Exhibit 10.1 

 

 

ORIGINCLEAR, INC.

INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

 

 

This Incentive Stock Option Agreement ("Agreement") is made and entered into as of the date set forth below, by and between OriginClear, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), and the employee of the Company or any subsidiary thereof named in Section 1(b) ("Optionee").

 

In consideration of the covenants herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1. Option Information.

	(a)	Date of Option:	October 6, 2015
	(b)	Optionee:	T. Riggs Eckelberry
	(c)	Number of Shares:	5,000,000
	(d)	Exercise Price:	$0.0375

 

2. Acknowledgements.

 

(a) Optionee is an employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.

 

(b) The Board of Directors (the "Board" which term shall include an authorized committee of the Board of Directors) of the Company have heretofore adopted a 2015 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan"), pursuant to which this Option is being granted.

 

(c) The Board has authorized the granting to Optionee of an incentive stock option ("Option") as defined in Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (the "Code") to purchase shares of common stock of the Company ("Stock") upon the terms and conditions hereinafter stated and pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") provided by Section 4(a)(2) thereunder.

 

3. Shares; Price. The Company hereby grants to Optionee the right to purchase, upon and subject to the terms and conditions herein stated, the number of shares of Stock set forth in Section 1(c) above (the "Shares") for cash (or other consideration as is authorized under the Plan and acceptable to the Board, in their sole and absolute discretion) at the price per Share set forth in Section 1(d) above (the "Exercise Price"), such price being not less than the fair market value per share of the Shares covered by this Option as of the date hereof (unless Optionee is the owner of Stock possessing ten percent or more of the total voting power or value of all outstanding Stock of the Company, in which case the Exercise Price shall be no less than 110% of the fair market value of such Stock).

 

 

4. Term of Option; Continuation of Employment. This Option shall expire, and all rights hereunder to purchase the Shares shall terminate four years from the date hereof. This Option shall earlier terminate subject to Sections 7 and 8 hereof upon, and as of the date of, the termination of Optionee's employment if such termination occurs prior to the end of such four year period. Nothing contained herein shall confer upon Optionee the right to the continuation of his or her employment by the Company or to interfere with the right of the Company to terminate such employment or to increase or decrease the compensation of Optionee from the rate in existence at the date hereof.

 

5. Vesting of Option. Subject to the provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof, this Option shall become exercisable during the term of Optionee's employment. An initial amount of fifty percent (50%) of the Shares shall vest on the Date of Option set forth in Section 1 above and fifty percent (50%) shall vest on the one year anniversary of the Date of Option set forth in Section 1 above.

 

6. Exercise. This Option shall be exercised by delivery to the Company of (a) written notice of exercise stating the number of Shares being purchased (in whole shares only) and such other information set forth on the form of Notice of Exercise attached hereto as Appendix A, (b) a check or cash in the amount of the Exercise Price of the Shares covered by the notice (or such other consideration as has been approved by the Board of Directors consistent with the Plan) and (c) a written investment representation as provided for in Section 12 hereof. This Option shall not be assignable or transferable, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and shall be exercisable only by Optionee during his or her lifetime, except as provided in Section 8 hereof.

 

7. Termination of Employment. If Optionee shall cease to be employed by the Company for any reason, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, other than by his or her death, Optionee (or if the Optionee shall die after such termination, but prior to such exercise date, Optionee's personal representative or the person entitled to succeed to the Option) shall have the right at any time within three (3) months following such termination of employment or the remaining term of this Option, whichever is the lesser, to exercise in whole or in part this Option to the extent, but only to the extent, that this Option was exercisable as of the date of termination of employment and had not previously been exercised; provided, however: (i) if Optionee is permanently disabled (within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code) at the time of termination, the foregoing three month (3) period shall be extended in the discretion of the Board of Directors to up to one (1) year; or (ii) if Optionee is terminated "for cause" as defined in any applicable employment, or in the absence of an employment agreement then defined as (i) Optionee’s conviction of or entrance of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a felony; or (ii) Optionee is engaging or has engaged in material fraud, material dishonesty, or other acts of willful and continued misconduct in connection with the business affairs of the Company, this Option shall automatically terminate as to all Shares covered by this Option not exercised prior to termination. Unless earlier terminated, all rights under this Option shall terminate in any event on the expiration date of this Option as defined in Section 4 hereof.

 

8. Death of Optionee. If the Optionee shall die while in the employ of the Company, Optionee's personal representative or the person entitled to Optionee's rights hereunder may at any time within six (6) months after the date of Optionee's death, or during the remaining term of this Option, whichever is the lesser, exercise this Option and purchase Shares to the extent, but only to the extent, that Optionee could have exercised this Option as of the date of Optionee's death, as such may be accelerated by the Board of Directors; provided, in any case, that this Option may be so exercised only to the extent that this Option has not previously been exercised by Optionee.

 

9. No Rights as Shareholder. Optionee shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect to the Shares covered by any installment of this Option until the effective date of issuance of Shares following exercise of this Option, and no adjustment will be made for dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date such stock certificate or certificates are issued except as provided in Section 8 of the Plan.

 

10. Additional Consideration. Should the Internal Revenue Service determine that the Exercise Price established by the Board as the fair market value per Share is less than the fair market value per Share as of the date of Option grant, Optionee hereby agrees to tender such additional consideration, or agrees to tender upon exercise of all or a portion of this Option, such fair market value per Share as is determined by the Internal Revenue Service.

 

 

 

11. Modifications, Extension and Renewal of Options. The Board or Committee, as described in the Plan, may modify, extend or renew this Option or accept the surrender thereof (to the extent not theretofore exercised) and authorize the granting of a new option in substitution therefore (to the extent not theretofore exercised), subject at all times to the Plan, and Section 422 of the Code.

 

12. Investment Intent; Restrictions on Transfer.

 

(a) Optionee represents and agrees that if Optionee exercises this Option in whole or in part, Optionee will in each case acquire the Shares upon such exercise for the purpose of investment and not with a view to, or for resale in connection with, any distribution thereof; and that upon such exercise of this Option in whole or in part, Optionee (or any person or persons entitled to exercise this Option under the provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof) shall furnish to the Company a written statement to such effect, satisfactory to the Company in form and substance. If the Shares represented by this Option are registered under the Securities Act, either before or after the exercise of this Option in whole or in part, the Optionee shall be relieved of the foregoing investment representation and agreement and shall not be required to furnish the Company with the foregoing written statement.

 

(b) Optionee further represents that Optionee has had the opportunity to ask questions of the Company concerning its business, operations and financial condition, and to obtain additional information reasonably necessary to verify the accuracy of such information.

 

(c) Unless and until the Shares represented by this Option are registered under the Securities Act, all certificates representing the Shares and any certificates subsequently issued in substitution therefor and any certificate for any securities issued pursuant to any stock split, share reclassification, stock dividend or other similar capital event shall bear legends in substantially the following form:

 

THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED OR OTHERWISE QUALIFIED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (THE 'SECURITIES ACT') OR UNDER THE APPLICABLE OR SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. NEITHER THESE SECURITIES NOR ANY INTEREST THEREIN MAY BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE, UNLESS PURSUANT TO EXEMPTIONS THEREFROM.

 

THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE BEEN ISSUED PURSUANT TO THAT CERTAIN INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT DATED   10/06/15   BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND THE ISSUEE WHICH RESTRICTS THE TRANSFER OF THESE SHARES WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO REPURCHASE BY THE COMPANY UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

 

such other legend or legends as the Company and its counsel deem necessary or appropriate. Appropriate stop transfer instructions with respect to the Shares have been placed with the Company's transfer agent.

 

(d) For the purpose of any transfer of any Shares represented by this Option under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (and for that purpose only), the Optionee shall be considered an affiliate of the Company, regardless of whether the Optionee is an affiliate of the Company as such term affiliate is defined in Rule 144, and shall be subject to the same limitations on the amount that can be sold pursuant to Rule 144(e) or any successor rule.

 

13. Effects of Early Disposition. Optionee understands that if an Optionee disposes of shares acquired hereunder within two (2) years after the date of this Option or within one (1) year after the date of issuance of such shares to Optionee, such Optionee will be treated for income tax purposes as having received ordinary income at the time of such disposition of an amount generally measured by the difference between the purchase price and the fair market value of such stock on the date of exercise, subject to adjustment for any tax previously paid, in addition to any tax on the difference between the sales price and Optionee's adjusted cost basis in such shares. The foregoing amount may be measured differently if Optionee is an officer, director or ten percent holder of the Company. Optionee agrees to notify the Company within ten (10) working days of any such disposition.

 

 

14. Stand-off Agreement. Optionee agrees that in connection with any registration of the Company's securities under the Securities Act, and upon the request of the Company or any underwriter managing an underwritten offering of the Company's securities, Optionee shall not sell, short any sale of, loan, grant an option for, or otherwise dispose of any of the Shares (other than Shares included in the offering) without the prior written consent of the Company or such managing underwriter, as applicable, for a period of at least one year following the effective date of registration of such offering.

 

15. Notices. Any notice required to be given pursuant to this Option or the Plan shall be in writing and shall be deemed to be delivered upon receipt or, in the case of notices by the Company, five (5) days after deposit in the U.S. mail, postage prepaid, addressed to Optionee at the address last provided to the Company by Optionee for his or her employee records.

 

16. Agreement Subject to Plan; Applicable Law. This Option is made pursuant to the Plan and shall be interpreted to comply therewith. A copy of such Plan is available to Optionee, at no charge, at the principal office of the Company. Any provision of this Option inconsistent with the Plan shall be considered void and replaced with the applicable provision of the Plan. This Option has been granted, executed and delivered in the State of Nevada, and the interpretation and enforcement shall be governed by the laws thereof and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts therein.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

 

In Witness Whereof, the parties hereto have executed this Option as of the date first above written.

 

COMPANY:	OriginClear, Inc.
	By:
	Name: Jean-Louis Kindler
	Title: Board Member
OPTIONEE:	By:
	(signature)
	Name: T. Riggs Eckelberry

 

(one of the following, as appropriate, shall be signed)

 

I certify that as of the date hereof I am unmarried		By his or her signature, the spouse of Optionee hereby agrees to be bound by the provisions of the foregoing INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
Optionee		Spouse of Optionee

 

 

 

 

Appendix A

 

NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

OriginOil, Inc.

 

Re: Incentive Stock Option

 

Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 6 of my Incentive Stock Option Agreement that I elect to purchase the number of shares set forth below at the exercise price set forth in my option agreement:

 

Incentive Stock Option Agreement dated: ____________

 

Number of shares being purchased: ____________

 

Exercise Price: $____________

 

A check in the amount of the aggregate price of the shares being purchased is attached.

 

I hereby confirm that such shares are being acquired by me for my own account for investment purposes, and not with a view to, or for resale in connection with, any distribution thereof. I will not sell or dispose of my Shares in violation of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any applicable federal or state securities laws. Further, I understand that the exemption from taxable income at the time of exercise is dependent upon my holding such stock for a period of at least one year from the date of exercise and two years from the date of grant of the Option.

 

I understand that the certificate representing the Option Shares will bear a restrictive legend within the contemplation of the Securities Act and as required by such other state or federal law or regulation applicable to the issuance or delivery of the Option Shares.

 

I agree to provide to the Company such additional documents or information as may be required pursuant to the Company's 2015 Equity Incentive Plan.

 

 

	By:
	(signature)
	Name: