SEC Form S-8 filed by Origin Agritech Limited

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 30, 2025

Registration No. 333-____

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

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Form S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Under

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

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Origin agritech limited

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Origin Agritech Limited

Origin R&D Center, Shuangbutou Village

Xushuang Road, Songzhuang Town

Tongzhou District, Beijing China 101119

Tel: (86-10) 8958-6206

Fax: (86-10) 8958-6207

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

2024 Performance Equity Plan

(Full Title of the Plan)

Mr. Theodore Han

826 238th PL SE, UNIT F

Bothell, WA 98021

Phone: 6105074845 

(Name, Address and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

with a copy to:

Andrew Hudders, Esq.

Golenbock Eiseman Assor Bell & Peskoe LLP

17^th Floor, 711 Third Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Telephone: (212) 907-7349

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 definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer   ¨    Accelerated filer   ¨    Non-accelerated filer  x   Smaller reporting company x

Emerging growth company  ¨

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

In accordance with the provisions of Rule 462 promulgated under the Securities Act, this registration statement will become effective upon filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

The following documents previously or concurrently filed by the Registrant with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:

The description of the Registrant’s ordinary shares contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on October 18, 2005, including any further amendment or report filed hereafter for the purpose of updating such description, including Exhibit 4.17 to the Annual Report on Form 20-F filed on February 10, 2025, is also hereby incorporated by reference.

All documents subsequently filed by us pursuant to the Exchange Act prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the respective dates of filing of such documents.

Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained in this Registration Statement, or in any other subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement, modifies or supersedes such prior statement. Any statement contained in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained in a subsequently filed document that is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement modifies or supersedes such prior statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Our Memorandum and Articles provide that a director will not be personally liable to us or to our shareholders for monetary damages for breach of the fiduciary duty of care as a director, including breaches which constitute gross negligence. This provision does not eliminate or limit the liability of a director:

Our Memorandum and Articles also provides that we indemnify and hold harmless each of our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the Memorandum and Articles and applicable law of the British Virgin Islands, against all expense, liability and loss (including attorney's fees, judgments, fines, taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of Origin Agritech Limited, pursuant to the forgoing provisions or otherwise, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.

Not Applicable.

See the attached Exhibit Index, which is incorporated herein by reference.

(a)       The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

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

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

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

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

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

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Beijing, Peoples Republic of China, on June 30, 2025.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Weibin Yan and Chi Kin Cheng and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with full power of substitution and re-substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this registration statement, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorney-in-fact and agents or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

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

EXHIBIT INDEX