EX-10.1 4 ea193558ex10-1_gryphon.htm FORM OF 3(A)(9) EXCHANGE AGREEMENT

Exhibit 10.1

 

EXCHANGE AGREEMENT

 

EXCHANGE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made as of the 8th day of February, 2024, by and between, Akerna Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Holder signatory hereto (the “Holder”).

 

WHEREAS, prior to the date hereof, pursuant to that certain Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 5, 2021, by and between the Company and the investors party thereto (as amended, the “Securities Purchase Agreement”), the Company issued to such investors certain senior secured convertible notes (the “Notes”).

 

WHEREAS, previously, the Company, Gryphon Digital Mining, Inc. (“Gryphon”) and Akerna Merger Co., a Delaware corporation (“Merger Sub”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated January 27, 2023 (the “Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which Merger Sub will merge with and into Gryphon (the “Merger”), with Gryphon surviving the Merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.

 

WEHREAS, in connection with the entry by the Company and Gryphon into the Merger Agreement, the Company and the Holder entered into an Exchange Agreement dated January 27, 2023 (the “Exchange Agreement”) and authorized a new series of Preferred Stock of the Company designated as Series C Preferred Stock the terms of which are set forth in the certificate of designation for such series of Preferred Stock in the form attached as Exhibit B to the Exchange Agreement (together with any shares of Series C Preferred Stock issued in replacement thereof in accordance with the terms thereof, the “Series C Preferred Stock”).

 

WHEREAS, under the terms of the Exchange Agreement, as amended, the Holder exchanged a principal amount of the Notes into shares of Series C Preferred Stock.

 

WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, the Holder is the holder of 1,711 shares of the Series C Preferred Stock (the “Series C Shares”).

 

WHEREAS, in exchange for the Series C Shares, the Company desires to issue to the Holder, such aggregate number of shares of common stock of the Company (the “Exchange Shares”) equal to the quotient of (x) the aggregate face value of the Series C Shares, being $1,000 per Series C Shares, divided by (y) the lower of (i) the Nasdaq Official Closing Price of the common stock of the Company (as defined in the Nasdaq Listing Rules) immediately preceding the date of this Agreement; or (ii) the average Nasdaq Official Closing Price of the common stock of the Company for the five trading days immediately preceding the date of this Agreement.

 

WHEREAS, the exchange of the Series C Shares for the Exchange Shares is being made in reliance upon the exemption from registration provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).

 

 

 

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and in consideration of the promises and the mutual agreements, representations and warranties, provisions and covenants contained herein, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:

 

1. Exchange. On the Closing Date, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Holder shall, and the Company shall, pursuant to Section 3(a)(9) of the 1933 Act, exchange the Series C Shares for 378,373 Exchange Shares based on a per share price of $4.522 (the Nasdaq Official Closing Price of the common stock of the Company (as defined in the Nasdaq Listing Rules) immediately preceding the date of this Agreement of $0.2261, as adjusted to reflect the 1-for-20 reverse stock split to be effected immediately prior to the Final Closing). At the Closing (as defined below), the following transactions shall occur (such transactions in this Section 1, the “Exchange”):

 

1.1 As of the Closing Date, the Series C Shares shall be free and clear of all Liens. Upon receipt of the Exchange Shares in accordance with Section 1.2, all of the Holder’s rights under the Series C Shares shall be extinguished.

 

