BWAC Better World Acquisition Corporation

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

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SCHEDULE 14A

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Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. ___)

Check the appropriate box:

BETTER WORLD ACQUISITION CORP.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check all boxes that apply):

PRELIMINARY PROXY STATEMENT

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JANUARY 6, 2023

BETTER WORLD ACQUISITION CORP.
775 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10021

BWA Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Pubco, HD Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Pubco, BWA Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, in the capacity as the representative for the stockholders of the Company and Pubco (other than the former Heritage stockholders), and Justin Stiefel, in the capacity as the representative for certain security holders of Heritage, for a proposed business combination among the parties (the “Heritage Business Combination”). Pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, Pubco is expected to change its name to Heritage Distilling Group, Inc. and will serve as the publicly traded parent company of each of the Company and Heritage following the consummation of the Heritage Business Combination. For additional information about the Business Combination Agreement and the Heritage Business Combination, please see the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 15, 2022.

Our board of directors (the “Board”) currently believes that there will not be sufficient time before February 17, 2023 to complete the Heritage Business Combination. Accordingly, the Board believes that in order to be able to consummate the Heritage Business Combination, we will need to obtain the Extension. Therefore, the Board has determined that it is in the best interests of our stockholders to extend the date by which the Company has to consummate a Business Combination to the Extended Date in order for our stockholders to have the opportunity to participate in our future investment.

In connection with the Extension Amendment Proposal, public stockholders may elect to redeem their public shares for a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (the “Trust Account”), including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding shares of common stock issued in our IPO, which shares we refer to as the “public shares”, and which election we refer to as the “Election”, regardless of whether such public stockholders vote on the Extension Amendment Proposal. If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved by the requisite vote of stockholders, the remaining holders of public shares will retain their right to redeem their public shares when the Business Combination is submitted to the stockholders, subject to any limitations set forth in our charter as amended by the Extension Amendment. In addition, public stockholders who do not make the Election would be entitled to have their public shares redeemed for cash if the Company has not completed a Business Combination by the Extended Date. The Sponsor owns 3,154,650 shares of our common stock, which we refer to as the “Founder Shares”, that were issued to the Sponsor prior to our IPO and 4,377,121 private placement warrants, which we refer to as the “Private Placement Warrants”, that were purchased by the Sponsor in a private placement which occurred simultaneously with the completion of the IPO.

To exercise your redemption rights, you must demand that the Company redeem your public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the Trust Account, and tender your shares to the Company’s transfer agent at least two business days prior to the Special Meeting (or            , 2023). You may tender your shares by either delivering your share certificate to the transfer agent or by delivering your shares electronically using the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) system. If you hold your shares in street name, you will need to instruct your bank, broker or other nominee to withdraw the shares from your account in order to exercise your redemption rights.

If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved and the Board decides to implement the Extension, the Sponsor or its designees have agreed to contribute to us loans (the “Loans”) of (i) the lesser of (x) an aggregate of $            or (y) $            for each Public Share that is not redeemed (such amount, the “Monthly Amount”) plus (ii) if the Business Combination is not consummated by March 17, 2023, the Monthly Amount for each calendar month (commencing on March 17, 2023 and ending on the 16th day of each subsequent month), or portion thereof, that is needed by the Company to complete the Business Combination until August 17, 2023. Accordingly, the amount deposited per share will depend on the number of public shares that remain outstanding after redemptions in connection with the Extension and the length of the extension period that will be needed to complete the Business Combination. If more than            public shares remain outstanding after redemptions in connection with the Extension, then the amount paid per share will be reduced proportionately. For example, if we complete the Business Combination on August 17, 2023, which would represent six calendar months, no public shares are redeemed and all of our public shares remain outstanding in connection with the Extension, then the amount deposited per share will be approximately $            per share, with the aggregate maximum contribution to the Trust Account being $            . However, if            public shares are redeemed and            of our public shares remain outstanding after redemptions in connection with the Extension, then the amount deposited per share for such six-month period will be approximately $            per share.

Assuming the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved and the Board implements the Extension, the initial Monthly Amount will be deposited in the Trust Account promptly following February 17, 2023. Each additional Monthly Amount will be deposited in the Trust Account within seven calendar days from the 17th of such calendar month (or portion thereof). The Loans are conditioned upon the implementation of the Extension Amendment. The Loans will not occur if the Extension Amendment is not approved or the Extension is not completed. The amount of the Loans will not bear interest and will be repayable by us to the Sponsor or its designees upon consummation of a Business Combination. If the Sponsor or its designees advises us that it does not intend to make the Loans, then the Extension Amendment Proposal and the Adjournment Proposal will not be put before the stockholders at the Special Meeting and we will dissolve and liquidate in accordance with our charter. Our Board will have the sole discretion whether to extend for additional calendar months after February 17, 2023 and until August 17, 2023 and if our Board determines not to continue extending for additional calendar months, the Sponsor or its designees’ obligation to make Additional Loans following such determination will terminate.

As of the record date (as defined below), based on funds in the Trust Account of approximately $            as of such date, the pro rata portion of the funds available in the Trust Account for the redemption of public shares was approximately $            per share (before taking into account the removal of the accrued interest in the Trust Account to pay our taxes). The closing price of the Company’s common stock on            , 2023 as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market was $            . The Company cannot assure stockholders that they will be able to sell their shares of the Company’s common stock in the open market, even if the market price per share is higher than the redemption price stated above, as there may not be sufficient liquidity in its securities when such stockholders wish to sell their shares.

The Adjournment Proposal, if adopted, will allow our Board to adjourn the Special Meeting to a later date or dates to permit further solicitation of proxies. The Adjournment Proposal will only be presented to our stockholders in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal.

If the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved and we do not consummate the Business Combination (such as the Heritage Business Combination) by February 17, 2023, as contemplated by our IPO prospectus and in accordance with our charter, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including any interest not previously released to us (net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining stockholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under the Delaware General Corporation Law, which we refer to as the “DGCL”, to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law. There will be no distribution from the Trust Account with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless in the event of our winding up. In the event of a liquidation, the Sponsor and our officers and directors will not receive any monies held in the Trust Account as a result of their ownership of the Founder Shares or the Private Placement Warrants.

Subject to the foregoing, the affirmative vote of a majority of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock, including the Founder Shares, will be required to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal. Stockholder approval of the Extension Amendment is required for the implementation of our Board’s plan to extend the date by which we must consummate our Business Combination. Notwithstanding stockholder approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal, our Board will retain the right to abandon and not implement the Extension Amendment at any time without any further action by our stockholders.

Approval of the Adjournment Proposal requires the affirmative vote of the majority of the votes cast by stockholders represented in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting.

