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Risk Factors - CCXI
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The forward-looking statements contained in this Report are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. Future developments affecting us may not be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
Unless otherwise stated in this Report, or the context otherwise requires, references to:
| ● | “Administrative Support Agreement” are to the Administrative Support Agreement, dated December 16, 2025, which we entered into with an affiliate of our Sponsor (as defined below); |
| ● | “Amended and Restated Articles” are to our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, as currently in effect; |
| ● | “ASC” are to the FASB (as defined below) Accounting Standards Codification; |
| ● | “Audit Committee” are to the audit committee of our Board of Directors (as defined below); |
| ● | “Board of Directors” or “Board” are to our board of directors; |
| ● | “Business Combination” are to a merger, amalgamation, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses; |
| ● | “Certifying Officers” are to our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, together; |
| ● | “Class A Ordinary Shares” are to our Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share; |
| ● | “Class B Ordinary Shares” are to our Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share; |
| ● | “Clawback Policy” are to our Executive Compensation Clawback Policy, adopted as of December 16, 2025; |
| ● | “Code of Ethics” are to the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics we have adopted, which is applicable to our directors, officers and employees; |
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| ● | “Combination Period” are to (i) the 24-month period, from the closing of the Initial Public Offering (as defined below) to December 18, 2027 (or March 18, 2028, if we have executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for an initial Business Combination by December 18, 2027), that we have to consummate an initial Business Combination, or (ii) such other period in which we must consummate an initial Business Combination pursuant to an amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles and consistent with applicable laws, regulations and stock exchange rules; |
| ● | “Companies Act” are to the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands, as may be amended from time to time; |
| ● | “Company,” “our,” “we,” or “us” are to Churchill Capital Corp XI, a Cayman Islands exempted company; |
| ● | “Compensation Committee” are to the compensation committee of our Board of Directors; |
| ● | “Continental” are to Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, trustee of our Trust Account and warrant agent of our Warrants (as defined below); |
| ● | “Deferred Fee” are to the additional fee of $15,990,000 to which the Underwriter (as defined below) are entitled that is payable only upon our completion of the initial Business Combination; |
| ● | “DWAC System” are to the Depository Trust Company’s Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian System; |
| ● | “Exchange Act” are to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; |
| ● | “Excess Shares” are to any public shareholder, the number of shares beneficially owned by such shareholder, together with any of its affiliates or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (within the meaning of Section 13 of the Exchange Act), that exceed in the aggregate 15% of the shares sold in the Initial Public Offering, which shares may not be redeemed in connection with the Company’s initial business combination without the Company’s prior consent if shareholder approval of such business combination is sought and redemptions are not conducted pursuant to the tender offer rules; |
| ● | “Excise Tax” are to the U.S. federal 1% excise tax on certain repurchases of stock by publicly traded U.S. domestic corporations and certain U.S. domestic subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign corporations occurring on or after January 1, 2023 as provided for by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; |
| ● | “FASB” are to the Financial Accounting Standards Board; |
| ● | “Founder Shares” are to the (i) Class B Ordinary Shares initially purchased by our Sponsor prior to the Initial Public Offering and (ii) Class A Ordinary Shares that will be issued upon the automatic conversion of the Class B Ordinary Shares (x) at the time of our Business Combination as described in the IPO Registration Statement (as defined below) or (y) earlier at the option of the holders thereof, as described in the IPO Registration Statement; for the avoidance of doubt, such Class A Ordinary Shares will not be “Public Shares” (as defined below); |
| ● | “GAAP” are to the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America; |
| ● | “Initial Public Offering” or “IPO” are to the initial public offering that we consummated on December 18, 2025; |
| ● | “Insider Trading Policy” are to the insider trading policies and procedures we have adopted; |
| ● | “Investment Company Act” are to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; |
| ● | “IPO Promissory Note” are to that certain unsecured promissory note in the principal amount of up to $600,000 issued to our Sponsor on June 4, 2025; |
| ● | “IPO Registration Statement” are to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 initially filed with the SEC (as defined below) on November 18, 2025, as amended, and declared effective on December 16, 2025 (File No. 333-291626); |
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| ● | “JOBS Act” are to the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012; |
| ● | “Letter Agreement” are to the Letter Agreement, dated December 16, 2025, which we entered into with our Sponsor and our directors and officers; |
| ● | “Management” or our “Management Team” are to our executive officers; |
| ● | “Nasdaq” are to The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC; |
| ● | “Nasdaq 36-Month Requirement” are to the requirement pursuant to the Nasdaq Rules (as defined below) that a SPAC (as defined below) must complete one or more Business Combinations within 36 months following the effectiveness of its initial public offering registration statement; |
| ● | “Nasdaq Rules” are to the continued listing rules of Nasdaq, as they exist as of the date of this Report; |
| ● | “Option Units” are to the 5,400,000 units that were purchased by the Underwriter pursuant to the full exercise of the Over-Allotment Option (as defined below); |
| ● | “Ordinary Resolution” are to a resolution of our Company passed by a simple majority of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of our Company, or a resolution approved in writing by all of the holders of the issued shares entitled to vote on such matter (or such lower threshold as may be allowed under the Companies Act from time to time); |
| ● | “Ordinary Shares” are to the Class A Ordinary Shares and the Class B Ordinary Shares, together; |
| ● | “Over-Allotment Option” are to the 45-day option that the Underwriter had to purchase up to an additional 5,400,000 Option Units to cover over-allotments, if any, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement (as defined below), which was fully exercised; |
| ● | “PCAOB” are to the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States); |
| ● | “Permitted Withdrawals” are to amounts withdrawn to fund our working capital requirements, subject to an annual limit of $1,000,000, and amounts withdrawn to pay our taxes; such withdrawals can only be made from interest and not from the principal held in the Trust Account; |
| ● | “Private Placement” are to the private placement of Private Placement Units (as defined below) that occurred simultaneously with the closing of our Initial Public Offering, pursuant to the Private Placement Units Purchase Agreement (as defined below); |
| ● | “Private Placement Shares” are to the Class A Ordinary Shares included within the Private Placement Units (as defined below) purchased by our Sponsor in the Private Placement; |
| ● | “Private Placement Units” are to the units issued to our Sponsor in the Private Placement; |
| ● | “Private Placement Units Purchase Agreement” are to the Private Placement Units Purchase Agreement, dated December 16, 2025, which we entered into with our Sponsor; |
| ● | “Private Placement Warrants” are to the warrants included within the Private Placement Units purchased by our Sponsor in the Private Placement; |
| ● | “Public Shareholders” are to the holders of our Public Shares, including our Sponsor and Management Team to the extent our Sponsor and/or the members of our Management Team purchase Public Shares, provided that our Sponsor’s and each member of our Management Team’s status as a “Public Shareholder” will only exist with respect to such Public Shares; |
| ● | “Public Shares” are to the Class A Ordinary Shares sold as part of the Public Units (as defined below) in our Initial Public Offering (whether they were purchased in our Initial Public Offering or thereafter in the open market); |
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| ● | “Public Units” are to the units sold in our Initial Public Offering, which consist of one Public Share and one-tenth of one Public Warrant (as defined below); |
| ● | “Public Warrants” are to the redeemable warrants sold as part of the Public Units in our Initial Public Offering (whether they were subscribed for in our Initial Public Offering or purchased in the open market); |
| ● | “Redemption Price” are to the pro rata redemption price in any redemption we expect to pay, which was approximately $10.01 per Public Share as of December 31, 2025 (before deduction of any Permitted Withdrawals); |
| ● | “Registration Rights Agreement” are to the Registration Rights Agreement, dated December 16, 2025, which we entered into with the Sponsor and the other holders party thereto; |
| ● | “Report” are to this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025; |
| ● | “Sarbanes-Oxley Act” are to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; |
| ● | “SEC” are to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; |
| ● | “SEC Clawback Rule” are to Rule 10D-1 under the Exchange Act; |
| ● | “Securities Act” are to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; |
| ● | “SPAC” are to a special purpose acquisition company; |
| ● | “Special Resolution” are to a resolution of our Company passed by at least a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of our Company of which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution has been duly given, or a resolution approved in writing by all of the holders of the issued shares entitled to vote on such matter (or such lower threshold as may be allowed under the Companies Act from time to time); |
| ● | “Sponsor” are to Churchill Sponsor XI LLC, a Delaware limited liability company; |
| ● | “Trust Account” are to the U.S.-based trust account in which an amount of $414,000,000 from the net proceeds of the sale of the Public Units in the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement Units in the Private Placement was placed following the closing of the Initial Public Offering; |
| ● | “Trust Agreement” are to the Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated December 16, 2025, which we entered into with Continental, as trustee of the Trust Account; |
| ● | “Underwriter” are to Citigroup Global Markets Inc., the underwriter of the Initial Public Offering; |
| ● | “Underwriting Agreement” are to the Underwriting Agreement, dated December 16, 2025, which we entered into with the Underwriter; |
| ● | “Units” are to the Private Placement Units and the Public Units, together; |
| ● | “Warrant Agreement” are to the Warrant Agreement, dated December 16, 2025, which we entered into with Continental, as Warrant agent; |
| ● | “Warrants” are to the Private Placement Warrants and the Public Warrants, together; |
| ● | “Withum” are to WithumSmith+Brown, PC, our independent registered public accounting firm; and |
| ● | “Working Capital Loans” are to funds that, in order to provide working capital or finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor, or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of our directors and officers may, but are not obligated to, loan us. |
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PART I
Item 1. Business.
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated on June 4, 2025 as a Cayman Islands exempted company and formed for the purpose of effecting a Business Combination with one or more businesses or entities. We may pursue an initial Business Combination in any business or industry. To date, our efforts have been limited to (i) organizational activities, (ii) activities related to our Initial Public Offering, and (iii) searching for and consummating a Business Combination. As of the date of this Report, we have not selected any specific Business Combination target. We have generated no operating revenues to date, and we do not expect that we will generate operating revenues until we consummate our initial Business Combination.
Initial Public Offering
Our IPO Registration Statement became effective on December 16, 2025. On December 18, 2025, we consummated our Initial Public Offering of 41,400,000 Public Units, including 5,400,000 Option Units issued pursuant to the full exercise of the Over-Allotment Option. Each Public Unit consists of one Public Share and one-tenth of one Public Warrant, with each whole Public Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Class A Ordinary Share for $11.50 per share. The Public Units were sold at a price of $10.00 per Public Unit, generating gross proceeds to our Company of $414,000,000.
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering and pursuant to the Private Placement Units Purchase Agreement, we completed the private sale of 500,000 Private Placement Units to our Sponsor in the Private Placement at a purchase price of $10.00 per Private Placement Unit, generating gross proceeds to our Company of $5,000,000. The Private Placement Units (and underlying securities) are identical to the Public Units (and underlying securities), except as otherwise disclosed in the IPO Registration Statement.
A total of $414,000,000, comprised of $411,000,000 of the proceeds from the Initial Public Offering and $3,000,000 of the proceeds from the Private Placement, was placed in the Trust Account maintained by Continental, acting as trustee.
It is the job of our Sponsor and Management Team to complete our initial Business Combination. Our Management Team is led by Michael Klein, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Jay Taragin, our Chief Financial Officer. We must complete our initial Business Combination by (i) December 18, 2027, the end of our Combination Period, which is 24 months from the closing of our Initial Public Offering (or March 18, 2028 if we have executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for an initial Business Combination by December 18, 2027), (ii) such earlier liquidation date as our Board may approve or (iii) such later date as our shareholders may approve pursuant to the Amended and Restated Articles. If our initial Business Combination is not consummated by the end of our Combination Period, our existence will terminate, and we will distribute all amounts in the Trust Account as described elsewhere in this Report.
We may seek to extend the Combination Period consistent with applicable laws, regulations and stock exchange rules by amending our Amended and Restated Articles. Any such amendment would require the approval of our shareholders, and our Public Shareholders will be provided the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares in connection with the vote on such approval. Such redemptions will decrease the amount held in our Trust Account and our capitalization, and may affect our ability to maintain our listing on Nasdaq. In addition, the Nasdaq Rules currently require SPACs (such as us) to complete their initial Business Combination in accordance with the Nasdaq 36-Month Requirement. If we do not meet the Nasdaq 36-Month Requirement, our securities will likely be subject to suspension of trading and delisting from Nasdaq.
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Our Management Team
We believe that our Management Team and M. Klein and Company, which is an affiliate of our Sponsor, are well positioned to identify and execute attractive Business Combination opportunities. Our objectives are to generate attractive returns for shareholders and enhance value through selecting a high-quality target at an attractive valuation, negotiating favorable acquisition terms for our shareholders and improving operational performance of the acquired company. We expect to favor potential target companies with certain industry and business characteristics. Key industry characteristics include compelling long-term growth prospects, opportunities to affect valuation improvements at the company, attractive competitive dynamics and consolidation opportunities. Key business characteristics include competitive advantages, significant potential; streams of recurring revenue, opportunity for operational improvement, attractive steady-state margins, high incremental margins and attractive free cash flow characteristics.
M. Klein and Company has established strategic relationships with selected leading investors and financing providers (“Strategic Partners”). Such Strategic Partners have invested in our Sponsor, thereby sharing in the appreciation of Founder Shares and Private Placement Units and assist M. Klein and Company in evaluating potential acquisition targets.
M. Klein and Company has established an entity within the firm, Archimedes Advisors LLC, which consists of operating partners (“Operating Partners”) who assist us in sourcing potential acquisition targets and creating long-term value in the Business Combination for us. These Operating Partners are comprised of former senior operating executives of leading S&P 500 companies across multiple sectors and industries, including consumer, industrial, materials, energy, mining, chemicals, finance, data, software, enterprise technology, and media. With our breadth of sector coverage and deep operational expertise, we believe we can review a wide range of targets to find the most attractive target for our shareholders. Each Operating Partner has held senior leadership positions with companies where they have a proven strong track record of creating shareholder value, organically and through transformational acquisitions or corporate restructurings, as well as extensive relationships with owners and operators of companies within their respective industries. In addition to assisting in the sourcing of a potential transaction, one Operating Partner is expected to join the acquired company as a director or in another senior executive capacity in order to enhance shareholder value by improving the operational performance of the company and undertaking broader strategic initiatives.
To best align the incentives of Operating Partners with our shareholders, each Operating Partner will be eligible to share in a portion of the appreciation in Founder Shares and Private Placement Units, provided that we successfully complete a Business Combination. The Operating Partner that takes on a director, substantial senior executive, or operating role at the acquired company, on a post-Business Combination basis, will acquire additional Founder Shares from M. Klein Associates Inc. and will have a vesting schedule that is highly aligned with shareholder interests by requiring value creation for shareholders. Operating Partners will not receive any cash compensation from us prior to a Business Combination. We believe that the combination of our Management Team, M. Klein and Company and its Operating Partners and our Board of Directors is an innovative approach to identifying potential high quality Business Combination targets and aligns incentives with our shareholders, providing us with distinctive and differentiated capabilities to create shareholder value.
With respect to the foregoing experiences of our Management, M. Klein and Company and our Strategic and Operating Partners, past performance is not a guarantee (i) that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial Business Combination or (ii) of success with respect to any Business Combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record of our Management’s, M. Klein and Company’s or our Strategic and Operating Partners’ performance as indicative of our future performance.
Members of our Management Team are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but they intend to devote as much of their time as they deem necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial Business Combination. The amount of time that any members of our Management Team will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial Business Combination and the current stage of the Business Combination process.
We believe our Management Team’s operating and transaction experience and relationships with companies will provide us with a substantial number of potential Business Combination targets. Over the course of their careers, the members of our Management Team have developed a broad network of contacts and corporate relationships around the world. This network has grown through the activities of our Management Team sourcing, acquiring and financing businesses, our Management Team’s relationships with sellers, financing sources and target management teams and the experience of our Management Team in executing transactions under varying economic and financial market conditions.
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Business Strategy
Our strategy is to:
| ● | leverage the strategic and transactional experience of our founder to bring advice and attention to potential Business Combination targets; |
| ● | deliver creative approaches to transaction sourcing; and |
| ● | utilize an understanding of global financial markets and events, financing, and overall corporate strategy options. |
Our selection process leverages our founder’s and our Strategic and Operating Partners’ network of industry, venture capital sponsor, private equity sponsor, credit fund sponsor and lending community relationships as well as relationships with management teams of public and private companies, investment bankers, restructuring advisors, attorneys and accountants, which we believe should provide us with a number of Business Combination opportunities. We deploy a proactive, thematic sourcing strategy and focus on companies where we believe the combination of our operating experience, relationships, capital and capital markets expertise can be catalysts to transform a target company and can help accelerate the target’s growth and performance. Members of our Management Team, M. Klein and Company and our Strategic and Operating Partners are communicating with their network of relationships to articulate our initial Business Combination criteria, including the parameters of our search for a target business, and we have begun the disciplined process of pursuing and reviewing promising leads.
Our Management Team and M. Klein and Company have experience in:
| ● | sourcing, structuring, acquiring and selling businesses; |
| ● | fostering relationships with sellers, capital providers and target management teams; |
| ● | negotiating transactions favorable to investors; |
| ● | executing transactions in multiple geographies and under varying economic and financial market conditions; and |
| ● | accessing the capital markets, including financing businesses and helping companies transition to public ownership. |
M. Klein and Company’s Operating Partners have experience in:
| ● | operating companies, setting and changing strategies, and identifying, monitoring and recruiting world-class talent; |
| ● | acquiring and integrating companies; and |
| ● | developing and growing companies, both organically and through acquisitions and strategic transactions and expanding the product range and geographic footprint of a number of target businesses. |
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Competitive Strengths
The sourcing, valuation, diligence and execution capabilities of our Management Team, M. Klein and Company and our Strategic and Operating Partners provide us with a significant pipeline of opportunities from which to evaluate and select a business that will benefit from our expertise. We may also have the benefit of using M. Klein and Company, or another affiliate of our Sponsor, as a financial advisor on our Business Combinations and other transactions. Our competitive strengths include the following:
| ● | Deep Experience of Operating Partners. We believe that our ability to leverage the experience of the Operating Partners, who comprise former senior operating executives of S&P 500 companies across multiple sectors and industries, provides us a distinct advantage in being able to source, evaluate and consummate an attractive transaction. |
| ● | Proprietary Sourcing Channels and Leading Industry Relationships. We believe the capabilities and connections associated with our Management Team, in combination with those of M. Klein and Company and our Strategic and Operating Partners, provide us with a differentiated pipeline of acquisition opportunities that would be difficult for other participants in the market to replicate. We believe that these sourcing capabilities are further bolstered by our Management Team’s, M. Klein and Company’s and our Strategic and Operating Partners’ reputation and deep industry relationships. |
| ● | Investing Experience. We believe that our Management’s track record of identifying and sourcing transactions positions us well to appropriately evaluate potential Business Combinations and select one that will be well received by the public markets. |
| ● | Execution and Structuring Capability. Our Management Team and Sponsor believe that our and our Strategic Partners’ combined expertise and reputation allows us to source and complete transactions possessing structural attributes that create an attractive investment thesis. These types of transactions are typically complex and require creativity, industry knowledge and expertise, rigorous due diligence, and extensive negotiations and documentation. We believe that by focusing our investment activities on these types of transactions, we are able to generate investment opportunities that have attractive risk/reward profiles based on their valuations and structural characteristics. |
Investment Criteria
We have developed the following high-level, non-exclusive investment criteria that we use to screen for and evaluate target businesses. We seek to acquire a business that:
| ● | Is Sourced Through our Proprietary Channels. We do not participate in broadly marketed processes, but rather aim to leverage our extensive network to source our Business Combination. |
| ● | Would Benefit from our Capabilities. We seek to acquire a business where the collective capabilities of our Management and Sponsor can be leveraged to tangibly improve the operations and market position of the target. |
| ● | Has a Committed and Capable Management Team. We seek to acquire a business with a professional management team whose interests are aligned with those of our investors and complement the expertise of our Management Team. Where necessary, we may also look to complement and enhance the capabilities of the target business’s management team by recruiting additional talent through our network of contacts. |
| ● | Potential to Generate Stable Free Cash-Flow. We seek to acquire a business that has historically generated, or has the near-term potential to generate, strong and sustainable free cash flow. |
| ● | Has the Potential to Grow Through Further Acquisition Opportunities. We seek to acquire a business that has the potential to grow inorganically through additional acquisitions. |
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These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial Business Combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as on other considerations, factors and criteria that our Management may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into our initial Business Combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria in our shareholder communications related to our initial Business Combination, which, as discussed herein, would be in the form of proxy solicitation materials or tender offer documents that we would file with the SEC.
Our Acquisition Process
In evaluating a prospective target business, we conduct a thorough due diligence review that may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial and other information that are made available to us. We also utilize our transactional, financial, managerial and investment experience.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial Business Combination with a company that is affiliated with our Sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial Business Combination with a company that is affiliated (as defined in our Amended and Restated Articles) with our Sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, stating that the consideration to be paid by us in such an initial Business Combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
Members of our Management Team directly or indirectly own our securities, and accordingly, they may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial Business Combination and in negotiating or accepting the terms of the transaction because of their financial interest in completing an initial Business Combination within the Combination Period. The low price that our Sponsor, executive officers and directors (directly or indirectly) paid for the Founder Shares creates an incentive whereby our officers and directors could potentially make a substantial profit even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for Public Shareholders. If we are unable to complete our initial Business Combination within the Combination Period and do not hold a shareholder vote to amend our Amended and Restated Articles to extend the amount of time we will have to consummate an initial Business Combination, the Founder Shares and Private Placement Units may expire worthless, except to the extent they receive liquidating distributions from assets outside the Trust Account, which could create an incentive for our Sponsor, executive officers and directors to complete a transaction even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for Public Shareholders. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular Business Combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial Business Combination.
Our Sponsor and its principals may from time to time become aware of potential business opportunities, one or more of which we may desire to pursue, for a Business Combination. As of the date of this Report, we have not selected any Business Combination target.
As described in “---Sourcing of Potential Business Combination Targets,” each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties to one or more other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a Business Combination opportunity to such entities. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a Business Combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such Business Combination opportunity to such other entity, subject to their fiduciary duties under Cayman Islands law. Our Amended and Restated Articles provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer, among other persons, shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us, and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which (a) may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other or (b) the presentation of which would breach an existing legal obligation of a director or officer to any other entity. We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete our initial Business Combination.
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In addition, none of the Strategic Partners or Operating Partners or their personnel are officers or directors of our company and therefore owe us no fiduciary duties as such. While we expect that they will continue to assist us in identifying Business Combination targets, they have no obligation to do so and may devote a substantial portion of their business time to activities unrelated to us. Our Strategic and Operating Partners may have fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties to other organizations to present Business Combination opportunities to such other organizations rather than to us. Accordingly, if any Strategic or Operating Partner becomes aware of a Business Combination opportunity which is suitable for one or more entities to which he, she or it has fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties, he, she or it will honor those obligations and duties to present such Business Combination opportunity to such entities first and only present it to us if such entities reject the opportunity and he or she determines to present the opportunity to us. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential business may be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us.
While neither M. Klein and Company nor any of our Strategic and Operating Partners have any duty to offer acquisition opportunities to us, they may become aware of a potential transaction that is an attractive opportunity for us, which they may decide to share with us. Conflicts may arise from their affiliation with our company, their provision of services both to us and to third-party clients, as well as from actions undertaken by them for their own account. In performing services for other clients and also when acting for their own account, they may take commercial steps which may have an adverse effect on us. Any of M. Klein and Company’s or our Strategic and Operating Partners’ other activities may, individually or in the aggregate, have an adverse effect on us, and the interests of M. Klein and Company and our Strategic and Operating Partners or their respective clients or counterparties may at times be averse to ours. Please see “ — Certain Potential Conflicts of Interest Relating to M. Klein and Company” for additional information regarding certain potential conflicts of interest relating to M. Klein and Company and our Strategic and Operating Partners.
We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties of our officers or directors, or of M. Klein and Company and our Strategic and Operating Partners, or policies applicable to M. Klein and Company or any of our Strategic and Operating Partners, will materially affect our ability to complete our initial Business Combination.
Our Sponsor, officers, directors, M. Klein and Company and our Strategic and Operating Partners may participate in the formation of, or become an officer or director of, any other blank check company prior to completion of our initial Business Combination. As a result, our Sponsor, officers, directors, M. Klein and Company and our Strategic and Operating Partners could have conflicts of interest in determining whether to present Business Combination opportunities to us or to any other blank check company with which they may become involved, including Churchill Capital Corp IX (if it does not consummate its initial Business Combination with Plus Automation, Inc.). M. Klein and Company, Mr. Klein and the Operating Partners have complete discretion, subject to applicable fiduciary duties, as to which blank check company they choose to pursue a Business Combination and the order in which they pursue Business Combinations for any of their existing or future blank check companies, including Churchill Capital Corp IX (if it does not consummate its initial Business Combination with Plus Automation, Inc.). As a result, M. Klein and Company, Mr. Klein and the Operating Partners may pursue Business Combinations for blank check companies that it has sponsored in any order, which could result in its more recent blank check companies completing Business Combinations prior to its blank check companies that were launched earlier. There are no contractual obligations governing the allocation of opportunities among the various blank check companies. Any determination as to which blank check company will pursue a particular acquisition target will be made based on the circumstances of the particular situation, including but not limited to the relative sizes of the blank check companies compared to the sizes of the targets, the need or desire for additional financings and the relevant experience of the directors, officers and Operating Partners involved with a particular blank check company. The outstanding principal balance under the credit facility was $25 million at December 31, 2020. The credit facility also includes customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default, the occurrence and continuance of which provide Hercules with the right to demand immediate repayment of all principal and unpaid interest under the credit facility, and to exercise remedies against us and the collateral securing the credit facility. The outstanding principal balance under the credit facility was $25 million at December 31, 2020. The credit facility also includes customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default, the occurrence and continuance of which provide Hercules with the right to demand immediate repayment of all principal and unpaid interest under the credit facility, and to exercise remedies against us and the collateral securing the credit facility. Mr. Klein currently does not have any existing contractual and fiduciary obligations to other parties to offer acquisition opportunities to such parties unless presented to him solely in his capacity as a director or officer of such parties. However, no assurance can be given that Mr. Klein will not in the future, agree or be required, pursuant to additional contractual obligations or fiduciary duties, to offer acquisition opportunities coming to his attention to other entities.
Because there are numerous SPACs seeking to enter into an initial Business Combination with available targets, the competition for available targets with attractive fundamentals or business models may increase, which could cause target companies to demand improved financial terms. Attractive deals could also become scarcer for other reasons, such as economic or industry sector downturns (including a negative public perception of mergers involving SPACs), geopolitical tensions, or increases in the cost of additional capital needed to close Business Combinations or operate targets post-Business Combination. Thus, our ability to identify and evaluate a target company may be impacted by significant competition among other SPACs in pursuing Business Combination transaction candidates and significant competition may impact the attractiveness of the acquisition terms that we will be able to negotiate.
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Sponsor Information
Our Sponsor is a Delaware limited liability company, which was recently formed to invest in our company. Although our Sponsor is permitted to undertake any activities permitted under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act and other applicable law, our Sponsor’s business is focused on investing in our company. Michael Klein is the controlling shareholder of M. Klein Associates Inc., which is the managing member of our Sponsor, and controls the management of our Sponsor, including the exercise of voting and investment discretion over the securities of our company held by our Sponsor. The securities beneficially owned by Churchill Sponsor XI LLC may also be deemed to be beneficially owned by Mr. Klein. Mr. Klein holds approximately 85.5% of the Sponsor membership interests reflecting indirect interests in the Founder Shares and approximately 50% of the Sponsor membership interests reflecting indirect interests in the Private Placement Units. The managing member has admitted third party accredited investors with prior business relationships with the managing member as members of the Sponsor holding approximately 14.5% of the Sponsor membership interests reflecting indirect interests in the Founder Shares and approximately 50% of the Sponsor membership interests reflecting indirect interests in the Private Placement Units. Such parties have no right to control the Sponsor or participate in any decision regarding the disposal of any security held by the Sponsor and do not have any direct or indirect material interest in our Sponsor. Additionally, M. Klein and Company has established strategic and working relationships with Strategic Partners and Operating Partners. Certain of such Strategic Partners and Operating Partners have invested in our Sponsor, thereby sharing in the appreciation of Founder Shares and Private Placement Units and assisting M. Klein and Company in evaluating potential acquisition targets. Such parties have no right to control the Sponsor or participate in any decision regarding the disposal of any security held by the Sponsor and do not have any direct or indirect material interest in our Sponsor.
Initial Business Combination
So long as we maintain a listing for our securities on Nasdaq, we must complete one or more Business Combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the Trust Account (excluding the Deferred Fee and taxes paid or payable on the income earned on the Trust Account) at the time of execution of the definitive agreement for such Business Combination. Our Board of Directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial Business Combination. If our Board of Directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial Business Combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our Board of Directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial Business Combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of the target’s assets or prospects. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial Business Combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.
If we do not complete our initial Business Combination within the Combination Period, while we do not currently intend to seek shareholder approval to amend our Amended and Restated Articles to extend the amount of time we will have to consummate an initial Business Combination, we may elect to do so in the future. There is no limit on the number of extensions that we may seek; however, we do not expect to extend the time period to consummate our initial Business Combination beyond 36 months from the closing of our Initial Public Offering. If we determine not to or are unable to extend the time period to consummate our initial Business Combination or fail to obtain shareholder approval to extend the Combination Period, our Sponsor’s investment in our Founder Shares and our Private Placement Units will be worthless.
Our Amended and Restated Articles will require the affirmative vote of a majority of our Board of Directors, which must include a majority of our independent directors and each of the non-independent directors nominated by our Sponsor, to approve our initial Business Combination.
We anticipate structuring our initial Business Combination so that the post-transaction company in which our Public Shareholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial Business Combination such that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or shareholders, or for other reasons. However, we will only complete a Business Combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise is not required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the Business Combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the Business Combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock, shares or other equity interests of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial Business Combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial Business Combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be taken into account for purposes of Nasdaq’s 80% fair market value test. If the initial Business Combination involves more than one target business, the 80% fair market value test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the transactions and we will treat the target businesses together as the initial Business Combination for seeking shareholder approval or for purposes of a tender offer, as applicable. So long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on Nasdaq, we would be required to comply with such 80% rule.
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Status as a Public Company
We believe our structure makes us an attractive Business Combination partner to target businesses. As an existing public company, we offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering through a merger or other Business Combination with us. In a Business Combination transaction with us, the owners of the target business may, for example, exchange their shares of stock, shares or other equity interests in the target business for our Class A Ordinary Shares (or shares of a new holding company) or for a combination of our Class A Ordinary Shares and cash, allowing us to tailor the consideration to the specific needs of the sellers. Although there are various costs and obligations associated with being a public company, we believe target businesses will find this method a more certain and cost effective method to becoming a public company than the typical initial public offering. The typical initial public offering process takes a significantly longer period of time than the typical Business Combination transaction process, and there are significant expenses in the initial public offering process, including underwriting discounts and commissions, that may not be present to the same extent in connection with a Business Combination with us.
Furthermore, once a proposed Business Combination is completed, the target business will have effectively become public, whereas an initial public offering is always subject to the underwriter’s ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions, which could delay or prevent the offering from occurring or could have negative valuation consequences. Once public, we believe the target business would then have greater access to capital, an additional means of providing management incentives consistent with shareholders’ interests and the ability to use its equity as currency for acquisitions. Being a public company can offer further benefits by augmenting a company’s profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented employees.
While we believe that our structure and our Management Team’s backgrounds make us an attractive business partner, some potential target businesses may view our status as a blank check company, such as our lack of an operating history and our ability to seek shareholder approval of any proposed initial Business Combination, negatively.
Financial Position
With funds available for a Business Combination as of December 31, 2025 in the amount of $414,549,783 (before any redemptions, any Permitted Withdrawal, taxes payable on the interest earned, if any, and payment of the Deferred Fee), we offer a target business a variety of options such as creating a liquidity event for its owners, providing capital for the potential growth and expansion of its operations or strengthening its balance sheet by reducing its debt or leverage ratio. Because we are able to complete our Business Combination using our cash, debt or equity securities, or a combination of the foregoing, we have the flexibility to use the most efficient combination that will allow us to tailor the consideration to be paid to the target business to fit its needs and desires. However, we have not taken any steps to secure third party financing and there can be no assurance it will be available to us.
Effecting our Initial Business Combination
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations for an indefinite period of time following our Initial Public Offering. We intend to effectuate our initial Business Combination using cash from the proceeds held in our Trust Account, our shares, debt or a combination of the foregoing. We may seek to complete our initial Business Combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, which would subject us to the numerous risks inherent in such companies and businesses. If our initial Business Combination is paid for using equity or debt, or not all of the funds released from the Trust Account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our Business Combination or used for redemptions of our Class A Ordinary Shares, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the Trust Account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial Business Combination, to fund the purchase of other businesses or assets or for working capital.
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We have not selected any Business Combination target. Additionally, we have not engaged or retained any agent or other representative to identify or locate any suitable acquisition candidate, to conduct any research or take any measures, directly or indirectly, to locate or contact a target business, other than our officers and directors. Accordingly, there is no current basis for investors to evaluate the possible merits or risks of the target business with which we may ultimately complete our initial Business Combination. Although our Management will assess the risks inherent in a particular target business with which we may combine, we cannot assure you that this assessment will result in our identifying all risks that a target business may encounter. Furthermore, some of those risks may be outside of our control, meaning that we can do nothing to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely affect a target business.
Members of our Management Team, M. Klein and Company and our Strategic and Operating Partners are from time to time made aware of potential business opportunities, one or more of which we may desire to pursue, for a Business Combination, but we have not (nor has anyone on our behalf) engaged in any substantive discussions with a Business Combination target, with respect to a Business Combination transaction with us. Please see “— Sourcing of Potential Business Combination Targets” for additional information regarding limitations on our access to investment opportunities sourced by M. Klein and Company and our Strategic and Operating Partners.
Sourcing of Potential Business Combination Targets
M. Klein and Company or any of our Strategic and Operating Partners may compete with us for acquisition opportunities that we may target for our initial Business Combination. If M. Klein and Company or any of our Strategic and Operating Partners decides to pursue any such opportunity or determines in its sole discretion not to offer such opportunity to us, we may be precluded from procuring such opportunities. In addition, investment ideas generated within M. Klein and Company or any of our Strategic and Operating Partners or by persons who may make decisions for us or any of our Strategic and Operating Partners may be suitable for both us and for M. Klein and Company or the relevant Strategic and Operating Partner and may be directed to M. Klein and Company, the relevant Strategic and Operating Partner or other third parties rather than to us. Neither M. Klein and Company nor any of our Strategic and Operating Partners has any fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties to our company, including, without limitation, to present us with any opportunity for a potential Business Combination of which they become aware.
Our Management Team, in their other endeavors (including any affiliation they may have with M. Klein and Company or any of our Strategic and Operating Partners), may choose or be required to present potential Business Combinations or other transactions to M. Klein and Company, the relevant Strategic and Operating Partner or third parties, before they present such opportunities to us. We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial Business Combination with a company that is affiliated with M. Klein and Company, any of our Strategic and Operating Partners, our Sponsor, officers or directors, nor are we prohibited from doing so with a business that is affiliated with any M. Klein and Company or any of our Strategic and Operating Partners. In the event we seek to complete our initial Business Combination with a business that is affiliated (as defined in our Amended and Restated Articles) with M. Klein and Company, any of our Strategic and Operating Partners, our Sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent and disinterested directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, stating that the consideration to be paid by us in such an initial Business Combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. Our ability to attract and retain collaboration partners or customers, invest in and grow our business and meet our financial obligations depends on our operating and financial performance, which, in turn, is subject to numerous factors, including the prevailing economic conditions and financial, business and other factors beyond our control, such as the rate of unemployment, the number of uninsured persons in the United States and inflationary pressures. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context. Prior to or in connection with the completion of our initial Business Combination, there may be payment by the Company to our Sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, of a finder’s fee, advisory fee, consulting fee or success fee for any services they render in order to effectuate the completion of our initial business, which, if made prior to the completion of our initial Business Combination, will be paid from (i) funds held outside the Trust Account or (ii) Permitted Withdrawals. In addition, we have agreed, pursuant to the Administrative Support Agreement and indemnification services agreement with the managing member our Sponsor, that we will indemnify the managing member of our Sponsor from any claims arising out of or relating to the Initial Public Offering or the Company’s operations or conduct of the Company’s business (including our initial Business Combination) or any claim against the managing member of our Sponsor alleging any expressed or implied management or endorsement by the managing member of our Sponsor of any of the Company’s activities or any express or implied association between the managing member of our Sponsor and the Company or any of its affiliates, which agreement will provide that the indemnified parties cannot access the funds held in our Trust Account.
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We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial Business Combination with a Business Combination target that is affiliated (as defined in our Amended and Restated Articles) with our Sponsor, officers or directors, or from making the acquisition through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with our Sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial Business Combination with a Business Combination target that is affiliated with our Sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, stating that the consideration to be paid by us in such an initial Business Combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
If any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a Business Combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may be required to present such Business Combination opportunity to such entity prior to presenting such Business Combination opportunity to us. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.
Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of our Initial Business Combination
So long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on Nasdaq, we must complete one or more Business Combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the Trust Account (excluding any Deferred Fee and taxes payable) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial Business Combination. The fair market value of the target or targets will be determined by our Board of Directors based upon one or more standards generally accepted by the financial community, such as discounted cash flow valuation or value of comparable businesses. If our board is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that our initial Business Combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We do not intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial Business Combination. Subject to this requirement, our Management has virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting one or more prospective target businesses, although we are not permitted to effectuate our initial Business Combination solely with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations.
In any case, we will only complete an initial Business Combination in which we own or acquire 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or if the post-transaction company is otherwise not required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. If we own or acquire less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses, the portion of such business or businesses that are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company is what will be taken into account for purposes of Nasdaq’s 80% fair market value test. There is currently no basis for investors to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any target business with which we may ultimately complete our initial Business Combination.
To the extent we effect our Business Combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in such company or business. Although our Management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors. In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review, which may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspection of facilities, as applicable, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information that will be made available to us. If we determine to move forward with a particular target, we will proceed to structure and negotiate the terms of the Business Combination transaction.
In evaluating a prospective target business, we conduct a thorough due diligence review which will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information which will be made available to us.
The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial Business Combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of, and negotiation with, a prospective target business with which our Business Combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another Business Combination. The Company will not pay any consulting fees to members of our Management Team, or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered to or in connection with our initial Business Combination.
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Lack of Business Diversification
For an indefinite period of time after the completion of our initial Business Combination, the prospects for our success may depend entirely on the future performance of a single business. Unlike other entities that have the resources to complete Business Combinations with multiple entities in one or several industries, it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations and mitigate the risks of being in a single line of business. In addition, we intend to focus our search for an initial Business Combination in a single industry. By completing our Business Combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:
| ● | subject us to negative economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact on the particular industry in which we operate after our initial Business Combination, and |
| ● | cause us to depend on the marketing and sale of a single product or limited number of products or services. |
Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target’s Management Team
Although we closely scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting our Business Combination with that business, our assessment of the target business’s management may not prove to be correct. In addition, the future Management may not have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of members of our Management Team, if any, in the target business cannot presently be stated with any certainty. The determination as to whether any of the members of our Management Team will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial Business Combination. While it is possible that one or more of our directors will remain associated in some capacity with us following our Business Combination, it is unlikely that any of them will devote their full efforts to our affairs subsequent to our Business Combination. Moreover, we cannot assure you that members of our Management Team will have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.
Following a Business Combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that additional managers will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
Shareholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve our Initial Business Combination
We may conduct redemptions without a shareholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC unless shareholder approval is required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements or we choose to seek shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons. Presented in the table below is a graphic explanation of the types of initial Business Combinations we may consider and whether shareholder approval is currently required under Cayman Islands law for each such transaction.
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So long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on Nasdaq, shareholder approval would be required for our initial Business Combination if, for example:
| ● | we issue Class A Ordinary Shares that will be equal to or in excess of 20% of the number of our Class A Ordinary Shares then issued and outstanding (other than in a public offering); |
| ● | any of our directors, officers or substantial shareholders (as defined by Nasdaq rules) has a 5% or greater interest (or such persons collectively have a 10% or greater interest), directly or indirectly, in the target business or assets to be acquired or otherwise and the present or potential issuance of Ordinary Shares could result in an increase in issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares or voting power of 5% or more; or |
| ● | the issuance or potential issuance of Ordinary Shares will result in our undergoing a change of control. |
Permitted Purchases of our Securities
In the event we seek shareholder approval of our Business Combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our Business Combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our Sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial Business Combination. Such a purchase would include a contractual acknowledgment that such shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that our Sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from Public Shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights or submitted a proxy to vote against our initial Business Combination, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares and any proxy to vote against our initial Business Combination. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will be required to comply with such rules. It is intended that, if Rule 10b-18 would apply to purchases by our Sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or any of their affiliates, then such purchases will comply with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act, to the extent it applies, which provides a safe harbor for purchases made under certain conditions, including with respect to timing, pricing and volume of purchases.
There is no limit on the number of shares or warrants our Sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and Nasdaq rules. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds in the Trust Account will be used to purchase shares or Public Warrants in such transactions. Such persons will be subject to restrictions in making any such purchases when they are in possession of any material non-public information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to (i) increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the Business Combination or (ii) to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of the Business Combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of Public Warrants could be to reduce the number of Public Warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrantholders for approval in connection with our initial Business Combination. Any such transactions may result in the completion of our Business Combination that may not otherwise have been possible.
In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our securities may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
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Our initial shareholders, Sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates anticipate that they may identify the shareholders with whom our initial shareholders, Sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates may pursue privately negotiated purchases by either the shareholders contacting us directly or by our receipt of redemption requests submitted by shareholders (in the case of Class A Ordinary Shares) following our mailing of proxy materials in connection with our initial Business Combination. To the extent that our Sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates enter into a private purchase, they would identify and contact only potential selling shareholders who have expressed their election to redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the Trust Account or vote against our initial Business Combination, whether or not such shareholder has already submitted a proxy with respect to our initial Business Combination but only if such shares have not already been voted at the general meeting related to our initial Business Combination. Our Sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or any of their affiliates will select which shareholders to purchase shares from based on the negotiated price and number of shares and any other factors that they may deem relevant, and will only purchase shares if such purchases comply with Regulation M under the Exchange Act and the other federal securities laws.
Any purchases by our Sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates who are affiliated purchasers under Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act will only be made to the extent such purchases are able to be made in compliance with Rule 10b-18, which is a safe harbor from liability for manipulation under Section 9(a)(2) and Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Rule 10b-18 has certain technical requirements that must be complied with in order for the safe harbor to be available to the purchaser. Our Sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates will be subject to restrictions in making purchases of Ordinary Shares if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. Additionally, in the event our Sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates were to purchase shares or warrants from Public Shareholders, such purchases would be structured in compliance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act including, in pertinent part, through adherence to the following:
| ● | our registration statement/proxy statement filed for our Business Combination transaction would disclose the possibility that our Sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or any of their affiliates may purchase shares or warrants from Public Shareholders outside the redemption process, along with the purpose of such purchases; |
| ● | if our Sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or any of their affiliates were to purchase shares or warrants from Public Shareholders, they would do so at a price no higher than the price offered through our redemption process; |
| ● | our registration statement/proxy statement filed for our Business Combination transaction would include a representation that any of our securities purchased by our Sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or any of their affiliates would not be voted in favor of or against approving the Business Combination transaction; |
| ● | our Sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or any of their affiliates would not possess any redemption rights with respect to our securities or, if they do acquire and possess redemption rights, they would waive such rights; and |
| ● | we would disclose in a Form 8-K, before our security holder meeting to approve the Business Combination transaction, the following material items: |
| o | the amount of our securities purchased outside of the redemption offer by our Sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or any of their affiliates, along with the purchase price; |
| o | the purpose of the purchases by our Sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or any of their affiliates; |
| o | the impact, if any, of the purchases by our Sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or any of their affiliates on the likelihood that the Business Combination transaction will be approved; |
| o | the identities of our security holders who sold to our Sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or any of their affiliates (if not purchased on the open market) or the nature of our security holders (e.g., 5% security holders) who sold to our Sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or any of their affiliates; and |
| o | the number of our securities for which we have received redemption requests pursuant to our redemption offer. |
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Redemption Rights for Public Shareholders upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination
We will provide our Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Class A Ordinary Shares upon the completion of our initial Business Combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (which interest shall be net of Permitted Withdrawals), divided by the number of then-outstanding Public Shares, subject to the limitations described herein. As of December 31, 2025, the Redemption Price was approximately $10.01 (before Permitted Withdrawals). The per-share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the Deferred Fee we will pay to the Underwriter upon completion of our initial Business Combination. Our Sponsor, officers and directors will not be entitled to redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares or Private Placement Shares held by them and any Public Shares held by them in connection with the completion of our Business Combination.
Limitations on Redemptions
We may be subject to a minimum cash requirement or a maximum redemption requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial Business Combination. For example, the proposed Business Combination may require (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed Business Combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all Class A Ordinary Shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed Business Combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the Business Combination or redeem any shares, and all Class A Ordinary Shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof.
Manner of Conducting Redemptions
We will provide our Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of our initial Business Combination either (i) in connection with a general meeting called to approve the initial Business Combination or (ii) without a shareholder vote by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed initial Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements. Under Nasdaq rules, asset acquisitions and stock or share purchases would not typically require shareholder approval while direct mergers with our company where we do not survive and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares or seek to amend our Amended and Restated Articles would require shareholder approval. If we structure an initial Business Combination with a target company in a manner that requires shareholder approval, we will not have discretion as to whether to seek a shareholder vote to approve the proposed initial Business Combination. So long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on Nasdaq, we will be required to comply with Nasdaq’s shareholder approval rules.
The requirement that we provide our Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares by one of the two methods listed above will be contained in provisions of our Amended and Restated Articles and will apply whether or not we maintain our registration under the Exchange Act or our listing on Nasdaq. Such provisions may be amended if approved by a Special Resolution of our shareholders, which is a resolution passed by at least a two-thirds (2/3) majority (or such higher approval threshold as specified in the Amended and Restated Articles) of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company of which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a Special Resolution has been duly given.
If we hold a shareholder vote to approve our initial Business Combination, we will, pursuant to our Amended and Restated Articles:
| ● | conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules, and |
| ● | file proxy materials with the SEC. |
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In the event that we seek shareholder approval of our initial Business Combination, we will distribute proxy materials and, in connection therewith, provide our Public Shareholders with the redemption rights described above upon completion of the initial Business Combination.
If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial Business Combination only if we obtain the approval at an Ordinary Resolution for such Business Combination under Cayman Islands law and pursuant to our Amended and Restated Articles (or such higher approval threshold as may be required by Cayman Islands or other applicable law and pursuant to our Amended and Restated Articles). However, if our initial Business Combination is structured as a statutory merger or consolidation with another company under Cayman Islands law, the approval of our initial Business Combination will require a Special Resolution, which requires the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at the applicable general meeting of the Company. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of shares the Company representing at least one-third (1/3) of the voting power of all outstanding shares of the Company entitled to vote at such meeting. Our initial shareholders will count toward this quorum and have agreed to vote their Founder Shares, Private Placement Shares and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Initial Public Offering (except for any such Public Shares purchased in compliance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act) in favor of our initial Business Combination. For purposes of seeking approval of the requisite majority of our outstanding Ordinary Shares voted, abstentions and non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial Business Combination once a quorum is obtained. As a result, in respect of such Ordinary Resolution, if all outstanding shares are voted on a resolution to approve our initial Business Combination, in addition to our Sponsor’s Founder Shares and Private Placement Shares, we would need 13,550,001, or 32.7%, of the 41,400,000 Public Shares sold in the Initial Public Offering to be voted in favor of an initial Business Combination in order to have our initial Business Combination approved, subject to any higher consent threshold as may be required by Cayman Islands or other applicable law. Assuming that only the holders of one-third of our issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares, representing a quorum under our Amended and Restated Articles, vote their shares, regardless of such vote pertains to an Ordinary Resolution or a Special Resolution of two-thirds of our Ordinary Shares voted at the meeting, we would not need any Public Shares in addition to our Founder Shares and Private Placement Shares to be voted in favor of an initial Business Combination in order to approve an initial Business Combination. These quorum and voting thresholds, and the voting agreements of our initial shareholders, may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial Business Combination. Each Public Shareholder may elect to redeem its Public Shares irrespective of whether it votes for or against the proposed transaction. In addition, our Sponsor, officers and directors will not be entitled to redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares or Private Placement Shares and any Public Shares held by them in connection with the completion of a Business Combination.
If we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, we will, pursuant to our Amended and Restated Articles:
| ● | conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers, and |
| ● | file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial Business Combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial Business Combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies. Although we are not required to do so, we currently intend to comply with the substantive and procedural requirements of Regulation 14A in connection with any shareholder vote even if we are not able to maintain our Nasdaq listing or Exchange Act registration. |
Upon the public announcement of our Business Combination, we or our Sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase our Class A Ordinary Shares in the open market if we elect to redeem our Public Shares through a tender offer, to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act.
In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial Business Combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on Public Shareholders not tendering more than the number of Public Shares we are permitted to redeem. If Public Shareholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete the initial Business Combination, and instead may search for an alternate Business Combination.
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Limitation on Redemption upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination if we Seek Shareholder Approval
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial Business Combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our Business Combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our Amended and Restated Articles will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to the Excess Shares without our prior consent. We believe this restriction will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to exercise their redemption rights against a proposed Business Combination as a means to force us or our Management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public shareholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the Public Shares sold in the Initial Public Offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us, our Sponsor or our Management at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders’ ability to redeem no more than 15% of the Public Shares without our prior consent, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our Business Combination, particularly in connection with a Business Combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including the Excess Shares) for or against our Business Combination.
Tendering Share Certificates in Connection with a Tender Offer or Redemption Rights
Public Shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” will be required to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the proxy solicitation materials or tender offer documents (as applicable) mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the initially scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the Business Combination (or any later date determined by our Board of Directors) in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using the DWAC System, at the holder’s option. The proxy solicitation materials or tender offer documents (as applicable) that we will furnish to holders of our Public Shares in connection with our initial Business Combination will indicate the applicable delivery requirements. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, or up to two days prior to the initially scheduled vote on the Business Combination if we distribute proxy materials, as applicable, to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. Given the relatively short period in which to exercise redemption rights, it is advisable for shareholders to use electronic delivery of their Public Shares.
There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC System. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker a fee and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to tender their shares. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising redemption rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated.
Any request to redeem such shares, once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to two business days prior to the initially scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the Business Combination set forth in the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, unless otherwise agreed to by us.
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Furthermore, if a holder of a Public Share delivered its certificate in connection with an election of redemption rights and subsequently decides prior to the applicable date not to elect to exercise such rights, such holder may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically). It is anticipated that the funds to be distributed to holders of our Public Shares electing to redeem their shares will be distributed promptly after the completion of our Business Combination.
If our initial Business Combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our Public Shareholders who elected to exercise their redemption rights would not be entitled to redeem their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the Trust Account. In such case, we will promptly return any certificates delivered by public holders who elected to redeem their shares.
If our initial proposed Business Combination is not completed, we may continue to try to complete a Business Combination until the end of the Combination Period or until such earlier liquidation date as our Board of Directors may approve, to consummate an initial Business Combination. No redemption rights shall be offered to our Public Shareholders in connection with any extension from 24 months to 27 months if we have executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for an initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering.
Redemption of Public Shares and Liquidation if no Initial Business Combination
If we are unable to complete our Business Combination within the Combination Period and do not hold a shareholder vote to amend our Amended and Restated Articles to extend the amount of time we have to consummate an initial Business Combination, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter (and subject to lawfully available funds therefor), redeem the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (which interest shall be net of Permitted Withdrawals and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then-outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our Board of Directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants, which will expire without value to the holder if we fail to complete our initial Business Combination within the Combination Period.
Our Sponsor, officers and directors are not entitled to rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any Founder Shares or Private Placement Shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if our Sponsor, officers or directors acquire Public Shares in or after the Initial Public Offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to such Public Shares if we fail to complete our initial Business Combination within the Combination Period.
Our Sponsor, officers and directors have agreed that they will not propose any amendment to our Amended and Restated Articles (i) in a manner that would affect the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our Public Shares if we do not complete an initial Business Combination within the Combination Period or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to the right of holders of our Class A Ordinary Shares or pre-initial Business Combination activity, unless we provide our Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A Ordinary Shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (which interest shall be net of Permitted Withdrawals), divided by the number of then-outstanding Public Shares. Pursuant to our Amended and Restated Articles, such an amendment would need to be approved by a Special Resolution.
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We expect that all costs and expenses associated with implementing our liquidation, as well as payments to any creditors, will be funded from the $736,204 (as of December 31, 2025) of proceeds held outside the Trust Account and Permitted Withdrawals, although we cannot assure you that there will be sufficient funds for such purpose. However, if those funds are not sufficient to cover the costs and expenses associated with implementing our liquidation, to the extent that there is any interest accrued in the Trust Account following Permitted Withdrawals, we may request the trustee to release to us an additional amount of up to $100,000 of such accrued interest to pay those costs and expenses.
If we were to expend all of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Units, other than the proceeds deposited in the Trust Account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the Trust Account, the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders upon our dissolution would be approximately $10.01 as of December 31, 2025. The proceeds deposited in the Trust Account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors which would have higher priority than the claims of our Public Shareholders. We cannot assure you that the actual per-share redemption amount received by shareholders will not be substantially less than the Redemption Price. While we intend to pay such amounts, if any, we cannot assure you that we will have funds sufficient to pay or provide for all creditors’ claims.
Although we seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account for the benefit of our Public Shareholders, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would be prevented from bringing claims against the Trust Account including but not limited to fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain an advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the Trust Account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the Trust Account, our Management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if Management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by Management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where we are unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the Trust Account for any reason. Our Sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party (other than our independent public accounting firm) for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement or Business Combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below (i) $10.00 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, due to reductions in value of the trust assets, in each case net of Permitted Withdrawals, except as to any claims by a third party that executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the Trust Account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the Underwriter of the Initial Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our Sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our Sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations, and we believe that our Sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our Sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the Trust Account, the funds available for our initial Business Combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.00 per public share. In such event, we may not be able to complete our initial Business Combination, and you would receive such lesser amount per share in connection with any redemption of your Public Shares. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
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In the event that the proceeds in the Trust Account are reduced below (i) $10.00 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, due to reductions in value of the trust assets, in each case net of Permitted Withdrawals, and our Sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its indemnification obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our Sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our Sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so if, for example, the cost of such legal action is deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or if the independent directors determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. In addition, shares of common stock that are either subject to outstanding options or reserved for future issuance under our employee benefit plans are eligible for sale in the public market to the extent permitted by the provisions of various vesting schedules and Rule 144 and Rule 701 under the Securities Act and, in any event, we have filed a registration statement permitting shares of common stock issued on exercise of options to be freely sold in the public market. We have not asked our Sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations and we cannot assure you that our Sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that due to claims of creditors the actual value of the per-share redemption price will not be less than $10.00 per public share.
We seek to reduce the possibility that our Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (other than our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account. Our Sponsor will also not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the Underwriter of the Initial Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We will have access to the $736,204 (as of December 31, 2025) of proceeds held outside of the Trust Account and Permitted Withdrawals with which to pay any such potential claims (including costs and expenses incurred in connection with our liquidation, currently estimated to be no more than approximately $100,000). In the event that we liquidate and it is subsequently determined that the reserve for claims and liabilities is insufficient, shareholders who received funds from our Trust Account could be liable for claims made by creditors.
If we file a winding up petition or a winding up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the Trust Account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law, and a liquidator may determine that such funds should be included in our bankruptcy or insolvency estate and subject to the claims of third-party creditors with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any bankruptcy or insolvency claims deplete the Trust Account, we cannot assure you we will be able to return $10.00 per share to our Public Shareholders. Additionally, if we file a winding up petition or a winding up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be subject to challenge under applicable debtor/creditor and/or insolvency laws as a “voidable preference” or a “fraudulent conveyance, preference or disposition.” As a result, a liquidator or a bankruptcy or other court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our Board of Directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to us or our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, and thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying Public Shareholders from the Trust Account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons. We cannot assure you that any of our patent applications will result in issued patents.
Our Public Shareholders are entitled to receive funds from the Trust Account only (i) in the event of the redemption of our Public Shares if we are unable to complete our initial Business Combination within the Combination Period, (ii) in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our Amended and Restated Articles (A) in a manner that would affect the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our Public Shares if we do not complete an initial Business Combination within the Combination Period or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A Ordinary Shares or pre-initial Business Combination activity or (iii) if they redeem their respective shares for cash upon the completion of the initial Business Combination, subject to applicable law and any limitations (including but not limited to cash requirements) created by the terms of the proposed Business Combination. In no other circumstances will a shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the Trust Account. In the event we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial Business Combination, a shareholder’s voting in connection with the Business Combination alone will not result in a such shareholder redeeming its shares to us for an applicable pro rata share of the Trust Account. Such shareholder must have also exercised its redemption rights described above. These provisions of our Amended and Restated Articles, like all provisions of our Amended and Restated Articles, may be amended with a shareholder vote.
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Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our Business Combination, we may encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other blank check companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, and operating businesses seeking strategic acquisitions. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting Business Combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess greater financial, technical, human and other resources than we do. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our Public Shareholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial Business Combination and our outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Any of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial Business Combination.
Certain Potential Conflicts of Interest Relating to M. Klein and Company
Our Sponsor is an affiliate of M. Klein and Company. Mr. Klein is the founder and managing partner of M. Klein and Company and acts as a strategic advisor to its clients. Mr. Klein has a fiduciary duty to M. Klein and Company. As a result, Mr. Klein may have a duty to offer acquisition opportunities to clients of M. Klein and Company. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Mr. Klein will have no duty to offer acquisition opportunities to the Company unless presented to him solely in his capacity as an officer or director of the Company and after he has satisfied his contractual and fiduciary obligations to other parties.
As a result, M. Klein and Company’s clients may compete with us for acquisition opportunities in the same industries and sectors as we may target for our initial Business Combination. If any of them decide to pursue any such opportunity, we may be precluded from procuring such opportunities. In addition, investment ideas generated within M. Klein and Company, including by Mr. Klein and other persons who may make decisions for the company, may be suitable both for us and for M. Klein and Company or any of its clients, and will be directed initially to such persons rather than to us. To the fullest extent permitted by law, none of Mr. Klein, M. Klein and Company or members of our Management Team who are also employed by M. Klein and Company have any obligation to present us with any opportunity for a potential Business Combination of which they become aware unless it is offered to them solely in their capacity as a director or officer of the Company and after they have satisfied their contractual and fiduciary obligations to other parties (including other SPACs they are or may become involved with).
In addition, Mr. Klein and M. Klein and Company may sponsor or form other blank check companies similar to ours during the period in which we are seeking an initial Business Combination. In particular, M. Klein and Company, Mr. Klein and the Operating Partners, as well as our Board of Directors, have incorporated and are actively engaged in Churchill Capital Corp IX, a SPAC currently searching for, or in the process of consummating, a Business Combination. Churchill Capital Corp IX (if it does not consummate its initial Business Combination with Plus Automation, Inc.), like us, may pursue initial Business Combination targets in any business or industry. Any such companies, including Churchill Capital Corp IX (if it does not consummate its initial Business Combination with Plus Automation, Inc.), may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an acquisition target. M. Klein and Company, Mr. Klein and the Operating Partners have complete discretion, subject to applicable fiduciary duties, as to which blank check company they choose to pursue a Business Combination and the order in which they pursue Business Combinations for any of their existing or future blank check companies. As a result, M. Klein and Company, Mr. Klein and the Operating Partners may pursue Business Combinations for blank check companies that it has sponsored in any order, which could result in its more recent blank check companies completing Business Combinations prior to its blank check companies that were launched earlier. There are no contractual obligations governing the allocation of opportunities among the various blank check companies. Any determination as to which blank check company will pursue a particular acquisition target will be made based on the circumstances of the particular situation, including but not limited to the relative sizes of the blank check companies compared to the sizes of the targets, the need or desire for additional financings and the relevant experience of the directors, officers and Operating Partners involved with a particular blank check company. The outstanding principal balance under the credit facility was $25 million at December 31, 2020. The credit facility also includes customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default, the occurrence and continuance of which provide Hercules with the right to demand immediate repayment of all principal and unpaid interest under the credit facility, and to exercise remedies against us and the collateral securing the credit facility. The outstanding principal balance under the credit facility was $25 million at December 31, 2020. The credit facility also includes customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default, the occurrence and continuance of which provide Hercules with the right to demand immediate repayment of all principal and unpaid interest under the credit facility, and to exercise remedies against us and the collateral securing the credit facility. Mr. Klein currently does not have any existing contractual and fiduciary obligations to other parties to offer acquisition opportunities to such parties unless presented to him solely in his capacity as a director or officer of such parties. However, no assurance can be given that Mr. Klein will not in the future, agree or be required, pursuant to additional contractual obligations or fiduciary duties, to offer acquisition opportunities coming to his attention to other entities.
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The potential conflicts described above may limit our ability to enter into a Business Combination or other transactions. These circumstances could give rise to numerous situations where interests may conflict.
Additionally, we may engage one or more affiliates of our Sponsor, officers or directors or their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us after the Initial Public Offering, including, for example, identifying potential targets or providing financial advisory services. We may pay such affiliates fair and reasonable fees or other compensation that would be determined at that time in an arm’s length negotiation. Any such affiliates’ financial interests tied to the consummation of a Business Combination transaction may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in providing any such additional services to us, including potential conflicts of interest in connection with advising on, sourcing and consummating of an initial Business Combination.
Limitations on Our Access to Investment Opportunities Sourced by M. Klein and Company
M. Klein and Company may compete with us for acquisition opportunities that we may target for our initial Business Combination. If M. Klein and Company decides to pursue any such opportunity or determines in its sole discretion not to offer such opportunity to us, we may be precluded from procuring such opportunities. In addition, investment ideas generated within M. Klein and Company or by persons who may make decisions for us may be suitable for both us and for M. Klein and Company may be directed to M. Klein and Company or other third parties rather than to us. M. Klein and Company does not have any fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties to our company, including, without limitation, to present us with any opportunity for a potential Business Combination of which they become aware.
Our Management Team, in their other endeavors (including any affiliation they may have with M. Klein and Company), may choose or be required to present potential Business Combinations or other transactions to M. Klein and Company or third parties, before they present such opportunities to us.
Not all Members of Our Management Team are Independent of M. Klein and Company
Our Management Team is responsible for the management of our affairs. Mr. Klein is the founder and managing partner of M. Klein and Company and acts as a strategic advisor to its clients. Mr. Klein has a fiduciary duty to M. Klein and Company. As a result, Mr. Klein may have a duty to offer acquisition opportunities to clients of M. Klein and Company. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Mr. Klein has no duty to offer acquisition opportunities to the Company unless presented to him in his capacity as an officer or director of the Company and after he has satisfied his contractual and fiduciary obligations to other parties.
Employees
We currently have two officers and do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial Business Combination. Members of our Management Team are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but they intend to devote as much of their time as they deem necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial Business Combination. The amount of time that any such person devotes in any time period to our company varies based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial Business Combination and the current stage of the Business Combination process.
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Periodic Reporting and Financial Information
We have registered our Public Units, Class A Ordinary Shares and Public Warrants under the Exchange Act and have reporting obligations, including the requirement that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with the SEC. In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, our annual reports will contain financial statements audited and reported on by our independent registered public accounting firm.
We will provide shareholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of the proxy solicitation materials or tender offer documents (as applicable) sent to shareholders. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with GAAP, or reconciled to GAAP, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances, and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial Business Combination within the prescribed time frame. We cannot assure you that any particular target business identified by us as a potential acquisition candidate will have financial statements prepared in accordance with the requirements outlined above, or that the potential target business will be able to prepare its financial statements in accordance with the requirements outlined above. To the extent that any applicable requirements cannot be met, we may not be able to acquire the proposed target business. While this may limit the pool of potential acquisition candidates, we do not believe that this limitation will be material.
We will be required to evaluate our internal control procedures for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026 as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer will we be required to have our internal control procedures audited. A target business may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition.
We have filed a registration statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we are subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act applicable to Exchange Act registered companies. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial Business Combination.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to continue to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
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We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (i) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of the Initial Public Offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion (as adjusted for inflation pursuant to SEC rules from time to time), or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A Ordinary Shares that is held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (ii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (i) the market value of our Ordinary Shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the end of the prior June 30th or (ii) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our Ordinary Shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the end of the prior June 30th.
In addition, prior to the consummation of a Business Combination, only holders of our Class B Ordinary Shares have the right to vote on the appointment or removal of directors. As a result, Nasdaq considers us to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of Nasdaq corporate governance standards. Under Nasdaq corporate governance standards, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power for the appointment of directors is held by an individual, group or another company is a “controlled company” and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements. We currently do not intend to rely on the “controlled company” exemption, but may do so in the future. Accordingly, if we choose to do so, you will not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the Nasdaq corporate governance requirements.
Item 1A. Risk Factors. Risk Factors.
As a smaller reporting company under Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act, we are not required to include risk factors in this Report. However, the following are brief descriptions of material risks, uncertainties and other factors that could have a material effect on us and our operations:
Risks Relating to our Search for, and Consummation of or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination
| ● | we are a blank check company with no operating history and no revenues, and our shareholders have a limited basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective, which is completing an initial Business Combination; |
| ● | we may not be able to complete our initial Business Combination, within the Combination Period, in which case we would liquidate and redeem our Public Shares; |
| ● | we may seek Business Combination opportunities with a high degree of complexity that require significant operational improvements, which could delay or prevent us from achieving our desired results; |
| ● | we may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial Business Combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular Business Combination; |
| ● | we may issue our Ordinary Shares to investors in connection with our initial Business Combination at a price that is less than the prevailing market price of our Ordinary Shares at that time; |
| ● | our Public Shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial Business Combination, and even if we hold a vote, holders of our Founder Shares will participate in such vote, which means we may complete our initial Business Combination even though a majority of our Public Shareholders do not support such a combination; |
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| ● | as the number of SPACs evaluating targets increases, attractive targets may become scarcer and there may be more competition for attractive targets, or such attractive targets may not be interested in consummating a Business Combination with a SPAC due to a negative public perception of mergers involving SPACs. This could increase the cost of our initial Business Combination and could even result in our inability to find a target or to consummate an initial Business Combination; |
| ● | we may attempt to simultaneously complete Business Combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial Business Combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability; |
| ● | we may engage the Underwriter or one of their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us after the Initial Public Offering, which may include acting as mergers and acquisitions advisor in connection with an initial Business Combination or as placement agent in connection with a related financing transaction. The Underwriter are entitled to receive the Deferred Fee that will be released from the Trust Account only upon completion of an initial Business Combination. These financial incentives may cause the Underwriter to have potential conflicts of interest in rendering any such additional services to us after the Initial Public Offering, including, for example, in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial Business Combination; |
| ● | we may attempt to complete our initial Business Combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in a Business Combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all; |
| ● | resources could be wasted on researching Business Combinations targets that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we have not completed our initial Business Combination within the Combination Period, our Public Shareholders may receive only the Redemption Price, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our Trust Account and our Warrants will expire worthless; |
| ● | recent fluctuations in inflation and interest rates in the United States and elsewhere could make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial Business Combination; |
| ● | the availability to us of funds from interest income on the Trust Account balance may be insufficient to operate our business prior to the Business Combination; |
| ● | changes in laws or regulations (including the adoption of policies by governing administrations), or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial Business Combination, and results of operations; |
| ● | in order to effectuate an initial Business Combination, SPACs have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their memorandums and articles of association, and other governing instruments. We cannot assure our shareholders that we will not seek to amend our Amended and Restated Articles or governing agreement in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial Business Combination that our shareholders may not support; |
| ● | changes in international trade policies, tariffs and treaties affecting imports and exports may have a material adverse effect on our search for an initial Business Combination target or the performance or business prospects of a post-Business Combination company; |
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| ● | adverse developments affecting the financial services industry, including events or concerns involving liquidity, defaults or non-performance by financial institutions, could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations, or our Business Combination prospects; |
| ● | cyber incidents or attacks directed at us or third parties could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss, as well as impact our ability to consummate an initial Business Combination; |
| ● | if we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial Business Combination; |
| ● | if we seek shareholder approval of our initial Business Combination, our Sponsor and Management Team have agreed to vote in favor of such initial Business Combination, regardless of how our Public Shareholders vote. As such, under certain circumstances, we may not need any Public Shares in addition to Founder Shares to be voted in favor of our initial Business Combination to approve an initial Business Combination; |
| ● | our Public Shareholders’ only opportunity to effect their investment decision regarding a potential Business Combination may be limited to the exercise of their right to redeem their Public Shares from us for cash; |
| ● | the ability of our Public Shareholders to redeem their Public Shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential Business Combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into a Business Combination with a target; |
| ● | the ability of our Public Shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our Ordinary Shares and the payment of the Deferred Fee may not allow us to complete the most desirable Business Combination or optimize our capital structure, and may materially dilute Public Shareholders’ investment in us; |
| ● | the ability of our Public Shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our Ordinary Shares could increase the probability that our initial Business Combination would be unsuccessful and that our Public Shareholders would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem their Public Shares; |
| ● | the requirement that we complete our initial Business Combination within the Combination Period may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a Business Combination and may limit the time we have in which to conduct due diligence on potential Business Combination targets, in particular as we approach the end of the Combination Period, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial Business Combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders; |
| ● | we may decide not to extend the Combination Period, in which case we would liquidate and redeem our Public Shares, and the Warrants would be worthless; |
| ● | if we seek shareholder approval of our initial Business Combination, our Sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their respective affiliates may elect to purchase Public Shares or Public Warrants from Public Shareholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed Business Combination and reduce the public “float” of our Public Shares or Public Warrants; |
| ● | if a Public Shareholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem their Public Shares in connection with our initial Business Combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for submitting or tendering their Public Shares, such Public Shares may not be redeemed; |
| ● | our Public Shareholders will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to shareholders of other blank check companies subject to Rule 419 of the Securities Act; |
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| ● | if we seek shareholder approval of our initial Business Combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if a shareholder or a “group” of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our Class A Ordinary Shares, they may lose the ability to redeem all such Public Shares in excess of 15% of our Class A Ordinary Shares; |
| ● | because of our limited resources and the significant competition for Business Combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial Business Combination. If we are unable to complete our initial Business Combination, our Public Shareholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to Public Shareholders, and our Warrants will expire worthless; |
| ● | if the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and Private Placement not being held in the Trust Account are insufficient to allow us to operate for at least the duration of the Combination Period, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial Business Combination, and we will depend on loans from our Sponsor or Management Team to fund our search and to complete our initial Business Combination; |
| ● | if we are unable to consummate our initial Business Combination within the Combination Period, our Public Shareholders may be forced to wait beyond December 18, 2027 (or March 18, 2028, if we have executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for an initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering) before redemption from our Trust Account; |
| ● | we may not hold an annual general meeting until after the consummation of our initial Business Combination, which could delay the opportunity for our Public Shareholders to discuss company affairs with Management, and the holders of our Class A Ordinary Shares will not have the right to vote on the appointment or removal of directors or continuing our Company in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands until after the consummation of our initial Business Combination; |
| ● | since only holders of our Class B Ordinary Shares have the right to vote on the appointment of directors prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, Nasdaq considers us to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq Rules and, as a result, we may qualify for exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements; |
| ● | our Sponsor controls the appointment of our Board of Directors until consummation of our initial Business Combination and holds a substantial interest in us and may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that our Public Shareholders do not support; |
| ● | because we are not limited to evaluating a target business in a particular industry sector nor have we selected any target businesses with which to pursue our initial Business Combination, our shareholders are unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’ operations; |
| ● | we may seek Business Combination opportunities in industries or sectors that may be outside of our Management’s areas of expertise; |
| ● | although we have identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial Business Combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial Business Combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines; |
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| ● | we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or from another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, and consequently, our shareholders may have no assurance from an independent source that the price we are paying for the business is fair to our shareholders from a financial point of view; |
| ● | we may issue additional Class A Ordinary Shares or preference shares to complete our initial Business Combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial Business Combination. We may also issue Class A Ordinary Shares upon the conversion of the Founder Shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial Business Combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained therein. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks; |
| ● | unlike some other similarly structured SPACs, our Sponsor, officers and directors will receive additional Class A Ordinary Shares if we issue certain shares to consummate an initial Business Combination; |
| ● | we may engage in a Business Combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our Sponsor, officers, directors or existing holders, which may raise potential conflicts of interest; |
| ● | we may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a Business Combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us; |
| ● | we may only be able to complete one Business Combination with the proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business, and which may have a limited number of products or services. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operations and profitability; |
| ● | we do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete our initial Business Combination when a substantial majority of our Public Shareholders do not agree; |
| ● | other than amendments relating to the appointment or removal of directors prior to our initial Business Combination (which would require the approval of a majority of at least 90% of our Ordinary Shares voting at the applicable general meeting) and amendments relating to the Company’s continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands (which would require the approval of our Board of Directors), the provisions of our Amended and Restated Articles that relate to our pre-Business Combination activity (and corresponding provisions governing the release of funds from our Trust Account) may be amended with a Special Resolution of our shareholders, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other SPACs. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend the Amended and Restated Articles to facilitate the completion of an initial Business Combination that some of our Public Shareholders may not support; |
| ● | because we must furnish our shareholders with financial statements of our Business Combination target, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial Business Combination with some prospective target businesses; |
| ● | compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate our initial Business Combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an initial Business Combination; |
| ● | if our initial Business Combination involves a company organized under the laws of a state of the United States (or any subdivision thereof), the Excise Tax could be imposed on us in connection with redemptions of our Ordinary Shares after or in connection with such initial Business Combination; |
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Risks Relating to the Post-Business Combination Company
| ● | the share price of the combined company may decline below the initial value of the Public Units after our initial Business Combination; |
| ● | the officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon completion of our initial Business Combination. The loss of a Business Combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business; |
| ● | subsequent to our completion of our initial Business Combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and the price of our securities, which could cause our shareholders to lose some or all of their investment; |
| ● | our Management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial Business Combination. We cannot provide assurance that, upon loss of control of a target business, new management will possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business; |
| ● | we may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may affect our initial Business Combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company; |
| ● | our initial Business Combination and our structure thereafter may not be tax-efficient to our shareholders and Warrant holders. As a result of our Business Combination, our tax obligations may be more complex, burdensome and/or uncertain; |
Risks Relating to Acquiring or Operating a Business in Foreign Countries
| ● | we may not be able to complete an initial Business Combination because such initial Business Combination may be subject to regulatory review and approval requirements, including foreign investment regulations and review by government entities such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or may be ultimately prohibited; |
| ● | if we effect our initial Business Combination with a company located outside of the United States, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may adversely affect us; |
| ● | we may reincorporate in, or transfer by way of continuation to, another jurisdiction, which may result in taxes imposed on our shareholders or Warrant holders; |
| ● | we may reincorporate in or transfer by way of continuation to another jurisdiction in connection with our initial Business Combination, and the laws of such jurisdiction may govern some or all of our future material agreements and we may not be able to enforce our legal rights; |
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| ● | we are subject to changing law and regulations regarding regulatory matters, corporate governance and public disclosure that have increased both our costs and the risk of non-compliance; |
| ● | if our Management following our initial Business Combination is unfamiliar with United States securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws, which could lead to various regulatory issues; |
| ● | exchange rate fluctuations and currency policies may cause a target business’ ability to succeed in the international markets to be diminished; |
| ● | after our initial Business Combination, substantially all of our assets may be located in a foreign country and substantially all of our revenue will be derived from our operations in such country. Accordingly, our results of operations and prospects will be subject, to a significant extent, to the economic, political and legal policies, developments and conditions in the country in which we operate; |
Risks Relating to our Management Team
| ● | our officers and directors allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial Business Combination; |
| ● | changes in the market for directors’ and officers’ liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate and complete an initial Business Combination; |
| ● | we may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our directors and officers; |
| ● | past performance by our Management Team, our advisors and their respective affiliates, including investments and transactions in which they have participated and businesses with which they have been associated, may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in our Company; |
| ● | we are dependent upon our officers and directors and their loss, or a reduction in the amount of time they can dedicate to our initial Business Combination, could adversely affect our ability to operate; |
| ● | our ability to successfully effect our initial Business Combination and to be successful thereafter is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, some of whom may join us following our initial Business Combination. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business; |
| ● | our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular Business Combination, and a particular Business Combination may be conditioned on the retention or resignation of such key personnel. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation following our initial Business Combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular Business Combination is the most advantageous; |
| ● | our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities, including other blank check companies, and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time and in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented; |
| ● | members of our Management Team and Board of Directors have significant experience as founders, board members, officers, executives or employees of other companies. Certain of those persons have been, are currently, or may become, involved in litigation, investigations or other proceedings, including related to those companies or otherwise. This may have an adverse effect on us, which may impede our ability to consummate an initial Business Combination; |
| ● | members of our Management Team and affiliated companies may have been, and may in the future be, involved in civil disputes or governmental investigations unrelated to our business; |
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Risks Relating to our Securities and Shareholder Rights
| ● | to mitigate the risk that we might be deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we may, at any time (based on our Management Team’s ongoing assessment of all factors related to our potential status under the Investment Company Act), instruct the trustee to liquidate the investments held in the Trust Account and instead to hold the funds in the Trust Account in an interest-bearing demand deposit account at a bank until the earlier of the consummation of our initial Business Combination or our liquidation. As a result, following the liquidation of investments in the Trust Account, we will likely receive less interest on the funds held in the Trust Account than we would have had the Trust Account remained as initially invested, such that our Public Shareholders would receive less upon any redemption or liquidation of our Company than what they would have received had the investments not been liquidated; |
| ● | our Public Shareholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their Public Shares; |
| ● | if third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the Trust Account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by Public Shareholders may be less than the Redemption Price; |
| ● | our directors may decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our Sponsor, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the Trust Account available for distribution to our Public Shareholders; |
| ● | if, before distributing the proceeds in the Trust Account to our Public Shareholders, we file a bankruptcy or insolvency petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or insolvency petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our shareholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our Public Shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced; |
| ● | if, after we distribute the proceeds in the Trust Account to our Public Shareholders, we file a bankruptcy or insolvency petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or insolvency petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a liquidator or a bankruptcy, insolvency or other court may seek to recover such proceeds, and the members of our Board of Directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to us or our creditors, thereby exposing the members of our Board of Directors and us to claims of punitive damages; |
| ● | an active market for our public securities may not continue, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities, and our shareholders may have limited liquidity and trading; |
| ● | since our Sponsor, directors and officers and any other holder of our Founder Shares will lose their entire investment in us if our initial Business Combination is not completed (other than with respect to any Public Shares they may acquire during or after the Initial Public Offering), and because our Sponsor, officers and directors and any other holder of our Founder Shares may profit substantially even under circumstances in which our Public Shareholders would experience losses in connection with their investment, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular Business Combination target is appropriate for our initial Business Combination; |
| ● | the value of the Founder Shares following completion of our initial Business Combination is likely to be substantially higher than the nominal price paid for them, even if the trading price of our Public Shares at such time is substantially less than the Redemption Price; |
| ● | Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit our shareholders’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions; |
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| ● | our Public Shareholders do not have any rights or interests in funds from the Trust Account, except under certain limited circumstances. Therefore, to liquidate their investment, they may be forced to sell their Public Shares or Public Warrants, potentially at a loss; |
| ● | our Sponsor paid an aggregate of $25,000, or approximately $0.003 per Founder Share and, accordingly, our Public Shareholders experienced immediate and substantial dilution from the purchase of our Class A Ordinary Shares; |
| ● | the nominal purchase price paid by our Sponsor for the Founder Shares may result in significant dilution to the implied value of the Public Shares upon the consummation of our initial Business Combination, and our Sponsor is likely to make a substantial profit on its investment in us in the event we consummate an initial Business Combination, even if the Business Combination causes the trading price of our Ordinary Shares to materially decline; |
| ● | because we are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, our shareholders may face difficulties in protecting their interests, and their ability to protect their rights through the U.S. Federal courts may be limited; |
| ● | after our initial Business Combination, it is possible that a majority of our directors and officers will live outside the United States and all of our assets will be located outside the United States; therefore, shareholders may not be able to enforce federal securities laws or their other legal rights; |
| ● | provisions in our Amended and Restated Articles may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our Class A Ordinary Shares and could entrench Management; |
| ● | our Amended and Restated Articles provide that the courts of the Cayman Islands will be the exclusive forums for certain disputes between us and our shareholders, which could limit our shareholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for complaints against us or our directors, officers or employees; |
| ● | whether a redemption of Public Shares will be treated as a sale of such Class A Ordinary Shares for U.S. federal income tax purposes will depend on a shareholder’s specific facts; |
| ● | we may amend the terms of the Public Warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of Public Warrants with the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding Public Warrants. As a result, the exercise price of the Public Warrants could be increased, the exercise period could be shortened and the number of Class A Ordinary Shares purchasable upon exercise of a Public Warrant could be decreased, all without shareholder approval; |
| ● | the Warrant Agreement designates the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our Warrants, which could limit the ability of warrant holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our Company; |
| ● | a provision of the Warrant Agreement may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial Business Combination; |
| ● | our Warrants may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial Business Combination; |
| ● | because each Unit contains one-tenth of one Warrant and only a whole Warrant may be exercised, the Units may be worth less than units of other SPACs; |
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| ● | Warrant holders will not be permitted to exercise their Warrants unless we register and qualify the underlying Class A Ordinary Shares or certain exemptions are available; |
| ● | holders may only be able to exercise Public Warrants on a “cashless basis” under certain circumstances, and if they do so, they will receive fewer Class A Ordinary Shares from such exercise than if they were to exercise such Public Warrants for cash; |
| ● | holders of Class A Ordinary Shares are not entitled to vote on continuing our Company in a jurisdiction outside of the Cayman Islands; |
| ● | the grant of registration rights to our Sponsor and other holders of our Private Placement Units (and their underlying securities) may make it more difficult to complete our initial Business Combination, and the future exercise of such rights may adversely affect the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares; |
| ● | we may be a passive foreign investment company, which could result in adverse United States federal income tax consequences to our U.S. shareholders; and |
| ● | we are an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies or smaller reporting companies, this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies. |
For more detailed descriptions of these and other risks relating to our Company, see the section titled “Risk Factors” contained in our IPO Registration Statement. As of the date of this Report, there have been no material changes with respect to those risk factors, other than as set forth below. Any of these previously disclosed risk factors could result in a significant or material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our ability to consummate an initial Business Combination. We may disclose changes to such risk factors or disclose additional risk factors from time to time in our future filings with the SEC.
The securities in which we invest the funds held in the Trust Account could bear a negative rate of interest, which could reduce the interest income available for payment of taxes or reduce the value of the assets held in the Trust Account such that Redemption Price may be less than $10.01 per Public Share (as of December 31, 2025).
The proceeds held in the Trust Account are initially to be invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act that invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations; the holding of these assets in this form is intended to be temporary and for the sole purpose of facilitating the intended Business Combination and may at any time be held as cash or cash items, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank. While short-term U.S. government treasury obligations currently yield a positive rate of interest, they have briefly yielded negative interest rates in recent years. Central banks in Europe and Japan pursued interest rates below zero in recent years, and the Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve has not ruled out the possibility that it may in the future adopt similar policies in the United States. In the event that we are unable to complete our initial Business Combination or make certain amendments to our Amended and Restated Articles, our Public Shareholders are entitled to receive their pro-rata share of the proceeds held in the Trust Account, plus any interest income (net of Permitted Withdrawals and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses). Negative interest rates could reduce the value of the assets held in Trust Account such that redemption price may be less than $10.01 per Public Share (as of December 31, 2025).
Our search for an initial Business Combination, and any target business with which we may ultimately consummate an initial Business Combination, may be materially adversely affected by current global geopolitical conditions and armed conflicts in the Ukraine and Russia and in the Middle East between United States, Israel and Iran and others, as well as by other events that are outside of our control.
Our ability to find a potential target business and the business of any company with which we may consummate a Business Combination could be materially and adversely affected by events that are outside of our control. For example, United States and global markets have experienced and may continue to experience volatility and disruption following the geopolitical instability resulting from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the recent conflict in the Middle East and Southwest Asia between the United States, Israel and Iran and others. Recent hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran and others have caused significant disruption in the normal flow of oil, refined petroleum products and related commodities, with consequent price rises and associated economic volatility. In response to such conflicts, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (“NATO”) deployed additional military forces to eastern Europe, and the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and other countries have announced various sanctions and restrictive actions against Russia, Belarus and related individuals and entities, including the removal of certain financial institutions from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) payment system. Certain countries, including the United States, have also provided and may continue to provide military aid or other assistance to Ukraine and to Israel, or have undertaken or will undertake military strikes in locations related to the conflicts, including but not limited to Iran, and there have been retaliatory military responses, increasing geopolitical tensions among a number of nations.
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The invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the escalation of the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran and others in the Middle East and Southwest Asia and the resulting measures that have been taken, and could be taken in the future, by NATO, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Israel and its neighboring states and other countries have created global security concerns that could have a lasting impact on regional and global economies. Although the length and impact of the ongoing conflicts and geopolitical turmoil are highly unpredictable, they could lead to market disruptions, including significant volatility in commodity prices, credit and capital markets, as well as supply chain interruptions, changes in consumer or producer purchasing behavior and increased cyber-attacks against U.S. companies. Additionally, any resulting sanctions could adversely affect the global economy and financial markets and lead to instability and lack of liquidity in capital markets.
Similarly, other events outside of our control, including natural disasters, climate-related events and pandemic or health crises (such as the COVID-19 pandemic) may arise from time to time, and any such events may cause significant volatility and declines in the global markets and have disproportionate impacts to certain industries or sectors and disruptions to commerce (including economic activity, travel and supply chain), and may adversely affect the global economy or capital markets.
Any of the abovementioned factors, or any other negative impact on the global economy, capital markets or other geopolitical conditions resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the escalation of the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran and others in the Middle East and Southwest Asia and subsequent sanctions or related actions, could adversely affect our search for an initial Business Combination and any target business with which we may ultimately consummate an initial Business Combination.
The extent and duration of the ongoing conflicts, resulting sanctions and any related market disruptions are impossible to predict, but could be substantial, particularly if current or new sanctions continue for an extended period of time, if geopolitical tensions result in expanded military operations on a global scale or if there are disruptions in the supply of oil or other commodities.
Any such disruptions may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this Item. If these disruptions or other matters of global concern continue for an extensive period of time, our ability to consummate an initial Business Combination, or the operations of a target business with which we may ultimately consummate an initial Business Combination, may be materially adversely affected. In addition, our ability to consummate a transaction may be dependent on the ability to raise equity or debt financing, which may be impacted by these and other events, including as a result of increased market volatility or decreased availability of third-party financing on acceptable terms or at all. In addition, IRBs or regulatory agencies may order the temporary discontinuation or termination of our clinical trials at any time if they believe that the clinical trials are not being conducted in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements, including if they present an unacceptable safety risk to patients.
Military or other conflicts in Ukraine, between the United States, Israel and Iran and others and other in the Middle East and Southwest Asia or other armed hostilities may lead to increased volume and price volatility for publicly traded securities, or affect the operations or financial condition of potential target companies, which could make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial Business Combination.
Military or other conflicts in Ukraine, between the United States, Israel and Iran and others in the Middle East, and Southwest Asia or other armed hostilities may lead to increased volume and price volatility for publicly traded securities, or affect the operations or financial condition of potential target companies, and to other company or industry-specific, national, regional or international economic disruptions and economic uncertainty, any of which could make it more difficult for us to identify a Business Combination target and consummate an initial Business Combination on acceptable commercial terms, or at all.
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Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
Not applicable.
Item 1C. Cybersecurity.
Although, as a blank check company, we do not have any operations, we are nonetheless subject to the risk of cybersecurity incidents. Among other things, the investments in our Trust Account and bank deposits may be vulnerable to such incidents, and we may depend on the digital technologies of third parties. We and
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