As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 4, 2025
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Knightscope, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 46-2482575 | |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
1070 Terra Bella Avenue
Mountain View, California 94043
(650) 924-1025
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
William Santana Li
Chief Executive Officer
1070 Terra Bella Avenue
Mountain View, California 94043
(650) 924-1025
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
With a copy to:
Rick A. Werner
Jayun Koo
30 Rockefeller Plaza, 26th Floor
New York, NY 10112
(212) 659-7300
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: ¨
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: x
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ¨
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ¨ | Accelerated filer ¨ |
Non-accelerated filer x | Smaller reporting company x |
Emerging growth company x |
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 Securities Act. ¨
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED APRIL 4, 2025
PROSPECTUS
Knightscope, Inc.
$100,000,000
Class A Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Units
We may, from time to time in one or more offerings, offer and sell up to $100,000,000 in the aggregate of Class A common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants and/or units, in any combination. The specific terms of the securities, including their offering prices, will be contained in one or more supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement carefully before you invest. The securities may be sold to or through one or more underwriters, dealers or agents, or directly to investors, on a continuous or delayed basis. See “Plan of Distribution.”
Our Class B common stock is not publicly traded. Holders of Class A common stock and holders of Class B common stock have substantially identical rights, except that holders of Class A common stock are entitled to one vote per share and holders of shares of Class B common stock are entitled to 10 votes per share. Holders of Class A common stock and holders of Class B common stock vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, unless otherwise required by law or our certificate of incorporation. Each share of Class B common stock may be converted into a share of Class A common stock at any time at the election of the holder. See “Description of Capital Stock.”
Our Class A common stock is traded on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “KSCP.” On April 3, 2025, the last reported sales price of our Class A common stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market was $2.66 per share.
We are an “emerging growth company” as defined under U.S. federal securities laws and, as such, have elected to comply with reduced public company reporting requirements. This prospectus complies with the requirements that apply to an issuer that is an emerging growth company. We will provide information in any applicable prospectus supplement regarding any listig of securities other than shares of Class A common stock on any securities exchange.
Investing in our securities involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page 1 of this prospectus, and any applicable prospectus supplement, and in the documents that are incorporated by reference herein and therein.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2025.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) using the “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings, up to a total dollar amount of $100,000,000. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer the securities described in this prospectus, we will provide you with a prospectus supplement that will describe the specific amounts, prices and terms of the securities being offered. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. The prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus with respect to that offering. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, you should rely on the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, as applicable. This prospectus does not contain all the information provided in the registration statement filed with the SEC. You should carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement (and any applicable free writing prospectuses), together with the additional information described below under “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Information Incorporated By Reference” before you make an investment decision.
We have not authorized anyone to provide any information other than that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you.
You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement to this prospectus is accurate as of the date on its respective cover and that any information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, unless we indicate otherwise. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. Any statement made in this prospectus or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in a prospectus supplement or in any other subsequently filed document that is also incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus. See “Information Incorporated By Reference.”
This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplements may include trademarks, service marks and trade names owned by us or other companies. All trademarks, service marks and trade names included in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement are the property of their respective owners.
Unless the context otherwise indicates, references in this prospectus to “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” and “Knightscope” refer to Knightscope, Inc., a Delaware corporation. The term “you” refers to a prospective investor.
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated herein and therein by reference include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our future operating results and financial position, our business strategy and plans, market growth, and our objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein include, but are not limited to, statements about:
· | the success of our products and product candidates will require significant capital resources and years of development efforts; |
· | our deployments and market acceptance of our products; |
· | our ability to protect our intellectual property and to develop, maintain and enhance a strong brand; |
· | our limited operating history by which performance can be gauged; |
· | our ability to continue as a going concern; |
· | our ability to comply with all applicable listing requirements or standards of The Nasdaq Capital Market; |
· | our ability to operate and collect digital information on behalf of our clients, which is dependent on the privacy laws of jurisdictions in which our Autonomous Security Robots (“ASR”) and Emergency Communication Devices (“ECD”) operate, as well as the corporate policies of our clients, which may limit our ability to fully deploy our technologies in various markets; |
· | our ability to raise capital; and |
· | our ability to manage our research, development, expansion, growth and operating expenses. |
We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives, and financial needs. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated, including those described in “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, which is incorporated by reference herein, as such factors may be updated in our filings with the SEC. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, the future events and trends discussed in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated herein and therein may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, performance, or achievements. Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and we undertake no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements for any reason after such date or to conform these statements to actual results or revised expectations, except as required by applicable law.
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An investment in our securities involves risks. You should carefully consider the risks described in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” in any prospectus supplement and those set forth in documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, as well as other information in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, before purchasing any of our securities. Each of the risks described in these sections and documents could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, and could result in a loss of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties not known to us or that we deem immaterial may also impair our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
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Knightscope, Inc. is a Silicon Valley based, public safety innovator that builds ASRs and ECDs. We design, manufacture, and deploy our technologies to improve public safety and to protect the places people live, work, study and visit. We provide our cutting-edge capabilities, including remote monitoring capabilities, to both the private sector and to government clients including law enforcement.