Our Board has fixed the close of business on January 11, 2023 (the “record date”) as the date for determining the stockholders entitled to receive notice of and vote at the Special Meeting and any adjournment thereof. Only holders of record of the Company’s common stock on that date are entitled to have their votes counted at the Special Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

You are not being asked to vote on the Business Combination at this time. If the Extension is implemented and you do not elect to redeem your public shares, provided that you are a stockholder on the record date for a meeting to consider the Business Combination, you will retain the right to vote on the Business Combination when it is submitted to stockholders and the right to redeem your public shares for cash in the event the Business Combination is approved and completed or we have not consummated a Business Combination by the Extended Date.

After careful consideration of all relevant factors, the Board has determined that the Extension Amendment Proposal and, if presented, the Adjournment Proposal are advisable and recommends that you vote or give instruction to vote “FOR” such proposals.

Under Delaware law and the Company’s bylaws, no other business may be transacted at the Special Meeting.

Enclosed is the Proxy Statement containing detailed information concerning the Extension Amendment Proposal, the Adjournment Proposal and the Special Meeting. Whether or not you plan to attend the Special Meeting, we urge you to read this material carefully and vote your shares.

Your vote is important. If you are a stockholder of record, please sign, date and return your proxy card as soon as possible to make sure that your shares are represented at the Special Meeting. If you are a stockholder of record, you may also cast your vote online at the Special Meeting. If your shares are held in an account at a brokerage firm or bank, you must instruct your broker or bank how to vote your shares, or you may cast your vote online at the Special Meeting by obtaining a proxy from your brokerage firm or bank. Your failure to vote or instruct your broker or bank how to vote will have the same effect as voting “AGAINST” the Extension Amendment Proposal, and an abstention will have the same effect as voting “AGAINST” the Extension Amendment Proposal.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Special Meeting of Stockholders to be held on            , 2023: This notice of meeting and the accompanying Proxy Statement are available at            .

BETTER WORLD ACQUISITION CORP.
775 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10021

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON            , 2023

In connection with the Extension Amendment Proposal, public stockholders may elect to redeem their shares of our common stock issued in our IPO, which shares we refer to as the “public shares”, for a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (the “Trust Account”), including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which election we refer to as the “Election”, regardless of whether such public stockholders vote on the Extension Amendment Proposal. If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved by the requisite vote of stockholders, the remaining holders of public shares will retain their right to redeem their public shares when the Business Combination is submitted to the stockholders, subject to any limitations set forth in our charter as amended by the Extension Amendment. In addition, public stockholders who do not make the Election would be entitled to have their public shares redeemed for cash if the Company has not completed a Business Combination by the Extended Date. The Sponsor owns 3,154,650 shares of our common stock, which we refer to as the “Founder Shares”, that were issued to the Sponsor prior to our IPO and 4,377,121 private placement warrants, which we refer to as the “Private Placement Warrants”, that were purchased by the Sponsor in a private placement which occurred simultaneously with the completion of the IPO.

To exercise your redemption rights, you must demand that the Company redeem your public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the Trust Account, and tender your shares to the Company’s transfer agent at least two business days prior to the Special Meeting (or            , 2023). You may tender your shares by either delivering your share certificate to the transfer agent or by delivering your shares electronically using the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) system. If you hold your shares in street name, you will need to instruct your bank, broker or other nominee to withdraw the shares from your account in order to exercise your redemption rights.

If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved and the Board decides to implement the Extension, the Sponsor or its designees have agreed to contribute to us loans (the “Loans”) of (i) the lesser of (x) an aggregate of $            or (y) $            for each Public Share that is not redeemed (such amount, the “Monthly Amount”) plus (ii) if the Business Combination is not consummated by March 17, 2023, the Monthly Amount for each calendar month (commencing on March 17, 2023 and ending on the 16th day of each subsequent month), or portion thereof, that is needed by the Company to complete the Business Combination until August 17, 2023. Accordingly, the amount deposited per share will depend on the number of public shares that remain outstanding after redemptions in connection with the Extension and the length of the extension period that will be needed to complete the Business Combination. If more than            public shares remain outstanding after redemptions in connection with the Extension, then the amount paid per share will be reduced proportionately. For example, if we complete the Business Combination on August 17, 2023, which would represent six calendar months, no public shares are redeemed and all of our public shares remain outstanding in connection with the Extension, then the amount deposited per share will be approximately $            per share, with the aggregate maximum contribution to the Trust Account being $            . However, if            public shares are redeemed and            of our public shares remain outstanding after redemptions in connection with the Extension, then the amount deposited per share for such six-month period will be approximately $            per share.

Assuming the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved and the Board implements the Extension, the initial Monthly Amount will be deposited in the Trust Account promptly following February 17, 2023. Each additional Monthly Amount will be deposited in the Trust Account within seven calendar days from the 17th of such calendar month (or portion thereof). The Loans are conditioned upon the implementation of the Extension Amendment. The Loans will not occur if the Extension Amendment is not approved or the Extension is not completed. The amount of the Loans will not bear interest and will be repayable by us to the Sponsor or its designees upon consummation of a Business Combination. If the Sponsor or its designees advises us that it does not intend to make the Loans, then the Extension Amendment Proposal and the Adjournment Proposal will not be put before the stockholders at the Special Meeting and we will dissolve and liquidate in accordance with our charter. Our Board will have the sole discretion whether to extend for additional calendar months after February 17, 2023 and until August 17, 2023 and if our Board determines not to continue extending for additional calendar months, the Sponsor or its designees’ obligation to make Additional Loans following such determination will terminate.

As of the record date (as defined below), based on funds in the Trust Account of approximately $            as of such date, the pro rata portion of the funds available in the Trust Account for the redemption of public shares was approximately $            per share (before taking into account the removal of the accrued interest in the Trust Account to pay our taxes). The closing price of the Company’s common stock on            , 2023 as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market was $            . The Company cannot assure stockholders that they will be able to sell their shares of the Company’s common stock in the open market, even if the market price per share is higher than the redemption price stated above, as there may not be sufficient liquidity in its securities when such stockholders wish to sell their shares.

The withdrawal of funds from the Trust Account in connection with the Election will reduce the amount held in the Trust Account following the Election. In such event, the Company may need to obtain additional funds to complete the Business Combination, and there can be no assurance that such funds will be available on terms acceptable to the parties or at all.

If the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved and we do not consummate the Business Combination by February 17, 2023, as contemplated by our IPO prospectus and in accordance with our charter, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including any interest not previously released to us (net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining stockholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under the Delaware General Corporation Law, which we refer to as the “DGCL”, to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.

There will be no distribution from the Trust Account with respect to the Company’s warrants, which will expire worthless in the event of our winding up. In the event of a liquidation, the Sponsor and our officers or directors will not receive any monies held in the Trust Account as a result of their ownership of 3,154,650 Founder Shares, which were issued to the Sponsor prior to our IPO, and 4,377,121 Private Placement Warrants, which were purchased by the Sponsor in a private placement which occurred simultaneously with the completion of the IPO. As a consequence, a liquidating distribution will be made only with respect to the public shares.