1.2 On the Closing Date the Company shall issue the Exchange Shares to the Holder (or its designee). Promptly after the Closing Date the Company shall deliver a certificate or DRS advice slip evidencing the Exchange Shares to the Holder (or its designee). On the Closing Date, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Exchange Shares, irrespective of the date the Company delivers the certificate evidencing the Exchange Shares to the Holder; provided, however, that to the extent that any issuances of Exchange Shares to the Holder at the Closing in accordance herewith would result in such Holder and its other Attribution Parties (as defined in the Notes) exceeding the Maximum Percentage (as defined in the Notes) (as calculated in accordance with Section 3(d)(i) of the Notes) (a “Maximum Percentage Event”), then such Holder shall not be entitled to receive such aggregate number of Exchange Shares in excess of the Maximum Percentage (and shall not have beneficial ownership of such Exchange Shares (or other equivalent security) as a result of the Closing (and beneficial ownership) to such extent of any such excess), such remaining portion of such Final Closing Exchange Shares that would have otherwise been issued to the Holder at the Final Closing (such remaining portion of Exchange Shares, the “Abeyance Shares”), such portion of the Series C Shares shall alternatively be exchanged for the right to receive such Abeyance Shares (with a beneficial ownership and issuance limitation substantially in the form of Section 3(d) of the Notes, mutatis mutandis), at such time or times as its right thereto would not result in such Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, at which time or times, if any, such Holder shall be granted such remaining portion of such Abeyance Shares in accordance herewith.

 

1.3 The Company and the Holder shall execute and/or deliver such other documents and agreements as are customary and reasonably necessary to effectuate the Exchange.

 

1.4 For purposes of this Agreement, “Nasdaq Official Closing Price” shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock split, stock dividend, stock combination, reclassification or other similar transaction during such applicable period.

 

2. The Closing. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Exchange shall take place via the electronic exchange of documents, securities and signatures, immediately following the Effective Time of the Merger under the Merger Agreement or at such other time and place as the Company and the Holder mutually agree (the “Closing” and the “Closing Date”).

 

4. Closing Conditions.

 

4.1 Condition’s to Holder’s Obligations. The obligation of the Holder to consummate the Exchange is subject to the fulfillment, to the Holder’s reasonable satisfaction, prior to or at the Closing, of each of the following conditions:

 

(a) Representations and Warranties. Each and every representation and warranty of the Company set forth herein shall be true and correct in all material respects (except where qualified by materiality or material adverse effect, which shall be true and correct in all respect) as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though originally made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such specific date) and the Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Closing Date. The Holder shall have received a certificate, duly executed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, to the foregoing effect and as to such other matters as may be reasonably requested by the Holder in the form acceptable to the Holder.

 

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(c) Issuance of Securities. At the Closing, the Company shall issue the Exchange Shares on the books and records of the Company.

 

(e) No Actions. No action, proceeding, investigation, regulation or legislation shall have been instituted, threatened or proposed before any court, governmental agency or authority or legislative body to enjoin, restrain, prohibit or obtain substantial damages in respect of, this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(g) Proceedings and Documents. All proceedings in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and all documents and instruments incident to such transactions shall be satisfactory in substance and form to the Holder, and the Holder shall have received all such counterpart originals or certified or other copies of such documents as they may reasonably request.

 

(i) Listing. On each Trading Day (as defined in the Exchange Agreement) during the twenty (20) Trading Days immediately preceding the Closing Date and the Closing Date, the Exchange Shares (I) shall be designated for quotation or listed on an Eligible Market (as defined in the Exchange Agreement) and (II) shall not have been suspended.

 

(j) No Material Non-Public Information. During the period commencing on the date hereof, through and including, the Closing Date, the Holder shall not be in possession of any material, nonpublic information received from Gryphon, the Company, any subsidiary or its respective agents or affiliates.

 

(k) Merger Agreement. As of the Closing Date, the Merger Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, shall not have been terminated by any person and the conditions to the consummation of the Merger set forth therein shall be satisfied in full (or waived) other than such actions that shall occur on the Closing Date at the time of consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement (all of which are reasonably capable of being satisfied by the parties thereto on the Closing Date (and the Company and Gryphon shall have no knowledge of any reason why any condition to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement would not be reasonably capable of being satisfied and consummated on the Closing Date), as evidenced by a certificate executed by a duly authorized officer of each of the Company and Gryphon.

 

4.2 Condition’s to the Company’s Obligations. The obligation of the Company to consummate the Exchange is subject to the fulfillment, to the Company’s reasonable satisfaction, prior to or at the Closing in question, of each of the following conditions:

 

(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Holder contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects (except for those representations and warranties that are qualified by materiality or material adverse effect, which are accurate in all respects) on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date as if made on and as of such date (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which are accurate in all material respects (except for those representations and warranties that are qualified by materiality or material adverse effect, which are accurate in all respects) as of such specified date).

 

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(b) Waiver. Each Other Holder (as defined below) shall have duly executed and delivered to the Company an agreement in the form of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect.

 

(c) No Actions. No action, proceeding, investigation, regulation or legislation shall have been instituted, threatened or proposed before any court, governmental agency or authority or legislative body to enjoin, restrain, prohibit, or obtain substantial damages in respect of, this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(d) Proceedings and Documents. All proceedings in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and all documents and instruments incident to such transactions shall be satisfactory in substance and form to the Company and the Company shall have received all such counterpart originals or certified or other copies of such documents as the Company may reasonably request.

 

(e) Releases. The Holder and each Other Holder shall have executed and delivered the MJF Release (as defined in the Exchange Agreement) and the Merger Release (as defined in the Exchange Agreement) to the Company and Gryphon.

 

5. Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as set forth in the correspondingly numbered Section of the Disclosure Schedules, the Company represents and warrants to the Holder that the statements contained in this Section 7 are true and correct as of the date hereof and will be at the Closing Date:

 

5.1 Organization, Good Standing and Qualification. Each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries are entities duly organized and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which they are formed, and have the requisite power and authority to own their properties and to carry on their business as now being conducted and as presently proposed to be conducted. Each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign entity to do business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which its ownership of property or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below). As used in this Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on (i) the business, properties, assets, liabilities, operations (including results thereof), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or any Subsidiary, individually or taken as a whole, (ii) the transactions contemplated hereby and/or the Merger Agreement or (iii) the authority or ability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to perform any of their respective obligations under this Agreement and/or the Merger Agreement. Other than the Persons (as defined below) listed in the SEC Documents (as defined below) and Merger Sub, the Company has no Subsidiaries. “Subsidiaries” means any Person in which the Company, directly or indirectly, (I) owns any of the outstanding capital stock or holds any equity or similar interest of such Person or (II) controls or operates all or any part of the business, operations or administration of such Person, and each of the foregoing, is individually referred to herein as a “Subsidiary.” For purposes of this Agreement, (x) “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and any Governmental Entity or any department or agency thereof and (y) “Governmental Entity” means any nation, state, county, city, town, village, district, or other political jurisdiction of any nature, federal, state, local, municipal, foreign, or other government, governmental or quasi-governmental authority of any nature (including any governmental agency, branch, department, official, or entity and any court or other tribunal), multi-national organization or body; or body exercising, or entitled to exercise, any administrative, executive, judicial, legislative, police, regulatory, or taxing authority or power of any nature or instrumentality of any of the foregoing, including any entity or enterprise owned or controlled by a government or a public international organization or any of the foregoing.

 

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5.2 Authorization. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and each of the other agreements entered into by the parties hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and to consummate the Exchange (including, without limitation, the reservation for issuance and issuance of the Exchange Shares in accordance herewith). The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, the reservation for issuance and issuance of the Exchange Shares in accordance herewith has been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors and no further filing, consent, or authorization is required by the Company, its Board of Directors or its stockholders. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company, and constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies and except as rights to indemnification and to contribution may be limited by federal or state securities laws.

 

5.3 No Conflict. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the reservation for issuance and issuance of the Exchange Shares in accordance herewith) will not (i) result in a violation of the Certificate of Incorporation (as defined below) or any other organizational documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Bylaws (as defined below) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or (iii) to the Knowledge of the Company, result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including foreign, federal and state securities laws and regulations and the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Principal Market”) and including all applicable federal laws, rules and regulations) applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which any property or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or affected. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Knowledge of the Company” or any other similar knowledge qualification, means the actual or constructive knowledge of any director or officer of the Company, after due inquiry.

 

5.4 No Consents. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is required to obtain any consent from, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or state securities agencies, any court, governmental agency or any regulatory or self-regulatory agency or any other Person in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its respective obligations under or contemplated by this Agreement, in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof. All consents, authorizations, orders, filings and registrations which the Company or any Subsidiary is required to obtain pursuant to the preceding sentence have been obtained or effected on or prior to the date hereof, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries are aware of any facts or circumstances which might prevent the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from obtaining or effecting any of the registration, application or filings contemplated by this Agreement. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents (as defined below), the Company is not in violation of the requirements of the Principal Market and has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which would reasonably lead to delisting or suspension of the shares of common stock of the Company (the “Common Stock”) in the foreseeable future.

 

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5.5 Securities Law Exemptions. Assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Holder contained herein, the offer and issuance by the Company of the Exchange Shares in accordance herewith is exempt from registration under the 1933 Act pursuant to the exemption provided by Rule 3(a)(9) thereof. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no cash consideration shall be paid, or be required to be paid, directly, or indirectly, by the Holder to the Company in connection with the Exchange.

 

5.6 Issuance of Exchange Shares. The Company has reserved a sufficient number of Common Stock issuable in the Exchange to consummate the Exchange in accordance herewith, and when the Exchange Shares are issued accordance herewith, the Exchange Shares, when issued, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all preemptive or similar rights, mortgages, defects, claims, liens, pledges, charges, taxes, rights of first refusal, encumbrances, security interests and other encumbrances (collectively “Encumbrances”) with respect to the issue thereof with the holders being entitled to all rights accorded to a holder of Common Stock.

 

5.6 Transfer Taxes. On the date hereof, all share transfer or other taxes (other than income or similar taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the issuance of the Exchange Shares to be exchanged with the Holder hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company, and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been complied with.

 

5.7 SEC Documents; Financial Statements. As of the date hereof, the Company has met all of its filing requirements of periodic reports under Section 13 or Section 15(d) of Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) (all of the foregoing filed prior to the date hereof, including without limitation, Current Reports on Form 8-K filed by the Company with the SEC whether required to be filed or not (but excluding Item 7.01 thereunder), and all exhibits and appendices included therein (other than Exhibits 99.1 to Form 8-K) and financial statements, notes and schedules thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein being hereinafter referred to as the “SEC Documents”). Upon request by the Holder, the Company has delivered or has made available to the Holder or its representatives true, correct and complete copies of each of the SEC Documents not available on the EDGAR system. As of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents, and none of the SEC Documents, at the time they were filed with the SEC, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. As of their respective dates, the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto as in effect as of the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied, during the periods involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in such financial statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the dates thereof and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments which will not be material, either individually or in the aggregate). No other information provided by or on behalf of the Company to the Holder which is not included in the SEC Documents (including, without limitation, information in the disclosure schedules to this Agreement) contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, in the light of the circumstance under which they are or were made. The Company is not currently contemplating to amend or restate any of the financial statements (including, without limitation, any notes or any letter of the independent accountants of the Company with respect thereto) included in the SEC Documents (the “Financial Statements”), nor is the Company currently aware of facts or circumstances which would require the Company to amend or restate any of the Financial Statements, in each case, in order for any of the Financials Statements to be in compliance with GAAP and the rules and regulations of the SEC. The Company has not been informed by its independent accountants that they recommend that the Company amend or restate any of the Financial Statements or that there is any need for the Company to amend or restate any of the Financial Statements.

 

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5.8 Absence of Certain Changes. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, since the date of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, there has been no material adverse change and no material adverse development in the business, assets, liabilities, properties, operations (including results thereof), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, provided that the parties agree that the execution of the SPA and the Merger Agreement do not constitute a material adverse change or material adverse development. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, since the date of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has (i) declared or paid any dividends, (ii) sold any assets, individually or in the aggregate, outside of the ordinary course of business or (iii) made any capital expenditures, individually or in the aggregate, outside of the ordinary course of business. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken any steps to seek protection pursuant to any law or statute relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, liquidation or winding up, nor does the Company or any Subsidiary have any knowledge or reason to believe that any of their respective creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy proceedings or any actual knowledge of any fact which would reasonably lead a creditor to do so.

