ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Notes to Financial Statements

ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

Overview

 ImageWare Systems, Inc. (the “Company”) is incorporated in the state of Delaware. The Company is a pioneer and leader in the market for biometrically enabled software-based identity management solutions. The Company develops mobile and cloud-based identity management solutions providing biometric, secure credential and law enforcement technologies. Our patented biometric product line includes our flagship product, the Biometric Engine®, a hardware and algorithm independent multi-biometric engine that enables the enrollment and management of unlimited population sizes.  Our identification products are used to create, issue and manage secure credentials, including national IDs, passports, driver's licenses, smart cards and access control credentials. Our digital booking products provide law enforcement with integrated mug shots, fingerprint live scans, and investigative capabilities.  The Company is headquartered in San Diego, California, with offices in Portland, Oregon, Mexico, and Ottawa, Ontario.

Recent Developments

Creation of Series F Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock and Series F Financing

On September 2, 2016, the Company filed the Certificate of Designations, Preferences, and Rights of the Series F Convertible Preferred Stock (“Certificate of Designations”) with the Delaware Division of Corporations, designating 2,000 shares of its preferred stock as Series F Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series F Preferred”). Shares of Series F Preferred rank junior to the Company’s Series B Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock, Series E Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock and existing indebtedness, and accrue dividends at a rate of 10% per annum, payable on a quarterly basis in shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.01 par value (“Common Stock”). Each share of Series F Preferred has a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share (“Liquidation Preference”), and is convertible, at the option of the holder, into that number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock equal to the Liquidation Preference, divided by $1.50 (the “Series F Conversion Shares”).

On September 7, 2016, the Company and Cap 1 LLC, a family client of Summer Road LLC (the “Investor”), entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”), wherein the Investor agreed to purchase 2,000 shares of Series F Preferred for $1,000 per share (the “Series F Financing”), resulting in gross proceeds to the Company of $2,000,000 net of issuance costs of approximately $21,000.

Key Product Introduction

On November 14, 2016, the Company introduced GoVerifyID® Enterprise Suite, a multi-modal, multi-factor biometric authentication solution for the enterprise market. An algorithm-agnostic solution, GoVerify ID Enterprise Suite is an end-to-end biometric platform that seamlessly integrates with an enterprise’s existing Microsoft infrastructure, offering businesses a turnkey biometric solution for quick deployment.  The Company feels that this product has the potential to dramatically accelerate adoption of its biometric solution due to the worldwide prevalence of enterprise use of the Microsoft infrastructure. 

Working across the entire enterprise ecosystem, GoVerifyID Enterprise Suite offers a consistent user experience and centralized administration with the highest level of security, flexibility, and usability. Specific benefits include:

● Mobile-workforce friendly—With GoVerifyID Enterprise Suite user authentication logins are possible for a tablet or laptop even when disconnected from the corporate network. Additionally, GoVerifyID Enterprise offers a consistent user authentication experience across all login environments.

● Hybrid cloud—GoVerifyID Enterprise Suite is linked from the cloud to an enterprise’s Microsoft infrastructure and is backward compatible with Windows 7, 8 and 10. Additionally, because the solution is SaaS-based it can easily scale to process hundreds of millions of transactions and store just as many biometrics.

● Seamless integration—GoVerifyID Enterprise Suite is a snap-in to the Microsoft Management console and can be centrally managed at the server. Additionally, the solution allows for seamless movement as it integrates with Active Directory using an organization’s existing Microsoft security infrastructure.

 Liquidity, Capital Resources and Going Concern

Historically, our principal sources of cash have included customer payments from the sale of our products, proceeds from the issuance of common and preferred stock and proceeds from the issuance of debt, including our Lines of Credit (defined below). Our principal uses of cash have included cash used in operations, payments relating to purchases of property and equipment and repayments of borrowings. We expect that our principal uses of cash in the future will be for product development including customization of identity management products for enterprise and consumer applications, further development of intellectual property, development of Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”) capabilities for existing products as well as general working capital and capital expenditure requirements. We expect that, as our revenue grows, our sales and marketing and research and development expense will continue to grow, albeit at a slower rate and, as a result, we will need to generate significant net revenue to achieve and sustain income from operations.

Reliance on Lines of Credit

On March 9, 2016, the Company and Neal Goldman, a director of the Company (“Goldman”), entered into the fourth amendment (the "Fourth Amendment") to the convertible promissory note and line of credit previously issued by the Company to Goldman on March 27, 2013 (the "Goldman LOC"). The Fourth Amendment (i) provides the Company with the ability to borrow up to $5.0 million under the terms of the Goldman LOC; (ii) permits Goldman to convert the outstanding principal, plus any accrued but unpaid interest due under the Goldman LOC (the "Outstanding Balance"), into shares of the Company's Common Stock for $1.25 per share; and (iii) extends the maturity date of the Goldman LOC to June 30, 2017.

In addition, on March 9, 2016, the Company and Charles Crocker, also a director of the Company (“Crocker”), entered into a new line of credit and promissory note (the "New Crocker LOC"), in the principal amount of $500,000. The New Crocker LOC accrues interest at a rate of 8% per annum, and matures on the earlier to occur of June 30, 2017 or such date that the Company consummates a debt and/or equity financing resulting in net proceeds to the Company of at least $3.5 million. All outstanding amounts due under the terms of the New Crocker LOC are convertible into shares of the Company's Common Stock at $1.25 per share.

As of September 30, 2016, $1,650,000 was outstanding under the terms of the Goldman LOC and $500,000 was outstanding under the terms of the New Crocker LOC (together, the “Lines of Credit”).  We anticipate needing to increase our borrowings under the Lines of Credit to continue to fund our working capital needs, thereby increasing the aggregate indebtedness due and payable on or before June 30, 2017.

We currently do not anticipate generating sufficient revenue and profit to repay these borrowings in full when due. Therefore, unless the holders of the notes issued under the Lines of Credit convert any outstanding balance into shares of Common Stock, we will need to seek an extension of the maturity date of the Lines of Credit on or before June 30, 2017. If remaining available borrowings under our Lines of Credit are insufficient or we are unable to extend the maturity date of the Lines of Credit, we will be required to raise additional capital through debt and/or equity financing to continue operations. No assurances can be given that any such financing will be available to us on favorable terms, if at all. At this time, we do not have any commitments for alternative financing or for an extension of the maturity date of the Lines of Credit.

Going Concern

As reflected in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements, the Company has continuing losses, negative working capital and negative cash flows from operations. Available borrowings under our existing Lines of Credit may be insufficient to provide for our working capital needs for the next twelve months. As a result, we may need to raise additional capital through debt and/or equity financing to execute our business plan. In addition, in the event we are unable to raise additional capital, we may be required to sell certain of the Company’s assets or license the Company’s technologies to others. These uncertainties raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

In view of the matters described in the preceding paragraph, recoverability of a major portion of the recorded asset amounts shown in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet is dependent upon continued operations of the Company, which, in turn, is dependent upon the Company’s ability to continue to raise capital and generate positive cash flows from operations. However, the Company operates in markets that are emerging and highly competitive. There is no assurance that the Company will operate at a profit or generate positive cash flows in the future.

The condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts and classifications of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.