If the Company liquidates, the Sponsor has agreed to indemnify us to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or any claims by a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into an acquisition agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below (i) $10.10 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to our Trust Account and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our IPO against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, which we refer to as the “Securities Act”. Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. We cannot assure you, however, that the Sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. Based upon the amount in the Trust Account as of the record date, we anticipate that the per-share price at which public shares will be redeemed from cash held in the Trust Account will be approximately $            . Nevertheless, the Company cannot assure you that the per share distribution from the Trust Account, if the Company liquidates, will not be less than $            plus interest, due to unforeseen claims of creditors.

Under the DGCL, stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against a corporation to the extent of distributions received by them in a dissolution. If the corporation complies with certain procedures set forth in Section 280 of the DGCL intended to ensure that it makes reasonable provision for all claims against it, including a 60-day notice period during which any third-party claims can be brought against the corporation, a 90-day period during which the corporation may reject any claims brought, and an additional 150-day waiting period before any liquidating distributions are made to stockholders, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholder’s pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution.

Because the Company will not be complying with Section 280 of the DGCL as described in our IPO prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), Section 281(b) of the DGCL requires us to adopt a plan, based on facts known to us at such time that will provide for our payment of all existing and pending claims or claims that may be potentially brought against us within the 10 years following our dissolution. However, because we are a blank check company, rather than an operating company, and our operations have been limited to searching for prospective target businesses to acquire, the only likely claims to arise would be from our vendors (such as lawyers or investment bankers) or prospective target businesses.

If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved, the Company, pursuant to the terms of the investment management trust agreement, dated November 12, 2020, by and between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Trust Agreement”), will (i) remove from the Trust Account an amount, which we refer to as the “Withdrawal Amount”, equal to the number of public shares properly redeemed multiplied by the per-share price, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, and (ii) deliver to the holders of such redeemed public shares their portion of the Withdrawal Amount. The remainder of such funds shall remain in the Trust Account and be available for use by the Company to complete a Business Combination on or before the Extended Date. Holders of public shares who do not redeem their public shares at this time will retain their redemption rights and their ability to vote on a Business Combination through the Extended Date if the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved.

Our Board has fixed the close of business on January 11, 2023 as the date for determining the stockholders entitled to receive notice of and vote at the Special Meeting and any adjournment thereof. Only holders of record of the Company’s common stock on that date are entitled to have their votes counted at the Special Meeting or any adjournment thereof. On the record date of the Special Meeting, there were 7,700,523 shares of common stock outstanding. The Company’s warrants do not have voting rights in connection with the Extension Amendment Proposal or the Adjournment Proposal.

This Proxy Statement contains important information about the Special Meeting and the proposals. Please read it carefully and vote your shares.

We will pay for the entire cost of soliciting proxies from our working capital. We have engaged Advantage Proxy to assist in the solicitation of proxies for the Special Meeting. We have agreed to pay Advantage Proxy a fee of $7,500. We will also reimburse Advantage Proxy for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and will indemnify Advantage Proxy and its affiliates against certain claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses. In addition to these mailed proxy materials, our directors and officers may also solicit proxies in person, by telephone or by other means of communication. These parties will not be paid any additional compensation for soliciting proxies. We may also reimburse brokerage firms, banks and other agents for the cost of forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners. While the payment of these expenses will reduce the cash available to us to consummate a Business Combination if the Extension is approved, we do not expect such payments to have a material effect on our ability to consummate a Business Combination.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Some of the statements contained in this proxy statement constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, the pending Business Combination, our capital resources and results of operations. Likewise, our financial statements and all of our statements regarding market conditions and results of operations are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of terminology such as “outlook,” “believes,” “expects,” “potential,” “continues,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “seeks,” “approximately,” “predicts,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates” or the negative version of these words or other comparable words or phrases.

The forward-looking statements contained in this proxy statement reflect our current views about future events and are subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and changes in circumstances that may cause its actual results to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. We do not guarantee that the transactions and events described will happen as described (or that they will happen at all). The following factors, among others, could cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those set forth or contemplated in the forward-looking statements:

•        our ability to complete the Heritage Business Combination or an alternative Business Combination;

•        if the Heritage Business Combination is not consummated, our ability to enter into a definitive agreement and related agreements with respect to an alternative Business Combination;

•        our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following the Business Combination;

•        our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving the Business Combination, as a result of which they would then receive expense reimbursements;

•        our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete the Business Combination;

•        if the Heritage Business Combination is not consummated, the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential acquisition opportunities;

•        our pool of prospective target businesses if the Heritage Business Combination is not consummated;

•        the volatility of the market price and liquidity of our securities;

•        the lack of market for our securities;

•        the use of funds not held in the Trust Account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance;

•        the competitive environment in which our successor will operate following the Heritage Business Combination or, if applicable, an alternative Business Combination;

•        our financial performance; and

•        proposed changes in SEC rules related to SPACs.

While forward-looking statements reflect our good faith beliefs, they are not guarantees of future performance. We disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, data or methods, future events or other changes after the date of this proxy statement, except as required by applicable law. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could cause our future results, performance or transactions to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement, please see the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our final prospectus dated November 12, 2020, as filed with the SEC on November 17, 2020, our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 13, 2022, August 3, 2022 and November 14, 2022 and in other reports we file with the SEC. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are based only on information currently available to us (or to third parties making the forward-looking statements).

RISK FACTORS

You should consider carefully all of the risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 13, 2022, August 3, 2022 and November 14, 2022 and in the other reports we file with the SEC before making a decision to invest in our securities. Furthermore, if any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected or we could face liquidation. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. The risks and uncertainties described in the aforementioned filings and below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results or result in our liquidation.

There are no assurances that the Extension will enable us to complete a Business Combination.

Approving the Extension involves a number of risks. Even if the Extension is approved, the Company can provide no assurances that the Business Combination (such as the Heritage Business Combination) will be consummated prior to the Extended Date. Our ability to consummate the Business Combination (such as the Heritage Business Combination) is dependent on a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control (such as the Heritage Business Combination). If the Extension is approved, the Company expects to seek stockholder approval of the Business Combination. We are required to offer stockholders the opportunity to redeem shares in connection with the Extension Amendment, and we will be required to offer stockholders redemption rights again in connection with any stockholder vote to approve the Business Combination. Even if the Extension or the Business Combination are approved by our stockholders, it is possible that redemptions will leave us with insufficient cash to consummate a Business Combination (such as the Heritage Business Combination) on commercially acceptable terms, or at all. The fact that we will have separate redemption periods in connection with the Extension and the Business Combination vote could exacerbate these risks. Other than in connection with a redemption offer or liquidation, our stockholders may be unable to recover their investment except through sales of our shares on the open market. The price of our shares may be volatile, and there can be no assurance that stockholders will be able to dispose of our shares at favorable prices, or at all.

A 1% U.S. federal excise tax may be imposed on us in connection with our redemptions of shares in connection with the Business Combination or other stockholder vote pursuant to which stockholders would have a right to submit their shares for redemption (a “Redemption Event”).

Pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR Act”), commencing in 2023, a 1% U.S. federal excise tax is imposed on certain repurchases (including redemptions) of stock by publicly traded domestic (i.e., U.S.) corporations and certain domestic subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign corporations. The excise tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation and not on its stockholders. The amount of the excise tax is equal to 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased at the time of the repurchase. However, for purposes of calculating the excise tax, repurchasing corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances against the fair market value of stock repurchases during the same taxable year. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury Department”) has authority to promulgate regulations and provide other guidance regarding the excise tax. In December 2022, the Treasury Department issued Notice 2023-2, indicating its intention to propose such regulations and issuing certain interim rules on which taxpayers may rely (the “Notice”). Under the interim rules, liquidating distributions made by publicly traded domestic corporations are exempt from the excise tax. In addition, any redemptions that occur in the same taxable year as a liquidation is completed will also be exempt from such tax. Accordingly, redemptions of our public shares in connection with the Extension may subject us to the excise tax, unless one of the two exceptions above apply. Redemptions would only occur if the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved by our stockholders and the Extension is implemented by the Board.

As described in the section below entitled “The Extension Amendment Proposal — Redemption Rights”, if the deadline for us to complete a Business Combination (currently February 17, 2023) is extended, our public stockholders will have the right to require us to redeem their public shares. Any redemption or other repurchase may be subject to the excise tax. The extent to which we would be subject to the excise tax in connection with a Redemption Event would depend on a number of factors, including: (i) the fair market value of the redemptions and repurchases in connection with the Redemption Event, (ii) the nature and amount of any “PIPE” or other equity issuances in connection with the Business Combination (or otherwise issued not in connection with the Redemption Event but issued within the same

taxable year of the Business Combination), (iii) if we fail to timely consummate a Business Combination and liquidate in a taxable year following a Redemption Event and (iv) the content of any proposed or final regulations and other guidance from the Treasury Department. In addition, because the excise tax would be payable by us and not by the redeeming holders, the mechanics of any required payment of the excise tax remains to be determined. Any excise tax payable by us in connection with a Redemption Event may cause a reduction in the cash available to us to complete a Business Combination and could affect our ability to complete a Business Combination (such as the Heritage Business Combination).

The SEC has recently issued proposed rules to regulate special purpose acquisition companies. Certain of the procedures that we, a potential business combination target, or others may determine to undertake in connection with such proposals may increase our costs and the time needed to complete our Business Combination and may constrain the circumstances under which we could complete a business combination.

On March 30, 2022, the SEC issued the SPAC Rule Proposals relating, among other items, to disclosures in business combination transactions between SPACs such as us and private operating companies; the condensed financial statement requirements applicable to transactions involving shell companies; the use of projections by SPACs in SEC filings in connection with proposed business combination transactions; the potential liability of certain participants in proposed business combination transactions; and the extent to which SPACs could become subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act, including a proposed rule that would provide SPACs a safe harbor from treatment as an investment company if they satisfy certain conditions that limit a SPAC’s duration, asset composition, business purpose and activities. Certain of the procedures that we, a potential business combination target, or others may determine to undertake in connection with the SPAC Rule Proposals, or pursuant to the SEC’s views expressed in the SPAC Rule Proposals, may increase the costs of negotiating and completing a business combination and the time required to consummate a transaction, and may constrain the circumstances under which we could complete a business combination.

If we were deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we may be forced to abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination and instead be required to liquidate the Company. To avoid that result, we liquidated the securities held in the Trust Account and instead hold all funds in the Trust Account in interest-bearing cash items. As a result, we expect to receive less interest on the funds held in the Trust Account, which will likely reduce the dollar amount that our public stockholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the Company.

On March 30, 2022, the SEC issued the SPAC Rule Proposals relating, among other matters, to the circumstances in which SPACs such as us could potentially be subject to the Investment Company Act and the regulations thereunder. The SPAC Rule Proposals would provide a safe harbor for such companies from the definition of “investment company” under Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act, provided that a SPAC satisfies certain criteria. To comply with the duration limitation of the proposed safe harbor, a SPAC would have a limited time period to announce and complete a de-SPAC transaction. Specifically, to comply with the safe harbor, the SPAC Rule Proposals would require a company to file a report on Form 8-K announcing that it has entered into an agreement with a target company for an initial business combination no later than 18 months after the effective date of the IPO Registration Statement. The company would then be required to complete its initial business combination no later than 24 months after the effective date of the IPO Registration Statement.

There is currently uncertainty concerning the applicability of the Investment Company Act to a SPAC, including a company like ours, that has not entered into a definitive agreement within 18 months after the effective date of its IPO Registration Statement or that does not complete its initial business combination within 24 months after such date. We have not entered into a definitive business combination agreement within 18 months after the effective date of our IPO Registration Statement, and we have not completed our initial business combination within 24 months of such date. As a result, it is possible that a claim could be made that we have been operating as an unregistered investment company. If we were deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we might be forced to abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination and instead be required to liquidate the Company. If we are required to liquidate the Company, our investors would not be able to realize the benefits of owning stock in a successor operating business, including the potential appreciation in the value of our stock and warrants following such a transaction, and our warrants would expire worthless.

To mitigate the risk of us being deemed to have been operating as an unregistered investment company (including under the subjective test of Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act), we instructed Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the trustee with respect to the Trust Account, in November 2022 to liquidate the U.S. government treasury obligations or money market funds held in the Trust Account and thereafter to hold all funds in the Trust Account in interest-bearing cash items until the earlier of consummation of our Business Combination or liquidation. As of December 31, 2022, the funds in the Trust Account were held in an interest-bearing demand deposit account yielding approximately 2.75% per annum. However, we expect to receive less interest on the funds held in the Trust Account than if such funds continued to be invested in U.S. government treasury obligations or money market funds, which will likely reduce the dollar amount our public stockholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the Company.

We may not be able to complete a Business Combination should a potential Business Combination be subject to any potential review by a U.S. government entity, such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”). As a result, the pool of potential targets with which we could complete a Business Combination may be limited. In addition, the time necessary for any governmental or regulatory review or approval could prevent us from completing a Business Combination and require us to liquidate.

Certain investments that involve the acquisition of, or investment in, a U.S. business by a non-U.S. investor may be subject to review and approval by CFIUS. Whether CFIUS has jurisdiction to review an acquisition or investment transaction depends on, among other factors, the nature and structure of the transaction, including the level of beneficial ownership interest and the nature of any information or governance rights involved. For example, investments that result in “control” of a U.S. business by a foreign person always are subject to CFIUS jurisdiction. Significant CFIUS reform legislation, which was fully implemented through regulations that became effective on February 13, 2020, expanded the scope of CFIUS’s jurisdiction to investments that do not result in control of a U.S. business by a foreign person but afford certain foreign investors certain information or governance rights in a U.S. business that has a nexus to “critical technologies,” “critical infrastructure” and/or “sensitive personal data.”

The Sponsor currently owns 3,154,650 shares of common stock and 4,377,121 Private Placement Warrants. Rosemary L. Ripley, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Director and a U.S. citizen, and Peter S.H. Grubstein, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Director and a U.S. citizen, are managing members of the Sponsor. Other members of the Sponsor include certain officers and directors of the Company, who are all U.S. citizens. The Sponsor is not controlled by any non-U.S. persons on a look-through basis. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, the Sponsor does not have substantial ties or substantial interests with any non-U.S. persons.

We do not believe that either we or our Sponsor constitute a “foreign person” under CFIUS rules and regulations. However, if CFIUS considers us to be a “foreign person” and believes that the business of a Business Combination target may affect national security, we could be subject to foreign ownership restrictions and/or CFIUS review. If a potential Business Combination falls within the scope of applicable foreign ownership restrictions, we may be unable to consummate a Business Combination. In addition, if a potential Business Combination falls within CFIUS’s jurisdiction, we may be required to make a mandatory filing or determine to submit a voluntary notice to CFIUS, or to proceed with a Business Combination without notifying CFIUS and risk CFIUS intervention, before or after closing the Business Combination.

Although we do not believe we or the Sponsor are a “foreign person”, CFIUS may take a different view and decide to block or delay a potential Business Combination, impose conditions to mitigate national security concerns with respect to a potential Business Combination, order us to divest all or a portion of a U.S. business of the potential combined company if we had proceeded without first obtaining CFIUS clearance, or impose penalties if CFIUS believes that the mandatory notification requirement applied. Additionally, the laws and regulations of other U.S. government entities may impose review or approval procedures on account of any potential foreign ownership by the Sponsor. As a result, the pool of potential targets with which we could complete a Business Combination may be limited due to such regulatory restrictions. Moreover, the process of any government review, whether by CFIUS or otherwise, could be lengthy. Because we have only a limited time to complete a Business Combination, our failure to obtain any required approvals within the requisite time period may require us to liquidate. If we liquidate, our public stockholders may only receive $            per share (or up to $            per share, assuming no redemption and the full Extension is utilized), and our warrants will expire worthless. This will also cause you to lose any potential investment opportunity in a potential Business Combination and the chance of realizing future gains on your investment through any price appreciation in the combined company.

BACKGROUND

We are a blank check company formed in Delaware on August 5, 2020, for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses.

There are currently 7,700,523 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding. In addition, we issued warrants to purchase 12,618,600 shares of common stock as part of our IPO and warrants to purchase 5,285,580 shares of common stock as part of the private placement that we consummated simultaneously with the consummation of our IPO. Each whole warrant entitles its holder to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, to be exercised only for a whole number of shares of our common stock. The warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of our Business Combination and expire five years after the completion of our Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation. Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants at a price of $0.01 per warrant, if the last sale price of our common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading day period commencing at any time after the warrants become exercisable and ending three business days before the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. The private placement warrants, however, are non-redeemable so long as they are held by their initial purchasers or their permitted transferees.

As of the record date, approximately $            million from our IPO and the simultaneous sale of the Private Placement Warrants, as well as $            from the four prior extensions funded by our Sponsor, are being held in our Trust Account in the United States maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee, until the earlier of: (i) the consummation of a Business Combination or (ii) the distribution of the proceeds in the Trust Account as described below.

You are not being asked to vote on the Business Combination at this time. If the Extension is implemented and you do not elect to redeem your public shares, provided that you are a stockholder on the record date for a meeting to consider the Business Combination, you will retain the right to vote on the Business Combination when it is submitted to stockholders and the right to redeem your public shares for cash in the event the Business Combination is approved and completed or we have not consummated a Business Combination by the Extended Date.

THE SPECIAL MEETING

Overview

Date, Time and Place.    The Special Meeting of the Company’s stockholders will be held at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on            , 2023 as a virtual meeting. You will be able to attend, vote your shares and submit questions during the Special Meeting via a live webcast available at            . The meeting will be held virtually over the internet by means of a live audio webcast. Only stockholders who own shares of our common stock as of the close of business on the record date will be entitled to attend the virtual meeting.

To register for the virtual meeting, please follow these instructions as applicable to the nature of your ownership of our common stock.

If your shares are registered in your name with our transfer agent and you wish to attend the online-only virtual meeting, go to            , enter the control number you received on your proxy card and click on the “Click here” to preregister for the online meeting link at the top of the page. Just prior to the start of the meeting you will need to log back into the meeting site using your control number. Pre-registration is recommended but is not required in order to attend.

Beneficial stockholders who wish to attend the online-only virtual meeting must obtain a legal proxy by contacting their account representative at the bank, broker, or other nominee that holds their shares and e-mail a copy (a legible photograph is sufficient) of their legal proxy to proxy@continentalstock.com. Beneficial stockholders who e-mail a valid legal proxy will be issued a meeting control number that will allow them to register to attend and participate in the online-only meeting. After contacting our transfer agent, a beneficial holder will receive an e-mail prior to the meeting with a link and instructions for entering the virtual meeting. Beneficial stockholders should contact our transfer agent at least five business days prior to the meeting date.

Voting Power; Record Date.    You will be entitled to vote or direct votes to be cast at the Special Meeting, if you owned the Company’s common stock at the close of business on January 11, 2023, the record date for the Special Meeting. You will have one vote per proposal for each share of the Company’s common stock you owned at that time. The Company’s warrants do not carry voting rights.

Votes Required.    Approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal will require the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the Company’s common stock outstanding on the record date, including the Founder Shares. If you do not vote or you abstain from voting on a proposal, your action will have the same effect as an “AGAINST” vote. Broker non-votes will have the same effect as “AGAINST” votes.

At the close of business on the record date of the Special Meeting, there 7,700,523 shares of common stock outstanding, each of which entitles its holder to cast one vote per proposal.

If you do not want the Extension Amendment Proposal approved, you must abstain, not vote, or vote “AGAINST” the Extension Amendment. You will be entitled to redeem your public shares for cash in connection with this vote whether or not you vote on the Extension Amendment Proposal so long as you elect to redeem your public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds available in the Trust Account in connection with the Extension Amendment Proposal. The Company anticipates that a public stockholder who tenders shares for redemption in connection with the vote to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal would receive payment of the redemption price for such shares soon after the completion of the Extension Amendment Proposal.

Proxies; Board Solicitation; Proxy Solicitor.    Your proxy is being solicited by the Board on the proposals being presented to stockholders at the Special Meeting. The Company has engaged Advantage Proxy to assist in the solicitation of proxies for the Special Meeting. No recommendation is being made as to whether you should elect to redeem your public shares. Proxies may be solicited in person or by telephone. If you grant a proxy, you may still revoke your proxy and vote your shares online at the Special Meeting if you are a holder of record of the Company’s common stock. You may contact Advantage Proxy at (877) 870-8565 (toll free) or by email at ksmith@advantageproxy.com.