 

5.9 No Undisclosed Events, Liabilities, Developments or Circumstances. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, no event, liability, development or circumstance has occurred or exists, or is reasonably expected to exist or occur with respect to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses, properties, liabilities, prospects, operations (including results thereof) or condition (financial or otherwise), that (i) would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws on a registration statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC relating to an issuance and sale by the Company of its Common Stock and which has not been publicly announced, (ii) would reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on the Holder’s investment hereunder or (iii) would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

 

5.10 Conduct of Business; Regulatory Permits. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any term of or in default under its Certificate of Incorporation, any certificate of designation, preferences or rights of any other outstanding series of Preferred Stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Bylaws or their organizational charter, certificate of formation, memorandum of association, articles of association, Certificate of Incorporation or bylaws, respectively. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any judgment, decree or order or any statute, ordinance, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries will conduct its business in violation of any of the foregoing, except in all cases for possible violations which could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company is not in violation of any of the rules, regulations or requirements of the Principal Market and has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances that could reasonably lead to delisting or suspension of the Common Stock by the Principal Market in the foreseeable future. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, during the two years prior to the date hereof, (i) the Common Stock has been listed or designated for quotation on the Principal Market, (ii) trading in the Common Stock has not been suspended by the SEC or the Principal Market and (iii) the Company has received no communication, written or oral, from the SEC or the Principal Market regarding the suspension or delisting of the Common Stock from the Principal Market. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to possess such certificates, authorizations or permits would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit. There is no agreement, commitment, judgment, injunction, order or decree binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party which has or would reasonably be expected to have the effect of prohibiting or materially impairing any business practice of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any acquisition of property by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or the conduct of business by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as currently conducted other than such effects, individually or in the aggregate, which have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

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5.11 Transactions With Affiliates. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, no current or former employee, partner, director, officer or stockholder (direct or indirect) of the Company or its Subsidiaries, or any associate, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any affiliate of any thereof, or any relative with a relationship no more remote than first cousin of any of the foregoing, is presently, or has ever been, (i) a party to any transaction with the Company or its Subsidiaries (including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services by, or rental of real or personal property from, or otherwise requiring payments to, any such director, officer or stockholder or such associate or affiliate or relative Subsidiaries (other than for ordinary course services as employees, consultants, officers or directors of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries)) or (ii) the direct or indirect owner of an interest in any corporation, firm, association or business organization which is a competitor, supplier or customer of the Company or its Subsidiaries (except for a passive investment (direct or indirect) in less than 5% of the common stock of a company whose securities are traded on or quoted through an Eligible Market), nor does any such Person receive income from any source other than the Company or its Subsidiaries which relates to the business of the Company or its Subsidiaries or should properly accrue to the Company or its Subsidiaries. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, no employee, officer, stockholder or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or member of his or her immediate family is indebted to the Company or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, nor is the Company or any of its Subsidiaries indebted (or committed to make loans or extend or guarantee credit) to any of them, other than (i) for payment of salary for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred on behalf of the Company, and (iii) for other standard employee benefits made generally available to all employees or executives (including stock option agreements outstanding under any stock option plan approved by the Board of Directors of the Company).

 

5.12 Capitalization.

 

(a) Definitions:

 

(i) “Common Stock” means (x) the Company’s shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and (y) any capital stock into which such common stock shall have been changed or any share capital resulting from a reclassification of such Common Stock.

 

(ii) “Preferred Stock” means (x) the Company’s blank check preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share, the terms of which may be designated by the board of directors of the Company in a certificate of designation and (y) any capital stock into which such Preferred Stock shall have been changed or any share capital resulting from a reclassification of such Preferred Stock (other than a conversion of such preferred stock into Common Stock in accordance with the terms of such certificate of designations).

