COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
NOTE 6 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Registration rights The holders of the Founder Shares and Private Placement Units are entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement signed February 16, 2023. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the consummation of a Business Combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements. Underwriting agreement The Company has engaged Maxim Group LLC (“Maxim”) as its underwriter. The Company granted the underwriters a 45-day option until March 26, 2023 to purchase up to 900,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments, if any, at the Initial Public Offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions. On February 16, 2023, the underwriters fully exercised this option in respect of 900,000 Units. The underwriters were entitled to an underwriting discount of $0.20 per unit, or $1,380,000 in the aggregate, which was paid upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering. Representative shares The Company has issued to Maxim and/or its designees, 276,000 shares of ordinary shares upon the consummation of the Initial Public Offering (the “Representative Shares”). The Company accounted for the Representative Shares as an offering cost associated with the Initial Public Offering, with a corresponding credit to shareholders’ equity. The Company estimated the fair value of the Representative Shares to be $2,724,927. Maxim has agreed not to transfer, assign, or sell any such shares until the completion of the Business Combination. In addition, Maxim has agreed: (i) to waive its redemption rights with respect to such shares in connection with the completion of the Business Combination; and (ii) to waive its rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to such shares if the Company fails to complete its Business Combination within 21 months (or 27 months, as applicable) from the closing of the Initial Public Offering. The shares have been deemed compensation by FINRA and were therefore subject to a lock-up for a period of 180 days immediately following the date of the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part pursuant to Rule 5110(e)(1) of FINRA’s NASD Conduct Rules. Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1), these securities were not to be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the economic disposition of the securities by any person prior to August 8, 2023, nor were they sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, or hypothecated prior to August 8, 2023 except to any underwriter and selected dealer participating in the offering and their bona fide officers or partners. Subject to certain conditions, the Company granted Maxim, for a period beginning on February 16, 2023 and ending 12 months after the date of the consummation of the Business Combination, a right of first refusal to act as book-running managing underwriter or placement agent for any and all future public and private equity, equity-linked, convertible and debt offerings for the Company or any of its successors or subsidiaries. In accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(6), such right of first refusal shall not have a duration of more than three years from February 9, 2023. Forward Purchase Agreement On September 4, 2023, the Company and RiverNorth entered into an Prepaid Forward Purchase Agreement (“FPA”). Pursuant to the FPA, RiverNorth is expected to purchase up to 1,500,000 shares of Mars ordinary shares (“FPA Shares”) subject to a cap of 9.9% of outstanding shares on a post-Transaction basis, at a per share price no more than the price per share paid to redeeming Mars public shareholders in connection with the vote to approve the Transactions (the “redemption price”). The Prepaid Forward Purchase Agreement entered into on September 4, 2023 (“FPA” or the “Agreement”) resulted in RiverNorth holding a put option to sell up to a maximum of 1,500,000 of the Company’s shares. Pursuant to ASC 480, this instrument meets the definition of a liability and accordingly was recognized at fair value. The FPA resulted in the initial recognition of a forward purchase agreement liability of approximately $263,000 during the quarter ended March 31, 2024 and was expensed in the Company’s statement of operations. The fair value of this put option was $293,000 as of June 30, 2024 and insignificant at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2023, assuming the investor will purchase the maximum number of shares. Changes in the estimated fair value of the FPA are recognized as a non-cash gain or loss on the statements of operations. In connection with its purchase of the FPA Shares, RiverNorth will waive its redemption rights in connection with the shareholder vote to approve the Transactions. Following the closing of the Transactions, an amount equal to the number of FPA Shares multiplied by the redemption price, will be prepaid to RiverNorth. The FPA Shares held by RiverNorth and subject to the FPA may be sold into the market by RiverNorth at any time following the closing of the Transactions. RiverNorth is entitled to sell into the market FPA Shares without any payment to the Company. The Company may receive up to $15,000,000 from the termination of all or a portion of the FPA transaction at $10.00 per terminated FPA Share, subject to reduction upon any Dilutive Offering Reset. To the extent RiverNorth elects not to terminate the FPA transaction prior to the maturity date, the Company will be entitled to receive from RiverNorth the number of FPA Shares not so terminated, and RiverNorth will be entitled to “maturity” consideration, paid in shares or cash, subject to the terms of the FPA. The FPA expires automatically if the Business Combination is not consummated by the one-year anniversary of the date of the FPA, subject to acceleration at the Seller’s option upon the volume weighted average price per share being at or below $10.00 per share for any 10 trading days during a 30 consecutive trading day-period and upon any delisting of the Company’s ordinary shares. Business Combination Agreement On September 5, 2023, the Company entered into a Business Combination Agreement (the “Business Combination Agreement”) with ScanTech AI Systems Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Pubco”), Mars Merger Sub I Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Purchaser Merger Sub”), Mars Merger Sub II LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Pubco (“Company Merger Sub”), ScanTech Identification Beam Systems, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ScanTech”), and Dolan Falconer in the capacity as the representative (the “Seller Representative”). The aggregate consideration to be paid to ScanTech shall be a number of shares of Pubco Common Stock with an aggregate value equal to one hundred ten million U.S. Dollars ($110,000,000). Additionally, after the Closing, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Business