Required Vote

The affirmative vote by holders of a majority of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock, including the Founder Shares, is required to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal. If the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved, the Extension Amendment will not be implemented and, if the Business Combination has not been consummated by February 17, 2023, the Company will be required by its charter to (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including any interest not previously released to us (net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining stockholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under the DGCL to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law. Stockholder approval of the Extension Amendment is required for the implementation of our Board’s plan to extend the date by which we must consummate our Business Combination. Therefore, our Board will abandon and not implement such amendment unless our stockholders approve the Extension Amendment Proposal. Notwithstanding stockholder approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal, our Board will retain the right to abandon and not implement the Extension Amendment at any time without any further action by our stockholders.

The Sponsor and all of our directors, executive officers and their affiliates are expected to vote any common stock owned by them in favor of the Extension Amendment Proposal. On the record date, the Sponsor and our directors and executive officers of the Company and their affiliates beneficially owned and were entitled to vote an aggregate of 3,154,650 Founder Shares, representing approximately 41% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock. The Sponsor and our directors, executive officers and their affiliates do not intend to purchase shares of common stock in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions in connection with the stockholder vote on the Extension Amendment.

Interests of the Sponsor, Directors and Officers

When you consider the recommendation of our Board, you should keep in mind that the Sponsor, executive officers and members of our Board have interests that may be different from, or in addition to, your interests as a stockholder. These interests include, among other things:

•        the fact that the Sponsor holds 3,154,650 Founder Shares and 4,377,121 Private Placement Warrants, which would expire worthless if a Business Combination is not consummated;

•        the fact that the Sponsor holds a promissory note in the principal amount of $3,683,720 outstanding as of September 30, 2022;

•        the fact that, unless the Company consummates the Business Combination, the Sponsor will not receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by it on behalf of the Company to the extent that such expenses exceed the amount of available proceeds not deposited in the Trust Account;

•        the fact that, if the Trust Account is liquidated, including in the event we are unable to complete a Business Combination within the required time period, the Sponsor has agreed to indemnify us to ensure that the proceeds in the Trust Account are not reduced below $10.10 per public share, or such lesser per public share amount as is in the Trust Account on the liquidation date, by the claims of prospective target businesses with which we have entered into an acquisition agreement or claims of any third party for services rendered or products sold to us, but only if such a third party or target business has not executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account; and

•        the fact that none of our officers or directors has received any cash compensation for services rendered to the Company.

Potential Application of Investment Company Act

As previously indicated, the Company completed its initial public offering (“IPO”) in November 2020. As a blank check company, the efforts of our Board and management have been focused on searching for a target business with which to consummate an initial business combination since the completion of its IPO (for approximately the past 26 months).

On March 30, 2022, the SEC issued the SPAC Rule Proposals relating, among other matters, to the circumstances in which SPACs such as us could potentially be subject to the Investment Company Act and the regulations thereunder. The SPAC Rule Proposals would provide a safe harbor for such companies from the definition of “investment company” under Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act, provided that a SPAC satisfies certain criteria. To comply with the duration limitation of the proposed safe harbor, a SPAC would have a limited time period to announce and complete a de-SPAC transaction. Specifically, to comply with the safe harbor, the SPAC Rule Proposals would require a company to file a report on Form 8-K announcing that it has entered into an agreement with a target company for an initial business combination no later than 18 months after the effective date of IPO Registration Statement. The company would then be required to complete its initial business combination no later than 24 months after the effective date of the IPO Registration Statement.

There is currently uncertainty concerning the applicability of the Investment Company Act to a SPAC, including a company like ours, that has not entered into a definitive agreement within 18 months after the effective date of its IPO Registration Statement or that does not complete its initial business combination within 24 months after such date. We have not entered into a definitive business combination agreement within 18 months after the effective date of our IPO Registration Statement, and we have not completed our initial business combination within 24 months of such date. As a result, it is possible that a claim could be made that we have been operating as an unregistered investment company. If we were deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we might be forced to abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination and instead be required to liquidate the Company. If we are required to liquidate the Company, our investors would not be able to realize the benefits of owning stock in a successor operating business, including the potential appreciation in the value of our stock and warrants following such a transaction, and our warrants would expire worthless.

To mitigate the risk of us being deemed to have been operating as an unregistered investment company (including under the subjective test of Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act), we instructed Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the trustee with respect to the Trust Account, in November 2022 to liquidate the U.S. government treasury obligations or money market funds held in the Trust Account and thereafter to hold all funds in the Trust Account in cash items until the earlier of consummation of our Business Combination or liquidation. As a result, we expect to receive less interest on the funds held in the Trust Account, which would reduce the dollar amount our public stockholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the Company.

The Board’s Reasons for the Extension Amendment Proposal and Its Recommendation

As discussed below, after careful consideration of all relevant factors, our Board has determined that the Extension Amendment is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. Our Board has approved and declared advisable adoption of the Extension Amendment Proposal and recommends that you vote “FOR” such proposal.

Our charter provides that the Company has until February 17, 2023 to complete the purposes of the Company including, but not limited to, effecting a Business Combination under its terms.

Our charter states that if the Company’s stockholders approve an amendment to the Company’s charter that would affect the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Company’s public shares if it does not complete a Business Combination before February 17, 2023, the Company will provide its public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon such approval at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. We believe that this charter provision was included to protect the stockholders from having to sustain their investments for an unreasonably long period if the Company failed to find a suitable Business Combination in the timeframe contemplated by the charter.

In addition, the Company’s IPO prospectus and charter provide that the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of all outstanding shares of common stock, including the Founder Shares, is required to extend our corporate existence in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination. Because we continue to believe that a Business Combination would be in the best interests of our stockholders and because we will not be able to conclude a Business Combination within the permitted time period, the Board has determined to seek stockholder approval to extend the date by which we have to complete a Business Combination beyond February 17, 2023 to the Extended Date.

The Company is not asking you to vote on the Business Combination at this time. If the Extension is implemented and you do not elect to redeem your public shares, you will retain the right to vote on the Business Combination in the future and the right to redeem your public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, in the event the Business Combination is approved and completed or the Company has not consummated another Business Combination by the Extended Date.

After careful consideration of all relevant factors, the Board determined that the Extension Amendment is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

Recommendation of the Board

Our Board unanimously recommends that our stockholders vote “FOR” the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal.

THE EXTENSION AMENDMENT PROPOSAL

The Company is proposing to amend its charter to extend the date by which the Company has to consummate a business combination to the Extended Date.

The Extension Amendment Proposal is required for the implementation of the Board’s plan to allow us more time to complete our Business Combination.

If the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved and we have not consummated the Business Combination by February 17, 2023, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including any interest not previously released to us (net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining stockholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under the DGCL to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.

A copy of the proposed amendment to the charter of the Company is attached to this Proxy Statement in Annex A.

Reasons for the Extension Amendment Proposal

The Company’s charter provides that the Company has until February 17, 2023 to complete a Business Combination. The purpose of the Extension Amendment is to allow the Company more time to complete its Business Combination.

The Company’s IPO prospectus and charter provide that the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of all outstanding shares of common stock, including the Founder Shares, is required to extend our corporate existence in connection with consummation of a Business Combination. Additionally, our IPO prospectus and charter provide for all public stockholders to have an opportunity to redeem their public shares in the case our corporate existence is extended as described above. Because we continue to believe that a Business Combination would be in the best interests of our stockholders, and the Company has identified a potential Business Combination and entered into definitive agreements in connection with the Heritage Business Combination, and because we will not be able to conclude a Business Combination (such as the Heritage Business Combination) within the permitted time period, the Board has determined to seek stockholder approval to extend the date by which we have to complete a Business Combination beyond February 17, 2023 to the Extended Date. We intend to hold another stockholder meeting prior to the Extended Date in order to seek stockholder approval of the Business Combination (such as the Heritage Business Combination).

We believe that the foregoing charter provision was included to protect stockholders from having to sustain their investments for an unreasonably long period if we failed to find a suitable Business Combination in the timeframe contemplated by the charter.

If the Extension Amendment Proposal is Not Approved

Stockholder approval of the Extension Amendment is required for the implementation of our Board’s plan to extend the date by which we must consummate our Business Combination. Therefore, our Board will abandon and not implement the Extension Amendment unless our stockholders approve the Extension Amendment Proposal.

If the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved and we have not consummated the Business Combination by February 17, 2023, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including any interest not previously released to us (net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable

law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining stockholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under the DGCL to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.

There will be no distribution from the Trust Account with respect to the Company’s warrants which will expire worthless in the event we wind up. In the event of a liquidation, the Sponsor and our officers and directors will not receive any monies held in the Trust Account as a result of their ownership of the Founder Shares.

If the Extension Amendment Proposal Is Approved

If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved, the Company will file an amendment to the charter with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in the form set forth in Annex A hereto to extend the time it has to complete a Business Combination until the Extended Date. The Company will remain a reporting company under the Exchange Act and its units, common stock and public warrants will remain publicly traded. The Company will then continue to work to consummate the Business Combination by the Extended Date.

Notwithstanding stockholder approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal, our Board will retain the right to abandon and not implement the Extension at any time without any further action by our stockholders.

If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved and the Board decides to implement the Extension, the Sponsor or its designees have agreed to contribute to us loans (the “Loans”) of (i) the lesser of (x) an aggregate of $            or (y) $            for each Public Share that is not redeemed (such amount, the “Monthly Amount”) plus (ii) if the Business Combination is not consummated by March 17, 2023, the Monthly Amount for each calendar month (commencing on March 17, 2023 and ending on the 16th day of each subsequent month), or portion thereof, that is needed by the Company to complete the Business Combination until August 17, 2023. Accordingly, the amount deposited per share will depend on the number of public shares that remain outstanding after redemptions in connection with the Extension and the length of the extension period that will be needed to complete the Business Combination. If more than            public shares remain outstanding after redemptions in connection with the Extension, then the amount paid per share will be reduced proportionately. For example, if we complete the Business Combination on August 17, 2023, which would represent six calendar months, no public shares are redeemed and all of our public shares remain outstanding in connection with the Extension, then the amount deposited per share will be approximately $            per share, with the aggregate maximum contribution to the Trust Account being $            . However, if            public shares are redeemed and            of our public shares remain outstanding after redemptions in connection with the Extension, then the amount deposited per share for such six-month period will be approximately $            per share.

Assuming the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved and the Board implements the Extension, the initial Monthly Amount will be deposited in the Trust Account promptly following February 17, 2023. Each additional Monthly Amount will be deposited in the Trust Account within seven calendar days from the 17th of such calendar month (or portion thereof). The Loans are conditioned upon the implementation of the Extension Amendment. The Loans will not occur if the Extension Amendment is not approved or the Extension is not completed. The amount of the Loans will not bear interest and will be repayable by us to the Sponsor or its designees upon consummation of a Business Combination. If the Sponsor or its designees advises us that it does not intend to make the Loans, then the Extension Amendment Proposal and the Adjournment Proposal will not be put before the stockholders at the Special Meeting and we will dissolve and liquidate in accordance with our charter. Our Board will have the sole discretion whether to extend for additional calendar months after February 17, 2023 and until August 17, 2023 and if our Board determines not to continue extending for additional calendar months, the Sponsor or its designees’ obligation to make Additional Loans following such determination will terminate.

As of the record date (as defined below), based on funds in the Trust Account of approximately $            as of such date, the pro rata portion of the funds available in the Trust Account for the redemption of public shares was approximately $            per share (before taking into account the removal of the accrued interest in the Trust Account to pay our taxes). The closing price of the Company’s common stock on            , 2023 as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market was $            . The Company cannot assure stockholders that they will be able to sell their shares of the Company’s common stock in the open market, even if the market price per share is higher than the redemption price stated above, as there may not be sufficient liquidity in its securities when such stockholders wish to sell their shares.

You are not being asked to vote on the Business Combination at this time. If the Extension is implemented and you do not elect to redeem your public shares, provided that you are a stockholder on the record date for a meeting to consider the Business Combination, you will retain the right to vote on the Business Combination when it is submitted to stockholders and the right to redeem your public shares for cash in the event the Business Combination is approved and completed or we have not consummated a Business Combination by the Extended Date.

If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved, and the Extension is implemented, the removal of the Withdrawal Amount from the Trust Account in connection with the Election will reduce the amount held in the Trust Account. The Company cannot predict the amount that will remain in the Trust Account if the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved.

Redemption Rights

If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved, and the Extension is implemented, each public stockholder may seek to redeem its public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. Holders of public shares who do not elect to redeem their public shares in connection with the Extension will retain the right to redeem their public shares in connection with any stockholder vote to approve a proposed Business Combination, or if the Company has not consummated a Business Combination by the Extended Date.

TO EXERCISE YOUR REDEMPTION RIGHTS, YOU MUST SUBMIT A REQUEST IN WRITING THAT WE REDEEM YOUR PUBLIC SHARES FOR CASH TO CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY AT THE ADDRESS BELOW, AND, AT THE SAME TIME, ENSURE YOUR BANK OR BROKER COMPLIES WITH THE REQUIREMENTS IDENTIFIED ELSEWHERE HEREIN, INCLUDING DELIVERING YOUR SHARES TO THE TRANSFER AGENT PRIOR TO THE VOTE ON THE EXTENSION AMENDMENT PROPOSAL.

In connection with tendering your shares for redemption, prior to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on            , 2023 (two business days before the Special Meeting), you must elect either to physically tender your stock certificates to the transfer agent, Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, 1 State Street Plaza, 30th Floor, New York, New York 10004, Attn: Mark Zimkind, mzimkind@continentalstock.com, or to deliver your shares to the transfer agent electronically using DTC’s DWAC system, which election would likely be determined based on the manner in which you hold your shares. The requirement for physical or electronic delivery prior to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time            , 2023 (two business days before the Special Meeting) ensures that a redeeming holder’s election is irrevocable once the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved. In furtherance of such irrevocable election, stockholders making the election will not be able to tender their shares after the vote at the Special Meeting.

Through the DWAC system, this electronic delivery process can be accomplished by the stockholder, whether or not it is a record holder or its shares are held in “street name,” by contacting the transfer agent or its broker and requesting delivery of its shares through the DWAC system. Delivering shares physically may take significantly longer. In order to obtain a physical stock certificate, a stockholder’s broker and/or clearing broker, DTC, and the Company’s transfer agent will need to act together to facilitate this request. There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC system. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker $100 and the broker would determine whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. It is the Company’s understanding that stockholders should generally allot at least two weeks to obtain physical certificates from the transfer agent. The Company does not have any control over this process or over the brokers or DTC, and it may take longer than two weeks to obtain a physical stock certificate. Such stockholders will have less time to make their investment decision than those stockholders that deliver their shares through the DWAC system. Stockholders who request physical stock certificates and wish to redeem may be unable to meet the deadline for tendering their shares before exercising their redemption rights and thus will be unable to redeem their shares.

Certificates that have not been tendered in accordance with these procedures prior to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on            , 2023 (two business days before the Special Meeting) will not be redeemed for cash held in the Trust Account on the redemption date. In the event that a public stockholder tenders its shares and decides prior to the vote at the Special Meeting that it does not want to redeem its shares, the stockholder may withdraw the tender. If you delivered

your shares for redemption to the transfer agent and decide prior to the vote at the Special Meeting not to redeem your public shares, you may request that the transfer agent return the shares (physically or electronically). You may make such request by contacting the transfer agent at the address listed above. In the event that a public stockholder tenders shares and the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved, these shares will not be redeemed and the physical certificates representing these shares will be returned to the stockholder promptly following the determination that the Extension Amendment Proposal will not be approved. The Company anticipates that a public stockholder who tenders shares for redemption in connection with the vote to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal would receive payment of the redemption price for such shares soon after the completion of the Extension Amendment. The transfer agent will hold the certificates of public stockholders that make the election until such shares are redeemed for cash or returned to such stockholders.

If properly demanded, the Company will redeem each public share for a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. Based upon the amount in the Trust Account as of the record date, the Company anticipates that the per-share price at which public shares will be redeemed from cash held in the Trust Account will be approximately $            at the time of the Special Meeting. The closing price of the Company’s common stock on January 11, 2023 was $            .

If you exercise your redemption rights, you will be exchanging your shares of the Company’s common stock for cash and will no longer own the shares. You will be entitled to receive cash for these shares only if you properly demand redemption and tender your stock certificate(s) to the Company’s transfer agent prior to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on            , 2023 (two business days before the Special Meeting). The Company anticipates that a public stockholder who tenders shares for redemption in connection with the vote to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal would receive payment of the redemption price for such shares soon after the completion of the Extension.

THE ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL

Overview

The Adjournment Proposal, if adopted, will allow our Board to adjourn the Special Meeting to a later date or dates to permit further solicitation of proxies. The Adjournment Proposal will only be presented to our stockholders in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal. In no event will our Board adjourn the Special Meeting beyond February 17, 2023.

Consequences if the Adjournment Proposal is Not Approved

If the Adjournment Proposal is not approved by our stockholders, our Board may not be able to adjourn the Special Meeting to a later date in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal.

Vote Required for Approval

The approval of the Adjournment Proposal requires the affirmative vote of the majority of the votes cast by stockholders represented in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting. Accordingly, if a valid quorum is otherwise established, a stockholder’s failure to vote by proxy or online at the Special Meeting will have no effect on the outcome of any vote on the Adjournment Proposal. Abstentions will be counted in connection with the determination of whether a valid quorum is established but will have no effect on the outcome of the Adjournment Proposal.

Recommendation of the Board

Our Board unanimously recommends that our stockholders vote “FOR” the approval of the Adjournment Proposal.

UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following discussion is a summary of certain United States federal income tax considerations for holders of our common stock with respect to the exercise of redemption rights in connection with the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal. This summary is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which we refer to as the “Code”, the regulations promulgated by the U.S. Treasury Department, current administrative interpretations and practices of the Internal Revenue Service, which we refer to as the “IRS”, and judicial decisions, all as currently in effect and all of which are subject to differing interpretations or to change, possibly with retroactive effect. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain a position contrary to any of the tax considerations described below.

This summary does not discuss all aspects of United States federal income taxation that may be important to particular investors in light of their individual circumstances, such as investors subject to special tax rules (e.g., financial institutions, insurance companies, mutual funds, pension plans, S corporations, broker-dealers, traders in securities that elect mark-to-market treatment, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, trusts and estates, partnerships and their partners, and tax-exempt organizations (including private foundations)) and investors that will hold common stock as part of a “straddle,” “hedge,” “conversion,” “synthetic security,” “constructive ownership transaction,” “constructive sale,” or other integrated transaction for United States federal income tax purposes, investors subject to the alternative minimum tax provisions of the Code, investors that are subject to the applicable financial statement accounting rules under Section 451(b) of the Code, U.S. Holders (as defined below) that have a functional currency other than the United States dollar, U.S. expatriates, investors that actually or constructively own 5 percent or more of the common stock of the Company, and Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below, and except as otherwise discussed below), all of whom may be subject to tax rules that differ materially from those summarized below. In addition, this summary does not discuss any state, local, or non-United States tax considerations, any non-income tax (such as gift or estate tax) considerations, alternative minimum tax or the Medicare tax. In addition, this summary is limited to investors that hold our common stock as “capital assets” (generally, property held for investment) under the Code.

If a partnership (including an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes) holds our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in such partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. If you are a partner of a partnership holding our common stock, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of a redemption.

WE URGE HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK CONTEMPLATING EXERCISE OF THEIR REDEMPTION RIGHTS TO CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS CONCERNING THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND FOREIGN INCOME AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES THEREOF.

U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations to U.S. Holders

This section is addressed to U.S. Holders of our common stock that elect to have their common stock of the Company redeemed for cash. For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. Holder” is a beneficial owner that so redeems its common stock of the Company and is:

•        an individual who is a United States citizen or resident of the United States;

•        a corporation (including an entity treated as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

•        an estate the income of which is includible in gross income for United States federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or

•        a trust (A) the administration of which is subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and which has one or more United States persons (within the meaning of the Code) who have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (B) that has in effect a valid election under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person.