 

(b) Authorized and Outstanding Capital Stock. As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (A) 150,000,000 shares of Common Stock, of which, 10,352,018 are issued and outstanding as of the date hereof and 2,595,122 shares of Common Stock are reserved for issuance pursuant to Convertible Securities (as defined below), in each case exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, shares of Common Stock, and (B) 5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, of which (i) 400,000 have been designated as Series A Preferred Stock of which none are issued and outstanding; and, (ii) 100,000 have been designated as Series B Preferred Stock of which none are issued and outstanding, (iii) one (1) has been designated as Special Voting Preferred Stock of which one (1) is issued and outstandingly and (iv) 3,422 have been designated Series C Preferred Stock of which 3,422 shares are issued and outstanding. No shares of Common Stock are held in the treasury of the Company. “Convertible Securities” means any capital stock or other security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is at any time and under any circumstances directly or indirectly convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for, or which otherwise entitles the holder thereof to acquire, any capital stock or other security of the Company (including, without limitation, Common Stock) or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

(c) Valid Issuance; Available Shares; Affiliates. All of such outstanding shares of Common Stock are duly authorized and have been, or upon issuance will be, validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. The SEC Documents set forth the number of shares of Common Stock that are (A) reserved for issuance pursuant to Convertible Securities and (B) that are, as of the date hereof, owned by Persons who are “affiliates” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act and calculated based on the assumption that only officers, directors and holders of at least 10% of the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Stock are “affiliates” without conceding that any such Persons are “affiliates” for purposes of federal securities laws) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

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(d) Organizational Documents. The Company has furnished or has made available to the to the Holder by filing on the SEC EDGAR system true, correct and complete copies of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), and the Company’s bylaws, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Bylaws”), and the terms of all Convertible Securities and the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto.

 

5.13 Indebtedness and Other Contracts. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, (i) except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, has any outstanding debt securities, notes, credit agreements, credit facilities or other agreements, documents or instruments evidencing Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound, (ii) is a party to any contract, agreement or instrument, except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the violation of which, or default under which, by the other party(ies) to such contract, agreement or instrument could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (iii) has any financing statements securing obligations in any amounts filed in connection with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except as disclosed in the SEC Documents; (iv) is in violation of any term of, or in default under, any contract, agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness, except where such violations and defaults would not result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect, or (v) is a party to any contract, agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness, the performance of which, in the judgment of the Company’s officers, has or is expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries have any liabilities or obligations required to be disclosed in the SEC Documents which are not so disclosed in the SEC Documents, other than those incurred in the ordinary course of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ respective businesses and which, individually or in the aggregate, do not or could not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.14 Litigation. Except as otherwise disclosed by the Company in its SEC Documents or as set forth on Schedule 7.15 hereto,, there is no action, suit, arbitration, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by the Principal Market, any court, public board, other Governmental Entity, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Common Stock or any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ officers or directors that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or its Subsidiaries, whether of a civil or criminal nature or otherwise, in their capacities as such. No director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has willfully violated 18 U.S.C. §1519 or engaged in spoliation in reasonable anticipation of litigation. Without limitation of the foregoing, there has not been, and to the Knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the SEC involving the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any current or former director or officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The SEC has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award of any Governmental Entity.

 

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5.15 Disclosure. The Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided the Holder or its agents or counsel with any information that constitutes or would reasonably be expected to constitute material, non-public information concerning the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than the existence of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Company understands and confirms that the Holder will rely on the foregoing representations in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All disclosure provided to the Holder regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries, their businesses and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the schedules to this Agreement, furnished by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is true and correct and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Each press release issued by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries during the twelve (12) months preceding the date of this Agreement did not at the time of release contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. No event or circumstance has occurred or information exists with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or its or their business, properties, liabilities, prospects, operations (including results thereof) or conditions (financial or otherwise), which, under applicable law, rule or regulation, requires public disclosure at or before the date hereof or announcement by the Company but which has not been so publicly announced or disclosed.

 

6. Representations and Warranties of the Holder. As a material inducement to the Company to enter into this Agreement and consummate the Exchange, the Holder represents, warrants and covenants with and to the Company as of the date hereof and the Closing Date, as follows:

 

6.1 Reliance of Exemptions. The Holder understands that the Exchange Shares and are being offered and exchanged in reliance on specific exemptions from the registration requirements of United States federal and state securities laws and that the Company is relying in part upon the truth and accuracy of, and the Holder’s compliance with, the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of the Holder set forth herein in order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the eligibility of the Holder to acquire the Exchange Shares.

 

6.2 No Governmental Review. The Holder understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed on or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Exchange Shares or the fairness or suitability of the investment in the Exchange Shares nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Exchange Shares..

 

6.3 Validity; Enforcement. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered on behalf of the Holder and shall constitute the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Holder enforceable against the Holder in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation and other similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies.

 

6.4 No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Holder of this Agreement and the consummation by the Holder of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (i) result in a violation of the organizational documents of the Holder or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Holder is a party, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws) applicable to the Holder, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for such conflicts, defaults, rights or violations which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Holder to perform its obligations hereunder.

 

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6.5 Ownership of Series C Shares. The Holder owns the Series C Shares free and clear of any Encumbrances (other than the obligations pursuant to this Agreement and applicable securities laws).

 

7. Additional Covenants

 

7.1 Disclosure. The Company shall, on or before 8:30 a.m., New York City time, on the first business day after the date of this Agreement, issue a press release and/or Current Report on Form 8-K disclosing all material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby and attaching the form of this Agreement as an exhibit thereto (collectively with all exhibits attached thereto, the “8-K Filing”). From and after the issuance of the 8-K Filing, the Holder shall not be in possession of any material, nonpublic information received from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, affiliates or agents, that is not disclosed in the 8-K Filing. The Company shall not, and shall cause its officers, directors, employees, affiliates and agents, not to, provide the Holder with any material, nonpublic information regarding the Company from and after the filing of the 8-K Filing without the express written consent of the Holder. To the extent that the Company delivers any material, non-public information to the Holder without the Holder’s express prior written consent, the Company hereby covenants and agrees that the Holder shall not have any duty of confidentiality to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, affiliates or agent with respect to, or a duty to the to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, affiliates or agent or not to trade on the basis of, such material, non-public information. The Company shall not disclose the name of the Holder in any filing, announcement, release or otherwise, unless such disclosure is required by law or regulation. In addition, effective upon the filing of the 8-K Filing, the Company acknowledges and agrees that any and all confidentiality or similar obligations under any agreement, whether written or oral, between the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, affiliates, employees or agents, on the one hand, and the Holder or any of its affiliates, on the other hand, shall terminate and be of no further force or effect. The Company understands and confirms that the Holder will rely on the foregoing representations in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.

 

7.2 Listing. The Company shall promptly secure the listing or designation for quotation (as applicable) of all of the Exchange Shares an upon each Eligible Market upon which the Common Stock is then listed or designated for quotation (as applicable) (subject to official notice of issuance) and shall maintain such listing of all the Exchange Shares. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this Section 7.2.

 

7.3 Holding Period. For the purposes of Rule 144 of the 1933 Act, the Company acknowledges that the holding period of the Notes and the Series C Shares may be tacked onto the holding period of the Exchange Shares, and the Company agrees not to take a position contrary to this Section 7.3.

 

7.4 Blue Sky. The Company shall make all filings and reports relating to the Exchange required under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States following the date hereof, if any.

 

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7.5 Fees and Expenses. The Company shall reimburse Kelley Drye & Warren, LLP (counsel to the lead Holder) in an aggregate non-accountable amount of $5,000 (the “Legal Fee Amount”) for costs and expenses incurred by it in connection with drafting and negotiation of the Exchange Documents; provided, that the Company shall promptly reimburse Kelley Drye & Warren LLP on demand for any additional reasonable and documented fees and expenses not so reimbursed through such withholding at each Closing. Each party to this Agreement shall bear its own expenses in connection with the structuring, documentation, negotiation and closing of the transactions contemplated hereby, except as provided in the previous sentence, and except that the Company shall be responsible for the payment of any placement agent’s fees, financial advisory fees, transfer agent fees, Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) fees relating to or arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

7.6 Independent Nature of Holder’s Obligations and Rights. The obligations of the Holder under this Agreement are several and not joint with the obligations of any other holder of securities of the Company (each, an “Other Holder”), and the Holder shall not be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any Other Holder under any other agreement by and between the Company and any Other Holder (each, an “Other Agreement”). Nothing contained herein or in any Other Agreement, and no action taken by the Holder pursuant hereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Holder and Other Holders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Holder and Other Holders are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Amendment or any Other Agreement and the Company acknowledges that, to the best of its knowledge, the Holder and the Other Holders are not acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Amendment or any Other Agreement. The Company, and the Holder confirm that the Holder has independently participated in the negotiation of the transactions contemplated hereby with the advice of its own counsel and advisors. The Holder shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Amendment, and it shall not be necessary for any Other Holder to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.

 

8. Miscellaneous

 

8.1 Successors and Assigns. Except as otherwise provided herein, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and the respective successors and assigns of the parties. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party, other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and assigns, any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement.

 

8.2 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Jury Trial. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state or federal courts sitting in The City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

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8.3 Titles and Subtitles. The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.

 

8.4 Notices. Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon delivery, when sent by facsimile (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party) or by electronic mail; or (iii) one Business Day after deposit with an overnight courier service, in each case properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses, facsimile numbers and e-mail addresses for such communications shall be:

 

If to the Company:

 

Akerna Corp.
1550 Larimer Street, #246
Denver, Colorado 80202
Telephone: (888) 932-6537
Email: jlb@akerna.com

 

With a copy to:

 

Dorsey & Whitney LLP
1400 Wewatta Street, Suite 400
Denver, CO 80202
Telephone: (303) 352-1133
Facsimile: (303) 629-3450
Attention: Jason K. Brenkert, Esq.
Email: brenkert.jason@dorsey.com

 

If to the Holder, to its address, facsimile number and e-mail address set forth on its signature page hereto, or to such other address, facsimile number and/or e-mail address and/or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party five (5) days prior to the effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender’s facsimile machine or e-mail containing the time, date, recipient facsimile number and an image of the first page of such transmission or (C) provided by an overnight courier service shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from an overnight courier service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.

 

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8.5 Amendments and Waivers. Any term of this Agreement may be amended and the observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively), only with the written consent of the Company and the Holder.

 

8.6 Severability. If one or more provisions of this Agreement are held to be unenforceable under applicable law, such provision shall be excluded from this Agreement and the balance of the Agreement shall be interpreted as if such provision were so excluded and shall be enforceable in accordance with its terms so long as this Agreement as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the parties as to the subject matter hereof and the prohibited nature, invalidity or unenforceability of the provision(s) in question does not substantially impair the respective expectations or reciprocal obligations of the parties or the practical realization of the benefits that would otherwise be conferred upon the parties. The parties will endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s) with a valid provision(s), the effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s).

 

8.7 Entire Agreement. This Agreement represents the entire agreement and understandings between the parties concerning the Exchange and the other matters described herein and therein and supersedes and replaces any and all prior agreements and understandings solely with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.

 

8.8 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

8.9 Interpretation. Unless the context of this Agreement clearly requires otherwise, (a) references to the plural include the singular, the singular the plural, the part the whole, (b) references to any gender include all genders, (c) “including” has the inclusive meaning frequently identified with the phrase “but not limited to” and (d) references to “hereunder” or “herein” relate to this Agreement.

 

8.10 No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.

 

8.11 Survival. The representations, warranties and covenants of the Company and the Holder contained herein shall survive the Closing and delivery of the Securities.

 

8.12 Further Assurances. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as any other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

8.13 No Strict Construction. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.

 

[SIGNATURES ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date provided above.

 

  AKERNA CORP.
   
  By:  
  Name:  Jessica Billingsley
  Title: Chief Executive Officer
   
  Mailing Address and E-Mail Address for Notices:
  1550 Larimer Street, #246
  Denver, Colorado 80202
  jlb@akerna.com

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Holder and the Company have executed this Agreement as of the date set forth on the first page of this Agreement.

 

  HOLDER:
   
  By:            
  Name:   
  Title:  
   
  Mailing Address and E-Mail Address for Notices: