SEC Form 10-K filed by Ace Global Business Acquisition Limited

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023

or

☐ TRANSITION REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from _________ to _________

Commission file number: 001-40309

ACE GLOBAL BUSINESS ACQUISITION LIMITED

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (852) 2151 5198 / 2151 5598

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐   No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐   No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒   No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒   No ☐

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.

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐ 

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant's executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☒   No ☐

As of December 31, 2023, the aggregate market value of the Registrant’s ordinary shares held by non-affiliate of the Registrant was $23,390,028.

As of March 8, 2024, the number of shares issued and outstanding of the Registrant’s ordinary shares was 3,431,179.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

None.

ACE GLOBAL BUSINESS ACQUISITION LIMITED

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 2023

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this annual report on Form 10-K (this “Form 10-K”) may constitute “forward-looking statements” for the purposes of the federal securities laws. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this Form 10-K may include, for example, statements about:

The forward-looking statements contained in this Form 10-K are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the section of this Form 10-K entitled “Risk Factors.” Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

References in this report to “we”, “us” or the “Company” refer to Ace Global Business Acquisition Limited. References to our “management” or our “management team” refer to our officers and directors, and references to the “Sponsor” refer to Ace Global Investment Limited.

part I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

Introduction

Ace Global Business Acquisition Limited (“Ace”, or the “Company”) is a blank check company incorporated on November 2, 2020 as a British Virgin Islands company with limited liability and incorporated for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more target businesses. The Company has neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenue to date. Based on our business activities, the Company is a “shell company” as defined under the Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) because we have no operations and nominal assets consisting almost entirely of cash.

On April 8, 2021, the Company consummated the initial public offering (“IPO”) of 4,000,000 units (the “Units”). Each Unit consists of one ordinary share (“Ordinary Share”) and one warrant (“Warrant”) entitling its holder to purchase one Ordinary Share at a price of $11.50 per whole share upon the consummation of an initial business combination. The Units were sold at an offering price of $10.00 per Unit (“Proposed Offering”), generating gross proceeds of $40,000,000. The Company granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to 600,000 additional Units (over and above 4,000,000 units referred to above) solely to cover over-allotments if any.

Simultaneously with the consummation of the IPO, we consummated the private placement (“Private Placement”) with our Sponsor of 280,000 units (the “Private Units”) at a price of $10.00 per Private Unit, generating gross proceeds of $2,800,000. On April 9, 2021, simultaneously with the sale of the over-allotment units, the Company consummated the private sale of an additional 24,000 Private Units, generating gross proceeds of $240,000. The Private Units are identical to the Units sold in the IPO, except that the warrants underlying the Private Units will be non-redeemable and may be exercised on a cashless basis, in each case so long as they continue to be held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. Additionally, because the Private Units were issued in a private transaction, the initial purchasers and their permitted transferees will be allowed to exercise the warrants included in the Private Units for cash even if a registration statement covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of such warrants is not effective and receive unregistered ordinary shares. Additionally, such initial purchasers agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of the Private Units or underlying securities (except in limited circumstances, as described in the Registration Statement) until the completion of the Company’s initial business combination. Such Initial Purchasers were granted certain demand and piggyback registration rights in connection with the purchase of the Private Units. The Private Units were issued pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as the transactions did not involve a public offering.

The underwriters exercised the over-allotment option in full on April 9, 2021. The sale of 600,000 units at a price of $10.00 per unit resulted in total gross proceeds of $6,000,000.

A total of $46,920,000 of the net proceeds from the sale of Units in the IPO (including the over-allotment option units) and the private placements on April 8, 2021 and April 9, 2021, were placed in a trust account established for the benefit of the Company’s public shareholders at Morgan Stanley maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, acting as trustee. None of the funds held in trust will be released from the trust account, other than interest income to pay any tax obligations, until the earlier of the completion of an initial business combination within the required time period or our entry into liquidation if we have not completed a business combination in the required time period. On May 21, 2021, our ordinary shares, and warrants underlying the Units sold in our IPO began to trade separately on a voluntary basis.

Since our IPO, our sole business activity has been identifying and evaluating suitable acquisition transaction candidates.

Our Management Team 

We will seek to capitalize on the comprehensive experience and contacts of our executive officers in consummating an initial business combination. Our management team is comprised of Eugene Wong, who is our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, and Nicholas Xue-Wei Tan, who is our Chief Financial Officer. Our management team brings a wealth of experience in identifying, negotiating with and conducting due diligence on potential candidates for acquisition.

Mr. Wong has a wide range of experience both in the financial and gaming industries for over a decade. Mr. Wong is currently Managing Director of Norwich Capital Limited since September 2021. Mr. Wong joined Whiz Partners Inc. in May 2013 and during his time at Whiz Partners, he became chief investment officer and partner of the China Hero PJ Fund (“China Hero Fund”), an incubation program to support Chinese developers to create the next blockbuster console game on the PlayStation platform. China Hero Fund is an exclusive collaboration with Sony Interactive Entertainment, one of the largest console gaming companies in the world. During his time at Whiz Partners Asia, he also personally oversaw the injection of multiple Japanese technology companies in audio middleware, debugging and testing and graphics renderings into the China market to improve the quality of games. Prior to his role at Whiz Partners, he spent two years as a merger and acquisitions analyst at CDC Software Inc. (NASDAQ: CDCS) from August 2009 to May 2011, where he worked closely with the senior management team to conduct financial analysis, due diligence and deal structuring. He then spent one year as an investment analyst at World Bank Group from August 2012 to May 2013, where he gained experience in market analysis and creating valuations to identify favorable investment opportunities. Mr. Wong obtained his Master of Business Administration degree from the MIT Sloan-Tsinghua Program at Tsinghua University in May 2013, and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree at the University of Chicago in July 2009.

Mr. Tan has a wide range of experience in management and operating roles in e-commerce, consulting, consumer retail and energy production companies. He has been a partner at East Ocean Capital, an investment holding company focused on consumer, education and healthcare sectors since June 2015. From January 2016 to January 2018, he was the vice president of China Mall Group, South Africa’s largest group of Chinese malls. He oversaw the launch of the 150,000 m2 Home Africa mall in Johannesburg, South Africa. Prior to this role, in February 2015, he was one of the founding team members of Shopee, one of the most popular e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia. As the regional operations director of Shopee, he managed the business operations and product development across Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Shopee was later acquired by Sea Group. Mr. Tan also worked as an associate consultant at Bain & Company, specializing in consumer retail and private equity from January 2013 to April 2015. In 2012, he also served as a policy analyst at the Ministry of Health, PRC, where he advised on nationwide health policies and helped author multiple research papers published in leading medical journals. Mr. Tan obtained his Bachelor’s in Biology at Harvard University in December 2012.

With a management team with experience in merger and acquisitions for blank check companies, connections to the Asian-American community in the United States, and experience in business development, we believe we can source attractive deals and find compelling investment opportunities from private and public sources to create value for shareholders. See the section titled “Management” for complete information on the experience of our officers and directors.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, our officers and directors are not required to commit their full time to our affairs and will allocate their time to other businesses, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other businesses. We presently expect each of our employees to devote such amount of time as they reasonably believe is necessary to our business (which could range from only a few hours a week while we are trying to locate a potential target business to a majority of their time as we move into serious negotiations with a target business for a business combination). As more fully discussed in “Management — Conflicts of Interest,” if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he has pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations, he may be required to present such business combination opportunity to such entity, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under the British Virgin Islands law, prior to presenting such business combination opportunity to us. Most of our officers and directors currently have certain pre-existing fiduciary duties or contractual obligations.

In addition, past performance by our management team is not a guarantee either (i) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate or (ii) that we will be able to locate a suitable candidate for our initial business combination. Furthermore, the members of the management team may not remain with us subsequent to the consummation of a business combination.

Competitive Advantages

Status as a Publicly Listed Company

We believe our structure will make us an attractive business combination partner to prospective target businesses. As a publicly listed company, we will offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering. We believe that target businesses will favor this alternative, which we believe is less expensive, while offering greater certainty of execution than the traditional initial public offering. During an initial public offering, there are typically expenses incurred in marketing, which would be costlier than a business combination with us. Furthermore, once a proposed business combination is approved by our shareholders (if applicable) and the transaction is consummated, the target business will have effectively become public, whereas an initial public offering is always subject to the underwriters’ ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions that could prevent the offering from occurring. Once public, we believe the target business would have greater access to capital and additional means of creating management incentives that are better aligned with shareholders’ interests than it would as a private company. It can offer further benefits by augmenting a company’s profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented management staffs.

Strong Financial Position and Flexibility

With the funds held in our trust account, we offer a target business a variety of options such as creating a liquidity event for its owners, providing capital for the potential growth and expansion of its operations or strengthening its consolidated balance sheet by reducing its debt ratio. Because we are able to complete our initial business combination using our cash, debt or equity securities, or a combination of the foregoing, we have the flexibility to use an efficient combination that will allow us to tailor the consideration to be paid to the target business to fit its needs and desires. However, if a business combination requires us to use substantially all of our cash to pay for the purchase price, we may need to arrange third party financing to help fund our business combination.

Together with our management team, we believe we have a broad network of contacts and corporate relationship that makes us efficient at:

By leveraging our management team’s industry expertise, performing disciplined due diligence, being cautious downside protection, and providing post-acquisition value-add capabilities, we believe that we will be able to acquire a target business that will achieve significant returns for investors.

Acquisition Strategy

Our efforts to identify a prospective target business will not be limited to any particular industry or geographic region, although we intend to capitalize on the management team’s network and focus our search on target businesses operating in the Greater China, Japan and Southeast Asia regions. We will seek to capitalize on the comprehensive industry experience and network of our management team to help us in sourcing, identifying, structuring and consummating the initial business combination. Our selection process will leverage our management team’s broad network of contacts and relationships with various unaffiliated sources including government bodies, investment bankers, investment professionals at private equity firms, other financial sponsors, owners of private businesses, consultants, accounting and legal firms etc. to provide us with a strong pipeline of potential acquisition leads.

Business Combination Criteria

The focus of our management team is to create shareholder value by leveraging its experience to improve the efficiency of the business while implementing strategies to grow revenue and profits organically and/or through business combinations. We have utilized, and in the event that the Business Combination (as defined below) is not consummated, will continue to utilize, the network and industry experience of our management team and their affiliates in seeking an initial business combination and employing our business combination strategy. Over the course of their careers, the members of our management team and their affiliates have developed a broad network of contacts and corporate relationships that we believe will serve as a useful source of acquisition opportunities.

Consistent with our strategy, we have identified the following general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses. While we intend to use these criteria and guidelines in evaluating prospective businesses, we may deviate from these criteria and guidelines should we see fit to do so:

We intend to leverage our management team’s unique expertise and relationships to source a potential target. Based on our management team’s past experience and strong network in Asia, we believe it will be advantageous to focus on finding investment opportunities in this region.

We intend to seek a target company that has a leading presence across a sector or has prominent technology or product competences. We will primarily seek to acquire a target company of mid-market range with a total enterprise value of between $150,000,000 and $300,000,000.

We expect to target companies that have the potential for significant revenue and earnings growth through a combination of improved production capacity, cost reduction and synergistic follow-on acquisitions, which could result in an operating leverage for stronger revenue and earnings growth in the future.

These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management may deem relevant. We used these criteria and guidelines in evaluating business combination opportunities, including the Business Combination discussed below. Based on our evaluation of LEW (as defined below) and the industry in which it operates, including the financial and other information provided by LEW in the course of negotiations, we believe that LEW meets the criteria and guidelines listed above. In the event the Business Combination is not consummated, we may decide to enter into an alternative business combination with a target business that does not meet these criteria and guidelines.

Competitive Weaknesses

We believe our competitive weaknesses to be the following:

Limited Financial Resources

Our financial reserves will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of venture capital firms, leveraged buyout firms and operating businesses competing for acquisitions. In addition, our financial resources could be reduced because of our obligation to convert shares held by our public shareholders as well as any tender offer we conduct.

Lack of experience with blank check companies

Our management team is not experienced in pursuing business combinations on behalf of blank check companies. Other blank check companies may be sponsored and managed by individuals with prior experience in completing business combinations between blank check companies and target businesses. Our managements’ lack of experience may not be viewed favorably by target businesses.

Limited technical and human resources

As a blank check company, we have limited technical and human resources. Many venture capital firms, leveraged buyout firms and operating businesses possess greater technical and human resources than we do and thus we may be at a disadvantage when competing with them for target businesses.

Delay associated with shareholder approval or tender offer

We may be required to seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination. If we are not required to obtain shareholder approval of an initial business combination, we will allow our shareholders to sell their shares to us pursuant to a tender offer. Both seeking shareholder approval and conducting a tender offer will delay the consummation of our initial business combination. Other companies competing with us for acquisition opportunities may not be subject to similar requirement, or may be able to satisfy such requirements more quickly than we can. As a result, we may be at a disadvantage in competing for these opportunities.

Initial Business Combination

On December 23, 2022, we entered into a Business Combination Agreement with LE Worldwide Limited, a British Virgin Islands business company (“LEW”), dated as of December 23, 2022, as amended on July 6, 2023 and on September 19, 2023 (collectively, the “Merger Agreement”), which provides for, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, the proposed Business Combination between us and LEW (the transaction being referred to herein as the “Business Combination”).

Other than as specifically discussed, this Report does not give effect to the Business Combination.

Merger Agreement

Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement (including, but not limited to, the approval and adoption of the Merger Agreement by our shareholders), the Business Combination is to be effected in two steps: (i), we will merge with and into ACBA Merger Sub I Limited, a British Virgin Islands business company and wholly owned subsidiary of Ace (such company before the Reincorporation Merger is sometimes referred to as the “Purchaser” and upon and following the Reincorporation Merger is hereinafter sometimes referred to as “PubCo”), with PubCo remaining as the surviving publicly traded entity (the “Reincorporation Merger”); (ii) immediately after the consummation of the Reincorporation Merger, ACBA Merger Sub II Limited, (“Merger Sub”), a British Virgin Islands business company and wholly owned subsidiary of PubCo, will be merged with and into LEW, resulting in LEW becoming the surviving entity and wholly owned subsidiary of PubCo (the “Acquisition Merger”). On March 2, 2023, the Purchaser and Merger Sub each executed a joinder agreement to the Merger Agreement along with us and LEW, making the Purchaser and Merger Sub parties to the Merger Agreement. As more thoroughly described below, the aggregate consideration for the Acquisition Merger is $110,000,000, payable in the form of 11,000,000 newly issued ordinary shares of PubCo (“PubCo Ordinary Shares”) valued for purposes of calculating the merger consideration at $10.00 per share.

With respect to the 11,000,000 PubCo Ordinary Shares to be received by LEW shareholders upon the closing of the Business Combination, 550,000 PubCo Ordinary Shares are to be issued and held by PubCo for a period of time after closing in order to satisfy any indemnification obligations incurred under the Merger Agreement, and the remaining 10,450,000 PubCo Ordinary Shares shall be delivered at the closing.

Lock-Up Agreements

In connection with the transactions, LEW will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause shareholders of LEW who will own more than 15% of the issued and outstanding PubCo Ordinary Shares (an aggregate of 7,241,179 PubCo Ordinary Shares) as of immediately after the Acquisition Merger becoming effective to enter into lock-up agreements. The lock-up agreements provide that these LEW shareholders will not, for at least six (6) months (and in certain cases, up to twelve (12) months) from the closing of the Business Combination and subject to certain exceptions, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any of the ordinary shares issued in connection with the Acquisition Merger, enter into a transaction that would have the same effect, or enter into any swap, hedge or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of such shares, whether any of these transactions are to be settled by delivery of any such shares, in cash, or otherwise. Such lock-up provisions will not apply to the transfer by gift or court order, or transfers to permitted transferees such as immediate family members or affiliates, provided that any such transferee will be also subject to the lock-up agreement.

Employment Agreements

At the closing of the Business Combination, PubCo will enter into employment agreements with certain key executives of LEW (the “Employment Agreements”) which will contain the terms and conditions governing the employment of such individuals.

PIPE Investment Subscription Agreement and/or Forward Agreement

PubCo intends and uses commercially reasonable efforts to enter into subscription agreements with various investors for the private placement of PubCo Ordinary Shares (the “Private Placement”), which will close shortly before the closing of the Business Combination. It is estimated that approximately 2,000,000 shares (“PIPE Shares”) will be offered in the Private Placement, resulting in gross proceeds of approximately $20 million, though the amount of PIPE Shares offered, and net proceeds could end up varying significantly. The purpose of this Private Placement is to fund the Business Combination and related transactions and for general corporate purposes of the surviving entity. None of Ace’s Sponsor, directors, officers or any of their affiliates will participate in the PIPE investment.

Business Strategy and Deal Origination

Our acquisition and value creation strategy is to identify, acquire and, after our initial business combination, build a company in the consumer or consumer-related products and services industries that complements the experience of our management team and can benefit from their operational expertise. Our business combination strategy leverages our management team’s network of potential proprietary and public transaction sources where we believe a combination of our relationships, knowledge and experience in the consumer and consumer-related products and services industries could effect a positive transformation or augmentation of existing businesses to improve their overall value proposition.

We have utilized, and in the event that the Business Combination is not consummated, will continue to utilize, the network and industry experience of the Company’s management team and their affiliates in seeking an initial business combination and employing our business combination strategy. Over the course of their careers, the members of our management team and their affiliates have developed a broad network of contacts and corporate relationships that we believe will serve as a useful source of acquisition opportunities.

We expect that, in the event that the Business Combination is not consummated, these networks will continue to provide our management team with a robust flow of acquisition opportunities. In addition, we anticipate that target business candidates will continue to be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, which may include investment market participants, private equity groups, investment banking firms, consultants, accounting firms and large business enterprises.

Effecting a Business Combination

General

We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any substantive commercial business for an indefinite period of time following our initial public offering. We intend to utilize cash derived from the proceeds of our initial public offering and the private placement of private units, our share capital, debt or a combination of these in effecting a business combination. Although substantially all of the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the private placement of private units are intended to be applied generally toward effecting a business combination as described in this report, the proceeds are not otherwise being designated for any more specific purposes. Accordingly, investors are investing without first having an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of any one or more business combinations. A business combination may involve the acquisition of, or merger with, a company which does not need substantial additional capital but which desires to establish a public trading market for its shares, while avoiding what it may deem to be adverse consequences of undertaking a public offering itself. These include time delays, significant expense, loss of voting control and compliance with various U.S. Federal and state securities laws. In the alternative, we may seek to consummate a business combination with a company that may be in its early stages of development or growth. While we may seek to effect simultaneous business combinations with more than one target business, we will probably have the ability, as a result of our limited resources, to effect only a single business combination.

Sources of Target Businesses

We anticipate that target business candidates will be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment bankers, venture capital funds, private equity funds, leveraged buyout funds, management buyout funds and other members of the financial community. Target businesses may be brought to our attention by such unaffiliated sources as a result of being solicited by us through calls or mailings which will not commence until after the completion of this offering. These sources may also introduce us to target businesses they think we may be interested in on an unsolicited basis, since many of these sources will have read this report and know what types of businesses we are targeting. Our officers and directors, as well as their respective affiliates, may also bring to our attention target business candidates that they become aware of through their business contacts as a result of formal or informal inquiries or discussions they may have, as well as attending trade shows or conventions. While we do not presently anticipate engaging the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions on any formal basis, in the event that the Business Combination is not consummated, we may engage these firms or other individuals in the future, in which event we may pay a finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm’s length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction. In no event, however, will any of our existing officers, directors, special advisors or initial shareholders, or any entity with which they are affiliated, be paid any finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate, the consummation of a business combination (regardless of the type of transaction). If we decide to enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our officers, directors or initial shareholders, we will do so only if we have obtained an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that the business combination is fair to our unaffiliated shareholders from a financial point of view. However, as of the date of this report, there is no affiliated entity that we consider a business combination target.

Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of a Business Combination

Subject to the limitations that a target business have a fair market value of at least 80% of the balance in the trust account (excluding any deferred underwriting discounts and commissions and taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the execution of a definitive agreement for our initial business combination, as described below in more detail, our management will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting a prospective target business, should the Business Combination not be consummated. We have not established any other specific attributes or criteria (financial or otherwise) for prospective target businesses. In evaluating a prospective target business, our management may consider a variety of factors, including one or more of the following:

We believe such factors will be important in evaluating prospective target businesses, regardless of the location or industry in which such target business operates. However, this list is not intended to be exhaustive. We used these criteria and guidelines in evaluating business combination opportunities, including with LEW. Based on our evaluation of LEW and the industry in which it operates, including the financial and other information provided by LEW in the course of negotiations, we believe that LEW meets the criteria and guidelines listed above. In the event that the Business Combination is not consummated, we may decide to enter into a business combination with a target business that does not meet these criteria and guidelines.

Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular business combination will be based, to the extent relevant, on the above factors as well as other considerations deemed relevant by our management in effecting a business combination consistent with our business objective. In evaluating a prospective target business, we will conduct an extensive due diligence review which will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and inspection of facilities, as well as review of financial and other information which is made available to us. This due diligence review will be conducted either by our management or by unaffiliated third parties we may engage, although we have no current intention to engage any such third parties.

The time and costs required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete the business combination cannot presently be ascertained with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which a business combination is not ultimately completed will result in a loss to us and reduce the amount of capital available to otherwise complete a business combination.

Fair Market Value of Target Business

Pursuant to Nasdaq listing rules, the target business or businesses that we acquire must collectively have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance of the funds in the trust account (excluding any deferred underwriting discounts and commissions and taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the execution of a definitive agreement for our initial business combination, although we may acquire a target business whose fair market value significantly exceeds 80% of the trust account balance. We currently anticipate structuring a business combination to acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure a business combination where we merge directly with the target business or where we acquire less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital of a target. In this case, we could acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, only the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test, assuming that we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on Nasdaq. In order to consummate such an acquisition, we may issue a significant amount of our debt or equity securities to the sellers of such businesses and/or seek to raise additional funds through a private offering of debt or equity securities. The fair market value of the target will be determined by our board of directors based upon one or more standards generally accepted by the financial community (such as actual and potential sales, earnings, cash flow and/or book value). If our board is not able to independently determine that the target business has a sufficient fair market value, we will obtain an opinion from an unaffiliated, independent investment banking firm, or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions on the type of target business we are seeking to acquire, with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. We will not be required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm, or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions on the type of target business we are seeking to acquire, as to the fair market value if our board of directors independently determines that the target business complies with the 80% threshold.

We will not be required to comply with the 80% fair market value requirement if we are delisted from Nasdaq. If Nasdaq delists our securities from trading on its exchange after this offering, we would not be required to satisfy the fair market value requirement described above and could complete a business combination with a target business having a fair market value substantially below 80% of the balance in the trust account.

Lack of Business Diversification

Our business combination must be with a target business or businesses that collectively satisfy the minimum valuation standard at the time of such acquisition, as discussed above, although this process may entail the simultaneous acquisitions of several operating businesses at the same time. Therefore, at least initially, the prospects for our success may be entirely dependent upon the future performance of a single business. Unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations of entities operating in multiple industries or multiple areas of a single industry, it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses. By consummating a business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:

If the Business Combination is not consummated and if we subsequently determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses and such businesses are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other acquisitions, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete the business combination. With multiple acquisitions, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business.

Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target Business’ Management

Although we intend to scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting a business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of the target business’ management will prove to be correct. In addition, we cannot assure you that the future management will have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of our officers and directors, if any, in the target business following a business combination cannot presently be stated with any certainty. While it is possible that some of our key personnel will remain associated in senior management or advisory positions with us following a business combination, it is unlikely that they will devote their full time efforts to our affairs subsequent to a business combination. Moreover, they would only be able to remain with the company after the consummation of a business combination if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for them to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to the company after the consummation of the business combination. While the personal and financial interests of our key personnel may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business, their ability to remain with the company after the consummation of a business combination will not be the determining factor in our decision as to whether or not we will proceed with any potential business combination. Additionally, our officers and directors may not have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.

Following a business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that any such additional managers we do recruit will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.

Shareholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve an Initial Business Combination

The Business Combination requires the approval of our shareholders. However, in the event that the Business Combination is not consummated, in connection with any alternative proposed business combination, we will either (1) seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination at a meeting called for such purpose at which public shareholders may seek to convert their public shares, regardless of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination, into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable) or (2) provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to sell their public shares to us by means of a tender offer (and thereby avoid the need for a shareholder vote) for an amount equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable), in each case subject to the limitations described herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, our initial shareholders have agreed, pursuant to written letter agreements with us, not to convert any public shares held by them into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account. If we determine to engage in a tender offer, such tender offer will be structured so that each shareholder may tender any or all of his, her or its public shares rather than some pro rata portion of his, her or its shares. The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or will allow shareholders to sell their shares to us in a tender offer will be made by us based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction, or whether the terms of the transaction would otherwise require us to seek shareholder approval. If we so choose and we are legally permitted to do so, we have the flexibility to avoid a shareholder vote and allow our shareholders to sell their shares pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act which regulate issuer tender offers. In that case, we will file tender offer documents with the SEC which will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. We will consummate our initial business combination only if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation and, solely if we seek shareholder approval, a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares voted are voted in favor of the business combination.

We chose our net tangible asset threshold of $5,000,001 to ensure that we would avoid being subject to Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act. However, if we seek to consummate an initial business combination with a target business that imposes any type of working capital closing condition or requires us to have a minimum amount of funds available from the trust account upon consummation of such initial business combination, our net tangible asset threshold may limit our ability to consummate such initial business combination (as we may be required to have a lesser number of shares converted or sold to us) and may force us to seek third party financing which may not be available on terms acceptable to us or at all. As a result, we may not be able to consummate such initial business combination and we may not be able to locate another suitable target within the applicable time period, if at all. Public shareholders may therefore have to wait until April 8, 2024 in order to be able to receive a pro rata share of the trust account. 

Our sponsor and our officers and directors have agreed (1) to vote any ordinary shares owned by them in favor of any proposed business combination, (2) not to convert any ordinary shares in connection with a shareholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination and (3) not sell any ordinary shares in any tender in connection with a proposed initial business combination. As a result, if we sought shareholder approval of a proposed transaction we only need an excess of 7.62% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares owned by our public shareholders to be voted in favor of the transaction in order to have such transaction approved (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised and the initial shareholders do not purchase any units in this offering or units or shares in the after-market).

None of our officers, directors, sponsor or their affiliates has indicated any intention to purchase units or ordinary shares in this offering or from persons in the open market or in private transactions (other than the private units). However, if we hold a meeting to approve a proposed business combination and a significant number of shareholders vote, or indicate an intention to vote, against such proposed business combination, our officers, directors, initial shareholders or their affiliates could make such purchases in the open market or in private transactions in order to influence the vote. Notwithstanding the foregoing, our officers, directors, sponsor and their affiliates will not make purchases of ordinary shares if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act, which are rules designed to stop potential manipulation of a company’s stock.

Ability to Extend Time to Complete Business Combination

Pursuant to the terms of our current amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the second amended investment management trust agreement entered into between us and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, we may extend the time to complete a business combination a total of six (6) times for an additional one (1) month each time from October 8, 2023 to April 8, 2024 by depositing into the trust account $0.05 for each one-month extension for each issued and outstanding ordinary share issued in the IPO that has not been redeemed. On September 26, 2023, November 2, 2023, November 14, 2023, January 2, 2024, January 26, 2024 and February 22, 2024, the Company issued unsecured promissory notes in the aggregate principal amount of $98,859 to the Sponsor, pursuant to which such amount had been deposited into the Company’s trust account in order to extend the amount of available time to complete a business combination until April 8, 2024. If we are unable to consummate the Business Combination and are unable to complete an alternative initial business combination within such time period, we will, as promptly as possible, but not more than ten (10) business days thereafter, redeem 100% of our outstanding public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the trust account, including a pro rata portion of any interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not necessary to pay our taxes, and then seek to liquidate and dissolve. However, we may not be able to distribute such amounts as a result of claims of creditors that may take priority over the claims of our public shareholders. In the event of our dissolution and liquidation, our warrants will expire and will be worthless.

Conversion/Tender Rights

At any meeting called to approve an initial business combination, public shareholders may seek to convert their public shares, regardless of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination, into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, less any taxes then due but not yet paid. Notwithstanding the foregoing, our initial shareholders have agreed, pursuant to written letter agreements with us, not to convert any public shares held by them into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account. The conversion rights will be effected under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and British Virgin Islands law as redemptions. When we hold a meeting to approve the initial Business Combination (or it we hold a meeting to approve an alternative business combination), a holder will always have the ability to vote against a proposed business combination and not seek conversion of his shares.

Alternatively, if we engage in a tender offer, each public shareholder will be provided the opportunity to sell his public shares to us in such tender offer. The tender offer rules require us to hold the tender offer open for at least 20 business days. Accordingly, this is the minimum amount of time we would need to provide holders to determine whether they want to sell their public shares to us in the tender offer or remain an investor in our company.

Our sponsor, officers and directors will not have conversion rights with respect to any ordinary shares owned by them, directly or indirectly, whether acquired prior to this offering or purchased by them in this offering or in the aftermarket.

We may also require public shareholders, whether they are a record holder or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates (if any) to our transfer agent or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option, at any time at or prior to the vote on the business combination. Once the shares are converted by the holder, and effectively redeemed by us under British Virgin Islands law, the transfer agent will then update our Register of Members to reflect all conversions. The proxy solicitation materials that we will furnish to shareholders in connection with the vote for any proposed business combination will indicate whether we are requiring shareholders to satisfy such delivery requirements. Accordingly, a shareholder would have from the time our proxy statement is mailed through the vote on the business combination to deliver his shares if he wishes to seek to exercise his conversion rights. Under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, we are required to provide at least 10 days’ advance notice of any shareholder meeting, which would be the minimum amount of time a shareholder would have to determine whether to exercise conversion rights. As a result, if we require public shareholders who wish to convert their ordinary shares into the right to receive a pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account to comply with the foregoing delivery requirements, holders may not have sufficient time to receive the notice and deliver their shares for conversion. Accordingly, investors may not be able to exercise their conversion rights and may be forced to retain our securities when they otherwise would not want to.

There is a nominal cost associated with this tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC System. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker $45 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the converting holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise conversion rights. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising conversion rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated. However, in the event we require shareholders seeking to exercise conversion rights to deliver their shares prior to the consummation of the proposed business combination and the proposed business combination is not consummated, this may result in an increased cost to shareholders.

Any request to convert or tender such shares once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to the vote on the proposed business combination or expiration of the tender offer. Furthermore, if a holder of a public share delivered his certificate in connection with an election of their conversion or tender and subsequently decides prior to the vote on the business combination or the expiration of the tender offer not to elect to exercise such rights, he may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically).

If the initial Business Combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public shareholders who elected to exercise their conversion or tender rights would not be entitled to convert their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any shares delivered by public holders.

Automatic Liquidation of Trust Account if No Business Combination

If we do not complete a business combination by April 8, 2024, it will trigger our automatic winding up, liquidation and subsequent dissolution pursuant to the terms of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. As a result, this has the same effect as if we had formally gone through a voluntary liquidation procedure under the Companies Law. Accordingly, no vote would be required from our shareholders to commence such a voluntary winding up, dissolution and liquidation. We will, as promptly as possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of our outstanding public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the trust account, including a pro rata portion of any interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not necessary to pay our taxes, then seek to liquidate and dissolve. However, we may not be able to distribute such amounts as a result of claims of creditors which may take priority over the claims of our public shareholders. In the event of our dissolution and liquidation, our warrants will expire and will be worthless.

The amount in the trust account under the Companies Law will be treated as funds distributable under the Companies Law provided that immediately following the date on which the proposed distribution is proposed to be made, we are able to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. If we are forced to liquidate the trust account, we anticipate that we would distribute to our public shareholders the amount in the trust account calculated as of the date that is two days prior to the distribution date (including any accrued interest). Prior to such distribution, we would be required to assess all claims that may be potentially brought against us by our creditors for amounts they are actually owed and make provision for such amounts, as creditors take priority over our public shareholders with respect to amounts that are owed to them. We cannot assure you that we will properly assess all claims that may be potentially brought against us. As such, our shareholders could potentially be liable for any claims of creditors to the extent of distributions received by them as an unlawful payment in the event we enter an insolvent liquidation. Furthermore, while we will seek to have all vendors and service providers (which would include any third parties we engaged to assist us in any way in connection with our search for a target business) and prospective target businesses execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in or to any monies held in the trust account, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements. Nor is there any guarantee that, even if such entities execute such agreements with us, they will not seek recourse against the trust account or that a court would conclude that such agreements are legally enforceable.

Each of our sponsor and our officers and directors have agreed to waive its rights to participate in any liquidation of our trust account or other assets with respect to the insider shares and private units and to vote their insider shares, private shares in favor of any liquidation and plan of distribution which we submit to a vote of shareholders. There will be no distribution from the trust account with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless.

