S-8 1 d810637ds8.htm S-8 S-8

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 25, 2024

Registration No. 333-   

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

BANZAI INTERNATIONAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   85-3118980

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

  

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

435 Ericksen Ave, Suite 250

Bainbridge Island, Washington 98110

Tel: (206) 414-1777

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant’s principal executive offices)

Banzai International, Inc. 2023 Equity Incentive Plan

Banzai International, Inc. 2023 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

(Full title of the plan)

Joseph Davy

Banzai International, Inc.

435 Ericksen Ave, Suite 250

Bainbridge Island, Washington 98110

Tel: (206) 414-1777

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copies to:

Chris Hall

Danielle Benderly

Perkins Coie LLP

1120 NW Couch Street, 10th Floor

Portland, Oregon 97209

Tel: (503) 727-2000

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer   ☐    Accelerated filer   ☐
Non-accelerated filer   ☒    Smaller reporting company   ☒
     Emerging growth company   ☒

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

 

 

 

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 3

Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

Banzai International, Inc. (the “Registrant”) hereby incorporates by reference into this Registration Statement on Form S-8 (this “Registration Statement”) the following documents previously filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”):

 

a.

The Registrant’s prospectus filed on February 14, 2024 pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-276307) (as amended and including the exhibits thereto), initially filed with the Commission on December 29, 2023, which contains the Registrant’s audited financial statements for the latest fiscal year for which such statements have been filed;

 

b.

The Registrant’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act for its fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2023, filed on May 19, 2023; June  30, 2023, filed on August 21, 2023; and September  30, 2023, filed on November 21, 2023;

 

c.

The Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on May  9, 2023, June  15, 2023, June 16, 2023, June  21, 2023, June 22, 2023, June  23, 2023, June  29, 2023, August  7, 2023, October 4, 2023, November  15, 2023, December 5, 2023, December  8, 2023, December 11, 2023, December  12, 2023, December 13, 2023, December  15, 2023, December  18, 2023, December  20, 2023 and February 8, 2024 (except for the portions of such reports deemed to be furnished and not filed); and

 

d.

The description of the Registrant’s common stock, par value $0.0001, contained in the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on December 20, 2023 and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement that indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or that de-registers all securities then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents; provided, however, that documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with the rules of the Commission shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained in any subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

 

Item 4

Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

 

Item 5

Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

None.

 

Item 6

Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The Registrant’s second amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Charter”) provides that all of the Registrant’s directors, officers, employees and agents shall be entitled to be indemnified by the Registrant to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”). Section 145 of the DGCL concerning indemnification of officers, directors, employees, and agents is set forth below.

Section 145. Indemnification of officers, directors, employees, and agents; insurance.

 

(a)

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

 

(b)

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

 

(c)

To the extent that a present or former director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, or in defense of any claim, issue, or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.

 

(d)

Any indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) of this section (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the present or former director, officer, employee, or agent is proper in the circumstances because the person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of this section. Such determination shall be made, with respect to a person who is a director or officer at the time of such determination, (1) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (2) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (3) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (4) by the stockholders.

 

(e)

Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized in this section. Such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by former officers and directors or other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the corporation deems appropriate.

(f)

The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, the other subsections of this section shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. A right to indemnification or to advancement of expenses arising under a provision of the certificate of incorporation or a bylaw shall not be eliminated or impaired by an amendment to such provision after the occurrence of the act or omission that is the subject of the civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification or advancement of expenses is sought, unless the provision in effect at the time of such act or omission explicitly authorizes such elimination or impairment after such action or omission has occurred.

 

(g)

A corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under this section.

 

(h)

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

 

(i)

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

 

(j)

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

 

(k)

The Court of Chancery is hereby vested with exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine all actions for advancement of expenses or indemnification brought under this section or under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise. The Court of Chancery may summarily determine a corporation’s obligation to advance expenses (including attorneys’ fees).

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to the Registrant’s directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person in a successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to the court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

In accordance with Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, the Charter provides that no director shall be personally liable to the Registrant or any of its stockholders for monetary damages resulting from breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors, except to the extent such limitation on or exemption from liability is not permitted under the DGCL. The effect of this provision of the Charter is to eliminate the Registrant’s rights and those of the Registrant’s stockholders (through stockholders’ derivative suits on the Registrant’s behalf) to recover monetary damages against a director for breach of the fiduciary duty of care as a director, including breaches resulting from negligent or grossly negligent behavior, except, as restricted by Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL. However, this provision does not limit or eliminate the Registrant’s rights or the rights of any stockholder to seek non-monetary relief, such as an injunction or rescission, in the event of a breach of a director’s duty of care.

If the DGCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the liability of directors, then, in accordance with the Charter, the liability of the Registrant’s directors to the Registrant or its stockholders will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL, as so amended. Any repeal or amendment of provisions of the Charter limiting or eliminating the liability of directors, whether by the Registrant’s stockholders or by changes in law, or the adoption of any other provisions inconsistent therewith, will (unless otherwise required by law) be prospective only, except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits the Registrant to further limit or eliminate the liability of directors on a retroactive basis.

The Charter also provides that the Registrant will, to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by applicable law, indemnify its current and former officers and directors, as well as those persons who, while directors or officers of the Registrant, are or were serving as directors, officers, employees or agents of another entity, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan, in connection with any threatened, pending or completed proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, against all expense, liability and loss (including, without limitation, attorney’s fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by any such person in connection with any such proceeding.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person eligible for indemnification pursuant to the Charter will be indemnified by the Registrant in connection with a proceeding initiated by such person only if such proceeding was authorized by the Registrant’s board of directors, except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification.

The right to indemnification which will be conferred by the Charter is a contract right that includes the right to be paid by the Registrant the expenses incurred in defending or otherwise participating in any proceeding referenced above in advance of its final disposition, provided, however, that if the DGCL requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by an officer or director of the Registrant (solely in the capacity as an officer or director of the Registrant) will be made only upon delivery to the Registrant of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such officer or director, to repay all amounts so advanced if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under the Charter or otherwise.

The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses will not be deemed exclusive of any other rights which any person covered by the Charter may have or hereafter acquire under law, the Charter, the Registrant’s second amended and restated bylaws (the “Bylaws”), an agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.

Any repeal or amendment of provisions of the Charter affecting indemnification rights, whether by the Registrant’s stockholders or by changes in law, or the adoption of any other provisions inconsistent therewith, will (unless otherwise required by law) be prospective only, except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits the Registrant to provide broader indemnification rights on a retroactive basis, and will not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing at the time of such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision. The Charter also permits the Registrant, to the extent and in the manner authorized or permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other that those specifically covered by the Charter.

The Bylaws include the provisions relating to advancement of expenses and indemnification rights consistent with those which are set forth in the Charter. In addition, the Bylaws provide for a right of indemnity to bring a suit in the event a claim for indemnification or advancement of expenses is not paid in full by the Registrant within a specified period of time. The Bylaws also permit the Registrant to purchase and maintain insurance, at the Registrant’s expense, to protect it and/or any director, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant or another entity, trust, or other enterprise against any expense, liability, or loss, whether or not the Registrant would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability, or loss under the DGCL.

Any repeal or amendment of provisions of the Bylaws affecting indemnification rights, whether by the Registrant’s board of directors, stockholders or by changes in applicable law, or the adoption of any other provisions inconsistent therewith, will (unless otherwise required by law) be prospective only, except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits the Registrant to provide broader indemnification rights on a retroactive basis, and will not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing thereunder with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision.

The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its officers and directors. These agreements require the Registrant to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to the Registrant, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified.

 

Item 7

Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

 

Item 8

Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
Number		   

Description

5.1*    Opinion of Perkins Coie LLP as to the legality of the securities being registered.
23.1*    Consent of Perkins Coie LLP (contained in Exhibit 5.1).
23.2*    Consent of Marcum, LLP.
23.3*    Consent of WithumSmith+Brown, PC.
24.1*    Powers of Attorney (included on the signature page of this Registration Statement).
99.1*    Banzai International, Inc. 2023 Equity Incentive Plan.
99.2*    Banzai International, Inc. 2023 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
107*    Filing Fee Table.

 

*

Filed herewith.

 

Item 9

Undertakings.

(1) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(a) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this Registration Statement; and

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to such information in this Registration Statement;

Provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(a)(i) and (1)(a)(ii) herein do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

(b) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(2) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the indemnity provisions summarized in Item 6, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Bainbridge Island, State of Washington, on March 25, 2024.

 

BANZAI INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By:  

/s/ Joseph Davy

  JOSEPH DAVY
  Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Joseph Davy and Mark Musburger, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this Registration Statement, and any registration statement relating to the offering covered by this Registration Statement and filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully for all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his or her substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature    Date

/s/ Joseph Davy

    March 25, 2024
JOSEPH DAVY,   
Chief Executive Officer and Director   
(Principal Executive Officer)   

/s/ Mark Musburger

    March 25, 2024
MARK MUSBURGER,   
Chief Financial Officer   
(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   

/s/ Paula Boggs

    March 25, 2024
PAULA BOGGS,   
Director   

/s/ William Bryant

    March 25, 2024
WILLIAM BRYANT,   
Director   

/s/ Jack Leeney

    March 25, 2024
JACK LEENEY,   
Director   

/s/ Mason Ward

    March 25, 2024
MASON WARD,   
Director