification under Sections 7.1 or 7.2 of this Article (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the Director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because such person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in such section. Such determination shall be made:

(a) By the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or

(b) If such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even if a quorum of disinterested Directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or

(c) By the stockholders.

7.5 Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or Director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a Director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, may be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding, promptly following request therefor, upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Article. Such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by other employees and agents may be so advanced upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the Board of Directors deems appropriate.

 

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7.6 The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted pursuant to the other sections of this Article shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise, both as to action in his or her official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. The Corporation is specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of its Directors, officers, employees or agents respecting indemnification and advances, to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law.

7.7 To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Corporation shall, upon approval by the Board of Directors, have power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a Director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of this Article.

7.8 For purposes of this Article, references to “the Corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting Corporation, any constituent Corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its Directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a Director, officer employee or agent of such constituent Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent Corporation as a Director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this Article with respect to the resulting or surviving Corporation as he or she would have with respect to such constituent Corporation of its separate existence had continued.

7.9 For purposes of this Article, references to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as a Director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such Director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this Article.

7.10 The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

7.11 No Director or officer of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or to any stockholder of the Corporation for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a Director or officer, provided that this provision shall not limit the liability of a Director or officer (i) for any breach of the Director’s or the officer’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL, or (iv) for any transaction from which the Director or officer derived an improper personal benefit.

 

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ARTICLE VIII

GENERAL PROVISIONS

8.1 Reliance on Books and Records. Each Director, each member of any committee designated by the Board of Directors and each officer of the Corporation, shall, in the performance of his duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Corporation, including reports made to the Corporation by any of its officers, by an independent certified public accountant, or by an appraiser selected with reasonable care.

8.2 Maintenance and Inspection of Records. The Corporation shall, either at its principal executive office or at such place or places as designated by the Board of Directors, keep a record of its stockholders listing their names and addresses and the number and class of shares held by each stockholder, a copy of these Bylaws, as may be amended to date, minute books, accounting books and other records.

Any such records maintained by the Corporation may be kept on, or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device or method, provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time. The Corporation shall so convert any records so kept upon the request of any person entitled to inspect such records pursuant to the provisions of the DGCL. When records are kept in such manner, a clearly legible paper form produced from or by means of the information storage device or method shall be admissible in evidence, and accepted for all other purposes, to the same extent as an original paper form accurately portrays the record.

Any stockholder of record, in person or by attorney or other agent, shall, upon written demand under oath stating the purpose thereof, have the right, during the usual hours for business, to inspect for any proper purpose the Corporation’s stock ledger, a list of its stockholders, and its other books and records and to make copies or extracts therefrom. A proper purpose shall mean a purpose reasonably related to such person’s interest as a stockholder. In every instance where an attorney or other agent is the person who seeks the right to inspection, the demand under oath shall be accompanied by a power of attorney or such other writing that authorizes the attorney or other agent to so act on behalf of the stockholder. The demand under oath shall be directed to the Corporation at its registered office in Delaware or at its principal executive office.

8.3 Inspection by Directors. Any Director shall have the right to examine the Corporation’s stock ledger, a list of its stockholders, and its other books and records for a purpose reasonably related to his or her position as a Director.

8.4 Dividends. Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, if any, dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting, pursuant to applicable law. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Directors from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or for such other purpose as the Directors shall think conducive to the interest of the Corporation, and the Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.

8.5 Checks. All checks or demands for money and notes of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers or such other persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.

8.6 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be as determined by the Board of Directors. If the Board of Directors shall fail to do so, the President shall fix the fiscal year.

 

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8.7 Seal. The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization and the words “Corporate Seal, Delaware”. The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any manner reproduced.

8.8 Amendments. The original or other Bylaws may be adopted, amended or repealed in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation.

8.9 Interpretation of Bylaws. All words, terms and provisions of these Bylaws shall be interpreted and defined by and in accordance with the DGCL.

8.10 Meeting Attendance via Remote Communication Equipment. If authorized by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion, and subject to such guidelines and procedures as the Board of Directors may adopt, stockholders entitled to vote at an Annual Meeting or special meeting of stockholders and proxy holders not physically present at an Annual Meeting or special meeting of stockholders may, by means of remote communication:

(a) participate in a meeting of stockholders; and

(b) be deemed present in person and vote at a meeting of stockholders, whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication, provided that (A) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to verify that each person deemed present and permitted to vote at the meeting by means of remote communication is a stockholder or proxy holder, (B) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to provide such stockholders and proxy holders a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the stockholders, including an opportunity to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting substantially concurrently with such proceedings, and (C) if any stockholder or proxy holder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of remote communication, a record of such votes or other action shall be maintained by the Corporation.

8.11 Conflict with Applicable Law or Certificate of Incorporation. These Bylaws are adopted subject to any applicable law and the Certificate of Incorporation. Whenever these Bylaws may conflict with any applicable law or the Certificate of Incorporation, such conflict shall be resolved in favor of such law or the Certificate of Incorporation.

Adopted as of December 29, 2023

*     *     *     *     *     *

 

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Exhibit 4.2

NEITHER THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY NOR THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON THE EXERCISE OF THIS WARRANT HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”) OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. SUCH SECURITIES MAY BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED ONLY (A) TO THE COMPANY, (B) IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, IF AVAILABLE, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, (C) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, OR (D) IN A TRANSACTION THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND THE HOLDER HAS, PRIOR TO SUCH SALE, FURNISHED TO THE COMPANY AN OPINION OF COUNSEL OR OTHER EVIDENCE OF EXEMPTION, IN EITHER CASE REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY. HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE CONDUCTED UNLESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT.

WARRANT TO PURCHASE

SHARES OF COMMON STOCK

OF

GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE INC.

Expires: The date that is the third anniversary of the Public Listing Date

 

    Date of Issuance: December 29, 2023    

  

No. of Shares: 1,733,726

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, GRIID Infrastructure Inc., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Delaware, with an office located at 2577 Duck Creek Road, Cincinnati, OH 45212 (together with its successors and assigns, the “Issuer” and the “Company”), hereby certifies that GEM Yield Bahamas Limited (“GEM”) or its assigns is entitled to subscribe for and purchase, during the Term (as hereinafter defined), in accordance with the terms of this Warrant, up to 1,733,726 Shares, at an exercise price of $4.84 per Share. Capitalized terms used in this Warrant shall have the respective meanings specified in Section 8 hereof, and capitalized terms used but not defined in this Warrant have the meanings given them in the Purchase Agreement. This Warrant is issued in accordance with, and subject to, the terms and conditions of the Purchase Agreement.

1. Term. The Holder may exercise this Warrant for a period which shall commence on the Public Listing Date, and shall expire at 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the date that is the third anniversary of the Public Listing Date (such period being the “Term”).


2. Method of Exercise; Payment; Issuance of New Warrant; Transfer and Exchange.

(a) Time of Exercise. The purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be exercised in whole or in part during the Term.

(b) Method of Exercise. The Holder hereof may exercise this Warrant, in whole or in part, by the surrender of this Warrant (with the exercise form attached hereto), duly executed at the principal office of the Issuer, and by the payment to the Issuer of an amount of consideration therefor equal to the Warrant Price in effect on the date of such exercise multiplied by the number of Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant is then being exercised, payable at such Holder’s election (i) by certified or official bank check or by wire transfer to an account designated by the Issuer, (ii) by “cashless exercise” in accordance with the provisions Section 2(c) below, or (iii) by a combination of the foregoing methods of payment selected by the Holder of this Warrant.

(c) Cashless Exercise.

(i) Notwithstanding any provisions herein to the contrary, if the Per Share Market Value of one Common Share is greater than the Warrant Price (at the date of calculation as set forth below), in lieu of exercising this Warrant by payment of cash, the Holder may exercise this Warrant by a cashless exercise and shall receive the number of Common Shares equal to an amount (as determined below) by surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Issuer together with the properly endorsed notice of exercise, in which event the Issuer shall issue to the Holder a number of Common Shares computed using the following formula:

 

LOGO
Where    X  =    the number of Common Shares to be issued to the Holder.
   Y  =    the number of Common Shares purchasable upon exercise of all of the Warrant or, if only a portion of the Warrant is being exercised, the portion of the Warrant being exercised.
   A  =    the Warrant Price.
   B  =    the Per Share Market Value of one Common Share.

For purposes of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, it is intended, understood and acknowledged that the Warrant Shares issued in a cashless exercise transaction shall be deemed to have been acquired by the Holder, and the holding period for such shares shall be deemed to have commenced, on the date this Warrant was originally issued.

(d) Issuance of Shares. In the event of any exercise of this Warrant in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, certificates for the Warrant Shares so purchased shall be dated the date of such exercise and delivered to the Holder hereof within a reasonable time, not exceeding five Trading Days after such exercise (the “Delivery Date”), unless the Common Shares are then uncertificated, in which case the Warrant Shares shall be registered

 

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in book-entry form in the name of the Holder, or, at the request of the Holder (provided that a registration statement under the Securities Act providing for the resale of the Warrant Shares is then in effect or that the Warrant Shares are otherwise exempt from registration), issued and delivered to the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) account on the Holder’s behalf via the Deposit Withdrawal Agent Commission System (“DWAC”) within a reasonable time, not exceeding three (3) Trading Days after such exercise, and the Holder hereof shall be deemed for all purposes to be the holder of the Warrant Shares so purchased as of the date of such exercise. Notwithstanding the foregoing to the contrary, the Issuer or its transfer agent shall be obligated to issue and deliver the shares to the DTC on a holder’s behalf via DWAC only if such exercise is in connection with a sale or other exemption from registration by which the shares may be issued without a restrictive legend and the Issuer and its transfer agent are participating in DTC through the DWAC system. The Holder shall deliver this original Warrant, or an indemnification reasonably acceptable to the Issuer undertaking with respect to such Warrant in the case of its loss, theft or destruction, at such time that this Warrant is fully exercised. This Warrant shall be exercisable, either in its entirety or, from time to time, for part only of the number of Warrant Shares referenced by this Warrant. If this Warrant is submitted in connection with any partial exercise and the number of Warrant Shares represented by this Warrant submitted for exercise is greater than the actual number of Warrant Shares being acquired upon such exercise, then the Company shall, as soon as practicable, and in no event later than five Business Days after any exercise, and at its own expense, issue a new Warrant of like tenor representing the right to purchase the number of Warrant Shares purchasable immediately prior to such exercise under this Warrant, less the number of Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant is exercised. With respect to partial exercises of this Warrant, the Issuer shall keep written records for the Holder of the number of Warrant Shares exercised as of each date of exercise.

(e) Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Shares upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Issuer fails to cause its transfer agent to transmit to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing the Warrant Shares or register such Warrant Shares in book-entry form in the name of the holder, as applicable, pursuant to an exercise on or before the Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) Common Shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In), then the Issuer shall (1) pay in cash to the Holder the amount by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the Common Shares so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Warrant Shares that the Issuer was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (B) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (2) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored or deliver to the Holder the number of Common Shares that would have been issued had the Issuer timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Common Shares having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Common Shares with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (1) of the immediately preceding sentence the Issuer shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Issuer written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In, together with applicable confirmations and other evidence reasonably requested by the Issuer. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right

 

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to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Issuer’s failure to timely deliver certificates representing Common Shares or register such Warrant Shares in book-entry form in the name of the holder, as applicable, upon exercise of this Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

(f) Transferability of Warrant. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Warrant, including the legend set forth above and Section 2(h), this Warrant may be transferred by a Holder, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the Issuer, (i) at any time, to an Affiliate of the Holder, or (ii) at any time following the Public Listing Date, to any Person. Subject to the foregoing, if transferred pursuant to this paragraph, this Warrant may be transferred on the books of the Issuer by the Holder hereof in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Issuer or its agent, as directed by the Issuer, properly endorsed (by the Holder executing an assignment in the form attached hereto) and upon payment of any necessary transfer tax or other governmental charge imposed upon such transfer. This Warrant is exchangeable at the principal office of the Issuer or its agent, as directed by the Issuer, for Warrants to purchase the same aggregate number of Warrant Shares, each new Warrant to represent the right to purchase such number of Warrant Shares as the Holder hereof shall designate at the time of such exchange. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the date hereof and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant thereto.

(g) Continuing Rights of Holder. The Issuer will, at the time of, or at any time after, each exercise of this Warrant, upon the request of the Holder hereof, acknowledge in writing the extent, if any, of its continuing obligation to afford to such Holder all rights to which such Holder shall continue to be entitled after such exercise in accordance with the terms of this Warrant, provided that if any such Holder shall fail to make any such request, the failure shall not affect the continuing obligation of the Issuer to afford such rights to such Holder.

(h) Compliance with Securities Laws.

(i) The Holder of this Warrant, by acceptance hereof, acknowledges that this Warrant and the Warrant Shares to be issued upon exercise hereof are being acquired solely for the Holder’s own account and not as a nominee for any other party, and for investment, and that the Holder will not offer, sell or otherwise dispose of this Warrant or any Warrant Shares to be issued upon exercise hereof except pursuant to an effective registration statement, or an exemption from registration, under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws.

 

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(ii) Except as provided in paragraph (iii) below, this Warrant and all certificates representing Warrant Shares issued upon exercise hereof shall be stamped or imprinted with a legend in substantially the following form:

NEITHER THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY NOR THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON THE EXERCISE OF THIS WARRANT HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”) OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. SUCH SECURITIES MAY BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED ONLY (A) TO THE COMPANY, (B) IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, IF AVAILABLE, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, (C) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, OR (D) IN A TRANSACTION THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND THE HOLDER HAS, PRIOR TO SUCH SALE, FURNISHED TO THE COMPANY AN OPINION OF COUNSEL OR OTHER EVIDENCE OF EXEMPTION, IN EITHER CASE REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY.

(iii) The Issuer agrees to reissue this Warrant or certificates representing any of the Warrant Shares, without the legend set forth above if at such time, prior to making any transfer of any such securities, the Holder shall give written notice to the Issuer describing the manner and terms of such transfer and the conditions to transfer in this paragraph (iii) are met. Such proposed transfer will not be effected until: (a) either (i) the Issuer has received an opinion of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Issuer, to the effect that the registration or qualification of such securities under the Securities Act is not required in connection with such proposed transfer, (ii) a registration statement under the Securities Act or state securities laws covering such proposed disposition has been filed by the Issuer with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and has become and remains effective under the Securities Act and the securities have been qualified under state securities laws, (iii) the Issuer has received other evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Issuer that such registration and qualification under the Securities Act and state securities laws are not required, or (iv) the Holder provides the Issuer with reasonable assurances that such security can be sold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act; and (b) either (i) the Issuer has received an opinion of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Issuer, to the effect that registration or qualification under the securities or “blue sky” laws of any state is not required in connection with such proposed disposition, or (ii) compliance with applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws has been effected or a valid exemption exists with respect thereto. The Issuer will respond to any such notice from a holder within five Trading Days. In the case of any proposed transfer under this Section 2(h), the Issuer will use reasonable efforts to comply with any such applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws, but shall in no event be required, (x) to qualify to do business in any state where it is not then qualified, (y) to take any action that would subject it to tax or to the general service of process in any state where it is not then subject, or (z) to comply with state securities or “blue sky” laws of any state for which registration by coordination is unavailable to the Issuer. The restrictions on transfer contained in this Section 2(h) shall be in addition to, and not by way of limitation of, any other restrictions on transfer contained in any other Section of this Warrant. Whenever a certificate representing the Warrant Shares is required to be issued to a the Holder without a legend, in lieu of delivering physical certificates representing the Warrant Shares, the Issuer shall cause its transfer agent to electronically transmit the Warrant Shares to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder or Holder’s prime broker with DTC through its DWAC system (to the extent not inconsistent with any provisions of this Warrant or the Purchase Agreement).

 

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(i) Accredited Investor Status. In no event may the Holder exercise this Warrant in whole or in part unless the Holder is an “accredited investor” as defined in Regulation D under the Securities Act.

3. Shares Fully Paid; Reservation and Listing of Shares; Covenants.

(a) Shares Fully Paid; Reservation. The Issuer represents, warrants, covenants and agrees that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant or otherwise hereunder will, when issued in accordance with the terms of this Warrant, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by or through the Issuer. The Issuer further covenants and agrees that during the period within which this Warrant may be exercised, the Issuer will at all times have authorized and reserved for the purpose of the issuance upon exercise of this Warrant a number of authorized but unissued Common Shares equal to at least one hundred fifty (150%) of the number of Common Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant without regard to any limitations on exercise.

(b) Registration; Listing. If any Common Shares required to be reserved for issuance upon exercise of this Warrant or as otherwise provided hereunder require registration or qualification with any Governmental Authority under any federal or state law before such shares may be so issued, the Issuer will in good faith use its best efforts as expeditiously as possible at its expense to cause such shares to be duly registered or qualified. If the Issuer shall list any Common Shares on any securities exchange or market it will, at its expense, list thereon, and maintain and increase when necessary such listing, of, all Warrant Shares from time to time issued upon exercise of this Warrant or as otherwise provided hereunder (provided that such Warrant Shares have been registered pursuant to a registration statement under the Securities Act then in effect), and, to the extent permissible under the applicable securities exchange rules, all unissued Warrant Shares which are at any time issuable hereunder, so long as any Common Shares shall be so listed. The Issuer will also so list on each securities exchange or market, and will maintain such listing of, any other securities which the Holder of this Warrant shall be entitled to receive upon the exercise of this Warrant if at the time any securities of the same class shall be listed on such securities exchange or market by the Issuer.

(c) Covenants. The Issuer shall not by any action including, without limitation, amending the Certificate of Incorporation or the by-laws of the Issuer, or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of the Holder hereof. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Issuer will (i) not permit the par value, if any, of its Common Shares to exceed the then effective Warrant Price, (ii) not amend or modify any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or by-laws of the Issuer in any manner that would adversely affect the rights of the Holder, (iii) take all such action as may be reasonably necessary in order that the Issuer may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Common Shares, free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances and restrictions (other than as provided herein or under applicable securities laws) upon the exercise of this Warrant, and (iv) use its best efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof as may be reasonably necessary to enable the Issuer to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

 

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(d) Loss, Theft, Destruction of Warrant. Upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the Issuer of the ownership of and the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of any Warrant and, in the case of any such loss, theft or destruction, upon receipt of indemnity or security satisfactory to the Issuer or, in the case of any such mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant, the Issuer will make and deliver, in lieu of such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Warrant, a new Warrant of like tenor and representing the right to purchase the number of Common Shares remaining available upon exercise of the Warrant which has been lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

(e) Payment of Taxes. The Issuer will pay all transfer and issuance taxes attributable to the preparation, issuance and delivery of this Warrant (and any replacement Warrants) including, without limitation, all documentary and stamp taxes attributable to the initial issuance of the Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant; provided, however, that the Issuer shall not be required to pay any tax or taxes which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance or delivery of any certificates representing Warrant Shares or registration of such Warrant Shares in book-entry form, as applicable, in a name other than that of the Holder in respect to which such shares are issued.

4. Adjustment of Warrant Price. The price at which such Warrant Shares may be purchased upon exercise of this Warrant and/or the number of Warrant Shares issuable shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as set forth in this Section 4. The Issuer shall give the Holder notice of any event described below which requires an adjustment pursuant to this Section 4 in accordance with the notice provisions set forth in Section 5.

(a) Recapitalization, Reorganization, Reclassification, Consolidation, Merger or Sale. In the event that the Holder has elected not to exercise this Warrant prior to the consummation of a Change of Control, so long as the Surviving Corporation pursuant to any Change of Control is a company that has a class of equity securities registered pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and its common shares are listed or quoted on a U.S. national securities exchange, the Surviving Corporation and/or each Person (other than the Issuer) which may be required to deliver any Securities, cash or property upon the exercise of this Warrant as provided herein shall assume, by written instrument delivered to, and reasonably satisfactory to, the Holder of this Warrant, (A) the obligations of the Issuer under this Warrant, including, without limitation, those under the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined below) (and if the Issuer shall survive the consummation of such Change of Control, such assumption shall be in addition to, and shall not release the Issuer from, any continuing obligations of the Issuer under this Warrant), and (B) the obligation to deliver to such Holder such Securities, cash or property as, in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Section 4(a), such Holder shall be entitled to receive, and the Surviving Corporation and/or each such Person shall have similarly delivered to such Holder an opinion of counsel for the Surviving Corporation and/or each such Person, which counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to such Holder, or in the alternative, a written acknowledgement executed by the President or Chief Financial Officer of the Issuer, stating that this Warrant shall thereafter continue in full force and effect and the terms hereof (including, without limitation, all of the provisions of this Section 4(a)) shall be applicable to the

 

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Securities, cash or property which the Surviving Corporation and/or each such Person may be required to deliver upon any exercise of this Warrant or the exercise of any rights pursuant hereto. If following such a Change of Control, the Surviving Corporation does not have a registered class of equity securities and common shares listed on a U.S. national securities exchange as described in the first sentence of this Section 4(a), then the Holder shall be entitled to receive compensation in accordance with the terms of Section 4.13 of the Purchase Agreement.

(b) Share Dividends, Subdivisions and Combinations. If at any time the Issuer shall:

(i) make or issue or set a record date for the holders of the Common Shares for the purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend payable in, or other distribution of, Common Shares,

(ii) subdivide its outstanding Common Shares into a larger number of Common Shares, or

(iii) combine its outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of Common Shares,

then (1) the number of Common Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately after the occurrence of any such event shall be adjusted to equal the number of Common Shares which a record holder of the same number of Common Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to the occurrence of such event would own or be entitled to receive after the happening of such event, and (2) the Warrant Price then in effect shall be adjusted to equal (A) the Warrant Price then in effect multiplied by the number of Common Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to the adjustment divided by (B) the number of Common Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately after such adjustment.

(c) Certain Other Distributions. If at any time the Issuer shall make or issue or set a record date for the holders of the Common Shares for the purpose of entitling them to receive any dividend or other distribution of:

(i) cash,

(ii) any evidences of its indebtedness, any shares of stock of any class or any other securities or property of any nature whatsoever, or

(iii) any warrants or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any evidences of its indebtedness, any shares of stock of any class or any other securities or property of any nature whatsoever,

then (1) the number of Common Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable shall be adjusted to equal the product of the number of Common Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment multiplied by a fraction (A) the numerator of which shall be the Per Share Market Value of Common Shares at the date of taking such record and (B) the denominator of which shall be such Per Share Market Value minus the amount allocable to one share of Common Shares of any such cash so distributable and of the fair value (as determined in

 

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good faith by the Board of Directors of the Issuer and supported by an opinion from an investment banking firm mutually agreed upon by the Issuer and the Holder) of any and all such evidences of indebtedness, shares of stock, other securities or property or warrants or other subscription or purchase rights so distributable, and (2) the Warrant Price then in effect shall be adjusted to equal (A) the Warrant Price then in effect multiplied by the number of Common Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to the adjustment divided by (B) the number of Common Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately after such adjustment. A reclassification of the Common Shares (other than a change in par value, or from par value to no par value or from no par value to par value) into Common Shares and shares of any other class of stock shall be deemed a distribution by the Issuer to the holders of its Common Shares of such shares of such other class of stock within the meaning of this Section 4(c) and, if the outstanding Common Shares shall be changed into a larger or smaller number of Common Shares as a part of such reclassification, such change shall be deemed a subdivision or combination, as the case may be, of the outstanding Common Shares within the meaning of Section 4(b).

(d) Other Provisions applicable to Adjustments under this Section. The following provisions shall be applicable to the making of adjustments of the number of Common Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable and the Warrant Price then in effect provided for in this Section 4:

(i) When Adjustments to Be Made. The adjustments required by this Section 4 shall be made whenever and as often as any specified event requiring an adjustment shall occur, except that any adjustment of the number of Common Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable that would otherwise be required may be postponed (except in the case of a subdivision or combination of Common Shares, as provided for in Section 4(b)) up to, but not beyond the date of exercise if such adjustment either by itself or with other adjustments not previously made adds or subtracts less than one percent of the Common Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to the making of such adjustment. Any adjustment representing a change of less than such minimum amount (except as aforesaid) which is postponed shall be carried forward and made as soon as such adjustment, together with other adjustments required by this Section 4 and not previously made, would result in a minimum adjustment or on the date of exercise. For the purpose of any adjustment, any specified event shall be deemed to have occurred at the close of business on the date of its occurrence.

(ii) Fractional Interests. In computing adjustments under this Section 4, fractional interests in Common Shares shall be taken into account to the nearest one hundredth (1/100th) of a share.

(iii) When Adjustment Not Required. If the Issuer shall take a record of the holders of its Common Shares for the purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend or distribution or subscription or purchase rights and shall, thereafter and before the distribution to shareholders thereof, legally abandon its plan to pay or deliver such dividend, distribution, subscription or purchase rights, then thereafter no adjustment shall be required by reason of the taking of such record and any such adjustment previously made in respect thereof shall be rescinded and annulled.

 

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(e) Form of Warrant after Adjustments. The form of this Warrant need not be changed because of any adjustments in the Warrant Price or the number and kind of Securities purchasable upon the exercise of this Warrant.

5. Notice of Adjustments. Whenever the Warrant Price or Warrant Share Number shall be adjusted pursuant to Section 4 hereof (for purposes of this Section 5, each an “adjustment”), the Issuer shall cause its Chief Financial Officer to prepare and execute a certificate setting forth, in reasonable detail, the event requiring the adjustment, the amount of the adjustment, the method by which such adjustment was calculated (including a description of the basis on which the Board made any determination hereunder), and the Warrant Price and Warrant Share Number after giving effect to such adjustment, and shall cause copies of such certificate to be delivered to the Holder of this Warrant promptly after each adjustment. Any dispute between the Issuer and the Holder of this Warrant with respect to the matters set forth in such certificate may at the option of the Holder of this Warrant be submitted to a national or regional accounting firm reasonably acceptable to the Issuer and the Holder, provided that the Issuer shall have ten (10) days after receipt of notice from such Holder of its selection of such firm to object thereto, in which case such Holder shall select another such firm and the Issuer shall have no such right of objection. The firm selected by the Holder of this Warrant as provided in the preceding sentence shall be instructed to deliver a written opinion as to such matters to the Issuer and such Holder within thirty (30) days after submission to it of such dispute. Such opinion shall be final and binding on the parties hereto. The costs and expenses of the initial accounting firm shall be paid equally by the Issuer and the Holder and, in the case of an objection by the Issuer, the costs and expenses of the subsequent accounting firm shall be paid in full by the Issuer.

6. Fractional Shares. No fractional Warrant Shares will be issued in connection with any exercise hereof, but in lieu of such fractional shares, the Issuer shall round the number of shares to be issued upon exercise up to the nearest whole number of shares.

7. Ownership Cap and Exercise Restriction. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Warrant, at no time may a Holder of this Warrant exercise this Warrant if the number of Common Shares to be issued pursuant to such exercise would exceed, when aggregated with all Other Common Shares owned by such Holder and its Affiliates at such time, the number of Common Shares which would result in such Holder and its Affiliates beneficially owning (as determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder) in excess of 9.99% of the then issued and outstanding Common Shares; provided, however, that upon a Holder of this Warrant providing the Issuer with sixty-one (61) days’ notice (pursuant to Section 12 hereof) (the “Waiver Notice”) that such Holder would like to waive this Section 7 with regard to any or all Common Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant, this Section 7 will be of no force or effect with regard to all or a portion of the Warrant referenced in the Waiver Notice until the date that the Holder notifies the Issuer (pursuant to Section 12 hereof) that the Holder revokes the Waiver Notice; provided, further, that during the sixty-one (61) day period prior to the expiration of the Term, the Holder may waive this Section 7 by providing a Waiver Notice at any time during such sixty-one (61) day period.

 

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8. Definitions. For the purposes of this Warrant, the following terms have the following meanings:

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such Person. For purposes of this definition, the term “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of that Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Issuer.

Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks in the City of New York, New York, are authorized or required by law or executive order to close.

Certificate of Incorporation” means the Certificate of Incorporation of the Issuer as in effect on the date hereof, and as hereafter from time to time amended, modified, supplemented or restated in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof and pursuant to applicable law.

Change of Control” shall mean (i) the acquisition by any Person of direct or indirect beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of more than 50% of the combined voting power of the then-issued and outstanding equity of the Company; (ii) the occurrence of a merger, consolidation, reorganization, share exchange or similar corporate transaction, whether or not the Company is the Surviving Corporation, other than a transaction which would result in the voting equity outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Surviving Corporation) at least 50% of the voting shares of the Company or such Surviving Corporation immediately after such transaction; or (iii) the sale, transfer or disposition of all or substantially all of the business and assets of the Company to any Person.

Equity Capital” means and includes (i) any and all ordinary shares, stock or other common or ordinary equity shares, interests, participations or other equivalents of or interests therein (however designated), including, without limitation, shares of preferred or preference shares, (ii) all partnership interests (whether general or limited) in any Person which is a partnership, (iii) all membership interests or limited liability company interests in any limited liability company, and (iv) all equity or ownership interests in any Person of any other type.

Governmental Authority” means any governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory entity, department, body, official, authority, commission, board, agency or instrumentality, whether federal, state or local, and whether domestic or foreign.

Holders” mean the Persons who shall from time to time own this Warrant or any one or more Warrants issued in replacement hereof in accordance with the terms hereof. The term “Holder” means one of the Holders.

Independent Appraiser” means a nationally recognized or major regional investment banking firm or firm of independent certified public accountants of recognized standing (which may be the firm that regularly examines the financial statements of the Issuer) that is regularly engaged in the business of appraising the Equity Capital or assets of corporations or other entities as going concerns, and which is not affiliated with either the Issuer or the Holder of any Warrant.

 

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Per Share Market Value” means on any particular date (a) the last closing bid price per Common Share on such date on a registered national stock exchange on which the Common Shares are then listed, or if there is no such price on such date, then the closing price on such exchange or quotation system on the date nearest preceding such date, or (b) if the Common Shares are not listed or traded then on any registered national stock exchange, the last closing bid price for a Common Share in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the U.S. national securities exchange on which the Common Shares are traded at the close of business on such date, or (c) if the Common Shares are not then publicly traded the fair market value of a Common Share as determined by an Independent Appraiser selected in good faith by the Holder; provided, however, that the Issuer, after receipt of the determination by such Independent Appraiser, shall have the right to select an additional Independent Appraiser, in which case, the fair market value shall be equal to the average of the determinations by each such Independent Appraiser; and provided, further that all determinations of the Per Share Market Value shall be appropriately adjusted for any dividends, splits or other similar transactions during such period. The determination of fair market value by an Independent Appraiser shall be based upon the fair market value of the Issuer determined on a going concern basis as between a willing buyer and a willing seller and taking into account all relevant factors determinative of value, and shall be final and binding on all parties. In determining the fair market value of any Common Shares, no consideration shall be given to any restrictions on transfer of the Common Shares imposed by agreement or by federal or state securities laws, or to the existence or absence of, or any limitations on, voting rights.

Person” means an individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, joint venture, Governmental Authority or other entity of whatever nature.

Principal Market” means any U.S. securities exchange on which the Common Shares are traded or any other exchange platform in the world on which the Common Shares are traded, including, but not limited to, the London Stock Exchange, the Berlin Stock Exchange, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the SIX Swiss Exchange or the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.

Public Listing Date” means the first Trading Day.

Purchase Agreement” means the Share Purchase Agreement, dated September 9, 2022, by and among the Issuer, GEM Yield Bahamas Limited and GEM Global Yield LLC SCS.

Securities” means any debt or equity securities of the Issuer, whether now or hereafter authorized, any instrument convertible into or exchangeable for Securities or a Security, and any option, warrant or other right to purchase or acquire any Security. “Security” means one of the Securities.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any similar federal statute then in effect.

 

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Subsidiary” means any corporation at least 50% of whose outstanding Voting Shares shall at the time be owned directly or indirectly by the Issuer or by one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by the Issuer and one or more of its Subsidiaries.

Surviving Corporation” means (a) the corporation surviving or resulting from any merger, consolidation, reorganization, share exchange or similar corporate transaction involving the Company; (b) the direct or indirect parent company of such surviving corporation; or (c) an entity that acquires all or substantially all of the business and assets of the Company.

Term” has the meaning specified in Section 1 hereof.

Trading Day” means a day on which the Common Shares are traded on a the Principal Market; provided, however, that in the event that the Common Shares are not listed or quoted as set forth in the foregoing clause, then Trading Day shall mean any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day which shall be a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other government action to close.

Voting Shares” means, as applied to the Equity Capital of any corporation, Equity Capital of any class or classes (however designated) having ordinary voting power for the election of a majority of the members of the Board of Directors (or other governing body) of such corporation, other than Equity Capital having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency.

Warrant Price” means the exercise price set forth in the first paragraph of this Warrant, as such price may be adjusted from time to time as shall result from the adjustments specified in this Warrant, including Section 4 hereto.

Warrant Share Number” means at any time the aggregate number of Warrant Shares which may at such time be purchased upon exercise of this Warrant, after giving effect to all prior adjustments and increases to such number made or required to be made under the terms hereof.

Warrant Shares” means Common Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant.

9. Other Notices. In case at any time:

 

  (a)

the Issuer shall make any distributions to the holders of Common Shares; or

 

  (b)

the Issuer shall authorize the granting to all holders of its Common Shares of rights to subscribe for or purchase any shares of Equity Capital of any class or other rights; or

 

  (c)

there shall be any reclassification of the Equity Capital of the Issuer; or

 

  (d)

there shall be any capital reorganization by the Issuer; or

 

13


  (e)

there shall be any (i) consolidation or merger involving the Issuer or (ii) sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Issuer’s property, assets or business (except a merger or other reorganization in which the Issuer shall be the surviving corporation and its shares of Equity Capital shall continue to be outstanding and unchanged and except a consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other disposition involving a wholly-owned Subsidiary); or

 

  (f)

there shall be a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding-up of the Issuer or any partial liquidation of the Issuer or distribution to holders of Common Shares;

then, in each such case, the Issuer shall, to the extent permitted by law, give written notice to the Holder of the date on which (i) the books of the Issuer shall close or a record shall be taken for such dividend, distribution or subscription rights or (ii) such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, disposition, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up, as the case may be, shall take place. Such notice also shall specify the date as of which the holders of Common Shares of record shall participate in such dividend, distribution or subscription rights, or shall be entitled to exchange their Common Shares for securities or other property deliverable upon such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, disposition, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up, as the case may be. To the extent permitted by law, such notice shall be given at least twenty (20) days prior to the action in question and not less than five (5) days prior to the record date or the date on which the Issuer’s transfer books are closed in respect thereto. This Warrant entitles the Holder to receive copies of all financial and other information distributed or required to be distributed to the holders of the Common Shares.

10. Amendment and Waiver. Any term, covenant, agreement or condition in this Warrant may be amended, or compliance therewith may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively), by a written instrument or written instruments executed by the Issuer and the Holder.

11. Governing Law; Jurisdiction. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any of the conflicts of law principles which would result in the application of the substantive law of another jurisdiction. This Warrant shall not be interpreted or construed with any presumption against the party causing this Warrant to be drafted. The Issuer and the Holder agree that venue for any dispute arising under this Warrant will lie exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Delaware, and the parties irrevocably waive any right to raise forum non conveniens or any other argument that Delaware is not the proper venue. The Issuer and the Holder irrevocably consent to personal jurisdiction in the state and federal courts of the state of Delaware. The Issuer and the Holder consent to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by sending by electronic mail a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Warrant and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing in this Section 11 shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. THE ISSUER AND THE HOLDER HEREBY AGREE THAT THE PREVAILING PARTY IN ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS WARRANT OR THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT, SHALL BE ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR REASONABLE LEGAL FEES FROM THE NON-PREVAILING PARTY. THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVE ALL RIGHTS TO A TRIAL BY JURY.

 

14


12. Notices. Any notice, demand, request, waiver or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be delivered in writing by electronic mail, return receipt requested, properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The email addresses for such communications shall be:

 

If to the Company:   

GRIID Infrastructure Inc.

Attn: Mr. James D. Kelly III

Email:                     

With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:   

Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP

Attn: Patrick Costello

Email: patrick.costello@troutman.com

If to GEM:   

GEM Yield Bahamas Ltd.

Attn: Christopher F. Brown, Manager

Email:                     

With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:   

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Attn: Boris Dolgonos

Email: bdolgonos@gibsondunn.com

Any party hereto may from time to time change its address for notices by giving written notice of such changed address to the other party hereto.

13. Warrant Agent. The Issuer may, by written notice to each Holder of this Warrant, appoint an agent having an office in New York, New York for the purpose of issuing Warrant Shares on the exercise of this Warrant pursuant to Section 2(b) above, exchanging this Warrant pursuant to Section 2(c) above, transferring this Warrant pursuant to Section 2(f) above, or replacing this Warrant pursuant to Section 3(d) above, or any of the foregoing, and thereafter any such issuance, exchange or replacement, as the case may be, shall be made at such office by such agent.

14. Remedies. The Issuer stipulates that the remedies at law of the Holder of this Warrant in the event of any default or threatened default by the Issuer in the performance of or compliance with any of the terms of this Warrant are not and will not be adequate and that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, such terms may be specifically enforced by a decree for the specific performance of any agreement contained herein or by an injunction against a violation of any of the terms hereof or otherwise.

15. Successors and Assigns. This Warrant and the rights evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Issuer (including any Successor Company as set forth in the Purchase Agreement), the Holder hereof and (to the extent provided herein) the Holders of Warrant Shares issued pursuant hereto, and shall be enforceable by any such Holder or Holder of Warrant Shares.

 

15


16. Modification and Severability. If, in any action before any court or agency legally empowered to enforce any provision contained herein, any provision hereof is found to be unenforceable, then such provision shall be deemed modified to the extent necessary to make it enforceable by such court or agency. If any such provision is not enforceable as set forth in the preceding sentence, the unenforceability of such provision shall not affect the other provisions of this Warrant, but this Warrant shall be construed as if such unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.

17. Headings. The headings of the Sections of this Warrant are for convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.

18. Registration Rights. The Holder of this Warrant is entitled to the benefit of certain registration rights with respect to the Warrant Shares issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant pursuant to that certain Registration Rights Agreement, of even date herewith, by and between GRIID Infrastructure LLC and the Holder (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) and the registration rights with respect to the Warrant Shares issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant by any subsequent Holder may only be assigned in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Registration Rights Agreement.

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

16


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Issuer has executed this Warrant as of the day and year first above written.

 

GRIID INFRASTURCTURE INC.
By:  

/s/ Trey Kelly

  Name: James D. Kelly III
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

[Signature Page to Warrant to Purchase Shares of Common Stock of GRIID Infrastructure Inc.]


EXERCISE FORM

WARRANT

[_______________]

The undersigned _______________, pursuant to the provisions of the within Warrant, hereby elects to purchase _____ Common Shares covered by the within Warrant.

 

Dated: _________________       Signature  

 

      Address   _________________ _____
        ___________________ ___

Number of Common Shares beneficially owned or deemed beneficially owned by the Holder on the date of exercise: _________________________

The undersigned is an “accredited investor” as defined in Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

The undersigned intends that payment of the Warrant Price shall be made as (check one):

Cash Exercise_______

Cashless Exercise_______

If the Holder has elected a cash exercise, the Holder shall pay the sum of $________ by certified or official bank check (or via wire transfer) to the Issuer in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.

If the Holder has elected a cashless exercise, a certificate shall be issued to the Holder for the number of shares (or such number of shares shall be registered in book-entry form in the name of the Holder, as applicable) equal to the whole number portion of the product of the calculation set forth below, which is ___________. The Company shall pay a cash adjustment in respect of the fractional portion of the product of the calculation set forth below in an amount equal to the product of the fractional portion of such product and the Per Share Market Value on the date of exercise, which product is ____________.

Where:    X = Y - (A)(Y)

  B

The number of Common Shares to be issued to the Holder __________________ (“X”).

The number of Common Shares purchasable upon exercise of all of the Warrant or, if only a portion of the Warrant is being exercised, the portion of the Warrant being exercised ___________________________ (“Y”).

The Warrant Price ______________ (“A”).

The Per Share Market Value of one Common Share _______________________ (“B”).


ASSIGNMENT

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, _________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto __________________ the within Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby and does irrevocably constitute and appoint _____________, attorney, to transfer the said Warrant on the books of the within named corporation.

 

Dated: _________________       Signature  

 

      Address   _________________ _____
        ___________________ ___

PARTIAL ASSIGNMENT

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, _________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto __________________ the right to purchase _________ Warrant Shares evidenced by the within Warrant together with all rights therein, and does irrevocably constitute and appoint ___________________, attorney, to transfer that part of the said Warrant on the books of the within named corporation.

 

Dated: _________________       Signature  

 

      Address   _________________ _____
        ___________________ ___

FOR USE BY THE ISSUER ONLY:

This Warrant No. W-___ canceled (or transferred or exchanged) this _____ day of ___________, _____, Common Shares issued therefor in the name of _______________, Warrant No. W-_____ issued for ____ Common Shares in the name of _______________.

Exhibit 4.4

THIS NOTE, AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS NOTE, HAVE NOT, AS OF THE DATE HEREOF, BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ACT”), OR THE APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE, AND MAY NOT BE PLEDGED, SOLD, ASSIGNED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION UNDER SUCH LAWS OR AN EXEMPTION FROM SUCH REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT. INVESTORS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THEY MAY BE REQUIRED TO BEAR THE FINANCIAL RISKS OF THIS INVESTMENT FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD OF TIME. THE ISSUER OF THESE SECURITIES MAY REQUIRE AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, IN FORM AND SUBSTANCE SATISFACTORY TO THE ISSUER, TO THE EFFECT THAT SUCH PLEDGE, SALE, ASSIGNMENT OR TRANSFER IS EXEMPT FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE ACT AND ALL APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE INC.

FORM OF CONVERTIBLE PROMISSORY NOTE

 

$4,686,638.68    December 29, 2023

GRIID Infrastructure Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its successors and assigns (the “Maker”) promises to pay to the order of EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. (the “Payee”) the principal sum of Four Million Six Hundred Eighty-Six Thousand Six Hundred and Thirty-Eight Dollars and Sixty-Eight Cents ($4,686,638.68) in lawful money of the United States of America, together with any unpaid interest on the principal balance of this Note, on the terms and conditions described below, unless earlier converted or cancelled pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth below.

This Note is being issued by the Maker pursuant to that certain Amendment to the Underwriting Agreement, dated January 11, 2021, between Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation, and the Payee, as representative of the Underwriters. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Underwriting Agreement, as amended by the Amendment to the Underwriting Agreement, dated December 6, 2022.

1. Payment. The principal balance of this Note, together with all interest accrued thereon, shall be repayable on December 29, 2024 (the “Maturity Date”); provided, however, that Maker agrees to make mandatory prepayments on this Note (which shall first be applied to the Expense Reimbursement, then to accrued interest and then to principal), in amounts equal to fifteen percent (15%) of the gross proceeds received by the Maker from any equity lines, forward purchase agreements or other equity financings consummated by Maker prior to the Maturity Date; provided, further, that, Maker shall be entitled to prepay any additional part of all the principal and accrued interest, in one or more installments without penalty, prior to the Maturity Date upon not less than five business days advance notice to permit Payee time to convert any portion of this Note pursuant to Section 3 below. The date of the voluntary prepayment is referred to herein as the “Voluntary Prepayment Date.”

2. Interest. Interest shall compound and accrue on the unpaid principal balance of this Note at an annual rate equal to eight percent (8%) to, but excluding, the date on which the principal amount of, and all accrued interest on, this Note has been paid in full. If this Note is not repaid on or prior to the Maturity Date or such earlier date as to which the repayment obligation may be accelerated pursuant to Section 1 or 6, or converted in accordance with the terms hereof, the rate of interest applicable to the unpaid principal amount shall be adjusted to fifteen percent (15%) per annum from, and including, the Maturity Date (or such earlier date if the obligation to repay this Note is accelerated) to, but excluding, the date of repayment; provided, that in no event shall the interest rate exceed the Maximum Rate (defined below). If it is determined that, under the laws relating to usury applicable to Maker or the indebtedness evidenced by this Note, the interest charges and fees payable by Maker in connection herewith or in connection with any other document or instrument executed and delivered in connection herewith cause the effective interest rate applicable to the indebtedness evidenced by this Note to exceed the maximum rate allowed by law (the “Maximum Rate”), then such interest rate shall be lowered to the Maximum Rate.


3. Conversion. On the Maturity Date or Voluntary Prepayment Date, as the case may be, the Payee may, in its sole and absolute discretion, convert all or part of the principal and/or accrued interest of this Note into shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “common stock”), of the Maker (the “Conversion Shares”) at a per share conversion price equal to 90% of the volume weighted average price of a share of common stock for the five trading days immediately prior to, but not including, the Maturity Date or Voluntary Prepayment Date, as the case may be (the “Conversion Price”); provided, however, that the Maker shall not be required to issue, and the Payee may not elect to convert the principal and/or accrued interest of this Note into, an aggregate number of Conversion Shares that would exceed the maximum number of shares of common stock permitted by Section 312.03 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual to be issued without a vote of the Maker’s stockholders (such maximum number of shares, the “Exchange Cap”), unless the Maker’s stockholders have approved the issuance of common stock pursuant to this Note in excess of the Exchange Cap in accordance with the applicable rules of the New York Stock Exchange. The Payee shall provide the Maker with a written notice of the amount of the principal and/or accrued interest of this Note it wants to convert at least two business days prior to the Maturity Date or Voluntary Prepayment Date, as the case may be (with any remaining principal and accrued interest to be paid in lawful money of the United States, by wire transfer, to the account of the Payee as designed by the Payee in the written notice of conversion). As promptly as practicable after the Maker’s receipt of such notice and the Payee’s surrender of the Note to the Maker, the Maker (at its expense) will issue to the Payee the Conversion Shares.

4. Collection Costs; Application of Payments. In the event this Note is turned over to an attorney for collection, the Maker agrees to pay all reasonable costs of collection, including reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses and all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Payee in connection with such collection efforts. All payments shall be applied first to payment in full of any costs incurred in the collection of any sum due under this Note, including (without limitation) reasonable attorneys’ fees, then to the payment in full of any accrued, unpaid interest and finally to the reduction of the unpaid principal balance of this Note.

5. Events of Default. The following shall constitute events of default (“Events of Default”):

5.1. Failure to Make Required Payments. Failure by Maker to pay the principal of or accrued interest on this Note within five (5) business days following the date when due.

5.2. Bankruptcy, Etc. The filing, as to the Maker, (i) of an involuntary petition which is not dismissed within sixty (60) consecutive days; or (ii) of a voluntary petition under the provisions of the Federal Bankruptcy Code or any state statute for the relief of debtors or the Maker shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors.

5.3. Change of Control. The consummation of any transaction as a result of which the current equity holders of Maker own less than fifty percent (50%) of the equity interests of Maker after the transaction. For the avoidance of doubt, any initial Business Combination involving Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp. shall not constitute a change of control transaction within the meaning of this section.

5.4. Sale of Assets. The consummation of a transaction resulting in the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of Maker or by any Maker’s primary operating subsidiaries.

6. Remedies. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default specified in Section 5, the principal balance, all accrued but unpaid interest, and all other sums payable with regard to this Note, shall automatically and immediately become due and payable, in all cases without any action on the part of Payee.

7. Transfers. This Note, and the obligations and rights of the parties hereunder, shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Maker, the holder of this Note, and their respective heirs, successors and assigns; provided, however, that the Maker may not transfer or assign its obligations hereunder, by operation of law or otherwise, without the consent of the Payee; and provided further that the Payee may not transfer or assign its rights hereunder, by operation of law of otherwise, except to an affiliate, a direct or indirect equity holder of the Payee or a successor to all or a substantial portion of the assets of the assets of the Payee, without the consent of the Maker. Notwithstanding anything else in this Note to the contrary, the right of any payee (or transferee) to receive principal or interest payments under this Note may be transferred only through the surrender of the current Note and reissuance of a new note by the Maker pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph.


8. No Rights as Stockholder. This Note does not entitle the Payee to any voting rights or other rights as a stockholder of the Maker except upon the conversion of this Note. In the absence of conversion of this Note, no provisions of this Note, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Payee, shall cause the Payee to be a stockholder of the Maker in respect of any of the Maker’s equity securities which would be issued in connection with any conversion of this Note. The Payee agrees that no past, present or future stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Maker shall have any personal liability under this Note for any claim based on, or in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation and the Payee waives and releases all such liability. The Payee recognizes and agrees that such waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the Note.

9. Waivers. Maker waives presentment for payment, demand, notice of dishonor, protest, and notice of protest with regard to the Note, all errors, defects and imperfections in any proceedings instituted by Payee under the terms of this Note, and all benefits that might accrue to Maker by virtue of any present or future laws exempting any property, real or personal, or any part of the proceeds arising from any sale of any such property, from attachment, levy or sale under execution, or providing for any stay of execution, exemption from civil process, or extension of time for payment.

10. Notices. Any notice called for hereunder shall be deemed properly given if (i) sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, (ii) personally delivered, (iii) dispatched by any form of private or governmental express mail or delivery service providing receipted delivery, or (iv) sent by e-mail, to the following addresses or to such other address as either party may designate by notice in accordance with this Section:

If to Maker:

GRIID Infrastructure Inc.

2577 Duck Creek Road

Cincinnati, OH 45212

Email:                     

If to Payee:

EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.

366 Madison Avenue

8th Floor

New York, New York 10017

Email:                     

Notice shall be deemed given on the earlier of (i) actual receipt by the receiving party, (ii) the date on which an email transmission was received by the receiving party’s on-line access provider (iii) the date reflected on a signed delivery receipt, or (vi) two (2) business days following tender of delivery or dispatch by express mail or overnight delivery service.

11. Governing Law. This Note will be deemed to have been made and delivered in New York City and will be governed as to validity, interpretation, construction, effect and in all other respects by the internal laws of the State of New York without regard to the principles of conflict of laws. The Maker hereby (i) agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this shall be instituted exclusively in New York State Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, (ii) waives any objection to the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding and the right to assert that such forum is not a convenient forum for such suit, action or proceeding, (iii) waives trial by jury and (iv) irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the New York State Supreme Court, County of New York, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in any such suit, action or proceeding. The Maker further agrees to accept and acknowledge service or any and all process that may be served in any such suit, action or proceeding in New York State Supreme Court, County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

12. Severability. Any provision contained in this Note which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Maker hereby executes this Note on the day and year first above written.

 

GRIID Infrastructure Inc.
By:   /s/ James D. Kelly III
Name:   James D. Kelly III
Title:   Chief Executive Officer and President

[Signature Page to Convertible Promissory Note]

Exhibit 4.5

[SECOND] AMENDED AND RESTATED PROMISSORY NOTE

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Borrower”), hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the order of [____] (the “Noteholder,” and together with the Borrower, the “Parties”), the principal amount of [____] dollars ($[____]), together with all accrued interest thereon as provided in this Promissory Note (the “Note”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, on [____], the Borrower issued a promissory note to the Noteholder in the principal amount of [____] ($[____]) (the “Original Note”); and

WHEREAS, pursuant to this instrument, the Borrower and the Noteholder wish to amend and restate the Original Note.

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the Noteholder and the Borrower agree as follows:

 

  1.

DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION.

1.1 Definitions. As used in this Note, the following terms shall have the following definitions:

Anti-Corruption Laws” shall mean all laws, rules and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Borrower concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.

Applicable Rate” means the rate equal to fifteen percent (15%) per annum.

Borrower” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph.

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Debtor Relief Laws” means the United States Bankruptcy Code, as amended, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect.

Default” means any of the events specified in Section 5 which constitute an Event of Default or which, upon the giving of notice, the lapse of time, or both, pursuant to Section 5, would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.

Event of Default” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.

Governmental Authority” is any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof, any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government, any securities exchange and any self-regulatory organization.


Insolvency Proceeding” means any proceeding commenced by or against any person or entity under any provision of any Debtor Relief Law.

Law” as to any Person, means the certificate of incorporation and by-laws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person, and any law (including common law), statute, ordinance, treaty, rule, regulation, order, decree, judgment, writ, injunction, settlement agreement, requirement or determination of an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.

Loan” means the loan evidenced by this Note.

Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on the business operations, assets, liabilities, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), or results of operations, of the Borrower.

Maturity Date” means June 30, 2025.

Note” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph.

Noteholder” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph.

Obligations” means all debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, the Borrower to the Noteholder arising under this Note, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising.

Parties” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph.

Person” means any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, corporation, institution, public benefit corporation, firm, joint stock company, estate, entity or governmental agency.

Sanctions” shall mean economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control or the U.S. Department of State, (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or (c) any other relevant sanctions authority.

1.2 Interpretive Provisions.

(a) The meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.

(b) Section references are to this Note unless otherwise specified. The term “including” is not limiting and means “including without limitation.”

(c) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including”; the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding”, and the word “through” means “to and including.” Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (i) references to agreements and other contractual instruments shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements, supplements and other modifications thereto, but only to the extent such amendments, restatements, supplements and other modifications are not prohibited by the terms of this Note, and (ii) references to any statute or regulation shall be construed as including all statutory and regulatory provisions amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such statute or regulation.

 

2


(d) This Note is the result of negotiations between the Parties. Accordingly, it shall not be construed against either Party merely because of such Party’s involvement in its preparation.

(e) This Note amends, restates, supersedes and replaces the Original Note.

 

  2.

PAYMENTS.

2.1 Payments by the Borrower. The aggregate outstanding unpaid principal amount of the Loan, all accrued and unpaid interest, and all other amounts payable under this Note shall be due and payable on the Maturity Date, unless otherwise provided in Section 6.

2.2 Optional Prepayments. The Borrower may prepay the Loan in whole or in part at any time or from time to time without penalty or premium by paying the principal amount to be prepaid together with accrued interest thereon to the date of prepayment. No prepaid amount may be reborrowed.

2.3 Interest Rate. Except as otherwise provided herein, the outstanding principal amount of the Loan made hereunder shall bear interest at the Applicable Rate from November 14, 2022 until the Loan is paid in full, whether at maturity, upon acceleration, by prepayment, or otherwise.

2.4 Computation of Interest. All computations of interest shall be made on the basis of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and the actual number of days elapsed. Interest shall accrue on the Loan on the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on the Loan for the day on which it is paid.

2.5 Manner of Payments. All payments of interest and principal shall be made in lawful money of the United States of America no later than 3:00 PM on the date on which such payment is due by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the Noteholder’s account at a bank specified by the Noteholder in writing to the Borrower from time to time.

2.6 Application of Payments. All payments made under this Note shall be applied first to the payment of accrued interest and next to the payment of the principal amount outstanding under this Note.

2.7 Business Day Convention. Whenever any payment to be made hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day and such extension will be taken into account in calculating the amount of interest payable under this Note.

2.8 Rescission of Payments. If at any time any payment made by the Borrower under this Note is rescinded or must otherwise be restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, or reorganization of the Borrower or otherwise, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be reinstated as though such payment had not been made.

2.9 Noteholder Representative. The Noteholder appoints Erin Frey to act under this Note as the Noteholder representative, agent, attorney-in-fact and legal representative of the Noteholder for all purposes, including, without limitation, for receiving notices and communications from the Borrower (in such capacity, the “Noteholder Representative”). The Borrower may rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, on any notice, disbursement instruction, report, information or any other notice or

 

3


communication made or given by the Noteholder Representative, whether in her own name, as the Noteholder Representative, on behalf of the Noteholder, and the Borrower shall not have any obligation to make any inquiry or request any confirmation from or on behalf of the Noteholder as to the binding effect on it of any such notice, request, instruction, report, information, other notice or communications.

2.10 Borrower Representative. The Borrower appoints James D. Kelly, III to act under this Note as the Borrower representative, agent, attorney-in-fact and legal representative of the Borrower for all purposes, including, without limitation, for receiving notices and communications from the Noteholder (in such capacity, the “Borrower Representative”). The Noteholder may rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, on any notice, disbursement instruction, report, information or any other notice or communication made or given by James D. Kelly, III, whether in his own name, as Borrower Representative, or on behalf of the Borrower, and the Noteholder shall not have any obligation to make any inquiry or request any confirmation from or on behalf of the Borrower as to the binding effect on it of any such notice, request, instruction, report, information, other notice or communications.

 

  3.

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS.

Until the Maturity Date:

3.1 Good Standing. The Borrower shall preserve, renew, and maintain in full force and effect its corporate or organizational existence and take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except, in each case, where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

3.2 Compliance. The Borrower shall comply with all Laws applicable to it and its business and its obligations under its material contracts and agreements, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures reasonably designed to achieve compliance in all material respects by the Borrower and its directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.

3.3 Further Assurances. Upon the request of the Noteholder, execute and deliver such further instruments and do or cause to be done such further acts as may be necessary or advisable to carry out the intent and purposes of this Note.

 

  4.

SANCTIONS AND ANTI-CORRUPTION LAWS.

The Borrower shall not, nor shall the Borrower permit any of its subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of any amount received by the Borrower hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any of its subsidiaries or other Person (i) to fund any activities or business of or with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions, (ii) in any other manner that would result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person, or (iii) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment or giving of money or anything else of value to any Person in violation of applicable Anti-Corruption Laws.

 

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  5.

EVENTS OF DEFAULT.

The occurrence and continuance of any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default hereunder:

5.1 Payments. If the Borrower fails to pay, when due, any amount due and payable under this Note; or

5.2 Covenants. If the Borrower fails to perform or observe any covenant, condition, or agreement contained in this Note (other than as otherwise specified in this Section 5), and has failed to cure such default within thirty (30) days after the earlier to occur of (i) the Borrower’s receipt of notice thereof from the Noteholder, or (ii) the Borrower becoming aware thereof; or

5.3 Insolvency. If the Borrower is adjudicated insolvent, or if an Insolvency Proceeding is commenced by the Borrower, or if an Insolvency Proceeding is commenced against the Borrower and is not dismissed or stayed within sixty (60) days; or

5.4 Cessation of Business. If the Borrower shall commence dissolution proceedings or otherwise shall cease operation of its business as conducted on the date hereof.

 

  6.

REMEDIES.

Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Noteholder may, at its election, declare all Obligations evidenced by this Note immediately due and payable (provided that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default described in Section 5.3 (Insolvency), all Obligations shall become immediately due and payable without any action by the Noteholder.

 

  7.

NOTICES.

Unless otherwise provided in this Note, all notices or demands by the Borrower or the Noteholder relating to this Note or any other agreement entered into in connection herewith shall be in writing and (except for financial statements and other informational documents which may be sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid) shall be personally delivered or sent by a recognized overnight delivery service, certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or electronic mail to the Borrower or to the Noteholder, as the case may be, at its addresses set forth below:

If to the Borrower:

GRIID Infrastructure LLC

2577 Duck Creek Road Cincinnati, OH 45212

Attn: James D. Kelly III

Email: trey@griid.com

With a copy to:

Email: alec@griid.com

If to the Noteholder:

[____]

The parties hereto may change the address at which they are to receive notices hereunder, by notice in writing in the foregoing manner given to the other.

 

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  8.

GENERAL PROVISIONS.

8.1 Waiver; Amendments; Integration. No delay on the part of any Party in the exercise of any right, power or remedy shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise by any Party of any right, power or remedy preclude other or further exercise thereof, or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy. This Note cannot be amended or terminated orally. No amendment, modification or waiver of, or consent with respect to, any provision of this Note shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and agreed by each of the Parties, and then any such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given. This Note supersedes all prior agreements and, understandings between the Parties.

8.2 Assignments. The provisions of this Note shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Party may assign or otherwise transfer this Note or any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other Party.

8.3 Costs, Expenses. Each Party agrees to pay its own costs and expenses in connection with the preparation, execution, and delivery of this Note.

8.4 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.

(a) This Note and any claims, controversy, dispute or cause of action (whether in contract or tort or otherwise) based upon, arising out of or relating to this Note and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be construed in accordance with and be governed by the law (without giving effect to the conflict of law principles thereof) of the State of Delaware.

(b) Each Party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the any state or federal court located in Wilmington, Delaware, and of any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Note or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in any such court or, to the extent permitted by applicable law, such appellate court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Note shall affect any right that either Party may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Note against the other Party or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

(c) Each Party irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding described in subsection (b) of this Section and brought in any court referred to in subsection (b) of this Section. Each of the Parties hereto irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

(d) Each Party irrevocably consents to the service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 7. Nothing in this Note will affect the right of any party hereto to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

8.5 Severability. Whenever possible each provision of this Note shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Note shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions of this Note.

 

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8.6 Captions. Section captions used in this Note are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction of this Note.

8.7 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF THIS NOTE OR ANY OTHER DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER, AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS NOTE BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

[Remainder of page intentionally blank; signature pages follow.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has executed this Note as of the date first above written.

 

GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE LLC
By:    
Name:   James D. Kelly III
Title:   Chief Executive Officer and President

Acknowledged and accepted:

[NOTEHOLDER]

By:

Name:

Exhibit 10.1

 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

This Indemnification Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of                     , 2023, by and between GRIID Infrastructure Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and [                    ] (“Indemnitee”).

WHEREAS, the adoption of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and other laws, rules and regulations being promulgated have increased the potential for liability of officers and directors;

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that the ability to attract and retain such persons is in the best interests of the Company’s stockholders;

WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company to obligate itself contractually to indemnify such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that such persons will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be adequately indemnified;

WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of Article VII of the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”), and Article VII of the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto and shall neither be deemed to be a substitute therefor nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and

WHEREAS, Indemnitee is willing to serve on behalf of the Company on the condition that Indemnitee be indemnified according to the terms of this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:

1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:

1.1 “Change in Control” means a change in control of the Company occurring after the date hereof of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or in response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Act”), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement; provided, however, that, without limitation, such a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred if after the date hereof (i) any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Act), other than a person who is an officer or director of the Company on the date hereof (and any of such person’s affiliates), is or becomes “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company without the prior approval of at least two-thirds of the members of the Board in office immediately prior to such person attaining such percentage interest, (ii) the Company is a party to a merger, consolidation, sale of assets or other reorganization, or a proxy contest, as a consequence of which (A) members of the Board in office immediately prior to such transaction or event constitute less than a majority of the Board thereafter or (B) the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such transaction do not continue to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity outstanding immediately after such transaction with the power to elect at least a majority of the board of directors or other governing body of such surviving entity, or (iii) during any period of two (2) consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board (including for this purpose any new director whose election or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning of such period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board.


1.2 “Claim” means (a) any threatened, pending or completed Proceeding; or (b) any inquiry, hearing or investigation that Indemnitee determines might lead to the institution of any such Proceeding.

1.3 “Corporate Status” means the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company. In addition, service at the actual request of the Company, for purposes of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be deemed to be serving or to have served at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of any other enterprise if Indemnitee is or was serving as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of such enterprise and (i) such enterprise is or at the time of such service was an affiliate of the Company, (ii) such enterprise is or at the time of such service was an employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or an affiliate of the Company, or (iii) the Company or an affiliate of the Company directly or indirectly caused Indemnitee to be nominated, elected, appointed, designated, employed, engaged or selected to serve in such capacity.

1.4 “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

1.5 “Expenses” means all expenses, including attorneys’ and experts’ fees, retainers, court costs (including trial and appeals), transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, federal, state, local, or foreign taxes imposed as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, and all other disbursements or expenses incurred in connection with investigating, prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, appealing, preparing to appeal, investigating, or being or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include (a) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Claim, including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any appeal bond or its equivalent, (b) Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise, and (c) damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties (whether civil, criminal or other), ERISA excise taxes, amounts paid or payable in settlement, including any interest, assessments, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement and all other charges paid or payable in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness or participate in, any Claim. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in such demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee’s counsel as being reasonable shall be deemed to be reasonable.

1.6 “Indemnifiable Event” means any event or occurrence, whether occurring before, on or after the date of this Agreement, related to the Corporate Status of Indemnitee or by reason of an action or inaction by Indemnitee relating to his Corporate Status (whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any Expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement).

 

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1.7 “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five (5) years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any other matter material to either such party or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” does not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. Except as provided in the first sentence of Section 9.3 hereof, Independent Counsel shall be selected by (i) the Disinterested Directors, (ii) a committee of the Board consisting of two (2) or more Disinterested Directors, or if (i) and (ii) above are not possible, then by a majority of the full Board.

1.8 “Proceeding” means any action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, administrative hearing or any other proceeding, whether conducted by or on behalf of the Company or any other party, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative.

2. Services by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees to serve as a director, officer or employee of the Company. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by operation of law).

3. Indemnification - General. The Company shall indemnify and advance Expenses to, Indemnitee as provided in this Agreement to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law in effect on the date hereof and to such greater extent as any amendment to or interpretation of applicable law may thereafter from time to time permit. The rights of Indemnitee provided under the preceding sentence shall include, but shall not be limited to, the rights set forth in the other Sections of this Agreement.

4. Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this Agreement if, by reason of an Indemnifiable Event, Indemnitee is, was or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in, or threatened to be made a party to or participant in, any threatened, pending or completed Claim or Proceeding, including without limitation Claims in which Indemnitee is solely a witness. Pursuant to this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any such Claim or Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

5. Claim by or in the Right of the Company. Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this Agreement if, by reason of an Indemnifiable Event, Indemnitee is, was or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in, or threatened to be made a party to or participant in, any threatened, pending or completed Claim brought by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against amounts paid in settlement and Expenses incurred by Indemnitee or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with the defense or settlement of any such Claim if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no indemnification under this Section shall be made in respect of (i) a threatened or pending Claim which is settled or otherwise disposed of or (ii) any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the court in which such Claim shall have been brought, was brought or is pending, shall determine, upon application, that Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such portion of the settlement amount and as the court deems proper.

 

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6. Indemnification for Expenses of Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of an Indemnifiable Event, a party to any Claim, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses (and, when eligible hereunder, amounts paid in settlement) incurred by Indemnitee or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not entitled hereunder to indemnification as to one (1) or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Claim, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses (and, when eligible hereunder, amount paid in settlement) incurred by Indemnitee or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for a portion of any Expenses in respect of a Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event but not for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.

7. Indemnification for Expenses as a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of an Indemnifiable Event, a witness in any Claim, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection therewith.

8. Advancement of Expenses and Other Amounts. The Company shall advance all Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Claim within thirty (30) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting such advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Claim. Such statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an agreement by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses if it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against such . In connection with any request for advancement of Expenses, Indemnitee shall not be required to provide any documentation or information to the extent that the provision thereof would undermine or otherwise jeopardize attorney-client privilege. Advances shall be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay such amounts and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other provisions of this Agreement. In connection with any request for Expense Advances, Indemnitee shall not be required to provide any documentation or information to the extent that the provision thereof would undermine or otherwise jeopardize attorney-client privilege.

9. Procedure for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification.

9.1 To obtain indemnification under this Agreement in connection with any Claim, and for the duration thereof, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of any such request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.

9.2 Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 9.1 hereof, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in such case: (i) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Independent Counsel (unless Indemnitee shall request that such determination be made by the Board or the stockholders, in which case in the manner provided for in clauses (ii) or (iii) of this Section 9.2) in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, (ii) if a Change in Control shall not have occurred, at the election of the Company, (A) by the Board by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors, (B) if a quorum of the Board consisting of Disinterested Directors is not obtainable, by a majority of a committee of the Board consisting of two (2) or more Disinterested Directors, (C) by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, or (D) by the stockholders of the Company, by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of stockholders who are not parties to the Claim, or if no such quorum is obtainable, by a majority vote of stockholders who are not parties to such Claim, or (iii) as provided in Section 10.2 of this Agreement. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to

 

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indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.

9.3 If a Change in Control shall have occurred, Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board), and Indemnitee (or the Board, as the case may be) shall give written notice to the other party advising it of the identity of Independent Counsel so selected. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within seven (7) days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection. Such objection may be asserted only on the ground that Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 1 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. If such written objection is made, Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until a court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 9.1 hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition a court of competent jurisdiction, for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by such court or by such other person as such court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom an objection is so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 9.2 hereof. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by such Independent Counsel in connection with its actions pursuant to this Agreement, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 9.3, regardless of the manner in which such Independent Counsel was selected or appointed. Upon the due commencement date of any judicial proceeding pursuant to Section 11.1(iii) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).

10. Presumptions and Effects of Certain Claims.

10.1 In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 9.1 of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption by clear and convincing evidence in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption.

10.2 If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 9 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification or (ii) prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such sixty (60) day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty

 

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(30) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith require(s) such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto; and provided, further, however, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 10.2 shall not apply (x) if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 9.2 of this Agreement and if (A) within fifteen (15) days after receipt by the Company of the request for such determination the Board has resolved to submit such determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within seventy-five (75) days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat or (B) a special meeting of stockholders is called within fifteen (15) days after such receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within sixty (60) days after having been so called and such determination is made thereat or (y) if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 9.2 of this Agreement. In connection with each meeting at which a stockholder determination will be made, the Company shall solicit proxies that expressly include a proposal to indemnify or reimburse Indemnitee. The Company shall afford Indemnitee ample opportunity to present evidence of the facts upon which Indemnitee relies for indemnification in any Company proxy statement relating to such stockholder determination. Subject to the fiduciary duties of its members under applicable law, the Board will not recommend against indemnification or reimbursement in any proxy statement relating to the proposal to indemnify or reimburse Indemnitee.

10.3 The termination of any Claim or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

10.4 Reliance as Safe Harbor. For purposes of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, to have had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful, if Indemnitee’s action is based on (i) the records or books of account of the Company, or another enterprise, including financial statements, (ii) information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the Company or another enterprise in the course of their duties, (iii) the advice of legal counsel for the Company or another enterprise, (iv) or of an independent certified public accountant or an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Company or another enterprise. The term “another enterprise” as used in this Section shall mean any other corporation or any partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent. The provisions of this Section shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth herein. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 10.4 are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, to have had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.

 

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11. Remedies of Indemnitee.

11.1 In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (iii) the determination of indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 9.2 of this Agreement and such determination shall not have been made and delivered in a written opinion within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 7 of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, or (v) payment of indemnification is not made within thirty (30) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or such determination is deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 9 or Section 10 of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court of the State of New York, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, of Indemnitee’s entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication.

11.2 In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination.

11.3 If a determination shall have been made or deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 9 or Section 10 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification or (ii) prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.

11.4 The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.

11.5 In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section, seeks a judicial adjudication of Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other agreement, including any other indemnification, contribution or advancement agreement, or any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws now or hereafter in effect, or for recovery under directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover from the Company, and shall be indemnified by the Company against, any and all expenses (of the kinds described in the definition of Expenses) incurred by Indemnitee in such judicial adjudication, but only if Indemnitee prevails therein. If it shall be determined in such judicial adjudication that Indemnitee is entitled to receive less than all of the indemnification or advancement of Expenses sought, the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such judicial adjudication shall be appropriately prorated. In addition, the Company shall, if so requested by Indemnitee, advance the foregoing Expenses to Indemnitee, subject to and in accordance with Section 8.

12. Procedure Regarding Indemnification. With respect to any Claims, Indemnitee, prior to taking any action with respect to such Claim, shall consult with the Company as to the procedure to be followed in defending, settling, or compromising the Claim and may not consent to any settlement or compromise of the Claim without the written consent of the Company (which consent may not be unreasonably withheld or delayed). The Company shall be entitled to participate in defending, settling or compromising any Claim and to assume the defense of such Claim with counsel of its choice and shall assume such defense if requested by Indemnitee. Notwithstanding the election by, or obligation of, the Company to assume the defense of a Claim, Indemnitee shall have the right to participate in the defense of such Claim and to employ counsel of Indemnitee’s choice, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of Indemnitee unless (i) the employment of such counsel has been authorized in writing by the Company or

 

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(ii) Indemnitee has reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to Indemnitee which are different from or additional to those available to the Company (in which latter case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such Claim on behalf of Indemnitee), in either of which events the fees and expenses of not more than one (1) additional firm of attorneys selected by Indemnitee shall be borne by the Company. If the Company assumes the defense of a Claim, then counsel for the Company and Indemnitee shall keep Indemnitee reasonably informed of the status of the Claim and promptly send to Indemnitee copies of all documents filed or produced in the Claim, and the Company shall not compromise or settle any such Claim without the written consent of Indemnitee (which consent may not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) if the relief provided shall be other than monetary damages and shall promptly notify Indemnitee of any settlement and the amount thereof.

13. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation; Contribution.

13.1 The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise (each, an “Other Indemnity Provision”); provided, however, that (a) to the extent that Indemnitee otherwise would have any greater right to indemnification under any Other Indemnity Provision, Indemnitee will be deemed to have such greater right hereunder and (b) to the extent that any change is made to any law, Other Indemnity Provision which permits any greater right to indemnification than that provided under this Agreement as of the date hereof, Indemnitee will be deemed to have such greater right hereunder. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or any provision hereof shall be effective as to any Indemnitee with respect to any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in respect of an Indemnifiable Event prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal, to the extent such amendment, alteration or repeal would diminish Indemnitee’s right to indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder. The Company will not adopt any amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws the effect of which would be to deny, diminish or encumber Indemnitee’s right to indemnification under this Agreement.

13.2 For the duration of Indemnitee’s service as an officer of the Company, and thereafter for so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event, the Company, subject to Section 14(c) , shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain in effect policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance (“D&O Insurance”) providing coverage in reasonable amounts from established and reputable insurers. In all policies of D&O Insurance, Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are provided to the most favorably insured of the Company’s officers. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have no obligation to maintain D&O Insurance if the Company determines in good faith that (i) such insurance is not reasonably available; (ii) the Company is to be acquired and a tail policy of reasonable terms and duration is purchased for pre-closing acts or omissions by Indemnitee; or (iii) the Company is to be acquired and D&O Insurance will be maintained by the acquirer that covers pre-closing acts and omissions by Indemnitee. To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary under such policy or policies.

13.3 In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are reasonably necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.

 

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13.4 The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.

13.5 If a determination is made that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, after Indemnitee submits a written request therefor, under this Agreement, then in respect of any threatened, pending or completed Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liability with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), the Company shall contribute to the amount of Expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and Indemnitee on the other hand from the transaction from which Proceeding arose and (ii) the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of Indemnitee on the other hand in connection with the events that resulted in such Expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of Indemnitee on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent the circumstances resulting in such Expenses. The Company agrees that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation that does not take into account the foregoing equitable considerations. The determination as to the amount of the contribution, if any, shall be made by: (x) a court of competent jurisdiction upon the application of both Indemnitee and the Company (if the Proceeding had been brought in, and final determination had been rendered by such court), (y) the Board by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors, or (z) Independent Counsel, if a quorum is not obtainable for purpose of (y) above, or, even if obtainable, a quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs.

14. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue (a) so long as Indemnitee may be subject to any possible Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event (including any rights of appeal thereto), but in any event for at least ten (10) years, and (b) throughout the pendency of any proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto) commenced by Indemnitee to enforce or interpret his rights under this Agreement, even if, in either case, he may have ceased to serve as an officer of the Company at the time of any such Claim or proceeding. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors, personal representatives and administrators. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise) to all, substantially all, or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

15. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

16. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Company and Indemnitee with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, understanding, negotiations and discussion, both written and oral, between the parties hereto with respect to such subject matter (the “Prior Agreements”); provided, however, that if this Agreement shall ever be held void or unenforceable for any reasons whatsoever, and is not reformed pursuant to Section 15 hereof, then (i) this

 

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Agreement shall not be deemed to have superseded any Prior Agreements, (ii) all of such Prior Agreements shall be deemed to be in full force and effect notwithstanding the execution of this Agreement, and (iii) Indemnitee shall be entitled to maximum indemnification benefits provided under any Prior Agreements, as well as those provided under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws, a vote of stockholders or resolution of directors.

17. Exception to Right of Indemnification or Advancement of Expenses.

17.1 Except as provided in Section 11.5, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses under this Agreement with respect to any Proceeding, or any claim therein, brought or made by Indemnitee against the Company.

17.2 Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses under this Agreement with respect to any Proceeding, or any claim therein, arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or Company similar successor statute.

18. Covenant Not to Sue; Limitation of Actions; Release of Claims. No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or on behalf of the Company (or any of its subsidiaries) against Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors, personal representatives or administrators after the expiration of two (2) years from the date of accrual of such cause of action and any claim or cause of action of the Company (or any of its subsidiaries) shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the filing of a legal action within such two (2) year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitation is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action, such shorter period shall govern.

19. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one (1) or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.

20. Headings. The headings of Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.

21. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

22. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating any Claim or matter which may be subject to indemnification or advancement of Expenses. The failure to notify the Company on a timely basis shall not constitute a waiver of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, except to the extent that such failure or delay (i) causes the amounts paid or to be paid by the Company to be greater than they otherwise would have been, (ii) adversely affects the Company’s ability to obtain for itself or Indemnitee coverage or proceeds under any insurance policy available to the Company or Indemnitee, or (iii) otherwise results in material prejudice to the Company.

 

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23. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (i) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom such notice or other communication shall have been directed or (ii) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed:

If to Indemnitee, to:

[____________]

If to the Company, to:

GRIID Infrastructure Inc.

2577 Duck Creek Road

Cincinnati, OH 45212

Attn: James D. Kelly III, Chief Executive Officer

or to such other address or such other person as Indemnitee or the Company shall designate in writing in accordance with this Section, except that notices regarding changes in notices shall be effective only upon receipt.

24. Governing Law. The parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and performed in that state without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and the federal courts within the State for all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding that arises out of or relates to this Agreement and agrees that any action instituted under this Agreement shall be brought only in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and any New York State court within that District.

25. Mutual Acknowledgment. Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that, in certain instances, Federal law or applicable public policy may prohibit the Company from indemnifying its directors and officers under this Agreement or otherwise. Indemnitee understands and acknowledges that the Company has undertaken or may be required in the future in certain circumstances to undertake with the Securities and Exchange Commission to submit the question of indemnification to a court for a determination of the Company’s right under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee.

26. Miscellaneous. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include usage of the feminine pronoun where appropriate.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the day and year first above written.

 

COMPANY:

GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE INC.

By:

   
 

Name: James D. Kelly III

 

Title: President & Chief Executive Officer

INDEMNITEE:

By:

   
  Name: [                        ]

[Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement]

Exhibit 10.2

GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE INC.

2023 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN

Article 1

Effective Date, Objectives and Duration

1.1. Adoption of the Plan. The Board of Directors of Griid Infrastructure Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), adopted the Griid Infrastructure Inc. 2023 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) on December 29, 2023 (the “Effective Date”), subject to approval by the stockholders of the Company within twelve (12) months after the Board’s adoption of the Plan. Awards, other than Restricted Shares, may be granted on and after the Effective Date; but, no such Awards may be exercised, vested, paid or otherwise settled, or any Shares issued with respect thereto, unless and until the stockholders of the Company approve the Plan within the twelve (12) months after the Board’s adoption of the Plan. Restricted Shares may only be granted if and after the stockholders of the Company approve the Plan.

1.2. Objective of the Plan. The Plan is intended to attract and retain highly qualified persons to serve as employees, consultants and non-employee directors and promote ownership by such employees, consultants and non-employee directors of a greater proprietary interest in the Company, thereby aligning their interests more closely with the interests of the Company’s stockholders.

1.3. Duration of the Plan. The Plan commenced on the date of adoption of the Plan by the Board, subject to approval by the stockholders of the Company within the twelve (12) months after the Board’s adoption of the Plan. If the stockholders of the Company so approve the Plan, the Plan shall remain in effect, subject to the right of the Board to amend or terminate the Plan at any time pursuant to Article 17 hereof, until the earlier of 11:59 p.m. (ET) on December 29, 2033, or the date all Shares subject to the Plan shall have been issued and the restrictions on all Restricted Shares granted under the Plan shall have lapsed, according to the Plan’s provisions.

Article 2

Definitions

Whenever used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

2.1. “409A Award” has the meaning set forth in Section 15.1.

2.2. “5% Exception Limit” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.3.

2.3. “$100,000 Limit” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.4(d).

2.4. “Acquired Entity” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.6(b).

2.5. “Acquired Entity Awards” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.6(b).

2.6. “Affiliate” means any corporation, trade or business or other entity, including but not limited to partnerships, limited liability companies and joint ventures, directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company, within the meaning of Section 405 of the Securities Act. Affiliate includes any corporation, trade or business or other entity that becomes such on or after the Effective Date.


2.7. “Applicable Law” means U.S. federal, state and local laws applicable to the Company, any legal or regulatory requirement relating to the Plan, Awards and/or Shares under applicable U.S. federal, state and local laws, the requirements of the NYSE American and any other stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Shares are listed or quoted, the Code, and the applicable laws, rules, regulations and requirements of any other country or jurisdiction where Awards are or are to be granted, exercised, vested or settled, as such laws, rules, regulations and requirements shall be in place from time to time.

2.8. “Award” means Options (including Non-Qualified Options and Incentive Stock Options), SARs, Restricted Shares, Performance Units (which may be paid in cash), Performance Shares, Deferred Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Dividend Equivalents and Other Stock-Based Awards granted under the Plan.

2.9. “Award Agreement” means a written agreement entered into by the Company and a Grantee setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to an Award granted under this Plan, including any amendment or modification thereof. The Committee may provide for the use of electronic, internet or other non-paper Award Agreements and the use of electronic, internet or other non-paper means for the acceptance thereof and actions thereunder by the Grantee.

2.10. “Beneficiary” means one or more persons or entities that become entitled to receive any amount payable under this Plan after the Grantee’s death. The Grantee’s Beneficiary is the Grantee’s surviving spouse, unless the Grantee designates one or more persons or entities to be the Grantee’s Beneficiary. The Grantee may make, change or revoke a Beneficiary designation at any time before his or her death without the consent of the Grantee’s spouse or anyone the Grantee previously named as a Beneficiary, and the Grantee may designate primary and secondary Beneficiaries. A Beneficiary designation must comply with procedures established by the Committee and must be received by the Committee before the Grantee’s death. If the Grantee dies without a valid Beneficiary designation (as determined by the Committee), and the Grantee has no surviving spouse, the Beneficiary shall be the Grantee’s estate.

2.11. “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

2.12. “Business Combination” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.17(a).

2.13. “Bylaws” means the Company’s bylaws, as amended and/or restated from time to time.

2.14. “Cause” shall have the same definition as under any employment or service agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Grantee or, if no such employment or service agreement exists or if such employment or service agreement does not contain any such definition or words of similar import, “Cause” means, except as otherwise set forth in the Award Agreement, (i) the Grantee’s act or failure to act amounting to gross negligence or willful misconduct to the detriment of the Company or any Affiliate; (ii) the Grantee’s dishonesty, fraud, theft or embezzlement of funds or properties in the course of Grantee’s employment; (iii) the Grantee’s commission of, indictment for, or pleading guilty or confessing to any felony; (iv) the Grantee’s gross neglect of, or prolonged absence from (other than due to Disability and without the written consent of the Company or an Affiliate), Grantee’s duties, (v) the Grantee’s refusal to comply with any lawful directive or policy of the Company or any Affiliate, which refusal is not cured by the Grantee within ten (10) days of such written notice from the Company or Affiliate, (vi) a material breach by the Grantee of any fiduciary duty owed to the Company or any Affiliate, (vii) the Grantee intentionally engaging in any activity that is in conflict with or adverse to the reputation, business or other interests of the Company or any Affiliate or that is reasonably determined to be detrimental to the reputation, business or other interests of the Company or any Affiliate, or (viii) the Grantee’s breach of any restrictive covenant or other agreement with the Company or any Affiliate, including but not limited to, confidentiality covenants, covenants not to compete, non-solicitation covenants and non-disclosure covenants. For purposes of the Plan, the Grantee’s resignation without the Company’s or an Affiliate’s written consent in anticipation of termination of employment for Cause shall constitute a termination of employment for Cause.

 

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2.15. “CEO” means the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

2.16. “Certificate of Incorporation” means the Company’s certificate of incorporation, as amended and/or restated from time to time.

2.17. “Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred upon the first occurrence of an event set forth in any one of the following paragraphs:

(a) The accumulation in any number of related or unrelated transactions (other than an offering of Shares to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) by any Person of beneficial ownership (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) of more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s voting stock; provided that, for purposes of this subsection (a), a Change in Control will not be deemed to have occurred if the accumulation of more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s voting stock results from any acquisition of voting stock (i) by the Company or any Affiliate, (ii) by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Affiliate, (iii) by any Person that, prior to the transaction, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company, or (iv) by any Person pursuant to a merger, consolidation or reorganization involving the Company (a “Business Combination”) that would not cause a Change in Control under subsection (b) below; or

(b) Consummation of a Business Combination, unless, immediately following that Business Combination, (i) all or substantially all of the Persons who were the beneficial owners of voting stock of the Company immediately prior to that Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s voting stock resulting from that Business Combination (including, without limitation, an entity that as a result of that transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions relative to each other as their ownership, immediately prior to that Business Combination, of the voting stock of the Company and (ii) no Person has beneficial ownership of fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s voting stock (including any entity that as the result of that transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of, the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries); or

(c) During any twelve (12)-month period, Incumbent Board Members cease to constitute a majority of the Board; or

(d) A sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, except pursuant to a Business Combination that would not cause a Change in Control under subsection (b) above; or

(e) A complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company, except pursuant to a Business Combination that would not cause a Change in Control under subsection (b) above.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of any Award that constitutes deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, there shall not be a Change in Control unless there is a change in the ownership or effective control of the Company, or in a substantial portion of the assets of the Company, within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code where necessary for such Award to comply with Section 409A of the Code.

2.18. “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

2.19. “Committee” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(a).

2.20. “Company” means Griid Infrastructure Inc. (formerly known as Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp.), a Delaware corporation, and any successor thereto by operation of law or otherwise.

2.21. “Compensation Committee” means the compensation committee of the Board.

2.22. “Corporate Transaction” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.2(b).

2.23. “Current Grant” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.4(d).

2.24. “Data” has the meaning set forth in Section 18.22.

2.25. “Deferred Stock” means a right, granted under Article 9, to receive Shares at the end of a specified deferral period.

2.26. “Disability” or “Disabled” means, unless otherwise defined in an Award Agreement, or as otherwise determined under procedures established by the Committee for purposes of the Plan:

(a) Except as provided in (b) or (c) below, “Disability” or “Disabled” means, for any Grantee, any injury, illness or sickness that qualifies as a long-term disability within the meaning of the Company’s long-term disability program (“LTD Program”) and on account of which such Grantee is entitled to receive LTD Program benefits;

(b) In the case of an Incentive Stock Option or an Award granted in tandem with an Incentive Stock Option, “Disability” and “Disabled” has the meaning under Section 22(e)(3) of the Code; and

(c) In the case of any Award that constitutes deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, “Disability” and “Disabled” means as defined in regulations under Code Section 409A where necessary for such Award to comply with Section 409A of the Code. For purpose of Code Section 409A, a Grantee will be considered to have incurred a Disability or to be Disabled if: (i) the Grantee is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, or (ii) the Grantee is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three (3) months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Grantee’s employer.

2.27. “Disqualifying Disposition” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.4(f).

2.28. “Dividend Equivalent” means a right to receive cash or Shares equal to any dividends or distributions paid on Shares, if and when paid or distributed, on a specified number of Shares, which dividends have a record date on or after the date of grant of the Dividend Equivalents or related Award and before the date Dividend Equivalents or related Award become payable.

 

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2.29. “Dodd-Frank” means the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

2.30. “DRO” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.4(a).

2.31. “Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1.

2.32. “Eligible Person” means any employee (including any officer) of, non-employee consultant to, or Non-Employee Director of the Company or any Affiliate, or potential employee (including a potential officer) of, potential non-employee consultant to, or potential Non-Employee Director of the Company or an Affiliate; provided, however, that (i) solely with respect to the grant of an Incentive Stock Option, an Eligible Person shall be any employee (including any officer) of the Company or any Subsidiary Corporation and (ii) the Committee may establish additional eligibility criteria for determining an Eligible Person for any Awards granted hereunder. Solely for purposes of Section 5.6(b), current or former employees or Non-Employee Directors of, or non-employee consultants to, an Acquired Entity who receive Substitute Awards in substitution for Acquired Entity Awards shall be considered Eligible Persons under this Plan with respect to such Substitute Awards.

2.33. “ERISA” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.4(a).

2.34. “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

2.35. “Exercise Price” means (a) with respect to an Option, the price at which a Share may be purchased by a Grantee pursuant to such Option or (b) with respect to an SAR, the price established at the time an SAR is granted pursuant to Article 7, which is used to determine the amount, if any, of the payment due to a Grantee upon exercise of the SAR.

2.36. “Fair Market Value” means, unless the Committee determines otherwise, a price that is based on the closing price of a Share reported on the NYSE American on the applicable date or on the established stock exchange which is the principal exchange upon which the Shares are traded on the applicable date or, if the Shares are not traded on such date, the immediately preceding trading day. Alternatively, if the Shares are exclusively traded over the counter at the time a determination of Fair Market Value is required to be made hereunder, Fair Market Value shall be deemed to be equal to the arithmetic mean between the reported high and low or closing bid and asked prices of a Share on the applicable date, or if no such trades were made that day then the most recent date on which Shares were so traded. In the event Shares are not publicly traded at the time a determination of their value is required to be made hereunder, the determination of their Fair Market Value shall be made by the Committee in such manner as it deems appropriate provided such manner is consistent with Treasury Regulation 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iv)(B). The Fair Market Value that the Committee determines shall be final, binding and conclusive on the Company, any Affiliate and each Grantee.

2.37. “FICA” has the meaning set forth in Section 16.1(a).

2.38. “Good Reason” shall have the same definition as under any employment or service agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Grantee or, if no such employment or service agreement exists or if such employment or service agreement does not contain any such definition or words of similar import, “Good Reason” means, except as otherwise set forth in the Award Agreement, without the Grantee’s consent, the following: (a) any action taken by the Company or an Affiliate which results in

 

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a material reduction in the Grantee’s authority, duties or responsibilities (except that any change in the foregoing that results solely from (i) the Company ceasing to be a publicly traded entity or from the Company becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of another publicly traded entity or (ii) any change in the geographic scope of the Grantee’s authority, duties or responsibilities will not, in any event and standing alone, constitute a substantial reduction in the Grantee’s authority, duties or responsibilities); (b) the assignment to the Grantee of duties that are materially inconsistent with Grantee’s authority, duties or responsibilities; (c) any material decrease in the Grantee’s base salary or annual bonus opportunity, except to the extent the Company has instituted a salary or bonus reduction generally applicable to all similar employees of the Company other than in contemplation of or after a Change in Control; or (d) the relocation of the Grantee to any principal place of employment other than that as of the date of grant of the Award, or any requirement that Grantee relocate his or her residence other than to that as of the date of grant of the Award, without the Grantee’s express written consent to either such relocation, which in either event would increase the Grantee’s commute by more than fifty (50) miles; provided, however, this subsection (d) shall not apply in the case of business travel which requires the Grantee to relocate temporarily for periods of ninety (90) days or less. Notwithstanding the above, and without limitation, “Good Reason” shall not include any resignation by the Grantee where Cause for the Grantee’s termination by the Company or an Affiliate exists. The Grantee must give the Company or Affiliate that employs the Grantee notice of any event or condition that would constitute “Good Reason” within thirty (30) days of the event or condition which would constitute “Good Reason,” and upon the receipt of such notice the Company or Affiliate that employs the Grantee shall have thirty (30) days to remedy such event or condition. If such event or condition is not remedied within such thirty (30)-day period, any termination of employment by the Grantee for “Good Reason” must occur within thirty (30) days after the period for remedying such condition or event has expired.

2.39. “Grant Date” means the date on which an Award is granted or such later date as specified in advance by the Committee.

2.40. “Grantee” means an Eligible Person to whom an Award has been granted under the Plan.

2.41. “Immediate Family” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.4(c).

2.42. “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code.

2.43. “Incumbent Board Member” means an individual who either is (a) a member of the Board as of the effective date of the Board’s adoption of this Plan or (b) a member who becomes a member of the Board subsequent to the date of the Board’s adoption of this Plan whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least sixty percent (60%) of the then Incumbent Board Members (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which that person is named as a nominee for director, without objection to that nomination), but excluding, for that purpose, any individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest (within the meaning of Rule 14a-11 of the Exchange Act) with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board.

2.44. “LTD Program” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.26(a).

2.45. “Management Committee” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(b).

2.46. “More Than Ten Percent (10%) Owner” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.4(b).

 

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2.47. “Net After Tax Receipt” has the meaning set forth in Article 17.

2.48. “Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board, or the board of directors of an Affiliate, who is not an employee of the Company or any Affiliate.

2.49. “Non-Qualified Stock Option” means an option that is not intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code.

2.50. “NYSE American” means NYSE American LLC.

2.51. “Option” means an option granted under Article 6 of the Plan.

2.52. “Other Plans” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.4(d).

2.53. “Other Stock-Based Award” means a right, granted under Article 12 hereof, that relates to or is valued by reference to Shares or other Awards relating to Shares.

2.54. “Overpayment” has the meaning set forth in Article 17.

2.55. “Parent Corporation” means any parent corporation of the Company within the meaning of Section 424(e) of the Code.

2.56. “Performance-Based Award” means an Award with respect to which the grant, vesting, payment and/or settlement is contingent upon the satisfaction of specified Performance Measures in the specified performance period.

2.57. “Performance Measures” mean one or more performance measures established by the Committee as a requirement for an Award to vest and/or become exercisable or settled. An Award may be contingent upon the Grantee’s continued employment or service in addition to the Performance Measures. In determining if the Performance Measures have been achieved, the Committee will adjust the performance targets in the event of any unbudgeted acquisition, divestiture or other unexpected fundamental change in the business of the Company, an Affiliate or business unit or in any product that is material taken as a whole as appropriate to fairly and equitably determine if the Award is to become exercisable, nonforfeitable and transferable or earned and payable pursuant to the conditions set forth in the Award. Additionally, in determining if such performance conditions have been achieved, the Committee also will adjust the performance targets in the event of any (i) unanticipated asset write-downs or impairment charges, (ii) litigation or claim judgments or settlements thereof, (iii) changes in tax laws, accounting principles or other laws or provisions affecting reported results, (iv) accruals for reorganization or restructuring programs, or (v) other extraordinary non-reoccurring items.

2.58. “Performance Share” and “Performance Unit” mean an Award granted as a Performance Share or Performance Unit under Article 10.

2.59. “Period of Restriction” means the period during which Restricted Shares are subject to Forfeiture if the conditions specified in the Award Agreement are not satisfied.

2.60. “Period of Vesting” means the period during which the Award is subject to forfeiture or may not be exercised if the conditions specified in the Award Agreement are not satisfied.

2.61. “Permitted Transferee” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.4(c).

 

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2.62. “Person” means any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization, association, corporation, institution, public benefit corporation, entity or government instrumentality, division, agency, body or department.

2.63. “Plan” means this Griid Infrastructure Inc. 2023 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, in its current form or as hereafter amended.

2.64. “Present Value” has the meaning set forth in Article 17.

2.65. “Prior Grants” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.4(e).

2.66. “Proceeding” has the meaning set forth in Section 18.11.

2.67. “Reduced Amount” has the meaning set forth in Article 17.

2.68. “Restricted Shares” means Shares issued under Article 9 that are both subject to Forfeiture and are nontransferable if the Grantee does not satisfy the conditions specified in the Award Agreement applicable to such Shares and subject to the Grantee paying the nominal value in cash for each Share to the extent required by the Committee.

2.69. “Restricted Stock Units” are rights, granted under Article 9, to receive Shares if the Grantee satisfies the conditions specified in the Award Agreement applicable to such rights, and subject always to the Grantee paying the nominal value in cash for each such Share to the extent required by the Committee.

2.70. “Retirement” means a Grantee’s Termination of Service on or after attaining such age and/or completing such years of service as the Committee may determine and set forth in an Award Agreement.

2.71. “Returned Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.

2.72. “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act, as amended from time to time, together with any successor rule.

2.73. “Sarbanes-Oxley” means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

2.74. “SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or any successor thereto.

2.75. “Section 16 Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board who satisfies the requirements to qualify as a “non-employee director” under Rule 16b-3.

2.76. “Section 16 Person” means a person who is subject to potential liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act with respect to transactions involving equity securities of the Company.

2.77. “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

2.78. “Separation from Service” means, with respect to any Award that constitutes deferred compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A, a “separation from service” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h).

 

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2.79. “Share” means the common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of the Company, and, unless the context otherwise requires, such other securities of the Company, as may be substituted or resubstituted for Shares pursuant to Section 4.2 hereof.

2.80. “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means an Award granted under Article 7 of the Plan.

2.81. “Subsidiary Corporation” means a corporation other than the Company in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if, at the time of granting the Award, each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain owns shares or stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares or stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.

2.82. “Substitute Awards” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.6(b).

2.83. “Surviving Company” means the surviving corporation in any merger or consolidation, involving the Company, including the Company if the Company is the surviving corporation, or the direct or indirect parent company of the Company or such surviving corporation following a sale of substantially all of the outstanding shares or stock of the Company.

2.84. “Tax Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 16.1(a).

2.85. “Tendered Restricted Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.5.

2.86. “Term” of any Option or SAR means the period beginning on the Grant Date of an Option or SAR and ending on the date such Option or SAR expires, terminates or is cancelled. No Option or SAR granted under this Plan shall have a Term exceeding 10 years.

2.87. “Termination of Service” means (a) that the employee has terminated employment with the Company and its Affiliates, the non-employee consultant is no longer serving as a consultant to the Company or an Affiliate or the Non-Employee Director has ceased being a director of the Company or any Affiliate or (b) when an entity which is employing the employee or non-employee consultant or on whose board of directors the Non-Employee Director is serving, ceases to be an Affiliate, unless the Participant otherwise is, or thereupon becomes, an employee, non-employee consultant or Non-Employee Director of the Company or another Affiliate, at the time such entity ceases to be an Affiliate. In the event an employee, non-employee consultant or Non-Employee Director becomes one of the other categories of Eligible Persons upon the termination of such employee’s employment, such consultant’s consultancy or such Non-Employee Director’s service, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion, no Termination of Service will be deemed to have occurred until such time as such person is no longer an employee, non-employee consultant or Non-Employee Director. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, that if an Award constitutes deferred compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A, Termination of Service with respect to such Award shall mean the Grantee’s Separation from Service to the extent necessary for such Award to comply with Section 409A of the Code.

2.88. “Underpayment” has the meaning set forth in Article 17.

 

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Article 3

Administration

3.1. Committee.

(a) Subject to Article 12 and Section 3.2, the Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee or the Board itself if no Compensation Committee exists. Notwithstanding the foregoing, either the Board or the Compensation Committee may at any time and in one or more instances reserve administrative powers to itself as the Committee or exercise any of the administrative powers of the Committee. To the extent the Board or Compensation Committee considers it desirable to comply with Rule 16b-3, the Committee shall consist of two or more directors of the Company, all of whom qualify as “independent directors” within the meaning of the NYSE American listing standards and as Section 16 Non-Employee Directors. The number of members of the Committee shall from time to time be increased or decreased, and shall be subject to such conditions, in each case if and to the extent the Board deems it appropriate to permit transactions in Shares pursuant to the Plan to satisfy such conditions of Rule 16b-3.

(b) The Board or the Compensation Committee may appoint and delegate to another committee (“Management Committee”), or to the CEO, any or all of the authority of the Board or the Committee, as applicable, with respect to Awards to Grantees other than Grantees who are executive officers or Non-Employee Directors, or who are (or are expected to be) Section 16 Persons at the time any such delegated authority is exercised.

(c) Unless the context requires otherwise, any references herein to “Committee” include references to, the Board or the Compensation Committee to the extent the Board or the Compensation Committee, as applicable, has assumed or exercises administrative powers as the Committee pursuant to subsection (a), and to the Management Committee or the CEO to the extent either has been delegated authority pursuant to subsection (b), as applicable; provided that, (i) for purposes of Awards to Non-Employee Directors, “Committee” shall include only the full Board, and (ii) for purposes of Awards intended to comply with Rule 16b-3, “Committee” shall include only the Compensation Committee.

3.2. Powers of Committee. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan (including Article 14), the Committee has full and final authority and sole discretion as follows; provided that any such authority or discretion exercised with respect to a specific Non-Employee Director shall be approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board, even if not a quorum, but excluding the Non-Employee Director with respect to whom such authority or discretion is exercised:

(a) to determine when, to whom and in what types and amounts Awards should be granted;

(b) to grant Awards to Eligible Persons in any number and to determine the terms and conditions applicable to each Award;

(c) subject to Section 5.3 below, to determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances, subject to Applicable Law, (i) an Award may be settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in, cash, Shares, other Awards or other property, (ii) an Award may be accelerated, vested, canceled, forfeited or surrendered, (iii) any terms of the Award may be waived, or (iv) whether to accelerate the exercisability of, or to accelerate or waive any or all of the terms and conditions applicable to, any Award or any group of Awards for any reason and at any time;

 

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(d) to determine with respect to Awards granted to Eligible Persons whether, to what extent and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other Awards, other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award will be deferred, either at the election of the Grantee or if and to the extent specified in the Award Agreement automatically or at the election of the Committee;

(e) subject to Section 3.3 below, to offer to exchange or buy out any previously granted Award for a payment in cash, Shares or other Award;

(f) subject to Section 5.3 below, to provide in the terms of the Award or otherwise for accelerated exercisability or vesting of any Award upon the occurrence of one or more events other than completion of a service period, including without limitation the Grantee’s Retirement, death, Disability or Termination of Service by the Company and its Affiliates without Cause, or termination by the Grantee for Good Reason or a Change in Control;

(g) to construe and interpret the Plan and to make all determinations, including factual determinations, necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan;

(h) to make, amend, suspend, waive and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan;

(i) to appoint such agents as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;

(j) with the consent of the Grantee, to amend any such Award Agreement at any time; provided, however, that the consent of the Grantee shall not be required for any amendment (i) which does not materially adversely affect the rights of the Grantee, or (ii) which is necessary or advisable (as determined by the Committee) to carry out the purpose of the Award as a result of any new Applicable Law or change in an existing Applicable Law, or (iii) to the extent the Award Agreement specifically permits amendment without consent;

(k) subject to Section 3.3, to cancel, with the consent of the Grantee, outstanding Awards and to grant new Awards in substitution therefor;

(l) to impose such additional terms and conditions upon the grant, exercise or retention of Awards as the Committee may, before or concurrently with the grant thereof, deem appropriate, including limiting the percentage of Awards which may from time to time be exercised by a Grantee;

(m) to adopt rules and/or procedures (including the adoption of any subplan under the Plan) relating to the operation and administration of the Plan to accommodate requirements of state, foreign, and local law and procedures;

(n) to correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency, and to construe and interpret the Plan, the rules and regulations, and Award Agreement or any other instrument entered into or relating to an Award under the Plan;

(o) to modify, extend or renew an Award, subject to Sections 1.3, 5.3 and 5.9, provided, however, that such action does not subject the Award to Section 409A of the Code without the consent of the Grantee;

 

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(p) subject to Section 3.3, to provide for the settlement of any Award in cash, Shares or a combination thereof; and

(q) to take any other action with respect to any matters relating to the Plan for which it is responsible and to make all other decisions and determinations as may be required under the terms of the Plan or as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.

Any action of the Committee with respect to the Plan shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons. The express grant of any specific power to the Committee, and the taking of any action by the Committee, shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Committee. The Committee may delegate to officers or managers of the Company or any Affiliate the authority, subject to such terms as the Committee shall determine, to perform specified functions under the Plan (subject to Sections 4.3 and 5.7(c)). The Committee may revoke or amend the terms of any delegation at any time but such action shall not invalidate any prior actions of the Committee’s delegate or delegates that were consistent with the terms of the Plan and the Committee’s prior delegation.

The Company shall bear all expenses of administering the Plan.

Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may modify the terms and conditions of the Plan and/or any Award granted to Grantees outside the United States to comply with applicable foreign laws or listing requirements of any such foreign stock exchange; and take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain approval or comply with any necessary local governmental regulatory exemptions or approvals or listing requirements of any such foreign stock exchange. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate the Exchange Act or any other securities law or governing statute or any other Applicable Law.

3.3. No Repricings. Notwithstanding any provision in Section 3.2 to the contrary, the terms of any outstanding Option or SAR may not be amended to reduce the Exercise Price of such Option or SAR, or cancel any outstanding Option or SAR in exchange for other Options or SARs with an Exercise Price that is less than the Exercise Price of the cancelled Option or SAR or for any cash payment (or Shares having a Fair Market Value) in an amount that exceeds the excess of the Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying such cancelled Option or SAR over the aggregate Exercise Price of such Option or SAR or for any other Award, without stockholder approval; provided, however, that the restrictions set forth in this Section 3.3, shall not apply (i) unless the Company has a class of shares or stock that is registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act or (ii) to any adjustment allowed under Section 4.2.

Article 4

Shares Subject to the Plan and Maximum Awards

4.1. Number of Shares Available for Grants. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.2 and except as provided in Section 5.6(b), the maximum number of Shares hereby reserved for delivery in connection with Awards under the Plan shall be 4,000,000 Shares. The total number of Shares that may be delivered pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options granted hereunder shall not exceed 4,000,000.

Shares covered by an Award shall only be counted as used to the extent actually used. A Share issued in connection with an Award under the Plan shall reduce the total number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan by one; provided, however, that, upon settlement of a stock-settled SAR, the total number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan shall be reduced by the gross number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised.

 

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If any Award under the Plan terminates without the delivery of Shares, whether by lapse, forfeiture, cancellation or otherwise, the Shares subject to such Award, to the extent of any such termination, shall again be available for grant under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the exercise of any Award granted in tandem with any other Award, such related Award shall be cancelled to the extent of the number of Shares as to which the Award is exercised and such number of Shares shall no longer be available for Awards under the Plan. If any Shares subject to an Award granted hereunder are withheld or applied as payment in connection with the exercise of such Award or the withholding or payment of taxes related thereto or Shares separately surrendered by the Grantee for any such purpose (“Returned Shares”), such Returned Shares will be treated as having been delivered for purposes of determining the maximum number of Shares available for grant under the Plan and shall not again be treated as available for grant under the Plan. The number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan may not be increased through the Company’s purchase of Shares on the open market with the proceeds obtained from the exercise of any Options or other purchase rights granted hereunder. In addition, in the case of any Substitute Award granted in assumption of or in substitution for an Acquired Entity Award, Shares delivered or deliverable in connection with such Substitute Award shall not be counted against the number of Shares reserved under the Plan (to the extent permitted by the rules of the NYSE American and any other stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Shares are listed or quoted), and available shares of stock under a stockholder-approved plan of an Acquired Entity (as appropriately adjusted to reflect the transaction) also may be used for Awards under the Plan, which shall not reduce the number of Shares otherwise available under the Plan (subject to applicable requirements of the NYSE American and any other stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Shares are listed or quoted).

Shares may be allotted and issued pursuant to the Plan from the Company’s authorized but unissued share capital, or the reissue of treasury Shares.

The proceeds that the Company receives in connection with Awards granted under the Plan, if any, shall be used for general corporate purposes and shall be added to the general funds of the Company.

4.2. Adjustments in Authorized Shares and Awards; Liquidation, Dissolution or Change in Control.

(a) In the event that the Committee determines that any dividend or other distribution (excluding any ordinary dividend or distribution) (whether in the form of cash, Shares, or other property), recapitalization, forward or reverse stock split, subdivision, consolidation or reduction of capital, reorganization, merger, consolidation, scheme of arrangement, split-up, spin-off or combination involving the Company or repurchase or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company or other rights to purchase Shares or other securities of the Company, or other corporate transaction or event affects the Shares, such that any adjustment is determined by the Committee to be appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, then the Committee shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust any or all of (i) the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted, (ii) the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, (iii) the Exercise Price with respect to any Award or, if deemed appropriate, make provision for a cash payment to the holder of an outstanding Award, (iv) the number and kind of Shares of outstanding Restricted Shares, or the Shares underlying any Award of Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock or other outstanding Share-based Award and (v) any other terms and conditions of the Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) no such adjustment shall be authorized with respect to any Options or SARs to the extent that such adjustment would cause the Option or SAR (determined as if such Option or SAR was an Incentive Stock Option) to violate Section 424(a) of the Code or with respect to any Awards to the extent such adjustment would subject any Grantee to taxation under Section 409A of the Code; and (y) the number of Shares subject to any Award denominated in Shares shall always be a whole number.

 

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(b) In the event of a merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation or a sale of all or substantially all of the shares or stock of the Company or all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, including by way of a court sanctioned compromise or scheme of arrangement, reorganization, merger, combination, purchase, recapitalization, liquidation, or sale, transfer, exchange or other disposition (a “Corporate Transaction”) that results in a Change in Control, unless an outstanding Award is assumed by the Surviving Company or replaced with an equivalent Award granted by the Surviving Company in substitution for such outstanding Award, the Committee shall cancel any outstanding Awards that are not vested and nonforfeitable as of the consummation of such Corporate Transaction (unless the vesting of the Award is accelerated as described below) and with respect to any vested and nonforfeitable Awards, the Committee shall either (i) allow all Grantees to exercise such Awards in the nature of Options, SARs or other purchase rights to the extent then exercisable or to become exercisable upon the Change in Control within a reasonable period prior to the consummation of the Change in Control and cancel any Awards in the nature of Options, SARs or other purchase rights that remain unexercised upon consummation of the Change in Control, and/or (ii) cancel any or all of such outstanding Awards in exchange for a payment (in cash and/or in securities and/or other property) in an amount equal to the amount that the Grantee would have received (net of the Exercise Price with respect to any Awards in the nature of Options, SARs or other purchase rights) and on the same terms (including without limitation any earn-out, escrow or other deferred consideration provisions) as if such vested Awards were settled or distributed or such Awards in the nature of vested Options, SARs or other purchase rights were exercised immediately prior to the consummation of the Change in Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Option, SAR or other purchase right is not assumed by the Surviving Company or replaced with an equivalent Award issued by the Surviving Company and the Exercise Price with respect to the outstanding Option, SAR or other purchase right equals or exceeds the amount payable per Share in the Change in Control, such Awards shall be cancelled without any payment to the Grantee.

(c) Immediately prior to consummation of any Corporate Transaction that results in a Change in Control (subject to consummation of the Change in Control), all outstanding Awards will become vested and non-forfeitable, earned and payable and any conditions on any such Award shall lapse, as to all of such Award to the extent then outstanding, including Shares as to which the Award would not otherwise be exercisable or non-forfeitable or earned and payable, unless the outstanding Award is assumed by the Surviving Company or replaced with an equivalent Award granted by the Surviving Company in substitution for such outstanding Award. If the outstanding Award is assumed by the Surviving Company or replaced with an equivalent Award granted by the Surviving Company in substitution for such outstanding Award, then all such outstanding Awards will become vested and non-forfeitable, earned and payable and any conditions on any such Award shall lapse, as to all of such Award to the extent then outstanding, including Shares as to which the Award would not otherwise be exercisable or non-forfeitable or earned and payable, upon the Grantee’s subsequent Retirement, death, Disability, or Termination of Service by the Company and its Affiliates without Cause or by the Grantee for Good Reason, in any such case on or within the two (2) years after the Change in Control.

(d) Notwithstanding the forgoing provisions of this Section 4.2, if an Award constitutes deferred compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A, no payment or settlement of such Award shall be made pursuant to Section 4.2(b) or (c), unless the Corporate Transaction or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, as applicable, constitutes a change in ownership or effective control of the Company or a change in ownership of a substantial portion of

 

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the assets of the Company as described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) and such payment or settlement does not result in a violation of Section 409A of the Code. Additionally, with respect to any Award with respect to which the grant, vesting, payment and/or settlement is contingent upon the satisfaction of specified Performance Measures in the specified performance period and which is not assumed by the Surviving Company or replaced with an equivalent Award granted by the Surviving Company in substitution for such outstanding Award, unless the Award Agreement provides otherwise, the Award shall become vested, and be paid and settled, pursuant to Section 4.2(b) or (c), at target, with the amount prorated based on the number of days in the specified performance period prior to and including the date of the Change in Control over the number of days in the specified performance period. If any such Awards are assumed by the Surviving Company or replaced with an equivalent Award granted by the Surviving Company in substitution for such outstanding Award, unless the Award Agreement provides otherwise, the Award shall be converted into a time-based Award as of the Change in Control at target, subject to the Grantee’s continued employment or other service, and such outstanding Awards will become vested and non-forfeitable, earned and payable and any conditions on any such Award shall lapse, as to all of such Award to the extent then outstanding, including Shares as to which the Award would not otherwise be exercisable or non-forfeitable or earned and payable, upon the Grantee’s subsequent Retirement, death, Disability, or Termination of Service by the Company and its Affiliates without Cause or by the Grantee for Good Reason, in any such case on or within the two (2) years after the Change in Control.

4.3. Individual Award Limits. Except as provided herein or in Section 5.6(b), no Grantee (other than a Non-Employee Director) may be granted in a single calendar year any Awards denoted in Shares as of the date of grant (regardless of whether the Awards will be settled in Shares, cash or other property) with respect to more than 500,000 Shares (twice that limit for Awards that are granted to a Grantee (other than a Non-Employee Director) in the calendar year in which the Grantee first commences employment or service) (based on the highest level of performance resulting in the maximum payout), subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.2(a). The maximum potential value of any Awards denoted in cash or other property as of the date of grant (with the property valued as of the date of grant of the Award) (regardless of whether the Awards will be settled in Shares, cash or other property) that may be granted in any calendar year to any Grantee (other than a Non-Employee Director) shall not exceed $2,500,000 (twice that limit for Awards that are granted to a Grantee (other than a Non-Employee Director) in the calendar year in which the Grantee first commences employment or service) (based on the highest level of performance resulting in the maximum payout) for all such Awards. Such annual limitations apply to Dividend Equivalents under Article 11 only if such Dividend Equivalents are granted separately from and not as a feature of another Award (even if that feature is treated as a separate award for other purposes, including Section 409A of the Code). Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, the Committee may make exceptions to the foregoing limits in extraordinary or unusual circumstances as the Committee may determine appropriate.

Article 5

Eligibility and General Conditions of Awards

5.1. Eligibility. The Committee may in its discretion grant Awards to any Eligible Person, whether or not he or she has previously received an Award; provided, however, that all Awards made to Non-Employee Directors shall be determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

5.2. Award Agreement. To the extent not set forth in the Plan, the terms and conditions of each Award shall be set forth in an Award Agreement and, unless the Committee determines otherwise, such Agreement must be signed, acknowledged and returned by the Grantee to the Company. Unless the Committee determines otherwise, any failure by the Grantee to sign and return the Agreement within such period of time following the granting of the Award as the Committee shall prescribe shall cause such Award to the Grantee to be null and void. By accepting an Award or other benefits under the Plan (including participation in the Plan), each Grantee shall be conclusively deemed to have indicated acceptance and ratification of, and consented to, all provisions of the Plan and the Award Agreement.

 

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5.3. General Terms and Termination of Service. The Committee may impose on any Award or the exercise or settlement thereof, at the date of grant or, subject to the provisions of Section 14.2, thereafter, such additional terms and conditions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as the Committee shall determine, including without limitation terms requiring forfeiture or transfer, acceleration or pro-rata acceleration of Awards in the event of a Termination of Service by the Grantee. Awards may be granted for no consideration other than prior and future services save that in no event will Shares subject to an Award be allotted and issued unless the nominal value per Share is paid in cash, to the extent required by Applicable Law. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee pursuant to this Section 5.3 or set forth in an Award Agreement, all Options that have not been exercised, or any other Awards that remain subject to a risk of forfeiture or which are not otherwise vested, or which have outstanding Performance Periods, at the time of a Termination of Service shall be forfeited to the Company. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary and subject to the immediately following proviso, equity-based Awards granted under the Plan shall vest no earlier than the first anniversary of the date the Award is granted, and performance-based Awards must have a performance period of at least one year; provided, however, that the Committee may grant Awards without regard to the foregoing minimum vesting requirement with respect to a maximum of five percent (5%) of the available Shares (the “5% Exception Limit”) authorized for issuance under the Plan (subject to adjustment under Section 4.2). For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing restriction does not apply to the Committee’s discretion to provide in the terms of the Award or otherwise for accelerated exercisability or vesting of any Award upon the occurrence of one or more events other than completion of a service period, including without limitation the Grantee’s Retirement, death, Disability, Termination of Service by the Company and its Affiliates without Cause or by the Grantee for Good Reason or a Change in Control. Additionally, notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, no dividends or Dividend Equivalents shall be paid with respect to any Awards that do not become vested, non-forfeitable or payable under the Plan.

5.4. Nontransferability of Awards.

(a) Each Award and each right under any Award shall be exercisable only by the Grantee during the Grantee’s lifetime, or, if permissible under Applicable Law, by the Grantee’s guardian or legal representative or by a transferee receiving such Award pursuant to a domestic relations order (a “DRO”) as defined in the Code or Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), or the rules thereunder.

(b) No Award (prior to the time, if applicable, Shares are delivered in respect of such Award), and no right under any Award, may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Grantee otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution (or in the case of Restricted Shares, to the Company) or pursuant to a DRO, and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Affiliate; provided that the designation of a beneficiary to receive benefits in the event of the Grantee’s death shall not constitute an assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance.

(c) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) above, to the extent provided in the Award Agreement, Awards (other than Incentive Stock Options and corresponding tandem Awards), may be transferred, without consideration, to a Permitted Transferee. For this purpose, a “Permitted Transferee” in respect of any Grantee means any member of the Immediate Family of such Grantee, any trust of which all of the primary beneficiaries are such Grantee or members of his or her

 

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Immediate Family, or any partnership (including limited liability companies and similar entities) of which all of the partners or members are such Grantee or members of his or her Immediate Family; and the “Immediate Family” of a Grantee means the Grantee’s spouse, any person sharing the Grantee’s household (other than a tenant or employee), children, stepchildren, grandchildren, parents, stepparents, siblings, grandparents, nieces and nephews. Such Award may be exercised by such transferee in accordance with the terms of the Award Agreement. If so determined by the Committee, a Grantee may, in the manner established by the Committee, designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries to exercise the rights of the Grantee, and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award, after the death of the Grantee. A transferee, beneficiary, guardian, legal representative or other person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any Grantee shall be subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, except to the extent the Plan and Award Agreement otherwise provide with respect to such persons, and to any additional restrictions or limitations deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee.

(d) Nothing herein shall be construed as requiring the Company or any Affiliate to honor a DRO except to the extent required under Applicable Law.

5.5. Cancellation and Rescission of Awards. Unless the Award Agreement specifies otherwise, the Committee may cancel, rescind, suspend, withhold, or otherwise limit or restrict any unexercised or other Award at any time if the Grantee is not in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Award Agreement and the Plan or if the Grantee has a Termination of Service. Additionally, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any Agreement to the contrary, a Grantee shall forfeit any and all rights under an Award if the Grantee incurs a Termination of Service by the Company or any Affiliate for Cause.

5.6. Stand-Alone, Tandem and Substitute Awards.

(a) Awards granted under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution for, any other Award granted under the Plan unless such tandem or substitution Award would subject the Grantee to tax penalties imposed under Section 409A of the Code. If an Award is granted in substitution for another Award or any non-Plan award or benefit, the Committee shall require the surrender of such other Award or non-Plan award or benefit in consideration for the grant of the new Award. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards or non-Plan awards or benefits may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards or non-Plan awards or benefits; provided, however, that if any SAR is granted in tandem with an Incentive Stock Option, such SAR and Incentive Stock Option must have the same Grant Date, Term and the Exercise Price of the SAR may not be less than the Exercise Price of the related Incentive Stock Option.

(b) The Committee may, in its discretion and on such terms and conditions as the Committee considers appropriate in the circumstances, grant Awards under the Plan (“Substitute Awards”) in substitution for share or stock and share or stock-based awards (“Acquired Entity Awards”) held by current or former employees or non-employee directors of, or consultants to, another corporation or entity who become Eligible Persons as the result of a merger or consolidation of the employing corporation or other entity (the “Acquired Entity”) with the Company or an Affiliate or the acquisition by the Company or an Affiliate of property or shares or stock of the Acquired Entity immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or acquisition in order to preserve for the Grantee the economic value of all or a portion of such Acquired Entity Award at such price as the Committee determines necessary to achieve preservation of economic value. The limitations of Sections 4.1 and 4.3 on the number of Shares reserved or available for grants shall not apply to Substitute Awards granted under this Section 5.6(b).

 

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5.7. Deferral of Award Payouts. The Committee may permit a Grantee to defer, or if and to the extent specified in an Award Agreement require the Grantee to defer, receipt of the payment of cash or the delivery of Shares that would otherwise be due by virtue of the lapse or waiver of restrictions with respect to Awards, the satisfaction of any requirements or goals with respect to Awards, the lapse or waiver of the deferral period for Awards, or the lapse or waiver of restrictions with respect to Awards. If the Committee permits such deferrals, the Committee shall establish rules and procedures for making such deferral elections and for the payment of such deferrals, which shall conform in form and substance with applicable regulations promulgated under Section 409A of the Code so that the Grantee is not subjected to tax penalties under Section 409A of the Code with respect to such deferrals. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, any payment or any Shares that are subject to such deferral shall be made or delivered to the Grantee as specified in the Award Agreement or pursuant to the Grantee’s deferral election.

5.8. Extension of Term of Award.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan providing for the maximum term of an Award, in the event any Award would expire prior to exercise, vesting or settlement because trading in Shares is prohibited by law or by any insider trading policy of the Company, the Committee may extend the term of the Award (or provide for such in the applicable Award Agreement) until thirty (30) days after the expiration of any such prohibitions to permit the Grantee to realize the value of the Award, provided such extension (i) is permitted by law, (ii) does not violate Code Section 409A with respect to any Award, and (iii) does not otherwise adversely impact the tax consequences of the Award (such as with respect to incentive stock options and related Awards).

(b) This Section 5.8(b) applies to an Option or SAR if (i) the Grantee to whom the Option or SAR was granted remains in the continuous employment or service of the Company or an Affiliate from the date the Option or SAR was granted until the expiration date of such Option or SAR, (ii) on the expiration date the Fair Market Value of a share exceeds the exercise price of the Option or SAR, (iii) the Option or SAR has become exercisable on or before the expiration date and (iv) the term of the Option or SAR will not be extended as described above. In that event, subject to Sections 3.1(a), 5.8(a), 5.9, and 6.5 in all respects, each Option or SAR to which this Section 5.9(b) applies shall be exercised automatically on the expiration date to the extent that it is outstanding and unexercised on such date. An Option that is exercised pursuant to this Section 5.9(b) shall result in the issuance to the Grantee of that number of whole Shares that have a Fair Market Value that most nearly equals, but does not exceed, the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the expiration date over the Option exercise price multiplied by the number of Shares subject to the exercisable portion of the Option. A SAR that is exercised pursuant to this Section 5.9(b) shall be settled in accordance with its terms on the expiration date.

5.9. Conditions on Delivery of Shares. The Company will not be obligated to deliver any Shares under the Plan or remove restrictions from Shares previously delivered under the Plan until (i) all Award conditions have been met or removed to the Company’s satisfaction, (ii) as determined by the Company, all other legal matters regarding the issuance and delivery of such Shares have been satisfied, including any applicable securities laws and rules and regulations of the NYSE American and any other stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Shares are listed or quoted, and (iii) the Grantee has executed and delivered to the Company such representations or agreements as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to satisfy any Applicable Laws. The Company’s inability to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which the Committee determines is necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares, will relieve the Company of any liability for failing to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority has not been obtained.

 

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Article 6

Stock Options

6.1. Grant of Options. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, Options may be granted to any Eligible Person in such number, and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee.

6.2. Award Agreement. Each Option grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Exercise Price, the Term of the Option, the number of Shares to which the Option pertains, the time or times at which such Option shall be exercisable, whether the Option is intended to be a Non-Qualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine. Except as otherwise set forth in Section 5.6(b) above, no Option shall have a term of more than ten (10) years after its Grant Date, subject to earlier termination as provided herein or in the applicable Award Agreement. No Option may be exercised at a time when such exercise and/or the issuance of Shares pursuant to such exercise would be in breach of Applicable Law. No dividend rights or Dividend Equivalents may be granted in conjunction with any grant of Options.

6.3. Option Exercise Price. The Exercise Price of an Option under this Plan shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee but may not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date (except as otherwise set forth in Section 5.6(b) above) and shall not be less than the nominal value per Share if required by Applicable Law.

6.4. Grant of Incentive Stock Options. At the time of the grant of any Option, the Committee may in its discretion designate that such Option shall be made subject to additional restrictions to permit it to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option. An Option designated as an Incentive Stock Option:

(a) shall be granted only to an employee of the Company, a Parent Corporation or a Subsidiary Corporation;

(b) shall have an Exercise Price of not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date, and, if granted to a person who owns capital stock (including stock treated as owned under Section 424(d) of the Code) possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary Corporation (a “More Than Ten Percent (10%) Owner”), have an Exercise Price not less than one hundred and ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on its Grant Date;

(c) shall be for a period of not more than 10 years (five years if the Grantee is a More Than 10% Owner) from its Grant Date, and shall be subject to earlier termination as provided herein or in the applicable Award Agreement;

(d) shall not have an aggregate Fair Market Value (as of the Grant Date) of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options (whether granted under the Plan or any other stock option plan of the Grantee’s employer or any parent or Subsidiary Corporation (“Other Plans”)) are exercisable for the first time by such Grantee during any calendar year (“Current Grant”), determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code, which exceeds $100,000 (the “$100,000 Limit”);

(e) shall, if the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares (determined on the Grant Date) with respect to the Current Grant and all Incentive Stock Options previously granted under the Plan and any Other Plans which are exercisable for the first time during a calendar year (“Prior Grants”) would exceed the $100,000 Limit, be, as to the portion in excess of the $100,000 Limit, exercisable as a separate option that is not an Incentive Stock Option at such date or dates as are provided in the Current Grant;

 

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(f) shall require the Grantee to notify the Committee of any disposition of any Shares delivered pursuant to the exercise of the Incentive Stock Option under the circumstances described in Section 421(b) of the Code (relating to holding periods and certain disqualifying dispositions) (“Disqualifying Disposition”) within 10 days of such a Disqualifying Disposition;

(g) shall by its terms not be assignable or transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution and may be exercised, during the Grantee’s lifetime, only by the Grantee; provided, however, that the Grantee may, to the extent provided in the Plan in any manner specified by the Committee, designate in writing a beneficiary to exercise his or her Incentive Stock Option after the Grantee’s death; and

(h) shall, if such Option nevertheless fails to meet the foregoing requirements, or otherwise fails to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code for an Incentive Stock Option, be treated for all purposes of this Plan, except as otherwise provided in subsections (d) and (e) above, as an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.

Notwithstanding the foregoing and Section 3.2, the Committee may, without the consent of the Grantee, at any time before the exercise of an Option (whether or not an Incentive Stock Option), take any action necessary to prevent such Option from being treated as an Incentive Stock Option. No Option that is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall be invalid for failure to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

6.5. Payment of Exercise Price. Except as otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award Agreement, Options shall be exercised by the delivery of a written notice of exercise to the Company, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is to be exercised, accompanied by full payment for the Shares made by any one or more of the following means:

(a) cash, personal check, cash equivalent or wire transfer;

(b) subject to Applicable Law and with the approval of the Committee, by delivery of Shares owned by the Grantee prior to exercise, valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of exercise;

(c) subject to Applicable Law and with the approval of the Committee, Shares acquired upon the exercise of such Option, such Shares valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of exercise;

(d) subject to Applicable Law and with the approval of the Committee, Restricted Shares held by the Grantee prior to the exercise of the Option, each such share valued at the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise; or

(e) subject to Applicable Law (including the prohibited loan provisions of Section 402 of Sarbanes-Oxley), through the sale of the Shares acquired on exercise of the Option through a broker-dealer to whom the Grantee has submitted an irrevocable notice of exercise and irrevocable instructions to deliver promptly to the Company the amount of sale proceeds sufficient to pay for such Shares, together with, if requested by the Company, the amount of federal, state, local or foreign withholding taxes payable by Grantee by reason of such exercise.

 

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The Committee may in its discretion specify that, if any Restricted Shares (“Tendered Restricted Shares”) are used to pay the Exercise Price, (x) all the Shares acquired on exercise of the Option shall be subject to the same restrictions as the Tendered Restricted Shares, determined as of the date of exercise of the Option, or (y) a number of Shares acquired on exercise of the Option equal to the number of Tendered Restricted Shares shall be subject to the same restrictions as the Tendered Restricted Shares, determined as of the date of exercise of the Option.

Article 7

Stock Appreciation Rights

7.1. Issuance. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant SARs to any Eligible Person either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. Such SARs may, but need not, be granted in connection with a specific Option granted under Article 6. The Committee may impose such conditions or restrictions on the exercise of any SAR as it shall deem appropriate. No dividend rights or Dividend Equivalents may be granted in conjunction with any grant of SARs.

7.2. Award Agreements. Each SAR grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in such form as the Committee may approve and shall contain such terms and conditions not inconsistent with other provisions of the Plan as shall be determined from time to time by the Committee. Except as otherwise set forth in Section 5.6(b) above, no SAR shall have a term of more than ten (10) years after its Grant Date, subject to earlier termination as provided herein or in the applicable Award Agreement. No SAR may be exercised at a time when such exercise and/or the issuance of Shares pursuant to such exercise would be in breach of Applicable Law.

7.3. SAR Exercise Price. The Exercise Price of a SAR shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion; provided that, except as otherwise set forth in Section 5.6(b), the Exercise Price shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of the grant of the SAR (or the exercise price of the related Option if granted in tandem therewith).

7.4. Exercise and Payment. Upon the exercise of an SAR, a Grantee shall be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount determined by multiplying (a) the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the Exercise Price; by (b) the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised. SARs shall be deemed exercised on the date written notice of exercise in a form acceptable to the Committee is received by the Secretary of the Company. The Company shall make payment in respect of any SAR within thirty (30) days of the date the SAR is exercised, unless the Award Agreement specifically provides otherwise. Any payment by the Company in respect of a SAR may be made in cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, as the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine.

7.5. Grant Limitations. The Committee may at any time impose any other limitations upon the exercise of SARs which, in the Committee’s sole discretion, are necessary or desirable in order for Grantees to qualify for an exemption from Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.

Article 8

Restricted Shares

8.1. Grant of Restricted Shares. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Restricted Shares to any Eligible Person in such amounts as the Committee shall determine.

 

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8.2. Award Agreement. Each grant of Restricted Shares shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Period(s) of Restriction, the number of Restricted Shares granted, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine. The Committee may impose such conditions and/or restrictions on any Restricted Shares granted pursuant to the Plan as it may deem advisable, including restrictions based upon the achievement of specific time-based restrictions, Performance Measures, time-based restrictions on vesting following the attainment of the Performance Measures, and/or restrictions under Applicable Law.

8.3. Consideration for Restricted Shares. The Committee shall determine the amount, if any, that a Grantee shall pay for Restricted Shares provided that it shall be no less than the nominal value per Restricted Share if required to be paid by Applicable Law.

8.4. Effect of Forfeiture. If Restricted Shares are forfeited, and if the Grantee was required to pay for such shares or acquired such Restricted Shares upon the exercise of an Option, the Grantee shall be deemed to have resold such Restricted Shares to the Company at a price equal to the lesser of (x) the amount paid by the Grantee for such Restricted Shares, or (y) the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of such forfeiture. The Company shall pay to the Grantee the deemed sale price as soon as is administratively practical. Such Restricted Shares shall cease to be outstanding and shall no longer confer on the Grantee thereof any rights as a stockholder of the Company, from and after the date of the event causing the forfeiture, whether or not the Grantee accepts the Company’s tender of payment for such Restricted Shares.

8.5. Voting and Dividend Equivalent Rights Attributable to Restricted Shares. A Grantee awarded Restricted Shares will have all voting rights with respect to such Restricted Shares. Unless the Committee determines and sets forth in the Award Agreement that Grantee will not be entitled to receive any dividends with respect to such Restricted Shares, a Grantee will have the right to receive all dividends in respect of such Restricted Shares, which dividends shall be either deemed reinvested in additional shares of Restricted Shares, which shall remain subject to the same forfeiture conditions applicable to the Restricted Shares to which such dividends relate, or paid in cash if and at the time the Restricted Shares are no longer subject to forfeiture, as the Committee shall set forth in the Award Agreement. No dividends may be paid with respect to Restricted Shares that are Forfeited.

8.6. Escrow; Legends. The Committee may provide that the certificates for any Restricted Shares if certificated (x) shall be held (together with a stock transfer form executed in blank by the Grantee) in escrow by the Secretary of the Company until such Restricted Shares become non-Forfeitable or are Forfeited and/or (y) shall bear an appropriate legend restricting the transfer of such Restricted Shares under the Plan. If any Restricted Shares become nonforfeitable, the Company shall cause certificates for such shares to be delivered without such legend.

Article 9

Deferred Stock and Restricted Stock Units

9.1. Grant of Deferred Stock and Restricted Stock Units. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Deferred Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units to any Eligible Person, in such amount and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine. Deferred Stock must conform in form and substance with applicable regulations promulgated under Section 409A of the Code and with Article 14 to ensure that the Grantee is not subjected to tax penalties under Section 409A of the Code with respect to such Deferred Stock.

 

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9.2. Vesting and Delivery.

(a) Delivery of Shares subject to a Deferred Stock grant will occur upon expiration of the deferral period or upon the occurrence of one or more of the distribution events described in Section 409A of the Code as specified by the Committee in the Grantee’s Award Agreement for the Award of Deferred Stock. An Award of Deferred Stock may be subject to such substantial risk of forfeiture conditions as the Committee may impose, which conditions may lapse at such times or upon the achievement of such objectives as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant or thereafter. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, to the extent that the Grantee has a Termination of Service while the Deferred Stock remains subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, such Deferred Shares shall be forfeited, unless the Committee determines that such substantial risk of forfeiture shall lapse in the event of the Grantee’s Termination of Service due to Retirement, death, Disability, or involuntary termination by the Company or an Affiliate without Cause or termination by the Grantee for Good Reason.

(b) Unless specified otherwise by the Committee in the Grantee’s Award Agreement for the Award of Restricted Stock Units, delivery of Shares subject to a grant of Restricted Stock Units shall occur no later than the 15th day of the third month following the end of the taxable year of the Grantee or the fiscal year of the Company in which the Grantee’s rights under such Restricted Stock Units are no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture as defined in final regulations under Section 409A of the Code. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, to the extent that the Grantee has a Termination of Service while the Restricted Stock Units remain subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, such Restricted Stock Units shall be forfeited, unless the Committee determines that such substantial risk of forfeiture shall lapse in the event of the Grantee’s Termination of Service due to Retirement, death, Disability, or involuntary termination by the Company or an Affiliate without Cause or termination by the Grantee for Good Reason; provided that any such determination shall be made in accordance with Code section 409A.

9.3. Voting and Dividend Equivalent Rights Attributable to Deferred Stock and Restricted Stock Units. A Grantee awarded Deferred Stock or Restricted Stock Units will have no voting rights with respect to such Deferred Stock or Restricted Stock Units prior to the delivery of Shares in settlement of such Deferred Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units. Unless the Committee determines and sets forth in the Award Agreement that a Grantee will not be entitled to receive any such Dividend Equivalents with respect to such Deferred Stock or Restricted Stock Units, the Grantee will have the right to receive Dividend Equivalents in respect of Deferred Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units, which Dividend Equivalents shall be either deemed reinvested in additional Shares of Deferred Stock or Restricted Stock Units, as applicable, which shall remain subject to the same forfeiture conditions applicable to the Deferred Stock or Restricted Stock Units to which such Dividend Equivalents relate, or paid in cash if and at the time the Deferred Stock or Restricted Stock Units are no longer subject to forfeiture and deliverable, as the Committee shall set forth in the Award Agreement. No Dividend Equivalents may be paid on Deferred Stock or Restricted Stock Units that are Forfeited.

Article 10

Performance Units and Performance Shares

10.1. Grant of Performance Units and Performance Shares. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, Performance Units or Performance Shares may be granted to any Eligible Person in such amounts and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time, as shall be determined by the Committee.

 

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10.2. Value/Performance Goals. The Committee shall set Performance Measures in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number or value of Performance Units or Performance Shares that will be paid to the Grantee.

10.3. Earning of Performance Units and Performance Shares. After the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of Performance Units or Performance Shares shall be entitled to payment based on the level of achievement of performance goals set by the Committee.

At the discretion of the Committee, the settlement of Performance Units or Performance Shares may be in cash, Shares of equivalent value, or in some combination thereof, as set forth in the Award Agreement provided that if it is to be in Shares, issuance of the Shares shall be subject to payment by the Grantee in cash of the nominal value for each Share so issued to the extent required by Applicable Law.

If a Grantee is promoted, demoted or transferred to a different business unit of the Company during a Performance Period, then, to the extent the Committee determines that the Award, the performance goals, or the Performance Period are no longer appropriate, the Committee may adjust, change, eliminate or cancel the Award, the performance goals, or the applicable Performance Period, as it deems appropriate in order to make them appropriate and comparable to the initial Award, the performance goals, or the Performance Period.

Unless the Committee determines and sets forth in the Award Agreement that a Grantee will not be entitled to vote or receive any dividends or Dividend Equivalents declared with respect to Shares deliverable in connection with grants of Performance Units or Performance Shares, the Grantee shall have the right to vote the Shares in respect of such Performance Shares and the right to receive any dividends or Dividend Equivalents in respect of such Performance Units and Performance Shares, which dividends and Dividend Equivalents shall either be deemed reinvested in additional Shares of Performance Units or Performance Shares, as applicable, which shall remain subject to the same forfeiture conditions applicable to the Performance Units or Performance Shares to which such dividends and Dividend Equivalents relate, or paid in cash if and at the time the Performance Units or Performance Shares are payable and/or no longer subject to forfeiture, as the Committee shall set forth in the Award Agreement. No dividends or Dividend Equivalents may be paid on Performance Units or Performance Shares that are forfeited.

Article 11

Dividend Equivalents

The Committee is authorized to grant Awards of Dividend Equivalents alone or in conjunction with other Awards; provided, however, that no Dividend Equivalents may be granted in conjunction with any grant of Options or SARs, and no Dividend Equivalents may be paid on any Awards unless and until the Awards become vested, nonforfeitable and/or payable. The Committee may provide that Dividend Equivalents not paid in connection with an Award shall either be (i) paid or distributed in cash when the Dividend Equivalents or Awards to which such Dividend Equivalents relate become vested, nonforfeitable and/or payable or (ii) deemed to have been reinvested in additional Dividends Equivalents or Awards.

Article 12

Other Stock-Based Awards

The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under Applicable Law, to grant such other Awards that are denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Shares, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan, including Shares awarded which are not subject to any restrictions or conditions, convertible or exchangeable debt securities or other rights convertible or exchangeable into Shares, and Awards valued

 

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by reference to the value of securities of or the performance of specified Affiliates. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards. Except as provided by the Committee, Shares delivered pursuant to a purchase right granted under this Article 12 shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for by such methods and in such forms, including cash, Shares, outstanding Awards or other property, as the Committee shall determine.

Article 13

Non-Employee Director Awards

Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee may grant Awards to any Non-Employee Director, in such amount and upon such terms and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Except as otherwise provided in Section 5.6(b), a Non-Employee Director may not be granted Awards during any single calendar year that, taken together with any cash fees paid to such Non-Employee Director during such calendar year in respect of the Non-Employee Director’s service as a member of the Board during such year, exceeds $2,500,000 in total value (calculating the value of any such Awards based on the grant date fair value of such Awards for financial accounting purposes).

Article 14

Amendment, Modification, and Termination

14.1. Amendment, Modification, and Termination. Subject to Section 14.2, the Board may, at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan in whole or in part without the approval of the Company’s stockholders, except that (a) any amendment or alteration shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders if such stockholder approval is required by any Applicable Law, and (b) the Board may otherwise, in its discretion, determine to submit other such amendments or alterations to stockholders for approval.

14.2. Awards Previously Granted. Except as otherwise specifically permitted in the Plan or an Award Agreement, no termination, amendment, or modification of the Plan shall materially adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under the Plan, without the written consent of the Grantee of such Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board reserves the authority to terminate a 409A Award granted under the Plan in return for payment of the vested portion of the 409A Award provided the termination and payment satisfies the rules under Section 409A of the Code.

Article 15

Compliance with Code Section 409A

15.1. Awards Subject to Code Section 409A. The provisions of this Article 15 and Section 409A of the Code shall apply to any Award or portion thereof that is or becomes deferred compensation subject to Code Section 409A (a “409A Award”), notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in the Plan or the Award Agreement applicable to such Award to the extent required for the Award to comply with Section 409A of the Code.

15.2. Distributions. Except as otherwise permitted or required by Code Section 409A, no distribution in settlement of a 409A Award may commence earlier than (i) Separation from Service; (ii) the date the Grantee becomes Disabled (as defined in Section 2.28(b)); (iii) the date of the Grantee’s death; (iv) a specified time (or pursuant to a fixed schedule) that is either (a) specified by the Committee upon the grant of the Award and set forth in the Award Agreement or (b) specified by the Grantee in an Election complying with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; or (vi) a change in control of the Company within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(h)(5).

 

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15.3. Six-Month Delay. Notwithstanding anything herein or in any Award Agreement or election to the contrary, to the extent that distribution of a 409A Award is triggered by a Grantee’s Separation from Service, if the Grantee is then a “specified employee” (as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(i)), no distribution may be made before the date which is six (6) months after such Grantee’s Separation from Service, or, if earlier, the date of the Grantee’s death, to the extent required to comply with Code Section 409A.

15.4. Short-Term Deferral. If an Award Agreement does not specify a payment date, payment of the Award will be made no later than the 15th day of the third month following the end of the taxable year of the Grantee during which the Grantee’s right to payment is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture under Section 409A of the Code. All rights to payments and benefits under an Award shall be treated as rights to receive a series of separate payments and benefits to the fullest extent allowed by Section 409A of the Code.

Article 16

Withholding

16.1. Required Withholding.

(a) The Committee in its sole discretion may provide that when taxes are to be withheld in connection with the exercise of an Option or SAR, or upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Shares, or upon the transfer of Shares, or upon payment of any other benefit or right under this Plan (the date on which such exercise occurs or such restrictions lapse or such payment of any other benefit or right occurs hereinafter referred to as the “Tax Date”), the Grantee may elect to make payment for the withholding of federal, state and local taxes, including Social Security and Medicare (“FICA”) taxes by one or a combination of the following methods:

(i) payment of an amount in cash equal to the amount to be withheld (including cash obtained through the sale of the Shares acquired on exercise of an Option or SAR, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Shares, or upon the transfer of Shares, through a broker-dealer to whom the Grantee has submitted irrevocable instructions to deliver promptly to the Company, the amount to be withheld);

(ii) delivering part or all of the amount to be withheld in the form of Shares valued at their Fair Market Value on the Tax Date;

(iii) requesting the Company to withhold from those Shares that would otherwise be received upon exercise of the Option or SAR, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Stock, or upon the transfer of Shares, a number of Shares having a Fair Market Value on the Tax Date equal to the amount to be withheld; or

(iv) withholding from any other compensation otherwise due to the Grantee.

The Committee in its sole discretion may provide that the maximum amount of tax withholding upon exercise of an Option or SAR, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Shares, or upon the transfer of Shares, to be satisfied by withholding Shares upon exercise of such Option or SAR, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Shares, or upon the transfer of Shares, pursuant to clause (iii) above shall not exceed the minimum amount of taxes, including FICA taxes, required to be withheld under federal, state and local law that will not result in adverse financial accounting consequences with respect to such Awards and is permitted under applicable withholding rules promulgated by the Internal Revenue Service or another applicable governmental entity. An election by Grantee under this subsection is irrevocable. Any fractional share amount and any additional withholding not paid by the withholding or surrender of Shares must be paid in cash. If no timely election is made, the Grantee must deliver cash to satisfy all tax withholding requirements.

 

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(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Grantee who makes a Disqualifying Disposition or an election under Section 83(b) of the Code shall remit to the Company an amount, if any, sufficient to satisfy all resulting tax withholding requirements in the same manner as set forth in subsection (a) (other than (a)(iii) above).

16.2. Notification under Code Section 83(b). If the Grantee, in connection with the exercise of any Option, or the grant of Restricted Shares, makes the election permitted under Section 83(b) of the Code to include in such Grantee’s gross income in the year of transfer the amounts specified in Section 83(b) of the Code, then such Grantee shall notify the Company of such election within 10 days of filing the notice of the election with the Internal Revenue Service, in addition to any filing and notification required pursuant to regulations issued under Section 83(b) of the Code. The Committee may, in connection with the grant of an Award or at any time thereafter, prohibit a Grantee from making the election described above.

Article 17

Limitation on Benefits

Despite any other provisions of this Plan to the contrary, if the receipt of any payments or benefits under this Plan, alone or in combination with any other payments or distributions under any other plan, agreement or arrangement, would subject a Grantee to tax under Code Section 4999, the Committee may determine whether some amount of such payments or benefits would meet the definition of a “Reduced Amount.” If the Committee determines that there is a Reduced Amount, the total payments or benefits to the Grantee under all Awards must be reduced to such Reduced Amount, but not below zero, with the amounts to be reduced so as to maximize the aggregate Net After Tax Receipts to the Grantee; provided, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, payments or benefits that are not subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be reduced before any payment or benefits that are subject to Section 409A of the Code and all such reductions shall comply with Section 409A of the Code with respect to any amounts subject to Section 409A of the Code. If the Committee determines that the benefits and payments must be reduced to the Reduced Amount, the Company must promptly notify the Grantee of that determination, with a copy of the detailed calculations by the Committee. All determinations of the Committee under this Article 17 are final, conclusive and binding upon the Company and the Grantee. It is the intention of the Company and the Grantee to reduce the payments under this Plan only if the aggregate Net After Tax Receipts to the Grantee would thereby be increased. As result of the uncertainty in the application of Code Section 4999 at the time of the initial determination by the Committee under this Article 17, however, it is possible that amounts will have been paid under the Plan to or for the benefit of a Grantee which should not have been so paid (“Overpayment”) or that additional amounts which will not have been paid under the Plan to or for the benefit of a Grantee could have been so paid (“Underpayment”), in each case consistent with the calculation of the Reduced Amount. If the Committee, based either upon the assertion of a deficiency by the Internal Revenue Service against the Company or the Grantee, which the Committee believes has a high probability of success, or controlling precedent or other substantial authority, determines that an Overpayment has been made, any such Overpayment must be treated for all purposes as a loan, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, which the Grantee must repay to the Company together with interest at the applicable federal rate under Code Section 7872(f)(2); provided, however, that no such loan may be deemed to have been made and no amount shall be payable by the Grantee to the Company if and to the extent such deemed loan and payment would not either reduce the amount on which the Grantee is subject to tax under Code Sections 1, 3101 or 4999 or generate a refund of such taxes. If the Committee, based upon controlling precedent or other substantial authority, determines that an Underpayment has occurred, the Committee

 

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must promptly notify the Company of the amount of the Underpayment, which then shall be paid promptly to the Grantee but no later than the end of the Grantee’s taxable year next following the Grantee’s taxable year in which the determination is made that the underpayment has occurred. For purposes of this Article 17, (i) “Net After Tax Receipt” means the Present Value of payments and benefits under this Plan and any other plan, agreement or arrangement, net of all taxes imposed on Grantee with respect thereto under Code Sections 1, 3101 and 4999, determined by applying the highest marginal rate under Code Section 1 which applies to the Grantee’s taxable income for the applicable taxable year; (ii) “Present Value” means the value determined in accordance with Code Section 280G(d)(4) and (iii) “Reduced Amount” means the smallest aggregate amount of all payments and benefits under this Plan and any other plan, agreement or arrangement, which (a) is less than the sum of all such payments and benefits under this Plan and any other plan, agreement or arrangement, and (b) results in aggregate Net After Tax Receipts which are equal to or greater than the Net After Tax Receipts which would result if the aggregate payments and benefits under this Plan and any other plan, agreement or arrangement, were any other amount less than the sum of all payments and benefits to be made under this Plan. Any reduction of payments or benefits pursuant to this Article 17 shall be made in the following order (first against any such items that are not subject to Section 409A of the Code): (i) first against any cash compensation in order of the latest amounts to be paid and otherwise on a pro rata basis, (ii) second against any benefits otherwise payable in order of the latest amounts to be delivered and otherwise on a pro rata basis; and (iii) third against any equity or related awards in order of the latest amounts to be settled and otherwise on a pro rata basis.

Article 18

Additional Provisions

18.1. Successors. All obligations of the Company under the Plan with respect to Awards granted hereunder shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.

18.2. Severability. If any part of the Plan is declared by any court or governmental authority to be unlawful or invalid, such unlawfulness or invalidity shall not invalidate any other part of the Plan. Any Section or part of a Section so declared to be unlawful or invalid shall, if possible, be construed in a manner which will give effect to the terms of such Section or part of a Section to the fullest extent possible while remaining lawful and valid.

18.3. Requirements of Law. The granting of Awards and the delivery of Shares under the Plan shall be subject to all Applicable Laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or the NYSE American and any other stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Shares are listed or quoted as may be required. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or any Award, Grantees shall not be entitled to exercise, or receive benefits under, any Award, and the Company (and any Affiliate) shall not be obligated to deliver any Shares or deliver benefits to a Grantee, if such exercise or delivery would constitute a violation by the Grantee or the Company of any Applicable Law or regulation.

18.4. Securities Law Compliance.

(a) If the Committee deems it necessary to comply with any Applicable Law, the Committee may impose any restriction on Awards or Shares acquired pursuant to Awards under the Plan as it may deem advisable. In addition, if requested by the Company and any underwriter engaged by the Company, Shares acquired pursuant to Awards may not be sold or otherwise transferred or disposed of for such period following the date of the final prospectus or prospectus supplement relating to an underwritten public offering as the Company or such underwriter shall specify reasonably and in good faith. All certificates for Shares delivered under the Plan pursuant

 

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to any Award or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations and other requirements of the SEC, the NYSE American and any other stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Shares are listed or quoted, any applicable securities law, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. If so requested by the Company, the Grantee shall make a written representation to the Company that he or she will not sell or offer to sell any Shares unless a registration statement shall be in effect with respect to such Shares under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities law or unless he or she shall have furnished to the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to the Company, that such registration is not required.

(b) If the Committee determines that the exercise or non-forfeitability of, or delivery of benefits pursuant to, any Award would violate any Applicable Law or result in the imposition of excise taxes on the Company or its Affiliates under the statutes, rules or regulations of any applicable jurisdiction, then the Committee may postpone any such exercise, non-forfeitability or delivery, as applicable, but the Company shall use all reasonable efforts to cause such exercise, non-forfeitability or delivery to comply with all such provisions at the earliest practicable date.

(c) The Committee may require each Grantee receiving Shares pursuant to an Award under the Plan to represent to and agree with the Company in writing that the Grantee is acquiring the Shares without a view to distribution thereof. In addition to any legend required by the Plan, the certificates for such Shares may include any legend that the Committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on transfer. All certificates for Shares delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations and other requirements of the SEC, the NYSE American and any other stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Shares are listed or quoted, any applicable federal or state securities law, and any applicable corporate law, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.

(d) A Grantee shall be required to supply the Company with certificates, representations and information that the Company requests and otherwise cooperate with the Company in obtaining any listing, registration, qualification, exemption, consent or approval the Company deems necessary or appropriate.

18.5. Awards Subject to Share Retention Guidelines and Claw-Back Policies. Notwithstanding any provisions herein to the contrary, (i) Shares acquired by a Grantee under the Plan upon the exercise, payment or settlement of an Award shall be subject to the terms of any Share retention guidelines currently in effect or subsequently adopted by the Board and (ii) all Awards granted hereunder shall be subject to the terms of any recoupment policy currently in effect or subsequently adopted by the Board to implement Section 304 of Sarbanes-Oxley, Dodd-Frank or Section 10D of the Exchange Act (or with any amendment or modification of such recoupment policy adopted by the Board) to the extent that such Award (whether or not previously exercised or settled) or the value of such Award is required to be returned to the Company pursuant to the terms of such recoupment policy.

18.6. No Rights as a Stockholder. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement, no Grantee shall have any rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Shares (other than Restricted Shares) which may be deliverable upon exercise or payment of such Award until such Shares have been delivered to him or her. Restricted Shares, whether held by a Grantee or in escrow by the Secretary of the Company, shall confer on the Grantee all rights of a stockholder of the Company, except as otherwise provided in the Plan or Award Agreement. At the time of grant of an Award,

 

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the Committee will require the payment of cash dividends thereon to be deferred and, if the Committee so determines, reinvested in additional Awards. Stock dividends and deferred cash dividends issued with respect to Awards shall be subject to the same restrictions and other terms as apply to the Awards with respect to which such dividends are issued. The Committee may in its discretion provide for payment of interest on deferred cash dividends.

18.7. Employee Status. If the terms of any Award provide that it may be exercised or paid only during employment or continued service or within a specified period of time after termination of employment or continued service, the Committee may decide to what extent leaves of absence for governmental or military service, illness, temporary disability, or other reasons shall not be deemed interruptions of continuous employment or service. For purposes of the Plan, employment and continued service shall be deemed to exist between the Grantee and the Company and/or an Affiliate if, at the time of the determination, the Grantee is a director, officer, employee, consultant or advisor of the Company or an Affiliate. A Grantee on military leave, sick leave or other bona fide leave of absence shall continue to be considered an employee for purposes of the Plan during such leave if the period of leave does not exceed three months, or, if longer, so long as the individual’s right to re-employment with the Company or any of its Affiliates is guaranteed either by statute, agreement or contract. If the period of leave exceeds three months, and the individual’s right to re-employment is not guaranteed by statute, agreement or contract, the employment shall be deemed to be terminated on the first day after the end of such three-month period. Except as may otherwise be expressly provided in an Agreement, Awards granted to a director, officer, employee, consultant or adviser shall not be affected by any change in the status of the Grantee so long as the Grantee continues to be a director, officer, employee, consultant or advisor to the Company or any of its Affiliates (regardless of having changed from one to the other or having been transferred from one entity to another). The Grantee’s employment or continued service shall not be considered interrupted in the event the Committee, in its discretion and as specified at or prior to such occurrence, determines there is no interruption in the case of a spin-off, sale or disposition of the Grantee’s employer from the Company or an Affiliate, except that if the Committee does not otherwise specify such at or prior to such occurrence, the Grantee will be deemed to have a termination of employment or continuous service to the extent the Affiliate that employs the Grantee is no longer the Company or an entity that qualifies as an Affiliate. With respect to any Award constituting deferred compensation with the meaning of Code Section 409A, nothing in this Section 18.7 shall be interpreted to modify the definition of Separation from Service.

18.8. Nature of Payments. Unless otherwise specified in the Award Agreement, Awards shall be special incentive payments to the Grantee and shall not be taken into account in computing the amount of salary or compensation of the Grantee for purposes of determining any pension, retirement, death or other benefit under (a) any pension, retirement, profit sharing, bonus, insurance or other employee benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate, except as such plan shall otherwise expressly provide, or (b) any agreement between (i) the Company or any Affiliate and (ii) the Grantee, except as such agreement shall otherwise expressly provide.

18.9. Non-Exclusivity of Plan. Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor its submission to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other compensatory arrangements for employees or Non-Employee Directors as it may deem desirable.

18.10. Governing Law. The Plan, and all agreements hereunder, shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, other than its laws respecting choice of law, to the extent not preempted by federal law.

 

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18.11. Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. Any suit, action or proceeding with respect to the Plan or any Award, or any judgment entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in respect of any thereof, shall be resolved only in the courts of the State of Delaware or the United States District Court for the State of Delaware and the appellate courts having jurisdiction of appeals in such courts. In that context, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company and each Grantee shall irrevocably and unconditionally (a) submit in any proceeding relating to the Plan or any Award Agreement, or for the recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof (a “Proceeding”), to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware, the court of the United States of America for the State of Delaware, and appellate courts having jurisdiction of appeals from any of the foregoing, and agree that all claims in respect of any such Proceeding shall be heard and determined in such Delaware State court or, to the extent permitted by law, in such federal court, (b) consent that any such Proceeding may and shall be brought in such courts and waives any objection that the Company and each Grantee may now or thereafter have to the venue or jurisdiction of any such Proceeding in any such court or that such Proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agree not to plead or claim the same, (c) waive all right to trial by jury in any Proceeding (whether based on contract, tort or otherwise) arising out of or relating to the Plan or any Award Agreement, (d) agree that service of process in any such Proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy of such process by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to such party, in the case of a Grantee, at the Grantee’s address shown in the books and records of the Company or, in the case of the Company, at the Company’s principal offices, attention General Counsel, and (e) agree that nothing in the Plan shall affect the right to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware.

18.12. Unfunded Status of Awards; Creation of Trusts. The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Grantee pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall give any such Grantee any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company; provided, however, that the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts or make other arrangements to meet the Company’s obligations under the Plan to deliver cash, Shares or other property pursuant to any Award which trusts or other arrangements shall be consistent with the “unfunded” status of the Plan unless the Committee otherwise determines.

18.13. Participation. No employee or officer shall have the right to be selected to receive an Award under this Plan or, having been so selected, to be selected to receive a future Award.

18.14. Military Service. To the extent required by Applicable Law, Awards shall be administered in accordance with Section 414(u) of the Code and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.

18.15. Construction. The following rules of construction will apply to the Plan: (a) the word “or” is disjunctive but not necessarily exclusive, and (b) words in the singular include the plural and words in the plural include the singular.

18.16. Other Benefits. No Award granted or paid out under the Plan shall be deemed compensation for purposes of computing benefits under any retirement plan of the Company or its Affiliates nor affect any benefit under any other benefit plan now or subsequently in effect under which the availability or amount of benefits is related to the level of compensation unless such retirement or other benefit specifically provides that an Award shall be counted as compensation for purposes of such plan.

18.17. Death/Disability. The Committee may in its discretion require the transferee of a Grantee to supply it with written notice of the Grantee’s death or Disability and to supply it with a copy of the will (in the case of the Grantee’s death) or such other evidence as the Committee deems necessary to establish the validity of the transfer of an Award. The Committee may also require that the agreement of the transferee to be bound by all of the terms and conditions of the Plan and the particular Award.

 

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18.18. Headings. The headings of articles and sections are included solely for convenience of reference, and if there is any conflict between such headings and the text of this Plan, the text shall control.

18.19. Obligations. Unless otherwise specified in the Award Agreement, the obligation to deliver, pay or transfer any amount of money or other property pursuant to Awards under this Plan shall be the sole obligation of a Grantee’s employer; provided that the obligation to deliver or transfer any Shares pursuant to Awards under this Plan shall be the sole obligation of the Company.

18.20. No Right to Continue in Service or Employment. Nothing in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall confer upon any Non-Employee Director the right to continue to serve as a director of the Company. Nothing contained in the Plan or any Agreement shall confer upon any Grantee any right with respect to the continuation of employment or service by the Company or any Affiliate or interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Affiliate, subject to the terms of any separate employment agreement to the contrary, at any time to terminate such employment or service or to increase or decrease the compensation of the Grantee.

18.21. Payment on Behalf of Grantee or Beneficiary.

(a) If the Grantee is incompetent to handle Grantee’s affairs at the time the Grantee is eligible to receive a payment from the Plan, the Committee will make payment to the Grantee’s court-appointed personal representative or, if none, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may make payment to the Grantee’s duly appointed guardian, legal representative, next-of-kin or attorney-in-fact for the benefit of the Grantee.

(b) If the Beneficiary of a deceased Grantee is a minor or is legally incompetent, the Committee will make payment to the Beneficiary’s court-appointed guardian or personal representative or to a trust established for the benefit of the Beneficiary, or if no such guardian, representative or trust exists, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may make payment to the Beneficiary’s surviving parent or his or her next-of-kin for the benefit of the Beneficiary.

(c) If the Committee for any reason considers it improper to direct any payment as specified in this Section 18.21, the Committee may request a court of appropriate jurisdiction to determine the appropriate payee.

(d) Any payment made by the Committee pursuant to this Section 18.21 shall be in full satisfaction of all liability of the Plan, the Company and its Affiliates with respect to any benefit due a Grantee or a Grantee’s Beneficiary under this Plan.

18.22. Data Privacy. As a condition for receiving an Award, each Grantee explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of personal data as described in this Section by and among the Company and its Affiliates exclusively for implementing, administering and managing the Grantee’s participation in the Plan. The Company and its Affiliates may hold certain personal information about a Grantee, including the Grantee’s name, address and telephone number; birthdate; social security, insurance number or other identification number; salary; nationality; job title(s); any Shares held in the Company or its Affiliates; and Award details, to implement, manage and administer the Plan and Awards (the “Data”). The Company and its Affiliates may transfer the Data amongst themselves as necessary to implement, administer and manage a Grantee’s participation in the Plan, and the Company and its Affiliates may transfer the Data to third parties assisting the Company with Plan implementation, administration and management. These recipients may be located in the Grantee’s country, or elsewhere, and the Grantee’s country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the recipients’ country. By accepting an Award, each Grantee authorizes such recipients to receive, possess,

 

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use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, to implement, administer and manage the Grantee’s participation in the Plan, including any required Data transfer to a broker or other third party with whom the Company or the Grantee may elect to deposit any Shares. The Data related to a Grantee will be held only as long as necessary to implement, administer, and manage the Grantee’s participation in the Plan. A Grantee may, at any time, view the Data that the Company holds regarding such Grantee, request additional information about the storage and processing of the Data regarding such Grantee, recommend any necessary corrections to the Data regarding the Grantee or refuse or withdraw the consents in this Section 18.22 in writing, without cost, by contacting the local human resources representative. The Company may cancel Grantee’s ability to participate in the Plan and, in the Committee’s discretion, the Grantee may forfeit any outstanding Awards if the Grantee refuses or withdraws the consents in this Section 18.22. For more information on the consequences of refusing or withdrawing consent, Grantees may contact their local human resources representative.

18.23. Miscellaneous.

(a) No person shall have any claim or right to receive an Award hereunder. The Committee’s granting of an Award to a Grantee at any time shall neither require the Committee to grant any other Award to such Grantee or other person at any time or preclude the Committee from making subsequent grants to such Grantee or any other person.

(b) Nothing contained herein prohibits the Grantee from: (1) reporting possible violations of federal law or regulations, including any possible securities laws violations, to any governmental agency or entity; (2) making any other disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulations; or (3) otherwise fully participating in any federal whistleblower programs, including but not limited to any such programs managed by the SEC. The Grantee does not need prior authorization from the Company to make any such reports or disclosures, and is not required to notify the Company about such disclosures.

(c) Agreements evidencing Awards under the Plan shall contain such other terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the Plan, as the Committee may determine in its sole discretion, including penalties for the commission of competitive acts or other actions detrimental to the Company. Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, the Committee shall have the right at any time to deny or delay a Grantee’s exercise of Options or the settlement of an Award if such Grantee is reasonably believed by the Committee (i) to be engaged in material conduct adversely affecting the Company or (ii) to be contemplating such conduct, unless and until the Committee shall have received reasonable assurance that the Grantee is not engaged in, and is not contemplating, such material conduct adverse to the interests of the Company.

(d) Grantees are and at all times shall remain subject to the securities trading policies adopted by the Company from time to time throughout the period of time during which they may exercise Options, SARs or sell Shares acquired pursuant to the Plan.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan, (i) the Company shall not be obliged to issue any shares pursuant to an Award unless at least the par value of such newly issued share has been fully paid in advance to the extent required by Applicable Law (which requirement may mean the holder of an Award is obliged to make such payment) and (ii) the Company shall not be obliged to issue or deliver any shares in satisfaction of Awards until all legal and regulatory requirements associated with such issue or delivery have been complied with to the satisfaction of the Committee.

(f) The Committee has no obligation to search for the whereabouts of any Grantee or Beneficiary if the location of such Grantee or Beneficiary are not made known to the Committee.

 

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Exhibit 10.3

INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT

THIS INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of December 29, 2023, by and among Griid Infrastructure Inc. (f/k/a Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp.), a Delaware corporation, (the “Company”) and the parties listed as Investors on Schedule I hereto (each, including any person or entity who hereinafter becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.2, an “Investor” and collectively, the “Investors”).

WHEREAS, the Company, ADEX Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Merger Sub”), and Griid Holdco LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Griid”) have entered into that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 29, 2021, as amended by that certain First Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of December 23, 2021, as further amended by that certain Second Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of October 17, 2022 and as further amended by that certain Third Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of February 8, 2023 (as so amended, the “Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other things, Merger Sub merged with and into Griid, with Griid being the surviving company (the “Merger”) on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein (together with the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the “Transactions”);

WHEREAS, the Company, Adit EdTech Sponsor, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Sponsor”) and Jacob Cohen, Sharmila Kassam, Sheldon H. Levy, Vuk Jeremic, Eva Kaili, and William Bennett are parties to that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated January 11, 2021 (such individuals, together with Susan Rivers and Cristina Dolan, collectively, the “ADEX Holders” and such agreement, the “Prior ADEX Agreement”);

WHEREAS, the Sponsor and the ADEX Holders currently hold, in the aggregate, 6,900,000 shares (the “Founder Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”);

WHEREAS, on January 11, 2021, the Company and the Sponsor entered into that certain Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, pursuant to which the Sponsor purchased warrants to purchase up to 7,270,000 shares of Common Stock, at an initial exercise price of $11.50 per share, in a private placement transaction occurring simultaneously with the closing of the Company’s initial public offering, all of which are currently outstanding and held by the Sponsor (the “Private Placement Warrants”);

WHEREAS, the Prior ADEX Agreement provided for, among other things, certain registration rights with respect to the Founder Shares, the Private Placement Warrants and warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock, which may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans made to the Company (the “Working Capital Warrants”);

WHEREAS, certain investors in Griid (“Griid Investors”) held, immediately prior to the Effective Time under (and as defined in) the Merger Agreement (a) units of the Company designated as Class A Units under the Griid LLC Agreement (as defined below) (“Griid Class A Units”); (b) units of the Company designated as Class B Units under the Griid LLC Agreement (“Griid Class B Units”); and (c) units of the Company designated as Class C Units under the Griid LLC Agreement (“Griid Class C Units” and together with Griid Class A Units and Griid Class B Units, the “Griid Units”);


WHEREAS, at the Effective Time, the Griid Units were exchanged for shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Merger Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the Company, the Sponsor and certain ADEX Holders desire to terminate the Prior ADEX Agreement pursuant to Section 6.7 thereof to provide for the terms and conditions included herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1. DEFINITIONS. The following capitalized terms used herein have the following meanings:

Addendum Agreement” is defined in Section 6.2.

Agreement” is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.

ADEX Holders” is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.

ADEX Investors” shall mean the investors listed under such caption on Schedule I hereto.

Block Trade” means any non-marketed underwritten offering taking the form of a block trade to financial institutions, QIBs or Institutional Accredited Investors, bought deals, over-night deals or similar transactions that do not include “road show” presentations to potential investors requiring marketing effort from management over multiple days.

Business Day” means a day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, on which commercial banks in New York, New York are open for the general transaction of business.

Common Stock” is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.

Closing Date” is the date of the closing of the Merger.

Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any other Federal agency then administering the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.

Company” is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.

Effectiveness Period” is defined in Section 3.1.2.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Form 10 Disclosure Filing Date” means the date on which the Company shall file with the Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K that includes current “Form 10 information” (within the meaning of Rule 144) reflecting the Company’s status as an entity that is no longer an issuer described in paragraph (i)(1)(i) of Rule 144.

 

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Form S-1” means a Registration Statement on Form S-1.

Form S-3” means a Registration Statement on Form S-3 or any similar short-form registration that may be available at such time.

Founder Shares” is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.

Griid Class A Units” is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.

Griid Class B Units” is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.

Griid Class C Units” is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.

Griid Investors” is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.

Griid LLC Agreement” means the Limited Liability Company Agreement of Griid, dated as of November 23, 2021, by and among Griid and the Holders party thereto, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance with the applicable provisions thereof.

Griid Units” is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.

Holders” means all Persons who hold one or more Griid Units prior to the Closing Date.

Indemnified Party” is defined in Section 4.3.

Indemnifying Party” is defined in Section 4.3.

Institutional Accredited Investor” means an institutional “accredited” investor as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under the Securities Act.

Investor” is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.

Investor Indemnified Party” is defined in Section 4.1.

Merger” is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.

Merger Agreement” is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.

New Registration Statement” is defined in Section 2.1.4.

Notices” is defined in Section 6.3.

 

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Permitted Transferee” means (i) the members of an Investor’s immediate family (for purposes of this Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean with respect to any natural person, any of the following: such person’s spouse, the siblings of such person and his or her spouse, and the direct descendants and ascendants (including adopted and step children and parents) of such person and his or her spouses and siblings); (ii) any trust or family limited liability company or partnership for the direct or indirect benefit of an Investor or the immediate family of an Investor; (iii) if an Investor is a trust, to the trustor or beneficiary of such trust or to the estate of a beneficiary of such trust; (iv) any officer, director, general partner, limited partner, shareholder, member, or owner of similar equity interests in an Investor; or (v) any affiliate of an Investor.

Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, joint stock company, unincorporated organization or association, trust, joint venture or other similar entity, whether or not a legal entity.

Prior ADEX Agreement” is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.

Private Placement Warrants” is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.

QIB” means “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act.

Registration” means a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement or similar document in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act, and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and such registration statement becoming effective.

Registrable Securities” means (i) all shares of Common Stock held by the Investors as of the date of this Agreement, (ii) the Private Placement Warrants (and any shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise of any such Private Placement Warrants), (iii) the Working Capital Warrants, if any (and any shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise of any such Working Capital Warrants) and (iv) all shares of Common Stock issued to any Investor with respect to the securities referenced in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) by way of any share split, share dividend or other distribution, recapitalization, share exchange, share re-designation, share reconstruction, amalgamation, contractual control arrangement or similar event. As to any particular Registrable Securities, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when: (a) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been sold, transferred, disposed of or exchanged in accordance with such Registration Statement; (b) such securities shall have been otherwise transferred, new certificates for such securities not bearing a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by the Company and subsequent public distribution of such securities shall not require registration under the Securities Act; (c) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding; or (d) such securities shall have become eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 without regard to volume, manner of sale or information requirements thereunder.

Registration Statement” means a registration statement filed by the Company with the Commission in compliance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder for a public offering and sale of equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, equity securities (other than a registration statement on Form S-4 or Form S-8, or their successors, or any registration statement covering only securities proposed to be issued in exchange for securities or assets of another entity).

 

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Resale Shelf Registration Statement” is defined in Section 2.1.1.

Rule 415 Notice” is defined in Section 2.14.

SEC Guidance” is defined in Section 2.1.4.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933.

Transactions” is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.

Working Capital Warrants” is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.

2. REGISTRATION RIGHTS.

2.1 Resale Shelf Registration Rights.

2.1.1 Registration Statement Covering Resale of Registrable Securities. Provided compliance by the Investors with Section 3.4, the Company shall prepare and file or cause to be prepared and filed with the Commission, no later than thirty (30) days following the Closing Date, a Registration Statement on Form S-3 or its successor form, or, if the Company is ineligible to use Form S-3, a Registration Statement on Form S-1, for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 of the Securities Act registering the resale from time to time by Investors of all of the Registrable Securities then held by such Investors that are not covered by an effective resale registration statement (the “Resale Shelf Registration Statement”). The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Resale Shelf Registration Statement to be declared effective as soon as possible after filing, and in no event later than ninety (90) days after the Resale Shelf Registration Statement is filed with the Commission, and once effective, to keep the Resale Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act at all times until the expiration of the Effectiveness Period. In the event that the Company files a Form S-1 pursuant to this Section 2.1, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to File a Form S-3 with the purpose of replacing the Form S1 promptly after the Company is eligible to use Form S-3. The Resale Shelf Registration Statement shall provide that the Registrable Securities may be sold pursuant to any method or combination of methods legally available to, and requested by, the Investors. Without limiting the foregoing, subject to any comments from the Commission, each Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Section 2.1.1 shall include a “plan of distribution” approved by Griid Investors holding a majority of the shares held by the Griid Investors.

2.1.2 Notification and Distribution of Materials. The Company shall promptly notify the Investors in writing of the effectiveness of the Resale Shelf Registration Statement and shall furnish to them, without charge, such number of copies of the Resale Shelf Registration Statement (including any amendments, supplements and exhibits), the prospectus contained therein (including each preliminary prospectus and all related amendments and supplements) and any documents incorporated by reference in the Resale Shelf Registration Statement or such other documents as the Investors may reasonably request in order to facilitate the sale of the Registrable Securities in the manner described in the Resale Shelf Registration Statement.

 

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2.1.3 Amendments and Supplements. Subject to the provisions of Section 2.1.1 above, the Company shall promptly prepare and file with the Commission from time to time such amendments and supplements to the Resale Shelf Registration Statement and prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep the Resale Shelf Registration Statement effective and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all the Registrable Securities during the Effectiveness Period.

2.1.4 Reduction of Shelf Offering. Notwithstanding the registration obligations set forth in this Section 2.1, in the event the Commission informs the Company (the “Rule 415 Notice”) that all of the Registrable Securities cannot, as a result of the application of Rule 415, be registered for resale as a secondary offering on a single registration statement, the Company agrees to promptly (i) inform each of the holders thereof and use its commercially reasonable efforts to file an amendment or amendments to the Resale Shelf Registration Statement as required by the Commission and/or (ii) withdraw the Resale Shelf Registration Statement and file a new registration statement (a “New Registration Statement”), in either case covering the maximum number of Registrable Securities permitted to be registered by the Commission, on Form S-1, Form S-3 or such other form available to register for resale the Registrable Securities as a secondary offering; provided, however, that prior to filing such amendment or New Registration Statement, the Company shall be obligated to use its commercially reasonable efforts to advocate with the Commission for the registration of all of the Registrable Securities in accordance with any publicly available written or oral guidance, comments, requirements or requests of the Commission staff, including, without limitation, Compliance and Disclosure Interpretation 612.09 (the “SEC Guidance”). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any SEC Guidance sets forth a limitation of the number of Registrable Securities permitted to be registered on a particular Registration Statement as a secondary offering (and notwithstanding that the Company used diligent efforts to advocate with the Commission for the registration of all or a greater number of Registrable Securities), unless otherwise directed in writing by a holder as to its Registrable Securities, the number of Registrable Securities to be registered on such Registration Statement will be reduced on a pro rata basis, subject to a determination by the Commission that certain Investors must be reduced first based on the number of Registrable Securities held by such Investors. In the event the Company amends the Resale Shelf Registration Statement or files a New Registration Statement, as the case may be, under clauses (i) or (ii) above, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to file with the Commission, as promptly as allowed by Commission or SEC Guidance provided to the Company or to registrants of securities in general, one or more registration statements on Form S-1, Form S-3 or such other form available to register for resale those Registrable Securities that were not registered for resale on the Resale Shelf Registration Statement, as amended, or the New Registration Statement.

No Investor shall be named as an “underwriter” in any Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Section 2 without the Investor’s prior written consent; provided that if the Commission requests that an Investor be identified as a statutory underwriter in the Registration Statement, then such Investor will have the option, in its sole and absolute discretion, to either (i) have the opportunity to withdraw from the Registration Statement upon its prompt written request to the

 

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Company, in which case the Company’s obligation to register such Investor’s Registrable Securities shall be deemed satisfied or (ii) be included as such in the Registration Statement. Each Registration Statement (and each amendment or supplement thereto, and each request for acceleration of effectiveness thereof) shall be provided to (and shall be subject to the approval, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, of) the Investors prior to its filing with, or other submission to, the Commission.

2.1.5 Notice of Certain Events. The Company shall promptly notify the Investors in writing of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to, or additional information in connection with, the Resale Shelf Registration Statement required to be prepared and filed hereunder (or prospectus relating thereto). The Company shall promptly notify each Investor in writing of the filing of the Resale Shelf Registration Statement or any prospectus, amendment or supplement related thereto or any post-effective amendment to the Resale Shelf Registration Statement and the effectiveness of any post-effective amendment.

2.1.6 Block Trade. If the Company shall receive a request from the holders of Registrable Securities with an estimated market value of at least $10,000,000 that the Company effect the sale of all or any portion of the Registrable Securities in a Block Trade, then the Company shall, as expeditiously as possible, initiate the offering in such Block Trade of the Registrable Securities for which such requesting holder has requested such offering under Section 2.1.6.

3. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES.

3.1 Filings; Information. Whenever the Company is required to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect the registration and sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof as expeditiously as reasonably possible, and in connection with any such request:

3.1.1 Copies. The Company shall, prior to filing a Registration Statement or prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, furnish without charge to the holders of Registrable Securities included in such registration, and such holders’ legal counsel, copies (which may be via e-mail) of such Registration Statement as proposed to be filed, each amendment and supplement to such Registration Statement (in each case, including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein), the prospectus included in such Registration Statement (including each preliminary prospectus), and such other documents as the holders of Registrable Securities included in such registration or legal counsel for any such holders may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such holders.

3.1.2 Amendments and Supplements. The Company shall prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including 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 and in compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act until the date on which no Registrable Securities remain outstanding (the “Effectiveness Period”).

 

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3.1.3 Notification. After the filing of a Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly, and in no event more than two (2) Business Days after such filing, notify the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement of such filing, and shall further notify such holders promptly and confirm such advice in writing in all events within two (2) Business Days of the occurrence of any of the following: (i) when such Registration Statement becomes effective; (ii) when any post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement becomes effective; (iii) the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order (and the Company shall take all actions required to prevent the entry of such stop order or to remove it if entered); and (iv) any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement or any prospectus relating thereto or for additional information or of the occurrence of an event requiring the preparation of a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the securities covered by such Registration Statement, such prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and promptly make available to the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement any such supplement or amendment; except that before filing with the Commission a Registration Statement or prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, including documents incorporated by reference, the Company shall furnish to the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement and to the legal counsel for any such holders, copies of all such documents proposed to be filed sufficiently in advance of filing to provide such holders and legal counsel with a reasonable opportunity to review such documents and comment thereon.

3.1.4 Securities Laws Compliance. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to (i) register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under such securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement (in light of their intended plan of distribution) may reasonably request and (ii) take such action necessary to cause such Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Company and do any and all other acts and things that may be necessary or advisable to enable the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this paragraph or subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction.

3.1.5 Cooperation. The principal executive officer of the Company, the principal financial officer of the Company, the principal accounting officer of the Company and all other officers and members of the management of the Company shall cooperate fully in any offering of Registrable Securities hereunder, which cooperation shall include, without limitation, the preparation of the Registration Statement with respect to such offering, the preparation of a comfort letter, if applicable, and all other offering materials and related documents, and participation in meetings with Underwriters, attorneys, accountants and potential investors.

3.1.6 Transfer Agent. The Company shall provide and maintain a transfer agent and registrar for the Registrable Securities.

 

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3.1.7 Earnings Statement. The Company shall comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and the Securities Act, and make available to its shareholders, as soon as practicable, an earnings statement covering a period of twelve (12) months, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder.

3.1.8 Listing. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Registrable Securities included in any Registration Statement to be listed on such exchanges or otherwise designated for trading in the same manner as similar securities issued by the Company are then listed or designated.

3.2 Obligation to Suspend Distribution. Upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3.1.3(iv), or, upon any suspension by the Company, pursuant to a good faith reasonable determination of the board of directors of the Company that (i) the offer or sale of Registrable Securities would require the Company to disclose any material nonpublic information which would reasonably be likely to be detrimental to the Company and its subsidiaries or (ii) the disposition of the Registrable Securities would otherwise be reasonably likely to be detrimental to the Company and its subsidiaries, each holder of Registrable Securities included in any registration shall immediately discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities until such holder receives the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3.1.3(iv) or the restriction on the ability of “insiders” to transact in the Company’s securities is removed, as applicable, and, if so directed by the Company, each such holder will deliver to the Company or destroy all copies, other than permanent file copies then in such holder’s possession, of the most recent prospectus covering such Registrable Securities at the time of receipt of such notice. The foregoing right to delay or suspend may be exercised by the Company only twice for no longer than sixty (60) days each and for no longer than ninety (90) days in total in any consecutive 12-month period.

3.3 Registration Expenses. The Company shall bear all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the Resale Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2.1, any Block Trade pursuant to Section 2.1.6 (other than expenses set forth below in clause (ix) of this Section 3.3), and all expenses incurred in performing or complying with its other obligations under this Agreement, whether or not the Registration Statement becomes effective, including, without limitation: (i) all registration and filing fees; (ii) fees and expenses of compliance with securities or “blue sky” laws (including fees and disbursements of counsel in connection with blue sky qualifications of the Registrable Securities); (iii) printing expenses; (iv) the Company’s internal expenses (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees); (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities as required by Section 3.1.11; (vi) Financial Industry Regulatory Authority fees; (vii) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and fees and expenses for independent certified public accountants retained by the Company; (viii) the fees and expenses of any special experts retained by the Company in connection with such registration; and (ix) the reasonable fees and expenses of one legal counsel selected by the holders of a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities included in such registration not to exceed $35,000. The Company shall have no obligation to pay any underwriting discounts or selling commissions attributable to the Registrable Securities being sold by the holders thereof, which underwriting discounts or selling commissions shall be borne by such holders, but the Company shall pay any underwriting discounts or selling commissions attributable to the securities it sells for its own account.

 

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3.4 Information. The holders of Registrable Securities shall promptly provide such information as may reasonably be requested by the Company in connection with the preparation of any Registration Statement, including amendments and supplements thereto, in order to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act and in connection with the Company’s obligation to comply with Federal and applicable state securities laws.

3.5 Other Obligations.

3.5.1 At any time and from time to time after the expiration of any lock-up to which such shares are subject, if any, in connection with a sale or transfer of Registrable Securities exempt from registration under the Securities Act or through any broker-dealer transactions described in the plan of distribution set forth within any prospectus and pursuant to the Registration Statement of which such prospectus forms a part, the Company shall, subject to the receipt of customary documentation required from the applicable holders in connection therewith, (i) promptly instruct its transfer agent to remove any restrictive legends applicable to the Registrable Securities being sold or transferred and (ii) cause its legal counsel to deliver the necessary legal opinions, if any, to the transfer agent in connection with the instruction under subclause (i). In addition, the Company shall cooperate reasonably with, and take such customary actions as may reasonably be requested by such holders in connection with the aforementioned sales or transfers.

3.5.2 The stock certificates evidencing the Registrable Securities (and/or book entries representing the Registrable Securities) held by each Investor shall not contain or be subject to any legend restricting the transfer thereof (and the Registrable Securities shall not be subject to any stop transfer or similar instructions or notations): (A) while a Registration Statement covering the sale or resale of such securities is effective under the Securities Act, or (B) if such Investor provides customary paperwork to the effect that it has sold such shares pursuant to Rule 144, or (C) if such Registrable Securities are eligible for sale under Rule 144(b)(1) as set forth in customary non-affiliate paperwork provided by such Investor, or (D) if at any time on or after the date that is one year after the Form 10 Disclosure Filing Date such Investor certifies that it is not an affiliate of the Company and that such Investor’s holding period for purposes of Rule 144 in respect of such Registrable Securities is at least six (6) months, or (E) 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) as determined in good faith by counsel to the Company or set forth in a legal opinion delivered by nationally recognized counsel to the Investor (collectively, the “Unrestricted Conditions”). The Company agrees that following the date that the Resale Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission (the “Registration Date”) or at such time as any of the Unrestricted Conditions is met or such legend is otherwise no longer required it will, no later than two (2) Business Days following the delivery by an Investor to the Company or its transfer agent of a certificate representing any Registrable Securities, issued with a restrictive legend, (or, in the case of Registrable Securities represented by book entries, delivery by an Investor to the Company or its transfer agent of a legend removal request) deliver or cause to be delivered to such Investor a certificate or, at the request of such Investor, deliver or cause to be delivered

 

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such Registrable Securities to such Investor by crediting the account of such Investor’s prime broker with DTC through its Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian (DWAC) system, in each case, free from all restrictive and other legends and stop transfer or similar instructions or notations. If any of the Unrestricted Conditions is met at the time of issuance of any Registrable Securities (e.g., upon exercise of warrants), then such securities shall be issued free of all legends. Each Investor shall have the right to pursue any remedies available to it hereunder, or otherwise at law or in equity, including a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief, with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver shares of Common Stock without legend as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

3.5.3 As long as Registrable Securities remain outstanding the Company shall (a) cause the Common Stock to be eligible for clearing through DTC, through its DWAC system; (b) be eligible and participating in the Direct Registration System (DRS) of DTC with respect to the Common Stock; (c) ensure that the transfer agent for the Common Stock is a participant in, and that the Common Stock is eligible for transfer pursuant to, DTC’s Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program (or successor thereto); and (d) use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Common Stock not to at any time be subject to any DTC “chill,” “freeze” or similar restriction with respect to any DTC services, including the clearing of shares of Common Stock through DTC, and, in the event the Common Stock becomes subject to any DTC “chill,” “freeze” or similar restriction with respect to any DTC services, use its reasonable best efforts to cause any such “chill,” “freeze” or similar restriction to be removed at the earliest possible time.

4. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.

4.1 Indemnification by the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Investor and each other holder of Registrable Securities, and each of their respective officers, employees, affiliates, directors, partners, members, attorneys and agents, and each person, if any, who controls an Investor and each other holder of Registrable Securities (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) (each, an “Investor Indemnified Party”), from and against any expenses, losses, judgments, claims, damages or liabilities, whether joint or several, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement (or allegedly untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement under which the sale of such Registrable Securities was registered under the Securities Act, any preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or summary prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement, or arising out of or based upon any omission (or alleged omission) to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or any violation by the Company of the Securities Act or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder applicable to the Company and relating to action or inaction required of the Company in connection with any such registration; and the Company shall promptly reimburse the Investor Indemnified Party for any legal and any other expenses reasonably incurred by such Investor Indemnified Party in connection with investigating and defending any such expense, loss, judgment, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such expense, loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or allegedly untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus, or summary prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company, in writing, by such selling holder expressly for use therein or to the extent relates to any selling holder’s or failure to sell the Registrable Securities in accordance with the plan of distribution contained in the prospectus.

 

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4.2 Indemnification by Holders of Registrable Securities. Each selling holder of Registrable Securities will, in the event that any Registration is being effected under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement of any Registrable Securities held by such selling holder, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors and officers, and each other selling holder and each other person, if any, who controls another selling holder within the meaning of the Securities Act, against any losses, claims, judgments, damages or liabilities, whether joint or several, insofar as such losses, claims, judgments, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or allegedly untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement under which the sale of such Registrable Securities was registered under the Securities Act, any preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or summary prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, or arise out of or are based upon any omission or the alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement therein not misleading, if the statement or omission was made expressly in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by such selling holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent it relates to any selling holder’s or failure to sell the Registrable Securities in accordance with the plan of distribution contained in the prospectus, and shall reimburse the Company, its directors and officers, and each other selling holder or controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by any of them in connection with investigation or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action. Each selling holder’s indemnification obligations hereunder shall be several and not joint and shall be limited to the amount of any net proceeds actually received by such selling holder.

4.3 Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. Promptly after receipt by any person of any notice of any loss, claim, damage or liability or any action in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Sections 4.1 or 4.2, such person (the “Indemnified Party”) shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against any other person for indemnification hereunder, notify such other person (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing of the loss, claim, judgment, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the failure by the Indemnified Party to notify the Indemnifying Party shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party from any liability which the Indemnifying Party may have to such Indemnified Party hereunder, except and solely to the extent the Indemnifying Party is actually prejudiced by such failure. If the Indemnified Party is seeking indemnification with respect to any claim or action brought against the Indemnified Party, then the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to participate in such claim or action, and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with all other Indemnifying Parties, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel satisfactory to the Indemnified Party. After notice from the Indemnifying Party to the Indemnified Party of its election to assume control of the defense of such claim or action, the Indemnifying Party shall not be liable to the Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Indemnified Party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that in any action in which both the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party are named as defendants, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (but no more than one such

 

12


separate counsel, which counsel is reasonably acceptable to the Indemnifying Party) to represent the Indemnified Party and its controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought by the Indemnified Party against the Indemnifying Party, with the fees and expenses of such counsel to be paid by such Indemnifying Party if, based upon the written opinion of counsel of such Indemnified Party, representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, consent to entry of judgment or effect any settlement of any claim or pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which the Indemnified Party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party, unless such judgment or settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability arising out of such claim or proceeding.

4.4 Contribution.

4.4.1 If the indemnification provided for in the foregoing Sections 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 is unavailable to any Indemnified Party in respect of any loss, claim, damage, liability or action referred to herein, then each such Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount 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 Indemnified Parties and the Indemnifying Parties in connection with the actions or omissions which resulted in such loss, claim, damage, liability or action, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of any Indemnified Party and any Indemnifying 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 such Indemnified Party or such Indemnifying Party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

4.4.2 The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 4.4 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 4.4.1.

4.4.3 The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Party as a result of any loss, claim, damage, liability or action referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 4.4, no holder of Registrable Securities shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the dollar amount of the net proceeds (after payment of any underwriting fees, discounts, commissions or taxes) actually received by such holder from the sale of Registrable Securities which gave rise to such contribution obligation. No person guilty 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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5. UNDERWRITING AND DISTRIBUTION.

5.1 Rule 144. The Company covenants that it shall timely file any reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and shall take such further action as the holders of Registrable Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such holders to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the scope of the safe harbor provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission.

6. MISCELLANEOUS.

6.1 Other Registration Rights and Arrangements. The Company represents and warrants that no person, other than (a) a holder of the Registrable Securities and holders of the Company’s warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock, at an initial exercise price of $11.50 per share, issued in the Company’s initial public offering, (b) GEM Global Yield LLC SCS, and (c) GEM Yield Bahamas Limited, has any right to require the Company to register any of the Company’s capital stock for sale or to include the Company’s capital stock in any registration filed by the Company for the sale of capital stock for its own account or for the account of any other person. The parties hereby terminate the Prior ADEX Agreement, which shall be of no further force and effect and is hereby superseded and replaced in its entirety by this Agreement. The Company shall not hereafter enter into any agreement with respect to its securities which is inconsistent with or violates the rights granted to the holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement and in the event of any conflict between any such agreement or agreements and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail.

6.2 Assignment; No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of the Company hereunder may not be assigned or delegated by the Company in whole or in part. This Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of the holders of Registrable Securities hereunder may be freely assigned or delegated by such holder of Registrable Securities in conjunction with and to the extent of any permitted transfer of Registrable Securities by any such holder to a Permitted Transferee. This Agreement and the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of each of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns and the holders of Registrable Securities and their respective successors and permitted assigns. This Agreement is not intended to confer any rights or benefits on any persons that are not party hereto other than as expressly set forth in Section 4 and this Section 6.2. The rights of a holder of Registrable Securities under this Agreement may be transferred by such a holder to a transferee who acquires or holds Registrable Securities; provided, however, that such transferee has executed and delivered to the Company a properly completed agreement to be bound by the terms of this Agreement substantially in form attached hereto as Exhibit A (an “Addendum Agreement”), and the transferor shall have delivered to the Company no later than thirty (30) days following the date of the transfer, written notification of such transfer setting forth the name of the transferor, the name and address of the transferee, and the number of Registrable Securities so transferred. The execution of an Addendum Agreement shall constitute a permitted amendment of this Agreement.

 

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6.3 Amendments and Modifications. Upon the written consent of the Company and the Holders of at least a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities at the time in question, compliance with any of the provisions, covenants and conditions set forth in this Agreement may be waived, or any of such provisions, covenants or conditions may be amended or modified; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, any amendment hereto or waiver hereof that adversely affects an Investor, solely in his, her or its capacity as a holder of the shares of capital stock of the Company, in a manner that is materially different from other Investors (in such capacity) shall require the consent of such Investor so affected. No course of dealing between any Investor or the Company and any other party hereto or any failure or delay on the part of an Investor or the Company in exercising any rights or remedies under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of any rights or remedies of any Investor or the Company. No single or partial exercise of any rights or remedies under this Agreement by a party shall operate as a waiver or preclude the exercise of any other rights or remedies hereunder or thereunder by such party.

6.4 Term. This Agreement shall terminate upon the date as of which there shall be no Registrable Securities outstanding; provided, however, that such termination as to an Investor shall not apply to the following provisions until such Investor no longer holds any Registrable Securities: Sections 3.1.3, 3.1.4, 3.1.6, 3.1.7, 3.1.8, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4, 5, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 and 6.5.

6.5 Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given (and shall be deemed to have been duly given) by delivery in person, by facsimile (having obtained electronic delivery confirmation thereof), email (having obtained electronic delivery confirmation thereof), or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) (upon receipt thereof) to the other parties hereto as follows:

If to the Company, to:

2577 Duck Creek Road

Cincinnati, OH 45212

Attention: General Counsel

E-mail: alec.fraser@griid.com

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP

875 Third Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Attention:

  

Patrick B. Costello

Steven Khadavi

Joseph Walsh

E-mail:

  

patrick.costello@troutman.com

steven.khadavi@troutman.com

joseph.walsh@troutman.com;

 

15


If to an Investor, to:

the address set forth under such Investor’s signature to this Agreement or to such Investor’s address as found in the Company’s books and records

or to such other address as the party to whom notice is given may have previously furnished to the others in writing in the manner set forth above.

6.6 Severability. This Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof. Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties hereto intend that there shall be added as a part of this Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible that is valid and enforceable.

6.7 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

6.8 Governing Law. This Agreement and all disputes or controversies arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Transactions, including the applicable statute of limitations, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the Law of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.

6.9 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including all agreements entered into pursuant hereto and all certificates and instruments delivered pursuant hereto and thereto) constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, representations, understandings, negotiations and discussions between the parties, whether oral or written, including, without limitation the Prior Agreement.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

16


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE INC.
By:   /s/ James D. Kelly III
  Name: James D. Kelly III
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
GRIID HOLDINGS LLC
By:   /s/ James D. Kelly III
  Name: James D. Kelly III
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
ADIT EDTECH SPONSOR, LLC
By:   /s/ Eric Munson
  Name: Eric Munson
  Title: Manager

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ Jacob Cohen
  Name: Jacob Cohen

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ Sharmila Kassam
  Name: Sharmila Kassam

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ Sheldon H. Levy
  Name: Sheldon H. Levy

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ Vuk Jeremic
  Name: Vuk Jeremic

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ Eva Kaili
  Name: Eva Kaili

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ William Bennett
  Name: William Bennett

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ Susan Rivers
  Name: Susan Rivers

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ Cristina Dolan
  Name: Cristina Dolan

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ James D. Kelly III
  Name: James D. Kelly III

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ Tom J. Zaccagnino
  Name: Tom J. Zaccagnino

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ Gerard F. King II
  Name: Gerard F. King II

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ Allan Wallander
  Name: Allan Wallander

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ Dwaine Alleyne
  Name: Dwaine Alleyne

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ Michael Hamilton
  Name: Michael Hamilton

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

INVESTOR:
By:   /s/ Harry Sudock
  Name: Harry Sudock

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT


EXHIBIT A

Addendum Agreement

This Addendum Agreement (“Addendum Agreement”) is executed on [                    ], by the undersigned (the “New Holder”) pursuant to the terms of that certain Investor Rights Agreement dated as of December 29, 2023 (the “Agreement”), by and among the Company and the Investors identified therein, as such Agreement may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Addendum Agreement shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in the Agreement. By the execution of this Addendum Agreement, the New Holder agrees as follows:

1. Acknowledgment. New Holder acknowledges that New Holder is acquiring certain shares of common stock of the Company (the “Common Stock”) as a transferee of such shares of Common Stock from a party in such party’s capacity as a holder of Registrable Securities under the Agreement, and after such transfer, New Holder shall be considered an “Investor” and a holder of Registrable Securities for all purposes under the Agreement.

2. Agreement. New Holder hereby (a) agrees that the shares of Common Stock shall be bound by and subject to the terms of the Agreement and (b) adopts the Agreement with the same force and effect as if the New Holder were originally a party thereto.

3. Notice. Any notice required or permitted by the Agreement shall be given to New Holder at the address or facsimile number listed below New Holder’s signature below.

 

NEW HOLDER:                ACCEPTED AND AGREED:
Print Name:       GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE INC.

By:

 

                                                                              

     

By:

  

                                                                              

 

Exhibit A


SCHEDULE I

ADEX Investors

Adit EdTech Sponsor, LLC

Jacob Cohen

Sharmila Kassam

Sheldon H. Levy

Vuk Jeremic

Eva Kaili

William Bennett

Susan Rivers

Cristina Dolan

Griid Investors

Griid Holdings LLC

James D. Kelly III

Tom J. Zaccagnino

Gerard F. King II

Allan Wallander

Dwaine Alleyne

Michael Hamilton

Harry Sudock

 

Schedule I

Exhibit 14.1

Adopted: December 29, 2023

GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE INC.

CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS

 

I.

Introduction

In accordance with the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual, this Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (this “Code”) has been adopted by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of GRIID Infrastructure Inc. (together with its subsidiary, the “Company”) and applies to all of our employees, officers and directors.

While covering a wide range of business practices and procedures, these standards cannot and do not cover every issue that may arise, or every situation where ethical decisions must be made, but rather constitute key guiding principles that represent Company policies and establish conditions for employment at, or any other engagement with, the Company. Where there is no stated guideline in this Code or otherwise, it is the responsibility of the individual to apply common sense, together with his or her own highest personal ethical standards, in making business decisions. In cases of doubt about the correct behavior, individuals are encouraged to bring questions about particular circumstances that may implicate one or more provisions of this Code to the attention of the General Counsel.

One of our Company’s most valuable assets is our reputation for integrity, professionalism and fairness. This Code is designed to encourage:

 

   

Honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships;

 

   

Full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable disclosure in reports and documents the Company files with, or submits to, the SEC and in our other public communications;

 

   

Compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations;

 

   

Prompt internal reporting of violations of the Code to an appropriate person or persons identified in the Code;

 

   

Accountability for adherence to the Code;

 

   

Consistent enforcement of the Code, including clear and objective standards for compliance;

 

   

Protection for persons reporting any such questionable behavior; and

 

   

Protection of the Company’s legitimate business interests, including its assets and corporate opportunities.

 

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Our Company strives to foster a culture of honesty and accountability. Our commitment to the highest level of ethical conduct should be reflected in all of the Company’s business activities including, but not limited to, relationships with employees, customers, suppliers, service providers, competitors, the government, the public, and our stockholders. Thus, all of our employees, officers and directors must conduct themselves according to the letter and spirit of this Code and avoid even the appearance of improper behavior. Even well-intentioned actions that violate the law or this Code may result in negative consequences for the Company and for the individuals involved.

 

II.

Compliance with Laws, Rules and Regulations

We are strongly committed to conducting our business affairs with honesty and integrity and in full compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. No employee, officer or director of the Company shall engage in unlawful activity or commit an illegal or unethical act, or instruct others to do so, for any reason. These include, without limitation, laws covering bribery and kickbacks, the development, testing, approval, manufacture, marketing and sale of our products and product candidates, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets, information privacy, insider trading, illegal political contributions, antitrust prohibitions, foreign corrupt practices, offering or receiving gratuities, environmental hazards, employment discrimination or harassment, occupational health and safety, false or misleading financial information or misuse of corporate assets. Employees are expected to understand and comply with all laws, rules and regulations that apply to their job positions. If any doubt exists about whether a course of action is lawful, individuals should seek advice from the General Counsel.

 

  A.

Lawsuits and Legal Proceedings

The Company complies with all laws and regulations regarding the preservation of records.

Lawsuits, legal proceedings, and investigations concerning the Company must be handled promptly and properly. An employee must approach the Company’s General Counsel immediately if he or she receives a court order or a court issued document, or notice of a threatened lawsuit, legal proceeding, or investigation. A legal hold suspends all document destruction procedures in order to preserve appropriate records under special circumstances, such as litigation or government investigations. When there is a “legal hold” in place, employees may not alter, destroy, or discard documents relevant to the lawsuit, legal proceeding or investigation. The Company’s General Counsel determines and identifies what types of records or documents are required to be placed under a legal hold and will notify employees if a legal hold is placed on records for which they are responsible. If an employee is involved on the Company’s behalf in a lawsuit or other legal dispute, he or she must avoid discussing it with anyone inside or outside of the Company without prior approval of the Company’s General Counsel. Employees and their managers are required to cooperate fully with the General Counsel and the Company’s management in the course of any lawsuit, legal proceeding, or investigation.

 

III.

Protection of Confidential Proprietary Information

Confidential proprietary information generated and gathered in our business is a valuable Company asset. Protecting this information plays a vital role in our continued growth and ability to compete. All proprietary information should be maintained in strict confidence, except when disclosure is authorized by the Company or required by law.

 

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Proprietary information includes all non-public information that might be useful to competitors or that could be harmful to the Company, its customers or its suppliers if disclosed. Intellectual property, such as trade secrets, patents, patent applications, trademarks and copyrights, as well as business, research and new product plans, objectives and strategies, clinical trial results, records, databases, salary and benefits data, employee medical information, customer, employee and suppliers lists, any unpublished financial or pricing information and any information about patients on whom our products have been used must also be protected.

Unauthorized use or distribution of proprietary information violates Company policy and could be illegal. Unauthorized use or distribution could result in negative consequences for both the Company and the individuals involved, including potential legal and disciplinary actions. We respect the property rights and proprietary information of other companies and require our employees, officers and directors to observe such rights. Indeed, the Company is often contractually bound not to disclose the confidential and proprietary information of a variety of companies and individuals, including inventors, vendors and potential vendors. In addition, Company employees who have signed non-disclosure agreements with their former employers are expected to fully and strictly adhere to the terms of those agreements.

Your obligation to protect the Company’s proprietary and confidential information continues even after you leave the Company, and you must return all proprietary information in your possession upon leaving the Company.

 

IV.

Conflicts of Interest

Our employees, officers and directors have an obligation to act in the best interest of the Company. Every employee, officer and director must avoid situations where loyalties may be divided between the Company’s interests and the employee’s, officer’s or director’s own interests. Employees, officers and directors should also seek to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. If an employee, officer or director is considering engaging in a transaction or activity that may present a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest, the individual should disclose the matter to the General Counsel, so that, if appropriate, the General Counsel may disseminate such information and/or obtain approvals before the individual engages in such transaction or activity.

A conflict of interest occurs when an individual’s private interest (or the interest of a member of his or her family) interferes, or even appears to interfere, with the interests of the Company as a whole. A conflict of interest can arise when an employee, officer or director (or a member of his or her family) takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her work for the Company objectively and effectively. Conflicts of interest also arise when an employee, officer or director (or a member of his or her family) receives improper personal benefits as a result of his or her position in the Company.

In evaluating whether an actual or contemplated activity may involve a conflict of interest, an employee, officer or director should consider:

 

   

Whether the activity would appear improper to an outsider;

 

   

Whether the activity could interfere with the job performance or morale of a Company employee;

 

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Whether the employee, officer or director involved in the activity has access to the Company’s confidential information or influence over significant Company resources or decisions;

 

   

The potential impact of the activity on the Company’s business relationships, including relationships with suppliers, competitors, partners, employees and anyone else with whom he or she has contact in the course of performing his or her job; and

 

   

The extent to which the activity could benefit the employee, officer or director or his or her relative(s), directly or indirectly.

A few examples of activities that could involve conflicts of interests include:

 

   

Aiding the Company’s competitors. Aiding the Company’s competitors can include, without limitation, passing the Company’s confidential information to a competitor or accepting payments or other benefits from a competitor.

 

   

Participating in any company that does business with the Company or seeks to do business with the Company. Employment by, serving as a director of, or providing any services to a material customer, supplier, competitor or partner (other than services to be provided as part of an employee’s job responsibilities for the Company) is generally discouraged and employees, officers and directors must seek approval in advance if they plan to have such a relationship.

 

   

Owning a significant financial interest in a competitor or a company that does business with the Company or seeks to do business with the Company. In evaluating such interests for conflicts, both direct and indirect interests that an employee, officer or director may have should be considered, along with factors such as the following:

 

   

the size and nature of the interest;

 

   

the nature of the Company’s relationship with the other entity;

 

   

whether the employee, officer or director has access to the Company’s confidential information; and

 

   

whether the employee, officer or director has an ability to influence

Company decisions that would affect the other entity.

Any employee, officer or director who has or wishes to acquire a significant financial interest in a competitor or in a supplier or partner with which he or she has direct business dealings (or approval responsibilities) must consult with the General Counsel. Similarly, any employee, officer or director who experiences a change of position or seniority that results in direct business dealings with a supplier, competitor or partner in which he or she already has a significant financial interest must consult with the General Counsel.

 

   

Having authority on behalf of the Company over a co-worker who is also a family member, or transacting business on behalf of the Company with a family member. Any employee who may be involved in such a situation should consult with his or her supervisor or the General Counsel to assess the situation and determine an appropriate resolution.

 

   

Soliciting or accepting payments, gifts, loans, favors or preferential treatment from any person or entity that does or seeks to do business with the Company. See Section IV(A) for further discussion of the issues involved in this type of conflict.

 

4


   

Taking personal advantage of business opportunities that are discovered through the use of corporate property, information or position. See Section VII for further discussion of the issues involved in this type of conflict.

Situations involving a conflict of interest may not always be obvious or easy to resolve. A conflict of interest can exist even if you are convinced your decisions will not be affected by the outside relationship. You should report actions that may involve a conflict of interest to the General Counsel.

In order to avoid conflicts of interest, each of the employees must disclose to the General Counsel any transaction or relationship that reasonably could be expected to give rise to such a conflict, and the General Counsel shall notify the Audit Committee of the Board (the “Audit Committee”) of any such disclosure. Conflicts of interests involving the General Counsel and directors shall be disclosed to the Audit Committee.

 

  A.

Gifts and Entertainment

Building strong relationships with suppliers and partners is essential to the Company’s business. Socializing with suppliers and partners is an integral part of building those relationships. Gifts and entertainment, however, should not compromise, or appear to compromise, an employee’s ability to make objective and fair business decisions. Good judgment should be exercised in providing or accepting business meals and entertainment or inexpensive gifts, so that all such conduct is consistent with customary and prudent business practices. In addition, it is important to note that the giving and receiving of gifts are subject to a variety of laws, rules and regulations applicable to the Company’s operations. These include, without limitation, laws covering the marketing of products, bribery and kickbacks. In addition, gifts and entertainment may not be offered or exchanged under any circumstances to or with any employees of the U.S. government or state or local governments. Employees are expected to understand and comply with all laws, rules and regulations that apply to their job position.

 

  B.

Bribes, Kickbacks and Other Improper Payments

The Company does not permit or condone bribes, kickbacks or other improper payments, transfers or receipts. No employee, officer or director should offer, give, solicit or receive any money or other item of value for the purpose of obtaining, retaining or directing business or bestowing or receiving any kind of favored treatment. Employees, officers and directors must fully comply with all anti-corruption laws of the countries in which the Company does business, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”) which applies globally. Violation of the FCPA could subject the Company and its individual employees, officers and directors to serious civil and criminal penalties.

 

  C.

Employee Loans

Loans to employees, officers and directors, or their family members, by the Company, or guarantees of their loan obligations, could constitute an improper personal benefit to the recipients of such loans or guarantees. Accordingly, Company loans and guarantees for employees, officers and directors are expressly prohibited.

 

5


  D.

Related Party Transactions

A related party transaction includes any transaction, or series of similar transactions, since the beginning of the Company’s last fiscal year, or any currently proposed transaction or series of similar transactions, where: (i) the Company or its subsidiary is a party or participant, (ii) the amount involved exceeds $120,000 in aggregate (or, if the Company is a “smaller reporting company” under the rules of the SEC, the lesser of $120,000 and 1% of the average of the Company’s total assets at year end for the prior two completed fiscal years), and (iii) in which any of the following persons had or will have a direct or indirect material interest: any person who is, or was at any time since the beginning of the Company’s last fiscal year, a director, director nominee or an executive officer; any holder of more than 5% of the Company’s common stock; or any member of the immediate family of such persons. The Company will conduct a review of all related party transactions for potential conflicts of interest situations. For more information, see the Company’s Related Party Transaction Policy.

 

V.

Insider Trading

Every employee, officer and director is prohibited from using “inside” or material nonpublic information about the Company, or about companies with which it does business, in connection with buying or selling the Company’s or such other companies’ securities, including “tipping” others who might make an investment decision on the basis of this information. It is illegal, and it is a violation of this Code and other Company policies, to tip or to trade on inside information. Employees, officers or directors who have access to inside information are not permitted to use or share that inside information for stock trading purposes or for any other purpose except to conduct Company business.

Employees must exercise the utmost care when in possession of material non-public information. The Company’s Insider Trading Policy provides guidance on the sorts of information that might be non-public and material for these purposes, and guidelines on when and how employees, officers and directors may purchase or sell shares of Company stock or other Company securities. All employees, officers and directors should review the Company’s Insider Trading Policy for additional information.

 

VI.

Protection and Proper Use of Company Assets

Protecting Company assets against loss, theft or other misuse is the responsibility of every employee, officer and director. Loss, theft and misuse of Company assets directly impact our profitability. Any suspected loss, misuse or theft should be reported to the General Counsel.

The sole purpose of the Company’s equipment, vehicles, supplies and technology is the conduct of our business. They may only be used for Company business consistent with Company guidelines. Employees and other authorized users of the Company’s electronic equipment have an obligation to use them in a responsible, ethical and lawful manner and in compliance with this Code and other corporate policies and procedures. The Company reserves the right, at all times and without prior notice, to inspect, monitor and search all Company assets, including electronic communication, for any purpose. Such inspections may be conducted during or outside business hours and in the presence or absence of the employee.

 

6


In addition, no voicemail, e-mail, text message, photo, website, or any other document that an employee creates or saves using Company assets may contain content that may reasonably be considered offensive. Offensive content includes, but is not limited to, sexual comments or images, racial slurs, or any comments or images that would offend someone on the basis of their gender, race, color, religion, age, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability or condition, or any other protected class under applicable federal, state or local laws.

Employees may access Company files and programs only with proper authorization. Employees may not make unauthorized copies of any Company computer software or information (whether in electronic or hard copy form) without IT support and approval.

 

VII.

Corporate Opportunities

Employees, officers and directors are prohibited from taking for themselves business opportunities that are discovered through the use of corporate property, information or position unless that opportunity has first been presented to, and rejected by, the Company. No employee, officer or director may use corporate property, information or position for personal gain, and no employee, officer or director may compete with the Company. Employees, officers and directors owe a duty to the Company to advance its legitimate interests ahead of their own when the opportunity to do so arises.

 

VIII.

Competition and Fair Dealing

The Company strives to compete vigorously and to gain advantages over its competitors through superior business performance, not through unethical or illegal business practices. Each employee, officer and director must deal fairly with the Company’s suppliers, competitors, partners, employees and anyone else with whom he or she has contact in the course of performing his or her job. No employee, officer or director may take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse or privileged information, misrepresentation of facts or any other unfair dealing practice. Employees should maintain and protect any intellectual property licensed from licensors with the same care as they employ with regard to Company-developed intellectual property. Employees should also handle the nonpublic information of our collaborators, licensors, suppliers and customers responsibly and in accordance with our agreements with them, including information regarding their technology and product pipelines.

 

  A.

Policies Specific to Procurement

Employees involved in procurement have a special responsibility to adhere to principles of fair competition in the purchase of products and services by selecting suppliers based exclusively on normal commercial considerations, such as quality, cost, availability, service and reputation, and not on the receipt of special favors.

 

7


  B.

Antitrust Laws

Antitrust laws are designed to protect customers and the competitive process. These laws generally prohibit the Company from establishing:

 

   

Price fixing arrangements with competitors;

 

   

Arrangements with competitors to share pricing information or other competitive marketing information, or to allocate markets or customers;

 

   

Agreements with competitors or customers to boycott particular suppliers, customers or competitors; and

 

   

A monopoly or attempted monopoly through anticompetitive conduct.

Noncompliance with the antitrust laws can have extremely negative consequences for the Company, including long and costly investigations and lawsuits, substantial fines or damages, and adverse publicity. Understanding the requirements of antitrust and unfair competition laws of the jurisdictions where the Company does business can be difficult, so employees, officers and directors are urged to seek assistance from the General Counsel whenever they have a question relating to these laws.

 

IX.

Accuracy and Quality of Financial Records and Public Disclosures

The Company has a responsibility to keep complete, accurate and reliable records and to provide full and accurate information, in all material respects, in our public disclosures about the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. Our reports and documents filed with or submitted to the SEC and our other public communications shall include full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure, and the Company has established a Disclosure Committee consisting of senior management to assist in monitoring such disclosures. Each employee and director must follow any formal document retention policy of the Company with respect to Company records within such employee’s or director’s control.

 

X.

Compliance with This Code and Reporting of Any Illegal or Unethical Behavior

All employees, directors and officers are expected to comply with all of the provisions of this Code. The Code will be strictly enforced throughout the Company and violations will be dealt with immediately, including subjecting persons to corrective and/or disciplinary action such as dismissal or removal from office. Violations of the Code that involve illegal behavior will be reported to the appropriate authorities. Situations that may involve a violation of ethics, laws, rules, regulations or this Code may not always be clear and may require difficult judgment. Employees, directors or officers should report any concerns or questions about a violation of ethics, laws, rules, regulations or this Code to their supervisors/managers, the General Counsel, or, in the case of accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters, the Audit Committee.

Any concerns about a violation of ethics, laws, rules, regulations or this Code by any senior executive officer or director should be reported promptly to the General Counsel and the General Counsel shall notify the Audit Committee of any violation. Any such concerns involving the General Counsel should be reported to the Audit Committee. Reporting of such violations may also be done anonymously through the Company hotline, the phone number of which can be found on the Company’s internal website. An anonymous report should provide enough information about the incident or situation to allow the Company to investigate properly. If concerns or complaints require confidentiality, including keeping an identity anonymous, the Company will endeavor to protect this confidentiality, subject to applicable law, regulation or legal proceedings.

 

8


The Company encourages all employees, officers and directors to report any suspected violations promptly and intends to thoroughly investigate any good faith reports of violations. The Company will not tolerate any kind of retaliation for reports or complaints regarding misconduct that were made in good faith. Open communication of issues and concerns by all employees without fear of retribution or retaliation is vital to the successful implementation of this Code. All employees, officers and directors are required to cooperate in any internal investigations of misconduct and unethical behavior and to respond to any questions in a complete and truthful manner.

The Company recognizes the need for this Code to be applied equally to everyone it covers. The General Counsel of the Company will have primary authority and responsibility for the enforcement of this Code, subject to the supervision of the Audit Committee, and the Company will devote the necessary resources to enable the General Counsel to establish such procedures as may be reasonably necessary to create a culture of accountability and facilitate compliance with the Code. Questions concerning this Code should be directed to the General Counsel.

 

XI.

Political Contributions and Activities

Any political contributions made by or on behalf of the Company and any solicitations for political contributions of any kind must be lawful and in compliance with Company policies. It is Company policy that Company funds or assets not be used to make a political contribution to any political party or candidate, unless prior approval has been given by our Chief Executive Officer. This Code applies solely to the use of Company assets and is not intended to discourage or prevent individual employees, officers or directors from making political contributions or engaging in political activities on their own behalf. No one may be reimbursed directly or indirectly by the Company for personal political contributions.

 

XII.

Environment, Health and Safety

The Company is committed to conducting its business in compliance with all applicable environmental and workplace health and safety laws and regulations. The Company strives to provide a safe and healthy work environment for our employees and to avoid adverse impact and injury to the environment and communities in which we conduct our business. Achieving this goal is the responsibility of all officers, directors and employees.

 

  A.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Company is an equal opportunity employer. It does not unlawfully discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, age, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability or condition, or any other protected class under applicable federal, state or local laws. The Company also prohibits unlawful discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics. Company employees must comply with all applicable labor and employment laws, including anti-discrimination laws and laws related to freedom of association and privacy.

 

9


  B.

Harassment

The Company is committed to maintaining a respectful workplace, which includes a working environment that is free from unlawful workplace harassment, including workplace sexual harassment. This Code applies to all work-related settings and activities, whether inside or outside the workplace, and includes business trips and business-related social events.

 

  C.

Alcohol and Drugs

The Company is committed to maintaining a drug-free work place. The Company prohibits the manufacture, distribution, sale, purchase, transfer, possession or use of illegal substances in the workplace, while representing the Company outside the workplace or if such activity affects work performance or the work environment of the Company. The Company further prohibits use of alcohol while on duty, unless at Company-sanctioned events. Employees are prohibited from reporting to work, or driving a Company vehicle or any vehicle on Company business, while under the influence of alcohol, any illegal drug or controlled substance, or any other intoxicant.

 

  D.

Violence Prevention and Weapons

The safety and security of Company employees is vitally important. The Company will not tolerate violence or threats of violence in, or related to, the workplace. If an individual experiences, witnesses or otherwise become aware of a violent or potentially violent situation that occurs on the Company’s property or affects the Company’s business they must immediately report the situation to their supervisor, the relevant human resources personnel, or General Counsel.

 

XIII.

Social Media

“Social Media” includes various modes of digitally published information and online content including, but not limited to, websites and applications for social networking (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn), micro-blogging sites (e.g., Twitter), online discussion forums (e.g., Google Groups), user-generated video and audio (e.g., TikTok and YouTube), wikis, podcasts, RSS feeds, file sharing, virtual worlds, electronic bulletin boards, text messaging, instant messaging and other forms of online communication.

Company employees should adhere to the following general principles when engaging in Social Media:

 

   

Only authorized personnel are permitted to make public statements about the Company or its products.

 

   

Do not make unauthorized disclosures of confidential information and generally avoid mixing personal and business-related content.

 

   

Always be truthful and accurate in postings and realize that online comments are never truly anonymous.

 

   

Never post anything that would violate Company policies against unlawful harassment, discrimination and retaliation; or that would otherwise reflect negatively on the Company or disparage other parties.

 

10


   

Use of Social Media must also comply with all applicable Company policies, laws and regulations related to product promotion, privacy, copyright, media interactions and conflicts of interest.

Everyone is personally, legally responsible for the content they publish. Always err on the side of caution and consult with your manager, or the General Counsel, should you have a question about the appropriateness of a Social Media post.

The Company respects your right to communicate concerning terms and conditions of employment. Nothing in this Code is intended to interfere with your rights under federal and state laws, including the National Labor Relations Act, nor will the Company construe this Code in a way that limits such rights.

 

XIV.

Waivers

Each of the Audit Committee, or the Board if the Audit Committee determines it is appropriate, (in the case of a violation by a director or an executive officer) and General Counsel (in the case of a violation by any other person) may, in its discretion, waive any violation of this Code. Any waiver for a director or an executive officer will be disclosed as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

 

XV.

No Rights Created

This Code is a statement of fundamental principles, policies and procedures that govern the Company’s employees, officers and directors in the conduct of the Company’s business. It is not intended to and does not create any legal rights for any supplier, partner, competitor, stockholder or any other person or entity.

 

XVI.

Administration, Modification and Amendment

The Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing the establishment of procedures to enforce the Code. The Audit Committee will periodically review this Code and recommend any proposed changes to the Board for approval. Any amendments to this Code will be posted on the Company’s website.

 

XVII.

Certification

You must sign, date and return the Certification set forth on Annex A attached hereto (or such other certification as the General Counsel may deem appropriate) stating that you have received, read, understand and agree to comply with this Code. The Company may require you to sign such a Certification on an annual basis, which Certification may be in electronic format. Please note that you are bound by the Code whether or not you sign the Certification.

 

11


Annex A

Certification

I hereby certify that:

1. I have read and understand GRIID Infrastructure Inc.’s (the “Company”) Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (the “Code”). I understand that the General Counsel is available to answer any questions I have regarding the Code.

2. Since I have been affiliated with the Company, I have complied with the Code.

3. I will continue to comply with the Code for as long as I am subject to the Code.

 

Print name:                                                              

Signature:                                                                

Date:                                                                        

Exhibit 16.1

January 2, 2024

Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, N.E.

Washington, DC 20549

Commissioners:

We have read the statements made by GRIID Infrastructure Inc. under Item 4.01 of its Form 8-K dated January 2, 2024. We agree with the statements concerning our Firm in such Form 8-K; we are not in a position to agree or disagree with other statements of Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp. contained therein.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Marcum LLP

Marcum LLP

Exhibit 21.1

SUBSIDIARIES

The following are significant subsidiaries of the Registrant as of December 31, 2023 and the states or jurisdictions in which they are organized. Each subsidiary is indented beneath its principal parent. The Registrant owns, directly or indirectly, 100% of the voting securities of all of the subsidiaries included below.

 

Subsidiary

  

State of Incorporation

Griid Holdco LLC

   Delaware

Griid Infrastructure LLC

   Delaware

Red Dog Technologies LLC

   Delaware

GIB Compute LLC

   Delaware

Union Data Diner LLC

   Delaware

Data Black River LLC

   Delaware

Ava Data LLC

   Delaware

Jackson Data LLC

   Delaware

Badin Data LLC

   Delaware

Tullahoma Data LLC

   Delaware

Rutledge Development & Deployment LLC

   Delaware

LaFollette Data LLC

   Delaware

Exhibit 99.1

GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(amounts in thousands, except unit amounts)

(Unaudited)

 

     September 30,     December 31,  
     2023 (Unaudited)     2022  

Assets

    

Current assets

    

Cash

   $ 491     $ 646

Other receivables

     220       295

Cryptocurrencies

     134       51

Notes receivable

     1,439       —    

Finance lease right-of-use asset, current

     1     1

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     189     178
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     2,474     1,171
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Restricted cash

     323     323  

Property and equipment, net

     32,227     37,156  

Operating lease right-of-use asset

     2,327     2,454  

Finance lease right-of-use asset

     49     96  

Long-term deposits

     5,400     4,941  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 42,800   $ 46,141  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities and Members’ deficit

    

Current liabilities

    

Accounts payable

   $ 2,974   $ 4,598  

Operating lease liability, current

     225     205  

Finance lease liability, current

     6     377  

Notes payable, net

     8,388     667  

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

     3,743     3,175  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     15,336     9,022  

Notes payable, net

     52,115     45,682  

Payable to lessor – construction in progress

     271     504  

Warrant liability

     94,768     76,423  

Unearned grant revenue

     195     195  

Deferred tax liability

     —         229  

Operating lease liability

     2,167     2,300  

Finance lease liability

     94     98  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     164,946     134,453  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Commitments and contingencies (See Note 13)

    

Members’ deficit

    

Class A Units, (1,740,000 units authorized, issued and outstanding)

     2,168       2,168  

Class B Units, (8,360,000 units authorized; 8,160,000 units issued and outstanding)

     200       200  

Class C Units, (2,500,000 units authorized; 2,413,367 units issued, and 2,095,078 and 1,658,381 outstanding at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively)

     —         —    

Accumulated members’ deficit

     (124,514     (90,680
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total members’ deficit

     (122,146     (88,312
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and members’ deficit

   $ 42,800     $ 46,141  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

1


GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(amounts in thousands)

(Unaudited)

 

     Three Months Ended     Nine Months Ended  
     September 30,     September 30,  
     2023     2022     2023     2022  

Revenue

        

Cryptocurrency mining revenue, net of mining pool operator fees

   $ 2,243     $ 2,309     $ 5,912     $ 11,896  

Mining services revenue

     2,614       3,206       8,078       5,277  

Other revenue

     1       160       80       780  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenue, net

     4,858       5,675       14,070       17,953  

Operating expenses

        

Cost of revenues (excluding depreciation and amortization)

     3,625       4,421       10,239       8,844  

Depreciation and amortization

     1,326       1,863       4,437       5,323  

Compensation and related taxes

     1,854       2,540       5,976       8,230  

Professional and consulting fees

     545       473       2,491       3,033  

General and administrative

     505       812       1,886       4,119  

Sales and marketing

     4       —         13       89  

Impairment of cryptocurrencies

     109       118       253       4,722  

Realized gain on sale of cryptocurrencies

     (44     (143     (273     (2,506
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     7,924       10,084       25,022       31,854  

Gain on disposal of property and equipment

     4       90       1,484       153  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss from operations

     (3,062     (4,319     (9,468     (13,748

Other income (expense)

        

Loss on contingency

     —         —         —         (438

Loss in fair value of warrant liability

     (974     (1,539     (4,598     (513

Gain on extinguishment – non-debt related

     —         —         375       —    

Other income, net of other expense

     —         —         453       200  

Interest expense

     (8,013     (17,952     (21,022     (22,756
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense

   $ (8,987   $ (19,491   $ (24,792   $ (23,507
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss before income taxes

     (12,049     (23,810     (34,260     (37,255
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income tax benefit

     (188     (151     (354     (294
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

   $ (11,861   $ (23,659   $ (33,906   $ (36,961
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

2


GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF MEMBERS’ DEFICIT

(amounts in thousands, except per unit amounts)

(Unaudited)

 

     Three Months Ended September 30, 2023  
     Class A Units      Class B Units      Class C Units  
     Units      Amount      Units      Amount      Units      Amount  

Balance, July 1, 2023

     1,740,000      $ 2,168        8,160,000      $ 200        1,957,909      $ —    

Vesting of incentive units

     —          —          —          —          137,169        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, Sep 30, 2023

     1,740,000      $ 2,168        8,160,000      $ 200        2,095,078      $ —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     Three Months Ended September 30, 2022  
     Class A Units      Class B Units      Class C Units  
     Units      Amount      Units      Amount      Units      Amount  

Balance, July 1, 2022

     1,740,000      $ 2,168        8,160,000      $ 200        1,333,089      $ —    

Vesting of incentive units

     —          —          —          —          162,839        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, Sep 30, 2022

     1,740,000      $ 2,168        8,160,000      $ 200        1,495,928      $ —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023  
     Class A Units      Class B Units      Class C Units  
     Units      Amount      Units      Amount      Units      Amount  

Balance, January 1, 2023

     1,740,000      $ 2,168        8,160,000      $ 200        1,658,381      $ —    

Vesting of incentive units

     —          —          —          —          436,697        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, Sep 30, 2023

     1,740,000      $ 2,168        8,160,000      $ 200        2,095,078      $ —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     Nine Months Ended September 30, 2022  
     Class A Units      Class B Units      Class C Units  
     Units      Amount      Units      Amount      Units      Amount  

Balance, January 1, 2022

     1,740,000      $ 2,168        8,160,000      $ 200        893,633      $ —    

Vesting of incentive units

     —          —          —          —          602,295        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, Sep 30, 2022

     1,740,000      $ 2,168        8,160,000      $ 200        1,495,928      $ —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

3


GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF MEMBERS’ DEFICIT

(amounts in thousands, except per unit amounts)

 

      Three Months Ended September 30,
2022
    Three Months Ended September 30,
2023
 
     Accumulated
Members’
Deficit
    Total
Members’
Deficit
    Accumulated
Members’
Deficit
    Total
Members’
Deficit
 

Balance, July 1

   $ (40,175   $ (37,807   $ (112,679   $ (110,311

Unit-based compensation

     33       33       26       26  

Net income (loss)

     (23,659     (23,659     (11,861     (11,861
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance, September 30

   $ (63,801   $ (61,433   $ (124,514   $ (122,146
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

       Nine Months Ended September 30,  
2022
     Nine Months Ended September 30, 
2023
 
     Accumulated
Members’ Deficit
    Total
Members’
Deficit
    Accumulated
Members’
Deficit
     Total
Members’
Deficit
 

Balance, Jan 1

   $ (26,939   $ (24,571   $ (90,680    $ (88,312

Unit-based compensation

     99       99       72        72  

Net income (loss)

     (36,961     (36,961     (33,906      (33,906
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, September 30

   $ (63,801   $ (61,433   $ (124,514    $ (122,146
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

4


GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(amounts in thousands)

(Unaudited)

 

     Nine Months Ended  
     September,  
     2023     2022 (Restated)  

Cash flows from operating activities:

    

Net (loss) income

   $ (33,906   $ (36,961

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:

    

Depreciation and amortization

     4,437       5,323  

Gain on disposal of property and equipment

     (1,484     (153

Realized gain on sale of cryptocurrencies

     (273     (2,506

Loss contingency

     —         —    

Gain on extinguishment of leases

     (375     —    

Loss (gain) on change in fair value of warrant liability

     4,598       513  

Impairment of cryptocurrencies

     253       4,722  

Non-cash interest expense

     21,022       19,222  

Unit-based compensation

     72       99  

Operating right-of-use asset

     182       48  

Cryptocurrency mined, net

     (6,598     (12,319

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

    

Other receivables and notes receivables

     (1,365     (614

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     (11     1,522  

Long term deposits

     (460     269  

Accounts payable

     (1,615     8,776  

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

     567       2,029  

Deferred tax liability

     (229     (530

Operating lease liability

     (168     116  

Finance lease liability

     (2     (17
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in operating activities

     (15,355     (10,461
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

    

Proceeds from sale of cryptocurrencies

     6,535       24,508  

Deposits on purchases of property and equipment

     —         (7,374

Purchases of property and equipment

     (110     (15,006

Proceeds from disposal of property and equipment

     2,132       336  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by investing activities

     8,557       2,464  

Cash flows from financing activities:

    

Proceeds from issuance of US dollar notes payable

     7,795       9,781  

Repayment of U.S. dollar notes payable

     (1,152     —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

     6,643       9,781  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash

     (155     1,784  

Cash at beginning of period

     969       609  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash at end of period

   $ 814     $ 2,393  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Reconciliation of cash and restricted cash to the Consolidated Balance Sheet

    

Cash

   $ 491     $ 2,070  

Restricted Cash

     323       323  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total cash and restricted cash

   $ 814     $ 2,393  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental cash flow disclosures:

    

Cash paid for interest

     856       3,159  

Fair value of payment made in cryptocurrency for revenue share consideration

     —         475  

Right-of-use asset and lease liability associated with financing lease

     —         47  

Right-of-use asset and lease liability associated with operating lease

     55       1,375  

Fair value of warrant liability issued in connection with notes payable

     58,454       17,123  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

5


GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(amounts in thousands, except unit and per unit amounts or as otherwise indicated)

(Unaudited)

1. Description of Business

Griid Infrastructure LLC (“GRIID” or, the “Company”) is a privately held, vertically integrated bitcoin mining company based in Cincinnati, Ohio that owns and operates a growing portfolio of energy infrastructure and high-density data centers across North America. The Company has built a cryptocurrency mining operation, which operates specialized computers (also known as “miners”) that generate cryptocurrency. Currently, the only cryptocurrency mined by GRIID is bitcoin. The Company was formed in the State of Delaware on May 23, 2018.

On November 29, 2021, Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (“ADEX”), entered into an agreement and plan of merger (the “Merger Agreement”) by and among ADEX, ADEX Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly owned direct subsidiary of ADEX (“Merger Sub”), and GRIID Holdco LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“GRIID Holdco”). The Merger Agreement provides, among other things, that on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, Merger Sub will merge with and into GRIID Holdco (the “Merger”), the separate limited liability company existence of Merger Sub will cease and GRIID Holdco, as the surviving company of the Merger, will continue its existence under the Limited Liability Company Act of the State of Delaware as a wholly owned subsidiary of ADEX.

At the closing of the Merger (the “Closing”), the limited liability company membership interests of Merger Sub will be converted into an equivalent limited liability company membership interest in GRIID Holdco and each limited liability company membership unit of GRIID Holdco that is issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger will automatically be converted into and become the right to receive such unit’s proportionate share, as determined in accordance with the Merger Agreement, of 58,500,000 shares of ADEX common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”).

In connection with the Closing, ADEX, the initial stockholders of ADEX and certain GRIID Holdco members will enter into an investor rights agreement (the “Investor Rights Agreement”) to provide for certain registration rights related to their Common Stock and private warrants of ADEX. ADEX has agreed to, among other things, file within 30 days of Closing a resale shelf registration statement covering the resale of all securities registrable under the Investor Rights Agreement.

It is anticipated that the Merger will be accounted for as a reverse recapitalization under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), whereby the net assets of GRIID and Adit are carried over at historical cost, with no goodwill or other intangible assets recognized as part of the transaction. Under this method of accounting, GRIID will be treated as the “acquirer” company for financial reporting purposes, since 1) the existing GRIID Holdco equity holders are expected to represent a majority of the voting power of the combined company, 2) GRIID’s operations will also constitute the ongoing operations of the combined company, and 3) GRIID’s senior management will represent a majority of the senior management of the combined company.

2. Restatement of Previously Issued Financial Statements

Subsequent to the issuance of the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2022, the Company has restated its Consolidated Financial Statements with respect to the treatment of the cryptocurrency sale proceeds, beginning cash related to restricted cash and the purchases of fixed assets with long-term deposits.

There is a restatement related to the reclass in the recognition of realized gain or loss in sale of cryptocurrencies as well as the purchases of fixed assets from long term deposits. The Company reclassed the

 

6


proceeds from the sale of cryptocurrencies from operating activities to investing activities on the consolidated statements of cash flows. The Company reclassed the long-term deposits used to purchase fixed assets from operating activities to investing activities. The Company also restated the beginning balance of cash to include restricted and unrestricted cash for the beginning of the period. These restatements did not result in any change in total net income (loss) from operations or the cash balances for the nine months ended September 30, 2022.

GRIID INFRASTRUCTURE LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(amounts in thousands)

 

     Nine Months Ended September 30, 2022  
     As Reported     Adjustment     As Restated  

Beginning balance of cash

   $ 286     $ 323     $ 609  

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

     19,011       (29,472     (10,461

Net cash used in investing activities

     (27,008     29,472       2,464  

Ending cash balance

     2,070       323       2,393  

3. Liquidity and Financial Condition

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business. Since its inception, the Company has incurred net losses. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company incurred net losses of $33,906 and $36,961. As of September 30, 2023, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $124,514.

As of September 30, 2023, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $491 which are available to fund future operations. The ongoing viability of the Company is largely dependent on the future financial and operating performance of the Company. To date, the Company has, in large part, relied on debt financing to fund its operations. Management expects to continue to incur significant expenses for the foreseeable future while the Company makes investments to support its anticipated growth. The Company’s ability to continue is dependent upon bitcoin prices remaining at or above certain levels. Based upon current and historical volatility of bitcoin the Company is unable to be certain that it can profitably mine bitcoin to support its operations. As such, there exists substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to remain a going concern within one year after the date these consolidated financial statements were issued.

COVID-19

The COVID-19 global pandemic has been unprecedented and unpredictable and is likely to continue to result in significant national and global economic disruption, which may adversely affect GRIID’s business. Based on the Company’s current assessment, however, the Company does not expect any material impact on its long-term strategic plans, its operations, or its liquidity. However, the Company is actively monitoring this situation and the possible effects on its financial condition, liquidity, operations, suppliers, and industry.

4. Basis of Presentation, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Basis of Presentation

The Company’s unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

 

7


Principles of Consolidation

The Company’s unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its eight wholly-owned subsidiaries: Union Data LLC (“Union Data”), Red Dog Technologies LLC (“Red Dog”), GIB Compute LLC (“GIB”), Data Black River LLC (“Data Black River”), Ava Data LLC (“Ava Data”), Jackson Data LLC (“Jackson Data”), Badin Data LLC (“Badin Data”), Tullahoma Data LLC (“Tullahoma Data”), LaFolette Data LLC (“LaFolette Data”) and Rutledge Development and Deployment LLC (“Rutledge Development and Deployment”).

All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Amounts within the notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements are presented in thousands of U.S. dollars, except for unit and per unit amounts or as otherwise indicated.

Unaudited Interim Financial Information

In the opinion of the Company, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of its financial position and its results of operations, changes in members’ deficit and cash flows. The accompanying consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2023 is unaudited. The accompanying consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2022 was derived from audited annual financial statements but these unaudited notes do not contain all of the disclosures from the previously audited annual financial statements. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements and related financial information should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto as of and for the year ended December 31, 2022.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, there were no significant changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies described in the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of unaudited consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant items subject to such judgements, estimates and assumptions include revenue recognition, the useful lives and recoverability of long-lived assets, unit-based compensation expense, impairment analysis of indefinite lived intangibles, and the fair value of the Company’s warrant liability and embedded derivative liability. Actual results experienced by the Company may differ from those estimates.

Revenue Recognition

The Company earns revenue under payout models determined by the mining pool operator. The payout model relevant to the Company during the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 is referred to as Full Pay Per Share (“FPPS”). The Company notes that all revenue recognized during the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 was sourced from mining pools operating under the FPPS model.

The Company earns 5% of the generated cryptocurrency revenue that is earned under the Mining Services Agreement (see Note 13). The Company records revenue and expense from the arrangement on a gross basis, as the Company represents the principal in relation to the contract. Per the agreement, a $1,000 payment is made by the Customer one month in advance as prepayment for the reimbursement of direct operating and electricity costs. Reimbursement payments are considered reimbursement revenues. Direct costs incurred and reimbursed are also recorded as cost of goods sold. The Company records its revenue related to the 5% revenue share of the

 

8


generated cryptocurrency under the Mining Services Agreement on a gross basis under mining services revenue in the Statement of Operations.

The Company earns various revenues under a development and operation agreement with Helix Digital Partners, LLC (“HDP”). The Company earns curtailment revenue during the months in which HDP curtails the supply of electricity to mines and sells the electricity to the market. A management fee is also recognized in connection with this agreement. The Company also generates cryptocurrency with a percentage to be paid to HDP the following month under the agreement. The Company records the revenues and expenses related to this agreement on a gross basis. The management fee is recognized as mining services revenue, whereas the curtailment revenue and revenue share amounts are recognized as other revenue. All amounts, due to each party, are accrued for and paid out in the next month.

Restricted Cash

As of September 30, 2023, the Company has $323 of restricted cash related to a utility surety letter of credit for Red Dog.

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications have been made within the September 30, 2023 and September 30, 2022, consolidated statement of operations and consolidated statement of cash flow to conform as well as the September 30, 2023 balance sheet to the December 31, 2022 consolidated balance sheet, consolidated statement of operations and consolidated statement of cash flow presentation.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity (“ASU 2020-06”), which simplifies accounting for convertible instruments by removing major separation models required under current U.S. GAAP and simplifies the diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) calculation in certain areas. Under this ASU there is no separate accounting for embedded conversion features. It has removed certain settlement conditions that are required for equity contracts to qualify for the derivative scope exception. ASU 2020-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021 for public companies. The Company notes that it adopted this standard as of January 1, 2022 and elected to adopt the modified transition methodology. The Company did not have any instruments that would require a cumulative catch-up adjustment and therefore, this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements.

Issued and Not Yet Adopted

The Company continually assesses any new accounting pronouncements to determine their applicability. When it is determined that a new accounting pronouncement affects the Company’s financial reporting, the Company undertakes a study to determine the consequences of the change to its consolidated financial statements and assures that there are proper controls in place to ascertain that the Company’s consolidated financial statements properly reflect the change.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASC 326”). ASC 326 will provide more decision-useful information about the expected credit losses on financial instruments and other commitments to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each reporting date. ASC 326 was originally effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within that year. Following the release of ASU 2019-10 in

 

9


November 2019, the new effective date for ASC 326 would be for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2022. The provisions of this ASU are to be applied using a modified-retrospective approach. The Company is currently evaluating the impact, if any, the adoption of ASC 326 may have on its consolidated financial statements and will adopt the provision in fiscal year 2023.

5. Cryptocurrencies

The following table presents additional information about cryptocurrencies as follows:

 

     September 30,
2023
     December 31,
2022
 

Beginning Balance

   $ 51      $ 15,050  

Cryptocurrencies received from mining

     5,987        13,496  

Mining services revenue

     615        884  

Mining pool operating fees

     (4      (19

Consideration paid related to operating agreement

     —          (461

Proceeds from sale of cryptocurrencies

     (6,535      (26,871

Realized gain on sale of cryptocurrencies

     273        3,998  

Impairment of cryptocurrencies

     (253      (6,026
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ending Balance

   $ 134      $ 51  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

6. Property and Equipment

Property and equipment, net consist of the following:

 

     September 30,      December 31,  
     2023      2022  

Land

   $ 421      $ 658  

Energy infrastructure

     4,234        4,664  

General infrastructure

     12,434        12,402  

IT infrastructure

     824        820  

Miners

     15,833        15,759  

Vehicle

     76        140  

Office furniture and equipment

     344        344  

Assets not placed in service

     662        662  

Miner chip inventory

     11,498        11,498  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Gross property and equipment

     46,326        46,947  

Less: accumulated depreciation

     (14,099      (9,791
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total property and equipment, net

   $ 32,227      $ 37,156  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Depreciation expenses related to property and equipment were $1,320 and $1,815 for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Depreciation expenses related to property and equipment were $4,390 and $5,179 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The Company has entered into a supply agreement (see Note 13) where it has committed to purchasing a certain number of units of mining-related equipment. The miner chip inventory is a part of this purchase commitment, which commenced in June 2022.

 

10


For the three months ended September 30, 2023, the Company sold certain property and equipment for total proceeds of $41 resulting in a gain of $4. For the three months ended September 30, 2022, the Company sold certain property and equipment for total proceeds of $137 resulting in a gain of $90. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company sold certain property and equipment for total proceeds of $2,132 resulting in a gain of $1,484. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, the Company sold certain property and equipment for total proceeds of $336 resulting in a gain of $153.

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company recorded $0 of impairment related to certain miners and related property.

The Company has reassessed the useful life of the fixed assets being reported within IT Infrastructure for the year-ended December 31, 2022 from 10 years to 5 years. This is a change in the useful life and is also a change in accounting estimate under ASC 350 and ASC 360. At the time of this change, the Company performed a physical inventory count and abandoned some fixed assets before the end of their useful life.

7. Leases

In February 2021, GIB entered into a lease agreement for a commercial property with Gateway Rental Properties, LLC, to be used for general office and administrative purposes. The lease commenced on March 1, 2021. The monthly rent on the lease, which includes CAM, interest, and taxes, is approximately $3. The initial term of the lease is for two years, with an option to renew for an additional two-year period. The lease contained an option to purchase the property at any time during the Initial Term for $375 that GIB was reasonably certain to exercise.

The Company, therefore, has accounted for the lease as a finance lease, resulting in a lease liability and ROU asset of $338 recorded as of the lease commencement date. A rate commensurate with assets of a similar term of 15.2%, as estimated by management, was used to discount the future payments on the lease to their present value. At the end of the lease term, the Company was not able to exercise the purchase option and renewed the lease with no purchase option for two years, commencing on March 31, 2022. Since the Company did not purchase the building, the Company recorded a gain on extinguishment of lease for $375.

In August 2021, GRIID entered into a ground lease agreement with a Tennessee resident, the landlord, for 2 acres of unencumbered land in Lenoir City, Tennessee. On February 8, 2022, the lease was assigned to Ava Data. The lease commenced on November 6, 2021. The monthly rent on the lease is $15. The lease contained an option to prepay base rent in the amount equal to the outstanding principal balance and accrued interest under the landlord’s Promissory Note dated July 5, 2021, in the original principal amount of $175 (the “Note”) and receive a credit against the next monthly payments of base rent due under the lease in an amount equal to the rent prepayment discounted against such base rent at a 4% discount. GRIID exercised this prepay option, resulting in a base rent prepayment of $170. The initial term of the lease is for five years, with an option to renew it for an additional five-year period that the Company is reasonably certain to exercise. The lease also contains an option to purchase the property at any time after the one-year anniversary of the commencement of the lease for $2,100 that GRIID is not reasonably certain to exercise. The Company has accounted for the lease as an operating lease, resulting in a lease liability of $1,136 and ROU asset of $1,306 recorded as of the lease commencement date. A rate commensurate with assets of a similar term of 7.0%, as estimated by management, was used to discount the future payments on the lease to their present value.

On January 5, 2022, the Company entered into a lease agreement for commercial property to be used for distribution, mining operations, and warehouse and office space in Rutledge, Tennessee. The lease commenced on January 1, 2022 for 10,000 square feet of the building and on February 1, 2022 for the remaining 37,906 square feet of the building. The monthly rent on the lease is $16. The initial term of the lease is for five years. The lease includes an option to renew for an additional five-year period that the Company is reasonably certain to exercise. The monthly base rent during the renewal term is $18. Monthly rent for the initial and optional renewal term does not include CAM, insurance or taxes as the payments are variable. The Company has accounted for the lease as an operating lease resulting in a lease liability and ROU asset of $1,315 recorded as of the lease

 

11


commencement date. A rate commensurate with assets of a similar term of 9.0%, as estimated by management, was used to discount the future payments on the lease to their present value.

On March 1, 2023, GIB entered into a lease agreement for a commercial property with Gateway Rental Properties, LLC, to be used for general office and administrative purposes. The lease contains no purchase option. The monthly rent on the lease, which includes CAM, interest, and taxes, is approximately $3. The initial term of the lease is for two years, with an option to renew for an additional two-year period. The Company has accounted for the lease as an operating lease resulting in a lease liability and ROU asset of $71. A rate commensurate with assets of a similar term of 10.0%, as estimated by management, was used to discount the future payments on the lease to their present value.

On March 4, 2022, the Company entered into a thirty-nine-month lease agreement for a truck. The lease commenced on March 4, 2022. The monthly lease payments on the truck are $1. Because the lease contains an option to purchase the truck at the end of the lease that the Company is reasonably certain to exercise, the Company has accounted for the lease as a finance lease, resulting in a lease liability and ROU asset of $47 recorded as of the lease commencement date. A rate commensurate with assets of a similar term of 4.7%, as estimated by management, was used to discount the future payments on the lease to their present value.

On March 15, 2022, the Company entered into a two-year lease agreement for office space in Austin, Texas. The lease commenced on March 15, 2022. The monthly rent on the lease is $3 excluding CAM, insurance and taxes as those monthly payments are variable. The lease contains no renewal or purchase options. The Company has accounted for the lease as an operating lease resulting in lease liability and ROU asset of $60. A rate commensurate with assets of a similar term of 4.5%, as estimated by management, was used to discount the future payments on the lease to their present value.

On April 25, 2022, the Company entered a one-year lease extension for the Data Black River LLC location. The lease can be extended until June 30, 2024. The monthly rent is $1 and excludes CAM charges, which are invoiced separately monthly. The Company has accounted for the lease as an operating lease, with the rent being expensed monthly.

Finance and operating lease assets and lease liabilities are as follows:

 

            September 30,      December 31,  

Lease Classification

   Classification      2023      2022  

Assets

        

Current

        

Operating

     Current assets      $ —        $ —    

Finance

     Current assets        1        1  

Long-term

        

Operating

     Long-term assets        2,327        2,454  

Finance

     Long-term assets        49        96  
     

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total right-of-use assets

      $ 2,377      $ 2,551  
     

 

 

    

 

 

 

Liabilities

        

Current

        

Operating

     Short-term lease liability      $ 225      $ 205  

Finance

     Short-term lease liability        6        377  

Noncurrent

        

Operating

     Long-term lease liability        2,167        2,300  

Finance

     Long-term lease liability        94        98  
     

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total lease liabilities

      $ 2,492      $ 2,980  
     

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

12


The components of lease expense were as follows:

 

     Three Months Ended      Nine Months Ended  
     Sep 30,      Sep 30,      Sep 30,      Sep 30,  
     2023      2022      2023      2022  

Operating lease expense

   $ 112      $ 104      $ 328      $ 203  

Finance lease expense

           

Amortization on ROU assets

     7        48        48        94  

Interest on lease liabilities

     1        15        13        29  

Short-term lease expense

     15        25        45        49  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total lease expense

   $ 135      $ 192      $ 434      $ 375  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Other information related to leases was as follows:

 

     Nine Months Ended     Nine Months Ended  
     Sep 30, 2023     Sep 30, 2022  

Weighted average remaining lease term (in years)

    

Operating leases

     8.1       9.1  

Finance leases

     2.2       1.0  

Weighted average discount rate:

    

Operating leases

     8.1     8.0

Finance lease

     4.6     12.7

 

     Three Months Ended      Nine Months Ended  
     Sep 30,
2023
     Sep 30,
2022
     Sep 30,
2023
     Sep 30,
2022
 

Cash paid for amounts included in measurement of lease liabilities

           

Operating cash flows from operating leases

   $ 107      $ 56      $ 316      $ 143  

Operating cash flows from finance leases

   $ 2      $ 11      $ 14      $ 34  

ROU assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations

           

Operating leases

   $ —        $ —        $ 55      $ 1,375  

Finance lease

   $ —        $ —        $ —        $ 47  

Future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable leases as of September 30, 2023 were as follows:

 

Year

   Operating Leases      Finance Leases  

Remainder of 2023

   $ 107      $ 2  

2024

     402        10  

2025

     371        32  

2026

     367        65  

2027

     412        —    

2028

     412        —    

Thereafter

     1,220        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total future minimum lease payments

     3,291        109  

Less: imputed interest

     (899      (10
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     2,392        99  

Plus: lease asset, current

     —          1  

Less: lease liability, current

     (225      (6
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total long-term lease liability

   $ 2,167      $ 94  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

13


8. Long-Term Deposits

 

     September 30,      December 31,  
     2023      2022  

Deposits on property and equipment

   $ 5,305      $ 4,846  

Other long-term deposits

     95        95  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total long-term deposits

   $ 5,400      $ 4,941  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

9. Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities

 

     September 30,      December 31,  
     2023      2022  

Accrued legal

   $ 2,198      $ 2,198  

Accrued professional fees

     —          60  

Accrued wages and benefits

     980        251  

Other accrued expenses and other current liabilities

     565        666  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total accrued expenses and other current liabilities

   $ 3,743      $ 3,175  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

10. Debt and Warrants

On July 1, 2020, the Company entered into the Amended and Restated Notes Payable Agreement, increasing the aggregate notes payable amount to $16,500, by allowing for a second tranche in the amount of $10,000, with a maturity date of the third anniversary of the second tranche funding date. The second tranche comprised a Cryptocurrency Note Payable and a U.S. Dollar Note Payable with the following terms. The accounting for the Second Amendment included two separate components which included (1) a change in the fair value of the embedded derivative and (2) a loss on extinguishment of debt.

The Second Tranche Cryptocurrency Note Payable was for an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $2,400 plus any PIK amounts. Interest was payable at variable rates between 7% and 13% per annum, determined based upon the Company’s liquidity ratio, as defined in the agreement. The Company received the proceeds of the Second Tranche Cryptocurrency Note Payable in U.S. Dollars, but was obligated to repay the loan in bitcoin, specifically 238.3 bitcoin, based on the spot rate when the cash was received.

The Second Tranche U.S. Dollar Note Payable was for an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $7,600 plus any PIK amounts and PIK expenses. Interest was payable at a variable rate between 10% and 18% per annum, determined based upon the Company’s liquidity ratio, as defined in the agreement. The Company could elect to borrow under the Second Tranche U.S. Dollar Note Payable even if the aggregate amount of the First Tranche U.S. Dollar Note Payable outstanding is less than the maximum aggregate value of the First Tranche U.S. Dollar Note Payable permitted under the agreement.

The Notes Payable could be prepaid at any time, subject to an early termination fee of 10% of the interest that would have accrued in respect of such prepaid note payable amount for the period from the date of the prepayment until the maturity date. Amounts repaid under the Notes Payable may not be reborrowed.

The Company’s obligations under the Notes Payable Agreement were secured by substantially all the Company’s assets.

 

14


The Notes Payable Agreement contained several affirmative, negative, reporting, and financial covenants, in each case subject to certain exceptions and materiality thresholds. The minimum interest coverage ratio, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2020 and so long as any note payable balance remains unpaid or outstanding, was to be at least 2.50:1.00. The Company was to also maintain liquidity of more than the lesser of $1,500 or 10% of the aggregate note payable balance.

In connection with the Amended and Restated Notes Payable Agreement, on July 2020, the Company granted the lender a warrant to purchase 10 fully paid and nonassessable Class B Units of the Company at a price per unit of $1.00. The warrant vested immediately and expires on July 30, 2028. The warrant may be net share settled. The warrant is equity classified and recorded at a fair value of $15 in members equity.

In September 2021, the Company entered into the Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement (the “2nd A&R Loan Agreement”) for an aggregate amount up to $126,746, consisting of a First Tranche Loan of $43,746 and a Second Tranche Loan of $83,000 (collectively the “Loans”), each with a maturity date of September 23, 2025. As part of the First Tranche Loan, the existing Notes Payable, which had an outstanding balance of $33,746, inclusive of accrued interest and the Cryptocurrency Note Payable embedded derivative, were amended and restructured so that the outstanding principal and accrued and unpaid interest in respect to the Cryptocurrency Note Payable were deemed instead to be U.S. dollar denominated. In addition, the First Tranche Loan was amended to provide for an additional $10,000 in funding to enable the Company to pay an initial deposit of $10,000 pursuant to a supply agreement with a vendor (the “Supply Agreement”) (see Note 13 for further details regarding the supply agreement).

The Second Tranche Loans and the related proceeds will be used to purchase Digital Currency Miners and to pay related costs. Interest on the Loans was payable at a fixed rate of 9% per annum and following the date of the first order of Digital Currency Miners under the Supply Agreement (the “Cash Interest Payment Commencement Date”) at a rate between 9% and 11% per annum, determined based upon the Company’s leverage ratio, as defined in the Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement. The Company had the option to treat loan fees associated with the Second Tranche Loan payable on or prior to the Cash Interest Payment Commencement Date as in-kind. The Loans could be prepaid at any time, subject to an early termination fee of 15% of the interest that would have been accrued in respect of such prepaid loan amount for the period from the date of the prepayment until the maturity date. Amounts repaid under the Loans could not be reborrowed. The 2nd A&R Loan Agreement contained a number of affirmative, negative, reporting, and financial covenants, in each case subject to certain exceptions and materiality thresholds. The Company’s obligations under the 2nd A&R Loan Agreement were secured by substantially all the Company’s assets.

The Company accounted for the 2nd A&R Loan Agreement as a debt modification under GAAP. As such, the Company continued to amortize the remaining unamortized debt discount as of the debt modification date over the term of the Amended and Restated Notes Payable, as the results were deemed not materially different from amortizing the unamortized debt discount over the term of the Modified Loan. The Company did not incur any additional creditor fees to be capitalized and amortized or expensed over the term of the Modified Loan based upon the effective interest rate.

On November 19, 2021 (the “Third Amendment Closing Date”), the Company entered into the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the “3rd A&R Loan Agreement”) for an aggregate amount up to $535,375, consisting of (i) First Tranche Loans outstanding under the 2nd A&R Loan Agreement in an aggregate principal amount equal to $44,375 and an additional First Tranche Loan on or about the Closing Date of $2,000; (ii) a Second Tranche Loan of $89,000; (iii) a Third Tranche Loan of $200,000 and; (iv) a Fourth Tranche Loan of $200,000 (collectively the “Third Amendment Loans”), each with a maturity date of September 23, 2025. The proceeds of the initial Second Tranche Draw will be used to purchase components of Digital Currency Miners and related assets and fund operations under an agreement with the lender (the “Hosting Agreement”). Under the Hosting Agreement, in exchange for the Company building and managing bitcoin mining sites (the “hosted bitcoin mining sites”) and mining bitcoin from the hosted bitcoin mining sites, the lender will receive the bitcoin

 

15


mined, less a hosting fee paid back to the Company. The proceeds of the subsequent Second Tranche Loan will be net of an $8,000 origination fee and the proceeds will be used to pay related costs including ODM packaging expenses. The proceeds of the Third and Fourth Tranche Loans will be used to purchase digital currency miners and related assets and with respect to no more than 25% of the aggregate initial principal borrowings under the tranches, to fund the Company’s working capital needs and other general corporate expenses. Interest on the additional First Tranche Loan and Second Tranche Loan is payable at a fixed rate equal to 7% per annum and will be payable “in-kind” until the Cash Interest Payment Commencement Date, as defined in the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement. At that time, the “paid-in-kind” amounts will be deemed principal of the related Tranche. Interest on the Fourth Tranche Loan is payable at a fixed rate of 15% per annum. Interest on all other Loans will be payable at either 9% or 11%, determined based upon the Company’s leverage ratio, as defined in the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement.

The loans under the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement may be prepaid at any time, subject to an early termination fee of (a) with respect to the First Tranche Loans, Second Tranche Loans and Third Tranche Loans, 15% of the interest payable that would have been accrued in respect of the prepaid Third Amendment Loan amount for the period from the date of the prepayment until the maturity date and (b) with respect to the Fourth Tranche Loans, either (i) to the extent the payment is made on or prior to the first anniversary of the date of borrowing or (ii) to the extent the payment is made after the first anniversary of the date of borrowing and on or prior to the second anniversary of the date of borrowing, 30% of the interest that would have been accrued with respect to the prepaid Third Amendment Loan amount for the period from the date of the prepayment until the maturity date or (iii) otherwise 15% of the interest payable that would have been accrued with respect to the prepaid Third Amendment Loan amount for the period from the date of the prepayment until the maturity date. Amounts repaid under the Third Amendment Loan may not be reborrowed. The 3rd A&R Loan Agreement contains affirmative, negative, reporting, and financial covenants, which are subject to certain exceptions and materiality thresholds. The Company’s obligations under the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement are secured by substantially all the Company’s assets.

In connection with the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement, the Company will issue to the lender the right to receive warrants (the “Supplemental Warrants”), exercisable for shares of Common Stock, subject to certain conditions set forth in the Third Amendment. The total number of Supplemental Warrants to be issued shall be based upon the total borrowings under the Second, Third, and Fourth Tranches of the Third Amendment Loans, such that the number of Supplemental Warrants to be issued to the lender when added to the number of shares of Common Stock to be received by the lender at the closing of the Merger in exchange for its existing warrants will range from 1.85% to 3% of the fully diluted equity of ADEX immediately following the closing of the Merger (after taking into account all stockholder redemptions), or 2.25% if the Company fails to draw down any of these tranches. The Company will execute and deliver the Supplemental Warrants upon the earliest of (i) the consummation of a SPAC transaction, (ii) September 30, 2022 (provided that if consummation of a SPAC transaction shall be pending as of September 30, 2022 subject only to approval of governmental authorities, such date shall be automatically extended until the date such approval is rendered or denied), and (iii) the repayment or acceleration of the Loans. The Supplemental Warrants will have a strike price if a SPAC transaction will have occurred equal to $10.00, or otherwise, consistent with the Company’s most recent valuation under ASC 820 at the time of execution and delivery of the Supplemental Warrant agreement. Up to 75% of the Supplemental Warrants shall be freely transferrable other than to Disqualified Institutions, as defined in the Third Amendment, and any remainder will be freely transferrable to lenders and their affiliates. The Supplemental Warrants will be on commercially reasonable terms satisfactory to the lender. As of the date of the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement, the Company has an obligation to issue the Supplemental Warrants in the future. Since the number of Supplemental Warrants to be issued varies depending upon the amount of the related debt that is drawn down, the Company has accounted for and classified the Supplemental Warrants as liabilities.

Under the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement, there is a fee equal to $8,000 (“Origination Fee”) that was earned upon the Third Amendment Closing Date and due upon the earliest of the (i) funding of the subsequent Second Tranche, (ii) the initial funding of the Third Tranche, (iii) the initial funding of the Fourth Tranche, and (iv) the Termination Date. The Origination Fee may be paid in cash or, as applicable, at the Company’s election, net

 

16


funded from the proceeds of the Second Tranche draw and/or Third Tranche draw. Since the Origination Fee essentially represents an incremental lender fee and is earned upon the Third Amendment Closing Date, it has been included in the total loss on extinguishment of debt. As the Origination Fee was not yet payable, a corresponding lender fee payable was recorded on the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2021. The Company did not incur any additional creditor fees nor fees paid to third parties related to the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement.

The Company accounted for the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement as a debt extinguishment under ASC 470-50, resulting in a loss on extinguishment of debt of $19,824, which included discounts associated with the previous debt and associated warrants of $8, the fair value of the Supplemental Warrants calculated utilizing the Black Scholes valuation method of $29,234, and the Origination Fee of $8,000 less a debt discount of $17,418 on the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement debt to record it at fair value. The Company is accreting the debt discount on the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement debt to non-cash interest expense using the effective interest rate method, over the term of the related debt.

On May 2, 2022, the Company drew down an additional $6,000 under the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement. The proceeds of this draw were to purchase components of Digital Currency Miners and related assets and fund operations under an agreement with the lender (the “Hosting Agreement”). Interest on this debt is due monthly at 7%, payable monthly, and the amount is due upon maturity of the debt.

On June 8, 2022, the Company drew down $1,531 under the note for the payment for miner chip agreement. This amount was paid directly to the supplier upon execution of the purchase orders and the Company recorded this amount as additional debt per the agreement. Interest on this debt is due monthly at 11%, payable monthly, and the amount is due upon maturity of the debt.

The Company is required to always ensure the Mined Currency on deposit in a Mined Currency Account, each as defined in the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement, with the lender is greater than or equal to a value equal to 50% of all Mined Currency, excluding amounts used for operating expenses of the Company in the ordinary course of business or other purposes consented to in writing. As of September 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company had 0.02 BTC and 1.46 BTC, respectively, deposited within its Mined Currency Account with the lender, which are included in cryptocurrencies on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

On June 9 and 11, 2022, the Company received letters from Blockchain Access UK Ltd. (“Blockchain”) asserting that the Company was in default of its obligations under the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement and purporting to cancel Blockchain’s commitments under the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement and accelerate the Company’s indebtedness thereunder.

On October 9, 2022, the Company entered into the Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the “4th A&R Loan Agreement”) with Blockchain. Pursuant to the 4th A&R Loan Agreement, the loan has a principal of $57,433 and will mature on September 23, 2025. Interest will be payable in kind at the Applicable Rate (10%) until the Cash Interest Payment Commencement Date. There are no covenant arrangements, except for monthly and quarterly reporting.

Pursuant to the 4th A&R Loan Agreement, the debt was recorded at fair value. The difference between the fair value and the stated principal amount will be accreted to interest expense over the term of the debt and recorded as debt discount on the consolidated balance sheet, netted against notes payable.

In connection with the 4th A&R Loan Agreement, GRIID Holdco LLC issued a warrant (the “Blockchain Warrant”) to an affiliate of Blockchain exercisable for 1,377,778 Class B Units of GRIID Holdco LLC with a strike price of $0.01, which number of Class B Units will be adjusted immediately prior to the closing of the merger transaction such that the number of Class B Units, when exchanged for merger consideration, will be equal to 10% of the issued and outstanding common stock of GRIID Infrastructure Inc. immediately following the closing of the merger. While the Blockchain Warrant provides for GRIID Holdco LLC Class B units to be

 

17


issued if the merger transaction is not completed, management believes that the probability of not completing the merger transaction is de minimis, and as a result, has performed this analysis only assuming that the Blockchain Warrant will convert into GRIID Infrastructure Inc. common shares.

The Company accounted for the 4th A&R Loan Agreement as a debt extinguishment under ASC 470-50. This transaction resulted in a loss on extinguishment of debt of $51,079 and recognition of a warrant liability of $49,421 on October 9th. The 4th A&R Loan Agreement provides for a restructured senior secured term loan (the “Loan”) in the amount of $57,433, which represents the outstanding obligations under the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement after giving effect to the 4th A&R Loan Agreement. Blockchain does not have any commitment to extend additional credit to the Company under the 4th A&R Loan Agreement. The Company used the enterprise value method to determine the fair value of the Loan and calculate the debt extinguishment.

In connection with the entry into the 4th A&R Loan Agreement, Blockchain waived any potential defaults under the 3rd A&R Loan Agreement.

In the third and fourth quarters of 2022 and first three quarters of 2023, the Company completed private placements (the “bridge financings”) with certain accredited investors pursuant to which the Company issued promissory notes in the aggregate principal face amount of $12,348 (the “promissory notes”) and a recognition of warrant liability of $22,353. The promissory notes have an interest rate of 15.0% per annum and effective interest rate of 22.5%. Subject to mandatory or optional repayment of the promissory notes, the outstanding principal amount of the promissory notes, together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, is due after one year of commencement (the “maturity date”). In the event that New GRIID issues shares of its common stock to GEM Yield Bahamas Limited (“GYBL”) pursuant to that certain share purchase agreement (the “Share Purchase Agreement”), dated as of September 9, 2022, among GYBL, GEM Global Yield LLC SCS (the “Purchaser”), ADEX and the Company prior to the maturity date, the proceeds from such issuance must be used prepay the then outstanding principal amount of the promissory notes, together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon. In the third quarter 2023, the Company recorded an $806 adjustment related to the recording of accrued interest of these bridge loan placements, increasing interest expense, of which $400 was an out of period error. The Company determined that this adjustment was not material to any of the prior periods impacted.

The promissory notes contain certain events of default, including, without limitation, non-payment, breaches of certain covenants of the Company, bankruptcy, and insolvency of the Company, or if the Company commences dissolution proceedings or otherwise ceases operations of its business. If an event of default occurs, the promissory notes may become due and payable. In connection with the bridge financings, the Company entered into warrant purchase agreements with each of the accredited investors pursuant to which the Company issued to such accredited investors warrants to purchase an aggregate of 1.40% of the issued and outstanding units of the Company on a fully-diluted basis at an exercise price of $0.01 per unit, provided, however, that if the effective time occurs on or prior to the maturity date, the warrants issued under the warrant purchase agreement shall be automatically converted into Class B Units of the Company immediately prior to the effective time and then shall be subsequently exchanged for merger consideration (i.e. shares of common stock of New GRIID) equal to an aggregate of 2.51% of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of New GRIID, on a fully diluted basis after giving effect to the merger, at an exercise price of $0.01 per share. The holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants through a cashless exercise, in whole or in part. The exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted and the number of shares of common stock or units to be issued upon exercise of the warrants will be adjusted upon the occurrence of, among other things, stock or unit splits or the merger or sale of the Company, or reclassification of New GRIID’s or GRIID’s capital. The warrants will expire on the five-year anniversary of date of issuance and are classified as a liability on the balance sheet.

In the third quarter 2023, two of the bridge financing loans were modified to extend the term of the loans an additional six months. The modifications were accounted for as a troubled debt restructuring under ASC 470-60 and accounted for on a prospective basis with interest expense for future periods to be computed by the interest method, using an effective interest rate. No gain or loss was recognized and no interest forgiven on the modifications noted.

 

18


For the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized total interest expense related to the Notes Payable and Tranche Loans of $21,029 and $22,711, respectively, which included amortization of the debt discount associated with the aforementioned warrants and supplemental warrants of $9,851 and $3,517, respectively.

Aggregate annual future maturities of the Loans as of September 30, 2023 are as follows:

 

Year

   Total  

Remainder of 2023

   $ 2,053  

2024

     10,295  

2025

     57,433  

2026

     —    
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 69,781  

Less: Unamortized debt discount

     (14,923

Plus: Capitalized interest

     5,645  
  

 

 

 

Total U.S. dollar notes payable, net

   $ 60,503  
  

 

 

 

11. Fair Value Hierarchy

Recurring fair value measurements

As of September 30, 2023, the fair value of the warrant liability measured on a recurring basis was as follows:

 

     Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Warrant Liability

   $ —        $ —        $ 94,768      $ 94,768  

The fair value of the warrant liability as of October 9, 2022 and at the dates of issuance and as of September 30, 2023 were determined via the fair value assessment method and included multiplying the related fixed percent of total equity value by the estimated number of shares upon immediate close of the transaction and multiplied the quoted market price of ADEX. The observable input of quoted prices for ADEX on the issuance dates and September 30, 2023 were as follows:

 

Date

   ADEX Share
Price
 

October 9, 2022

   $ 9.91  

December 31, 2022

   $ 10.11  

March 31, 2023

   $ 10.34  

June 30, 2023

   $ 10.56  

September 30, 2023

   $ 10.67  

The unobservable inputs on the issuance dates and September 30, 2023 were as follows:

 

     October 9 –
September 30, 2023
 

Management estimate of number of shares outstanding at closing

     67,867,422  

Management estimate of probability of Merger Agreement not being consummated

     de minimis  

Percentage of common shares at closing of Merger Agreement subject to warrants

     11.14

As of December 31, 2022, the fair value of the warrant liability measured on a recurring basis was as follows:

 

     Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Warrant Liability

   $ —        $ —        $ 76,423      $ 76,423  

 

19


The observable input of quoted prices for ADEX on the issuance dates and December 31, 2022 were as follows:

 

Date

   ADEX Share
Price
 

October 9, 2022

   $ 9.91  

December 31, 2022

   $ 10.11  

The unobservable inputs on the issuance dates and December 31, 2022 were as follows:

 

     October 9 -December
31, 2022
 

Management estimate of number of shares outstanding at closing

     67,867,422  

Management estimate of probability of Merger Agreement not being consummated

     de minimis  

Percentage of common shares at closing of Merger Agreement subject to warrants

     11.14

A summary of the changes in the Company’s warrant liability measured at fair value using significant observable inputs (Level 3) as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, was as follows:

 

     September 30,      December 31,  
     2023      2022  

Warrant liability, beginning balance

   $ 76,423      $ 29,820  

Change in fair value

     4,598        (15,770

Modification of warrants

     —          5,379  

Gain on termination of warrants

     —          (139

Issuance/cancellation of warrants

     13,747        57,133  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Warrant liability, ending balance

   $ 94,768      $ 76,423  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

For the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized a loss of $4,598 and $513 on the change in fair value of the warrant liability, respectively. The Company recorded a warrant issuance of $13,747 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Non-recurring fair value measurements

Cryptocurrencies

The Company tests cryptocurrency assets for impairment daily based upon Level 1 inputs, specifically, the lowest of day spot prices. The last impairment date for the Company’s cryptocurrency holdings during the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 was September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The Company measures the amount of impairment loss by comparing the fair value of the cryptocurrency assets to their carrying value on an awarded basis. To the extent an impairment loss is recognized, the loss establishes the new cost basis of the asset. Subsequent reversal of impairment losses is not permitted. The Company’s cryptocurrency holdings had an outstanding carrying balance of approximately $134 as of September 30, 2023, net of impairment losses incurred of $273 for the nine months ended. Per the development and operation agreement, the Company held cryptocurrency of $59 as of September 30, 2023, to be paid the future months.

Mining and Other Related Equipment

Whenever events or changes in circumstances dictate, or, minimally, on a quarterly basis, the Company tests its miners and other related equipment for impairment. Miners and the equipment associated with the miners are considered fully impaired if they are no longer usable or no longer contributing to the Company’s hash rate. For

 

20


the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company recorded no impairment associated with its mining and other related equipment. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company performed impairment testing of its mining and related revenue generating equipment. The price of bitcoin and related miner prices increased by 52% year over year and the undiscounted cash flows used in the recoverability test were more than the carrying amount of the long-lived asset group, which resulted in no impairment of the asset group as the carrying amount of the long-lived asset group was less than its fair value.

12. Common Units

As of September 30, 2023, the amount of accumulated members’ deficit attributable to Class A Units was ($99,611) and to Class B and Class C Units was ($24,903).

Liquidation

In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company or deemed liquidation event, eighty percent (80%) of distributions will be paid to the Class A Units pro rata in proportion to the holders’ respective interests, and twenty percent (20%) will be paid to the Class B and Class C Units until the Class A Unit holders have received the full amount of their initial capital contributions. Then, fifty percent (50%) will be paid to Class A Units, pro rata in proportion to the holders’ respective interests, and fifty percent (50%) will be paid to the Class B and Class C Units until the Class A Unit holders have received total distributions equal to three (3) times their initial capital contributions. Thereafter, distributions will be paid pro rata among all the Units in proportion to the holders’ respective interests.

13. Unit-based Compensation

On April 14, 2021, the Board of Managers (the “Board”) adopted the GRIID Infrastructure Equity Plan LLC Profits Interest Plan (the “Plan”). Under the terms of the Plan, Incentive Units (“IUs”) may be granted to employees of the Company as well as officers, consultants, or other service providers of the Company (each, a “Participant”). Upon approval of the Plan, the Company reserved a pool of 2,500,000 IUs. As of September 30, 2023, the Board had approved 2,413,367 IUs, leaving 86,633 IUs available for grant.

The IU activity under the Plan for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, was as follows:

 

     September 30,      September 30,  
     2023      2022  

Unvested December 31

     754,986        1,557,911  

Vested

     (436,697      (602,295

Forfeited

     —          (29,166
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Unvested September 30

     318,289        926,450  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Expense related to the IUs is recognized over the vesting period of each IU. The Company has elected to recognize forfeitures as they occur. For the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, the Company recognized $26 and $33 of unit-based compensation expense related to the IUs. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, the Company recognized $72 and $99 of unit-based compensation expense related to the IUs. This expense is included within general and administrative expense on the unaudited consolidated statements of operations.

As of September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, there remained $56 and $167 of unrecognized compensation expense related to the IUs. That cost is expected to be recognized over the remaining weighted average vesting period of 1.27 years and 1.09 years for September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

 

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The total fair value of IUs vested (based on grant date fair value) as of September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively was $398 and $284.

14. Commitments and Contingencies

Power Agreements

On January 1, 2020 Union Data entered into a Power Supply Contract with KUB for a five-year term, automatically renewable for one-year terms for an additional five years. Per the agreement, KUB is to supply power at 10 kw during on-peak times and 5,001 kw during off-peak times, per an agreed upon rate schedule. Payments are due monthly for the power provided. The point of delivery for power and energy is the point of interconnection of KUB’s facilities and Union Data’s facilities in Maynardville, Tennessee. The contract was amended effective May 1, 2020, to provide power supply of on-peak 200 kw and off-peak 6,800 kw.

On September 28, 2020, Red Dog entered into a Contract for Lighting and Power Service with a certain energy provider for electricity for the operation of the data center in Limestone, Tennessee. For the first six months, the parties agreed to off-peak demand of 30kw and a maximum not to exceed 5,001 kw. Beginning with the 7th month, the contract will have an off-peak demand of 25,001 kw and a maximum demand of 25,001 kw for the duration. The term of the contract is for five years and six months, beginning approximately on December 1,2020. Bills will be rendered monthly based on the currently effective standard rate schedule applicable to consumers of the same class. If service is disconnected before the end of the contract term, Red Dog shall be required to pay the minimum bill per the rate schedule times the number of months remaining on the contract term. The contract was subsequently amended in October 2020 through March 2021 to adjust the on-peak/ off-peak demands.

On May 1, 2022, Ava Data entered into a Contract for Power Service with Lenoir City Utilities Board (LCUB) for electricity for the operation of the facility in Lenoir City, Tennessee. LCUB will make available up to a maximum of 5,001 KW of firm power during the hours designated as on-peak hours per the agreed upon rate schedule, which amount shall be the “on-peak contract demand,” and LCUB will make available to Company 5,001 KW of firm power during the hours designated as off-peak hours in the agreed upon rate schedule, which amount shall be the “off-peak contract demand”. LCUB has agreed to install a primary meter for service with the point of delivery for electric power supplied, which shall be at the primary bushings of the transformer furnished by LCUB. The term of the agreement five years from date of installation of permanent service, and the term shall be automatically extended from time to time for a period of one year from each expiration date unless and until either party shall notify the other in writing 90 days prior to any expiration date of its desire to terminate the agreement on such expiration date. Ava Data agrees to pay a minimum charge for the term of the agreement, which minimum shall be subject to change in accordance with the provisions of the applicable rate schedule then in effect. LCUB shall have the right to terminate its obligation to provide any further service under this agreement at any time for any breach or default on the part of Ava Data in which event there shall immediately become due and payable to LCUB, as liquidated damages on account of LCUB’s investment obligations for Ava Data’s benefit by reason of the agreement, the sum of the minimum monthly bills for the unexpired term of the agreement.

Site Location and Development Agreement (“SLDA”)

On September 28, 2020, Red Dog entered into a Site Location and Development Agreement with a certain energy provider. Under the agreement, Red Dog arranged to establish and operate a high-density data center that would utilize electric power and energy purchased from the energy provider with an anticipated peak demand of 25 megawatts (the “Project”). Red Dog intends to establish the Project within the electric system service area of the energy provider, to be located on a site that is adjacent to a certain substation of the energy provider in Limestone, Tennessee. Under the agreement, the energy provider is responsible, at Red Dog’s expense, for planning, designing, and installing all facilities and equipment that are necessary to provide electricity to the Project site. The preliminary

 

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estimate of Project costs per the agreement was $1,284 less a $270 discount and economic development credit and one-time additional credit (the “Incentive”) of $100, resulting in a net estimated Project cost total of $914. Red Dog is responsible for paying final Project costs, even if they exceed this estimate. Red Dog is responsible to pay the energy provider for any costs in excess of $600 within 30 days of receipt of the itemized invoice. The remaining $600 balance for Project costs will be paid by Red Dog to the energy provider in 12 equal monthly increments, with the first increment due on the 25th month following the completion of the work. In consideration of this extended payment period, Red Dog was required to provide an irrevocable standby letter of credit in the amount of $600 to guarantee payment of Project costs, net of discount and incentives. The project was completed on September 29, 2021 for a total cost of $1,075, for which the Company has recorded a corresponding payable to the energy provider. In accordance with ASC 835-30-45, Interest – Imputation of Interest, the Company recorded a discount on the loan payable to the energy provider of $235 using the Company’s incremental borrowing rate of 4.5%, which is being amortized to non-cash interest expense using the effective interest rate method over the term of the loan to its date of maturity. The Company had begun making payments on this loan in at $50 per month, with total payments as of September 30, 2023 at $300.

In the event that the Site Location and Development Agreement, the Power Contract, or the Ground Lease (see Note 6) is terminated prior to five years and nine months from the date of signature of the Power Contract, other than for default of the energy provider, the Company shall be responsible for immediately repaying the full incentive ($100) to the energy provider as of the date one or more such agreements terminate. As of September 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company did not believe it was probable that it would terminate any of the contracts prior to five years and nine months from the date of signature of the Power Contract and thus did not record a contingent liability.

Supply Agreement

On September 8, 2021, the Company entered into a supply agreement (the “Supply Agreement”) with Intel. Under the Supply Agreement, the Company has committed to purchasing a certain number of units of mining- related equipment as defined in the Supply Agreement. In exchange for the vendor reserving these units, the Company paid a supply reservation deposit (the “Deposit”) of $10,000, which was included in long-term deposits on the audited consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2021. The Company had from June 2022 to May 2023 to place orders against the reserved units. The Deposit will be applied as a credit against the price of the units as the Company places orders with the vendor. Subsequently, effective September 9, 2022, the Company and Intel amended the Supply Agreement to, among other things, fully credit the Deposit against orders placed, with no additional cash payment due for 885,000 units. As of September 30, 2023, all orders on the equipment had been placed and shipped accordingly and the balance of this deposit was $0.

Data Black River Development and Operation Agreement

On August 31, 2021, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary Data Black River, entered into a development and operation agreement (the “HDP Agreement”) with Helix Digital Partners (“HDP”), an affiliate of Eagle Creek Renewable Energy (“Eagle Creek”). Pursuant to the HDP Agreement, Data Black River is obligated to provide services for the development and operation of a bitcoin mining facility located within the premises of HDP in Brownville, New York (the “HDP Facility”). In connection with the HDP Agreement, HDP and an affiliate of HDP have entered into a power purchase agreement, pursuant to which such affiliate has agreed to supply up to 20MW of power to the HDP Facility. Under the HDP Agreement, Data Black River receives a monthly management fee for the performance of mining services (at a rate of $25 per month payable in bitcoin). In the event that mining revenues exceed the monthly management fee, the Company accrues an additional revenue share amount within mining services revenue based upon the contractual allocation to the Company.

HDP has the right to curtail supply of electricity to the mines and sell electricity to the market with reasonable notice to Data Black River (“Curtailment Period”). In connection with any Curtailment Period, HDP shall

 

23


distribute 25% of the forgone mining revenue to Data Black River. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, Data Black River earned $0 and $461, respectively, related to curtailment revenue.

The Company records all revenue based on the bitcoin spot rate at contract inception and all revenue share amounts earned within mining services revenue. The management fee is accounted for in mining services revenue, and all other forms of revenue, including curtailment revenue, are accounted for in other revenue. The amount of total mining revenues that exceeded the monthly management fee was $0 and $323 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The HDP Agreement has an initial term of 3 years and thereafter automatically renews for successive one-year renewal periods unless either party gives notice at least 60 days prior to the end of the initial term or any renewal term. The HDP Agreement also allows either party to terminate the HDP Agreement upon notice to the other party if mining revenues drop below a certain amount over a consecutive 90-day period or if mining revenues are insufficient to cover management fees owed to Data Black River and electricity fees owed to HDP for three consecutive months. The amount paid for electricity costs to HDP was $32 and $298 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The amount accrued to HDP for their portion of revenue for each period was $24 and $474 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Note that at contract inception, the Company determined it was probable that a significant reversal in the amount of cumulative revenue would occur related to the revenue share. Therefore, given that the Company has determined that the HDP Agreement represents a series in accordance with ASC 606-10-25-15, the management fee revenue is recognized over time upon completion of the daily performance obligation and revenue share is recognized when the constraint is lifted. The Company decreases mining services revenue for HDP’s allocation of the revenue share, and a corresponding payable for the portion of revenue share allocated to HDP.

Mining Services Agreement

On March 21, 2022, the Company entered into a Mining Services Agreement (the “Mining Services Agreement”) with Blockchain Access UK Ltd (“Customer”), the Company’s lender. During the term of the Mining Services Agreement, the Company will receive, install, operate, manage, and maintain servers and power supplies provided by Customer (“Customer Mining Equipment”) to perform mining services (the “Mining Services”) at a Company facility located in Lenoir City, Tennessee (the “Premises”). All operation of the Customer Mining Equipment by the Company will be on the Customer’s behalf. Beginning March 2022 and at monthly intervals thereafter for the following nine months, Customer will provide the Company with Customer Mining Equipment for installation at the Premises. The Company is to make all necessary improvements and developments to the Premises to accommodate the Customer Mining Equipment to enable it to operate in accordance with the requirements of the Mining Services Agreement, and to complete installation and commence full operation of such Customer Mining Equipment. If the Company fails to complete the infrastructure development and equipment installation by the planned operational date, as defined in the agreement, or fails to commence full operation of Customer Mining Equipment at an alternative temporary facility, the Company will pay to the Customer a late development fee which is intended to compensate the Customer for the generated digital assets that would have been paid to the Customer if the Company had completed the infrastructure development and equipment installation by the planned operational date. Throughout the term of the Mining Services Agreement, the Company will be responsible for the management and maintenance of the Customer Mining Equipment.

Following the end of each twenty-four-hour period during the term of the Mining Services Agreement, the Company will deposit 95% of the generated cryptocurrency from the Mining Services into the Customer’s digital wallet and 5% of the generated cryptocurrency (representing the Company’s fees for performance of the Mining Services) into the Company’s digital wallet. Under the Mining Services Agreement, the Company is to invoice the Customer monthly for the electricity charges associated with the Mining Services related to the Customer Mining Equipment, without premium or markup, which amounted to $4,892 and $1,480 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The Company is to also invoice the Customer monthly for the Customer’s operating expense charges as defined in the Mining Services Agreement, which amounted to $499

 

24


and $622 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Reimbursement revenues related to electricity costs and operating expenses are recorded within mining services revenue on the Statement of Operations. The Mining Services Agreement is scheduled to expire on February 28, 2027.

The Company signed an updated Mining Services Agreement on October 9, 2022, which changed the terms of how the Company will be reimbursed for mining expenses. Per the amended agreement, a $1,000 payment is made by the Customer one month in advance as prepayment for the reimbursement of direct operating and electricity costs. Given that the period between when the Company transfers the promised service to the customer and when the customer pays for this service is less than one year, the advance payment does not represent a significant financing component. Therefore, reimbursement payments are considered reimbursement revenues.

Direct costs incurred and reimbursed are also recorded as cost of goods sold. The Company records its revenue related to the 5% revenue share of the generated cryptocurrency under the Mining Services Agreement on a gross basis under mining services revenue on the Statement of Operations, as the Company represents the principal in relation to the contract as it controls the promised service before transferring that service to the Customer. Note that at contract inception, the Company determined it was probable that a significant reversal in the amount of cumulative revenue would occur related to the revenue share and reimbursement revenues. Therefore, given that the Company has determined that the Contract represents a series in accordance with ASC 606-10-25-15, revenue is recognized over time upon completion of the daily performance obligation as the constraint on variable revenue is lifted. The Company has determined that no embedded lease exists in the Mining Services Agreement.

Share Subscription Facility

On September 9, 2022, ADEX and the Company entered into the Share Purchase Agreement with the Purchaser and GYBL relating to a share subscription facility. Pursuant to the Share Purchase Agreement, following the consummation of the Merger, subject to certain conditions and limitations set forth in the Share Purchase Agreement, the Company shall have the right, but not the obligation, from time to time at its option, to issue and sell to the Purchaser up to $200,000 million of the Company’s shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Shares”). Sales of the Shares to the Purchaser under the Share Purchase Agreement, and the timing of any sales, will be determined by the Company from time to time in its sole discretion and will depend on a variety of factors, including, among other things, market conditions, the trading price of the Shares and determinations by the Company regarding the use of proceeds of such Shares. The net proceeds from any sales under the Share Purchase Agreement will depend on the frequency with, and prices at, which the Shares are sold to the Purchaser. The Company expects to use the proceeds from any sales under the Share Purchase Agreement for working capital and general corporate purposes. Upon the initial satisfaction of the conditions to the Purchaser’s obligation to purchase Shares set forth in the Share Purchase Agreement, the Company will have the right, but not the obligation, from time to time at its sole discretion during the 36-month period from and after the first day on which the Shares are publicly listed on a securities exchange, to direct the Purchaser to purchase up to a specified maximum amount of Shares as set forth in the Share Purchase Agreement. The purchase price of the Shares that the Company elects to sell to the Purchaser pursuant to the Share Purchase Agreement will be 92% of the average daily closing price of the Shares during a 30-trading day period commencing with the first trading day designated in the notice delivered to the Purchaser. In connection with the execution of the Share Purchase Agreement, the Company agreed to pay to the Purchaser in installments in connection with placements of Shares under the Share Purchase Agreement a $4,000 commitment fee (the “Commitment Fee”) payable in Shares or cash, as consideration for the Purchaser’s irrevocable commitment to purchase the Shares upon the terms and subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in the Share Purchase Agreement. Also, the Company will be obligated to issue to the Purchaser a warrant (the “Warrant”) expiring on the third anniversary of the Company’s public listing date, to purchase 2% of the total equity interests (on a fully diluted basis) outstanding immediately after the completion of the Merger, at an exercise price per Share equal to the lesser of: (i) the closing bid price of the Company’s Shares as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on September 9, 2022) and (ii) 90% of the closing price of the Shares on the public listing date. Additionally, pursuant to the Share Purchase Agreement, the Company would be obligated to pay a private transaction fee of 1% of the total

 

25


consideration paid in a private business combination transaction with a counterparty that was introduced to the Company by the Purchaser or an affiliate of the Purchaser in the event that the Company consummates such a transaction in lieu of the Merger or any other business combination transaction the result of which is the Company continuing as a publicly listed company. The Share Purchase Agreement contains customary representations, warranties, conditions, and indemnification obligations by each party. The representations, warranties and covenants contained in the Share Purchase Agreement were made only for purposes of the Share Purchase Agreement and as of specific dates, were solely for the benefit of the parties to the Share Purchase Agreement and are subject to certain important limitations. The Company has the right to terminate the Share Purchase Agreement at any time upon 90 trading days’ prior written notice. In the event the Company terminates the Share Purchase Agreement at its option prior to any public listing (including as a result of the Merger) and the Company completes a public listing within the two-year period following such termination, the Company will be obligated to issue the Warrant to the Purchaser.

Evaluation Agreement

The Company entered into an evaluation agreement with Hephaestus Capital Group (“Owner”) on April 17, 2023, and with Low Time Preference Fund II LLC (“Owner”) on September 25, 2023, both for a term of six months. Under these agreements, the Company tests the hashrate of the Owner’s miners and will provide an evaluation report thereafter. Based on a discussion with the Company’s operations team, the Hephaestus miners are expected to be operational over the course of the second and third quarter of 2023 and the Low Time Preference Fund miners are expected to be operational over the course of the fourth quarter of 2023. They will be tested for a period of approximately six months. The Company has an obligation to perform all services necessary to install, operate, test and maintain the miners. For this service, the Company retains all of the mining rewards received. The Company is not providing a series of distinct evaluation services over the contract term and will utilize the point in time recognition of revenue upon mined bitcoin generated by the miners being tested.

Litigation

From time to time, the Company may be a party to various claims in the normal course of business. Legal fees and other costs associated with such actions are expensed as incurred. The Company assesses, in conjunction with its legal counsel, the need to record a liability for litigation and contingencies. Reserve estimates are recorded when and if it is determined that a loss related matter is both probable and reasonably estimable.

On November 15, 2021, Washington County, Tennessee (the “County”) filed a complaint (Civil Action No. 21-CV-0664) (the “Zoning Complaint”) against Johnson City Energy Authority d/b/a BrightRidge (“BrightRidge”), alleging that Red Dog, as leasehold user of the property in Limestone, Tennessee owned by BrightRidge and subject to the Zoning Complaint, is in violation of County zoning rules by operating a blockchain verification data center on such property. The County sought an injunction of the operation by Red Dog of its blockchain verification data center on the property. BrightRidge subsequently filed a Motion to Dismiss for the failure to name a necessary party, Red Dog, as a defendant. On November 22, 2021, Red Dog filed a Motion to Intervene as a Party Defendant in connection with the Zoning Complaint.

On November 2, 2023, Red Dog, BrightRidge and the County entered into a settlement agreement pursuant to which: (i) Red Dog is allowed to operate its blockchain verification data center in Limestone, Tennessee through no later than March, 2026; (ii) Red Dog paid Washington County an upfront fine of $12,500 following entry of a court order dismissing the case; (iii) for each day that the blockchain verification data center continues to operate after entry of such order, Red Dog must pay Washington County $100, (iv) Red Dog will have 120 days from when it ceases operation to remove its equipment from the Limestone site; and (v) Red Dog and BrightRidge will pay for internet service for those Limestone residents that live near the Limestone site, splitting the expected cost of $150,000 evenly. On November 8, 2023, the Chancery Court for Washington County issued an order dismissing the case.

 

26


Indemnifications

In the ordinary course of business, the Company often includes standard indemnification provisions in its arrangements with its partners, suppliers, and vendors. Pursuant to these provisions, the Company may be obligated to indemnify such parties for losses or claims suffered or incurred in connection with its service, breach of representations or covenants, intellectual property infringement or other claims made against such parties.

These provisions may limit the time within which an indemnification claim can be made. It is not possible to determine the maximum potential amount under these indemnification obligations due to the limited history of prior indemnification claims and the unique facts and circumstances involved in each agreement. To date, the Company has not incurred any material costs as a result of such indemnifications and has not accrued any liabilities related to such obligations in these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

15. Related-Party Transactions

On April 17, 2021, the Company entered into an engagement letter and an incentive unit award agreement with an entity affiliated with John D’Agostino, ADEX’s Chief Financial Officer. The engagement letter was amended on November 14, 2022. Pursuant to the engagement letter, as amended, and incentive unit award agreement, the Company agreed to pay to such entity $400 and grant such entity units representing a 0.5% profit interest in the Company. The cash payment is considered to be earned as of April 26, 2022 and is payable on consummation of the merger, provided that if the vesting of the units representing the 0.5% profit interest are accelerated pursuant to the terms of the incentive award agreement governing such profit interest, then the cash payment shall become payable on such earlier date of the event causing vesting of the profit interest to be so accelerated. The units will vest as to one-fourth on April 26, 2022, and 1/36th on the 17th day of each month thereafter, subject to such entity’s continued service through such vesting dates; provided, however, that any unvested units shall fully vest upon a qualifying transaction. The company estimated the liability related to this transaction is $12 using Black Scholes option pricing model.

On August 31, 2021, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary Data Black River, entered into the HDP Agreement with HDP, an affiliate of Eagle Creek (see Note 13). Neal Simmons, who is contemplated to serve on the Company’s board of directors immediately following the closing of its anticipated transaction with a SPAC, is the current President and Chief Executive Officer of Eagle Creek. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company recorded utilities expenses related to the revenue share arrangement of $28 and $261. The amount included in accounts payable and accrued expenses related to the HDP Agreement at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 was $59 and $5, respectively.

16. Subsequent Events

The Company has evaluated subsequent events from the unaudited consolidated balance sheet date through December 22, 2023, the date at which the unaudited consolidated financial statements were issued and determined that there are no items to disclose other than those included below.

On July 1, 2023, the Company entered an amended and restated promissory note with ADEX, pursuant to which the Company agreed to advance ADEX up to $1,800 to fund payments related to the extension of the date by which ADEX must complete the merger. As of December 22, 2023, the Company has advanced an additional total of $180 to ADEX under the amended and restated promissory note. Interest accrues from the applicable borrowing date on the outstanding principal balance at a rate per annum equal to the Applicable Federal Rate set forth by the Internal Revenue Service. All unpaid principal and accrued and unpaid interest under the amended and restated promissory note is due and payable in full on the earlier of (i) the date on which a definitive decision to liquidate ADEX is made by its board of directors, and (ii) the effective date of the merger involving the ADEX and the Company pursuant to the Merger Agreement.

 

27


In the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company completed additional private placements notes with certain accredited investors pursuant to which the Company issued promissory notes in the aggregate principal face amount of $7,520 and a recognition of warrant liability of $13,776. The promissory notes have an interest rate of 15.0% per annum. These notes are subject to mandatory or optional repayments, the outstanding principal amount of the promissory notes, together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, is due at various maturity dates. In December 2023, the Company updated $15,213 of the private placement notes to extend the maturity dates out to 2025.

On November 8, 2023, the Company settled the litigation with the Washington County Commission, refer to Note 14 for settlement details.

 

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Exhibit 99.2

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Unless the context indicates otherwise, references in this unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information to the “Company,” “GRIID,” “we,” “us,” “our” and similar terms refer to GRIID Infrastructure Inc. (f/k/a Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp.) and its consolidated subsidiaries. References to “Adit” refer to our predecessor company prior to the Merger. References to “Old GRIID” refer to Griid Holdco LLC prior to the Merger and our wholly owned subsidiary upon the consummation of the Merger. Capitalized terms used in this exhibit 99.2 and not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company on January 2, 2024, to which this exhibit is filed.

Introduction

The following unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information is provided to you to aid in your analysis of the financial aspects of the Merger as described in the Merger Agreement. The following unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information has been prepared in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation S-X as amended by the final rule, Release No. 33-10786 “Amendments to Financial Disclosures about Acquired and Disposed Businesses.”

The following unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet of the Company as of September 30, 2023 and the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statements of operations of the Company for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and for the year ended December 31, 2022 present the combination of the financial information of Adit and Old GRIID and its subsidiaries after giving effect to the Merger and related adjustments described in the accompanying notes (the “Pro Forma Transactions”). See the accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed combined pro forma financial information for a discussion of assumptions made.

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and for the year ended December 31, 2022 give pro forma effect to the Pro Forma Transactions as if they were completed on January 1, 2022. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet as of September 30, 2023 gives pro forma effect to the Pro Forma Transactions as if they were completed on September 30, 2023.

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements have been developed from and should be read in conjunction with:

 

   

the accompanying notes to the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements;

 

   

Adit’s audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the related notes;

 

   

Adit’s unaudited interim consolidated financial statements as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and the related notes;

 

   

Old GRIID’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the related notes;

 

   

Old GRIID’s unaudited interim financial statements as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and the related notes; and

 

   

other information related to Adit and Old GRIID included in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 2, 2024, to which this exhibit is filed, including the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and other financial information.

Description of the Merger

On December 29, 2023, Adit consummated a merger (the “Closing”) with Old GRIID, pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 29, 202, as amended on December 23, 2021, October 17, 2022, and

 

1


February 8, 2023 (as amended, the “Merger Agreement”). Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, (i) Merger Sub merged with and into Old GRIID, with Old GRIID as the surviving company in the merger and, after giving effect to such merger, continuing as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Merger”) and (ii) Adit’s name was changed from “Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp.” to “GRIID Infrastructure Inc.”

Parties to the Merger

Adit

Adit was a blank check company incorporated in Delaware for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses.

On December 26, 2023, the Company, acting pursuant to authorization from its Board of Directors, notified the NYSE American of its intention to voluntarily withdraw the listing of its common stock, units and Public Warrants from the NYSE American. On January 2, 2024, the Company received a notification from the NYSE American stating that the staff of NYSE Regulation has determined to commence proceedings to delist the Company’s common stock, units and Public Warrants (collectively, the “Securities”) pursuant to Section 119(f) of the NYSE American Company Guide because the Company consummated a business combination transaction without the required authorization from the NYSE American. At this time, the Securities have been suspended from trading and will not continue to trade on the NYSE American. As indicated in the notification, the Company has a right to a review of the delisting determination by a Listings Qualifications Panel of the Committee for Review of the Board of Directors of the Exchange Committee of the Board of Directors of the NYSE American, provided a written request for such review is requested no later than January 9, 2024. The Company does not intend to make such a request. On January 2, 2024, our common stock began trading on Cboe Canada under the symbol “GRDI,” and on January 3, 2024 our common stock and Public Warrants began to be quoted on the OTC Pink under the symbols “GRDI” and “GRDI.WS”, respectively.

Merger Sub

Merger Sub was a Delaware limited liability company and wholly owned direct subsidiary of Adit formed on November 24, 2021. On December 29, 2023, in the Merger, Merger Sub merged with and into Old GRIID, and the separate limited liability company existence of Merger Sub ceased and Old GRIID, as the surviving company of the Merger, continued its existence under the Limited Liability Company Act of the State of Delaware as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.

GRIID

GRIID is an emerging American infrastructure company in the bitcoin mining sector. GRIID employs a vertically integrated self-mining strategy to develop and operate U.S.-based mining facilities that generate bitcoin. GRIID’s current business plan does not include the expansion of its mining operations to include digital assets other than bitcoin, or any other activities with, or the holding of, any other cryptocurrencies other than bitcoin, and GRIID does not anticipate any changes to its business plan for the foreseeable future. As of the date hereof, GRIID has 68MW of available electrical capacity in its New York facility and its three Tennessee facilities (48MW of which are at dedicated self-mining sites and 20MW of which are subject to the Mining Services Agreement), and GRIID believes that it is well-positioned to grow its capacity to 436MW by the end of 2024. GRIID’s mining operations currently utilize ASICs manufactured by two leading companies, Bitmain and MicroBT. GRIID has also purchased ASICs manufactured by Intel, which it anticipates integrating into its operations. GRIID has begun the process of developing a carbon-free focused power pipeline including 1300MW of power capacity subject to memoranda of understanding and letters of intent, land acquisition, and infrastructure procurement. GRIID’s existing facilities utilize approximately 67% carbon-free power, and expects that its facilities will utilize approximately more than 90% carbon-free power by the end of 2024. These carbon-free levels are based solely on generation type and not from offsets or carbon credits and can therefore be materially improved.

The Merger

At the Closing of the Merger, the limited liability company membership interests of Merger Sub were converted into an equivalent limited liability company membership interest in post-Merger Old GRIID and each limited liability company membership unit of Old GRIID issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time

 

2


of the Merger were automatically converted into and became the right to receive such unit’s share, as determined in accordance with the Merger Agreement, of 58,500,000 shares of our common stock.

The Merger consideration issued to the Old GRIID equity holders at the Closing of the Merger pursuant to the Merger Agreement had an implied value of $585,000,000 and was paid in shares of Adit common stock.

As a result of the Merger, the ownership of the Company by the holders of the common stock issued in Adit’s IPO (“IPO Shares”), the initial stockholders of Adit and the Old GRIID equity holders was as follows:

 

   

the holders of IPO Shares own 216,298 shares of our common stock, representing 0.3% of the Company’s total outstanding shares of common stock;

 

   

the initial stockholders own 6,900,000 shares of our common stock, representing 10.5% of our total outstanding shares of common stock, of which 6,832,500 shares of common stock, representing 10.4% of our total outstanding shares of common stock, are held by the Sponsor; and

 

   

the Old GRIID equity holders own 58,500,000 shares of our common stock, representing 89.2% of our total outstanding shares of common stock.

The ownership percentages set forth above do not take into account any warrants that were outstanding as of the Closing and may be exercised thereafter.

In connection with the Closing, we, along with the initial stockholders of Adit and certain Old GRIID members entered into an investor rights agreement to provide for certain registration rights related to the shares of Adit common stock, private placement warrants of Adit and the Working Capital Warrants. We agreed to, among other things, file within 30 days of Closing a resale shelf registration statement covering the resale of all registrable securities under the investor rights agreement.

Accounting for the Merger

The Merger was accounted for as a reverse recapitalization in accordance with GAAP. Under this method of accounting, Adit is treated as the acquired company and Old GRIID is treated as the acquiror for financial statement reporting purposes since (i) following the Merger, we are governed by a board of directors consisting of four members that were initially appointed by Old GRIID and three initially that were appointed by Adit; (ii) the Old GRIID equity holders represent a majority of the voting power of the Company; (iii) Old GRIID’s operations prior to the Merger constituted the only ongoing operations of the Company; (iv) Old GRIID’s senior management constitutes a majority of the senior management of the Company; and (v) Old GRIID was significantly larger than Adit in terms of revenue, total assets (excluding cash) and employees. Accordingly, for accounting purposes, the financial statements of the combined company will represent a continuation of the consolidated financial statements of Old GRIID with the acquisition being treated as the equivalent of Old GRIID issuing shares for the net assets of Adit, accompanied by a recapitalization. The net assets of Adit will be stated at historical cost, with no goodwill or other intangible assets recorded.

Basis of Pro Forma Presentation

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements have been presented for illustrative purposes only and do not necessarily reflect what GRIID Infrastructure Inc.’s financial condition or results of operations would have been had the Merger occurred on the dates indicated. Further, the unaudited pro forma combined financial information also may not be useful in predicting the future financial condition and results of operations of the Company. The actual financial position and results of operations may differ significantly from the pro forma amounts reflected herein due to a variety of factors. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information also does not give effect to the potential impact of any anticipated synergies, operating efficiencies or cost savings that may result from the Pro Forma Transactions. The unaudited pro forma adjustments represent management’s estimates based on information available as of the date of these unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements and are subject to change as additional information becomes available and analyses are performed. However, management believes that the assumptions provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects of the Pro Forma Transactions as contemplated and that the pro forma

 

3


adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions and are properly applied in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statement.

The related transactions that are given pro forma effect include:

 

   

The effects of the Merger between Adit and Old GRIID,

 

   

Additional notes payable issued during the fourth quarter of 2023,

 

   

Notes payable amended during the fourth quarter of 2023,

 

   

An initial $25 million draw on the GEM facility, which is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2024, and

 

   

The repayment of approximately $5 million of notes payable and related accrued interest, which is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2024.

The following summarizes the pro forma number of our common stock valued at $10.00 per share as of the Closing, including the potential dilutive effect of the exercise or vesting of warrants:

 

     Weighted average
shares outstanding,
basic and diluted
 

Adit Sponsor Shares

     6,900,000  

Adit IPO Shares

     216,298  

Initial draw on GEM Facility (assumed purchase price of $9.20)

     2,717,391  

GEM Warrants (strike price of $4.84)

     1,733,726  

GRIID Stockholders

     58,500,000  
  

 

 

 

Total Shares Outstanding at Closing

     70,067,415  

Potentially Dilutive Shares:

  

Conversion of Related Party Payables (strike price of $11.50)

     —    

Public Warrants (strike price of $11.50)

     —    

Private Warrants (strike price of $11.50)

     —    
  

 

 

 

Total Pro Forma Fully Diluted Shares

     70,067,415  
  

 

 

 

 

4


Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Balance Sheet

September 30, 2023

(dollars in thousands)

 

     Adit
(Historical)
     GRIID
(Historical)
     Transaction
Accounting
Adjustments
(see Note 3)
           Pro Forma
Combined
 

ASSETS

             

Current assets

             

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 226      $ 491      $ 6,508       (I)      $ 7,180  
           (20,045     (A)     
           25,000       (C)     
           (5,000     (J)     

Other receivables

     —          220        —            220  

Note receivable

        1,439        (1,439     (W)        —    

Cryptocurrencies

     —          134        —            134  

Finance lease—right-of-use asset, current

     —          1        —            1  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     132        189        —            321  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total current assets

     358        2,474        5,024          7,856  

Cash and securities held in trust account

     21,522           (19,370     (Z)        —    
           (2,152     (B)     
        323        —            323  

Property and equipment, net

     —          32,227        —            32,227  

Operating lease right-of-use asset, non-current

     —          2,327        —            2,327  

Right-of-use asset-finance lease

     —          49        —            49  

Other non-current assets

     —          5,400        —            5,400  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 21,880      $ 42,800      $ (16,498      $ 48,182  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

LIABILITIES, COMMON STOCK SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE REDEMPTION AND STOCKHOLDERS’ (DEFICIT) EQUITY

             

Current liabilities

             

Accounts payable

     —          2,973        —            2,973  

Accrued offering costs and expenses

     6,305        —          (6,305     (D)        —    

Operating lease liability, current

     —          225        —            225  

Finance lease liability, current

     —          6        —            6  

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

     —          3,743        (2,198     (D)        1,545  

Income and excise taxes payable

     129        —          —            129  

Due to related party

     218        —          —            218  

Note payable, net

        8,388        (3,296     (I)        92  
           (5,000     (J)     

Interest bearing note

     1,439        —          (1,439     (W)        —    

Working capital loan – related party

     503        —          —            503  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     8,594        15,336        (18,238        5,692  

Deferred underwriting discount

     6,762        —          (6,762     (E)        —    

Warrant liability

     523        94,768        3,450       (T)        3,973  
           (94,768     (X)     

Notes payable, net

     —          52,115        9,804       (I)        61,919  

Payable to lessor-construction in progress

     —          271        —            271  

Unearned grant revenue

     —          195        —            195  

Operating lease liability

     —          2,167        —            2,167  

Finance lease liability

     —          94        —            94  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     15,879        164,946        (106,514        74,311  

 

5


     Adit
(Historical)
    GRIID
(Historical)
    Transaction
Accounting
Adjustments
(see Note 3)
           Pro Forma
Combined
 

Commitments and contingencies

           

Common stock subject to possible redemption

     21,851       —         (19,370     (Z)        —    
         (2,481     (Y)     

Stockholders’ equity (deficit)

           

Common stock

     1       —         (1     (F)        35  
         7       (H)     
         1       (X)     
         27       (C)     

Class A Units (1,740,000 units authorized, issued and outstanding)

     —         2,168       (2,168     (G)        —    

Class B Units (8,360,000 units authorized, 8,160,000
units issued and outstanding)

     —         200       (200     (G)        —    

Class C Units (2,500,000 units authorized, 2,418,000 issued, 749,598 outstanding)

     —         —         —            —    

Additional paid-in capital

     —         —         24,973       (C)        117,133  
         2,368       (G)     
         (7     (H)     
         1       (F)     
         (7,450     (T)     
         94,767       (X)     
         2,481       (Y)     

Accumulated deficit

     (15,851     (124,514     (6,931     (D)        (143,296
         4,000       (T)     
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ (deficit) equity

     (15,850     (122,146     111,867          (26,129
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total liabilities, common stock subject to possible redemption and stockholders’ equity

   $ 21,880     $ 42,800     $ (16,498      $ 48,182  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

6


For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023

(amounts in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

 

     Adit
(Historical)
    GRIID
(Historical)
    Transaction
Accounting
Adjustments
(see Note 3)
           Pro Forma
Combined
 

Revenue

     —       $ 14,070       —          $ 14,070  

Expenses

           

Operating expenses

     —         25,022       —            25,022  

Formation and operating costs

     2,298       —         —            2,298  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     2,298       25,022       —            27,320  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

Gain on disposal of property and equipment

     —         1,484       —            1,484  

Operating income (loss)

     (2,298     (9,468     —            (11,766

Other income (expense)

           

Gain (loss) on change in fair value of warrant liability

     (64     (4,598     —            (4,662

Gain on extinguishment – non-debt related

     —         375       —            375  

Other income, net of other expense

     645       453       (645     (K)        453  

Interest expense, net of interest income

     (21     (21,022     —            (21,043
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total other (expense) income

     560       (24,792     (645        (24,887
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net income (loss), before taxes

     (1,738     (34,260     (645        (36,643

Income tax expense (credit)

     115       (354     (187     (M)        (426
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ (1,853   $ (33,906   $ (458      $ (36,217
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted

     6,900,000           (N)        70,067,415  

Net income per share, basic and diluted

   $ 0.20           (N)      $ (0.52

 

7


Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Statement of Operation

For the Year Ended December 31, 2022

(amounts in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

 

     Adit
(Historical)
    GRIID
(Historical)
    Transaction
Accounting
Adjustments
(see Note 3)
           Pro Forma
Combined
 

Revenue

     —       $ 22,355       —          $ 22,355  

Expenses

           

Operating expenses

     —         42,084       —            42,084  

Formation and operating costs

     2,941       —         —            2,941  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     2,941       42,084       —            45,025  

Gain on disposal of property and equipment

     —         (16     —            (16
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

     (2,941     (19,745     —            (22,686

Other income (expense)

           

Loss on extinguishment of debt.

     —         (51,079     —            (51,079

Gain (loss) on change in fair value of warrant liability

     4,585       22,948       —            27,533  

Gain on termination of warrant

     —         139       —            139  

Other income, net of other expense

     3,984       200       (3,984     (K      200  

Interest expense, net of interest income

     —         (14,367     —            (14,367
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total other (expense) income

     8,569       (42,159     (3,984        (37,574
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net income (loss), before taxes

     5,628       (61,904     (3,984        (60,260

Income tax expense (credit)

     795       (298     (1,155     (M)        (658
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ 4,833     $ (61,606   $ (2,829      $ (59,602
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

 

Weighted average shares
outstanding, basic and diluted

     6,900,000           (N)        70,067,415  

Net loss per share, basic and diluted

   $ 0.14           (N)      $ (0.85

 

8


Notes to the Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements

Note 1—Basis of Presentation

The Merger has been accounted for as a reverse recapitalization in accordance with GAAP. Under this method of accounting, Adit is treated as the acquired company for financial reporting purposes, in accordance with the Financial Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification Topic 805, “Business Combinations” (“ASC 805”). Accordingly, for accounting purposes, the financial statements of the combined company represent a continuation of the consolidated financial statements of Old GRIID with the acquisition being treated as the equivalent of Old GRIID issuing shares for the net assets of Adit, accompanied by a recapitalization. The net assets of Old GRIID and Adit are stated at historical cost, with no goodwill or other intangible assets recorded.

Management has made significant estimates and assumptions in its determination of the pro forma adjustments. As the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information has been prepared based on these preliminary estimates, the final amounts recorded may differ materially from the information presented. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information does not give effect to any anticipated synergies, operating efficiencies, tax savings, or cost savings that may be associated with the Merger.

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet as of September 30, 2023 assumes that the Merger had been completed on September 30, 2023. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined statements of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and for the year ended December 31, 2022 give pro forma effect to the Merger as if it had been completed on January 1, 2022.

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet as of September 30, 2023 has been prepared using, and should be read in conjunction with, the following:

 

   

Adit’s unaudited balance sheet as of September 30, 2023 and the related notes; and

 

   

Old GRIID’s unaudited balance sheet as of September 30, 2023 and the related notes.

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 has been prepared using, and should be read in conjunction with, the following:

 

   

Adit’s unaudited statement of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and the related notes; and

 

   

Old GRIID’s unaudited consolidated statement of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and the related notes.

The unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022 has been prepared using, and should be read in conjunction with, the following:

 

   

Adit’s audited statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the related notes; and

 

   

Old GRIID’s audited consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the related notes.

Note 2—Accounting Policies

Based on an initial analysis in preparation for the Merger, management did not identify any differences between the two entities’ accounting policies that would have a material impact on the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information. As a result, the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information does not assume any differences in accounting policies. Upon consummation of the Merger, management performed a comprehensive review of the two entities’ accounting policies, and as a result of the

 

9


comprehensive review, management did not identify differences between the accounting policies of the two entities which, when conformed, could have a material impact on the financial statements of the Company.

Note 3 —Transaction Accounting Adjustments

The following describes the transaction accounting adjustments included in the unaudited pro forma financial statements presented herein, as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Adjustments to Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2023

The transaction accounting adjustments included in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet as of September 30, 2023 are as follows:

 

  (A)

To reflect the net cash proceeds from the business combination as follows (in thousands):

 

Release of Trust Account

     2,152       (B

Payment of transaction expenses

     (15,435     (D

Payment of deferred underwriting fee payable

     (6,762     (E
  

 

 

   

Cash

     (20,045     (A
  

 

 

   

 

  (B)

Reflects the liquidation and reclassification of cash and investments held in the trust account that became available for general use by the Company following the Merger.

 

  (C)

Reflects the anticipated draw on the GEM facility.

 

  (D)

Reflects payment of estimated total transaction costs including transaction costs which include legal, financial advisory and other professional fees related to the Merger. The transaction cost details are follows:

 

Transaction costs previously accrued

     8,503    

Deferred underwriting costs

     6,762       (E

Payment of other transaction expenses

     6,931    
  

 

 

   

Total

     22,197    
  

 

 

   

 

  (E)

Reflects the settlement of approximately $6.8 million of deferred underwriting fees incurred during Adit’s IPO that were contractually due upon completion of the Merger.

 

  (F)

Reflects the elimination of Adit’s common stock balances into additional paid in capital.

 

  (G)

Represents the elimination of Old GRIID’s Class A Units and Class B Units and the related issuance of GRIID Infrastructure Inc. common shares to such unitholders.

 

  (H)

Reflects the issuance of 70,156,323 shares of GRIID Infrastructure Inc. common stock issued in connection with the Closing of the transaction.

 

  (I)

Reflect additional notes issued and notes amended during the fourth quarter of 2023.

 

  (J)

Reflect repayment of notes following an assumed $25 million net draw on the GEM facility,

 

10


  (T)

Represents the estimated warrant liability and costs of equity associated with the GEM Share Purchase Agreement. The Company is assuming the potential for liability treatment based up underlying terms of the warrant. The assumptions used to measure the fair value of the warrant liability are as follows:

 

Volatility Rate

     40.0

Risk-free rate

     3.99

Expected term

     3.25  

Fair value of share

   $ 5.38  

 

  (W)

To eliminate intercompany note payable and receivable.

 

  (X)

To give consideration to reflect the Old GRIID warrants which converted to shares of GRIID Infrastructure Inc. common stock at the Closing.

 

  (Y)

To eliminate remaining Adit’s common stock subject to possible redemption.

 

  (Z)

To give consideration to the 1,783,728 shares redeemed in the fourth quarter of 2023 in connection with Adit’s vote of stockholders to approve the Merger.

Adjustments to Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Statements of Operations for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023 and for the Year Ended December 31, 2022

The pro forma adjustment included in the unaudited pro forma statements of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and for the year ended December 31, 2022 is as follows:

 

  (K)

Removes interest related to trust account, as liquidated at the beginning of the period presented.

 

  (M)

The pro forma income tax expense was calculated with a blended income tax provision of 29%, which is based upon an effective federal income tax rate of 21%, state income tax rate of 7.25% and city income tax rate of 8.85%.

 

  (N)

Represents the net income per share calculated using the GRIID Infrastructure Inc. shares of common stock issued at Closing in connection with the Pro Forma Transactions, assuming that the shares were outstanding since January 1, 2022. As the Pro Forma Transactions are being reflected as if they had occurred on January 1, 2022, which is the beginning of the earliest period presented, the calculation of weighted average shares outstanding for net income per share assumes that the shares issuable related to the Pro Forma Transactions have been outstanding for the entirety of the periods presented. Basic and diluted net income per share are presented as the same amounts, as the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statements of operations present pro forma net loss.

 

11

Exhibit 99.3

GRIID Infrastructure and Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp. Complete Business Combination

GRIID’s common stock expected to begin trading on Cboe Canada on Jan. 2, 2024, under ticker symbol “GRDI”

CINCINNATI, Dec. 29, 2023 — GRIID Infrastructure Inc. (“GRIID” or the “Company”), an American bitcoin mining company that leverages a low-cost, low-carbon energy mix to manage and operate vertically integrated bitcoin mining facilities, today announced that it completed its business combination with Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp. (“Adit EdTech”) (NYSE: ADEX, ADEX.U, and ADEX.WS), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company. Adit EdTech stockholders approved the business combination at a special meeting held on Nov. 30, 2023.

Following the business combination, the surviving company was renamed GRIID Infrastructure Inc. Beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, GRIID’s common stock is expected to trade on Cboe Canada, the new business name of the NEO Exchange, under the ticker symbol “GRDI,” and GRIID is seeking to list its common stock and warrants on a U.S. exchange.

A detailed description of the business combination can be found in the proxy statement/prospectus filed by Adit EdTech on Nov. 3, 2023, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and available at www.sec.gov, as well as Adit EdTech’s previous filings with the SEC and a current report on Form 8-K, which GRIID expects to file with the SEC within four business days following the closing of the business combination.

About GRIID Infrastructure Inc.

GRIID is a purpose-built bitcoin mining company, founded in 2018, that has operated mining facilities since 2019. GRIID has built long-term power relationships securing affordable, reliable, environmentally responsible power, enabling a vertically integrated self-mining business model with significant growth opportunity. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, GRIID operates a R&D center in Austin, Texas and a development, deployment and equipment repair center in Rutledge, Tennessee. GRIID currently maintains mining facilities in Watertown, New York; Limestone, Maynardville and Lenoir City, Tennessee. To learn more, please visit www.griid.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and generally relate to future events or the Company’s future financial or other performance metrics. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “potentially,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “target,” “plan,” “expect,” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Such forward-looking statements, including statements regarding GRIID’s growth and prospects and GRIID’s expectations regarding the listing of its securities on stock exchanges, are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by GRIID


and its management, are inherently uncertain and subject to material change. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, various factors beyond management’s control, including general economic conditions and other risks, uncertainties and factors set forth in GRIID’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the registration statement on Form S-4 filed by Adit EdTech in connection with the business combination, as well as factors associated with companies, such as GRIID, that are engaged in bitcoin mining, including anticipated trends, growth rates, and challenges in those businesses and in the markets in which they operate; market acceptance of bitcoin; reliance on third parties, including utility providers, for the reliable and sufficient supply of electrical power to GRIID’s infrastructure; and the ability to stay in compliance with laws and regulations that currently apply or become applicable to bitcoin. Nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements in this press release, which speak only as of the date they are made and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the cautionary statements herein. GRIID expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in GRIID’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

Cboe Canada has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Media Contact:

Malory Van Guilder

Skyya PR

+1 651-335-0585

GRIID@skyya.com

Investor Contact:

Jim Golden

Collected Strategies

+1 646-354-7698

griid-cs@collectedstrategies.com

Company Contact:

Harry Sudock

GRIID Infrastructure

+1-615-854-7556

harry@griid.com

Exhibit 99.4

GRIID Common Stock Listed on Cboe Canada after Completion of Business Combination

with Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp.

 

   

GRIID Infrastructure Inc.’s common stock will begin trading on Cboe Canada under the ticker symbol “GRDI”

 

   

The business combination between GRIID and Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp. (“Adit EdTech”) represents a pro forma combined company enterprise value of approximately $625 million

CINCINNATI, Jan. 02, 2024 — GRIID Infrastructure Inc. (Cboe CA: GRDI; “GRIID”), an American bitcoin mining company that leverages a low-cost, low-carbon energy mix to manage and operate vertically integrated bitcoin mining facilities, today announced the listing of its common stock on Cboe Canada. As previously announced, the business combination was approved by Adit EdTech stockholders on November 30, 2023, during a special meeting of Adit EdTech stockholders, and the transaction closed on December 29, 2023. GRIID’s common stock will begin trading on Cboe Canada, formerly known as the NEO Exchange, at market open on January 2, 2024, under the ticker symbol “GRDI” for GRIID’s common stock, and GRIID is seeking to list its common stock and warrants on a U.S. exchange.

GRIID is a purpose-built bitcoin mining company, founded in 2018, that has operated mining facilities since 2019. GRIID has built long-term power relationships securing affordable, reliable, environmentally responsible power, enabling a vertically integrated self-mining business model with significant growth opportunity.

The combined company, which has been renamed GRIID Infrastructure Inc., will continue to be led by Founder, Chairman and CEO Trey Kelly. David Shrier, former CEO of Adit EdTech, has joined GRIID’s Board of Directors.

“Entering the public markets represents a significant milestone for GRIID, and we are excited to execute on the opportunities in front of us. We are focused on growing our capacity and increasing our hash rate,” said Trey Kelly, GRIID’s Founder, Chairman and CEO.

The business combination is intended to help GRIID to accelerate its core growth strategies and the expansion of its mining facilities throughout the United States. GRIID currently has four mining facilities in the United States in Watertown, New York and Limestone, Maynardville and Lenoir City, Tennessee.

Advisors

Covington & Burling LLP acted as legal advisor to Adit EdTech.

Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP acted as legal advisor to GRIID.

About GRIID Infrastructure Inc.

GRIID (Cboe: GRDI) is a purpose-built bitcoin mining company, founded in 2018, that has operated mining facilities since 2019. GRIID has built long-term power relationships securing affordable, reliable, environmentally responsible power, enabling a vertically integrated self-mining business model with significant growth opportunity. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, GRIID operates a R&D Center in Austin, Texas and a Development, Deployment and Equipment Repair Center in Rutledge, Tennessee. Mining facilities are in Watertown, New York; Limestone, Maynardville and Lenoir City, Tennessee. To learn more, please visit www.griid.com.


Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and generally relate to future events or the Company’s future financial or other performance metrics. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “potentially,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “target,” “plan,” “expect,” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Such forward-looking statements, including statements regarding GRIID’s growth and prospects, are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by GRIID and its management, are inherently uncertain and subject to material change. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, various factors beyond management’s control, including general economic conditions and other risks, uncertainties and factors set forth in GRIID’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the registration statement on Form S-4 filed by Adit EdTech in connection with the business combination, as well as factors associated with companies, such as GRIID, that are engaged in bitcoin mining, including anticipated trends, growth rates, and challenges in those businesses and in the markets in which they operate; market acceptance of bitcoin; reliance on third parties, including utility providers, for the reliable and sufficient supply of electrical power to GRIID’s infrastructure; and the ability to stay in compliance with laws and regulations that currently apply or become applicable to bitcoin. Nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements in this press release, which speak only as of the date they are made and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the cautionary statements herein. GRIID expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in GRIID’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

Cboe Canada has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Media Contact:

Malory Van Guilder

Skyya PR

+1 651-335-0585

GRIID@skyya.com


Investor Contact:

Jim Golden

Collected Strategies

+1 646-354-7698

griid-cs@collectedstrategies.com

Company Contact:

Harry Sudock

GRIID Infrastructure

+1-615-854-7556

harry@griid.com

v3.23.4
Document and Entity Information
Dec. 26, 2023
Document Information [Line Items]  
Document Type 8-K
Document Period End Date Dec. 26, 2023
Entity Registrant Name GRIID Infrastructure Inc.
Entity Incorporation State Country Code DE
Entity File Number 001-39872
Entity Tax Identification Number 85-3477678
Entity Address Address Line 1 2577 Duck Creek Road
Entity Address City Or Town Cincinnati
Entity Address State Or Province OH
Entity Address Postal Zip Code 45212
City Area Code 513
Local Phone Number 268-6185
Entity Information Former Legal Or Registered Name Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp.
Written Communications false
Soliciting Material false
Pre Commencement Tender Offer false
Pre Commencement Issuer Tender Offer false
Entity Emerging Growth Company true
Entity Ex Transition Period false
Current Fiscal Year End Date --12-31
Amendment Flag false
Entity Central Index Key 0001830029
Former Address [Member]  
Document Information [Line Items]  
Entity Address Address Line 1 1345 Avenue of the Americas
Entity Address Address Line 2 33rd Floor
Entity Address City Or Town New York
Entity Address State Or Province NY
Entity Address Postal Zip Code 10105
Common Stock [Member]  
Document Information [Line Items]  
Security 12b Title Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share
Trading Symbol ADEX
Security Exchange Name NYSEAMER
Redeemable Warrants [Member]  
Document Information [Line Items]  
Security 12b Title Redeemable warrants, exercisable for shares of common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share
Trading Symbol ADEX.WS
Security Exchange Name NYSEAMER

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