In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case less taxes payable, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its indemnification obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so in any particular instance. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that due to claims of creditors the actual value of the per-share redemption price will not be less than $10.00 per share. 

The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors which would be prior to the claims of our public shareholders. Although we will seek to have all vendors, including lenders for money borrowed, prospective target businesses or other entities we engage execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account, including but not limited to, fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain an advantage with a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refused to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, we would perform an analysis of the alternatives available to us if we chose not to engage such third party and evaluate if such engagement would be in the best interest of our shareholders if such third party refused to waive such claims. Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refused to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a provider of required services willing to provide the waiver. In any event, our management would perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and would only enter into an agreement with a third party that did not execute a waiver if management believed that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason.

Ace Global Investment Limited, our sponsor, has agreed that, if we liquidate the trust account prior to the consummation of a business combination, it will be liable to pay debts and obligations to target businesses or vendors or other entities that are owed money by us for services rendered or contracted for or products sold to us in excess of the net proceeds of the IPO not held in the trust account, but only to the extent necessary to ensure that such debts or obligations do not reduce the amounts in the trust account and only if such parties have not executed a waiver agreement. However, we cannot assure you that it will be able to satisfy those obligations if it is required to do so. Accordingly, the actual per-share distribution could be less than $11.80 due to claims of creditors. Additionally, if we are deemed insolvent for the purposes of the Insolvency Act, or we are required to immediately enter insolvent liquidation, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable insolvency law, and may be included in our insolvent estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any insolvency claims deplete the trust account, we cannot assure you we will be able to return to our public shareholders at least $11.80 per share.

Competition

In the event we do not consummate the Business Combination, we may continue to encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours in identifying, evaluating and selecting an alternative target business, including other blank check companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, and operating businesses seeking strategic combinations. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources than us and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there may be numerous potential target businesses that we could acquire with the net proceeds of this offering, our ability to compete in acquiring certain sizable target businesses may be limited by our available financial resources.

The following also may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses:

Any of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating a business combination. Our management believes, however, that our status as a public entity and potential access to the United States public equity markets may give us a competitive advantage over privately-held entities having a similar business objective as ours in acquiring a target business with significant growth potential on favorable terms.

If we succeed in effecting a business combination, there will be, in all likelihood, intense competition from competitors of the target business. We cannot assure you that, subsequent to a business combination, we will have the resources or ability to compete effectively.

Facilities

We maintain our principal executive office at Rm. 806, 8/F, Tower 2, Lippo Center, No. 89 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong. The cost for this space is provided to us by our Sponsor, as part of the $10,000 per month payment we make to it for general and administrative services, including office space, utilities and administrative services to the Company. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.

Employees

We have two executive officers. These individuals are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters and intend to devote only as much time as they deem necessary to our affairs. The amount of time they will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for the business combination and the stage of the business combination process the company is in. Accordingly, once management locates a suitable target business to acquire, they will spend more time investigating such target business and negotiating and processing the business combination (and consequently spend more time to our affairs) than they would prior to locating a suitable target business. We presently expect our executive officers to devote such amount of time as they reasonably believe is necessary to our business (which could range from only a few hours a week while we are trying to locate a potential target business to a majority of their time as we move into serious negotiations with a target business for a business combination). We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the consummation of a business combination.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and   the prospectus associated with our Initial Public Offering, before making a decision to invest in our securities. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

RISKS RELATING TO OUR SEARCH FOR, CONSUMMATION OF, OR INABILITY TO CONSUMMATE, A BUSINESS COMBINATION AND POST-BUSINESS COMBINATION RISKS

Going public through a business combination rather than an underwritten offering presents risks to unaffiliated investors. Subsequent to completion of the Business Combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructure its operations, or take impairment or other charges, any of which that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and price of our ordinary shares, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.

Going public through a business combination rather than an underwritten offering, as LEW is seeking to do through the Business Combination, presents risks to unaffiliated investors. Such risks include the absence of a due diligence investigation conducted by an underwriter that would be subject to liability for any material misstatements or omissions in a registration statement. Although the Company has conducted due diligence on LEW’s business, we cannot assure you that this due diligence has identified all material issues that may be present in LEW’s business, that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of LEW’s business and outside of the Company’s and LEW’s control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, the combined company may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in reporting losses. Even if the Company’s due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with the Company’s preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on the combined company’s liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about the combined company or its securities. Accordingly, any of the Company’s shareholders who choose to remain shareholders of the Company following the Business Combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares and these stockholders are unlikely to have a remedy for the reduction in value.

In the event that a significant number of Company shares are redeemed, the Company’s shares may become less liquid following the Business Combination.

If a significant number of Ordinary Shares are redeemed, the Company may be left with a significantly smaller number of shareholders. As a result, trading in the shares of the surviving company following the Business Combination may be limited and your ability to sell your shares in the market could be adversely affected. Nasdaq may not list Ordinary Shares on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in the Company’s securities and subject the Company to additional trading restrictions.

The Company may waive one or more of the conditions to the Business Combination without resoliciting shareholder approval for the Business Combination.

The Company may agree to waive, in whole or in part, some of the conditions to its obligations to consummate the Business Combination, to the extent permitted by applicable laws. The board of directors of the Company will evaluate the materiality of any waiver to determine whether amendment of this report and re-solicitation of proxies is warranted. If the board of directors of the Company determines that a waiver of a condition is not sufficiently material to warrant re-solicitation of shareholders, the Company has the discretion to consummate the Business Combination without seeking further shareholder approval. For example, it is a condition to the Company’s obligations to close the Business Combination that there be no restraining order, injunction or other order restricting LEW’s conduct of its business, however, if the board of directors of the Company determines that any such order or injunction is not material to the business of the Company, then the board of directors of the Company may elect to waive such condition and close the Business Combination without the need to resolicit proxies.

There will be a substantial number of PubCo Ordinary Shares available for sale in the future that may adversely affect the market price of PubCo Ordinary Shares.

PubCo may issue such number of shares as may be approved by its shareholders and authorized by its directors, in accordance with the terms of PubCo’s certificate of incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”). In connection with the transactions, LEW will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause shareholders of LEW who will own more than 15% of the issued and outstanding PubCo Ordinary Shares (an aggregate of 7,241,179 PubCo Ordinary Shares) as of immediately after the Acquisition Merger becoming effective to enter into lock-up agreements. In addition, 1,150,000 shares of PubCo Ordinary Shares held by our initial shareholders that are currently in an escrow account will be released and available for sale as early as six months from the date of the Business Combination, provided that 50% of such shares will be released on the date on which the closing price of the shares equals or exceeds $12.50 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after the initial Business Combination. The availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market, after the expiration of these restricted periods, may have an adverse effect on the market price of PubCo Common Stock.

If we seek shareholder approval of a business combination, such as in connection with the Business Combination, after approval of our board, our initial shareholders have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote.

As of March 8, 2024, our initial shareholders collectively own and are entitled to vote 1,454,000 Ordinary Shares, or approximately 42.38% of the Ordinary Shares. They have agreed to vote their shares in favor of our initial Business Combination. Accordingly, after approval of our board, the agreement by our initial shareholders to vote in favor of our initial Business Combination will increase the likelihood that we will receive the requisite shareholder approval for such initial Business Combination.

We are an “emerging growth company” and the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies may make its securities less attractive to investors.

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. It may remain an “emerging growth company” until the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. However, if our non-convertible debt issued within a three-year period or revenues exceeds $1.07 billion, or the market value of its ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million on the last day of the second fiscal quarter of any given fiscal year, we would cease to be an emerging growth company as of the following fiscal year. As an emerging growth company, we (i) are not required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, (ii) have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and (iii) are exempt from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. Additionally, as an emerging growth company, we have elected to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until those standards apply to private companies. As such, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates. As a result, potential investors may be less likely to invest in our securities.

The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your stock.

If our business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our initial business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the trust account until we liquidate the trust account. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your stock in the open market; however, at such time our stock may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in the trust account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with our redemption until we liquidate or you are able to sell your stock in the open market.

The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination and may decrease our ability to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders.

Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning a business combination will be aware that we must complete our initial business combination by April 8, 2024. Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating a business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the timeframe described above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation.

We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate, in which case our public shareholders may only receive $11.80 per share, and the Company warrants will expire worthless.

We must complete our initial business combination by April 8, 2024. We may not be able to find a suitable target business and complete our initial business combination by such date. If we have not completed our initial business combination by such date, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned (net of taxes payable), which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the Company’s board of directors, proceed to commence a voluntary liquidation and thereby a formal dissolution of the Company, subject in each case to its obligations to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of applicable law. Furthermore, holders of warrants will not receive any of the funds in our trust account with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with respect to such warrants, which will expire worthless as result of the Company’s failure to consummate a business combination. 

If third parties bring claims against the Company, the proceeds held in trust could be reduced and the per-share liquidation price received by the Company’s shareholders may be less than $11.80 per share.

The Company’s placing of funds in trust may not protect such funds from third party claims against the Company. Although the Company has received executed agreements waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of the Company’s public shareholders from many of the vendors, service providers (other than its independent accountants) and prospective target businesses with which it does business, such vendors, service providers and prospective target businesses may still seek recourse against the trust account. Additionally, a court may not uphold the validity of such agreements. Accordingly, the proceeds held in trust could be subject to claims that could take priority over those of the Company’s public shareholders. If the Company liquidates the trust account before the completion of a business combination and distributes the proceeds held therein to its public shareholders, Ace Global Investment Limited (the “Sponsor”) has contractually agreed to ensure that the proceeds in the trust account are not reduced by the claims of target businesses or claims of vendors or other entities that are owed money by us for services rendered or contracted for or products sold to us, but only if such a vendor or prospective target business does not execute or has not executed such a waiver of such claims. However, there can be no assurance from the Company or the Sponsor that they will be able to meet such obligation. Therefore, the per-share distribution from the trust account for our shareholders may be less than $11.80 per share due to any such claims.

Additionally, if the Company is deemed insolvent for the purposes of the Insolvency Act, 2003 of the British Virgin Islands, as amended, (the “Insolvency Act”) or we are required to immediately enter insolvent liquidation, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable insolvency law, and may be included in the Company’s insolvent estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any insolvency claims deplete the trust account, the Company may not be able to return $11.80 per share to our public shareholders.

Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.

Our securities are currently listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market. However, we cannot assure our shareholders that our securities will continue to be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market in the future or prior to our initial business combination. If Nasdaq delists our securities from trading on its exchange, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:

The Company will not obtain an opinion from an unaffiliated third party as to the fairness of the Business Combination to its shareholders.

The Company is not required to obtain an opinion from an unaffiliated third party that the price it is paying is fair to its public shareholders from a financial point of view. The Company’s public shareholders therefore must rely solely on the judgment of the Company’s board of directors.

If the Business Combination’s benefits do not meet the expectations of financial or industry analysts, the market price of our securities may decline.

The market price of our securities may decline as a result of the Business Combination if:

Accordingly, investors may experience a loss as a result of decreasing share prices.

The Company’s directors and officers may have certain conflicts in determining to recommend the acquisition of LEW, since certain of their interests, and certain interests of their affiliates and associates, are different from, or in addition to, its shareholders’ interests.

The Company’s management and directors have interests in and arising from the Business Combination that are different from, or in addition to, its shareholders’ interests, which could result in a real or perceived conflict of interest. These interests include the fact that certain of the Company ordinary shares owned by the Company’s management and directors, or their affiliates and associates, would become worthless if the Business Combination is not approved and the Company otherwise fails to consummate a business combination prior to its liquidation date.

The existence of financial and personal interests of one or more of the Company’s directors and officers may result in a conflict of interest on the part of such director(s) and officer(s) between what he, she or they may believe is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders and what he, she or they may believe is best for himself, herself or themselves.

The business combination or post-combination company may be materially adversely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.

The COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in, and outbreaks of other infectious diseases in the future could result in, a widespread health crisis that has adversely affected the economies and financial markets worldwide, and could also adversely affect the financial performance after the Business Combination. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts the business combination or the post-combination company will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19 and the actions to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, among others. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19 or other matters of global concern continue for an extensive period of time, our ability to consummate the business combination may be materially adversely affected. Additionally, if the financial markets or the overall economy are impacted for an extended period, the post-combination company’s results of operations, financial position and cash flows may be materially adversely affected.

In the event that the Business Combination is not consummated, we may seek business combination opportunities in industries or sectors which may or may not be outside of our management’s area of expertise.

In the event that the Business Combination is not consummated, we may consider a business combination outside of our management’s area of expertise if a business combination candidate is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive business combination opportunity for our Company. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in any particular business combination candidate, we cannot assure you that we will adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our securities will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to investors than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in a business combination candidate. In the event that the Business Combination is not consummated and we elect to pursue an alternative business combination outside of the areas of our management’s expertise, our management’s expertise may not be directly applicable to its evaluation or operation, and the information contained herein regarding the areas of our management’s expertise would not be relevant to an understanding of the business that we elect to acquire. As a result, our management may not be able to adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholder following our business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.

Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, in the event that the Business Combination is not consummated we may enter into an alternative business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines.

We have identified general criteria and guidelines for evaluating prospective target businesses that we have used in evaluating business combination opportunities, including LEW. In the event that the Business Combination is not consummated, we may decide to enter into an alternative business combination with a target business that does not meet these criteria and guidelines. If we complete our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these guidelines, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria and guidelines. In addition, if we announce a prospective business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria and guidelines, a greater number of shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if shareholder approval of the transaction is required by law, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain shareholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria and guidelines. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $11.80 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.

In the event that we do not consummate the Business Combination, we may seek business combination opportunities with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenue, cash flow or earnings, which could subject us to volatile revenues, cash flows or earnings or difficulty in retaining key personnel.

In the event that we do not consummate the Business Combination and to the extent we complete an alternative business combination with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenues or earnings, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine. These risks include volatile revenues or earnings and difficulties in obtaining and retaining key personnel. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors and we may not have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.

We may attempt to complete our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.

In pursuing our business combination strategy, we may seek to effectuate our initial business combination with a privately held company. By definition, very little public information exists about private companies, and we could be required to make our decision on whether to pursue a potential initial business combination on the basis of limited information, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.

A market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.

The price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions. Furthermore, an active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established and sustained.

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

Not applicable.

ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY

We are a SPAC with no business operations. Since our IPO, our sole business activity has been identifying and evaluating suitable acquisition transaction candidates. Therefore, we do not consider that we face significant cybersecurity risk and have not adopted any cybersecurity risk management program or formal processes for assessing cybersecurity risk. Our board of directors is generally responsible for the oversight of risks from cybersecurity threats, if there is any. We have not encountered any cybersecurity incidents since our IPO.

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

We do not own any real estate or other physical properties materially important to our operations. We maintain our principal executive office at Rm. 806, 8/F, Tower 2, Lippo Centre, No. 89 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong. The cost for this space is provided to us by our Sponsor, as part of the $10,000 per month payment we make to it for general and administrative services, including office space, utilities and administrative services to the Company. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

We may be subject to legal proceedings, investigations and claims incidental to the conduct of our business from time to time. We are not currently a party to any material litigation or other legal proceedings brought against us. We are also not aware of any legal proceeding, investigation or claim, or other legal exposure that has a more than remote possibility of having a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

PART II

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Our units, ordinary shares and warrants are traded on Nasdaq under the symbols “ACBAU”, “ACBA” and “ACBAW”, respectively.

Holders of Record

As at March 8, 2024, there were 3,431,179 of our ordinary shares issued and outstanding held by seven shareholders of record. The number of record holders was determined from the records of our transfer agent and does not include beneficial owners of ordinary shares whose shares are held in the names of various security brokers, dealers, and registered clearing agencies.

Dividends

We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of an initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of a business combination. The payment of any dividends subsequent to a business combination will be within the discretion of our then board of directors. It is the present intention of our board of directors to retain all earnings, if any, for use in our business operations and, accordingly, our board of directors does not anticipate declaring any dividends in the foreseeable future.

Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans

None.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

None.

Use of Proceeds

On April 8, 2021, we consummated our IPO of 4,000,000 Units. Subsequently, on April 9, 2021, the underwriters exercised the option in full, and the closing of the issuance and sale of the additional Units of 600,000 occurred on April 9, 2021. Each Unit consists of one Ordinary Share, and one warrant entitling its holder to purchase one Ordinary Share at a price of $11.50 per whole share. The Units were sold at an offering price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $46,000,000. Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, the Company consummated the private placement of 304,000 units at a price of $10.00 per Private Unit, generating gross proceeds of $3,040,000.

A total of $46,920,000 of the net proceeds from the sale of Units in the IPO (including the over-allotment option units) and the Private Placement were placed in a trust account established for the benefit of the Company’s public shareholders.

The private units are identical to the units sold in the IPO except that the private warrants will be non-redeemable and may be exercised on a cashless basis, in each case so long as they continue to be held by our Sponsor or its permitted transferees. Additionally, because the Private Units were issued in a private transaction, our Sponsor and its permitted transferees will be allowed to exercise the warrants included in the Private Units for cash even if a registration statement covering the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of such warrants is not effective and receive unregistered Ordinary Shares. Additionally, our Sponsor agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of the Private Units or underlying securities (except to the same permitted transferees as the insider shares and provided the transferees agree to the same terms and restrictions as the permitted transferees of the insider shares must agree to, each as described above) until the completion of the Company’s initial business combination. The Sponsor was granted certain demand and piggyback registration rights in connection with the Private Units.

We paid a total of $920,000 in underwriting discounts and commissions (not including the 4% deferred underwriting commission payable at the consummation of business combination) and $205,000 for other costs and expenses related to our formation and the IPO.

For a description of the use of the proceeds generated in our initial public offering, see below Part II, Item 7 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of this Form 10-K.

Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers

None.

ITEM 6. [Reserved]

Not Applicable.

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Overview

We are a blank check company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands on November 2, 2020 with limited liability (meaning our public shareholders have no liability, as shareholders of the Company, for the liabilities of the Company over and above the amount paid for their shares) to serve as a vehicle to effect a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more target businesses. Our efforts to identify a prospective target business will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic location. We intend to utilize cash derived from the proceeds of this offering, our securities, debt or a combination of cash, securities and debt, in effecting a business combination.

Results of Operations

Our entire activity from inception up to April 8, 2021 was in preparation for the initial public offering. Since the initial public offering, our activity has been limited to the evaluation of business combination candidates, and we will not be generating any operating revenues until the closing and completion of our initial business combination. We expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses. We expect our expenses to increase substantially after this period.

For the year ended December 31, 2023, we had a net loss of $227,215, which was comprised of operating costs of $1,462,823 offset by change in the fair value of the warrant liability of $2,324 and dividend earned on the marketable securities held in Trust Account of $1,233,001 and interest income of $283. The dividend income has increased compare with 2022 mainly due to interest rate increase throughout the year. The operating costs has increased compare with 2022 mainly due to incurred business combination expenses during the year.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, we had a net income of $1,084,218, which was comprised of change in the fair value of the warrant liability of $1,230,000 and dividend earned on the marketable securities held in Trust Account of $693,058 and interest income of $12, offset by operating costs of $838,852.

Liquidity and Capital Resources  

As of December 31, 2023, we had cash of $68,541. Until the consummation of the initial public offering, the Company’s only source of liquidity was an initial purchase of ordinary shares by the Sponsor, monies loaned by the Sponsor under a certain unsecured promissory note and advances from the Sponsor.

On April 8, 2021, we consummated the initial public offering of 4,000,000 Public Units at a price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds of $40,000,000. Subsequently, on April 9, 2021, the underwriters exercised the option in full of 600,000 units at a price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds of $6,000,000. Simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering, we consummated the sale of 304,000 Private Units, at a price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds of $3,040,000.

Following the initial public offering and the exercise of the over-allotment option, a total of $46,920,000 was placed in the Trust Account. We incurred $1,125,000 in initial public offering related costs, including $920,000 of underwriting fees and $205,000 of initial public offering costs.

We intend to use substantially all of the net proceeds of the initial public offering, including the funds held in the Trust Account, to acquire a target business or businesses and to pay our expenses relating thereto. To the extent that our capital stock is used in whole or in part as consideration to effect our business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the Trust Account, as well as any other net proceeds not expended, will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business. Such working capital funds could be used in a variety of ways including continuing or expanding the target business’ operations, for strategic acquisitions and for marketing, research and development of existing or new products. Such funds could also be used to repay any operating expenses or finders’ fees which we had incurred prior to the completion of our business combination if the funds available to us outside of the Trust Account were insufficient to cover such expenses.

We intend to use the funds held outside the Trust Account primarily to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, and structure, negotiate and complete a business combination.

