The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this report. Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated in Delaware on February 22, 2021. We were formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We are an emerging growth company and, as such, we are subject to all of the risks associated with emerging growth companies.
As of December 31, 2022, we have not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from February 22, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2022 relates to our formation and the IPO, described below, and, since the offering, the search for a prospective initial business combination. We will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial business combination, at the earliest. We will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents from the proceeds derived from the Initial Public Offering, and non-operating income or expense due to changes in the fair value of derivative warrant liabilities. We have selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.
Our sponsor is Mercato Partners Acquisition Group, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. The registration statement filed in connection with our Initial Public Offering was declared effective on November 3, 2021. On November 8, 2021, we consummated our Initial Public Offering of 20,000,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A common stock included in the Units being offered, the “public shares”), at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $200.0 million, and incurring offering costs of approximately $12.1 million, of which $4.0 million was for underwriting commissions, $7.0 million was for deferred underwriting commissions and approximately $1.1 million was for offering costs, of which approximately $0.3 million was allocated to derivative warrant liabilities.
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the private placement (“Private Placement”) of 9,000,000 warrants, at a price of $1.00 per private placement warrant to the sponsor, generating proceeds of $9.0 million.
In connection with the Initial Public Offering, the underwriter was granted an option (the “Over-allotment Option”) to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 Units (“Over-allotment Units”) solely to cover over-allotments, if any, at an offering price of $10.00 per Over-allotment Unit. On November 19, 2021, the underwriter exercised the Over-allotment Option in full and, on November 23, 2021, purchased 3,000,000 Over-allotment Units, generating gross proceeds of $30,000,000, and incurring additional offering costs of approximately $1.7 million, of which $600,000 was paid for underwriting commissions, and approximately $1.1 million is payable to the underwriter for deferred underwriting commissions.
On August 1, 2022 the underwriter irrevocably waived its rights to the deferred underwriting commissions due under the underwriting agreement consummated in connection with the Initial Public Offering.
Simultaneously with the sale of the Over-allotment Units, on November 23, 2021, the Company consummated a second closing of the Private Placement of an aggregate of 1,050,000 private placement warrants, at a price of $1.00 per private placement warrant, with the sponsor. The second closing of the Private Placement generated additional aggregate gross proceeds of $1,050,000. The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold as part of the Units in the Initial Public Offering except that, if held by the sponsor or its permitted transferees, they (i) may be exercised for cash or on a cashless basis, (ii) are not subject to being called for redemption under certain redemption scenarios and (iii) subject to certain limited exceptions, will be subject to transfer restrictions until 30 days following the consummation of the Company’s initial business combination.
29