Our ASRs are designed to enhance perimeter security by acting as a force multiplier for security teams, providing improved situational awareness. The ASRs perform real-time, on-site video-audio data collection and provide incident alerts for security personnel via the Knightscope Security Operations Center (“KSOC”). The KSOC is a real-time dashboard connected to each K5 robot and K1 Hemisphere unit, allowing clients to access data for instant action or for investigative and evidence collection purposes.
Our ECDs include the K1 Blue Light Tower, K1 E-Phone, and K1 Call Box. These devices provide emergency communication services using cellular and satellite networks. The towers, powered by solar energy, are highly visible, while the smaller E-Phones and Call Boxes offer the same communication capabilities with a more compact footprint, with options for solar or plug-in power.
We offer our ASR and stationary security solutions under an annual subscription, Machine-as-a-Service model. This model includes the provision of the ASR unit, maintenance, support, data transfer, access to the KSOC, charging stations, and software, firmware, and hardware updates. Our ECD devices are sold to our clients either directly or through partners who also install and manage them. The ECDs also provide a recurring revenue opportunity through the Emergency Monitoring System platform.
The Knightscope Emergency Monitoring System, integrated into our ECDs, includes a self-diagnostic, alarm monitoring software solution that provides system owners with daily reports on the operational status of their emergency devices. The cloud-based application monitors the overall system's health, alerts users to operational issues, provides real-time error detection and diagnostics, and generates system performance reports.
Our mission is to make the United States of America the safest country in the world by helping to protect the people, places, and assets where we live, work, study and visit. Through strategic market expansion, increased ASR adoption, and continued innovation, we aim to redefine public safety with a comprehensive, technology-driven approach. As we execute on our growth strategy, we remain committed to delivering scalable, effective solutions that enhance safety, deter crime, and provide peace of mind to organizations and communities nationwide.
We were incorporated in Delaware in April 2013. Our principal executive offices are located at 1070 Terra Bella Avenue, Mountain View, California 94043, and our telephone number is (650) 924-1025. We maintain an internet website at www.knightscope.com. The information provided on our website (or any other website referred to in this prospectus) is not part of this this prospectus and is not incorporated by reference as part of this prospectus.
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Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered by us under this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include, among others, working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, repayment or refinancing of debt, and repurchases or redemptions of securities. We will retain broad discretion over the allocation of net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered by us.
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The following description of capital stock summarizes certain provisions of our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended, the “certificate of incorporation”) and our Bylaws (the “bylaws”). The description is intended as a summary, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws, copies of which have been filed with the SEC.
Authorized Capital Stock
Our authorized capital stock consists of 298,000,000 shares, consisting of (i) 228,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, $0.001 par value per share, (ii) 30,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, $0.001 par value per share, and (iii) 40,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share. “Common Stock” refers to the Class A common stock and Class B common stock, collectively.
Common Stock
We have two authorized classes of common stock, Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Our Class A common stock is registered under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The voting, dividend, liquidation, and other rights and powers of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preferences of any series of preferred stock as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Company and outstanding from time to time.
Dividend Rights
Subject to applicable law and the rights and preferences of any holders of any outstanding series of preferred stock, the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to the payment of dividends on the Common Stock when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors in accordance with applicable law.
Conversion Rights
Each share of Class B common stock is convertible into one (1) fully paid and nonassessable share of Class A common stock at the option of the holder thereof at any time upon written notice to the transfer agent of the Company. Additionally, each share of Class B common stock will automatically, without any further action, convert into one (1) fully paid and nonassessable share of Class A common stock upon certain transfers of such share, as described in the certificate of incorporation. In the event that the Company in any manner subdivides or combines the outstanding shares of Class A common stock, then the outstanding shares of Class B common stock shall be subdivided or combined in the same proportion and manner. In the event that the Company in any manner subdivides or combines the outstanding shares of Class B common stock, then the outstanding shares of Class A common stock shall be subdivided or combined in the same proportion and manner.
Liquidation Rights
Subject to the rights and preferences of any holders of any shares of any outstanding series of preferred stock, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, the funds and assets of the Company that may be legally distributed to the Company’s stockholders shall be distributed among the holders of the then outstanding Common Stock pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock held by each such holder. In connection with any liquidation event, as defined in the certificate of incorporation, shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock shall be treated equally, identically and ratably, on a per share basis, with respect to any consideration into which such shares are converted or any consideration paid or otherwise distributed to stockholders of the Company.
Voting Rights
Each holder of Class B common stock shall be entitled to ten (10) votes for each share of Class B common stock held by such holder as of the applicable record date. Each holder of Class A common stock shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of Class A common stock held by such holder as of the applicable record date. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein or by applicable law, the holders of Class A common stock and the holders of Class B common stock shall at all times vote together as one class on all matters (including the election of directors) submitted to a vote or for the written consent of the stockholders of the Company.
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Transfer Agent and Registrar
Our transfer agent and registrar for our Class A common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
Listing
Our Class A common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “KSCP.”
Preferred Stock
Our Board of Directors is authorized, subject to any limitations prescribed by law, without further vote or action by the stockholders, to issue from time to time shares of preferred stock in one or more series. Each such series of preferred stock shall have such number of shares, designations, preferences, voting powers, qualifications, and special or relative rights or privileges as shall be determined by the Board of Directors, which may include, among others, dividend rights, voting rights, liquidation preferences, conversion rights and preemptive rights. Issuance of preferred stock by our Board of Directors may result in such shares having dividend and/or liquidation preferences senior to the rights of the holders of our Class A common stock and could dilute the voting rights of the holders of our Class A common stock.
Prior to the issuance of shares of each series of preferred stock, the Board of Directors is required by the DGCL and our certificate of incorporation to adopt resolutions and file a certificate of designation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The certificate of designation fixes for each class or series the designations, powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions, including, but not limited to, some or all of the following:
· | the number of shares constituting that series and the distinctive designation of that series, which number may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares then outstanding) from time to time by action of the Board of Directors; |
· | the dividend rate and the manner and frequency of payment of dividends on the shares of that series, whether dividends will be cumulative, and, if so, from which date; |
· | whether that series will have voting rights, in addition to any voting rights provided by law, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights; |
· | whether that series will have conversion privileges, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion, including provision for adjustment of the conversion rate in such events as the Board of Directors may determine; |
· | whether or not the shares of that series will be redeemable, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such redemption; |
· | whether that series will have a sinking fund for the redemption or purchase of shares of that series, and, if so, the terms and amount of such sinking fund; |
· | whether or not the shares of the series will have priority over or be on a parity with or be junior to the shares of any other series or class in any respect; |
· | the rights of the shares of that series in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the corporation, and the relative rights or priority, if any, of payment of shares of that series; and |
· | any other relative rights, preferences and limitations of that series. |
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Once designated by our Board of Directors, each series of preferred stock may have specific financial and other terms that will be described in a prospectus supplement. The description of the preferred stock that is set forth in any prospectus supplement is not complete without reference to the documents that govern the preferred stock. These include our certificate of incorporation and any certificates of designation that our Board of Directors may adopt.
All shares of preferred stock offered hereby will, when issued, be fully paid and nonassessable, including shares of preferred stock issued upon the exercise of preferred stock warrants or subscription rights, if any.
Although our Board of Directors has no intention at the present time of doing so, it could authorize the issuance of a series of preferred stock that could, depending on the terms of such series, impede the completion of a merger, tender offer or other takeover attempt.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of Delaware Law, our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
Some provisions of Delaware law, our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws could make it more difficult to accomplish or could deter transactions that stockholders may otherwise consider to be in their best interest or in our best interest.
These provisions, summarized below, may discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These may also encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our Board of Directors. We believe that the benefits of the increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure us outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging these proposals because negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
Undesignated Preferred Stock. The ability of our Board of Directors, without action by the stockholders, to issue up to 40,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences as designated by our Board of Directors could impede the success of any attempt to effect a change in control of us. These and other provisions may have the effect of deferring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in control or management of our company.
Stockholders Not Entitled to Cumulative Voting. Our certificate of incorporation does not permit stockholders to cumulate their votes in the election of directors.
Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute. We are subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, which prohibits persons deemed to be “interested stockholders” from engaging in a “business combination” with a publicly held Delaware corporation for three years following the date these persons become interested stockholders unless the business combination is, or the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder was, approved in a prescribed manner or another prescribed exception applies. Generally, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status did own, 15% or more of a corporation’s voting stock. Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. The existence of this law may have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions not approved in advance by the Board of Directors.
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Choice of Forum. Our certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, (a) the Court of Chancery (the “Chancery Court”) of the State of Delaware (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) will be, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action, suit or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or stockholder of the Company to the Company or to the Company’s stockholders, (iii) any action, suit or proceeding arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the bylaws or the certificate of incorporation (as either may be amended from time to time) or (iv) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against the Company governed by the internal affairs doctrine; and (b) subject to the provisions of the certificate of incorporation, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause or causes of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including all causes of action asserted against any defendant to such complaint. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence is filed in a court other than the courts in the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder will be deemed to have consented to (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the provisions of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence and (y) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to these choice of forum provisions. It is possible that a court of law could find the choice of forum provisions contained in our certificate of incorporation or bylaws to be inapplicable or unenforceable if challenged in a proceeding or otherwise.
The provisions of Delaware law, our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws could have the effect of discouraging others from attempting hostile takeovers and, as a consequence, they may also inhibit temporary fluctuations in the market price of our Class A common stock that often result from actual or rumored hostile takeover attempts. These provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in the composition of our Board of Directors and management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interest.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
We may issue debt securities, in one or more series, as either senior or subordinated debt or as senior or subordinated convertible debt. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any debt securities that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any debt securities offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. Unless the context requires otherwise, whenever we refer to the indentures, we also are referring to any supplemental indentures that specify the terms of a particular series of debt securities.
We will issue the senior debt securities under the senior indenture that we will enter into with the trustee named in the senior indenture. We will issue the subordinated debt securities under the subordinated indenture that we will enter into with the trustee named in the subordinated indenture. The indentures will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “TIA”). We use the term “debenture trustee” to refer to either the trustee under the senior indenture or the trustee under the subordinated indenture, as applicable. We have filed forms of indentures as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and supplemental indentures and forms of debt securities containing the terms of the debt securities being offered will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or will be incorporated by reference from reports that we file with the SEC.
The following summaries of material provisions of the senior debt securities, the subordinated debt securities and the indentures are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements and any related free writing prospectuses related to the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as the complete indentures that contain the terms of the debt securities. Except as we may otherwise indicate, the terms of the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are identical.
General
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of debt securities being offered, including:
· | the title; |
· | the principal amount being offered, and if a series, the total amount authorized and the total amount outstanding; |
· | any limit on the amount that may be issued; |
· | whether or not we will issue the series of debt securities in global form, the terms and who the depositary will be; |
· | the maturity date; |
· | whether and under what circumstances, if any, we will pay additional amounts on any debt securities held by a person who is not a U.S. person for tax purposes, and whether we can redeem the debt securities if we have to pay such additional amounts; |
· | the annual interest rate, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate and the date interest will begin to accrue, the dates interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates or the method for determining such dates; |
· | whether or not the debt securities will be secured or unsecured, and the terms of any secured debt; |
· | the terms of the subordination of any series of subordinated debt; |
· | the place where payments will be payable; |
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· | restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignment, if any; |
· | our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of any such deferral period; |
· | the date, if any, after which, and the price at which, we may, at our option, redeem the series of debt securities pursuant to any optional or provisional redemption provisions and the terms of those redemption provisions; |
· | the date, if any, on which, and the price at which we are obligated, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund or analogous fund provisions or otherwise, to redeem, or at the holder’s option to purchase, the series of debt securities and the currency or currency unit in which the debt securities are payable; |
· | whether the indenture will restrict our ability and/or the ability of our subsidiaries to: |
o | incur additional indebtedness; |
o | issue additional securities; |
o | create liens; |
o | pay dividends and make distributions in respect of our capital stock and/or the capital stock of our subsidiaries; |
o | redeem capital stock; |
o | make investments or other restricted payments; |
o | sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of assets; |
o | enter into sale-leaseback transactions; |
o | engage in transactions with stockholders and affiliates; |
o | issue or sell stock of our subsidiaries; or |
o | effect a consolidation or merger; |
· | whether the indenture will require us to maintain any interest coverage, fixed charge, cash flow-based, asset-based or other financial ratios; |
· | a discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the debt securities; |
· | information describing any book-entry features; |
· | provisions for a sinking fund purchase or other analogous fund, if any; |
· | the applicability of the provisions in the indenture on discharge; |
· | whether the debt securities are to be offered at a price such that they will be deemed to be offered at an “original issue discount” as defined in paragraph (a) of Section 1273 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; |
· | the denominations in which we will issue the series of debt securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof; |
· | the currency of payment of debt securities if other than U.S. dollars and the manner of determining the equivalent amount in U.S. dollars; |
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· | any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the debt securities, including any additional events of default or covenants provided with respect to the debt securities, and any terms that may be required by us or advisable under applicable laws or regulations; and |
· | any other terms which shall not be inconsistent with the indentures. |
The notes may be issued as original issue discount securities. An original issue discount security is a note, including any zero coupon note, which:
· | is issued at a price lower than the amount payable upon its stated maturity; and |
· | provides that upon redemption or acceleration of the maturity, an amount less than the amount payable upon the stated maturity, shall become due and payable. |
U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to notes sold at an original issue discount will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. In addition, U.S. federal income tax or other consequences applicable to any notes which are denominated in a currency or currency unit other than U.S. dollars may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Under the indentures, we will have the ability, in addition to the ability to issue notes with terms different from those of notes previously issued, without the consent of the holders, to reopen a previous issue of a series of notes and issue additional notes of that series, unless the reopening was restricted when the series was created, in an aggregate principal amount determined by us.
Conversion or Exchange Rights
We will set forth in the prospectus supplement the terms on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our Class A common stock or our other securities. We will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of shares of our Class A common stock or our other securities that the holders of the series of debt securities receive would be subject to adjustment.
Consolidation, Merger or Sale
Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the indentures will not contain any covenant that restricts our ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets. However, any successor to or acquiror of such assets must assume all of our obligations under the indentures or the debt securities, as appropriate. If the debt securities are convertible into or exchangeable for our other securities or securities of other entities, the person with whom we consolidate or merge or to whom we sell all of our property must make provisions for the conversion of the debt securities into securities that the holders of the debt securities would have received if they had converted the debt securities before the consolidation, merger or sale.