We initially had 12 months from the consummation of this offering to consummate the initial business combination. If we does not complete a business combination within 12 months from the consummation of the Initial Public Offering, the Company will trigger an automatic winding up, dissolution and liquidation pursuant to the terms of the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. As a result, this has the same effect as if we had formally gone through a voluntary liquidation procedure under the Companies Law. Accordingly, no vote would be required from our shareholders to commence such a voluntary winding up, dissolution and liquidation. However, we may extend the period of time to consummate a business combination fourteen times (for a total of up to 36 months from the consummation of the Initial Public Offering to complete a business combination). As of the date of this report, we have extended up to fourteen times, five times by an additional three months each time and nine times by an additional one month each time (for a total of up to 36 months from the consummation of the Initial Public Offering to complete a business combination), and so it now has until April 8, 2024 to consummate a business combination. Pursuant to the terms of the current amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the second amended investment management trust agreement entered into between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, in order to extend the time available for the Company to consummate our initial business combination, the Company’s insiders or their affiliates or designees, upon five days advance notice prior to the applicable deadline, must deposit into the Trust Account $0.05 per public share, on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline. The insider, Ace Global Investment Limited, has received non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory notes equal to the amount of any such deposits (i.e., $455,400 for each of the three extensions on March 28 2022, July 6, 2022 and September 28, 2022, $350,332 for each of the two extensions on January 5, 2023 and March 24, 2023, $116,777 for each of the three extensions on June 13, 2023, July 13, 2023 and August 15, 2023 and $98,859 for each of the six extensions on September 26, 2023, November 2, 2023, November 14, 2023, January 2, 2024, January 26, 2024 and February 22, 2024) that will not be repaid in the event that we are unable to close a business combination unless there are funds available outside the Trust Account to do so. Such notes would either be paid upon consummation of the Company’s initial business combination, or, at the lender’s discretion, converted upon consummation of our business combination into additional Private Units at a price of $10.00 per unit. The Company’s shareholders have approved the issuance of the Private Units upon conversion of such notes, to the extent the holder wishes to so convert such notes at the time of the consummation of the Company’s initial business combination. In the event that we receive notice from the Company’s insiders five days prior to the applicable deadline of their intent to effect an extension, the Company intends to issue a press release announcing such intention at least three days prior to the applicable deadline. In addition, the Company intends to issue a press release the day after the applicable deadline announcing whether or not the funds had been timely deposited. If we are unable to consummate the Company’s initial business combination by April 8, 2024, we will, as promptly as possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the Company’s outstanding public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the Trust Account, including a pro rata portion of any interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not necessary to pay taxes, and then seek to liquidate and dissolve. However, we may not be able to distribute such amounts as a result of claims of creditors which may take priority over the claims of the Company’s public shareholders. In the event of dissolution and liquidation, the public warrants will expire and will be worthless.

Accordingly, we may not be able to obtain additional financing. If we are unable to raise additional capital, we may be required to take additional measures to conserve liquidity, which could include, but not necessarily be limited to, curtailing operations, suspending the pursuit of a potential transaction, and reducing overhead expenses. We cannot provide any assurance that new financing will be available to it on commercially acceptable terms, if at all. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern through one year from the date of these consolidated financial statements if a Business Combination is not consummated. These consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recovery of the recorded assets or the classification of the liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.

Off-balance Sheet Financing Arrangements

We have no obligations, assets or liabilities which would be considered off-balance sheet arrangements as of December 31, 2023. We do not participate in transactions that create relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, often referred to as variable interest entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements. We have not entered into any off-balance sheet financing arrangements, established any special purpose entities, guaranteed any debt or commitments of other entities, or purchased any non-financial assets.

Contractual Obligations

We do not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities other than an agreement to pay our Sponsor a monthly fee of $10,000 for general and administrative services, including office space, utilities and administrative services to the Company. We began incurring these fees on April 1, 2021 and will continue to incur these fees monthly until the earlier of the completion of the business combination and the Company’s liquidation. Also, we are committed to the below:

Registration Rights

The holders of the Founder Shares, the Private Placement Warrants (and their underlying securities) and the warrants that may be issued upon conversion of the Working Capital Loans (and their underlying securities) are entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement signed on the effective date of the Initial Public Offering. The holders of a majority of these securities are entitled to make up to two demands that the Company register such securities. The holders of the majority of the Founder Shares can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time commencing three months prior to the date on which these ordinary shares are to be released from escrow. The holders of a majority of the Private Placement Warrants and warrants issued in payment of Working Capital Loans made to the Company (or underlying securities) can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time after the Company consummates a Business Combination. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the completion of a Business Combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.

Underwriting Agreement

The Company is committed to pay the Deferred Discount of 4% of the gross offering proceeds, in the amount of $1,840,000 of the Initial Public Offering, to the underwriter upon the Company’s consummation of the Business Combination. The underwriter is not entitled to any interest accrued on the Deferred Discount, and has waived its right to receive the Deferred Discount if the Company does not close a Business Combination.

Private Warrants

The Company classifies the Private Warrants as liabilities at their fair value and adjusts the Private Warrants to fair value at each reporting period. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized in our statement of operations. The Private Warrants are valued using a Black Scholes model.

Critical Accounting Policies

The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and income and expenses during the periods reported. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. The Company has identified the following significant accounting policies: 

Warrants

The Company accounts for warrants as either equity-classified or liability-classified instruments based on an assessment of the warrant’s specific terms and applicable authoritative guidance in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity” (“ASC 480”) and ASC 815, “Derivatives and Hedging” (“ASC 815”). The assessment considers whether the warrants are freestanding financial instruments pursuant to ASC 480, meet the definition of a liability pursuant to ASC 480, and whether the warrants meet all of the requirements for equity classification under ASC 815, including whether the warrants are indexed to the Company’s own ordinary shares and whether the warrant holders could potentially require “net cash settlement” in a circumstance outside of the Company’s control, among other conditions for equity classification. This assessment, which requires the use of professional judgment, is conducted at the time of warrant issuance and as of each subsequent quarterly period end date while the warrants are outstanding.

For issued or modified warrants that meet all of the criteria for equity classification, the warrants are required to be recorded as a component of equity at the time of issuance. For issued or modified warrants that do not meet all the criteria for equity classification, the warrants are required to be recorded as liabilities at their initial fair value on the date of issuance, and each balance sheet date thereafter. Changes in the estimated fair value of the warrants are recognized as a non-cash gain or loss on the statements of operations.

Ordinary Shares Subject To Possible Redemption

The Company accounts for its ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Ordinary share subject to mandatory redemption (if any) is classified as a liability instrument and is measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable ordinary shares (including ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ equity. The Company’s ordinary shares feature certain redemption rights that are subject to occurrence of uncertain future events and considered to be outside of the Company’s control.

Net Loss Per Share  

The Company calculates net loss per share in accordance with ASC Topic 260, Earnings per Share. Basic loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted-average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period, excluding ordinary shares subject to possible redemption. Diluted loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding, plus to the extent dilutive, the incremental number of ordinary shares to settle rights and other ordinary share equivalents (currently none outstanding), as calculated using the treasury stock method. Ordinary shares subject to possible redemption at December 31, 2023 and 2022, which are not currently redeemable and are not redeemable at fair value, have been excluded from the calculation of basic and diluted loss per share since such shares, if redeemed, only participate in their pro rata share of the Trust Account earnings. the Company has not considered the effect of the warrants sold in the Initial Public Offering to purchase an aggregate of 4,904,000 shares in the calculation of diluted net loss per share, since the exercise of the warrants is contingent upon the occurrence of future events and the inclusion of such warrants would be anti-dilutive and the Company did not have any other dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into ordinary shares and then share in the earnings of the Company.

ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

As of the year ended December 31, 2023, we were not subject to any market or interest rate risk. Following the consummation of our Initial Public Offering, the net proceeds of our Initial Public Offering, including amounts in deposited in the trust account, may be invested in U.S. government treasury bills, notes or bonds with a maturity of 180 days or less, or in certain money market funds that invest solely in U.S. treasuries. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk when and if the net proceeds are invested in such securities.

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

This information appears following Item 15 of this Report and is included herein by reference.

ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

None.

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Disclosure controls are procedures that are designed with the objective of ensuring that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the Exchange Act, such as this Report, is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time period specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls are also designed with the objective of ensuring that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Our management evaluated, with the participation of our current chief executive officer and chief financial officer (our “Certifying Officers”), the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2023, pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our Certifying Officers concluded that, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective.

We do not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures will prevent all errors and all instances of fraud. Disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the disclosure controls and procedures are met. Further, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all disclosure controls and procedures, no evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures can provide absolute assurance that we have detected all our control deficiencies and instances of fraud, if any. The design of disclosure controls and procedures also is based partly on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.

Management’s Report on Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting

This Annual Report on Form 10-K does not include a report of management’s assessment regarding internal control over financial reporting or an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by rules of the SEC for newly public companies.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There was no change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION

None.

ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS

Not applicable.

PART III

ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Our current directors and executive officers are as follows:

Below is a summary of the business experience of each our executive officers and directors:

Eugene Wong. Mr. Eugene Wong has been our Chief Executive Officer, Director and Chairman of our Board since our inception. Mr. Wong has a wide range of experience both in the financial and gaming industries for over a decade. Mr. Wong is currently Managing Director of Norwich Capital Limited since September 2021. Mr. Wong joined Whiz Partners Inc. in May 2013 and during his time at Whiz Partners, he became chief investment officer and partner of the China Hero PJ Fund (“China Hero Fund”), an incubation program to support Chinese developers to create the next blockbuster console game on the PlayStation platform. China Hero Fund is an exclusive collaboration with Sony Interactive Entertainment, one of the largest console gaming companies in the world. During his time at Whiz Partners Asia, he also personally oversaw the injection of multiple Japanese technology companies in audio middleware, debugging and testing and graphics renderings into the China market to improve the quality of games. Prior to his role at Whiz Partners, he spent two years as a merger and acquisitions analyst at CDC Software Inc. (NASDAQ: CDCS) from August 2009 to May 2011, where he worked closely with the senior management team to conduct financial analysis, due diligence and deal structuring. He then spent one year as an investment analyst at World Bank Group from August 2012 to May 2013, where he gained experience in market analysis and creating valuations to identify favorable investment opportunities. Mr. Wong obtained his Master of Business Administration degree from the MIT Sloan-Tsinghua Program at Tsinghua University in May 2013, and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree at the University of Chicago in July 2009.

Nicholas Xue-Wei Tan. Mr. Nicholas Tan has been our Chief Financial Officer since inception. Mr. Tan has a wide range of experience in management and operating roles in e-commerce, consulting, consumer retail and energy production companies. He has been a partner at East Ocean Capital, an investment holding company focused on consumer, education and healthcare sectors since June 2015. From January 2016 to January 2018, he was the vice president of China Mall Group, South Africa’s largest group of Chinese malls. He oversaw the launch of the 150,000 m2 Home Africa mall in Johannesburg, South Africa. Prior to this role, in February 2015, he was one of the founding team members of Shopee, one of the most popular e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia. As the regional operations director of Shopee, he managed the business operations and product development across Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Shopee was later acquired by Sea Group. Mr. Tan also worked as an associate consultant at Bain & Company, specializing in consumer retail and private equity from January 2013 to April 2015. In 2012, he also served as a policy analyst at the Ministry of Health, PRC, where he advised on nationwide health policies and helped author multiple research papers published in leading medical journals. Mr. Tan obtained his Bachelor’s in Biology at Harvard University in December 2012.

Robert Morris. Mr. Morris has served as an independent director since our inception. Mr. Morris has over a decade of experience working in the banking and investment industries with experience in trading convertible bonds. He is currently a portfolio manager at Oasis Management since August 2020, he joined as an analyst since December 2016, a private investment fund management company with $3 billion of assets under management. From June 2010 to October 2016, he worked at UBS Investment Bank in both London and Hong Kong. He spent the first 2 years in London where he was a convertible bond trader focused on technology, telecoms, and real estate market. In June 2012, he moved to UBS’s Hong Kong office where he specialized in high yield credit, distressed convertible bonds, and trading special situation convertibles. He also helped advise bankers and capital market groups on looking for optimal solutions to refinance under difficult financial situations. In 2013, he was promoted to be the associate director where he managed risk management, market making and proprietary trading in pan-Asian convertible bonds. Mr. Morris graduated from London School of Economics with a Bachelor’s in Economics with 1st class honors in 2009. After which, he obtained his CFA license.

Yan Xu. Ms. Xu has served as an independent director since our inception. Ms. Xu has over 10 years of experience working in the Chinese gaming market and in a variety of industries in the Japanese market. She has also worked closely with top executives in PRC companies. Ms. Xu has been an independent director for Inception Growth Acquisition Limited since March 2023. Since February 2014, Ms. Xu has served as the head of the Japanese division for Whiz Partners Asia Ltd where she worked closely with Japanese companies to help identify potential Chinese partners to expand their business operations. She has also been the vice president of the China Hero Fund project, one of the first funds created to support game developers in China since 2016. Prior to this role, she worked as the assistant to the chief executive officer for Blue Ridge China, where she was responsible for post-investment tracking. Between 2008 to 2011, she worked at SinoCom Software Group Ltd. as secretary to the third division and team leader of the translation department. Ms. Xu also spent 3 years working at Neusoft Group Co. Ltd as secretary of the business software division and team leader of the translation department. She graduated from Dalian University of Foreign Studies with a Bachelors in Japanese in July 2003, and from Jilin University with a minor in law in July 2005.

Leslie Chow. Mr. Chow has served an independent director since our inception. Mr. Chow specializes in helping companies based in China and the Asia Pacific region to publicly list in US, Hong Kong and Australia equity markets as well as providing financial consulting services. Mr. Chow is the Chief Executive Officer and secretary of Neo Technology Acquisition Corporation since May 2021. He has been the co-founder of ZHEN in July 2020, a blockchain app for art authentication, and chief financial officer of Phase Scientific International Limited since August 2019, a biotech start-up that specializes in improving performance of point-of-care and lab-based diagnostics. He has also been an independent non-executive director for Golden Power Group Holdings (HKex:3919) since July 2015. Prior to these roles, he worked at Takung Art Co., Ltd, first as a consultant and then as chief financial officer where he managed and controlled all financial related activities for the company from August 2015 to August 2019. From April 2009 to August 2015, he was a partner at Albeck Financial Services where he managed the Asia-Pacific office focusing on companies that want to be publicly listed and also offering financial consultation in merger and acquisitions transactions, valuation of financial instruments, financial statements, cross-border equity and GAAP. From 2005-2009, he was a senior auditor at Deloitte & Touche LLP where he facilitated multinational audit engagements in internal control procedures and reporting. He graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara with a Bachelor’s in Business Economics with an emphasis in Accounting in 2005. He has also obtained his CPA license and passed the CFA level 2 examination.

Director Independence

Nasdaq requires that a majority of our board must be composed of “independent directors.” Currently, Robert Morris, Yan Xu and Leslie Chow would each be considered an “independent director” under the Nasdaq listing rules, which is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship, which, in the opinion of the company’s board of directors would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.

We will only enter into a business combination if it is approved by a majority of our independent directors. Additionally, we will only enter into transactions with our officers and directors and their respective affiliates that are on terms no less favorable to us than could be obtained from independent parties. Any related-party transactions must also be approved by our audit committee and a majority of disinterested independent directors.

Board Committees

The Board has a standing audit, nominating and compensation committee, which were established at the closing of our initial public offering. The independent directors oversee director nominations. Each committee has a charter, which was filed with the SEC as exhibits to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 on February 8, 2021.

Audit Committee

Under the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have three members of the Audit Committee, all of whom must be independent. We have established an Audit Committee of the board of directors, which consists of Robert Morris, Yan Xu, and Leslie Chow, each of whom is an independent director under Nasdaq’s listing standards. Leslie Chow is the Chairperson of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee’s duties, which are specified in our Audit Committee Charter, include, but are not limited to:

Financial Experts on Audit Committee

The Audit Committee will at all times be composed exclusively of “independent directors” who are “financially literate” as defined under Nasdaq listing standards. Nasdaq listing standards define “financially literate” as being able to read and understand fundamental financial statements, including a company’s consolidated balance sheet, consolidated income statement and consolidated cash flow statement.

In addition, we must certify to Nasdaq that the Audit Committee has, and will continue to have, at least one member who has past employment experience in finance or accounting, requisite professional certification in accounting, or other comparable experience or background that results in the individual’s financial sophistication. Our board of directors has determined that Leslie Chow qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert”, as defined under rules and regulations of the SEC.

Nominating Committee

The members of the Nominating Committee are Robert Morris, Yan Xu, and Leslie Chow, each of whom is an independent director under Nasdaq’s listing standards. Robert Morris is the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee is responsible for overseeing the selection of persons to be nominated to serve on our board of directors. The Nominating Committee considers persons identified by its members, management, shareholders, investment bankers and others.

The guidelines for selecting nominees, which are specified in the Nominating Committee Charter, generally provide those persons to be nominated:

The Nominating Committee will consider a number of qualifications relating to management and leadership experience, background and integrity and professionalism in evaluating a person’s candidacy for membership on the board of directors. The Nominating Committee may require certain skills or attributes, such as financial or accounting experience, to meet specific board needs that arise from time to time and will also consider the overall experience and makeup of its members to obtain a broad and diverse mix of board members. The Nominating Committee does not distinguish among nominees recommended by shareholders and other persons.

Compensation Committee

The members of the Compensation Committee are Robert Morris, Yan Xu, and Leslie Chow, each of whom is an independent director under Nasdaq’s listing standards. Yan Xu is the Chairperson of the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee’s duties, which are specified in our Compensation Committee Charter, include, but are not limited to:

The charter also provides that the Compensation Committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the Compensation Committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by Nasdaq and the SEC.

Conflicts of Interest

Investors should be aware of the following potential conflicts of interest:

Under British Virgin Islands law, directors owe the following fiduciary duties:

In addition to the above, directors also owe a duty of care which is not fiduciary in nature. This duty has been defined as a requirement to act as a reasonably diligent person having both the general knowledge, skill and experience that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by that director in relation to the company and the general knowledge skill and experience which that director has.

As set out above, directors have a duty not to put themselves in a position of conflict and this includes a duty not to engage in self-dealing, or to otherwise benefit as a result of their position. However, in some instances what would otherwise be a breach of this duty can be forgiven and/or authorized in advance by the shareholders provided that there is full disclosure by the directors. This can be done by way of permission granted in the memorandum and articles of association or alternatively by shareholder approval at general meetings.

Accordingly, as a result of multiple business affiliations, our officers and directors may have similar legal obligations relating to presenting business opportunities meeting the above-listed criteria to multiple entities. In addition, conflicts of interest may arise when our board evaluates a particular business opportunity with respect to the above-listed criteria. We cannot assure you that any of the above mentioned conflicts will be resolved in our favor. Furthermore, most of our officers and directors have pre-existing fiduciary obligations to other businesses of which they are officers or directors. To the extent they identify business opportunities which may be suitable for the entities to which they owe pre-existing fiduciary obligations, our officers and directors will honor those fiduciary obligations. Accordingly, it is possible they may not present opportunities to us that otherwise may be attractive to us unless the entities to which they owe pre-existing fiduciary obligations and any successors to such entities have declined to accept such opportunities.

In order to minimize potential conflicts of interest which may arise from multiple corporate affiliations, each of our officers and directors has contractually agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, until the earliest of a business combination, our liquidation or such time as he ceases to be an officer or director, to present to our company for our consideration, prior to presentation to any other entity, any suitable business opportunity which may reasonably be required to be presented to us, subject to any pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations he might have.

The following table summarizes the current pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations of our officers and directors.

In connection with the vote required for any business combination, all of our existing shareholders, including all of our officers and directors, have agreed to vote their respective insider shares and private shares in favor of any proposed business combination. In addition, they have agreed to waive their respective rights to participate in any liquidation distribution with respect to those ordinary shares acquired by them prior to the IPO. If they purchased ordinary shares in the IPO or in the open market, however, they would be entitled to participate in any liquidation distribution in respect of such shares but have agreed not to convert such shares (or sell their shares in any tender offer) in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination or an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association relating to pre-business combination activity.

All ongoing and future transactions between us and any of our officers and directors or their respective affiliates will be on terms believed by us to be no less favorable to us than are available from unaffiliated third parties. Such transactions will require prior approval by our audit committee and a majority of our uninterested “independent” directors, or the members of our board who do not have an interest in the transaction, in either case who had access, at our expense, to our attorneys or independent legal counsel. We will not enter into any such transaction unless our audit committee and a majority of our disinterested “independent” directors determine that the terms of such transaction are no less favorable to us than those that would be available to us with respect to such a transaction from unaffiliated third parties.

To further minimize conflicts of interest, we have agreed not to consummate our initial business combination with an entity that is affiliated with any of our officers, directors or initial shareholders, unless we have obtained (i) an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that the business combination is fair to our unaffiliated shareholders from a financial point of view and (ii) the approval of a majority of our disinterested and independent directors (if we have any at that time). Furthermore, in no event will any of our initial shareholders, officers, directors, special advisors or their respective affiliates be paid any finder’s fee, consulting fee or other similar compensation prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate, the consummation of our initial business combination.

Code of Ethics

We adopted a code of conduct and ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees in accordance with applicable federal securities laws. The code of ethics codifies the business and ethical principles that govern all aspects of our business.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, requires our executive officers, directors and persons who beneficially own more than 10% of a registered class of our equity securities to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of our ordinary shares and other equity securities. These executive officers, directors, and greater than 10% beneficial owners are required by SEC regulation to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms filed by such reporting persons.

Based solely on our review of such forms furnished to us and written representations from certain reporting persons, we believe that all filing requirements applicable to our executive officers, directors and greater than 10% beneficial owners were filed in a timely manner.

ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Employment Agreements

We have not entered into any employment agreements with our executive officers, and have not made any agreements to provide benefits upon termination of employment.

Executive Officer and Director Compensation

No executive officer has received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. No compensation of any kind, including finders, consulting or other similar fees, will be paid to any of our existing shareholders, including our directors, or any of their respective affiliates, prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate, the consummation of a business combination. However, such individuals will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. There is no limit on the amount of these out-of-pocket expenses and there will be no review of the reasonableness of the expenses by anyone other than our board of directors and audit committee, which includes persons who may seek reimbursement, or a court of competent jurisdiction if such reimbursement is challenged.

Clawback Policy

On November 29, 2023, our board of directors adopted a clawback policy (the “Clawback Policy”) permitting the Company to seek the recovery of incentive compensation received by any the Company’s current and former executive officers (as determined by the board in accordance with Section 10D of the Exchange Act and Nasdaq rules) (the “Covered Executives”) during the three completed fiscal years immediately preceding the date on which the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement of its financial statements due to the Company’s material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws. The amount to be recovered will be the excess of the incentive compensation paid to the Covered Executive based on the erroneous data over the incentive compensation that would have been paid to the Covered Executive had it been based on the restated results, as determined by the board. If the board cannot determine the amount of excess incentive compensation received by the Covered Executive directly from the information in the accounting restatement, then it will make its determination based on a reasonable estimate of the effect of the accounting restatement. A copy of the Clawback Policy is exhibited hereto as Exhibit 97.1.

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS

The following table sets forth as of March 8, 2024 the number of ordinary shares beneficially owned by (i) each person who is known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares (ii) each of our officers and directors; and (iii) all of our officers and directors as a group. As of March 8, 2024, we had 3,431,179 ordinary shares issued and outstanding.

Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all ordinary shares beneficially owned by them. The following table does not reflect record of beneficial ownership of any ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants.

All of the insider shares issued and outstanding prior to the IPO were placed in escrow with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as escrow agent, until (1) with respect to 50% of the insider shares, the earlier of one year after the date of the consummation of our initial business combination and the date on which the closing price of our ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.50 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after our initial business combination and (2) with respect to the remaining 50% of the insider shares, one year after the date of the consummation of our initial business combination, or earlier, in either case, if, subsequent to our initial business combination, we consummate a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their shares for cash, securities or other property.

During the escrow period, the holders of these shares will not be able to sell or transfer their securities except (i) to the Company’s pre-IPO shareholders, or to the Company’s officers, directors, advisors and employees, (ii) if the Initial Shareholder is an entity, as a distribution to partners, members or shareholders of the Initial Shareholder upon the liquidation and dissolution of the Initial Shareholder, (iii) by bona fide gift to a member of the Initial Shareholder’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is the Initial Shareholder or a member of the Initial Shareholder’s immediate family for estate planning purposes, (iv) by virtue of the laws of descent and distribution upon death of the Initial Shareholder, (v) pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, (vi) by private sales made in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination at prices no greater than the price at which the Private Units were originally purchased or (vii) to the Company for cancellation in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination, in each case (except for clause (vii)) where the transferee agrees to the terms of the escrow agreement, but will retain all other rights as our shareholders, including, without limitation, the right to vote their ordinary shares and the right to receive cash dividends, if declared. If dividends are declared and payable in ordinary shares, such dividends will also be placed in escrow. If we are unable to effect a business combination and liquidate the trust account, none of our initial shareholders will receive any portion of the liquidation proceeds with respect to their insider shares.

In order to meet our working capital needs, our initial shareholders, officers and directors or their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds, from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion. Each loan would be evidenced by a promissory note. The notes would either be paid upon consummation of our initial business combination, or, at the lender’s discretion, converted upon consummation of our business combination into private units at a price of $10.00 per unit. Our shareholders have approved the issuance of the private units upon conversion of such notes, to the extent the holder wishes to so convert them at the time of the consummation of our initial business combination. If we do not complete a business combination, the loans will not be repaid.

Our Sponsor and our executive officers and directors are deemed to be our “promoters,” as that term is defined under the Federal securities laws.

ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

In November 2020, 1,000 shares were sold. In December 2020, the Company issued another 1,149,000 ordinary shares resulting in an aggregate of 1,150,000 ordinary shares outstanding to the sponsor and our directors and officers, which we refer to throughout this report as the “insider shares,” for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.02 per share.

Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, the Company consummated the private placement with certain of its initial shareholders of 304,000 units at a price of $10.00 per Private Unit, generating total proceeds of $3,040,000.

In order to meet our working capital needs following the consummation of the IPO, our initial shareholders, officers and directors and their respective affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds, from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion. Each loan would be evidenced by a promissory note. The notes would either be paid upon consummation of our initial business combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $600,000 of the notes may be converted upon consummation of our business combination into private units at a price of $10.00 per unit (which, for example, would result in the holders being issued units to acquire 60,000 ordinary shares and warrants to purchase 60,000 ordinary shares if $600,000 of notes were so converted). Our shareholders have approved the issuance of the units and underlying securities upon conversion of such notes, to the extent the holder wishes to so convert them at the time of the consummation of our initial business combination. If we do not complete a business combination, the loans would be repaid out of funds not held in the trust account, and only to the extent available.

The holders of our insider shares issued and outstanding prior to the date of the IPO, as well as the holders of the private units (and all underlying securities) and any securities our initial shareholders, officers, directors or their affiliates may be issued in payment of working capital loans made to us, will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to offering registration rights agreement. The holders of a majority of these securities are entitled to make up to two demands that we register such securities. The holders of the majority of the insider shares can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time commencing three months prior to the date on which these ordinary shares are to be released from escrow. The holders of a majority of the private units or securities issued in payment of working capital loans made to us can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time after we consummate a business combination. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our consummation of a business combination. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.

We will reimburse our officers and directors for any reasonable out-of-pocket business expenses incurred by them in connection with certain activities on our behalf such as identifying and investigating possible target businesses and business combinations. There is no limit on the amount of out-of-pocket expenses reimbursable by us; provided, however, that to the extent such expenses exceed the available proceeds not deposited in the trust account and the interest income earned on the amounts held in the trust account, such expenses would not be reimbursed by us unless we consummate an initial business combination. Our audit committee will review and approve all reimbursements and payments made to any initial shareholder or member of our management team, or our or their respective affiliates, and any reimbursements and payments made to members of our audit committee will be reviewed and approved by our Board of Directors, with any interested director abstaining from such review and approval.

The   Sponsor has paid the expenses incurred by the Company an aggregate of $2,226,906 on a non-interest bearing basis as of December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company owed a balance of $2,226,906 and $893,814, respectively, to our Sponsor. 

The Company is obligated to pay our Sponsor a monthly fee of $10,000 for general and administrative services. However, pursuant to the terms of such agreement, the Company may delay payment of such monthly fee upon a determination by the Company’s audit committee that the Company lack sufficient funds held outside the trust to pay actual or anticipated expenses in connection with the initial business combination. Any such unpaid amount will accrue without interest and be due and payable no later than the date of the consummation of our initial business combination.

All ongoing and future transactions between us and any of our officers and directors or their respective affiliates will be on terms believed by us to be no less favorable to us than are available from unaffiliated third parties. Such transactions, including the payment of any compensation, will require prior approval by a majority of our uninterested “independent” directors (to the extent we have any) or the members of our board who do not have an interest in the transaction, in either case who had access, at our expense, to our attorneys or independent legal counsel. We will not enter into any such transaction unless our disinterested “independent” directors (or, if there are no “independent” directors, our disinterested directors) determine that the terms of such transaction are no less favorable to us than those that would be available to us with respect to such a transaction from unaffiliated third parties.

Related Party Policy

Our Code of Ethics requires us to avoid, wherever possible, all related party transactions that could result in actual or potential conflicts of interests, except under guidelines approved by the board of directors (or the audit committee). Related-party transactions are defined as transactions in which (1) the aggregate amount involved will or may be expected to exceed $120,000 in any calendar year, (2) we or any of our subsidiaries is a participant, and (3) any (a) executive officer, director or nominee for election as a director, (b) greater than 5% beneficial owner of our ordinary shares, or (c) immediate family member, of the persons referred to in clauses (a) and (b), has or will have a direct or indirect material interest (other than solely as a result of being a director or a less than 10% beneficial owner of another entity). A conflict of interest situation can arise when a person takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her work objectively and effectively. Conflicts of interest may also arise if a person, or a member of his or her family, receives improper personal benefits as a result of his or her position.

We also require each of our directors and executive officers to annually complete a directors’ and officers’ questionnaire that elicits information about related party transactions.

Our audit committee, pursuant to its written charter, will be responsible for reviewing and approving related-party transactions to the extent we enter into such transactions. All ongoing and future transactions between us and any of our officers and directors or their respective affiliates will be on terms believed by us to be no less favorable to us than are available from unaffiliated third parties. Such transactions will require prior approval by our audit committee and a majority of our uninterested “independent” directors, or the members of our board who do not have an interest in the transaction, in either case who had access, at our expense, to our attorneys or independent legal counsel. We will not enter into any such transaction unless our audit committee and a majority of our disinterested “independent” directors determine that the terms of such transaction are no less favorable to us than those that would be available to us with respect to such a transaction from unaffiliated third parties. Additionally, we require each of our directors and executive officers to complete a directors’ and officers’ questionnaire that elicits information about related party transactions.

These procedures are intended to determine whether any such related party transaction impairs the independence of a director or presents a conflict of interest on the part of a director, employee or officer.

To further minimize potential conflicts of interest, we have agreed not to consummate a business combination with an entity which is affiliated with any of our initial shareholders unless we obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that the business combination is fair to our unaffiliated shareholders from a financial point of view. Furthermore, in no event will any of our existing officers, directors or initial shareholders, or any entity with which they are affiliated, be paid any finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate, the consummation of a business combination.

Director Independence

Nasdaq listing standards require that within one year of the listing of our securities on the Nasdaq Capital Market we have at least three independent directors and that a majority of our board of directors be independent. For a description of the director independence, see above Part III, Item 10 - Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.

ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES  

The following is a summary of fees paid or to be paid to Adeptus Partners LLC (“Adeptus”), Marcum LLP (“Marcum”) and Friedman LLP (“Friedman”) for services rendered. Certain assets of Friedman were acquired by Marcum effective September 1, 2022.

Audit Fees. Audit fees consist of fees billed for professional services rendered for the audit of our year-end financial statements and services that are normally provided by Friedman and Marcum in connection with regulatory filings.

The aggregate fees billed by Adeptus for professional services rendered for the audit of our annual financial statements, review of the financial information included in our Forms 10-Q for the respective periods and other required filings with the SEC for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 totaled approximately $51,000 and $35,000, respectively. The aggregate fees billed by Friedman and Marcum for professional services rendered for the audit of our annual financial statements, review of the financial information included in our Forms 10-Q for the respective periods and other required filings with the SEC for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 totaled approximately 76,639 and $66,000, respectively. The above amounts include interim procedures and audit fees, as well as attendance at audit committee meetings.

Audit-Related Fees. Audit-related services consist of fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to performance of the audit or review of our financial statements and are not reported under “Audit Fees.” These services include attest services that are not required by statute or regulation and consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards. We did not pay Adeptus, Friedman or Marcum for consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.

Tax Fees. We did not pay Adeptus, Friedman or Marcum for tax planning and tax advice for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.

All Other Fees. We did not pay Adeptus, Friedman or Marcum for other services for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.

Pre-Approval Policy

Our audit committee was formed upon the consummation of our Initial Public Offering. As a result, the audit committee did not pre-approve all of the foregoing services, although any services rendered prior to the formation of our audit committee were approved by our board of directors. All services subsequent to the formation of the audit committee have been approved by the audit committee.

PART IV

ITEM 15.  EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

(b) Exhibits

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

ACE GLOBAL BUSINESS ACQUISITION LIMITED

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders

of ACE Global Business Acquisition Limited

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of ACE Global Business Acquisition Limited (the Company) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ deficit, and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the financial statements). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Substantial Doubt about the Company’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the financial statements, the Company has a significant working capital deficiency, has incurred significant losses, and needs to raise additional funds to meet its obligations and sustain operations which raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 1. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2023.

ACE GLOBAL BUSINESS ACQUISITION LIMITED

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

ACE GLOBAL BUSINESS ACQUISITION LIMITED

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

ACE GLOBAL BUSINESS ACQUISITION LIMITED

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

ACE GLOBAL BUSINESS ACQUISITION LIMITED

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

ACE GLOBAL BUSINESS ACQUISITION LIMITED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS