SEC Form DEF 14A filed by Gaia Inc.

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

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Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ☐

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(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)

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To our shareholders:

We will hold the 2026 annual meeting of shareholders of Gaia, Inc. (“we”, “us”, “our”, the “Company”, or “Gaia”), a Colorado corporation, on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Mountain Time virtually at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GAIA2026, for the following purposes:

Our board of directors has fixed the close of business on March 6, 2026, as the record date for the annual meeting. Only shareholders of record on the record date are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, our annual meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof. A list of shareholders entitled to vote at our annual meeting will be available for inspection by any of our shareholders prior to our annual meeting, upon written request showing a proper purpose, during normal business hours at our Louisville, Colorado office. The shareholder list will also be available online during the annual meeting.

Under U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) rules, we have elected to provide access to our proxy materials both by sending you this full set of printed proxy materials, including a proxy statement, a proxy card, voting instructions, and our 2025 annual report and by notifying you of the availability of our proxy materials on the Internet. On March 27, 2026, we expect to mail our shareholders (other than those who previously requested electronic or paper delivery of our proxy materials) a full set of printed proxy materials.

Our 2026 proxy statement and 2025 annual report are also available online at www.proxyvote.com along with instructions on how to vote.

Our shareholders are cordially invited to attend our virtual annual meeting. To be admitted to the annual meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GAIA2026, you must enter the 16-digit control number included in your voting instruction form or proxy card. Although you may vote online during the virtual annual meeting, we encourage you to vote via the Internet, by telephone or by mail as outlined on your proxy card to ensure that your shares are represented and voted.

If you hold our shares with a broker, you may also be eligible to vote via the Internet or by telephone if your broker or bank participates in the proxy voting program provided by Broadridge Investor Communication Services.

We are a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and have elected to provide in this proxy statement certain scaled disclosures permitted under the Exchange Act for smaller reporting companies. We will remain a “smaller reporting company” until the fiscal year following the determination that our voting and non-voting common shares held by non-affiliates is at least $250 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter, or our annual revenues are at least $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and our voting and non-voting common shares held by non-affiliates is at least $700 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter.

 

We are furnishing this proxy statement and the accompanying proxy card to our shareholders in connection with the solicitation of proxies by and on behalf of our board of directors for use at our 2026 annual meeting of shareholders to be held on Thursday, April 23, 2026, starting at 10:00 a.m. Mountain Time virtually at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GAIA2026, and at any adjournment(s) or postponement(s) thereof. On or about March 27, 2026, we expect to mail or give to our shareholders (other than those who previously requested electronic or paper delivery of our proxy materials) a full set of printed proxy materials, including a proxy statement, a proxy card, voting instructions, and our 2025 annual report and by notifying you of the availability of our proxy materials on the Internet. The address of our principal executive office is 833 West South Boulder Road, Louisville, Colorado 80027.

At the annual meeting, our shareholders will be asked: (i) to elect six directors of our company to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified; (ii) to approve, on an advisory basis, named executive officer compensation; and (iii) to transact such other business as may properly be brought before the annual meeting. Our board recommends a vote “FOR” the election of the nominees for directors of Gaia, Inc., a Colorado corporation (“we”, “us”, “our”, “company”, or “Gaia”), listed below; and “FOR” approval, on an advisory basis, of named executive officer compensation.

To attend, vote, and submit questions during the annual meeting visit www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GAIA2026 and enter the 16-digit control number included in your proxy card. Online access to the webcast will open approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the annual meeting. A technical support line will be available on the meeting website for any questions on how to participate in the annual meeting or if you encounter any difficulties accessing the virtual meeting.

Holders of a majority of the outstanding votes eligible to be cast by our Class A common stock and Class B common stock at the annual meeting must be present at the annual meeting or represented by proxy to constitute a quorum. Only shareholders of record at the close of business on the record date, March 6, 2026 will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the annual meeting. As of March 6, 2026, there were 19,577,872 shares of our Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 5,400,000 shares of our Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, outstanding and entitled to vote. Holders of our Class A common stock as of the record date are entitled to one vote for each share held and holders of our Class B common stock as of the record date are entitled to ten votes for each share held. The holders of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock will vote together as a single class. Cumulative voting is not permitted for any purpose. Once a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes eligible to be cast on the subject matter shall be the act of the shareholders, other than with respect to the election of directors, as described below.

Mr. Jirka Rysavy, our Chairman, holds all 5,400,000 outstanding shares of our Class B common stock and 291,682 shares of our Class A common stock. These shares are sufficient to constitute a quorum and to elect all Gaia directors. Mr. Rysavy has indicated that he plans to vote in favor of the proposals identified in this proxy statement as recommended by the board.

All shares of our common stock represented by properly executed proxies will, unless the proxies have previously been revoked, be voted in accordance with properly executed instructions indicated in the proxies. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the result of the vote, although abstentions will count towards the presence of a quorum. Any shareholder executing a proxy has the power to revoke the proxy at any time prior to its exercise.

IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE AGENT DESIGNATED IN THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD TO VOTE “FOR” THE ELECTION OF ALL SIX NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR IDENTIFIED BELOW (UNLESS AUTHORITY IS WITHHELD BY THE SHAREHOLDER GRANTING THE PROXY); AND “FOR” APPROVAL, ON AN ADVISORY BASIS, OF NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMPENSATION. IF ANY NOMINEE FOR DIRECTOR BECOMES UNAVAILABLE TO SERVE FOR ANY REASON, THE PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR A SUBSTITUTE NOMINEE OR NOMINEES TO BE SELECTED BY OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UNLESS THE SHAREHOLDER WITHHOLDS AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR THE ELECTION OF DIRECTORS. JIRKA RYSAVY, WHO HOLDS SHARES WITH A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES, HAS INFORMED GAIA THAT HE INTENDS TO VOTE HIS SHARES IN FAVOR OF THE ELECTION OF THE DIRECTORS NAMED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT; AND “FOR” APPROVAL, ON AN ADVISORY BASIS, NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMPENSATION.

A proxy may be revoked prior to exercise by: (a) filing with Gaia a written revocation of the proxy; (b) attending the virtual annual meeting and voting online; (c) voting by telephone or by using the Internet, either of which must be completed by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 22, 2026 (only your latest telephone or Internet proxy is counted); or (d) submitting to Gaia a duly executed proxy bearing a later date.

Under U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) rules, on March 27, 2026, we expect to mail or give to our shareholders (other than those who previously requested electronic or paper delivery of our proxy materials) a full set of printed proxy materials, including a proxy statement, a proxy card, voting instructions, and our 2025 annual report and by notifying you of the availability of our proxy materials on the Internet. If you received your annual meeting materials by mail, the proxy statement, the proxy card, voting instructions, and our 2025 annual report were enclosed. If you received your annual meeting materials via email, the email contained voting instructions and links to the proxy statement and 2025 annual report on the Internet, which are both available at www.proxyvote.com. If you have previously elected to receive our proxy materials electronically, you will continue to receive these materials via e-mail unless you elect otherwise. Our annual report is not to be considered as a part of this proxy statement or as having been incorporated by reference into this proxy statement.

This proxy statement, the proxy card, voting instructions and our 2025 annual report are being made available to shareholders at www.proxyvote.com.

We will bear the cost of preparing, printing, assembling and mailing this proxy statement and other materials furnished to shareholders in connection with the solicitation of proxies. In addition, our officers, directors and other employees may solicit proxies by written communication or telephone. These persons will receive no special compensation for any solicitation activities.

Our board of directors proposes that Kristin Frank, Keyur Patel, Jirka Rysavy, Paul Sutherland, Anaal Udaybabu, and Kimberly Arem be elected as directors of our company, to hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. Unless contrary instructions are given, the proxies will be voted “FOR” these nominees. Each nominee has agreed to serve if elected, and management has no reason to believe that any of the nominees will be unavailable for service. If for any unforeseen reason any nominee should decline or be unable to serve, the proxies will be voted to fill any vacancy so arising in accordance with the discretionary authority of the persons named in the proxy, unless contrary instructions are given.

Our business encompasses the operation of a global digital video subscription streaming service and community that provides curated conscious media to its subscribers in a context characterized by rapidly evolving technologies, exposure to business cycles, and significant competition. Our board of directors is responsible for reviewing and assessing the appropriate skills, experience, and background sought of directors in the context of our business and the current membership on the board of directors. This assessment of board skills, experience, and background includes numerous diverse factors, such as independence; understanding of and experience in video subscription services, technology, finance, and marketing; international experience; age; and gender and ethnic diversity. The priorities and emphasis of the board of directors regarding these factors change from time to time to consider changes in our business and other trends, as well as the portfolio of skills and experience of current and prospective board members. The board of directors reviews and assesses the relevance of and emphasis on these factors in connection with candidate searches.

We do not expect or intend that each director will have the same background, skills, and experience; we expect that board members will have a diverse portfolio of backgrounds, skills, and experiences. One goal of this diversity is to assist the board of directors in its oversight and advice concerning our business and operations. The biographies set forth below note each director’s or director nominee’s relevant experience, qualifications, and skills that led to the conclusion that such individual should serve as a director of our company.

The names of our director nominees, their ages, and the years in which they began serving as directors and their positions, are set forth below. All of the director nominees currently serve as directors. Each director serves for a one-year term.

Kristin Frank—age 60—Director since October 2013. She has served as Chief Executive Officer of the software company AdPredictive since March 2016 and President since September 2018. Before joining AdPredictive, Ms. Frank spent 23 years at Paramount Global, formerly known as Viacom Inc., where she served from 2015 to 2017 as Chief Operating Officer of the $1B+ division for MTV. From 2013 to 2015, Ms. Frank served as Executive Vice President and Head of Digital for Viacom’s Music and Entertainment Connected Content Division. From 2009 to 2012, Ms. Frank served as General Manager for MTV and VH1 Digital. Ms. Frank currently serves on the boards of Beachbody, Inc. and the privately held company board of AdPredictive.

Keyur Patel—age 60—Director since May 2017. He has served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Fuse+Media Pvt. Ltd. since 2008. Mr. Patel was a Co-Founder and a Chairman of Fabrik, LLC, led the turnarounds for Inktomi and Maxtor, and incubated, hatched, and ran a number of successful companies including Brience, Metrius, Webvibe, and Phoenix Software. He served as a General Partner of ComVentures. Mr. Patel has also served as the Managing Partner and Chief Strategy Officer of KPMG Consulting Worldwide, Chief Executive Officer at KPMG Internet business, and Managing Partner and Managing Director of the Price Waterhouse Technology Consulting Practice.

Jirka Rysavy—age 71—Founder and Chairman. He has been Chairman since our inception and has served as our Chief Executive Officer, other than during the period from March 2009 to July 2016 and since December 2023. Mr. Rysavy is the beneficial owner of approximately 23% of our outstanding shares. In 1986, Mr. Rysavy founded Corporate Express, Inc., which, under his leadership as Chairman and CEO, grew to become a Fortune 500 company. Mr. Rysavy also founded and served as Chairman and CEO of Crystal Market, a health foods concept, which was sold in 1987 to become the concept and first Wild Oats Market, now Whole Foods Market/Amazon.

Paul Sutherland—age 71—Director since June 2012. He has worked in the investment and financial advisory business since 1975. Until it was acquired by Mercer Advisors in December 2018, he was President of Financial & Investment Management Group, Ltd., a registered investment adviser that he founded in 1984 and managed investment portfolios on a discretionary basis for individuals, trusts, foundations and retirement plans. Mr. Sutherland is Chairman and a founding board member of the Utopia Foundation, Squaring the Education Pyramid Institute, and is author of various books including Zenvesting.

Anaal Udaybabu—age 55—Director since May 2021. She is the founder of Culture Unplugged, a global platform of documentaries for cultural transformation, which served over 50 million people globally. She founded and recently launched Fasting Culture with a vision to integrate consciousness within through at-home diagnostics and Integral Fasting — the experience she has been exploring at the Center for Healing & Transformation, which she founded in India.

Kimberly Arem—age 54—Director since October 2025. Ms. Arem is a founder and Managing Director of Gaearth, a digital company promoting music as medicine. Ms. Arem founded Gaearth in 2002 using combination of her molecular biology and professional music backgrounds. Ms. Arem is also a recording artist and creator of soundtrack for films and TV series, including several TV series for Gaia. She currently serves as President of Radiance Heath, Inc., a position she has held since February, 2015.

Directors will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. “Plurality” means that the nominees receiving the largest number of votes cast are elected as directors up to the maximum number of directors who are nominated to be elected at the meeting. If no instructions are indicated on a proxy card, the shares will be voted “FOR” the election of these nominees for director. Because director nominees must receive a plurality of the votes cast at the annual meeting, a vote withheld from a particular nominee or from all nominees or abstentions will not affect the election of that nominee.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR”

THE NOMINEES OF THE BOARD

As required by Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act, we are seeking advisory shareholder approval of the compensation of our named executive officers as disclosed in the section of this proxy statement titled “Executive Compensation.” Shareholders are being asked to vote on the following advisory resolution:

Resolved, that the compensation of Gaia’s named executive officers, as disclosed pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (which disclosure pursuant to Item 402 of Regulation S-K, shall include compensation tables, narrative discussion and any related material in Gaia’s Proxy Statement for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders) is hereby APPROVED.

The compensation of our executive officers is based on a design that ties a substantial percentage of an executive’s compensation to the attainment of financial and other performance measures that the board believes promotes the creation of long-term shareholder value and positions Gaia for long-term success. As described more fully in the section of this proxy statement titled “Executive Compensation,” the mix of fixed and performance-based compensation, the terms of the incentive bonus program and the terms of long-term incentive plans are all designed to enable Gaia to attract and retain top talent while, at the same time, creating a close relationship between performance and compensation. The compensation committee and the board believe that the design of the program, and hence the compensation awarded to named executive officers under the current program, fulfils this objective.

Shareholders are urged to read the “Executive Compensation” section of this proxy statement, which sets forth the compensation we paid our named executive officers in 2025 and discusses in detail how our compensation policies and procedures implement our compensation philosophy.

Although the vote is non-binding, the board and the compensation committee will review the voting results in connection with their ongoing evaluation of Gaia’s compensation program.

Approval of this Proposal 2 requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast “FOR” or “AGAINST” the proposal. For purposes of determining the number of votes cast on the matter, only those cast “FOR” or “AGAINST” are included, while abstentions and broker non-votes are not included.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR”

ADVISORY APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION SET FORTH ABOVE

The size of the board of directors is determined by the board pursuant to our Bylaws. Our board of directors currently consists of six members and meets regularly during the year. The board of directors will consist of six members after the 2026 annual meeting of shareholders. Our board of directors has determined that of our current directors, Messrs. Patel and Sutherland, and Mses. Frank and Udaybabu, are independent as defined by the listing standards of the NASDAQ Stock Market. The board of directors determined that Mr. Rysavy and Ms. Arem are not independent directors pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC, and the listing standards of the NASDAQ Stock Market.

Our directors, officers, employees, and the Company are subject to our insider trading policy, which prohibits the purchase, sale or trade of our securities with the knowledge of material nonpublic information. In addition, our insider trading policy also prohibits short sales, transactions in derivatives, and hedging of Gaia’s securities by our directors, executive officers and employees and prohibits pledging of Gaia securities by our directors and executive officers.

During 2025, our board held one telephonic and two in person meetings. The majority of our current directors attended at least 75% of the aggregate of the total number of meetings of our board of directors and the total number of meetings of the committees of our board of directors on which such director served during 2025 (with respect to meetings held while such director served as a director and on a committee). The majority of our current directors who served as director at the time of our 2025 annual meeting of shareholders attended our 2025 annual meeting of shareholders.

Our board of directors has standing audit and compensation committees. We have adopted written charters for both committees. These charters can be found in the investors’ section of our website at http://ir/gaia.com/governance-docs. Our board of directors selects members for the audit and compensation committees on an annual basis.

Audit Committee. Our audit committee currently consists of Mr. Patel, Ms. Frank, and Mr. Sutherland (chairperson), and each member of the audit committee is independent within the meaning of rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market. After the 2026 annual meeting, we expect that Mr. Sutherland will continue to serve as chairperson of the audit committee. Our board has determined that Mr. Sutherland is an “audit committee financial expert,” as defined in Item 407(d)(5)(ii) of Regulation S-K. Our audit committee is responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of our auditor and for approval of any non-audit services provided by the auditor. Our audit committee also oversees: (a) management’s maintenance of the reliability and integrity of our accounting policies and financial reporting and disclosure practices; (b) management’s establishment and maintenance of processes to assure that an adequate system of internal control over financial reporting is functioning; and (c) management’s establishment and maintenance of processes to assure our compliance with all laws, regulations and company policies relating to financial reporting. Our audit committee held 3 telephonic meetings and one in-person meeting during 2025.

Compensation Committee. Our compensation committee currently consists of Ms. Frank (chairperson), Mr. Patel and Mr. Sutherland, and each member of the compensation committee is independent within the meaning of rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market. After the 2026 annual meeting, we expect that Ms. Frank will continue to serve as the chairperson of the compensation committee. None of the members of our compensation committee has at any time been an officer or employee of our company or has any interlocking relationships that are subject to disclosure under the rules of the SEC relating to compensation committees. Our compensation committee establishes compensation amounts and policies applicable to our executive officers, establishes salaries, bonuses and other compensation plans and matters for our executive officers, and administers our equity incentive plans. Our compensation committee held one in-person meeting during 2025.

Director Nominations. We are exempt from the NASDAQ Stock Market rules with respect to independent director oversight over director nominations because we are a controlled company on the basis of Mr. Rysavy’s control of more than 50% of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock. In light of Mr. Rysavy’s voting control, our board of directors does not believe a nominating committee would serve a meaningful purpose. Our Bylaws set forth

certain procedures that are required to be followed by shareholders in nominating persons for election to our board. Generally, written notice of a proposed nomination must be received by our corporate secretary not later than the 45th day nor earlier than the 70th day prior to the anniversary of the mailing of the preceding year’s proxy materials. As described above, our board considers a variety of factors when it selects candidates for election to the board, including business experience, skills and expertise that are complementary to those already represented on the board, familiarity and identification with our mission, values and market segments, and other relevant factors. Although the board does not have a formal policy with regard to consideration of diversity in identifying potential nominees, the board may consider whether a potential nominee’s professional experience, education, skills and other individual qualities and attributes, including gender, race or national origin, would provide beneficial diversity of skills, experience or perspective to the board’s membership and collective attributes. Such considerations will vary based on the board’s existing membership and other factors, such as the strength of a potential nominee’s overall qualifications relative to diversity considerations. Our board will consider qualified director candidates recommended by our shareholders. Nominations for directors are made by our full board of directors. Because we are a controlled company under the NASDAQ Stock Market rules, our board has not adopted a formal policy regarding the consideration of director candidates recommended by shareholders.

Jirka Rysavy serves as a director and as our Chairman. As our Chairman, Mr. Rysavy is the most senior executive officer of Gaia and he presides at meetings of our shareholders and our board of directors. As Chairman, he is responsible for business initiative development and oversees our affairs and business in a supervisory role. We do not have a lead independent director but, during the past year, with the exception of Mr. Rysavy and Ms. Arem, the other members of our board of directors were considered independent. We also maintain an audit committee and a compensation committee, each consisting of three independent directors. Further, as described elsewhere in this proxy statement, Mr. Rysavy controls more than 50% of the voting power of our capital stock, thereby making Gaia a controlled company under the NASDAQ Stock Market rules and, therefore, exempt from several of the corporate governance rules concerning independent director oversight over our affairs.

The video subscription offerings and delivery channels, as well as the competitive and technology landscape, involved in our business are constantly evolving and our Chairman brings extensive knowledge in these areas to the board of directors, allowing him to effectively direct board discussions and focus board decision-making on those items most important to our overall success. Our board of directors also believes that this leadership structure optimizes Mr. Rysavy’s contributions to the board’s efforts. Further, as our founder and largest shareholder, Mr. Rysavy brings an important perspective to board discussions.

The board works closely with Mr. Rysavy in his regular assessment of the risks that could confront our business, whether due to competitive issues, the economy or otherwise. It is management’s responsibility to manage risk and bring to our board of directors’ attention the most material risks to us. Our board of directors has oversight responsibility of the processes established to report and monitor systems for material risks applicable to us and reviews our enterprise risk management. Our board of directors reviews treasury risks (insurance, credit, and debt), financial and accounting risks, legal and compliance risks, information technology security and cybersecurity risks and risks related to internal control over financial reporting. Our compensation committee considers risks related to the attraction and retention of talent and risks relating to the design of compensation programs and incentive arrangements. We have determined that it is not reasonably likely that risks arising from compensation and benefit plans would have a material adverse effect on us. In addition, the full board of directors considers risks to our reputation, reviews risks related to the sustainability of our operations, considers risks related to succession planning, and oversees the appropriate allocation of responsibility for risk oversight among the committees of the board. The full board also has oversight of enterprise risk management and considers strategic risks and opportunities on a regular basis.

Our directors who are not employees of, or consultants to, our company or its affiliates receive a restricted stock unit (“RSU”) grant valued at $41,250, which vests on the date of the annual shareholder meeting the following year assuming continuous service as a director. Since April 2022, we also pay these directors a fee of $5,500 for in person attendance and $2,200 for telephonic participation for each board and committee meeting. Prior to this we paid these directors a fee of $5,000 for in person attendance and $2,000 for telephonic participation for each board and committee meeting; plus audit committee members received an additional $20,000 for 2025 services. In addition, the chairpersons of the audit committee and the compensation committee receive additional RSU grants valued at $22,000 and $11,000, respectively, that also vest on the date of the annual shareholder meeting the following year. Directors who serve on more than one committee and are not employees of our company or its affiliates receive an additional RSU grant valued at $11,000 that also vests on the date of the annual shareholder meeting the following year.

The following table provides compensation information for the one-year period ended December 31, 2025 for each member of our board of directors other than Mr. Rysavy:

While the NASDAQ diversity disclosure requirements are no longer in effect following the federal court ruling in December 2024, companies may choose to provide such information as part of their commitment to transparency and diversity initiatives. The Company has decided to voluntarily disclose board diversity information to align with investor expectations and corporate governance best practices.

The following table sets forth the names, ages and titles of our executive officers as of March 6, 2026:

Our executive officers are elected annually by our board of directors. Ms. Medvedich has been employed by our company since November 2016. Biographical information about Mr. Rysavy is included in this proxy statement under the heading “Proposal 1—Election of Directors—Nominees for Election as Directors.”

Kiersten Medvedich—age 53—Ms. Medvedich became Gaia’s Chief Executive Officer in June 2025. She previously served as, President since June 2023, Executive Vice President of Content from June 2020 to June 2023 and joined the Office of President in November 2020. She previously served as Senior Vice President of Content, Vice President of Content Production and Senior Director of Content Production since joining Gaia in November 2016. Her experience has been firmly rooted in all facets of management and production and brings a level of national broadcast experience to Gaia by way of her long-standing tenure with Sony Pictures Television.

Ned Preston—age 54—Mr. Preston became Gaia’s Chief Financial Officer on June 26, 2023. He previously served as the Chief Financial Officer at Tive Inc. from May 2022 to October 2022 and Motional Inc. from April 2020 to April 2022. Prior to that he served as Senior Vice President of Finance at PTC Inc. from November 2016 to December 2019 and Vice President of Finance at Akamai Technologies from October 2012 to October 2016. Mr. Preston has served in various senior finance roles for several Fortune 500 technology companies during his career including Cisco Systems, Charles Schwab, and Oracle Corporation.

Yonathan Nuta—age 45—Mr. Nuta returned to Gaia as Chief Operating Officer on October 30, 2025. He most recently served as Chief Product Officer at Fabric.io from October 2022 to March 2024. He previously helped take Babylon Health public as Chief Product Officer from February 2021 to October 2022, CEO and Cofounder of talkIQ from June 2013 to January 2015, SVP/Head of Product at comScore, Inc. from April 2011 to April 2013, and the Xbox Business Intelligence Group Manager from August 2007 to January 2009. From October 2016 through May 2021, he served as an executive at Gaia.

The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of March 6, 2026 for (i) each person (or group of affiliated persons) who, insofar as we have been able to ascertain, beneficially owned more than 5% of the outstanding shares of our Class A common stock or Class B common stock, (ii) each director and director nominee, (iii) each executive officer named below in the Summary Compensation Table, and (iv) all current directors and executive officers as a group. We have based our calculation of the percentage of beneficial ownership on 19,577,872 shares of our Class A common stock and 5,400,000 shares of our Class B common stock outstanding on March 6, 2026.

We are currently a “smaller reporting company” as defined under SEC rules and, as a result, we are not required to include in this proxy statement a Compensation Discussion and Analysis section and certain other disclosures relating to executive compensation.

Our compensation program is intended to meet three principal objectives: (1) attract, reward and retain qualified, energetic officers and other key employees; (2) motivate these individuals to achieve short-term and long-term corporate goals that enhance shareholder value; and (3) support our corporate values by promoting internal equity and external competitiveness.

Our executive compensation program is overseen and administered by the compensation committee of our board of directors, which is comprised entirely of independent directors as determined in accordance with various NASDAQ, SEC, and Internal Revenue Code rules. Our compensation committee operates under a written charter adopted by our board and is empowered to review and approve the annual compensation for our named executive officers. A copy of the compensation committee charter is available on our website at http://ir.gaia.com/governance-docs. We have included the website address only as inactive textual reference, and the information contained on the website is not incorporated by reference into this proxy statement.

The principal objectives that guide our compensation committee in assessing our executive and other compensation programs include the proper allocation between long-term compensation, current cash compensation, and short-term bonus compensation. Other considerations include our business objectives, our fiduciary and corporate responsibilities (including internal considerations of fairness and affordability), competitive practices and trends, general economic conditions and regulatory requirements.

In determining the particular elements of compensation that will be used to implement our overall compensation objectives, our compensation committee takes into consideration a number of factors related to our performance, such as our earnings per share, profitability, revenue growth, and business-unit-specific operational and financial performance, as well as the competitive environment for our business. Stock price performance has not been a factor in determining annual compensation because the price of our common stock is subject to a variety of factors outside of our control. Our compensation committee may, when appropriate as determined on an annual basis, identify individual performance goals for executive and other officers, which goals may play a significant role in determining such officer’s incentive compensation for that year and which may be taken into consideration in setting base salary for the next year.

From time to time, our compensation committee meets with our Chairman, Jirka Rysavy, to obtain recommendations with respect to our compensation programs, practices and packages for executives, other employees and directors. Our Chairman makes recommendations to our compensation committee on the base salary, bonus targets and equity compensation for the executive team. Our compensation committee considers, but is not bound by and does not always accept, management’s recommendations with respect to executive compensation.

Our compensation committee has also in the past received input from an independent compensation consultant prior to finalizing determinations on material aspects of our compensation programs, practices and packages, and it expects to do so again from time to time. In April 2025, our compensation committee engaged an independent compensation consultant, ClearBridge Compensation Group, to evaluate four areas: fiscal year 2025 executive pay level benchmarking, fiscal year 2024 bonus payouts, fiscal year 2025 bonus design, and fiscal year 2025 long-term incentive design.

Mr. Rysavy attends some of our compensation committee’s meetings, but our compensation committee also holds executive sessions not attended by any members of management or non-independent directors. Our compensation committee discusses Mr. Rysavy’s compensation packages with him, but makes decisions with respect to his compensation without him present. Our compensation committee has the ultimate authority to make decisions with respect to the compensation of our named executive officers, but may, if it chooses, delegate any of its responsibilities to subcommittees. Our compensation committee has delegated to the administrative committee of our board of directors, comprised of Mr. Rysavy, the authority to grant long-term incentive awards to employees at or below the level of vice president under guidelines set by our compensation committee.

Our compensation committee believes that compensation paid to executive officers and other members of our senior management should be closely aligned with our performance on both a short-term and a long-term basis, and that such compensation should assist us in attracting and retaining talented persons who are committed to our mission and critical to our long-term success. To that end, our compensation committee believes that the compensation packages for executive officers should consist of three principal components:

We have selected these elements because each is considered useful and/or necessary to meet one or more of the principal objectives of our compensation policy. For instance, base salary and bonus target percentages are set with the goal of attracting employees and adequately compensating and rewarding them on a day-to-day basis for the services they perform and for achieving short-term business objectives, while our equity programs are geared toward providing an incentive and reward for the achievement of long-term business objectives and retaining key talent. We believe that these elements of compensation, when combined, are effective, and will continue to be effective, in achieving the objectives of our compensation program.

Our compensation committee believes in the importance of equity ownership for all executive officers and a broader-based segment of our work force, for purposes of economic incentive, key employee retention and alignment of employees’ interests with those of shareholders. Our compensation committee believes that the Gaia, Inc. 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan provides valuable flexibility to achieve a balance between providing equity-based compensation for employees and creating and maintaining long-term shareholder value.

Restricted stock unit awards are typically made when a new executive officer is hired, and in determining the size of restricted stock unit awards, our compensation committee bases its determinations on such subjective considerations as the individual’s position within management, experience, the market value of the executive’s skill set, and historical grant amounts to similarly positioned executives of our company. Since 2017, we have not granted stock options as we shifted to restricted stock unit awards. Our historical policy was that the exercise price of a stock option grant shall be equal to or greater than the closing price of the Class A common stock on the date of grant and, accordingly, will have value only if the market price of the Class A common stock increases after that date. The stock options granted pursuant to the Gaia, Inc. 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan generally vest at 2% per month during the 11th through 60th month after the date of grant with respect to the first option grant awarded to an individual, and generally vest at 2% per month beginning in the first full month after the date of grant with respect to subsequent option grants. The restricted stock units granted pursuant to the Gaia, Inc. 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as well as those previously granted pursuant to the Gaia, Inc. 2009 Long-Term Incentive Plan, generally vest on a specific date approximately five years from the date of grant.

Our compensation committee reviews our compensation program on an annual basis. In setting compensation levels for a particular executive, our compensation committee takes into consideration the proposed compensation package as a whole and each element individually, but does not apply any specific formula in doing so. While the importance of one compensation element to another may vary among executive officers, our compensation committee attempts

to correlate the overall compensation package to each executive officer’s past and expected future contributions to our business. We currently do not have any employment agreements with our executive officers or other agreements to make payments to our executive officers upon their termination or a change-in-control.

At the 2023 annual meeting of shareholders, our shareholders approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers, as disclosed pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the SEC. Our compensation committee reviewed and considered the final vote results for that resolution, and we have not made any changes to our executive compensation policies or decisions as a result of the vote. Further, at the 2023 annual meeting of shareholders, our shareholders voted, on an advisory basis, for holding an advisory vote to approve named executive officer compensation every three years. Accordingly, our board of directors determined that Gaia would hold the next advisory vote to approve named executive officer compensation at this 2026 annual meeting of shareholders as described in Proposal 2. Our compensation committee will consider the results of the shareholder vote on Proposal 2; in making compensation decisions for future years, and we expect to hold our next advisory vote on the compensation of our named executive officers at our 2029 annual meeting of shareholders. We also expect to hold the next advisory vote on the frequency of future advisory votes on named executive officer compensation at our 2029 annual meeting of shareholders.

With respect to risk related to compensation matters, our compensation committee considers, in establishing and reviewing our executive compensation program, whether the program encourages unnecessary or excessive risk taking and has concluded that it does not. Our executive officers’ base salaries are fixed in amount and thus do not encourage risk-taking. Bonuses generally are capped and are tied to overall business unit and corporate performance. A portion of compensation provided to the executive officers has in the past been in the form of stock options that are important to help further align executives’ interests with those of our shareholders. Our compensation committee believes that these awards do not encourage unnecessary or excessive risk-taking, as the value of the stock options fluctuate with our stock price and do not represent significant downward/upward risk and reward.

The Company maintains a policy regarding the recoupment of certain performance-based compensation payments.

The following table includes information concerning compensation for each of the last two years for our named executive officers.

The following table includes certain information as of December 31, 2025 with respect to unexercised options and unvested restricted stock units previously awarded to our executive officers named above in the Summary Compensation Table.

We maintain a tax-qualified 401(k) Plan, which provides for broad-based employee participation. Our executive officers are eligible to participate in the 401(k) Plan on the same basis as other employees. For 2025, under the 401(k) Plan, all of our employees were eligible to receive a matching contribution from us, and the matching contribution equaled $0.50 for each dollar contributed by an employee up to a maximum annual matching benefit of $3,000 per person. The matching contribution is calculated and paid on a payroll-by-payroll basis subject to applicable Federal limits. We do not provide defined benefit pension plans or defined contribution retirement plans to our executives or other employees other than our 401(k) Plan described herein.

In 2025, our executive officers were eligible to receive the same health care coverage that is generally available to our other employees. We also offered a number of other benefits to our named executive officers pursuant to benefit

programs that provide for broad-based employee participation. These benefits programs included medical, dental and vision insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, health and dependent care flexible spending accounts, business travel insurance, wellness programs (including chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture, and fitness classes), relocation/expatriate programs and services, educational assistance, and certain other benefits.

Our compensation committee believes that our 401(k) Plan and the other generally available benefit programs allow us to remain competitive for employee talent, and that the availability of the benefit programs generally enhances employee productivity and loyalty to us. The main objectives of our benefits programs are to give our employees access to quality healthcare, financial protection from unforeseen events, assistance in achieving retirement financial goals, and enhanced health and productivity, in full compliance with applicable legal requirements. Typically, these generally available benefits do not specifically factor into decisions regarding an individual executive officer’s total compensation or equity-based award package.

Mr. Rysavy serves as our Chairman and is our largest shareholder.

Our compensation committee and our board of directors strongly believe that Mr. Rysavy’s salary and overall compensation level are modest given the importance of Mr. Rysavy to our future, his previous experience and business accomplishments and the market value of his skill set as an executive.

As described in more detail in the section “Executive Compensation,” our executive compensation program reflects a variable pay-for-performance philosophy. In accordance with Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K, we are providing the following graphs that describe the relationships between information presented in the Pay Versus Performance table.

 

 

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, for the preparation of our consolidated financial statements, and for the public reporting process. Our audit committee, on behalf of our board of directors, oversees management’s conduct of internal control processes and procedures for financial reporting designed to ensure the integrity and accuracy of our consolidated financial statements and to ensure that we are able to timely record, process and report information required for public disclosure. In connection with the 2025 audit, our audit committee has:

This Audit Committee Report shall not be deemed to be “soliciting material” or to be “filed” with the SEC or subject to Regulation 14A or 14C, or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, except to the extent that we specifically request that this information be treated as “soliciting material” or specifically incorporate this information by reference into a document filed under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act.

The following table presents fees for professional services rendered by Frank, Rimerman + Co. LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024:

In accordance with the policies of our audit committee and legal requirements, all services to be provided by our independent registered public accounting firm are pre-approved by our audit committee. Pre-approved services include audit services, audit-related services, tax services and other services. In some cases, pre-approval is provided by the full audit committee for up to a year, and such services relate to a particular defined task or scope of work and are subject to a specific budget. In other cases, the chairperson of our audit committee has the delegated authority from our audit committee to pre-approve additional services, and such action is then communicated to the full audit committee at the next audit committee meeting. To avoid certain potential conflicts of interest, the law prohibits a publicly traded company from obtaining certain non-audit services from its auditing firm. If we need such services, we obtain them from other service providers.

Representatives of Frank, Rimerman + Co. LLP are expected to be present at our 2026 annual meeting of shareholders and will have an opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so, and to respond to appropriate questions.

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires the following persons to file initial statements of beneficial ownership on a Form 3 and changes of beneficial ownership on a Form 4 or Form 5 with the SEC and to provide the Company with a copy of those statements:

Based solely upon a review of the reports furnished to us, or written representations from reporting persons that all other reportable transactions were reported, we believe that during the year ended December 31, 2025, our directors, executive officers and greater than 10% stockholders timely filed all reports they were required to file under Section 16(a), except that a Form 3 was filed late on behalf of AWM Investment Company, Inc. on March 6, 2025, a Form 4 was filed late on behalf of Yonathan Nuta on November 6, 2025, and a Form 3 was filed late on behalf of Kimberly Arem on November 17, 2025.

As part of our Code of Ethics, directors, officers, and employees are expected to make business decisions and take actions based upon the best interests of Gaia and not based upon personal relationships or benefits.

The board recognizes that some transactions, arrangements, and relationships present a heightened risk of an actual or perceived conflict of interest. While Gaia’s policy governing these transactions is not in writing, in response to an annual questionnaire, directors, director nominees, and executive officers are asked to submit a description of any ongoing or proposed transactions in which they have or will have a material interest. Directors and executive officers are expected to provide updates to the list of transactions during the year and submit any newly proposed transactions for review by management. Any related party transaction is reviewed by disinterested members of management and, if material, by disinterested members of our board or a committee thereof to ensure that the transaction reflects terms that are at least as favorable for us as we would expect in a similar transaction negotiated at arm’s length by unrelated parties.

In April 2024, Gaia entered into a series of transactions with its subsidiary, Igniton, Inc., a Colorado corporation (“Igniton”), and a third-party entity to purchase a royalty free perpetual license for a total of $16.2 million of consideration, comprised of $10.2 million of cash, $5.0 million of common stock of Igniton and $1.0 million of Gaia’s equity security investment in Telomeron (the “License Purchase”). The license allows Gaia to utilize the technology developed by the third party. The License Purchase was funded through an equity financing through Igniton, which raised $6.8 million of cash, $5.0 million in Igniton stock issuance from third-party investors, and a $4.0 million investment from Gaia.

As part of the April 2024 equity financing, Igniton closed a sale of 2,750,000 shares of Igniton common stock (the “2024 Igniton Shares”) to certain funds managed by AWM Investment Company, Inc. (“AWM”) for total net proceeds of approximately $3.2 million. Igniton’s total proceeds included an approximately $0.4 million premium that was passed to the Company in exchange for the issuance to AWM of a non-transferable right granting AWM a one-time ability to sell the 2024 Igniton Shares to the Company for the total net proceeds paid (the 2024 “Option”), payable at the Company’s option, in cash or shares of the Company’s Class A common stock having a value per share equal to the trailing 5-day average Volume-Weighted Average Price prior to the exercise of the 2024 Option.

During 2025, Igniton raised $7.4 million of private common equity financing.

As part of the 2025 equity financing, Igniton closed a sale of 194,782 shares of Igniton common stock (the “2025 Igniton Shares”) to certain funds managed by AWM Investment Company, Inc. (“AWM”) for total net proceeds of approximately $0.56 million. Igniton’s total proceeds included an approximately $0.07 million premium that was passed to the Company in exchange for the issuance to AWM of a non-transferable right granting AWM a one-time ability to sell the 2025 Igniton Shares to the Company for the total net proceeds paid (the “2025 Option”), payable at the Company’s option, in cash or shares of the Company’s Class A common stock having a value per share equal to the trailing 5-day average Volume-Weighted Average Price prior to the exercise of the 2025 Option.

Following the 2025 raise, Gaia continues to hold approximately two-thirds ownership interest and continues to consolidate its ownership interests in Igniton. The proceeds from the financing and follow-on investments are expected to be used by Igniton for product launches, general operating expenses and certain capital expenditures to support future growth.

On March 7, 2025, the Company’s board of directors voted to discontinue Food Matters Institute LTD (“FMI”). On November 4, 2025, Gaia completed a sale of all assets of FMI under an asset purchase agreement, between Gaia and James Colquhoun (the “FMI Divesture”). At the time of the FMI Divestiture, Mr. Colquhoun was a holder of approximately 5% of Gaia’s outstanding Class A common stock and was a formerly Director from May 2020 through June 2023 and officer from June 2023 through June 2025. Gaia sold certain assets and liabilities, which consist of an acquired media library asset and a net payable of $97 thousand to Mr. Colquhoun in exchange for 82,000 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock, net of adjustment, valued at $356 thousand based on the closing stock price of $4.61 on November 4, 2025. The net book value of the FMI acquired media library on November 4, 2025 was approximately $453 thousand. The Company recognized an immaterial gain on the disposal of the net assets.

The terms of the FMI Divesture were reviewed and approved in accordance with the Company’s authority matrix. The Company does not expect to have any continuing involvement with, or obligations to, Mr. Colquhoun arising from the FMI Divestiture. Following the completion of the FMI Divesture, no amounts were receivable from or payable to Mr. Colquhoun, and there are no outstanding commitments, guarantees, or contingent obligations related to this transaction.

Shareholders may submit proposals on matters appropriate for shareholder action at our annual meetings consistent with regulations adopted by the SEC and our Bylaws. A shareholder who intends to present a proposal for action at our 2027 annual meeting of shareholders and who desires such proposal be included in our proxy materials pursuant to SEC Rule 14a-8 must submit the proposal to us at our principle executive offices at not later than 5:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on November 27, 2026, unless the date of our 2027 annual meeting is more than 30 days before or after April 23, 2027, in which case the proposal must be received a reasonable time before we begin to print and mail our proxy materials. Such proposals must contain specified information, including, among other things, information as would be required to be included in a proxy statement under SEC rules.

In addition, under the terms of our Bylaws, a shareholder who otherwise desires to present a proposal for action or to nominate directors (other than proposals submitted pursuant to Rule 14a-8 promulgated under the Exchange Act) at our 2027 annual meeting of shareholders must provide notice in writing of such proposal or nomination to us no earlier than January 16, 2027 and no later than 5:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on February 10, 2027. If the notice is received outside of that time frame, then we are not required to permit the business or the nomination to be presented at the 2027 annual meeting of shareholders. Shareholder notices must contain the information required by our Bylaws. In addition to satisfying the foregoing requirements under our Bylaws, to comply with the universal proxy rules, shareholders who intend to solicit proxies in support of director nominees other than Gaia’s nominees must provide notice that sets forth the information required by Rule 14a-19 under the Exchange Act no later than February 22, 2027, however if the date of the 2027 annual meeting has changed by more than 30 calendar days from the previous year, then notice must be provided by the later of 60 calendar days prior to the date of the 2027 annual meeting or the 10th calendar day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the 2027 annual meeting is first made.

All proposals or other notices should be addressed to us at 833 West South Boulder Road, Louisville, Colorado 80027, Attention: Corporate Secretary, Gaia, Inc.

If we do not have notice of a matter to come before our 2027 annual meeting of shareholders before the deadlines described above, your proxy card for such annual meeting will confer discretionary authority to vote on such matter.

SEC rules permit a single set of annual reports, or proxy statements as applicable, to be sent to any household at which two or more shareholders reside if they appear to be members of the same family. Each shareholder continues to receive a separate proxy card. This procedure, referred to as householding, reduces the volume of duplicate information shareholders receive and reduces mailing and printing expenses. A number of brokerage firms have instituted householding. In accordance with a notice that is being sent to certain beneficial shareholders (who share a single address) only one annual report or proxy statement as applicable, will be sent to that address unless any shareholder at that address gave contrary instructions. Upon written or oral request, we will promptly deliver a copy of such materials to any shareholder requesting the same. However, if any such beneficial shareholder residing at such an address wishes to receive a separate annual report or proxy statement, as applicable, or if any shareholders who share an address are receiving multiple copies of annual reports or proxy statements and wish to receive a single set of annual reports or proxy statements as applicable, in the future, please contact Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. in writing by mailing to Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc., Attention: Broadridge Householding Department, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, New York 11717, or calling (800) 542-1061. You can also contact us by calling (303) 222-3600.

We will provide without charge to any beneficial owner of our Class A common stock as of the record date a copy of our annual report on Form 10-K, including the financial statements, upon written or oral request at the following address and telephone number: Gaia, Inc., 833 West South Boulder Road, Louisville, Colorado 80027, Attention: Corporate Secretary, (303) 222-3600. We will also provide a list briefly describing any exhibits not contained in our annual report on Form 10-K and will furnish a copy of any exhibit not contained therein to a requesting shareholder upon payment of a fee to reimburse our reasonable expenses in furnishing such exhibit.

Shareholders may communicate with our board of directors, including the non-management directors, by sending a letter to the Gaia Board of Directors, c/o Corporate Secretary, Gaia, Inc., 833 West South Boulder Road, Louisville, Colorado 80027. Our corporate secretary has the authority to disregard any inappropriate communications or to take other appropriate actions with respect to any such inappropriate communications. If deemed an appropriate communication, our corporate secretary will submit your correspondence to the chairman of the board or to any specific director to whom the correspondence is directed.

Our management does not intend to present, and has no information as of the date of preparation of this proxy statement that others will present, any business at the annual meeting, other than business pertaining to the matters set forth in the notice of annual meeting and this proxy statement. However, if other matters requiring the vote of the shareholders are properly brought before the annual meeting, it is the intention of the person named in the enclosed proxy to vote the proxies held by him in accordance with his best judgment on such matters.

WE URGE YOU TO DATE, SIGN AND PROMPTLY RETURN YOUR PROXY CARD, OR TO VOTE BY THE INTERNET OR BY TELEPHONE PROMPTLY, SO THAT YOUR SHARES MAY BE VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR WISHES.