Events of Default Under the Indentures
Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the following are events of default under the indentures with respect to any series of debt securities that we may issue:
· | if we fail to pay interest when due and payable and our failure continues for 90 days and the time for payment has not been extended or deferred; |
· | if we fail to pay the principal, premium or sinking fund payment, if any, when due and payable and the time for payment has not been extended or delayed; |
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· | if we fail to observe or perform any other covenant contained in the debt securities or the indentures, other than a covenant specifically relating to another series of debt securities, and our failure continues for 90 days after we receive notice from the debenture trustee or holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series; |
· | if specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur; and |
· | any other event of default described in the applicable prospectus supplement. |
If an event of default with respect to debt securities of any series occurs and is continuing, other than an event of default specified in the second to last bullet point above, the debenture trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, by notice to us in writing, and to the debenture trustee if notice is given by such holders, may declare the unpaid principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest, if any, due and payable immediately. If an event of default results from the occurrence of a specified event of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization with respect to us, the principal amount of and accrued interest, if any, of each issue of debt securities then outstanding shall be due and payable without any notice or other action on the part of the debenture trustee or any holder.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of an affected series may waive any default or event of default with respect to the series and its consequences, except defaults or events of default regarding payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, unless we have cured the default or event of default in accordance with the indenture. Any such waiver shall cure the default or event of default.
Subject to the terms of the applicable indenture, if an event of default under an indenture shall occur and be continuing, the debenture trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under such indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the applicable series of debt securities, unless such holders have offered the debenture trustee reasonable indemnity. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the debenture trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the debenture trustee, with respect to the debt securities of that series, provided that:
· | the direction so given by the holders is not in conflict with any law or the applicable indenture; and |
· | subject to its duties under the TIA, the debenture trustee need not take any action that might involve it in personal liability or might be unduly prejudicial to the holders not involved in the proceeding. |
A holder of the debt securities of any series will have the right to institute a proceeding under an indenture or to appoint a receiver or trustee, or to seek other remedies only if:
· | the holder has given written notice to the debenture trustee of a continuing event of default with respect to that series; |
· | the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and such holders have offered reasonable indemnity to the debenture trustee to institute the proceeding as trustee; and |
· | the debenture trustee does not institute the proceeding, and does not receive from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series other conflicting directions within 60 days after the notice, request and offer. |
These limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of debt securities if we default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or accrued interest on, the debt securities.
We will periodically file statements with the debenture trustee regarding our compliance with specified covenants in the indentures.
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Modification of Indenture; Waiver
We and the debenture trustee may change an indenture without the consent of any holders with respect to specific matters:
· | to fix any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the indenture; |
· | to comply with the provisions described above under the heading “Description of Debt Securities—Consolidation, Merger or Sale;” |
· | to comply with any requirements of the SEC in connection with the qualification of any indenture under the TIA; |
· | to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations, and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms, or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of debt securities, as set forth in such indenture; |
· | to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of the debt securities of any series as provided under the heading “Description of Debt Securities—General,” to establish the form of any certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of an indenture or any series of debt securities, or to add to the rights of the holders of any series of debt securities; |
· | to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor trustee; |
· | to provide for uncertificated debt securities in addition to or in place of certificated debt securities and to make all appropriate changes for such purpose; |
· | to add to our covenants such new covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions for the protection of the holders, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and the continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an event of default; or |
· | to change anything that does not materially adversely affect the interests of any holder of debt securities of any series; provided that any amendment made solely to conform the provisions of the indenture to the corresponding description of the debt securities contained in the applicable prospectus or prospectus supplement shall be deemed not to adversely affect the interests of the holders of such debt securities. |
In addition, under the indentures, the rights of holders of a series of debt securities may be changed by us and the debenture trustee with the written consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series that is affected. However, unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, we and the debenture trustee may make the following changes only with the consent of each holder of any outstanding debt securities affected:
· | extending the fixed maturity of the series of debt securities; |
· | reducing the principal amount, reducing the rate of or extending the time of payment of interest, or reducing any premium payable upon the redemption of any debt securities; |
· | reducing the percentage of debt securities, the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment, supplement, modification or waiver of the applicable indenture or notes or for waiver of compliance with certain provisions of the applicable indenture or for waiver of certain defaults; |
· | changing any of our obligations to pay additional amounts; |
· | reducing the amount of principal of an original issue discount security or any other note payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof; |
· | changing the currency in which any note or any premium or interest is payable; |
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· | impairing the right to enforce any payment on or with respect to any note; |
· | adversely changing the right to convert or exchange, including decreasing the conversion rate or increasing the conversion price of, such note, if applicable; |
· | in the case of the subordinated indenture, modifying the subordination provisions in a manner adverse to the holders of the subordinated notes; |
· | if the notes are secured, changing the terms and conditions pursuant to which the notes are secured in a manner adverse to the holders of the secured notes; |
· | reducing the requirements contained in the applicable indenture for quorum or voting; |
· | changing any of our obligations to maintain an office or agency in the places and for the purposes required by the indentures; or |
· | modifying any of the above provisions set forth in this paragraph. |
Discharge
Each indenture provides that we can elect to be discharged from our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities, except for specified obligations, including obligations to:
· | register the transfer or exchange of debt securities of the series; |
· | replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities of the series; |
· | maintain paying agencies; |
· | hold monies for payment in trust; |
· | recover excess money held by the debenture trustee; |
· | compensate and indemnify the debenture trustee; and |
· | appoint any successor trustee. |
In order to exercise our rights to be discharged, we must deposit with the debenture trustee money or government obligations sufficient to pay all the principal of, the premium, if any, and interest on, the debt securities of the series on the dates payments are due.
Form, Exchange and Transfer
We will issue the debt securities of each series only in fully registered form without coupons and, unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. The indentures provide that we may issue debt securities of a series in temporary or permanent global form and as book-entry securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or another depositary named by us and identified in a prospectus supplement with respect to that series. See the section entitled “Legal Ownership of Securities” for a further description of the terms relating to any book-entry securities.
At the option of the holder, subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the holder of the debt securities of any series can exchange the debt securities for other debt securities of the same series, in any authorized denomination and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.
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Subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the debt securities may present the debt securities for exchange or for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed if so required by us or the security registrar, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for this purpose. Unless otherwise provided in the debt securities that the holder presents for transfer or exchange, we will impose no service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange, but we may require payment of any taxes or other governmental charges.
We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement the security registrar, and any transfer agent in addition to the security registrar, that we initially designate for any debt securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each series.
If we elect to redeem the debt securities of any series, we will not be required to:
· | issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any debt securities of that series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any debt securities that may be selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of the mailing; or |
· | register the transfer of or exchange any debt securities so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any debt securities we are redeeming in part. |
Information Concerning the Debenture Trustee
The debenture trustee, other than during the occurrence and continuance of an event of default under an indenture, undertakes to perform only those duties as are specifically set forth in the applicable indenture. Upon an event of default under an indenture, the debenture trustee must use the same degree of care as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to this provision, the debenture trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers given to it by the indentures at the request of any holder of debt securities unless it is offered reasonable security and indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur.
Payment and Paying Agents
Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make payment of the interest on any debt securities on any interest payment date to the person in whose name the debt securities, or one or more predecessor securities, are registered at the close of business on the regular record date for the interest.
We will pay principal of, and any premium and interest on, the debt securities of a particular series at the office of the paying agents designated by us, except that unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make interest payments by check that we will mail to the holder or by wire transfer to certain holders. Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will designate the corporate trust office of the debenture trustee in the City of New York as our sole paying agent for payments with respect to debt securities of each series. We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement any other paying agents that we initially designate for the debt securities of a particular series. We will maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.
All money we pay to a paying agent or the debenture trustee for the payment of the principal of, or any premium or interest on, any debt securities that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holder of the debt security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.
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Governing Law
The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent that the TIA is applicable.
Subordination of Subordinated Debt Securities
The subordinated debt securities will be unsecured and will be subordinate and junior in priority of payment to certain of our other indebtedness to the extent described in a prospectus supplement. The subordinated indenture does not limit the amount of subordinated debt securities that we may issue, nor does it limit us from issuing any other secured or unsecured debt.
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We may issue warrants for the purchase of debt securities, common stock, preferred stock or other securities. Warrants may be issued independently or together with debt securities, common stock, preferred stock or other securities offered by any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from any such offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as will be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular issue of warrants. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of warrants or beneficial owners of warrants. The summary of the terms of the warrants contained in this prospectus is not complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety to, all provisions of the applicable warrant agreement.
Reference is made to the prospectus supplement relating to the particular issue of warrants offered pursuant to such prospectus supplement for the terms of and information relating to such warrants, including, where applicable:
· | the specific designation and aggregate number of, and the offering price at which we will issue, the warrants; |
· | the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable; |
· | the date on which the right to exercise the warrants will begin and the date on which that right will expire or, if you may not continuously exercise the warrants throughout that period, the specific date or dates on which you may exercise the warrants; |
· | whether the warrants are to be sold separately or with other securities as parts of units; |
· | whether the warrants will be issued in definitive or global form or in any combination of these forms, although, in any case, the form of a warrant included in a unit will correspond to the form of the unit and of any security included in that unit; |
· | a discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the warrants; |
· | the identity of the warrant agent for the warrants and of any other depositaries, execution or paying agents, transfer agents, registrars or other agents; |
· | the proposed listing, if any, of the warrants or any securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants on any securities exchange; |
· | the designation and terms of any equity securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants; |
· | the designation, aggregate principal amount, currency and terms of any debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of the warrants; |
· | if applicable, the designation and terms of the debt securities, preferred stock or common stock with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each security; |
· | if applicable, the date from and after which any warrants issued as part of a unit and the related debt securities, preferred stock or common stock will be separately transferable; |
· | the number of shares of preferred stock or the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant and the price at which those shares may be purchased; |
· | if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time; |
· | information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; |
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· | the antidilution provisions of, and other provisions for changes to or adjustment in the exercise price of, the warrants, if any; |
· | any redemption or call provisions; and |
· | any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange or exercise of the warrants. |
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We may, from time to time, issue units comprised of one or more of the other securities that may be offered under this prospectus, in any combination. Each unit may also include debt obligations of third parties, such as U.S. Treasury securities. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately at any time, or at any time before a specified date or other specific circumstances occur. The summary of the terms of the units contained in this prospectus is not complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by, all provisions of the applicable unit agreements.
Any prospectus supplement related to any particular units will describe, among other things:
· | the material terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; |
· | any material provisions relating to the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; |
· | if appropriate, a discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the units; and |
· | any material provisions of the governing unit agreement that differ from those described above. |
The applicable provisions described in this section, as well as those described under “Description of Capital Stock,” “Description of Debt Securities” and “Description of Warrants,” will apply to each unit and to each security included in each unit, respectively.
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We may sell the securities being offered hereby:
· | directly to one or more purchasers; |
· | through agents; |
· | through dealers; |
· | through underwriters; |
· | through a combination of any of the above methods of sale; or |
· | through any other methods described in a prospectus supplement. |
We will identify the specific plan of distribution, including any direct purchasers, agents, dealers, underwriters and, if applicable, their compensation, the purchase price, the net proceeds to us, the public offering price, and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers, in a prospectus supplement.
The distribution of securities may be effected, from time to time, in one or more transactions, including block transactions, at-the-market offerings and transactions on The Nasdaq Capital Market or any other organized market where the securities may be traded. The securities may be sold at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices relating to the prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. The consideration may be cash or another form negotiated by the parties. Agents, underwriters or broker-dealers may be paid compensation for offering and selling the securities. That compensation may be in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions to be received from us or from the purchasers of the securities.
Offers to purchase the securities may be solicited directly by us or by agents designated by us from time to time. We will, in the prospectus supplement relating to an offering, name any agent that could be viewed as an underwriter under the Securities Act and describe any commissions we must pay. Any such agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment or, if indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, on a firm commitment basis.
If a dealer is utilized in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we will sell the securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer, which may be deemed to be an underwriter as that term is defined in the Securities Act, may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale. Dealer trading may take place in certain of the securities, including securities not listed on any securities exchange.
If an underwriter or underwriters are utilized in the sale, we will execute an underwriting agreement with the underwriters at the time of sale to them and the names of the underwriters will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, which will be used by the underwriters to make resales of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered to the public. The obligations of underwriters to purchase securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities of a series if any are purchased.
We may directly solicit offers to purchase the securities and we may make sales of securities directly to institutional investors or others. These persons may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any resale of the securities. To the extent required, the prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any such sales, including the terms of any bidding or auction process, if used.
Underwriters, dealers, agents and other persons may be entitled, under agreements that may be entered into with us, to indemnification against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution with respect to payments that they may be required to make in respect thereof. Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.
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Any person participating in the distribution of Class A common stock registered under the registration statement that includes this prospectus will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the applicable SEC rules and regulations, including, among others, Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of our Class A common stock by any such person. Furthermore, Regulation M may restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of our Class A common stock to engage in market-making activities with respect to our Class A common stock. These restrictions may affect the marketability of our Class A common stock and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to our Class A common stock.
In order to facilitate the offering of the securities, any underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities or any other securities the prices of which may be used to determine payments on such securities. Specifically, any underwriters may overallot in connection with the offering, creating a short position for their own accounts. In addition, to cover overallotments or to stabilize the price of the securities or of any such other securities, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase, the securities or any such other securities in the open market. Finally, in any offering of the securities through a syndicate of underwriters, the underwriting syndicate may reclaim selling concessions allowed to an underwriter or a dealer for distributing the securities in the offering if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed securities in transactions to cover syndicate short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities above independent market levels. Any such underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may end any of these activities at any time.
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Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, the validity of the securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Haynes and Boone, LLP, New York, New York.
The financial statements of Knightscope, Inc. as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2024, incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, have been so incorporated in reliance on the report (which contains an explanatory paragraph relating to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern as described in Note 1 to the financial statements) of BPM LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities being offered hereby. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits and schedules filed therewith. For further information about us and the securities offered hereby, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits filed thereto. Statements contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement are not necessarily complete, and each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the full text of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement.
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available free of charge over the Internet at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. Our filings with the SEC are also available free of charge on our website at www.knightscope.com. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement and you should not consider it a part of this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement. The prospectus included in this filing is part of a registration statement filed by us with the SEC. The full registration statement can be obtained from the SEC, as indicated above, or from us.
INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with them, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement, and later information filed with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and all documents subsequently filed with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the termination of the offering under this prospectus and any prospectus supplement (other than information deemed furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules, including Items 2.02 and 7.01 of Form 8-K):
· | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025; |
· | our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025; and |
· | the description of our Class A common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the SEC on January 25, 2022 under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description (including Exhibit 4.1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025). |
Upon written or oral request, we will provide to you, without charge, a copy of any or all of the documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus but not delivered with the prospectus, including exhibits which are specifically incorporated by reference into such documents. Requests should be directed to: Knightscope, Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, 1070 Terra Bella Avenue, Mountain View, California 94043, telephone (650) 924-1025.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
The registrants’ estimated expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered are set forth in the following table.
SEC Registration Fee | $ | 15,310 | |
Legal Fees and Expenses | ** | ||
Trustee Fees and Expenses | ** | ||
Accounting Fees and Expenses | ** | ||
Printing Expenses | ** | ||
Stock Exchange and Other Listing Fees | ** | ||
Miscellaneous | ** | ||
Total | $ | ** |
** These fees are calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time.
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Under Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), a corporation has the power to indemnify its directors and officers under certain prescribed circumstances and, subject to certain limitations, against certain costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative, to which any of them is a party by reason of his being a director or officer of the corporation if it is determined that he acted in accordance with the applicable standard of conduct set forth in such statutory provision. In addition, a corporation may advance expenses incurred by a director or officer in defending a proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking from such person to repay any amount so advanced if it is ultimately determined that such person is not eligible for indemnification. The registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, pursuant to the DGCL, the registrant’s directors shall not be liable for monetary damages to the fullest extent authorized under applicable law. This provision in the registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not eliminate the duty of care, and in appropriate circumstances equitable remedies such as injunctive or other forms of non-monetary relief will remain available under Delaware law. In addition, each director will continue to be subject to liability for breach of the director’s duty of loyalty, for acts or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct or knowing violations of the law, for actions leading to improper personal benefit to the director, and for payment of dividends or approval of stock repurchases or redemptions that are unlawful under Delaware law. The provision also does not affect a director’s responsibilities under any other law, such as the federal securities laws or state or federal environmental laws.
Article V of the registrant’s bylaws provides that the registrant will indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) (other than an action by or in the right of the registrant) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the registrant, or is or was a director or officer of the registrant serving at the request of the registrant as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such Proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the registrant, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful.
II-1
In addition to the above, the registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of the registrant’s directors and officers. These indemnification agreements provide the registrant’s directors and officers with the same indemnification and advancement of expenses as described above and provide that our directors and officers will be indemnified to the fullest extent authorized by any future Delaware law that expands the permissible scope of indemnification. The registrant also has directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, which provides coverage against certain liabilities that may be incurred by the registrant’s directors and officers in their capacities as directors and officers of the registrant.
Any underwriting agreement will provide for indemnification by the underwriters of the registrant and its officers and directors for certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or otherwise.
Item 16. Exhibits
The following exhibits are filed as part of this registration statement:
+ | Certain exhibits and schedules have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. The registrant agrees to furnish supplementally to the Securities and Exchange Commission a copy of any omitted exhibits or schedules upon request; provided that the registrant may request confidential treatment pursuant to Rule 24b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
* | Filed herewith. |
* | *To be filed by amendment, as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K or by other applicable filing with the SEC to be incorporated by reference herein. |
# | To be filed in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. |
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Item 17. Undertakings
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: |
(i) | to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; |
(ii) | to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement. |
(iii) | to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; |
provided, however, that Paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of this registration statement.
(2) | That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, 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 the 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. |
(4) | That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser: |
(i) | If the registrant is relying on Rule 430B (§230.430B of this chapter): |
(A) | each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and |
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(B) | each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10 (a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date. |
(ii) | If the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however , that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use. |
(5) | That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
(i) | any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
(ii) | any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; |
(iii) | the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
(iv) | any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
(6) | That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
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(7) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, 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 of 1933 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 of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
(8) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that: |
(i) | For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b) (1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective. |
(ii) | For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus 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. |
(9) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act (“Act”) in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Act. |
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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-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Mountain View, State of California, on April 4, 2025.
KNIGHTSCOPE, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ William Santana Li | |
William Santana Li | ||
Chief Executive Officer |
Each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints William Santana Li and Apoorv Dwivedi and each of them acting individually, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with full power of substitution, for him or her in any and all capacities, to execute any and all amendments to this Registration Statement (including any post-effective amendments, and any new registration statement with respect to the offering contemplated thereby filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act), and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, granting unto such attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of each to act alone, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully for all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his, her 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 dates indicated.
Signature | Title | Date | ||
/s/ William Santana Li | Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President | April 4, 2025 | ||
William Santana Li | (Principal Executive Officer) | |||
/s/ Apoorv Dwivedi | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | April 4, 2025 | ||
Apoorv Dwivedi | (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | |||
/s/ William Billings | Director | April 4, 2025 | ||
William Billings | ||||
/s/ Robert Mocny | Director | April 4, 2025 | ||
Robert Mocny | ||||
/s/ Melvin Torrie | Director | April 4, 2025 | ||
Melvin Torrie |
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