Combination Agreement, the ScanTech Holder Participants will have the contingent right to receive up to a number of shares of Pubco Common Stock equal to ten percent (10%) of the fully diluted shares of Pubco Common Stock outstanding immediately following the Closing (subject to adjustment based on stock splits and similar events) based on Pubco’s achievement of certain milestones, including commercial milestones and revenue and EBITDA milestones, as more particularly set forth in the Business Combination Agreement. Under the Business Combination Agreement, either ScanTech or Mars had the right to terminate the Business Combination Agreement if the Business Combination had not been consummated by January 31, 2024 (the “Outside Date”). Amendments to the Business Combination Agreement On December 19, 2023, the Company, Pubco, Purchaser Merger Sub, Company Merger Sub, ScanTech, and Seller Representative entered into Amendment No. 1 to the Business Combination Agreement to extend the Outside Date to May 15, 2024 in order to facilitate the completion of the Business Combination. On April 2, 2024, Mars, Pubco, Purchaser Merger Sub, Company Merger Sub, ScanTech, and Seller Representative entered into the Amendment No. 2 to the Business Combination Agreement to reflect that the Merger Consideration shall be adjusted to One Hundred Ten Million U.S. Dollars ($110,000,000) minus (or plus, if negative) the amount of the closing net debt that exceeds Twenty Million U.S. Dollars ($20,000,000). In addition, every issued and outstanding Ordinary Share that is not redeemed shall be converted automatically to (i) one share of Pubco Common Stock and (ii) one additional (1) share of Pubco Common Stock, or a convertible security convertible or exercisable for one (1) share of Pubco Common Stock upon consummation of the Business Combination. On April 17, 2024, Mars, Pubco, Purchaser Merger Sub, Company Merger Sub, ScanTech, and Seller Representative entered into Amendment No. 3 to the Business Combination Agreement to extend the Outside Date to September 30, 2024 in order to facilitate the completion of the Business Combination. Subscription Agreement with Polar Multi-Strategy Master Fund On April 2, 2024, the Company entered into a definitive subscription agreement (the “Subscription Agreement”) with Polar Multi-Strategy Master Fund (the “Investor”), the Sponsor, and ScanTech for Investor to provide ScanTech up to $1,000,000 in funding for working capital expenses in connection with the Business Combination in exchange for the Subscription Shares. On May 29, 2024, the Company, the Investor, the Sponsor, and ScanTech entered into an additional definitive subscription agreement (together, the “Subscription Agreements”) for the Investor to provide ScanTech up to an additional $250,000 in funding for working capital expenses in connection with the Business Combination in exchange for the Subscription Shares. Pursuant to the Subscription Agreements, upon an initial drawdown request of up to $500,000 and subsequent drawdown requests for working capital for a total of $1,250,000, Investor shall provide funding within five (5) calendar days. In connection therewith, Pubco shall issue to Investor one share of Pubco Common Stock for each dollar the Investor provided as of the Closing without transfer restrictions (“Subscription Shares”). The Subscription Shares are to be issued upon successful Closing of the Business Combination. The Subscription Shares shall not be subject to any transfer restrictions or any other lock-up provisions, earn outs, or other contingencies. The Subscription Shares (i) to the extent feasible and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations shall be registered as part of any registration statement issuing shares before or in connection with the Business Combination Closing or (ii) if no such registration statement is filed in connection with the Business Combination Closing, shall promptly be registered pursuant to the first registration statement filed by the Company or the surviving entity following the Business Combination Closing, which shall be filed no later than 30 days after the Business Combination Closing and declared effective no later than 120 days after the Business Combination Closing. The Sponsor shall not sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any securities owned by the Sponsor until the Subscription Shares have been transferred to the Investor and the registration statement has been made effective. Upon the Business Combination Closing, the Company or its successor will repay the Investor's Capital Investment within five business days, either in cash or shares of Common Stock at a rate of 1 share per $10 invested. Scantech, the Company, and Sponsor are jointly responsible for this payment, and funds provided by Scantech for liquidation will prioritize Investor's capital return before covering other expenses. If Sponsor, Scantech, or the Company defaults under this agreement and the default continues for five business days post-notification, the Company or its successor will issue to the Investor on the Default Date 0.1 shares of Common Stock for each dollar of the Investor’s capital investment, and an additional 0.1 shares for each dollar of the Investor’s capital investment monthly until the default is resolved. If the Business Combination is terminated in accordance with the provisions set forth in the Business Combination Agreement, ScanTech will be required to repay any funds borrowed from the Investor, and the Company will not be liable for any funds borrowed via a promissory note. As of June 30, 2024, no liability for any funds borrowed or shares to be issued was recorded based on the probability of the completion of the initial Business Combination, therefore, the Company has not recorded a liability for any funds borrowed or shares to be issued. Agreement with Roth Capital Partners On December 22, 2023, the Company entered into an agreement with Roth Capital Partners (“Roth”), whereby Roth will provide the Company with capital markets advisory services in connection with the closing of the Business Combination in exchange for the following: | ● | $500,000, payable in cash, upon consummation of the Business Combination and upon the Company raising a minimum of $5,000,000, net of fees and expenses, in a Financing concurrent with the Business Combination, and; |
| ● | $1,000,000, payable in cash or in exchange for 100,000 shares of Pubco, upon consummation of the Business Combination. |
The Company has no obligation to pay these fees if the Business Combination is terminated in accordance with the provisions set forth in the Business Combination Agreement. As of June 30, 2024, no liability for any funds borrowed or shares to be issued was recorded based on the probability of the completion of the initial Business Combination, therefore, the Company has not recorded a liability for the shares to be issued to Roth.
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