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As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on January 7, 2021.

Registration No. 333-251772

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

Amendment No. 2

to

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Thoma Bravo Advantage

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Cayman Islands		6770		98-1566321
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)		(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

150 N. Riverside Plaza, Suite 2800

Chicago, Illinois 60606

Tel: (312) 254-3300

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

 

Steven Schwab, Esq.

150 N. Riverside Plaza, Suite 2800

Chicago, Illinois 60606

Tel: (312) 254-3300

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

Stephen Fraidin, Esq. Gregory P. Patti, Jr., Esq. Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP 200 Liberty Street New York, New York 10281 (212) 504-6000		Ian D. Schuman, Esq. Erika L. Weinberg, Esq. Ryan J. Maierson, Esq. Latham & Watkins LLP 885 Third Avenue New York, New York 10022 (212) 906-1200

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), check the following box.  ☐

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. (Check one):

 

Large accelerated filer		☐		Accelerated filer		☐
Non-accelerated filer		☒		Smaller reporting company		☒
				Emerging growth company		☒

 

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

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Title of Each Class of Security Being Registered		Amount Being Registered		Proposed Maximum Offering Price per Security(1)		Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1)		Amount of Registration Fee(4)
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value(3)		100,000,000 shares		$10.00		$1,000,000,000		$109,100.00
Total						$1,000,000,000		$109,100.00

(1)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act.

(2)

Includes 10,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, which may be issued upon exercise of a 45-day option granted to the underwriters to cover over-allotments, if any.

(3)

Pursuant to Rule 416(a), there are also being registered an indeterminable number of additional securities as may be issued to prevent dilution resulting from share sub-divisions, share capitalizations or similar transactions.

(4)

Previously paid

 

 

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

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The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JANUARY 7, 2020

$900,000,000

 

Thoma Bravo Advantage

 

90,000,000 Shares

 

 

 

Thoma Bravo Advantage is a newly incorporated blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities, which we refer to as our initial business combination. We have not selected any business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. While we may pursue an initial business combination target in any sector or industry (subject to certain limitations described herein), we intend to focus our search for a target business operating in the software industry.

 

This is an initial public offering of our Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, which we refer to as our public shares, at an initial offering price per share of $10.00. The underwriters have a 45-day option from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to 10,000,000 additional public shares to cover over-allotments, if any. Unlike other initial public offerings of special purpose acquisition companies, investors in this offering will not receive any warrants (which would typically become exercisable following 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, subject to the limitations as described herein. If we have not consummated an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 30 months from the closing of this offering, if we have executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering but have not completed our initial business combination within such 24-month period), we will redeem 100% of the public shares for cash, subject to applicable law and certain conditions as described herein.

 

Our sponsor, Thoma Bravo Advantage Sponsor LLC, a Cayman Islands limited liability company, has agreed to purchase 2,200,000 Class A ordinary shares (or 2,400,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at a price of $10.00 per share, in a private placement to occur concurrently with the closing of this offering, for an aggregate purchase price of $22,000,000 (or $24,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full). Each private placement share is identical to the public shares sold in this offering, subject to certain exceptions as described in this prospectus.

 

Our initial shareholders currently own 25,000,000 Class B ordinary shares (of which up to 2,500,000 of which are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option), which will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination, or earlier at the option of the holder thereof, as described herein. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will be entitled to vote on the appointment of directors.

 

Currently, there is no public market for our Class A ordinary shares. We have applied to have our public shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, under the symbol “TBA” We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on the NYSE.

 

 

 

We are an “emerging growth company” and “smaller reporting company” under applicable federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors ” beginning on page 30 for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our securities. Investors will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings.

 

Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

		Per Share				Total
Public offering price		$	10.00			$	900,000,000
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)		$	0.55			$	49,500,000
Proceeds, before expenses, to us		$	9.45			$	850,500,000

 

(1)

Includes $0.35 per public share, or $31,500,000 in the aggregate (or $35,000,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions to be placed in a trust account located in the United States as described herein and released to the underwriters only upon the consummation of an initial business combination. Does not include certain fees and expenses payable to the underwriters in connection with the offering. See also “Underwriting” for a description of compensation payable to the underwriters.

 

 

 

Of the proceeds we receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement shares described in this prospectus, $900,000,000, or $1,000,000,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($10.00 per public share in either case), will be deposited into a trust account located in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee.

 

The underwriters are offering the shares for sale on a firm commitment basis. The underwriters expect to deliver the shares to the purchasers on or about                 , 2021.

 

 

 

Citigroup		Deutsche Bank Securities		Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC		Credit Suisse

 

The date of this prospectus is                     , 2021.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

A Letter from Our Team			ii
Summary			1
General			2
Our Sponsor			2
Our Management Team and Board of Directors			3
Business Strategy			5
Initial Business Combination Criteria			7
Our Acquisition Process			8
Initial Business Combination			9
The Offering			13
Summary Financial Data			29
Risk Factors			30
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements			64
Use of Proceeds			65
Dividend Policy			68
Dilution			69
Capitalization			71
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations			72
Proposed Business			76
Our Sponsor			77
Our Management Team and Board of Directors			78
Business Strategy			80
Initial Business Combination Criteria			82
Management			103
Principal Shareholders			112
Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions			115
Description of Securities			117
Taxation			133
Underwriting			142
Legal Matters			149
Experts			149
Where You Can Find Additional Information			149
Index to Financial Statements			F-1

 

 

 

We are responsible for the information contained in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information, and neither we nor the underwriters take any responsibility for any other information others may give to you. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus.

 

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A LETTER FROM OUR TEAM

 

Dear Investors:

 

Thoma Bravo has worked for over forty years to deliver superior value to our investors and the companies in which we have invested by establishing collaborative partnerships that are designed to drive innovation and operational excellence. We have executed over 270 software platform and add-on acquisitions with a partnership-driven approach, which is supported by our set of management principles, operating metrics and business processes. We seek to support our companies by investing in growth initiatives and strategic acquisitions designed to drive long-term value.

 

As you review this prospectus, we hope that you will consider our 40-year history as well as our values, expertise and business record.

 

Our values give companies an advantage.    Thoma Bravo’s approach is designed to empower management teams to (i) explore and develop their drive for change and improvement, (ii) build conviction around impactful initiatives, and (iii) take responsibility for their success. We are competitive, but approachable; driven, but listen carefully. We are enterprise software specialists who seek to partner and win with the best innovators in our industry.

 

Our commitment and entrepreneurial approach to partnerships distinguishes us.    We have a bias for action, and we focus on what we believe “moves the needle.” We seek to leverage our industry expertise, experience and relationships to support management teams to accomplish their goals of growth and scale. We believe our network, reputation and brand recognition are able to facilitate rapid progress to drive near-term results.

 

Our large and experienced team is an advantage.    We have a team of about 55 investment professionals in our broader organization. Leveraging that team allows us to identify a company that will be an attractive partner which has significant growth potential and can benefit relatively quickly from our partnership with them. We expect our deep expertise across the Thoma Bravo organization will provide value to the management team after the completion of the business combination transaction.

 

We are seeking to further extend our expertise in the public market.    We believe now is the right time to further extend our expertise in the public markets. We believe there is a robust pipeline of high-quality software companies that are both ready to take advantage of the opportunities that the public market has to offer and that would benefit from partnering with us. Thoma Bravo Advantage will provide an ideal opportunity for a company that wants to work with a committed sponsor to drive sustainable growth and operational improvement, while navigating the transition to the public market.

 

We are poised to take advantage of this opportunity.    The software market offers a large and growing investment opportunity for public investors. The overall enterprise software market, estimated to be about $477 billion in 2019, is anticipated by publicly available industry sources to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9% through 2024. Public sources indicate that there are currently approximately 990 software companies with post-money valuations of $1 billion or above, which we believe represents a sizeable pipeline for our effort.

 

Today, enterprise software products and services are deeply embedded in the operations of companies around the world. The recent global pandemic has dramatically shifted how businesses operate, and in many instances, software has been the critical conduit to managing complex operations outside of the traditional office setting. Digital transformations continue to accelerate across industries, underscoring how essential software is for commerce, efficiency and business continuity. Within the broader enterprise software market, the software as a service (SaaS) segment in particular presents many opportunities to invest in high growth, high quality businesses that drive this flood of digital transformations. IDC estimates the size of the SaaS market to be about $184 billion in 2019 and anticipates that the market will grow at a CAGR of 15.4% until 2024. These SaaS businesses have generally highly recurring revenue with the vast majority of that revenue often coming from renewable contracts supporting mission critical business processes. The public markets have taken note of this characteristic as there have been 39 IPO’s of SaaS companies since 2018.

 

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Our team is well positioned to identify promising software companies in this large and growing market and to help management teams realize their desire to scale rapidly.

 

Our advantage is demonstrated by our outcomes.    As an experienced software investor, we have partnered with management teams to build world-class businesses. These investments include now-public companies such as Dynatrace, SailPoint and SolarWinds, which have significantly increased their revenue and earnings since Thoma Bravo’s initial investment. We feel these companies are examples of our investment decision-making, industry knowledge, extensive network and impactful partnerships. These public names are also a testament to the long-term nature of our partnerships and our ongoing support and advice that continues after a company transitions to the public market. We believe that this offering is the next step in enabling us to leverage our experience, team and network to successfully execute a business combination, deliver excellent operating results with our partner company, and provide a superior investment opportunity for our investors.

 

We hope that you will join us in our partnership with a promising software company to do even greater things, together.

 

Respectfully,

 

The Thoma Bravo Advantage Team

 

 

 

 

 

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RISK FACTORS

 

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, before making a decision to invest in our shares. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

 

We are a recently incorporated company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.

 

We are a recently incorporated exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands with no operating results, and we will not commence operations until obtaining funding through this offering. Because we lack an operating history, you have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination with one or more target businesses. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning a business combination and may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we fail to complete our initial business combination, we will never generate any operating revenues.

 

Past performance by Thoma Bravo, our founding team, our management team or their affiliates may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.

 

Information regarding performance by, or businesses associated with, Thoma Bravo, our founding team, our management team or their affiliates is presented for informational purposes only. Any past experience of and performance by our founding team or their affiliates, is not a guarantee either: (1) that we will be able to successfully identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination; or (2) of any results with respect to any initial business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record of our founding team or any of their affiliates’ as indicative of the future performance of an investment in us or the returns we will, or are likely to, generate going forward.

 

Our shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our shareholders do not support such a combination.

 

We may elect not to hold a shareholder vote to approve our initial business combination, unless the business combination would require shareholder approval under applicable Cayman Islands law or stock exchange listing requirements or if we decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons. For instance, the NYSE rules currently allow us to engage in a tender offer in lieu of a general meeting, but such rules still require us to obtain shareholder approval if we were seeking to issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding shares to a target business as consideration in any business combination. Therefore, if we were structuring a business combination that required us to issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, we would seek shareholder approval of such business combination.

 

However, except as required by applicable law or stock exchange rule, the decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or will allow shareholders to sell their shares to us in 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 otherwise require us to seek shareholder approval. Accordingly, we may consummate our initial business combination even if holders of a majority of the outstanding ordinary shares do not approve of the business combination. Please see the section entitled “Initial Business Combination Criteria—Shareholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination” for additional information.

 

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Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash.

 

At the time of your investment in us, you will not be provided with an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of any target businesses. Since our board of directors may complete a business combination without seeking shareholder approval, public shareholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the business combination, unless we seek such shareholder approval. Accordingly, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to exercising your redemption rights within the period of time (which will be at least 20 business days) set forth in our tender offer documents mailed to our public shareholders in which we describe our initial business combination.

 

If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor and members of our founding team have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote.

 

Our initial shareholders will own, on an as-converted basis, 20.0% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares immediately following the completion of this offering (excluding the private placement shares). Our sponsor and members of our founding team also may from time to time purchase Class A ordinary shares prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that, if we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we receive approval pursuant to an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the shares voted at a general meeting of our company. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares and the private placement shares, we would need 32,650,001 or 36.3%, of the 90,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised). Accordingly, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, the agreement by our sponsor and our founding team to vote in favor of our initial business combination will increase the likelihood that we will receive the requisite shareholder approval for such initial business combination.

 

The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their 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.

 

We may seek to enter into a business combination transaction agreement with a prospective target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights, we would not be able to meet such closing condition and, as a result, would not be able to proceed with the business combination. Furthermore, in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 (so that we do not then become subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules). Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 or such greater amount necessary to satisfy a closing condition as described above, we would not proceed with such redemption and the related business combination and may instead search for an alternate business combination. Prospective targets will be aware of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into a business combination transaction with us.

 

The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.

 

At the time we enter into an agreement for our initial business combination, we will not know how many shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, and therefore will need to structure the transaction based on our expectations as to the number of shares that will be submitted for redemption. If a large number of shares are

 

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submitted for redemption, we may need to restructure the transaction to reserve a greater portion of the cash in the trust account or arrange for additional third-party financing. Raising additional third-party financing may involve dilutive equity issuances or the incurrence of indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure. The amount of the deferred underwriting commissions payable to the underwriters will not be adjusted for any shares that are redeemed in connection with an initial business combination. The per-share amount we will distribute to shareholders who properly exercise their redemption rights will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commission and after such redemptions, the amount held in trust will continue to reflect our obligation to pay the entire deferred underwriting commissions.

 

The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your shares.

 

If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our initial business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account until we liquidate the trust account. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your shares in the open market; however, at such time our shares may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in the trust account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with our redemption until we liquidate or you are able to sell your shares in the open market.

 

The requirement that we consummate an initial business combination within the 24 (or 30)-month completion window 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 our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders.

 

Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning a business combination will be aware that we must consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 30 months from the closing of this offering if we have executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering but have not completed our initial business combination within such 24-month period).

 

Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating a business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the timeframe described above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation.

 

Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the status of debt and equity markets.

 

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization officially declared the outbreak of the COVID-19 a “pandemic.” The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a widespread health crisis that continues to adversely affect economies and financial markets worldwide, and could potentially adversely affect the business of any potential target business with which we consummate a business combination. Furthermore, we may be unable to complete a business combination if continued concerns relating to COVID-19 restrict travel, limiting the ability

 

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to have meetings with potential investors or the target company’s personnel, or if vendors and service providers are unavailable to negotiate and consummate a transaction in a timely manner. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our search for a business combination will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19 and the actions taken to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, among other factors. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19 or other matters of global concern continue for an extensive period of time, our ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected.

 

We may not be able to consummate an initial business combination within the completion window, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate.

 

We may not be able to find a suitable target business and consummate an initial business combination within the completion window. Our ability to complete our initial business combination may be negatively impacted by general market conditions, volatility in the capital and debt markets and the other risks described herein. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow both in the United States and globally and, while the extent of the impact of the pandemic on us will depend on future developments, it could limit our ability to complete our initial business combination, including as a result of increased market volatility, decreased market liquidity and third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic may negatively impact businesses we may seek to acquire. If we have not consummated an initial business combination within such applicable time period, 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, 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 and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any); 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. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that, if a resolution of our shareholders is passed pursuant to the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands to commence the voluntary liquidation of our company, we will follow the foregoing procedures with respect to the liquidation of the trust account as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to applicable Cayman Islands law. In either such case, our public shareholders may receive only $10.00 per public share, or less than $10.00 per public share, on the redemption of their shares. See “—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 shareholders may be less than $10.00 per public share” and other risk factors herein.

 

If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates may elect to purchase public shares, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares.

 

If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase public shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. However, other than as expressly stated herein, 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 public shares in such transactions.

 

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In the event that our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares. The purpose of any such transaction could be to (1) vote in favor of the business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination or (2) 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 our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares 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. 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. See “Initial Business Combination Criteria—Permitted Purchases and Other Transactions with Respect to Our Securities” for a description of how our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates will select which shareholders to purchase securities from in any private transaction.

 

If a shareholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed.

 

We will comply with the proxy rules or tender offer rules, as applicable, when conducting redemptions in connection with our initial business combination. Despite our compliance with these rules, if a shareholder fails to receive our proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, such shareholder may not become aware of the opportunity to redeem its shares. In addition, the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will describe the various procedures that must be complied with in order to validly redeem or tender public shares. In the event that a shareholder fails to comply with these procedures, its shares may not be redeemed. See “Initial Business Combination Criteria—Effecting Our Initial Business Combination—Tendering Share Certificates in Connection with a Tender Offer or Redemption Rights.”

 

You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. Therefore, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares, potentially at a loss.

 

Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earlier to occur of: (i) our completion of an initial business combination, and then only in connection with those Class A ordinary shares that such shareholder properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares or pre-initial business activity, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we have not consummated an initial business within the completion window, subject to applicable law and as further described herein. Public shareholders who redeem their Class A ordinary shares in connection with a shareholder vote described in clause (ii) in the preceding sentence shall not be entitled to funds from the trust account upon the subsequent completion of an initial business combination or liquidation if we have not consummated an initial business combination within the completion window, with respect to such Class A ordinary shares so redeemed. In no other circumstances will a shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. Accordingly, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares, potentially at a loss.

 

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The NYSE may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.

 

We have applied to have our public shares listed on the NYSE on the date of this prospectus. Although after giving effect to this offering we expect to meet, on a pro forma basis, the minimum initial listing standards set forth in the NYSE’s listing standards, our securities may not be, or may not continue to be, listed on the NYSE in the future or prior to the completion of our initial business combination. In order to continue listing our securities on the NYSE prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we must maintain certain financial, distribution and share price levels. Generally, we must maintain a minimum level of global market capitalization (generally $50,000,000) and a minimum number of holders of our securities (generally 300 public holders). Additionally, after completion of our initial business combination we will be required to demonstrate compliance with the NYSE’s initial listing requirements, which are more rigorous than the NYSE’s continued listing requirements, in order to continue to maintain the listing of our securities on the NYSE. For instance, the share price of our securities would generally be required to be at least $4.00 per share, global market capitalization of at least $150,000,000, and a market value of our publicly-held shares of at least $40,000,000, as well as meeting the NYSE’s initial listing standards for companies other than blank check companies. We may not be able to meet those listing requirements at that time.

 

If the NYSE delists our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our securities on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:

 

•

a limited availability of market quotations for our securities;

 

•

reduced liquidity for our securities;

 

•

a determination that our Class A ordinary shares are a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A ordinary shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities;

 

•

a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and

 

•

a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.

 

The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because we expect that our Class A ordinary shares will be listed on the NYSE, our Class A ordinary shares will qualify as covered securities under the statute. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of covered securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. While we are not aware of a state having used these powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of securities issued by blank check companies, other than the State of Idaho, certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if we were no longer listed on the NYSE, our securities would not qualify as covered securities under the statute and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities.

 

You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in blank check companies subject to Rule 419 of the Exchange Act.

 

Since the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares are intended to be used to complete an initial business combination with a target business that has not been selected, we may be deemed to be a “blank check” company under the U.S. securities laws. Because we will have net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,000 upon the completion of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares and will file a Current Report on Form 8-K, including an audited balance sheet demonstrating this fact, we are exempt from

 

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rules promulgated by the SEC to protect investors in blank check companies, such as Rule 419. Accordingly, investors will not be afforded the benefits or protections of those rules. Among other things, this means our Class A ordinary shares will be immediately tradable and we will have a longer period of time to complete our initial business combination than do companies subject to Rule 419. In addition, if this offering were subject to Rule 419, we would be prohibited from the release of any interest earned on funds held in the trust account to us, including in connection with the payment of any taxes, unless and until the funds in the trust account were released to us in connection with our completion of an initial business combination. For a more detailed comparison of our offering to offerings that comply with Rule 419, please see “Initial Business Combination Criteria—Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419.”

 

If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares.

 

If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides 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 seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares,” without our prior consent. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Your inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce your influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, you will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. As a result, you would continue to hold the Excess Shares and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell your shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.

 

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 do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account.

 

We expect to encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including private investors (which may be individuals or investment partnerships), other blank check companies and other entities, domestic and international, competing for the types of businesses we intend to acquire. Many of these individuals and entities are well established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources or more local industry knowledge than we do and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there are numerous target businesses we could potentially acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses that are sizable will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, we are obligated to offer holders of our public shares the right to redeem their shares for cash at the time of our initial business combination in conjunction with a shareholder vote or via a tender offer. Target companies will be aware that this may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination. Any of these obligations may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating a business combination. If we have not consummated our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on

 

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the liquidation of our trust account. See “—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 shareholders may be less than $10.00 per public share” and other risk factors herein.

 

If the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares not being held in the trust account are insufficient to allow us to operate for the 24 months (or 30 months) following the closing of this offering, 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 founding team to fund our search and to complete our initial business combination.

 

Of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares, $850,000 will be available to us initially outside the trust account to fund our working capital requirements. We believe that, upon the closing of this offering, the funds available to us outside of the trust account, together with funds available from loans from our sponsor, members of our founding team or any of their affiliates will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the duration of the completion window; however, our estimate may not be accurate, and our sponsor, members of our founding team or any of their affiliates are under no obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Of the funds available to us, we expect to use to pay fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business. We could also use a portion of the funds as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision in letters of intent designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies or investors on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into a letter of intent where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business and were subsequently required to forfeit such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise), we might not have sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conduct due diligence with respect to, a target business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share on the liquidation of our trust account. In certain circumstances, shareholders may receive less than $10.00 per share upon our liquidation. See “— 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 shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors below.

 

In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $3,150,000, we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, unless funded by the proceeds of loans available from our sponsor, members of our founding team or any of their affiliates, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $3,150,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount. The amount held in the trust account will not be impacted as a result of such increase or decrease. If we are required to seek additional capital, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor, members of our founding team or any of their affiliates or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. Neither our sponsor, members of our founding team nor any of their affiliates is under any obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Any such advances may be repaid only from funds held outside the trust account or from funds released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into shares of the post-business combination entity at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender. Such shares would be identical to the private placement shares. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor, members of our founding team or any of their affiliates as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. Consequently, our public shareholders may only receive an estimated $10.00 per public share, or possibly less, upon our redemption of public shares. See “—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the

 

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trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per public share” and other risk factors herein.

 

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 share price of our securities, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.

 

Even if we conduct due diligence on a target business with which we combine, this diligence may not surface all material issues with a particular target business. In addition, factors outside of the target business and outside of our control may later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining post-combination debt financing. Accordingly, any holders who choose to retain their securities following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities.

 

Such holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.

 

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 shareholders may be less than $10.00 per public share.

 

Our placing of funds in the trust account may not protect those funds from third party claims against us. Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (excluding 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, such parties may not execute such agreements, or even if they execute such agreements, they may not 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 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 founders 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 our founding team believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. Making such a request of potential target businesses may make our acquisition proposal less attractive to them and, to the extent prospective target businesses refuse to execute such a waiver, it may limit the field of potential target businesses that we might pursue.

 

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 our founding team to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where our founding team is 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

 

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any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we have not consummated an initial business combination within the completion window, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may be brought against us within the 10 years following redemption. Accordingly, the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders could be less than the $10.00 per public share initially held in the trust account, due to claims of such creditors. Pursuant to the letter agreement the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party (excluding our independent registered public accounting firm) for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amounts in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account if less than $10.00 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest that may be withdrawn to pay our tax obligations, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims.

 

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. Our sponsor may not 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.

 

Since only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors, upon the listing of our shares on the NYSE, the NYSE may consider us to be a ‘controlled company’ within the meaning of the NYSE rules and, as a result, we may qualify for exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements.

 

After completion of this offering, prior to our initial business combination only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. As a result, the NYSE may consider us to be a ‘controlled company’ within the meaning of the NYSE corporate governance standards. Under the NYSE corporate governance standards, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a ‘controlled company’ and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including the requirements that:

 

•

we have a board that includes a majority of ‘independent directors,’ as defined under the rules of the NYSE;

 

•

we have a compensation committee of our board that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities; and

 

•

we have a nominating and corporate governance committee of our board that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities.

 

We do not intend to utilize these exemptions and intend to comply with the corporate governance requirements of the NYSE applicable to non-controlled companies, subject to applicable phase-in rules. However, if we determine in the future to utilize some or all of these exemptions, you will not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the NYSE corporate governance requirements.

 

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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.

 

In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account if less than $10.00 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest that may be withdrawn to pay our tax obligations, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its 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 and subject to their fiduciary duties may choose not to do so in any particular instance. If our independent directors choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders may be reduced below $10.00 per public share.

 

The securities in which we invest the funds held in the trust account could bear a negative rate of interest, which could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share.

 

The proceeds held in the trust account will 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, which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. 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 have 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. Provided that we do not complete our initial business combination or make certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, 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 taxes paid or payable (less, in the case we are unable to complete our initial business combination, $100,000 of interest). Negative interest rates could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share.

 

We may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our directors and officers.

 

We have agreed to indemnify our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law. However, our officers and directors have agreed, and any persons who may become officers or directors prior to the initial business combination will agree, to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account and to not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever. Accordingly, any indemnification provided will be able to be satisfied by us only if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination. Our obligation to indemnify our officers and directors may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

 

If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a bankruptcy or insolvency 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 our creditors, thereby exposing the members of our board of directors and us to claims of punitive damages.

 

If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed,

 

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any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy or insolvency court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. In addition, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or having acted in bad faith, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors.

 

If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding-up 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 shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.

 

If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.

 

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 are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including:

 

•

restrictions on the nature of our investments; and

 

•

restrictions on the issuance of securities, each of which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.

 

In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including:

 

•

registration as an investment company with the SEC;

 

•

adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and

 

•

reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations that we are currently not subject to.

 

In order not to be regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, unless we can qualify for an exclusion, we must ensure that we are engaged primarily in a business other than investing, reinvesting or trading of securities and that our activities do not include investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading “investment securities” constituting more than 40% of our assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. Our business will be to identify and complete a business combination and thereafter to operate the post-business combination business or assets for the long term. We do not plan to buy businesses or assets with a view to resale or profit from their resale. We do not plan to buy unrelated businesses or assets or to be a passive investor.

 

We do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act. To this end, the proceeds held in the trust account may only be invested in U.S. “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company

 

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Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Pursuant to the trust agreement, the trustee is not permitted to invest in other securities or assets. By restricting the investment of the proceeds to these instruments, and by having a business plan targeted at acquiring and growing businesses for the long term (rather than on buying and selling businesses in the manner of a merchant bank or private equity fund), we intend to avoid being deemed an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act. This offering is not intended for persons who are seeking a return on investments in government securities or investment securities. The trust account is intended as a holding place for funds pending the earliest to occur of either: (i) the completion of our initial business combination; (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window 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, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we have not consummated an initial business within the completion window, subject to applicable law and as further described herein. If we do not invest the proceeds as discussed above, we may be deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act. If we were deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act, compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expenses for which we have not allotted funds and may hinder our ability to complete a business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account.

 

Changes in laws or regulations, 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.

 

We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we will be required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.

 

If we do not consummate an initial business combination within the completion window, our public shareholders may be forced to wait beyond such period before redemption from our trust account.

 

If we do not consummate an initial business combination within the completion window, the proceeds then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares, as further described herein. Any redemption of public shareholders from the trust account will be effected automatically pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior to any voluntary winding up. If we are required to wind up, liquidate the trust account and distribute such amount therein, pro rata, to our public shareholders, as part of any liquidation process, such winding up, liquidation and distribution must comply with the applicable provisions of the Companies Act. In that case, investors may be forced to wait beyond the 24-month or 30-month completion window before the redemption proceeds of our trust account become available to them, and they receive the return of their pro rata portion of the proceeds from our trust account. We have no obligation to return funds to investors prior to the date of our redemption or liquidation unless, prior thereto, we consummate our initial business combination or amend certain provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, and only then in cases where investors have sought to redeem their Class A ordinary shares. Only upon our redemption or any liquidation will public shareholders be entitled to distributions if we do not complete

 

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our initial business combination and do not amend certain provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that, if a resolution of our shareholders is passed pursuant to the Companies Act to commence the voluntary liquidation of our company, we will follow the foregoing procedures with respect to the liquidation of the trust account as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to applicable Cayman Islands law.

 

Our shareholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their shares.

 

If we are forced to enter into an insolvent liquidation, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed as an unlawful payment if it was proved that immediately following the date on which the distribution was made, we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. As a result, a liquidator could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to us or our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, thereby exposing themselves and our company to claims, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. Claims may be brought against us for these reasons. We and our directors and officers who knowingly and willfully authorized or permitted any distribution to be paid out of our share premium account while we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business would be guilty of an offense and may be liable for a fine of up to approximately $18,000 and imprisonment for five years in the Cayman Islands.

 

We may not hold an annual general meeting until after the consummation of our initial business combination.

 

In accordance with the NYSE’s corporate governance requirements and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, we are not required to hold an annual general meeting until one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on the NYSE. As an exempted company, there is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or extraordinary general meetings to appoint directors. Until we hold an annual general meeting, public shareholders may not be afforded the opportunity to discuss company affairs with our founding team (and until our initial business combination, public shareholders will have no ability to vote on the appointment of directors).

 

Holders of Class A ordinary shares and private placement shares will not be entitled to vote on any appointment of directors we hold prior to the completion of our initial business combination.

 

Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of our public shares and private placement shares will not be entitled to vote on the appointment of directors during such time. This provision of our amended and restated articles of incorporation may be amended only by special resolution requiring the approval of 90% of the ordinary shares present and voting at a general meeting. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason. Accordingly, you may not have any say in the management of our company prior to the consummation of an initial business combination.

 

The grant of registration rights to our initial shareholders 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.

 

Pursuant to an agreement to be entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in this offering, our initial shareholders, and their permitted transferees can demand that we register the Class A ordinary shares into which founder shares are convertible, the private placement shares, and the Class A ordinary shares that

 

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may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude. This is because the shareholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our securities that is expected when the securities owned by our initial shareholders or their permitted transferees are registered for resale.

 

Because we are neither limited to evaluating a target business in a particular industry sector nor have we selected any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations.

 

We may pursue business combination opportunities in any sector, except that we will not, under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination solely with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations. Because we have not yet selected or approached any specific target business with respect to a business combination, there is no basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition or prospects. To the extent we complete our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable or a development stage entity. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. An investment in our securities may not ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in a business combination target. Accordingly, any holders who choose to retain their securities following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.

 

We may seek acquisition opportunities in industries or sectors which may be outside of our founders’ area of expertise.

 

We will consider a business combination outside of our founders’ area of expertise if a business combination target is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive acquisition opportunity for our company. Although our founding team will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in any particular business combination target, we may not adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our securities will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to investors in this offering than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in a business combination target. In the event we elect to pursue an acquisition outside of the areas of our founders’ expertise, our founders’ expertise may not be directly applicable to its evaluation or operation, and the information contained in this prospectus regarding the areas of our founders’ expertise would not be relevant to an understanding of the business that we elect to acquire. As a result, our founding team may not be able to adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. Accordingly, any holders who choose to retain their securities following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation

 

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or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.

 

Although we have identified general criteria 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 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.

 

Although we have identified general criteria for evaluating prospective target businesses, it is possible that a target business with which we enter into our initial business combination will not have all of these positive attributes. If we complete our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these criteria, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria. In addition, if we announce a prospective business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria, a greater number of shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if shareholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange rule, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain shareholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account.

 

We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent accounting or investment banking firm, and consequently, you 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.

 

Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent accounting firm or independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA that the price we are paying is fair to our shareholders from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our shareholders will be relying on the judgment of our board of directors, who will determine fair market value based on standards generally accepted by the financial community. Such standards used will be disclosed in our proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.

 

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 in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.

 

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will authorize the issuance of up to 500,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and 1,000,000 preference shares, par value $0.0001 per share. Immediately after this offering, there will be 407,800,000 and 27,500,000 (assuming in each case that the underwriters have not exercised their over-allotment option) authorized but unissued Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares, respectively, available for issuance, which amount includes shares issuable upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares. The Class B ordinary shares are automatically convertible into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination as described herein and in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Immediately after this offering, there will be no preference shares issued and outstanding.

 

We may issue a substantial number of 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

 

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combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of completion of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions as set forth herein. However, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides, among other things, that prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we may not issue additional shares that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account or (ii) vote on any initial business combination or on any other proposal presented to shareholders prior to or in connection with the completion of an initial business combination. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, like all provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, may be amended with a shareholder vote. The issuance of additional ordinary or preference shares:

 

•

may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering, which dilution would increase if the anti-dilution provisions in the Class B ordinary shares resulted in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares;

 

•

may subordinate the rights of holders of Class A ordinary shares if preference shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our Class A ordinary shares;

 

•

could cause a change in control if a substantial number of our Class A ordinary shares are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors;

 

•

may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; and

 

•

may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our Class A ordinary shares.

 

Our initial shareholders may receive additional Class A ordinary shares if we issue shares to consummate an initial business combination.

 

The founder shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares immediately following the consummation of our initial business combination at a ratio such that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all founder shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of (i) the total number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon completion of this offering, plus (ii) the sum of the total number of Class A ordinary shares issued or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or rights issued or deemed issued, by us in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the initial business combination, excluding any Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities exercisable for or convertible into Class A ordinary shares issued, deemed issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination and any shares issued to our sponsor, members of our founding team or any of their affiliates upon conversion of working capital loans. In no event will the Class B ordinary shares convert into Class A ordinary shares at a rate of less than one to one.

 

Resources could be wasted in researching acquisitions that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account.

 

We anticipate that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys and others. If we decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to complete our initial business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred which could materially adversely

 

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affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account.

 

We may be a passive foreign investment company, or “PFIC,” which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors.

 

If we are a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. Holder (as defined in the section of this prospectus captioned “Taxation—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—U.S. Holders”) of our Class A ordinary shares, the U.S. Holder may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences and may be subject to additional reporting requirements. Our PFIC status for our current and subsequent taxable years may depend on whether we qualify for the PFIC start-up exception (see the section of this prospectus captioned “Taxation—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—U.S. Holders—Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules”). Depending on the particular circumstances, the application of the start-up exception may be subject to uncertainty, and there cannot be any assurance that we will qualify for the start-up exception. Accordingly, there can be no assurances with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any subsequent taxable year. Moreover, our actual PFIC status for any taxable year will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year. If we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year, upon written request, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. Holder such information as the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) may require, including a PFIC annual information statement, in order to enable the U.S. Holder to make and maintain a “qualified electing fund” (“QEF”) election, but there can be no assurance that we will timely provide such required information. We urge U.S. investors to consult their tax advisors regarding the possible application of the PFIC rules. For a more detailed discussion of the tax consequences of PFIC classification to U.S. Holders, see the section of this prospectus captioned “Taxation—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—U.S. Holders—Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules.”

 

We may reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination and such reincorporation may result in taxes imposed on shareholders.

 

We may, in connection with our initial business combination and subject to requisite shareholder approval under the Companies Act, reincorporate in the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located or in another jurisdiction. The transaction may require a shareholder to recognize taxable income in the jurisdiction in which the shareholder is a tax resident or in which its members are resident if it is a tax transparent entity. We do not intend to make any cash distributions to shareholders to pay such taxes. Shareholders may be subject to withholding taxes or other taxes with respect to their ownership of us after the reincorporation.

 

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 investors may not be able to enforce federal securities laws or their other legal rights.

 

It is possible that after our initial business combination, a majority of our directors and officers will reside outside of the United States and all of our assets will be located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult, or in some cases not possible, for investors in the United States to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon all of our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of U.S. courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties on our directors and officers under U.S. laws.

 

In particular, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands or any other applicable jurisdictions would recognize and enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States or entertain original actions brought in the Cayman Islands or any other applicable jurisdiction’s courts against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.

 

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For a more detailed discussion, see the section of this prospectus captioned “Description of Securities—Certain Differences in Corporate Law.”

 

We are dependent upon our executive officers and directors and their loss could adversely affect our ability to operate.

 

Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our executive officers and directors. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our officers and directors, at least until we have completed our initial business combination. In addition, our executive officers and directors are not required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs and, accordingly, will have conflicts of interest in allocating their time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. We do not have an employment agreement with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our directors or executive officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or executive officers could have a detrimental effect on us.

 

Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be totally dependent upon the efforts of key personnel, some of whom may not join or remain with us following our initial business combination. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.

 

Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel. The role of our key personnel in the target business, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of our key personnel may remain with the target business in senior management or advisory positions following our initial business combination, it is likely that some or all of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we engage after our initial business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a company regulated by the SEC, which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements.

 

In addition, the officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The departure of a business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business. The role of an acquisition candidate’s key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at his time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an acquisition candidate’s management team will remain associated with the acquisition candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an acquisition candidate will not wish to remain in place. 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 key personnel may be able to remain with our company after the completion of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to us after the completion of the business combination. Such negotiations also could make such key personnel’s retention or resignation a condition to any such agreement. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business.

 

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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.

 

When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business’s management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target business’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target business’s management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, any holders who choose to retain their securities following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.

 

Our executive officers and directors will 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.

 

Our executive officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our executive officers is engaged in several other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation, and our executive officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. Our independent directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities. If our executive officers’ and directors’ other business affairs require them to devote substantial amounts of time to such affairs in excess of their current commitment levels, it could limit their ability to devote time to our affairs which may have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination. For a complete discussion of our executive officers’ and directors’ other business affairs, please see “Management—Officers, Directors and Director Nominees.”

 

Our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities, including another blank check company, and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.

 

Following the completion of this offering and until we consummate our initial business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses. Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have, additional fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us.

 

In addition, our founders and our directors and officers expect in the future to become affiliated with other public blank check companies that may have acquisition objectives that are similar to ours. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to such other blank check companies, prior to its presentation to us. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer 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 may be a corporate opportunity offered for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other.

 

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For a complete discussion of our executive officers’ and directors’ business affiliations and the potential conflicts of interest that you should be aware of, please see “Management—Officers, Directors and Director Nominees,” “Management—Conflicts of Interest” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”

 

Our executive officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates have competitive pecuniary interests that may conflict with our interests.

 

We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, executive officers, security holders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In fact, we may enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or executive officers, although we do not intend to do so. Nor do we have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own account in business activities of the types conducted by us. Accordingly, such persons or entities may have a conflict between their interests and ours.

 

The personal and financial interests of our directors and officers may influence their motivation in timely identifying and selecting a target business and completing a business combination. Consequently, our directors’ and officers’ discretion in identifying and selecting a suitable target business may result in a conflict of interest when determining whether the terms, conditions and timing of a particular business combination are appropriate and in our best interests. If this were the case, and the directors fail to act in accordance with their fiduciary duties to us as a matter of Cayman Islands law, we may have a claim against such individuals. See the section titled “Description of Securities—Certain Differences in Corporate Law—Shareholders’ Suits” for further information on the ability to bring such claims. However, we might not ultimately be successful in any claim we may make against them for such reason.

 

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, executive officers, directors or initial shareholders which may raise potential conflicts of interest.

 

In light of the involvement of our sponsor, executive officers and directors with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, directors or initial shareholders. Our directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities, including, without limitation, those described under “Management—Conflicts of Interest.” Our sponsor and our officers and directors may sponsor or form other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Such entities may compete with us for business combination opportunities. Our sponsor, officers and directors are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to complete our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no substantive discussions concerning a business combination with any such entity or entities. Although we will not be specifically focusing on, or pursuing, any transaction with any affiliated entities, we would pursue such a transaction if we determined that such affiliated entity met our criteria for a business combination as set forth in “Initial Business Combination Criteria—Evaluation of a Target Business and Structuring of Our Initial Business Combination” and such transaction was approved by a majority of our independent and disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or an independent valuation or accounting firm regarding the fairness to our company from a financial point of view of a business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, directors or initial shareholders, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the business combination may not be as advantageous to our public shareholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest.

 

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Since our sponsor, executive officers and directors will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed (other than with respect to public shares they may acquire during or after this offering), a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.

 

As of the date of this offering, our initial shareholders hold 25,000,000 founder shares, for which they paid $25,000, or $0.001 per founder share. We initially issued 28,750,000 founder shares to our sponsor in exchange for its initial investment of $25,000. In connection with adjustments to the proposed size of this offering, on November 18, 2020, our sponsor surrendered 25,875,000 founder shares to us for no value, and on December 22, 2020, we effected a share capitalization resulting in an aggregate of 25,000,000 founder shares being outstanding and held by our sponsor. On January 6, 2021, our independent directors, Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé each purchased 75,000 founder shares from our sponsor at a price of $0.001 per founder share. Prior to the initial investment in our company of $25,000 by the sponsor, we had no assets, tangible or intangible. The per-share price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount contributed to our company by the number of founder shares issued. The founder shares will be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. In addition, our sponsor has committed, pursuant to a written agreement, to purchase 2,200,000 private placement shares (or 2,400,000 private placement shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at a price of $10.00 per share for an aggregate purchase price of $22,000,000 (or $24,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. If we do not consummate an initial business combination within the completion window, the private placement shares will expire worthless. The personal and financial interests of our executive officers and directors may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business combination, completing an initial business combination and influencing the operation of the business following the initial business combination. This risk may become more acute as the 24-month anniversary of this closing nears, which is the deadline for our entry into a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for our initial business combination, and as the 30-month anniversary of the closing of this offering nears, which is the deadline for the consummation of our initial business combination.

 

We may issue notes or other debt, 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.

 

Although we have no commitments as of the date of this prospectus to issue any notes or other debt, or to otherwise incur debt following this offering, we may choose to incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We and our officers have agreed that we will not incur any indebtedness unless we have obtained from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to the monies held in the trust account. As such, no issuance of debt will affect the per share amount available for redemption from the trust account.

 

Nevertheless, the incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including:

 

•

default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations;

 

•

acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant;

 

•

our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt is payable on demand;

 

•

our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt is outstanding;

 

•

our inability to pay dividends on our Class A ordinary shares;

 

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•

using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our Class A ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;

 

•

limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate;

 

•

increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and

 

•

limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt.

 

We may only be able to complete one business combination with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of products or services. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operations and profitability.

 

The net proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement shares, after an estimated $3,150,000 in expenses and $18,000,000 in underwriting cash fees (or $20,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) and before $31,500,000 in deferred underwriting commissions being held in the trust account (or $35,000,000 in deferred underwriting expenses if the over-allotment option is exercised in full), will provide us with up to $900,850,000 (or $1,000,850,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) that we may use to complete our initial business combination.

 

We may effectuate our initial business combination with a single target business or multiple target businesses simultaneously or within a short period of time. However, we may not be able to effectuate our initial business combination with more than one target business because of various factors, including the existence of complex accounting issues and the requirement that we prepare and file pro forma financial statements with the SEC that present operating results and the financial condition of several target businesses as if they had been operated on a combined basis. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:

 

•

solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset; or

 

•

dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services.

 

This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our 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.

 

If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses that are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete our initial business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks,

 

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including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.

 

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.

 

In pursuing our acquisition strategy, we may seek to effectuate our initial business combination with a privately held company. Very little public information generally exists about private companies, and we could be required to make our decision on whether to pursue a potential initial business combination on the basis of limited information, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.

 

Our founding team may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination. Upon the loss of control of a target business, new management may not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business.

 

We may structure our initial business combination so that the post-business combination company in which our public shareholders own shares will own less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-business combination company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business sufficient for us not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We will not consider any transaction that does not meet such criteria. Even if the post-business combination company owns 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the completion of our initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new Class A ordinary 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% interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new Class A ordinary shares, our shareholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority shareholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger share of the post-business combination company’s shares than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that our founding team will not be able to maintain control of the target business.

 

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 seek business combination opportunities with large, highly complex companies that we believe would benefit from operational improvements. While we intend to implement such improvements, to the extent that our efforts are delayed or we are unable to achieve the desired improvements, the business combination may not be as successful as we anticipate.

 

To the extent we complete our initial business combination with a large complex business or entity with a complex operating structure, we may also be affected by numerous risks inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine, which could delay or prevent us from implementing our strategy. Although our founding team will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business and its operations, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors until we complete our business combination. If we are not able to achieve our desired operational improvements, or the improvements take longer to implement than anticipated, we may not achieve the gains that we anticipate. Furthermore, some of

 

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these risks and complexities may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks and complexities will adversely impact a target business. Such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a smaller, less complex organization.

 

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 with which a substantial majority of our shareholders do not agree.

 

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will not provide a specified maximum redemption threshold, except that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 (so that we do not then become subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules). As a result, we may be able to complete our initial business combination even though a substantial majority of our public shareholders do not agree with the transaction and have redeemed their shares or, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, have entered into privately negotiated agreements to sell their shares to our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or any of their affiliates. 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, all Class A ordinary shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination.

 

We may seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support.

 

In order to effectuate a business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and governing instruments. For example, blank check companies have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds and extended the time to consummate a business combination. Amending our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will require at least a special resolution of our shareholders as a matter of Cayman Islands law, meaning the approval of holders of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting of our company (except for an amendment to the provision that only directors may only be appointed by the holders of the founder shares prior to our initial business combination, which would require the approval of holders of at least 90% of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting of our company). In addition, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will require us to provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash if we propose an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window 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. To the extent any of such amendments would be deemed to fundamentally change the nature of any of the securities offered through this registration statement, we would register, or seek an exemption from registration for, the affected securities.

 

The provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that relate to our pre-business combination activity (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account) may be amended with the approval of a special resolution which requires the approval of the holders of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting of our company, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other blank check

 

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companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support.

 

Some other blank check companies have a provision in their charter which prohibits the amendment of certain of its provisions, including those which relate to a company’s pre-business combination activity, without approval by a certain percentage of the company’s shareholders. In those companies, amendment of these provisions typically requires approval by between 90% and 100% of the company’s shareholders. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that any of its provisions related to pre-business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances, and to provide redemption rights to public shareholders as described herein) may be amended if approved by special resolution, meaning holders of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting of our company (except with respect to amendments to the provisions governing the appointment or removal of directors prior to our initial business combination, which may only be amended by a special resolution passed by holders representing at least 90% of our ordinary shares present and voting on such matter), and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of at least 65% of our ordinary shares present and voting on such matter. Our initial shareholders, and their permitted transferees, if any, who will collectively beneficially own 20% of our ordinary shares upon the closing of this offering (excluding the private placement shares), will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which govern our pre-business combination behavior more easily than some other blank check companies, and this may increase our ability to complete a business combination with which you do not agree. Our shareholders may pursue remedies against us for any breach of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.

 

Our sponsor, executive officers, directors and director nominees have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window 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; 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 and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares. Our shareholders are not parties to, or third-party beneficiaries of, this agreement and, as a result, will not have the ability to pursue remedies against our sponsor, executive officers, directors or director nominees for any breach of this agreement. As a result, in the event of a breach, our shareholders would need to pursue a shareholder derivative action, subject to applicable law.

 

Certain agreements related to this offering may be amended without shareholder approval.

 

Certain agreements related to this offering may be amended without shareholder approval. Each of the agreements related to this offering to which we are a party, other than the investment management trust agreement, may be amended without shareholder approval. Such agreements are: the underwriting agreement; the letter agreement among us and our sponsor, officers, directors and director nominees; the registration rights agreement between us, our sponsor, and our independent directors; and the promissory note between us and our sponsor. These agreements contain various provisions that our public shareholders might deem to be material. For example, certain of these agreements contain certain lock-up and transfer restriction provisions with respect to our Class B ordinary shares and certain other securities held by our sponsor, officers and directors.

 

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Amendments to such agreements would require the consent of the applicable parties thereto and would need to be approved by our board of directors, which may do so for a variety of reasons, including to facilitate our initial business combination. While we do not expect our board of directors to approve any amendment to any of these agreements prior to our initial business combination, it is possible that our board of directors, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, may choose to approve one or more amendments to any such agreement. Any amendment entered into in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination will be disclosed in our proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, related to such initial business combination, and any other material amendment to any of our material agreements will be disclosed in a filing with the SEC. Any such amendments would not require approval from our shareholders, may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible, and may have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in our securities. For example, amendments to the lock-up provision discussed above may result in our certain shareholders selling their securities earlier than they would otherwise be permitted, which may have an adverse effect on the price of our securities.

 

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. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account.

 

Although we believe that the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares will be sufficient to allow us to complete our initial business combination, because we have not yet selected any prospective target business we cannot ascertain the capital requirements for any particular transaction. If the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares prove to be insufficient, either because of the size of our initial business combination, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, the obligation to redeem for cash a significant number of shares from shareholders who elect redemption in connection with our initial business combination or the terms of negotiated transactions to purchase shares in connection with our initial business combination, we may be required to seek additional financing or to abandon the proposed business combination. Such financing may not be available on acceptable terms, if at all. The current economic environment may make difficult for companies to obtain acquisition financing. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to complete our initial business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to complete our initial business combination, we may require such financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our officers, directors or shareholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after our initial business combination.

 

Our initial shareholders own a substantial interest in us and thus may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.

 

Upon the closing of this offering, our initial shareholders will own 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the private placement shares). Accordingly, they may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. If our initial shareholders purchase any public shares in this offering or if our initial shareholders purchase any additional Class A ordinary shares in the aftermarket or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase their control. Neither our sponsor nor, to our knowledge, any of our officers or directors, have any current intention to purchase additional securities, other than as disclosed in this prospectus. Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would

 

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include consideration of the current trading price of our Class A ordinary shares. We may not hold an annual general meeting to appoint new directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination, in which case all of the current directors may continue in office until at least the completion of the business combination. If there is an annual general meeting, our sponsor, because of its ownership position, will control the outcome, as only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors and to remove directors prior to our initial business combination. Accordingly, our sponsor will continue to exert control at least until the completion of our initial business combination. In addition, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor.

 

Our sponsor contributed $25,000, or approximately $0.001 per founder share that it owns as of the date of this prospectus, and, accordingly, you will experience immediate and substantial dilution from the purchase of our Class A ordinary shares.

 

The difference between the public offering price per share and the pro forma net tangible book value per Class A ordinary share after this offering constitutes the dilution to you and the other investors in this offering. Our sponsor acquired the founder shares at a nominal price, significantly contributing to this dilution. Upon the closing of this offering, and assuming no value is ascribed to the private placement shares, you and the other public shareholders will incur an immediate and substantial dilution of 98.2% (or $9.82 per share, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option), the difference between the pro forma net tangible book value per share of $0.18 and the initial offering price of $10.00 per share. This dilution would increase to the extent that the anti-dilution provisions of the founder shares result in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the founder shares at the time of our initial business combination. In addition, because of the anti-dilution protection in the founder shares, any equity or equity-linked securities issued in connection with our initial business combination would be disproportionately dilutive to our Class A ordinary shares.

 

The determination of the offering price of our shares and the size of this offering is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities and size of an offering of an operating company in a particular industry. You may have less assurance, therefore, that the offering price of our shares properly reflects the value of such shares than you would have in a typical offering of an operating company.

 

Before this offering there has been no public market for any of our securities. The public offering price of the Class A ordinary shares was negotiated between us and the underwriters. In determining the size of this offering, management held customary organizational meetings with the underwriters, both before our inception and thereafter, with respect to the state of capital markets, generally, and the amount the underwriters believed they reasonably could raise on our behalf. Factors considered in determining the size of this offering, prices and terms of the Class A ordinary shares, include:

 

•

the history and prospects of companies whose principal business is the acquisition of other companies;

 

•

prior offerings of those companies;

 

•

our prospects for acquiring an operating business at attractive values;

 

•

a review of debt-to-equity ratios in leveraged transactions;

 

•

our capital structure;

 

•

an assessment of our management and their experience in identifying operating companies;

 

•

general conditions of the securities markets at the time of this offering; and

 

•

other factors as were deemed relevant.

 

Although these factors were considered, the determination of our offering price is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities of an operating company in a particular industry since we have no historical operations or financial results.

 

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There is currently no market for our securities and a market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.

 

There is currently no market for our securities. Shareholders therefore have no access to information about prior market history on which to base their investment decision. Following this offering, the price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, an active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established and sustained.

 

Because we must furnish our shareholders with target business financial statements, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial business combination with some prospective target businesses.

 

The federal proxy rules require that a proxy statement with respect to a vote on our proposed business combination include historical and/or pro forma financial statement disclosure. We will include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with our tender offer documents, whether or not they are required under the tender offer rules. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, or international financial reporting standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), or 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 completion window.

 

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.

 

We are an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act, and we may 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 nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As a result, our shareholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if the market value of our Class A ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any June 30 before that time, in which case we would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the following December 31. We cannot predict whether investors will find our securities less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result of our reliance on these exemptions, the trading prices of our securities may be lower than they otherwise would be, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the trading prices of our securities may be more volatile.

 

Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act

 

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provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.

 

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 (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates is equal to or exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) 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 is equal to or exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30. To the extent we take advantage of such reduced disclosure obligations, it may also make comparison of our financial statements with other public companies difficult or impossible.

 

Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate a business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an acquisition.

 

Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2021. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. The fact that we are a blank check company makes compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act particularly burdensome on us as compared to other public companies because a target business with which we seek to complete our initial business combination may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of its internal controls. The development of the internal control of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition.

 

Because we are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, you may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal courts may be limited.

 

We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon our directors or executive officers, or enforce judgments obtained in the United States courts against our directors or officers.

 

Our corporate affairs and the rights of shareholders will be governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act (as the same may be supplemented or amended from time to time) and the common law of the Cayman Islands. We will also be subject to the federal securities laws of the United States. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from English common law, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are different from what they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the

 

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United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States, and certain states, such as Delaware, may have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholders derivative action in a Federal court of the United States. For a more detailed discussion of the principal differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and, for example, the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders, see the section of this prospectus captioned “Description of Securities—Certain Differences in Corporate Law.”

 

Shareholders of Cayman Islands exempted companies like our company have no general rights under Cayman Islands law to inspect corporate records or to obtain copies of the register of members of these companies. Our directors have discretion under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to determine whether or not, and under what conditions, our corporate records may be inspected by our shareholders, but are not obliged to make them available to our shareholders. This may make it more difficult for you to obtain the information needed to establish any facts necessary for a shareholder motion or to solicit proxies from other shareholders in connection with a proxy contest.

 

We have been advised by Maples and Calder, our Cayman Islands legal counsel, that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (i) to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum, and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.

 

As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by our founding team, members of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a U.S. company.

 

Provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association 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 our founding team.

 

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that shareholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions will include the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preference shares, and the fact that prior to the completion of our initial business combination only holders of our Class B ordinary shares, which have been issued to our sponsor, are entitled to vote on the appointment and removal of directors, which may make more difficult the removal of our founding team and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.

 

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Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.

 

We depend on digital technologies, including information systems, infrastructure and cloud applications and services, including those of third parties with which we may deal. Sophisticated and deliberate attacks on, or security breaches in, our systems or infrastructure, or the systems or infrastructure of third parties or the cloud, could lead to corruption or misappropriation of our assets, proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data. As an early stage company without significant investments in data security protection, we may not be sufficiently protected against such occurrences. We may not have sufficient resources to adequately protect against, or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to, cyber incidents. It is possible that any of these occurrences, or a combination of them, could have adverse consequences on our business and lead to financial loss.

 

Risks Associated with Acquiring and Operating a Business in Foreign Countries

 

If we pursue a target company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we may face additional burdens in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing such initial business combination, and if we effect such initial business combination, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.

 

If we pursue a target company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we would be subject to risks associated with cross-border business combinations, including in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing our initial business combination, conducting due diligence in a foreign jurisdiction, having such transaction approved by any local governments, regulators or agencies and changes in the purchase price based on fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.

 

If we effect our initial business combination with such a company, we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in an international setting, including any of the following:

 

•

costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations;

 

•

rules and regulations regarding currency redemption;

 

•

complex corporate withholding taxes;

 

•

laws governing the manner in which future business combinations may be effected;

 

•

exchange listing and/or delisting requirements;

 

•

tariffs and trade barriers;

 

•

regulations related to customs and import/export matters;

 

•

local or regional economic policies and market conditions;

 

•

unexpected changes in regulatory requirements;

 

•

longer payment cycles;

 

•

tax issues, such as tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to U.S. tax laws;

 

•

currency fluctuations and exchange controls;

 

•

rates of inflation;

 

•

challenges in collecting accounts receivable;

 

•

cultural and language differences;

 

•

employment regulations;

 

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•

underdeveloped or unpredictable legal or regulatory systems;

 

•

corruption;

 

•

protection of intellectual property;

 

•

social unrest, crime, strikes, riots and civil disturbances;

 

•

regime changes and political upheaval;

 

•

terrorist attacks, natural disasters and wars; and

 

•

deterioration of political relations with the United States.

 

We may not be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, we may be unable to complete such initial business combination, or, if we complete such combination, our operations might suffer, either of which may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

If our founding team following our initial business combination is unfamiliar with U.S. securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws, which could lead to various regulatory issues.

 

Following our initial business combination, our founding team may resign from their positions as officers or directors of our company, in which case the management of the target business at the time of the business combination would likely remain in place. Management of the target business may not be familiar with U.S. securities laws. If new management is unfamiliar with U.S. securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws. This could be expensive and time consuming and could lead to various regulatory issues which may adversely affect our operations.

 

After our initial business combination, substantially all of our assets may be located in a foreign country and substantially all of our revenue may 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 social conditions and government policies, developments and conditions in the country in which we operate.

 

The economic, political and social conditions, as well as government policies, of the country in which our operations are located could affect our business. Economic growth could be uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy and such growth may not be sustained in the future. If in the future such country’s economy experiences a downturn or grows at a slower rate than expected, there may be less demand for spending in certain industries. A decrease in demand for spending in certain industries could materially and adversely affect our ability to find an attractive target business with which to consummate our initial business combination and if we effect our initial business combination, the ability of that target business to become profitable.

 

Exchange rate fluctuations and currency policies may cause a target business’ ability to succeed in the international markets to be diminished.

 

In the event we acquire a non-U.S. target company, all revenues and income would likely be received in a foreign currency, and the dollar equivalent of our net assets and distributions, if any, could be adversely affected by reductions in the value of the local currency. The value of the currencies in our target regions fluctuate and are affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions. Any change in the relative value of such currency against our reporting currency may affect the attractiveness of any target business or, following consummation of our initial business combination, our financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, if a currency appreciates in value against the dollar prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, the cost of a target business as measured in dollars will increase, which may make it less likely that we are able to consummate such transaction.

 

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We may reincorporate in 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.

 

In connection with our initial business combination, we may relocate the home jurisdiction of our business from the Cayman Islands to another jurisdiction. If we determine to do this, the laws of such jurisdiction may govern some or all of our future material agreements. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the United States. The inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss of business, business opportunities or capital.

 

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.

 

We are subject to rules and regulations by various governing bodies, including, for example, the SEC, which are charged with the protection of investors and the oversight of companies whose securities are publicly traded, and to new and evolving regulatory measures under applicable law. Our efforts to comply with new and changing laws and regulations have resulted in and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from seeking a business combination target.

 

Moreover, because these laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance becomes available. This evolution may result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and additional costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to our disclosure and governance practices. If we fail to address and comply with these regulations and any subsequent changes, we may be subject to penalty and our business may be harmed.

 

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

Some of the statements contained in this prospectus may constitute “forward-looking statements” for purposes of the federal securities laws. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our founding team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus may include, for example, statements about:

 

•

our ability to select an appropriate target business or businesses;

 

•

our ability to complete our initial business combination;

 

•

our expectations around the performance of a prospective target business or businesses;

 

•

our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination;

 

•

our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination;

 

•

our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination;

 

•

our pool of prospective target businesses;

 

•

our ability to consummate an initial business combination due to the uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic;

 

•

the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential business combination opportunities;

 

•

our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading;

 

•

the lack of a market for our securities;

 

•

the use of proceeds not held in the trust account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance;

 

•

the trust account not being subject to claims of third parties; or

 

•

our financial performance following this offering.

 

The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will 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. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the heading “Risk Factors.” 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.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

 

We are offering 90,000,000 public shares at an offering price of $10.00 per share. We estimate that the net proceeds of this offering, together with the funds we will receive from the sale of the private placement shares, will be used as set forth in the following table.

 

		WITHOUT OVER-ALLOTMENT OPTION				OVER-ALLOTMENT OPTION EXERCISED
Gross Proceeds
Gross proceeds from shares offered to public(1)		$	900,000,000			$	1,000,000,000
Gross proceeds from sale of the private placement shares offered in a private placement to the sponsor			22,000,000				24,000,000
Total gross proceeds		$	922,000,000			$	1,024,000,000
Estimated Offering Expenses(2)
Underwriting commissions (2.0% of gross proceeds from shares offered to public, excluding deferred portion)(3)		$	18,000,000			$	20,000,000
Legal fees and expenses			1,000,000				1,000,000
Printing and engraving expenses			35,000				35,000
Accounting fees and expenses			30,000				30,000
SEC/FINRA Expenses			285,919				285,919
NYSE listing and filing fees			85,000				85,000
Director & Officer liability insurance premiums			1,700,000				1,700,000
Miscellaneous			14,081				14,081
Total estimated offering expenses (excluding underwriting commissions)		$	3,150,000			$	3,150,000
Proceeds after estimated offering expenses		$	900,850,000			$	1,000,850,000
Held in trust account(3)		$	900,000,000			$	1,000,000,000
% of public offering size			100	%			100	%
Not held in trust account		$	850,000			$	850,000

 

The following table shows the use of the $850,000 of net proceeds not held in the trust account.⁽⁴⁾⁽⁵⁾

 

		AMOUNT				% OF TOTAL
Legal, accounting, due diligence, travel, and other expenses in connection with any business combination(6)		$	225,000				26	%
Legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting obligations			125,000				15	%
Administrative and support services			300,000				35	%
NYSE continued listing fees			170,000				20	%
Other miscellaneous and administrative expenses			30,000				4	%
Total		$	850,000				100.0	%

 

(1)

Includes amounts payable to public shareholders who properly redeem their shares in connection with our successful completion of our initial business combination.

(2)

In addition, a portion of the offering expenses will be paid from the proceeds of loans from our sponsor of up to $400,000 as described in this prospectus. As of January 6, 2021, we have borrowed approximately $285,000 under the promissory note with our sponsor. These loans will be repaid out of the offering proceeds that have been allocated for the payment of offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions) and are not to be held in the trust account. In the event that offering expenses are less than set

 

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forth in this table, any such amounts will be used for post-closing working capital expenses. In the event that the offering expenses are more than as set forth in this table, we may fund such excess with funds not held in the trust account.

(3)

The underwriters have agreed to defer underwriting commissions of 3.5% of the gross proceeds of this offering. Upon and concurrently with the completion of our initial business combination, $31,500,000, which constitutes the underwriters’ deferred commissions (or $35,000,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be paid to the underwriters from the funds held in the trust account. See “Underwriting.” The remaining funds, less amounts released to the trustee to pay redeeming shareholders, will be released to us and can be used to pay all or a portion of the purchase price of the business or businesses with which our initial business combination occurs or for general corporate purposes, including payment of principal or interest on indebtedness incurred in connection with our initial business combination, to fund the purchases of other companies or for working capital. The underwriters will not be entitled to any interest accrued on the deferred underwriting discounts and commissions.

(4)

These expenses are estimates only. Our actual expenditures for some or all of these items may differ from the estimates set forth herein. For example, we may incur greater legal and accounting expenses than our current estimates in connection with negotiating and structuring our initial business combination based upon the level of complexity of such business combination. In the event we identify a business combination target in a specific industry subject to specific regulations, we may incur additional expenses associated with legal due diligence and the engagement of special legal counsel. In addition, our staffing needs may vary and as a result, we may engage a number of consultants to assist with legal and financial due diligence. We do not anticipate any change in our intended use of proceeds, other than fluctuations among the current categories of allocated expenses, which fluctuations, to the extent they exceed current estimates for any specific category of expenses, would not be available for our expenses. The amount in the table above does not include interest available to us from the trust account. The proceeds held in the trust account will 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 which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Assuming an interest rate of 0.01% per year, we estimate the interest earned on the trust account will be approximately $90,000 per year; however, we can provide no assurances regarding this amount.

(5)

Assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.

(6)

Includes estimated amounts that may also be used in connection with our initial business combination to fund a “no shop” provision and commitment fees for financing.

 

The rules of the NYSE and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement shares be deposited in a trust account. Of the $922,000,000 in proceeds we receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement shares described in this prospectus, or $1,024,000,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, $900,000,000, or $1,000,000,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full (in each case, $10.00 per share), will be deposited into a trust account located in the United States at Citibank, N.A., with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and $22,000,000, or up to $24,000,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, will be used to pay expenses in connection with the closing of this offering (including the portion of the underwriting commissions payable upon closing of this offering) and for working capital following this offering. We will not be permitted to withdraw any of the principal or interest held in the trust account, except with respect to any interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, until the earliest of (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of our public shares if we have not consummated an initial business combination within the completion window, subject to applicable law, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window or (B) with respect to any

 

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other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares or pre-initial business combination activity. Based on current interest rates, we expect that interest income earned on the trust account (if any) will be sufficient to pay our income taxes.

 

The net proceeds held in the trust account may be used as consideration to pay the sellers of a target business with which we ultimately complete our initial business combination. 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 initial business combination or used for redemptions of our Class A ordinary shares, we may apply the balance of the cash released from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-business combination company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital. There is no limitation on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination.

 

We believe that amounts not held in trust, together with funds available to us from loans from our sponsor, members of our founding team or any of their affiliates will be sufficient to pay the costs and expenses to which such proceeds are allocated. However, if our estimate of the costs of undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating a business combination is less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may be required to raise additional capital, the amount, availability and cost of which is currently unascertainable. If we are required to seek additional capital, we could seek such additional capital through loans or additional investments from our sponsor, members of our founding team or any of their affiliates, but such persons are not under any obligation to advance funds to, or invest in, us.

 

We will reimburse our sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our founding team, in the amount of $10,000 per month, beginning upon the closing of this offering. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.

 

Our sponsor has agreed to loan us up to $400,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. As of January 6, 2021, we have borrowed approximately $285,000 under the promissory note with our sponsor. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of March 31, 2021 or the closing of this offering. The loans will be repaid out of the offering proceeds that have been allocated to the payment of offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions) and are not to be held in the trust account.

 

In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we may repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. Otherwise, such loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the trust account. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used to repay such loaned amounts. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into shares of the post-business combination company at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender. Such shares would be identical to the private placement shares. Except as set forth above, the terms of such loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor, members of our founding team or any of their affiliates as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

 

We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of our initial business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to our initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time, and we will only pay such dividend out of our profits or share premium (subject to solvency requirements) as permitted under Cayman Islands law. If we increase the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or other appropriate mechanism immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain the number of founder shares, on an as-converted basis, at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering. Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with a business combination, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.

 

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DILUTION

 

The difference between the public offering price per Class A ordinary share and the pro forma net tangible book value per Class A ordinary share after this offering constitutes the dilution to investors in this offering. Net tangible book value per share is determined by dividing our net tangible book value, which is our total tangible assets less total liabilities (including the value of Class A ordinary shares which may be redeemed for cash), by the number of outstanding Class A ordinary shares.

 

At November 11, 2020, our net tangible book deficit was $(130,111), or approximately $(0.01) per ordinary share. After giving effect to the sale of 90,000,000 Class A ordinary shares we are offering by this prospectus (or 100,000,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), the sale of the private placement shares and the deduction of underwriting commissions and estimated expenses of this offering, our pro forma net tangible book value at November 11, 2020 would have been $5,000,009, or $0.18 per share (or $5,000,009, or $0.16 per share, if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), representing an immediate increase in net tangible book value (as decreased by the value of 86,436,988 Class A ordinary shares that may be redeemed for cash, or 96,086,988 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) of $0.19 per share (or $0.17 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) to our sponsor as of the date of this prospectus. Total dilution to public shareholders from this offering will be $9.82 per share (or $9.84 per share if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full).

 

The following table illustrates the dilution to the public shareholders on a per-share basis:

 

		Without Over- Allotment				With Over- Allotment
Public offering price		$	10.00			$	10.00
Net tangible book deficit before this offering			(0.01	)			(0.01	)
Increase attributable to public shareholders			0.19				0.17
Pro forma net tangible book value after this offering and the sale of the private placement shares			0.18				0.16
Dilution to public shareholders		$	9.82			$	9.84
Percentage of dilution to public shareholders			98.2	%			98.4	%

 

For purposes of presentation, we have reduced our pro forma net tangible book value after this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) by $864,369,880 because holders of up to approximately 96.0% of our public shares may redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account at a per share redemption price equal to the amount in the trust account as set forth in our tender offer or proxy materials (initially anticipated to be the aggregate amount held in trust two business days prior to the commencement of our tender offer or shareholders meeting, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares).

 

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The following table sets forth information with respect to our initial shareholders, who hold our Class B ordinary shares and private placement shares, and the public shareholders:

 

		Shares Purchased								Total Consideration								Average Price Per Share
		Number				Percentage				Amount				Percentage
Class B Ordinary Shares(1)			22,500,000				19.6	%		$	25,000				0.003	%		$	0.001
Private Placement Shares			2,200,000				1.9	%		$	22,000,000				2.386	%		$	10.00
Public Shareholders			90,000,000				78.5	%		$	900,000,000				97.611	%		$	10.00
			114,700,000				100.0	%		$	922,025,000				100.00	%

 

(1)

Assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and the corresponding forfeiture of 2,500,000 Class B ordinary shares held by our sponsor.

 

The pro forma net tangible book value per share after this offering is calculated as follows:

 

		Without Over- Allotment				With Over- Allotment
Numerator:
Net tangible book deficit before this offering		$	(130,111	)		$	(130,111	)
Net proceeds from this offering and sale of the private placement shares(1)			900,850,000				1,000,850,000
Plus: Offering costs accrued or paid in advance, excluded from tangible book value			150,000				150,000
Less: Deferred underwriting commissions			(31,500,000	)			(35,000,000	)
Less: Proceeds held in trust subject to redemption(2)			(864,369,880	)			(960,869,880	)
		$	5,000,009			$	5,000,009
Denominator:
Ordinary shares outstanding prior to this offering			25,000,000				25,000,000
Ordinary shares forfeited if over-allotment is not exercised			(2,500,000	)			—
Ordinary shares included offered to public			90,000,000				100,000,000
Private placement shares offered			2,200,000				2,400,000
Less: Ordinary shares subject to redemption			(86,436,988	)			(96,086,988	)
			28,263,012				31,313,012

 

(1)

Expenses applied against gross proceeds include offering expenses of $3,150,000 and underwriting commissions of $18,000,000, or $20,000,000 if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option (excluding deferred underwriting fees). See “Use of Proceeds.”

(2)

If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase public shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. In the event of any such purchases of our shares prior to the completion of our initial business combination, the number of Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption will be reduced by the amount of any such purchases, increasing the pro forma net tangible book value per share. See “Initial Business Combination Criteria—Permitted Purchases and Other Transactions with Respect to Our Securities.”

 

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CAPITALIZATION

 

The following table sets forth our capitalization at November 11, 2020, and as adjusted to give effect to the filing of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the sale of our Class A ordinary shares in this offering and the private placement shares and the application of the estimated net proceeds derived from the sale of such securities:

 

		November 11, 2020
		Actual				As  Adjusted(1)
Note payable to related party(2)		$	—			$	—
Deferred underwriting commissions(3)			—				31,500,000
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized; -0- and 86,436,988 shares are subject to possible redemption, actual and as adjusted, respectively(4)			—				864,369,880
Preference shares, $0.0001 par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted			—				—
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized; -0- and 5,762,012 shares issued and outstanding (excluding -0- and 86,436,988 shares subject to possible redemption), actual and as adjusted, respectively			—				576
Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized, 25,000,000 and 22,500,000 shares issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted, respectively			2,500				2,250
Additional paid-in capital			22,500				5,002,294
Accumulated deficit			(5,111	)			(5,111	)
Total shareholders’ equity		$	19,889			$	5,000,009
Total capitalization		$	19,889			$	900,869,889

 

(1)

Assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and the corresponding forfeiture of 2,500,000 Class B ordinary shares held by our sponsor.

(2)

Our sponsor has agreed to loan us up to $400,000 under an unsecured promissory note to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. As of January 6, 2021, we have borrowed approximately $285,000 under the note.

(3)

$0.35 per share, or $31,500,000 ($35,000,000 if the over-allotment is exercised in full) in the aggregate, will be payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions. The deferred underwriting commissions will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the trust account solely in the event that we complete an initial business combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement. We record deferred underwriting commissions upon the closing of the initial public offering as a reduction of additional paid-in capital. Since the actual additional paid-in capital was reduced by the recording of the accrued deferred underwriting commission, total capitalization, as adjusted, includes the amount of the deferred underwriting commission to reflect total capitalization.

(4)

Upon the completion of our initial business combination, we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash at a per-share price 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 and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein whereby redemptions cannot cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 and any limitations (including, but not limited to, cash requirements) created by the terms of the proposed business combination.

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Overview

 

We are a blank check company incorporated on November 6, 2020 as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We have not selected any business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares, our shares, debt or a combination of cash, equity and debt.

 

The issuance of additional shares in a business combination:

 

•

may significantly dilute the equity interests of investors in this offering, which dilution would increase if the anti-dilution provisions in the Class B ordinary shares resulted in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares;

 

•

may subordinate the rights of holders of Class A ordinary shares if preference shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our Class A ordinary shares;

 

•

could cause a change in control if a substantial number of our Class A ordinary shares are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors;

 

•

may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; and

 

•

may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our Class A ordinary shares.

 

Similarly, if we issue debt or otherwise incur significant debt, it could result in:

 

•

default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations;

 

•

acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant;

 

•

our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt is payable on demand;

 

•

our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt is outstanding;

 

•

our inability to pay dividends on our Class A ordinary shares;

 

•

using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our Class A ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;

 

•

limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate;

 

•

increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and

 

•

limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt.

 

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As indicated in the accompanying financial statements, as of November 11, 2020, we had no cash and deferred offering costs of approximately $150,000. Further, we expect to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our initial business combination. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to complete our initial business combination will be successful.

 

Results of Operations and Known Trends or Future Events

 

We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities since inception have been organizational activities and those necessary to prepare for this offering. Following this offering, we will not generate any operating revenues until after completion of our initial business combination. We will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents after this offering. There has been no significant change in our financial or trading position and no material adverse change has occurred since the date of our audited financial statements. After this offering, we expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses. We expect our expenses to increase substantially after the closing of this offering.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

Our liquidity needs have been satisfied prior to the completion of this offering through (i) $25,000 paid by our sponsor to cover certain of our expenses in exchange for the issuance of founder shares to our sponsor and (ii) the advancement of funds by our sponsor to cover our expenses in connection with this offering. We estimate that the net proceeds from (i) the sale of the public shares in this offering, after deducting offering expenses of $3,150,000, underwriting commissions of $18,000,000, or $20,000,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full (excluding deferred underwriting commissions of $31,500,000, or $35,000,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), and (ii) the sale of the private placement shares for an aggregate purchase price of $22,000,000 (or $24,000,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be $922,000,000 (or $1,024,000,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). $900,000,000 (or $1,000,000,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be held in the trust account, which includes the deferred underwriting commissions described above. The proceeds held in the trust account will 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 which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. The remaining $850,000 will not be held in the trust account. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $3,150,000, we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $3,150,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount.

 

We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the trust account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the trust account (less taxes payable and deferred underwriting commissions), to complete our initial business combination. We may withdraw interest income (if any) to pay income taxes, if any. Our annual income tax obligations will depend on the amount of interest and other income earned on the amounts held in the trust account. We expect the interest income earned on the amount in the trust account (if any) will be sufficient to pay our income taxes. To the extent that our equity or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the trust account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.

 

Prior to the completion of our initial business combination and after payment of certain offering expenses, we will have available to us the $850,000 of proceeds held outside the trust account, as well as certain funds from loans from our sponsor, members of our founding team or any of their affiliates. We will use these funds to

 

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primarily identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, and structure, negotiate and complete a business combination.

 

We do not believe we will need to raise additional funds following this offering in order to meet the expenditures required for operating our business prior to the completion of our initial business combination, other than funds available from loans from our sponsor, members of our founding team or any of their affiliates. However, if our estimates of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating an initial business combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to the completion of our initial business combination. In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we may repay such loaned amounts. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into shares of the post-business combination company at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender. Such shares would be identical to the private placement shares. The terms of such loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor, members of our founding team or any of their affiliates as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.

 

We expect our primary liquidity requirements during that period to include approximately $225,000 for legal, accounting, due diligence, travel and other expenses in connection with any business combination; $125,000 for legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting obligations; $170,000 for the NYSE continued listing fees; and $30,000 for miscellaneous and administrative expenses incurred during the search for an initial business combination target. We will also reimburse our sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to us in the amount of $10,000 per month for up to 30 months, commencing upon the date our securities are listed on the NYSE.

 

These amounts are estimates and may differ materially from our actual expenses. In addition, we could use a portion of the funds not being placed in trust to pay commitment fees for financing, fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business or as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies or investors on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into an agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business, the amount that would be used as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision would be determined based on the terms of the specific business combination and the amount of our available funds at the time. Our forfeiture of such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise) could result in our not having sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conducting due diligence with respect to, prospective target businesses.

 

Moreover, we may need to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination, either because the transaction requires more cash than is available from the proceeds held in our trust account, or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of the business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination. If we have not consummated our initial business combination within the completion window because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account.

 

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We do not have sufficient liquidity to meet our anticipated obligations over the next year from the date of issuance of the financial statements included as a part of this prospectus. In connection with our assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” our management team has determined that we have access to funds from our sponsor that are sufficient to fund our working capital needs until the earlier of the consummation of this offering or a minimum of one year from the date of issuance of the financial statements included as a part of this prospectus.

 

Controls and Procedures

 

We are not currently required to maintain an effective system of internal controls as defined by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We will be required to comply with the internal control requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021. Only in the event that we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company would we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on internal control over financial reporting. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company as defined in the JOBS Act, we intend 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 independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement.

 

Prior to the closing of this offering, we have not completed an assessment, nor have our auditors tested our systems, of our internal controls. We expect to assess the internal controls of our target business or businesses prior to the completion of our initial business combination and, if necessary, to implement and test additional controls as we may determine are necessary in order to state that we maintain an effective system of internal controls. A target business may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding the adequacy of internal controls. Many small and mid-sized target businesses we may consider for our initial business combination may have internal controls that need improvement in areas such as:

 

•

staffing for financial, accounting and external reporting areas, including segregation of duties; reconciliation of accounts;

 

•

proper recording of expenses and liabilities in the period to which they relate;

 

•

evidence of internal review and approval of accounting transactions;

 

•

documentation of processes, assumptions and conclusions underlying significant estimates; and

 

•

documentation of accounting policies and procedures.

 

Because it will take time, management involvement and perhaps outside resources to determine what internal control improvements are necessary for us to meet regulatory requirements and market expectations for our operation of a target business, we may incur significant expenses in meeting our public reporting responsibilities, particularly in the areas of designing, enhancing, or remediating internal and disclosure controls. Doing so effectively may also take longer than we expect, thus increasing our exposure to financial fraud or erroneous financing reporting.

 

Once our management’s report on internal controls is complete, we will retain our independent registered public accounting firm to audit and render an opinion on such report when required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The independent registered public accounting firm may identify additional issues concerning a target business’s internal controls while performing their audit of internal control over financial reporting.

 

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

 

The net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares held in the trust account will be invested in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds

 

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meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements; Commitments and Contractual Obligations; Quarterly Results

 

As of November 11, 2020, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K and did not have any commitments or contractual obligations. No unaudited quarterly operating data is included in this prospectus as we have not conducted any operations to date.

 

JOBS Act

 

The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We will qualify as an “emerging growth company” and under the JOBS Act will be allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We are electing to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.

 

Additionally, we are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on the other reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if, as an “emerging growth company,” we choose to rely on such exemptions we may not be required to, among other things, (i) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis) and (iv) disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of our initial public offering or until we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” whichever is earlier.

 

PROPOSED BUSINESS

 

Thoma Bravo Advantage is a newly incorporated blank check company incorporated on November 6, 2020 as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as our initial business combination. To date, our efforts have been limited to organizational activities as well as activities related to this offering. 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.

 

We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, engaged in any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target with respect to an initial business combination with us.

 

Our sponsor is an affiliate of Thoma Bravo, a software-focused private equity investment firm, with approximately $74 billion of assets under management as of September 30, 2020. Orlando Bravo, the Chairman of our board of directors, is one of the founders of Thoma Bravo and is one of its current managing partners.

 

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Our objective is to identify and work with an existing management team to operate a market-leading, fast-growing software franchise with high-quality and recurring revenue streams in a fragmented market, and that offers attractive organic and inorganic growth opportunities. Through our many successful software investments, we have accumulated a robust set of operating best practices through which we can provide a business with the opportunity to accelerate its growth and create significant value in a short time frame.

 

OUR SPONSOR

 

Thoma Bravo is part of one of the longest and most successful stories of private equity investing in the United States, dating back to a predecessor firm founded in 1980. Continuing this history, over the last 20 years, funds largely managed by the current Thoma Bravo managing partners have been amongst the top performing buyout funds of their respective vintage peers. In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the HEC-Dow Jones Private Equity Performance Ranking named Thoma Bravo the top performing buyout firm in terms of aggregate performance, based on all buyout funds raised between 2005 and 2014.

 

For more than 20 years, the Thoma Bravo managing partners have focused on investing in businesses that provide software products and/or technology-enabled services. Because of the compelling opportunities the Firm has found in these sectors, almost all investments made by the Thoma Bravo managing partners during this period have been in software and technology-enabled services, with a total of over 270 acquisitions, including add-ons.

 

This specialized focus has allowed Thoma Bravo to develop a deep understanding of key business metrics and growth strategies in these businesses, and to collect a great deal of proprietary, operational data to inform its future investment decisions. Thoma Bravo believes it is now well-established as a leading investor in companies operating in the application, infrastructure and security software segments in part because of its success in increasing the growth rate and improving the margins (and hence, value appreciation) of the software companies in which it has invested.

 

Thoma Bravo and its predecessor firms have invested in a wide range industry sectors over the years, including distribution, education, insurance, finance, communications, media, marketing, consulting, asset management and security services. The Firm has increasingly focused on software since 2001, when its research identified software as an area of opportunity. Since then, equity funds managed by Thoma Bravo have made investments in approximately 80 software company platforms, representing approximately $65 billion of enterprise value, and their portfolio companies have invested in about 195 add-ons to these platform businesses, representing approximately $14 billion of additional value, making Thoma Bravo a leading private equity investor in software. With over 20 years of experience investing in the software and technology-enabled services spaces, Thoma Bravo is uniquely positioned with a comprehensive view of the industry, affording our management team the insight and knowledge to identify compelling candidates for a business combination.

 

Thoma Bravo has an established track record of investing in market leaders, as evidenced by its high-performing past and current portfolio investments. These investments include now-public companies such as Dynatrace, SailPoint and SolarWinds, which have significantly increased their revenue and earnings since Thoma Bravo’s initial investment.

 

Thoma Bravo believes its investment history has created a reputation for the Firm as one of a small number of financial partners of choice for management teams seeking to build and grow best in class companies. In addition, the contacts and relationships the Firm’s partners have built over many years of activity in the industry provide Thoma Bravo with direct access to leading companies and leading executives, which it believes produces a significant competitive advantage in sourcing and completing an investment.

 

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OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Our management team is led by Orlando Bravo, the chairman of our board of directors, Robert Sayle, our Chief Executive Officer, Amy Coleman Redenbaugh, our Chief Financial Officer, and Steven Schwab, our Corporate Secretary.

 

Orlando Bravo is the Chairman of our Board of Directors. Mr. Bravo is also a Founder and Managing Partner of Thoma Bravo. He led Thoma Bravo’s early entry into software buyouts and built the Firm into one of the top private equity firms in the world. Mr. Bravo has overseen over 270 software acquisitions conducted by the Firm, representing more than $79 billion in transaction value. Forbes named him “Wall Street’s best dealmaker” in 2019, and he was part of Thomson Reuters “Eight Buyout Pros to Watch” in 2009. Mr. Bravo was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Brown University in 1992 and earned a JD degree from Stanford Law School and an MBA degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1998.

 

Robert Sayle is our Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Sayle is also a partner at Thoma Bravo, and has been with the Firm since 2005, not long after the Firm’s first software investment. Since then, he has been instrumental in multiple acquisitions and the development of various software companies. In his tenure at Thoma Bravo, Mr. Sayle has played a material role in over 15 platform investments, having sourced, negotiated and led a significant number of these investments. Mr. Sayle has also worked with portfolio company management teams to identify and execute over 40 add-on acquisitions providing scale and growth acceleration. In Mr. Sayle’s tenure at Thoma Bravo, he has been instrumental in developing the Firm’s operational best practices, and has built relationships with a long list of software executive teams. Prior to joining Thoma Bravo, Mr. Sayle worked with JPMorgan’s Investment Banking Division in the Technology, Media and Telecom Industry Group, where he was involved in mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings, and capital markets financings. He graduated from Harvard University with a BA degree in Economics with a concentration in Psychology.

 

Amy Coleman Redenbaugh is our Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Coleman Redenbaugh is also a managing director and the chief financial officer of Thoma Bravo, which she joined in 2008. Prior to joining Thoma Bravo, Ms. Coleman Redenbaugh was the chief financial officer of Quinten Road Management, an asset manager formed by GE Antares and Northwestern Mutual to provide junior capital in support of sponsor-led, middle-market leveraged buyouts. Earlier in her career, she was a tax manager in the Private Client Services Group at Arthur Andersen. Ms. Coleman Redenbaugh received a BS degree in Business Administration and Accounting from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

 

Steven Schwab is our Corporate Secretary. Mr. Schwab is also a director, legal and the chief compliance officer at Thoma Bravo. Mr. Schwab joined Thoma Bravo in 2015 and is responsible for the Firm’s legal, compliance and regulatory functions, which includes the design, implementation and operation of the Firm’s compliance programs. Prior to joining Thoma Bravo, Mr. Schwab held senior legal, compliance and management positions, including general counsel and chief compliance officer, at international investment firms and broker-dealers. Earlier in his career, he practiced law in the Financial Services Groups at Winston & Strawn and Katten Muchin Rosenman in Chicago, where he advised clients across the spectrum of regulated financial services firms. Mr. Schwab is a regular speaker at industry conferences on topics affecting the private equity industry. He earned a JD degree, cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a BA degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

 

Our management team is supported by Thoma Bravo’s investment professionals. Thoma Bravo’s six managing partners have worked together for 15 years, and some have been working together for more than 20 years. They include managing partners with years of experience in developing the original “buy-and-build” investment strategy more than 35 years ago, as well as managing partners who have enhanced that strategy, compiled their own strong investment records and now constitute the long-term leadership of the firm. In addition to our management team’s investing experience in the software industry, we also intend to leverage the

 

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knowledge accrued by over 55 Thoma Bravo investment professionals who actively evaluate the software landscape, and whose insights are expected to contribute to our efforts to identify compelling opportunities.

 

We believe that Thoma Bravo’s software industry expertise and relationships will help us identify a substantial number of attractive potential business partnership opportunities.

 

Les Brun is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sarr Group, LLC, a diversified holding company for his investments. He is also Senior Advisor of G100 Companies, a private partnership of boutique businesses that deliver solutions, advice, and forums for CEOs of the world’s leading companies. Previously, he was a Managing Director in the New York office of CCMP Capital Advisors. Mr. Brun also founded and was Chairman Emeritus of Hamilton Lane, the world’s leading Private Equity advisory and management firm. He was also a member of the board of directors of the Richcourt Group, a Hamilton Lane company specializing in hedge fund of funds management. Mr. Brun is currently Chairman of the Board of Director of CDK Global, Inc. (NASDAQ “CDK”). He is Lead Director of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE “MRK”) and Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE “BR”), where he was formerly Chairman of the Board of Directors. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Corning, Inc. (NYSE “GLW”), Ariel Investments, LLC, and Footprint, LLC. Mr. Brun was formerly Chairman of the Board of Directors of Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (NYSE “ADP”) until November 2015 and Chair of the Compensation Committee of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE “HPE”). He is also a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. In addition, he was Chairman of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s S.B.I.C. Advisory Council, and a member of the Committee for the Reinvention of the S.B.A. Mr. Brun has over 40 years of investment banking, commercial banking and financial advisory experience. Mr. Brun holds a B.S. from the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus, and is a former Trustee of the University at Buffalo Foundation, Inc. He is also a former Trustee of Widener University, as well as Episcopal Academy in Merion, PA. Mr. Brun was recognized by the NACD as one of America’s top 100 Corporate Directors in 2015 and most recently inducted into the 2019 Business Hall of Fame for Philadelphia Inquirer’s Industry Icons.

 

Cam McMartin currently serves as a board member and a company and fund advisor. Mr. McMartin served as the Chief Operating Officer of SailPoint Technologies Holdings, Inc. (NYSE “SAIL”) from May 2019 to December 2019 and as its Chief Financial Officer from 2011 to May 2019. Mr. McMartin formerly served as Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer for CenterPoint Ventures, a $425 million venture capital group. Before CenterPoint Ventures, Mr. McMartin held senior financial and operating positions with a number of corporations, including Senior VP, Operations at Dazel, Member, Office of the Chief Executive and Chief Financial Officer of DataCard, and Chief Financial Officer at Convex Computer (NYSE “CNX”). Mr. McMartin holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Trinity University and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan.

 

Pierre Naudé played a key role in the founding of nCino, Inc. (NASDAQ “NCNO”) and has served as its Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors since its inception. With over 30 years of financial technology experience, Mr. Naudé is passionate about transforming the financial services industry through innovation, reputation and speed. Under his leadership, nCino has established itself as a premier global FinTech company with seven offices across four continents, more than 1,000 employees, and a strong company culture that has been recognized with numerous industry awards and accolades. Today, nCino works with over 1,200 financial institutions of all sizes across the world to help them increase efficiency and compliance, grow profitability and improve the client experience. Prior to nCino, Mr. Naudé served as the Divisional President of S1 Corporation, and Vice President and Managing Partner of Unisys. Mr. Naudé holds a B.S. in Finance and Management from Upper Iowa University.

 

Notwithstanding our management team’s past experiences, past performance is not a guarantee that we will either (i) be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or (ii) provide an attractive return to our shareholders from any business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record of our management team’s performance as indicative of our future performance.

 

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BUSINESS STRATEGY

 

The Software Market Opportunity

 

The Enterprise Software sector has driven phenomenal growth for investors over the past two decades. Accelerating global digitalization of businesses and the shifting “work from anywhere” environment are reinforcing the critical nature of assets in this sector, and proving the resiliency of such assets. Software companies continue to disrupt traditional enterprise-focused industries at an unprecedented pace, taking advantage of new technologies to drive productivity in ways that were not previously possible. In addition, the proliferation of cloud technologies is enabling these businesses to scale faster and at lower costs than ever before. As software companies change the way traditional business is done, they are positioned to benefit from their significant value creation. However, so far, the preponderance of that value creation has been captured by the private markets.

 

Industry trends are converging to increase both the size of individual investments and the number of potential software investment opportunities. The shift to cloud technologies has allowed new entrants to grow extremely rapidly, gaining scale and attractive unit economics earlier in their company lifecycles. Acquisitions have allowed software companies to gain additional customers, products and services, as well as the associated revenues of those businesses, while avoiding some or most of the operating costs when integrating them into existing companies. Many software companies have continued to grow through strategic acquisitions, increasing the size of the investment opportunities available, and requiring larger amounts of capital to take companies public. We believe these trends will result in significant potential attractive investment opportunities and that we are uniquely positioned to facilitate taking such companies public.

 

There are significant benefits to companies being publicly traded during their growth stage, including having access to capital markets and a currency for potential acquisitions, as well as increased brand awareness. We believe that an initial business combination with a blank check company such as ours provides an attractive mechanism to go public. An initial business combination with Thoma Bravo Advantage would provide a potential target company with several benefits, including de-risking its valuation via providing projections ahead of time, so that the target company can be valued on the most accurate metrics with a longer-term outlook, providing a faster route to public markets with reduced management distraction, and providing a valuable and collaborative partnership with a top-notch sponsor.

 

Although we intend to execute a business combination with a company in the software space, the above industry overview is not intended to be exhaustive, and we reserve the right to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not necessarily fit precisely within the boundaries of the software space. We believe that our management team is also well situated to evaluate potential target businesses in the broader technology space, including those that are deemed primarily to be in internet / consumer, FinTech or hardware-oriented companies, and we may also consider a business combination with such entities. Ultimately, we will be guided by our business strategy, acquisition criteria, experience and expertise in identifying exceptional candidates that provide a compelling business opportunity for our company.

 

Our Business Strategy

 

Our business strategy is to identify and complete a business combination that creates value for our shareholders. We believe our investment team is well positioned to leverage prior investment experience, track record and relationship network, to successfully identify attractive opportunities.

 

We believe that applying Thoma Bravo’s approach to investing, and harnessing Thoma Bravo’s significant knowledge and resources, will help our management team execute on our business strategy:

 

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Management-centric, operationally-minded investing approach:    We believe that a partnership-oriented approach that is focused on growth and transformation will lead to better results. We will seek to provide

 

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operational advice to the target’s management to identify revenue-enhancing opportunities. We will aim to leverage the Thoma Bravo team’s experience and the operational information it has gathered, which will provide us with a proprietary source of data to help identify possible improvements in the target’s business.

 

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Support existing teams:    We believe that management continuity can reduce the risk associated with an investment, as management changes can cause disruption and delay in meeting business goals. Additionally, by partnering with existing management, we believe we will be able to build upon management’s innovations and overlay our strategy to meet operating improvement expectations and growth objectives. We will seek to support management teams by assisting them through industry transitions, professionalizing their organization, and supporting them through other growing pains.

 

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Accelerate growth by drawing from a deep pool of proprietary software best practices:    Through 20+ years of technology investing, Thoma Bravo’s investment professionals have developed a deep understanding of software business models. This understanding coupled with the ability to identify opportunities or improvements that are impactful to performance, can deliver sound execution on strategic initiatives. We offer insight and ideas aimed to accelerate organic growth, and serve as an experienced execution partner in M&A deals where we can help source, fund, and negotiate transactions.

 

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Enterprise software focus:    Thoma Bravo has 20+ years of experience investing in businesses that provide application, infrastructure or security software products and/or technology-enabled services. This specialized focus has allowed Thoma Bravo to develop a deep understanding of key business metrics and growth strategies in its focus areas and to collect a great deal of proprietary, operational data to inform its future investment decisions. We believe that Thoma Bravo’s track record of effectively increasing the growth rate and improving the margins and, hence, value appreciation of the software companies in which it has invested provides us with a valuable resource that will put us in the best position to execute on a successful business combination.

 

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Consolidation investment strategy:    Our business strategy builds upon Thoma Bravo’s differentiated “consolidation” or “buy-and-build” investment strategy and process, originally created by Carl Thoma and his partners more than 35 years ago, and more recently refined by Orlando Bravo and other current Thoma Bravo partners. This strategy seeks to create value by transforming businesses in fragmented, consolidating industry sectors into larger, more profitable and more valuable businesses through rapid operational improvements, growth initiatives and strategic and accretive add-on acquisitions. We believe that the software sectors in which we intend to invest are fragmented and consolidating and lend themselves particularly well to this strategy.

 

We believe our experience investing in software companies, along with our history of supporting world-class management teams, successfully capturing operating improvement opportunities, enhancing revenue generation and implementing acquisition programs for so many software companies will be appealing to software company management teams that are seeking opportunities to assume leadership in their industry sector.

 

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INITIAL BUSINESS COMBINATION CRITERIA

 

We have identified the following attributes and guidelines to evaluate prospective target businesses. We may decide, however, to enter into our initial business combination with one or more businesses that does not meet these criteria and guidelines. We intend to pursue an initial business combination with companies that have the following characteristics:

 

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Market leading software franchise:    We will prioritize an initial business combination with a market-leading software platform on which we can partner with management to build upon and innovate. We believe a leadership position affords a company the opportunity to drive outcomes for their market and more easily capture the mindshare of customers.

 

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Strong momentum and a differentiated growth opportunity:    Our bias is for growth and we have focused our attention as investors on growing businesses where our partnership with management and implementation of best practices will accelerate business momentum. The software market is home to many high growth companies benefitting from the increasing pace of digital transformations.

 

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High ability to achieve operational improvement:    We will focus on having the ability to make operational improvements at or shortly after the initial business combination. Quickly implementing operational improvements typically minimizes business disruption and ensures that changes are, in fact, made and their impact felt promptly.

 

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High proportion of revenue from predictable, recurring sources:    We will aim to consummate an initial business combination with a company with a high proportion of revenue derived from recurring revenue sources, which translates into reduced volatility in revenue and earnings. Ideal candidates would have a high percentage of subscription revenue that does not require recurring sales efforts, with products or services that are critical to their customers, and relationships that would be costly and disruptive to change.

 

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Strong management team.    We believe that management continuity can reduce the risk associated with an investment. We will look for a management team with a track record of delivering consistent performance that we can partner with to drive growth and operational improvements.

 

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Fragmented market with near-term inorganic growth opportunities:    We will seek to create value by helping transform a business in a fragmented, consolidating industry sector into a larger, more profitable and more valuable business. Fragmented markets provide an interesting opportunity for consolidation, which make for an attractive means of growth given the abundance of synergies available in strategic combinations of software companies.

 

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Sensible valuation:    We have a deep understanding of private valuations and will aim to negotiate terms that will provide significant upside potential while limiting downside risk.

 

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 in this prospectus, would be in the form of proxy solicitation materials or tender offer documents that we would file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Status as a Public Company

 

We believe our structure will make 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

 

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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 capital 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. We believe target businesses will find this method a more expeditious 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 underwriters’ ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions, which could delay or prevent the offering from occurring or 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 shares 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 founding team’s backgrounds will 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.

 

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, 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 are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) 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 (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates is equal to or exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) 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 is equal to or exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30.

 

Financial Position

 

With funds available for a business combination initially in the amount of $900,850,000 (or $1,000,850,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), after payment of the estimated expenses of this offering and before the payment of deferred underwriting fees, 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 ratio. Because we are able to complete our initial 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.

 

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Effecting Our Initial Business Combination

 

General

 

We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations for an indefinite period of time following this offering. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering, the sale of the private placements shares, our equity, debt or a combination of these as the consideration to be paid in our initial business combination. 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 initial 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-business combination company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital.

 

We have not selected any target business and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions with any target business. 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 in this offering to evaluate the possible merits or risks of the target business with which we may ultimately complete our initial business combination. Although our founding team 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.

 

We may need to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination, either because the transaction requires more cash than is available from the proceeds held in our trust account, or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of the business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination. There are no prohibitions on our ability to issue securities or incur debt in connection with our initial business combination. We are not currently a party to any arrangement or understanding with any third party with respect to raising any additional funds through the sale of securities, the incurrence of debt or otherwise.

 

Sources of Target Businesses

 

Our process of identifying target business candidates will leverage our founding team’s unique industry experiences, proven deal sourcing capabilities and broad and deep network of relationships in numerous industries, including executives and management teams, private equity groups and other institutional investors, large business enterprises, lenders, investment bankers and other investment market participants, restructuring advisers, consultants, attorneys and accountants, which we believe should provide us with a number of business combination opportunities. We expect that the collective experience, capability and network of our founders, directors and officers, combined with their individual and collective reputations in the investment community, will help to create prospective business combination opportunities.

 

In addition, we anticipate that target business candidates may be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment bankers and private investment funds. Target business candidates may be brought to our attention by such unaffiliated sources as a result of being solicited by us through calls or

 

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mailings. These sources may also introduce us to target businesses in which they think we may be interested on an unsolicited basis, since many of these sources will have read this prospectus and know what types of businesses we are pursuing. Our officers and directors, as well as their affiliates, may also bring to our attention target business candidates of which they become aware through their business contacts as a result of formal or informal inquiries or discussions they may have, as well as attending trade shows or conventions.

 

While we do not presently anticipate engaging the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions on any formal basis, we may engage these firms or other individuals in the future, in which event we may pay a finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm’s length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction. We will engage a finder only to the extent our founding team determines that the use of a finder may bring opportunities to us that may not otherwise be available to us or if finders approach us on an unsolicited basis with a potential transaction that our founding team determines is in our best interest to pursue. Payment of a finder’s fee is customarily tied to completion of a transaction, in which case any such fee will be paid out of the funds held in the trust account. In no event, however, will our sponsor or any of our existing officers or directors, or any entity with which they are affiliated, be paid any finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation by us prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate, the completion of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). None of our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be allowed to receive any compensation, finder’s fees or consulting fees from a prospective business combination target in connection with a contemplated acquisition of such target by us. We have agreed to pay our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative support and to reimburse our sponsor for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination. Some of our officers and directors may enter into employment or consulting agreements with the post-business combination company following our initial business combination.

 

We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination or subsequent transaction with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, founders, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor or any of our founders, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or an independent valuation or accounting firm that such initial business combination or transaction is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.

 

Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities, including any future special purpose acquisition companies we expect they may be involved in and entities that are affiliates of our sponsor, pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. 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 may be required to honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity. See “Management—Conflicts of Interest.”

 

Evaluation of a Target Business and Structuring of Our Initial Business Combination

 

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 well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information which 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.

 

The time required to identify 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.

 

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Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of, and negotiation with, a prospective target business with which our initial 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. We will not pay any consulting fees to members of our founding team, or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered to or in connection with our initial business combination. In addition, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor.

 

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. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:

 

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subject us to negative economic, competitive and regulatory developments, 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

 

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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 intend to closely scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial 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 founding 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 founding 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 initial business combination, it is unlikely that any of them will devote their full efforts to our affairs subsequent to our initial business combination. Moreover, we cannot assure you that members of our founding team will have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.

 

We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with the combined company. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination.

 

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 subject to the provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. However, we will seek shareholder approval if it is required by applicable law or stock exchange rule, or we may decide to seek shareholder approval for business or other reasons.

 

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Under the rules of the NYSE, shareholder approval would be required for our initial business combination if, for example:

 

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we issue (other than in a public offering for cash) ordinary shares that will either (a) be equal to or in excess of 20% of the number of ordinary shares then issued and outstanding or (b) have voting power equal to or in excess of 20% of the voting power then issued and outstanding;

 

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any of our directors, officers or substantial security holders (as defined by the rules of the NYSE) has a 5% or greater interest, directly or indirectly, in the target business or assets to be acquired and if the number of ordinary shares to be issued, or if the number of ordinary shares into which the securities may be convertible or exercisable, exceeds either (a) 1% of the number of ordinary shares or 1% of the voting power outstanding before the issuance in the case of any of our directors and officers or (b) 5% of the number of ordinary shares or 5% of the voting power outstanding before the issuance in the case of any substantial security holders; or

 

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the issuance or potential issuance of ordinary shares will result in our undergoing a change of control.

 

The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination in those instances in which shareholder approval is not required by law will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on business and legal reasons, which include a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:

 

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the timing of the transaction, including in the event we determine shareholder approval would require additional time and there is either not enough time to seek shareholder approval or doing so would place our company at a disadvantage in the transaction or result in other additional burdens on our company;

 

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the expected cost of holding a shareholder vote;

 

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the risk that the shareholders would fail to approve the proposed business combination; other time and budget constraints of our company; and

 

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additional legal complexities of a proposed business combination that would be time consuming and burdensome to present to shareholders.

 

Permitted Purchases and Other Transactions with Respect to Our Securities

 

If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase public shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. Additionally, at any time at or prior to our initial business combination, subject to applicable securities laws (including with respect to material nonpublic information), our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may enter into transactions with investors and others to provide them with incentives to acquire public shares, vote their public shares in favor of our initial business combination or not redeem their public shares. 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 public shares in such transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will be restricted from 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.

 

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

 

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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.

 

The purpose of any such transactions could be to (i) vote such shares in favor of the business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination or (ii) satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible.

 

In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares 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.

 

Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates anticipate that they may identify the shareholders with whom our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates may pursue privately negotiated transactions 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 tender offer or 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 transaction, they would identify and contact only potential selling or redeeming 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, executive officers, directors, advisors or 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 be restricted from purchasing shares if such purchases do not comply with Regulation M under the Exchange Act and the other federal securities laws.

 

Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates will be restricted from making purchases of shares if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. We expect any such purchases would be reported by such person pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements.

 

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 and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share. The per share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. The redemption rights may include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. Further, we will not proceed with redeeming our public shares, even if a public shareholder has properly elected to redeem its shares, if a business combination does not close. Our sponsor and our founding team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares, private placement shares and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our

 

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public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window 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.

 

Limitations on Redemptions

 

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 (so that we do not then become subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules). However, 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 Class A ordinary shares upon the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a general meeting called to approve the business combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed 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 or whether we were deemed to be a foreign private issuer (which would require a tender offer rather than seeking shareholder approval under SEC rules). Asset acquisitions and share purchases would not typically require shareholder approval while direct mergers with our company and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares or seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association would typically require shareholder approval. We currently intend to conduct redemptions in connection with a shareholder vote unless shareholder approval is not required by applicable law or stock exchange rule or we choose to conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC for business or other reasons.

 

If we held a shareholder vote to approve our initial business combination, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association:

 

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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

 

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file proxy materials with the SEC.

 

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 receive approval pursuant to an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the shares voted at a general meeting of our company. In such case, our sponsor and each member of our founding team have agreed to vote their founder shares and public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares and the private placement shares, we would need 32,650,001 or 36.3%, of the 90,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial

 

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business combination approved (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised). Each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination or vote at all. In addition, our sponsor and our founding team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window 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.

 

If we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association:

 

•

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.

 

Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, we or our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase 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.

 

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 initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides 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 seeking redemption rights with respect to 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 founding 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 shares sold in this offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us, our sponsor or our founding team 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 shares sold in this offering 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

 

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initial 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 Excess Shares) for or against our initial 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 (if any) to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, mailed to such holders, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option, in each case up to two business days prior to the initially scheduled vote to approve the business combination. The proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, 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, which may include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. 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 business days prior to the initially scheduled vote on the proposal to approve 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 of approximately $80.00 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.

 

While other blank check companies in the past have implemented redemption procedures that provided shareholders who elected redemption with an “option window” following shareholder approval to sell their shares and before delivering such shares to the company, our requirement for physical or electronic delivery prior to the meeting ensures that a redeeming shareholder’s election to redeem is (i) only revocable up to two business days prior to the initially scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the business combination, unless otherwise agreed to by us, and (ii) irrevocable once the business combination is approved.

 

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 initial 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 with a different target until 24 months from the closing of this offering, or in the event the completion window has been extended as described herein, until 30 months from the closing of this offering.

 

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Redemption of Public Shares and Liquidation If No Initial Business Combination

 

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that we will have only 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 30 months from the closing of this offering, if we have executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering but have not completed our initial business combination within such 24-month period) to consummate an initial business combination. If we do not consummate an initial business combination within the completion window, 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, 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 and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any); 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. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that, if a resolution of our shareholders is passed pursuant to the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands to commence the voluntary liquidation of our company, we will follow the foregoing procedures with respect to the liquidation of the trust account as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to applicable Cayman Islands law.

 

Our sponsor and each member of our founding team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares or private placement shares they hold if we fail to consummate an initial business combination within the completion window (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the completion window).

 

Our sponsor, executive officers, directors and director nominees have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window 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, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public 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 and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares. However, we may not redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 (so that we do not then become subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules). If this optional redemption right is exercised with respect to an excessive number of public shares such that we cannot satisfy the net tangible asset requirement, we would not proceed with the amendment or the related redemption of our public shares at such time. This redemption right shall apply in the event of the approval of any such amendment, whether proposed by our sponsor, any executive officer, director or director nominee, or any other person.

 

We expect that all costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, as well as payments to any creditors, will be funded from amounts remaining out of the $850,000 of proceeds held outside the trust account plus up to $100,000 of funds from the trust account available to us to pay dissolution expenses, although we cannot assure you that there will be sufficient funds for such purpose.

 

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If we were to expend all of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares, 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 $10.00. 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 less than $10.00. 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 will seek to have all vendors, service providers (excluding 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 founding team 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 our founding team 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 our founding team to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where our founding team is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. The underwriters will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account. 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. In order to protect the amounts held in the trust account, our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amounts in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account if less than $10.00 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest that may be withdrawn to pay our tax obligations, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. In the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. 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. Our sponsor may not be able to satisfy those obligations. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.

 

In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account if less than $10.00 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest that may be withdrawn to pay our tax obligations, 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 in any particular instance. Accordingly,

 

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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 will 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 (excluding 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 underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We will have access to up to $850,000 from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares 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; however such liability will not be greater than the amount of funds from our trust account received by any such shareholder. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $3,150,000, we may fund such excess with funds from the funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $3,150,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount.

 

If we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, we cannot assure you we will be able to return $10.00 per public share to our public shareholders. Additionally, if we file a bankruptcy or winding-up petition or an involuntary bankruptcy or winding-up petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.”

 

As a result, a bankruptcy or insolvency 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 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.

 

Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only (i) in the event of the redemption of our public shares if we do not consummate an initial business combination within the completion window, (ii) in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window 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, and (iii) if they redeem their respective shares for cash upon the completion of the initial business combination. Public shareholders who redeem their Class A ordinary shares in connection with a shareholder vote described in clause (ii) in the preceding sentence shall not be entitled to funds from the trust account upon the subsequent completion of an initial business combination or liquidation if we have not consummated an initial business combination within the completion window, with respect to such Class A ordinary shares so redeemed. 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 shareholder’s 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

 

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memorandum and articles of association, like all provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, may be amended with a shareholder vote.

 

Comparison of Redemption or Purchase Prices in Connection with Our Initial Business Combination and If We Fail to Complete Our Initial Business Combination.

 

The following table compares the redemptions and other permitted purchases of public shares that may take place in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and if we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 30 months from the closing of this offering, if we have executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering but have not completed our initial business combination within such 24-month period).

 

		REDEMPTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH OUR INITIAL BUSINESS COMBINATION		OTHER PERMITTED PURCHASES OF PUBLIC SHARES BY OUR AFFILIATES		REDEMPTIONS IF WE FAIL TO COMPLETE AN INITIAL BUSINESS COMBINATION
Calculation of redemption price		Redemptions at the time of our initial business combination may be made pursuant to a tender offer or in connection with a shareholder vote. The redemption price will be the same whether we conduct redemptions pursuant to a tender offer or in connection with a shareholder vote. In either case, our public shareholders may redeem their public shares for 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 (which is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per share), including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, subject to the		If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit to the prices that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may pay in these transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will be restricted from making any such purchases when they are in possession of any material nonpublic information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any,		If we do not consummate an initial business combination within the completion window, we will redeem all public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount, then on deposit in the trust account (which is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per share), including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) divided by the number of then-outstanding public shares.

 

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		REDEMPTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH OUR INITIAL BUSINESS COMBINATION		OTHER PERMITTED PURCHASES OF PUBLIC SHARES BY OUR AFFILIATES		REDEMPTIONS IF WE FAIL TO COMPLETE AN INITIAL BUSINESS COMBINATION
		limitation that no redemptions will take place if all of the redemptions would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 and any limitations (including but not limited to cash requirements) agreed to in connection with the negotiation of terms of a proposed business combination.		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.
Impact to remaining shareholders		The redemptions in connection with our initial business combination will reduce the book value per share for our remaining shareholders, who will bear the burden of the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable.		If the permitted purchases described above are made, there would be no impact to our remaining shareholders because the purchase price would not be paid by us.		The redemption of our public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination will reduce the book value per share for the shares held by our sponsor, who will be our only remaining shareholder after such redemptions.

 

Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419.

 

The following table compares the terms of this offering to the terms of an offering by a blank check company subject to the provisions of Rule 419. This comparison assumes that the gross proceeds, underwriting discounts and commissions and underwriting expenses of our offering would be identical to those of an offering undertaken by a company subject to Rule 419, and that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option. None of the provisions of Rule 419 apply to our offering.

 

		TERMS OF OUR OFFERING		TERMS UNDER A RULE 419 OFFERING
Escrow of offering proceeds		The rules of the NYSE provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement shares be deposited in a trust account. $900,000,000, of the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares will be deposited into a trust account located in the United		Approximately $765,450,000 of the offering proceeds would be required to be deposited into either an escrow account with an insured depositary institution or in a separate bank account established by a broker-dealer in which the broker-dealer acts as trustee for persons having the

 

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		TERMS OF OUR OFFERING		TERMS UNDER A RULE 419 OFFERING
		States at Citibank, N.A., with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee.		beneficial interests in the account.
Investment of net proceeds		$900,000,000 of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares held in trust will 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 which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations.		Proceeds could be invested only in specified securities such as a money market fund meeting conditions of the Investment Company Act or in securities that are direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal or interest by, the United States.
Receipt of interest on escrowed funds		Interest income (if any) on proceeds from the trust account to be paid to shareholders is reduced by (i) any income taxes paid or payable and (ii) in the event of our liquidation for failure to complete our initial business combination within the allotted time, up to $100,000 of net interest that may be released to us should we have no or insufficient working capital to fund the costs and expenses of our dissolution and liquidation.		Interest income on funds in escrow account would be held for the sole benefit of investors, unless and only after the funds held in escrow were released to us in connection with our completion of a business combination.
Limitation on fair value or net assets of target business		The NYSE rules require that our initial business combination must occur with one or more target businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of our assets held in the trust account (excluding the amount of deferred underwriting discounts held in trust and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of signing the agreement to enter into the initial business combination.		The fair value or net assets of a target business must represent at least 80% of the maximum offering proceeds.
Trading of securities issued		The public shares are expected to begin trading on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. We will file a Current Report on Form 8-K promptly after the closing of this offering. If the over-allotment option is exercised following the		No trading of the Class A ordinary shares would be permitted until the completion of a business combination. During this period, the securities would be held in the escrow or trust account.

 

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		TERMS OF OUR OFFERING		TERMS UNDER A RULE 419 OFFERING
		initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the over-allotment option.
Election to remain an investor		We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash at a per-share price equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described herein. We may not be required by applicable law or stock exchange rule to hold a shareholder vote. If we are not required by applicable law or stock exchange rule and do not otherwise decide to hold a shareholder vote, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC and file tender offer documents with the SEC which will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. If, however, we hold a shareholder vote, we will, like many blank check companies, offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy		A prospectus containing information pertaining to the business combination required by the SEC would be sent to each investor. Each investor would be given the opportunity to notify the company in writing, within a period of no less than 20 business days and no more than 45 business days from the effective date of a post-effective amendment to the company’s registration statement, to decide if he, she or it elects to remain a shareholder of the company or require the return of his, her or its investment. If the company has not received the notification by the end of the 45th business day, funds and interest or dividends, if any, held in the trust or escrow account are automatically returned to the shareholder. Unless a sufficient number of investors elect to remain investors, all funds on deposit in the escrow account must be returned to all of the investors and none of the securities are issued. Additionally, each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or vote at all.

 

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		TERMS OF OUR OFFERING		TERMS UNDER A RULE 419 OFFERING
		solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we receive approval pursuant to an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the shares voted at a general meeting of our company.
Business combination deadline		If we do not consummate an initial business combination within the completion window, 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, redeem 100% of 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 and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any); 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.		If an acquisition has not been completed within 18 months after the effective date of the company’s registration statement, funds held in the trust or escrow account are returned to investors.

 

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		TERMS OF OUR OFFERING		TERMS UNDER A RULE 419 OFFERING
Release of funds		Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, the proceeds held in the trust account will not be released until the earliest of (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of our public shares if we have not consummated an initial business combination within the completion window, subject to applicable law and (iii) the redemption of our public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window 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. Based on current interest rates, we expect that interest income earned on the trust account (if any) will be sufficient to pay our income taxes.		The proceeds held in the escrow account are not released until the earlier of the completion of a business combination and the failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time.

 

Competition

 

In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our initial 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, public companies, 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 us. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others

 

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an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public shareholders who properly exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination. Either of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination.

 

Facilities

 

We currently maintain our executive offices at 150 N. Riverside Plaza, Suite 2800, Chicago, Illinois 60606. The cost for our use of this space is included in the $10,000 per month fee will pay to our sponsor for office space, administrative and support services, commencing upon the date that our securities are first listed on the NYSE. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.

 

Employees

 

We currently have three executive officers. These individuals 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 they will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the stage of the business combination process we are in. We do not intend to have any full time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination.

 

Periodic Reporting and Financial Information

 

We will register Class A ordinary shares 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 accountants.

 

We will provide shareholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, sent to shareholders. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, 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 24 months (or 30 months, as applicable) from the closing of this offering. 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 these 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, 2021 as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Only in the event that we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company would we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on internal control over financial reporting. 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.

 

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Prior to the date of this prospectus, we will file 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 will be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. 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 a Cayman Islands exempted company. Exempted companies are Cayman Islands companies conducting business mainly outside the Cayman Islands and, as such, are exempted from complying with certain provisions of the Companies Act. As an exempted company, we have applied for and received a tax exemption undertaking from the Cayman Islands government that, in accordance with Section 6 of the Tax Concessions Act (2018 Revision) of the Cayman Islands, for a period of 20 years from the date of the undertaking, no law which is enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations will apply to us or our operations and, in addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax will be payable (i) on or in respect of our shares, debentures or other obligations or (ii) by way of the withholding in whole or in part of a payment of dividend or other distribution of income or capital by us to our shareholders or a payment of principal or interest or other sums due under a debenture or other obligation of us.

 

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 take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.

 

We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, 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 are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) 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 (1) the market value of our Class A ordinary shares held by non-affiliates is equal to or exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our Class A ordinary shares held by non-affiliates is equal to or exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30.

 

Legal Proceedings

 

There is no material litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding currently pending against us or any members of our founding team in their capacity as such.

 

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MANAGEMENT

 

Officers, Directors and Director Nominees

 

Our officers, directors and director nominees are as follows:

 

Name		Age		Position
Robert Sayle		40		Chief Executive Officer
Amy Coleman Redenbaugh		52		Chief Financial Officer
Steven Schwab		43		Corporate Secretary
Orlando Bravo		50		Chairman of the Board of Directors
Les Brun		68		Director nominee
Cam McMartin		63		Director nominee
Pierre Naudé		62		Director nominee

 

Our management team is led by Orlando Bravo, the Chairman of our board of directors, Robert Sayle, our Chief Executive Officer, Amy Coleman Redenbaugh, our Chief Financial Officer, and Steven Schwab, our Corporate Secretary.

 

Orlando Bravo is the Chairman of our Board of Directors. Mr. Bravo is also a Founder and Managing Partner of Thoma Bravo. He led Thoma Bravo’s early entry into software buyouts and built the Firm into one of the top private equity firms in the world. Mr. Bravo has overseen over 270 software acquisitions conducted by the Firm, representing more than $79 billion in transaction value. Forbes named him “Wall Street’s best dealmaker” in 2019, and he was part of Thomson Reuters “Eight Buyout Pros to Watch” in 2009. Mr. Bravo was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Brown University in 1992 and earned a JD degree from Stanford Law School and an MBA degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1998.

 

Robert Sayle is our Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Sayle is also a partner at Thoma Bravo, and has been with the Firm since 2005, not long after the Firm’s first software investment. Since then, he has been instrumental in multiple acquisitions and the development of various software companies. In his tenure at Thoma Bravo, Mr. Sayle has played a material role in 17 platform investments, having sourced, negotiated, and led the majority of these investments. Mr. Sayle has also worked with portfolio company management teams to identify and execute 22 material add-on acquisitions, designed to provide scale and growth acceleration. In Mr. Sayle’s tenure at Thoma Bravo, he has been instrumental in developing the Firm’s operational best practices, and has built relationships with a long list of software executive teams. Prior to joining Thoma Bravo, Mr. Sayle worked with JPMorgan’s Investment Banking Division in the Technology, Media and Telecom Industry Group, where he was involved in mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings, and capital markets financings. He graduated from Harvard University with a BA degree in Economics with a concentration in Psychology.

 

Amy Coleman Redenbaugh is our Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Coleman Redenbaugh is also a managing director and the chief financial officer of Thoma Bravo, which she joined in 2008. Prior to joining Thoma Bravo, Ms. Coleman Redenbaugh was the chief financial officer of Quinten Road Management, an asset manager formed by GE Antares and Northwestern Mutual to provide junior capital in support of sponsor-led, middle-market leveraged buyouts. Earlier in her career, she was a tax manager in the Private Client Services Group at Arthur Andersen. Ms. Coleman Redenbaugh received a BS degree in Business Administration and Accounting from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

 

Steven Schwab is our Corporate Secretary. Mr. Schwab is also a director, legal and the chief compliance officer at Thoma Bravo. Mr. Schwab joined Thoma Bravo in 2015 and is responsible for the Firm’s legal, compliance and regulatory functions, which includes the design, implementation and operation of the Firm’s compliance programs. Prior to joining Thoma Bravo, Mr. Schwab held senior legal, compliance and management

 

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positions, including general counsel and chief compliance officer, at international investment firms and broker-dealers. Earlier in his career, he practiced law in the Financial Services Groups at Winston & Strawn and Katten Muchin Rosenman in Chicago, where he advised clients across the spectrum of regulated financial services firms. Mr. Schwab is a regular speaker at industry conferences on topics affecting the private equity industry. He earned a JD degree, cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a BA degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

 

Les Brun is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sarr Group, LLC, a diversified holding company for his investments. He is also Senior Advisor of G100 Companies, a private partnership of boutique businesses that deliver solutions, advice, and forums for CEOs of the world’s leading companies. Previously, he was a Managing Director in the New York office of CCMP Capital Advisors. Mr. Brun also founded and was Chairman Emeritus of Hamilton Lane, the world’s leading Private Equity advisory and management firm. He was also a member of the board of directors of the Richcourt Group, a Hamilton Lane company specializing in hedge fund of funds management. Mr. Brun is currently Chairman of the Board of Director of CDK Global, Inc. (NASDAQ “CDK”). He is Lead Director of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE “MRK”) and Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE “BR”), where he was formerly Chairman of the Board of Directors. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Corning, Inc. (NYSE “GLW”), Ariel Investments, LLC, and Footprint, LLC. Mr. Brun was formerly Chairman of the Board of Directors of Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (NYSE “ADP”) until November 2015 and Chair of the Compensation Committee of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE “HPE”). He is also a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. In addition, he was Chairman of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s S.B.I.C. Advisory Council, and a member of the Committee for the Reinvention of the S.B.A. Mr. Brun has over 40 years of investment banking, commercial banking and financial advisory experience. Mr. Brun holds a B.S. from the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus, and is a former Trustee of the University at Buffalo Foundation, Inc. He is also a former Trustee of Widener University, as well as Episcopal Academy in Merion, PA. Mr. Brun was recognized by the NACD as one of America’s top 100 Corporate Directors in 2015 and most recently inducted into the 2019 Business Hall of Fame for Philadelphia Inquirer’s Industry Icons. We believe that Mr. Brun is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive financial advisory experience, serving as a board member of several companies, as well as his vast network of relationships.

 

Cam McMartin currently serves as a board member and a company and fund advisor. Mr. McMartin served as the Chief Operating Officer of SailPoint Technologies Holdings, Inc. (NYSE “SAIL”) from May 2019 to December 2019 and as its Chief Financial Officer from 2011 to May 2019. Mr. McMartin formerly served as Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer for CenterPoint Ventures, a $425 million venture capital group. Before CenterPoint Ventures, Mr. McMartin held senior financial and operating positions with a number of corporations, including Senior VP, Operations at Dazel, Member, Office of the Chief Executive and Chief Financial Officer of DataCard, and Chief Financial Officer at Convex Computer (NYSE “CNX”). Mr. McMartin holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Trinity University and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan. We believe that Mr. McMartin is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive industry experience, along with his financial and cybersecurity expertise.

 

Pierre Naudé played a key role in the founding of nCino, Inc. (NASDAQ “NCNO”) and has served as its Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors since its inception. With over 30 years of financial technology experience, Mr. Naudé is passionate about transforming the financial services industry through innovation, reputation and speed. Under his leadership, nCino has established itself as a premier global FinTech company with seven offices across four continents, more than 1,000 employees, and a strong company culture that has been recognized with numerous industry awards and accolades. Today, nCino works with over 1,200 financial institutions of all sizes across the world to help them increase efficiency and compliance, grow profitability and improve the client experience. Prior to nCino, Mr. Naudé served as the Divisional President of S1 Corporation, and Vice President and Managing Partner of Unisys. Mr. Naudé holds a B.S. in Finance and Management from Upper Iowa University. We believe that Mr. Naudé is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive industry experience and financial technology expertise.

 

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Number and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors

 

We intend to have four directors upon the closing of this offering. Our directors will serve a term of one year, or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. We may not hold an annual general meeting until after we consummate our initial business combination.

 

Prior to the completion of an initial business combination, any vacancy on the board of directors may be filled by a nominee chosen by holders of a majority of our founder shares. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason.

 

Our initial directors, including our independent director nominees, will be appointed by our sponsor. Prior to our initial business combination, our public shareholders will not have the right to elect directors.

 

Our officers are appointed by the board of directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors, rather than for specific terms of office. Our board of directors is authorized to appoint persons to the offices set forth in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association as it deems appropriate. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that our officers may consist of one or more chairman of the board, chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief business officer, president, vice presidents, secretary, treasurer and such other offices as may be determined by the board of directors.

 

Director Independence

 

The rules of the NYSE require that a majority of our board of directors be independent. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship with the company which in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, could interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we expect to have “independent directors” as defined in the NYSE’s listing standards and applicable SEC rules. Our board of directors has determined that Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé are “independent directors” as defined in the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules.

 

Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.

 

Executive Officer and Director Compensation

 

On January 6, 2021, our independent directors, Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé each purchased 75,000 founder shares from our sponsor at a price of $0.001 per founder share, the same price at which our sponsor purchased such founder shares from the company. None of our executive officers or directors have received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. Commencing on the date that our securities are first listed on the NYSE through the earlier of consummation of our initial business combination and our liquidation, we will reimburse our sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to us in the amount of $10,000 per month. Our sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made by us to our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or our or their affiliates. Any such payments prior to an initial business combination will be made using funds held outside the trust account. Other than quarterly audit committee review of such reimbursements, we do not expect to have any additional controls in place governing our reimbursement payments to our directors and executive officers for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with our activities on our behalf in connection with identifying and consummating an initial business combination. Other than these payments and reimbursements, no compensation of any kind, including finder’s and consulting fees, will be paid by us to our sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, prior to completion of our initial business combination.

 

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After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our founding team who remain with us may be paid consulting or management fees from the combined company. All of these fees will be fully disclosed to shareholders, to the extent then known, in the proxy solicitation materials or tender offer materials furnished to our shareholders in connection with a proposed business combination. We have not established any limit on the amount of such fees that may be paid by the combined company to our directors or members of management. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of the proposed business combination, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining executive officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our executive officers will be determined, or recommended to the board of directors for determination, either by a compensation committee constituted solely by independent directors or by a majority of the independent directors on our board of directors.

 

We do not intend to take any action to ensure that members of our founding team maintain their positions with us after the consummation of our initial business combination, although it is possible that some or all of our executive officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements to remain with us after our initial business combination. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements to retain their positions with us may influence our founding team’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business but we do not believe that the ability of our founding team to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination. We are not party to any agreements with our executive officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.

 

Committees of the Board of Directors

 

Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our board of directors will have three standing committees: an audit committee, a nominating committee and a compensation committee.

 

Subject to phase-in rules and a limited exception, the rules of the NYSE and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors. Subject to phase-in rules and a limited exception, the rules of the NYSE require that the compensation committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors. Each committee will operate under a charter that has been approved by our board of directors and will have the composition and responsibilities described below. The charter of each committee will be available on our website.

 

Audit Committee

 

Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will establish an audit committee of the board of directors. Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé will serve as members of our audit committee. Our board of directors has determined that each of Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé are independent.                will serve as the chairman of the audit committee. Each member of the audit committee meets the financial literacy requirements of the NYSE and our board of directors has determined that                qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules and has accounting or related financial management expertise.

 

The audit committee is responsible for:

 

•

meeting with our independent registered public accounting firm regarding, among other issues, audits, and adequacy of our accounting and control systems;

 

•

monitoring the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm;

 

•

verifying the rotation of the lead (or coordinating) audit partner having primary responsibility for the audit and the audit partner responsible for reviewing the audit as required by law;

 

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•

inquiring and discussing with management our compliance with applicable laws and regulations;

 

•

pre-approving all audit services and permitted non-audit services to be performed by our independent registered public accounting firm, including the fees and terms of the services to be performed;

 

•

appointing or replacing the independent registered public accounting firm;

 

•

determining the compensation and oversight of the work of the independent registered public accounting firm (including resolution of disagreements between management and the independent registered public accounting firm regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work;

 

•

establishing procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by us regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or reports which raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies;

 

•

monitoring compliance on a quarterly basis with the terms of this offering and, if any noncompliance is identified, immediately taking all action necessary to rectify such noncompliance or otherwise causing compliance with the terms of this offering; and

 

•

reviewing and approving all payments made to our existing shareholders, executive officers or directors and their respective affiliates. Any payments made to members of our audit committee will be reviewed and approved by our board of directors, with the interested director or directors abstaining from such review and approval.

 

Nominating Committee

 

Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will establish a nominating committee of our board of directors. The members of our nominating committee will be Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé.                  will serve as chairman of the nominating committee. Our board of directors has determined that each of Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé are independent.

 

The nominating committee is responsible for overseeing the selection of persons to be nominated to serve on our board of directors. The nominating committee considers persons identified by its members, management, shareholders, investment bankers and others.

 

Guidelines for Selecting Director Nominees

 

The guidelines for selecting nominees, which will be specified in a charter to be adopted by us, generally provide that persons to be nominated:

 

•

should have demonstrated notable or significant achievements in business, education or public service;

 

•

should possess the requisite intelligence, education and experience to make a significant contribution to the board of directors and bring a range of skills, diverse perspectives and backgrounds to its deliberations; and

 

•

should have the highest ethical standards, a strong sense of professionalism and intense dedication to serving the interests of the shareholders.

 

The nominating committee will consider a number of qualifications relating to management and leadership experience, background and integrity and professionalism in evaluating a person’s candidacy for membership on the board of directors. The nominating committee may require certain skills or attributes, such as financial or accounting experience, to meet specific board needs that arise from time to time and will also consider the overall experience and makeup of its members to obtain a broad and diverse mix of board members. The nominating committee does not distinguish among nominees recommended by shareholders and other persons.

 

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Compensation Committee

 

Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will establish a compensation committee of our board of directors. The members of our compensation committee will be Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé.                  will serve as chairman of the compensation committee.

 

Our board of directors has determined that each of Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé are independent. We will adopt a compensation committee charter, which will detail the principal functions of the compensation committee, including:

 

•

reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation, evaluating our Chief Executive Officer’s performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration (if any) of our Chief Executive Officer based on such evaluation;

 

•

reviewing and approving the compensation of all of our other Section 16 executive officers; reviewing our executive compensation policies and plans;

 

•

implementing and administering our incentive compensation equity-based remuneration plans;

 

•

assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and annual report disclosure requirements;

 

•

approving all special perquisites, special cash payments and other special compensation and benefit arrangements for our executive officers and employees;

 

•

producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement; and reviewing, evaluating and recommending changes, if appropriate, to the remuneration for directors.

 

The charter will also provide that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by the NYSE and the SEC.

 

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

 

None of our executive officers currently serves, and in the past year has not served, as a member of the compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors.

 

Code of Ethics

 

Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will have adopted a Code of Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees. A copy of the Code of Ethics will be provided without charge upon request from us. We intend to disclose any amendments to or waivers of certain provisions of our Code of Ethics in a Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

Conflicts of Interest

 

Under Cayman Islands law, directors and officers owe the following fiduciary duties:

 

•

duty to act in good faith in what the director or officer believes to be in the best interests of the company as a whole;

 

•

duty to exercise powers for the purposes for which those powers were conferred and not for a collateral purpose;

 

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•

directors should not improperly fetter the exercise of future discretion;

 

•

duty not to put themselves in a position in which there is a conflict between their duty to the company and their personal interests; and

 

•

duty to exercise independent judgment.

 

In addition to the above, directors also owe a duty of care which is not fiduciary in nature. This duty has been defined as a requirement to act as a reasonably diligent person having both the general knowledge, skill and experience that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by that director in relation to the company and the general knowledge skill and experience of that director.

 

As set out above, directors have a duty not to put themselves in a position of conflict and this includes a duty not to engage in self-dealing, or to otherwise benefit as a result of their position. However, in some instances what would otherwise be a breach of this duty can be forgiven and/or authorized in advance by the shareholders provided that there is full disclosure by the directors. This can be done by way of permission granted in the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or alternatively by shareholder approval at general meetings.

 

Certain of our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities, including entities that are affiliates of our sponsor, pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. 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 may be required to honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such 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.

 

Below is a table summarizing the entities to which our executive officers directors and director nominees currently have fiduciary duties, contractual obligations or other material management relationships:

 

Individual		Entity		Entity’s Business		Affiliation
Orlando Bravo
Robert Sayle
Amy Coleman Redenbaugh
Steven Schwab
Les Brun
Cam McMartin
Pierre Naudé

 

Potential investors should also be aware of the following other potential conflicts of interest:

 

•

Our executive officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our executive officers is engaged in several other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation, and our executive officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs.

 

•

Our sponsor subscribed for founder shares prior to the date of this prospectus and will purchase private placement shares in a transaction that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. On January 6, 2021, our independent directors, Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé, each purchased 75,000 founder shares from our sponsor at a price of $0.001 per founder share. Our sponsor and our founding team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their

 

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redemption rights with respect to their founder shares, private placement shares and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window 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. Additionally, our sponsor has agreed to waive its rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to its founder shares and private placement shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the required time period. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period, the private placement shares will expire worthless. Except as described herein, our sponsor and our founding team have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until the earliest of (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. With certain limited exceptions, private placement shares, will not be transferable until 30 days following the completion of our initial business combination. Because each of our executive officers and director nominees will own ordinary shares directly or indirectly, 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.

 

•

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.

 

We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination or subsequent transaction with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, founders, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor or any of our founders, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or an independent valuation or accounting firm that such initial business combination or transaction is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context. Furthermore, in no event will our sponsor or any of our existing officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, be paid by us any finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate, the completion of our initial business combination. Further, commencing on the date our securities are first listed on the NYSE, we will also reimburse our sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to us in the amount of $10,000 per month.

 

We cannot assure you that any of the above mentioned conflicts will be resolved in our favor.

 

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer 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 may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other.

 

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If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we receive approval pursuant to an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the shares voted at a general meeting of our company. In such case, our sponsor and each member of our founding team have agreed to vote their founder shares and public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination.

 

Limitation on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors

 

Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against willful default, willful neglect, civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides for indemnification of our officers and directors to the maximum extent permitted by law, including for any liability incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own actual fraud, willful default or willful neglect. We will enter into agreements with our directors and officers to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. We expect to purchase a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.

 

Our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account, and have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever (except to the extent they are entitled to funds from the trust account due to their ownership of public shares). Accordingly, any indemnification provided will only be able to be satisfied by us if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination.

 

Our indemnification obligations may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

 

We believe that these provisions, the insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced officers and directors.

 

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PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

 

The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares as of the date of this prospectus, and as adjusted to reflect the sale of our Class A ordinary shares offered by this prospectus, and assuming no purchase of such shares in this offering, by:

 

•

each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares;

 

•

each of our executive officers, directors and director nominees; and

 

•

all our executive officers and directors as a group.

 

Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all of our ordinary shares beneficially owned by them.

 

On November 11, 2020, our sponsor paid $25,000, or approximately $0.0009 per share, to cover certain offering costs in consideration for 28,750,000 founder shares. On November 18, 2020, our sponsor surrendered 25,875,000 founder shares to us for no value, resulting in a price per share of $0.009 for the 2,875,000 founder shares held by our sponsor immediately following such surrender. On December 22, 2020, we effected a share capitalization of 22,125,000 founder shares to our sponsor, resulting in a price per share of $0.001 for the 25,000,000 founder shares held by our sponsor immediately following such issuance (of which up to 2,500,000 are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option). On January 6, 2021, our independent directors, Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé, each purchased 75,000 founder shares from our sponsor at a price of $0.001 per founder share. The founder shares held by our independent directors are not subject to forfeiture in the event that the underwriters’ over-allotment is not exercised.

 

In addition, our sponsor has committed, pursuant to a written agreement, to purchase an aggregate of 2,200,000 private placement shares (or 2,400,000 private placement shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at a price of $10.00 per share in a private placement to occur concurrently with the closing of this offering for an aggregate purchase price of $22,000,000 (or $24,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. Prior to the initial investment in our company of $25,000 by the sponsor, we had no assets, tangible or intangible. The per-share price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount contributed to us by the number of founder shares issued. The number of shares beneficially owned and post-offering percentages in the following table assume that the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option and that there are 114,700,000 ordinary shares, consisting of (i) 90,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, (ii) 2,200,000 private placement shares and (iii) 22,500,000 Class B ordinary shares, issued and outstanding after this offering.

 

NAME AND ADDRESS OF BENEFICIAL OWNER(1)		NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED(2)				APPROXIMATE PERCENTAGE OF OUTSTANDING ORDINARY SHARES
						BEFORE OFFERING				AFTER OFFERING
Thoma Bravo Advantage Sponsor, LLC (our sponsor)(3)			24,475,000				99.0	%			21.3	%
Orlando Bravo(3)			0				—				—
Robert Sayle			0				—				—
Amy Coleman Redenbaugh			0				—				—
Steven Schwab			0				—				—
Les Brun			75,000				*				*
Cam McMartin			75,000				*				*
Pierre Naudé			75,000				*				*
All officers, directors and director nominees as a group (7 individuals)			24,700,000				100.0	%			21.5	%

 

*

Less than one percent.

 

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(1)

The business address of each of the following entities and individuals is 150 N. Riverside Plaza, Suite 2800, Chicago, Illinois 60606.

(2)

Assumes the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option. Interests shown consist of founder shares, classified as Class B ordinary shares, except with respect to our sponsor. The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination as described in the section entitled “Description of Securities.”

(3)

The shares reported herein are held in the name of our sponsor, and includes 2,200,000 private placement shares. Our sponsor is governed by a board of managers consisting of six individuals who are affiliated with Thoma Bravo L.P., including our chairman, Orlando Bravo. None of the members of the board of managers exercise voting or dispositive power with respect to the Class B ordinary shares or private placements shares alone or are deemed to have beneficial ownership of such shares.

 

Immediately after this offering, our initial shareholders will beneficially own approximately 20.0% of the then issued and outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the private placement shares) and will have the right to appoint all of our directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or a share surrender or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our initial shareholders (and their permitted transferees, if any) at 20% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering. Holders of our public shares will not have the right to appoint any directors to our board of directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Because of this ownership block, our initial shareholders may be able to effectively influence the outcome of all other matters requiring approval by our shareholders, including amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approval of significant corporate transactions including our initial business combination.

 

Our sponsor and our founding team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares, private placement shares and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window 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. Further, our sponsor and each member of our founding team have agreed to vote their founder shares, private placement shares and public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination.

 

Our sponsor is deemed to be our “promoter” as such term is defined under the federal securities laws.

 

Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Shares

 

The founder shares and private placement shares are each subject to transfer restrictions pursuant to lock-up provisions in the agreement entered into by our sponsor and our founding team. Our sponsor and our founding team have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell (i) any of their founder shares until the earliest of (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, and (ii) any of their private placement shares until 30 days after the completion

 

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of our initial business combination. The foregoing restrictions are not applicable to transfers (a) to our officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of our officers or directors, any members or partners of our sponsor or their affiliates, any affiliates of our sponsor, or any employees of such affiliates; (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of one of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of the individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of a business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the founder shares, private placement shares or Class A ordinary shares, as applicable, were originally purchased; (f) by virtue of our sponsor’s organizational documents upon liquidation or dissolution of our sponsor; (g) to our company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination; (h) in the event of our liquidation prior to the completion of our initial business combination; or (i) in the event of our completion of a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (f) these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions and the other restrictions contained in the letter agreement.

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

On November 11, 2020, our sponsor paid $25,000, or approximately $0.0009 per share, to cover for certain offering costs in consideration for 28,750,000 founder shares. On November 18, 2020, our sponsor surrendered 25,875,000 founder shares to our company for no value, resulting in an approximate price per share of $0.009 for the 2,875,000 founder shares held by our sponsor immediately following such surrender. On December 22, 2020, we effected a share capitalization of 22,125,000 founder shares to our sponsor, resulting in a price per share of $0.001 for the 25,000,000 founder shares held by our sponsor immediately following such issuance. On January 6, 2021, our independent directors, Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé, each purchased 75,000 founder shares from our sponsor at a price of $0.001 per founder share, which shares are not subject to forfeiture in the event that the underwriters’ over-allotment is not exercised. The number of founder shares to be held by our initial shareholders was determined based on the expectation that such founder shares would represent 20% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon completion of this offering. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or a share surrender or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our initial shareholders (and their permitted transferees, if any) at 20% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering. Up to 2,500,000 founder shares held by our sponsor are subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option. The founder shares (including the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise thereof) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holder.

 

Our sponsor has committed, pursuant to a written agreement, to purchase 2,200,000 private placement shares (or 2,400,000 private placement shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at a price of $10.00 per share in a private placement to occur concurrently with the closing of this offering for an aggregate purchase price of $22,000,000 (or $24,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. As such, our initial shareholders’ interest in this transaction is valued at between $22,025,000 and $24,025,000, depending on the number of private placement shares purchased. The private placement shares may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holder.

 

As more fully discussed in the section of this prospectus entitled “Management—Conflicts of Interest,” 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 honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such opportunity to such entity. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.

 

We currently maintain our executive offices at 150 N. Riverside Plaza, Suite 2800, Chicago, Illinois 60606. The cost for our use of this space is included in the $10,000 per month fee we will pay to our sponsor for office space, administrative and support services, commencing on the date that our securities are first listed on the NYSE. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.

 

No compensation of any kind, including finder’s and consulting fees, will be paid to our sponsor, officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered prior to or in connection with the completion of an initial business combination. However, these individuals will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made by us to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates and will determine which expenses and the amount of expenses that will be reimbursed. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.

 

Our sponsor may loan us up to $400,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering pursuant to the promissory note. These loans would be non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of March 31,

 

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2021 or the closing of this offering. The loan will be repaid out of the offering proceeds that have been allocated to the payment of offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions) and are not held in the trust account.

 

In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete an initial business combination, we may repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into shares of the post-combination company at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender. Such shares would be identical to the private placement shares, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. The terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor, members of our founding team or any of their affiliates as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.

 

After our initial business combination, members of our founding team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our shareholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, furnished to our shareholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a general meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation.

 

We will enter into a registration rights agreement pursuant to which our initial shareholders, and their permitted transferees, if any, will be entitled to certain registration rights with respect to the private placement shares, the securities issuable upon conversion of working capital loans (if any) and the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the founder shares.

 

Policy for Approval of Related Party Transactions

 

The audit committee of our board of directors will adopt a charter, providing for the review, approval and/or ratification of “related party transactions,” which are those transactions required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K as promulgated by the SEC, by the audit committee. At its meetings, the audit committee shall be provided with the details of each new, existing, or proposed related party transaction, including the terms of the transaction, any contractual restrictions that our company has already committed to, the business purpose of the transaction, and the benefits of the transaction to our company and to the relevant related party. Any member of the committee who has an interest in the related party transaction under review by the committee shall abstain from voting on the approval of the related party transaction, but may, if so requested by the chairman of the committee, participate in some or all of the committee’s discussions of the related party transaction. Upon completion of its review of the related party transaction, the committee may determine to permit or to prohibit the related party transaction.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

 

We are a Cayman Islands exempted company and our affairs will be governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act and the common law of the Cayman Islands. Pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which will be adopted prior to the consummation of this offering, we will be authorized to issue 500,000,000 Class A ordinary shares and 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, as well as 1,000,000 preference shares, $0.0001 par value each. The following description summarizes certain terms of our shares as set out more particularly in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Because it is only a summary, it may not contain all the information that is important to you.

 

Ordinary Shares

 

Prior to the date of this prospectus, there were 22,500,000 (excluding shares subject to forfeiture of 2,500,000) Class B ordinary shares issued and outstanding, all of which were held of record by our initial shareholders, so that our initial shareholders will own approximately 20.0% of our issued and outstanding shares after this offering, excluding the private placement shares. Upon the closing of this offering, 114,700,000 of our ordinary shares will be outstanding (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) including:

 

•

90,000,000 Class A ordinary shares issued as part of this offering;

 

•

2,200,000 private placement shares issued simultaneously with the closing of this offering; and

 

•

22,500,000 Class B ordinary shares held by our initial shareholders.

 

If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or share surrender or redemption or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our initial shareholders (and their permitted transferees, if any) at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering.

 

Ordinary shareholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders. Except as described below, holders of Class A ordinary shares and holders of Class B ordinary shares will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders except as required by law. Unless specified in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, or as required by applicable provisions of the Companies Act or applicable stock exchange rules, the affirmative vote of a majority of our ordinary shares that are voted is required to approve any such matter voted on by our shareholders. Approval of certain actions will require a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares that are voted, and pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association; such actions include amending our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approving a statutory merger or consolidation with another company. Our shareholders are entitled to receive ratable dividends when, as and if declared by the board of directors out of funds legally available therefor. Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of our public shares and private placement shares will not be entitled to vote on the appointment of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason. The provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the appointment or removal of directors prior to our initial business combination may only be amended by a special resolution passed by holders representing at least 90% of our issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares.

 

Because our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will authorize the issuance of up to 500,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, if we were to enter into a business combination, we may (depending on

 

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the terms of such a business combination) be required to increase the number of Class A ordinary shares which we are authorized to issue at the same time as our shareholders vote on the business combination to the extent we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination.

 

In accordance with the NYSE’s corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual general meeting until one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on the NYSE. As an exempted company, there is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or extraordinary general meetings to appoint directors. We may not hold an annual or extraordinary general meeting to appoint new directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination. Prior to the completion of an initial business combination, any vacancy on the board of directors may be filled by a nominee chosen by holders of a majority of our founder shares. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason.

 

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 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 our initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share. The per share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. The redemption rights may include the requirement that a beneficial owner must identify itself in order to redeem its shares. Our sponsor and our founding team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares, private placement shares and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 30 months from the closing of this offering, if we have executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering but have not completed our initial business combination within such 24-month 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. Unlike many blank check companies that hold shareholder votes and conduct proxy solicitations in conjunction with their initial business combinations and provide for related redemptions of public shares for cash upon completion of such initial business combinations even when a vote is not required by law, if a shareholder vote is not required by applicable law or stock exchange rule and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will require these tender offer documents to contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. If, however, a shareholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange rule, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, we will, like many blank check companies, offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we receive approval pursuant to an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the shares voted at a general meeting of our company. However, the participation of our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates in privately-negotiated transactions (as described in this prospectus), if any, could result in the approval of our initial business combination even if a majority of our public shareholders vote, or indicate their intention to vote, against such initial business combination unless

 

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restricted by applicable NYSE rules. For purposes of seeking approval of the majority of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will require that at least five days’ notice will be given of any general meeting.

 

If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides 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 Excess Shares, without our prior consent. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Our shareholders’ inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce their influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination, and such shareholders could suffer a material loss in their investment if they sell such Excess Shares on the open market. Additionally, such shareholders will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And, as a result, such shareholders will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose such shares would be required to sell their shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.

 

If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we receive approval pursuant to an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the shares voted at a general meeting of our company. In such case, our sponsor and each member of our founding team have agreed to vote their founder shares and public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares and private placement shares, we would need 32,650,001 or 36.3%, of the 90,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised). The other members of our founding team are subject to the same arrangements with respect to any public shares acquired by them in or after this offering. Additionally, each public shareholder may appoint to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or vote at all.

 

Pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, if we do not consummate an initial business combination within the completion window, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than ten business days thereafter, 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 and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any); 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. Our sponsor and each member of our founding team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares and private placement shares they hold if we fail to consummate an initial business combination within the completion window (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the completion window).

 

In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our company after a business combination, our shareholders are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining available for distribution to them after payment of liabilities and after provision is made for each class of shares, if any, having preference over the ordinary

 

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shares. Our shareholders have no preemptive or other subscription rights. There are no sinking fund provisions applicable to the ordinary shares, except that we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash at a per-share price equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described herein.

 

Private Placement Shares

 

The private placement shares will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination (except pursuant to limited exceptions as described under “Principal Shareholders—Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Shares,” to our officers and directors and other persons or entities affiliated with our sponsor). Holders of our private placement shares are entitled to certain registration rights. If we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months (or 27 months, as applicable) from the closing of this offering, the proceeds from the sale of the private placement shares held in the trust account will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law) and the private placement shares will be worthless. Further, if we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, voted at a shareholder meeting are voted in favor of the business combination. In such case, our sponsor, directors and officers have agreed to vote any founder shares, public shares and private placement shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination. Otherwise, the private placement shares are identical to the Class A ordinary shares sold in this offering.

 

Our sponsor has agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their private placement shares until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, except, among other limited exceptions as described under the section of this prospectus entitled “Principal Shareholders—Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Shares,” to our officers and directors and other persons or entities affiliated with our sponsor.

 

In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into shares of the post business combination entity at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender. Such shares would be identical to the private placement shares.

 

Founder Shares

 

The founder shares are designated as Class B ordinary shares. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will authorize 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares. The Class B ordinary shares, except as described below, are identical to the Class A ordinary shares being sold in this offering, and holders of founder shares have the same shareholder rights as public shareholders, except that:

 

•

prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors;

 

•

the founder shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below;

 

•

our sponsor and our founding team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, private placement shares and public shares they hold, (ii) waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, private placement shares and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business

 

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combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window 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 and (iii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares or private placement shares they hold if we fail to consummate an initial business combination within the completion window (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the completion window);

 

•

the founder shares will automatically convert into our Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination as described below adjacent to the caption “Founder shares conversion and anti-dilution rights” and in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association; and

 

•

the founder shares are entitled to registration rights.

 

If we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, our sponsor and our founding team have agreed to vote their founder shares and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination. If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, voted at a general meeting are voted in favor of the business combination. In such case, our sponsor and each member of our founding team have agreed to vote their founder shares and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares and private placement shares, we would need 32,650,001 or 36.3%, of the 90,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised);

 

The founder shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares immediately following the consummation of our initial business combination at a ratio such that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all founder shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of (i) the total number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon completion of this offering, plus (ii) the sum of the total number of Class A ordinary shares issued or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or rights issued or deemed issued, by us in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the initial business combination, excluding any Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities exercisable for or convertible into Class A ordinary shares issued, deemed issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination and any private placement shares issued to our sponsor, members of our founding team or any of their affiliates upon conversion of working capital loans. In no event will the Class B ordinary shares convert into Class A ordinary shares at a rate of less than one to one.

 

Except as described herein, our sponsor and our founding team have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until the earliest of (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our sponsor and our founding team with respect to any founder shares or private placement shares. We refer to such transfer restrictions throughout this prospectus as the lock-up. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, the founder shares will be released from the lock-up.

 

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Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the appointment of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by a majority of at least 90% of our ordinary shares who attend and vote in a general meeting. With respect to any other matter submitted to a vote of our shareholders, including any vote in connection with our initial business combination, except as required by law, holders of our founder shares and holders of our public shares will vote together as a single class, with each share entitling the holder to one vote.

 

Register of Members

 

Under Cayman Islands law, we must keep a register of members and there will be entered therein:

 

•

the names and addresses of the members, a statement of the shares held by each member, and of the amount paid or agreed to be considered as paid, on the shares of each member and the voting rights of shares of each member;

 

•

whether voting rights are attached to the share in issue;

 

•

the date on which the name of any person was entered on the register as a member; and

 

•

the date on which any person ceased to be a member.

 

Under Cayman Islands law, the register of members of our company is prima facie evidence of the matters set out therein (i.e., the register of members will raise a presumption of fact on the matters referred to above unless rebutted) and a member registered in the register of members will be deemed as a matter of Cayman Islands law to have legal title to the shares as set against its name in the register of members. Upon the closing of this public offering, the register of members will be immediately updated to reflect the issue of shares by us. Once our register of members has been updated, the shareholders recorded in the register of members will be deemed to have legal title to the shares set against their name. However, there are certain limited circumstances where an application may be made to a Cayman Islands court for a determination on whether the register of members reflects the correct legal position. Further, the Cayman Islands court has the power to order that the register of members maintained by a company should be rectified where it considers that the register of members does not reflect the correct legal position. If an application for an order for rectification of the register of members were made in respect of our ordinary shares, then the validity of such shares may be subject to re-examination by a Cayman Islands court.

 

Preference Shares

 

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will authorize 1,000,000 preference shares and will provide that preference shares may be issued from time to time in one or more series. Our board of directors will be authorized to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences, the relative, participating, optional or other special rights and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, applicable to the shares of each series. Our board of directors will be able to, without shareholder approval, issue preference shares with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of the ordinary shares and could have anti-takeover effects. The ability of our board of directors to issue preference shares without shareholder approval could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of us or the removal of our founding team. We have no preference shares issued and outstanding at the date hereof. Although we do not currently intend to issue any preference shares, we cannot assure you that we will not do so in the future. No preference shares are being issued or registered in this offering.

 

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Dividends

 

We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of our initial business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to our initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time, and we will only pay such dividend out of our profits or share premium (subject to solvency requirements) as permitted under Cayman Islands law. If we increase the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or other appropriate mechanism immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain the number of founder shares, on an as-converted basis, at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering. Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with a business combination, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.

 

Our Transfer Agent

 

The transfer agent for our ordinary shares is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. We have agreed to indemnify Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company in its role as transfer agent, its agents and each of its shareholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any claims and losses due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.

 

Certain Differences in Corporate Law

 

Cayman Islands companies are governed by the Companies Act. The Companies Act is modeled on English Law but does not follow recent English Law statutory enactments, and differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of the material differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders.

 

Mergers and similar arrangements.    In certain circumstances, the Companies Act allows for mergers or consolidations between two Cayman Islands companies, or between a Cayman Islands exempted company and a company incorporated in another jurisdiction (provided that is facilitated by the laws of that other jurisdiction) so as to form a single surviving company.

 

Where the merger or consolidation is between two Cayman Islands companies, the directors of each company must approve and enter into a written plan of merger or consolidation containing certain prescribed information. That plan or merger or consolidation must then be authorized by either (a) a special resolution (usually a majority of two-thirds of the voting shares voted at a general meeting) of the shareholders of each company or (b) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company’s articles of association. No shareholder resolution is required for a merger between a parent company (i.e., a company that owns at least 90% of the issued shares of each class in a subsidiary company) and its subsidiary company. The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest of a constituent company must be obtained, unless the court waives such requirement. If the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies is satisfied that the requirements of the Companies Act (which includes certain other formalities) have been complied with, the Registrar of Companies will register the plan of merger or consolidation.

 

Where the merger or consolidation involves a foreign company, the procedure is similar, save that with respect to the foreign company, the directors of the Cayman Islands exempted company are required to make a declaration to the effect that, having made due enquiry, they are of the opinion that the requirements set out below have been met: (i) that the merger or consolidation is permitted or not prohibited by the constitutional

 

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documents of the foreign company and by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the foreign company is incorporated, and that those laws and any requirements of those constitutional documents have been or will be complied with; (ii) that no petition or other similar proceeding has been filed and remains outstanding or order made or resolution adopted to wind up or liquidate the foreign company in any jurisdictions; (iii) that no receiver, trustee, administrator or other similar person has been appointed in any jurisdiction and is acting in respect of the foreign company, its affairs or its property or any part thereof; and (iv) that no scheme, order, compromise or other similar arrangement has been entered into or made in any jurisdiction whereby the rights of creditors of the foreign company are and continue to be suspended or restricted.

 

Where the surviving company is the Cayman Islands exempted company, the directors of the Cayman Islands exempted company are further required to make a declaration to the effect that, having made due enquiry, they are of the opinion that the requirements set out below have been met: (i) that the foreign company is able to pay its debts as they fall due and that the merger or consolidated is bona fide and not intended to defraud unsecured creditors of the foreign company; (ii) that in respect of the transfer of any security interest granted by the foreign company to the surviving or consolidated company (a) consent or approval to the transfer has been obtained, released or waived; (b) the transfer is permitted by and has been approved in accordance with the constitutional documents of the foreign company; and (c) the laws of the jurisdiction of the foreign company with respect to the transfer have been or will be complied with; and (iii) that the foreign company will, upon the merger or consolidation becoming effective, cease to be incorporated, registered or exist under the laws of the relevant foreign jurisdiction. The Registrar of Companies shall also be required to be satisfied that there is no other reason why it would be against the public interest to permit the merger or consolidation.

 

Where the above procedures are adopted, the Companies Act provides certain limited appraisal rights for dissenting shareholders to be paid a payment of the fair value of their shares upon their dissenting to the merger or consolidation if they follow a prescribed procedure. In essence, that procedure is as follows: (a) the shareholder must give their written objection to the merger or consolidation to the constituent company before the vote on the merger or consolidation, including a statement that the shareholder proposes to demand payment for their shares if the merger or consolidation is authorized by the vote; (b) within 20 days following the date on which the merger or consolidation is approved by the shareholders, the constituent company must give written notice to each shareholder who made a written objection; (c) a shareholder must within 20 days following receipt of such notice from the constituent company, give the constituent company a written notice of their intention to dissent including, among other details, a demand for payment of the fair value of their shares; (d) within seven days following the date of the expiration of the period set out in paragraph (b) above or seven days following the date on which the plan of merger or consolidation is filed, whichever is later, the constituent company, the surviving company or the consolidated company must make a written offer to each dissenting shareholder to purchase their shares at a price that the company determines is the fair value and if the company and the shareholder agree the price within 30 days following the date on which the offer was made, the company must pay the shareholder such amount; and (e) if the company and the shareholder fail to agree a price within such 30 day period, within 20 days following the date on which such 30 day period expires, the company (and any dissenting shareholder) must file a petition with the Cayman Islands Grand Court to determine the fair value and such petition must be accompanied by a list of the names and addresses of the dissenting shareholders with whom agreements as to the fair value of their shares have not been reached by the company. At the hearing of that petition, the court has the power to determine the fair value of the shares together with a fair rate of interest, if any, to be paid by the company upon the amount determined to be the fair value. Any dissenting shareholder whose name appears on the list filed by the company may participate fully in all proceedings until the determination of fair value is reached. These rights of a dissenting shareholder are not available in certain circumstances, for example, to dissenters holding shares of any class in respect of which an open market exists on a recognized stock exchange or recognized interdealer quotation system at the relevant date or where the consideration for such shares to be contributed are shares of any company listed on a national securities exchange or shares of the surviving or consolidated company.

 

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Moreover, Cayman Islands law has separate statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction or amalgamation of companies in certain circumstances, commonly referred to in the Cayman Islands as a “scheme of arrangement,” which may be tantamount to a merger. Schemes of arrangement will generally be more suited for complex mergers or other transactions involving widely held companies. In the event that a merger was sought pursuant to a scheme of arrangement (the procedures for which are more rigorous and take longer to complete than the procedures typically required to consummate a merger in the United States), the arrangement in question must be approved by a majority in number of each class of shareholders and creditors with whom the arrangement is to be made and who must in addition represent three-fourth in value of each such class of shareholders or creditors, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a general meeting summoned for that purpose. The convening of the meetings and subsequently the terms of the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder would have the right to express to the court the view that the transaction should not be approved, the court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it satisfies itself that:

 

•

the company is not proposing to act illegally or beyond the scope of its corporate authority and the statutory provisions as to a majority vote have been complied with;

 

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the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question; the arrangement is such as a businessman would reasonably approve; and

 

•

the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Act or that would amount to a “fraud on the minority.”

 

If a scheme of arrangement or takeover offer (as described below) is approved, any dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights (providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares), which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of United States corporations.

 

Squeeze-out.    When a tender offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% of the shares to whom the offer relates within four months, the offeror may, within a two-month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, but this is unlikely to succeed unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith, collusion or inequitable treatment of the shareholders.

 

Further, transactions similar to a merger, reconstruction and/or an amalgamation may in some circumstances be achieved through means other than these statutory provisions, such as a share capital exchange, asset acquisition or control, or through contractual arrangements of an operating business.

 

Shareholders’ suits.    Maples and Calder, our Cayman Islands legal counsel, is not aware of any reported class action having been brought in a Cayman Islands court. Derivative actions have been brought in the Cayman Islands courts, and the Cayman Islands courts have confirmed the availability for such actions. In most cases, we will be the proper plaintiff in any claim based on a breach of duty owed to us, and a claim against (for example) our officers or directors usually may not be brought by a shareholder. However, based both on Cayman Islands authorities and on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority and be applied by a court in the Cayman Islands, exceptions to the foregoing principle apply in circumstances in which:

 

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a company is acting, or proposing to act, illegally or ultra vires (beyond the scope of its authority);

 

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the act complained of, although not beyond the scope of the authority, could be effected if duly authorized by more than the number of votes which have actually been obtained; or

 

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those who control the company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.”

 

A shareholder may have a direct right of action against us where the individual rights of that shareholder have been infringed or are about to be infringed.

 

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Enforcement of civil liabilities.    The Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States and provides less protection to investors. Additionally, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to sue before the Federal courts of the United States.

 

We have been advised by Maples and Calder, our Cayman Islands legal counsel, that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (i) to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum, and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, and or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.

 

Special considerations for exempted companies.    We are an exempted company with limited liability under the Companies Act. The Companies Act distinguishes between ordinary resident companies and exempted companies. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands but conducts business mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company. The requirements for an exempted company are essentially the same as for an ordinary company except for the exemptions and privileges listed below:

 

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an exempted company does not have to file an annual return of its shareholders with the Registrar of the Companies;

 

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an exempted company’s register of members is not open to inspection;

 

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an exempted company does not have to hold an annual general meeting;

 

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an exempted company may issue shares with no par value;

 

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an exempted company may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation (such undertakings are usually given for 20 years in the first instance);

 

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an exempted company may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands;

 

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an exempted company may register as a limited duration company; and

 

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an exempted company may register as a segregated portfolio company.

 

“Limited liability” means that the liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount unpaid by the shareholder on the shares of the company (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper purpose or other circumstances in which a court may be prepared to pierce or lift the corporate veil).

 

Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association

 

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will contain provisions designed to provide certain rights and protections relating to this offering that will apply to us until the completion of our

 

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initial business combination. These provisions cannot be amended without a special resolution. As a matter of Cayman Islands law, a resolution is deemed to be a special resolution where it has been approved by either (i) the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds (or any higher threshold specified in a company’s articles of association) of the shares voted at a general meeting for which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution has been given; or (ii) if so authorized by a company’s articles of association, by a unanimous written resolution of all of the company’s shareholders. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that special resolutions must be approved either by at least two-thirds of shares voted at a general meeting of our company (i.e., the lowest threshold permissible under Cayman Islands law), by 90% of the shares voted at a general meeting in the case of an amendment to the provision relating to the exclusive right of the holders of our Class B ordinary shares to elect directors, or by a unanimous written resolution of all of our shareholders. Further, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that a quorum at our general meetings will consist of one-third of the ordinary shares entitled to vote at such meeting and present in person or by proxy; provided that a quorum in connection with any meeting that is convened to vote on a business combination or any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window 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 shall be a majority of the ordinary shares entitled to vote at such meeting being individuals present in person or by proxy or if a corporation or other non-natural person by its duly authorized representative or proxy.

 

Our initial shareholders and their permitted transferees, if any, who will collectively beneficially own approximately 20% of our ordinary shares upon the closing of this offering, will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. Specifically, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides, among other things, that:

 

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if we do not consummate an initial business combination within the completion window, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than ten business days thereafter, 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 and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any); 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;

 

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prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we may not issue additional securities that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account or (ii) vote as a class with our public shares (a) on our initial business combination or on any other proposal presented to shareholders prior to or in connection with the completion of an initial business combination or (b) to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to (x) extend the time we have to consummate a business combination beyond the completion window or (y) amend the foregoing provisions;

 

•

although we do not intend to enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or our executive officers, we are not prohibited from doing so. In the event we enter into such a transaction, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or an independent valuation or accounting firm that such a business combination or transaction is fair to our company from a financial point of view;

 

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•

if a shareholder vote on our initial business combination is not required by applicable law or stock exchange rule and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, we will offer to redeem our public shares pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, and will file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about our initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act;

 

•

our initial business combination must occur with one or more target businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the net assets held in the trust account (excluding the amount of deferred underwriting discounts held in trust and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of signing the agreement to enter into the initial business combination;

 

•

if our shareholders approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window 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, we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their ordinary shares upon such approval 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 and not previously released to us to pay our income taxes, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein; and

 

•

we will not effectuate our initial business combination solely with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations.

 

In addition, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that under no circumstances will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001.

 

The Companies Act permits a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands to amend its memorandum and articles of association with the approval of a special resolution. A company’s articles of association may specify that the approval of a higher majority is required but, provided the approval of the required majority is obtained, any Cayman Islands exempted company may amend its memorandum and articles of association regardless of whether its memorandum and articles of association provides otherwise. Accordingly, although we could amend any of the provisions relating to our proposed offering, structure and business plan which are contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, we view all of these provisions as binding obligations to our shareholders and neither we, nor our officers or directors, will take any action to amend or waive any of these provisions unless we provide dissenting public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares.

 

Anti-Money Laundering—Cayman Islands

 

 

If any person in the Cayman Islands knows or suspects or has reasonable grounds for knowing or suspecting that another person is engaged in criminal conduct or money laundering or is involved with terrorism or terrorist financing and property and the information for that knowledge or suspicion came to their attention in the course of business in the regulated sector, or other trade, profession, business or employment, the person will be required to report such knowledge or suspicion to (i) the Financial Reporting Authority of the Cayman Islands, pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime Act (2020 Revision) of the Cayman Islands if the disclosure relates to criminal conduct or money laundering, or (ii) a police officer of the rank of constable or higher, or the Financial Reporting Authority, pursuant to the Terrorism Law (2018 Revision) of the Cayman Islands, if the disclosure relates to involvement with terrorism or terrorist financing and property. Such a report shall not be treated as a breach of confidence or of any restriction upon the disclosure of information imposed by any enactment or otherwise.

 

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Data Protection—Cayman Islands

 

We have certain duties under the Data Protection Act, 2017 of the Cayman Islands (the “DPL”) based on internationally accepted principles of data privacy.

 

Privacy Notice

 

Introduction

 

This privacy notice puts our shareholders on notice that through your investment in our company you will provide us with certain personal information which constitutes personal data within the meaning of the DPL (“personal data”).

 

In the following discussion, “company” refers to us and our affiliates and/or delegates, except where the context requires otherwise.

 

Investor Data

 

We will collect, use, disclose, retain and secure personal data to the extent reasonably required only and within the parameters that could be reasonably expected during the normal course of business. We will only process, disclose, transfer or retain personal data to the extent legitimately required to conduct our activities on an ongoing basis or to comply with legal and regulatory obligations to which we are subject. We will only transfer personal data in accordance with the requirements of the DPL, and will apply appropriate technical and organizational information security measures designed to protect against unauthorized or unlawful processing of the personal data and against the accidental loss, destruction or damage to the personal data.

 

In our use of this personal data, we will be characterized as a “data controller” for the purposes of the DPL, while our affiliates and service providers who may receive this personal data from us in the conduct of our activities may either act as our “data processors” for the purposes of the DPL or may process personal information for their own lawful purposes in connection with services provided to us.

 

We may also obtain personal data from other public sources. Personal data includes, without limitation, the following information relating to a shareholder and/or any individuals connected with a shareholder as an investor: name, residential address, email address, contact details, corporate contact information, signature, nationality, place of birth, date of birth, tax identification, credit history, correspondence records, passport number, bank account details, source of funds details and details relating to the shareholder’s investment activity.

 

Who this Affects

 

If you are a natural person, this will affect you directly. If you are a corporate investor (including, for these purposes, legal arrangements such as trusts or exempted limited partnerships) that provides us with personal data on individuals connected to you for any reason in relation your investment in our company, this will be relevant for those individuals and you should transmit the content of this Privacy Notice to such individuals or otherwise advise them of its content.

 

How the Company May Use a Shareholder’s Personal Data

 

Our company, as the data controller, may collect, store and use personal data for lawful purposes, including, in particular:

 

(a) where this is necessary for the performance of our rights and obligations under any purchase agreements;

 

(b) where this is necessary for compliance with a legal and regulatory obligation to which we are subject (such as compliance with anti-money laundering and FATCA/CRS requirements); and/or

 

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(c) where this is necessary for the purposes of our legitimate interests and such interests are not overridden by your interests, fundamental rights or freedoms.

 

Should we wish to use personal data for other specific purposes (including, if applicable, any purpose that requires your consent), we will contact you.

 

Why We May Transfer Your Personal Data

 

In certain circumstances, we may be legally obliged to share personal data and other information with respect to your shareholding with the relevant regulatory authorities such as the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority or the Tax Information Authority. They, in turn, may exchange this information with foreign authorities, including tax authorities.

 

We anticipate disclosing personal data to persons who provide services to us and their respective affiliates (which may include certain entities located outside the United States, the Cayman Islands or the European Economic Area), who will process your personal data on our behalf.

 

The Data Protection Measures We Take

 

Any transfer of personal data by us or our duly authorized affiliates and/or delegates outside of the Cayman Islands shall be in accordance with the requirements of the DPL.

 

We and our duly authorized affiliates and/or delegates shall apply appropriate technical and organizational information security measures designed to protect against unauthorized or unlawful processing of personal data, and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data.

 

We shall notify you of any personal data breach that is reasonably likely to result in a risk to your interests, fundamental rights or freedoms or those data subjects to whom the relevant personal data relates.

 

Certain Anti-Takeover Provisions of our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association

 

Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the appointment of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason.

 

Our authorized but unissued Class A ordinary shares and preference shares are available for future issuances without shareholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved Class A ordinary shares and preference shares could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.

 

Securities Eligible for Future Sale

 

Immediately after this offering we will have 114,700,000 Class A ordinary shares (or 127,400,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) issued and outstanding on an as-converted basis. Of these shares, the Class A ordinary shares sold in this offering (90,000,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised and 100,000,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any Class A ordinary shares purchased by one of our “affiliates” within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act (“Rule 144”). All of the outstanding founder

 

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shares (22,500,000 founder shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised and 25,000,000 founder shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), and all of the private placement shares (2,200,000 private placement shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised and 2,400,000 private placement shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be restricted securities under Rule 144, in that they were issued in private transactions not involving a public offering.

 

Rule 144

 

Pursuant to Rule 144, a person who has beneficially owned restricted shares for at least six months would be entitled to sell their securities provided that (i) such person is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale and (ii) we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least three months before the sale and have filed all required reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the 12 months (or such shorter period as we were required to file reports) preceding the sale.

 

Persons who have beneficially owned restricted shares for at least six months but who are our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale, would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only a number of securities that does not exceed the greater of:

 

•

1% of the total number of ordinary shares then outstanding, which will equal 1,147,000 shares immediately after this offering (or 1,274,000 shares if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full); and

 

•

the average weekly reported trading volume of the Class A ordinary shares during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale.

 

Sales by our affiliates under Rule 144 are also limited by manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.

 

Restrictions on the Use of Rule 144 by Shell Companies or Former Shell Companies

 

Rule 144 is not available for the resale of securities initially issued by shell companies (other than business combination related shell companies) or issuers that have been at any time previously a shell company. However, Rule 144 also includes an important exception to this prohibition if the following conditions are met:

 

•

the issuer of the securities that was formerly a shell company has ceased to be a shell company;

 

•

the issuer of the securities is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act;

 

•

the issuer of the securities has filed all Exchange Act reports and material required to be filed, as applicable, during the preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the issuer was required to file such reports and materials), other than Form 8-K reports; and

 

•

at least one year has elapsed from the time that the issuer filed current Form 10 type information with the SEC reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company.

 

As a result, our initial shareholders will be able to sell their founder shares and our sponsor will be able to sell its private placement shares, and the securities underlying the foregoing, pursuant to Rule 144 without registration one year after we have completed our initial business combination.

 

Registration Rights

 

The holders of the founder shares, private placement shares, and shares that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be

 

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signed prior to or on the effective date of this offering. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that we register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination. However, the registration rights agreement provides that we will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until termination of the applicable lock-up period, which occurs (i) in the case of the founder shares, as described in the following paragraph, and (ii) in the case of the private placement shares, 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.

 

Except as described herein, our sponsor and our founding team have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell (i) any of their founder shares until the earliest of (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) if the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, and (ii) any of their private placement shares until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our sponsor and founding team with respect to any founder shares and private placement shares. We refer to such transfer restrictions throughout this prospectus as the lock-up.

 

Listing of Securities

 

We have applied to have our Class A ordinary shares listed on the NYSE under the symbol “TBA.” We cannot guarantee that our Class A ordinary shares will be approved for listing.

 

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TAXATION

 

The following summary of certain Cayman Islands and U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in our Class A ordinary shares, which we also refer to as our securities, is based upon laws and relevant interpretations thereof in effect as of the date of this prospectus, all of which are subject to change. This summary does not deal with all possible tax consequences relating to an investment in our Class A ordinary shares, such as the tax consequences under state, local and other tax laws.

 

Prospective investors should consult their advisors on the possible tax consequences of investing in our securities under the laws of their country of citizenship, residence or domicile.

 

Cayman Islands Tax Considerations

 

The following is a discussion on certain Cayman Islands income tax consequences of an investment in the securities of our company. The discussion is a general summary of present law, which is subject to prospective and retroactive change. It is not intended as tax advice, does not consider any investor’s particular circumstances, and does not consider tax consequences other than those arising under Cayman Islands law.

 

Under Existing Cayman Islands Laws

 

Payments of dividends and capital in respect of our securities will not be subject to taxation in the Cayman Islands and no withholding will be required on the payment of a dividend or capital to any holder of the securities nor will gains derived from the disposal of the securities be subject to Cayman Islands income or corporate tax. The Cayman Islands currently has no income, corporate or capital gains tax and no estate duty, inheritance tax or gift tax.

 

No stamp duty is payable in respect of the issue of our Class A ordinary shares or on an instrument of transfer in respect of such shares.

 

Our company has been incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company with limited liability and, as such, has applied for and received an undertaking from the Financial Secretary of the Cayman Islands in the following form:

 

THE TAX CONCESSIONS ACT

(2018 Revision)

UNDERTAKING AS TO TAX CONCESSIONS

 

In accordance with the provision of Section 6 of The Tax Concessions Act (2018 Revision), the Financial Secretary undertakes with Thoma Bravo Advantage (the “Company”):

 

1.         That no law which is hereafter enacted in the Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations shall apply to the Company or its operations; and

 

2.         In addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax shall be payable:

 

2.1         On or in respect of the shares, debentures or other obligations of the Company; or

 

2.2         by way of the withholding in whole or part, of any relevant payment as defined in Section 6(3) of the Tax Concessions Act (2018 Revision).

 

These concessions shall be for a period of 20 years from the date hereof.

 

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United States Federal Income Tax Considerations

 

General

 

The following is a summary of the U.S. federal income tax consequences generally applicable to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our Class A ordinary shares (other than private placement shares), which we also refer to as our securities. This discussion applies only to securities that are held as capital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes and is applicable only to holders who purchase securities in this offering.

 

This discussion does not describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to you in light of your particular circumstances, including the alternative minimum tax, the Medicare tax on certain investment income, the tax consequences to accrual-method taxpayers who are required under Section 451(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) to recognize income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than when such income is taken into account in applicable financial statements and the different consequences that may apply if you are subject to special rules that apply to certain types of investors, such as:

 

•

our sponsor, founders, officers or directors;

 

•

banks, financial institutions or financial services entities;

 

•

S corporations;

 

•

governments or agencies or instrumentalities thereof;

 

•

regulated investment companies;

 

•

real estate investment trusts;

 

•

expatriates or former long-term residents of the United States;

 

•

insurance companies;

 

•

broker-dealers;

 

•

taxpayers subject to mark-to-market tax accounting rules;

 

•

persons holding the securities as part of a “straddle,” hedge, integrated transaction or similar transaction;

 

•

U.S. Holders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar;

 

•

persons that actually or constructively own 5% or more of our shares by vote or value;

 

•

controlled foreign corporations or PFICs; and

 

•

tax-exempt entities.

 

This discussion also does not consider the tax treatment of entities or arrangements treated as partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes or persons who hold our securities through such entities or arrangements. If a partnership (or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) is the beneficial owner of our securities, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partner and the partnership. If you are a partner of a partnership holding our securities, we urge you to consult your tax advisor.

 

This discussion is based on the Code, administrative pronouncements, judicial decisions and final, temporary and proposed Treasury regulations as of the date hereof, changes to any of which subsequent to the date of this prospectus may affect the tax consequences described herein. This discussion does not address any aspect of state, local or non-U.S. taxation, or any U.S. federal taxes other than income taxes (such as gift and estate taxes).

 

We have not sought, and do not expect to seek, a ruling from the IRS as to any U.S. federal income tax consequence described herein. The IRS may disagree with the discussion herein, and its determination may be

 

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upheld by a court. Moreover, there can be no assurance that future legislation, regulations, administrative rulings or court decisions will not adversely affect the accuracy of the statements in this discussion.

 

THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, IS ONLY A SUMMARY OF CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SECURITIES AND IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR CAREFUL TAX PLANNING. EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR IN OUR SECURITIES IS URGED TO CONSULT ITS TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES TO SUCH INVESTOR OF THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SECURITIES, INCLUDING THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND NON-U.S. TAX LAWS AND ANY APPLICABLE TAX TREATY.

 

U.S. Holders

 

This section applies to you if you are a “U.S. Holder.” A U.S. Holder is a beneficial owner of our Class A ordinary shares who or that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

•

an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

•

a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

•

an estate the income of which is includible in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or

 

•

a trust (A) the administration of which is subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and which has one or more U.S. persons (within the meaning of the Code) who have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (B) that has in effect a valid election under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

 

Taxation of Distributions

 

Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, a U.S. Holder generally will be required to include in gross income as dividends the amount of any distribution paid on our Class A ordinary shares to the extent the distribution is paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). Such dividends paid by us will be taxable to a corporate U.S. Holder at regular rates and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction generally allowed to domestic corporations in respect of dividends received from other domestic corporations. Distributions in excess of such earnings and profits will constitute a return of capital that will be applied against and reduce the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its Class A ordinary shares (but not below zero) and, to the extent in excess of such tax basis, will be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of such Class A ordinary shares (see “—Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Ordinary Shares” below).

 

With respect to non-corporate U.S. Holders, under tax laws currently in effect and subject to certain exceptions, dividends generally will be taxed at the lower applicable long-term capital gains rate (see “—Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Ordinary Shares” below) only if our Class A ordinary shares are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States, our company is not treated as a PFIC at the time the dividend was paid or in the preceding taxable year and certain holding period requirements are satisfied. It is unclear, however, whether certain redemption rights described in this prospectus may suspend the running of the applicable holding period for this purpose. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the availability of such lower rate for any dividends paid with respect to our Class A ordinary shares.

 

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Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Ordinary Shares

 

Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss on the sale or other taxable disposition of our Class A ordinary shares, including as a result of a dissolution and liquidation in the event we do not consummate our initial business combination within the required time period. Any such capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period for such Class A ordinary shares exceeds one year. It is unclear, however, whether certain redemption rights described in this prospectus may suspend the running of the applicable holding period for this purpose. Long-term capital gains recognized by non-corporate U.S. Holders may be taxed at reduced rates. However, the deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.

 

The amount of gain or loss recognized on a sale or other taxable disposition generally will be equal to the difference between (i) the sum of the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received on such disposition and (ii) the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its Class A ordinary shares so disposed of. A U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its Class A ordinary shares generally will equal the U.S. Holder’s acquisition cost less any prior distributions treated as a return of capital.

 

Redemption of Class A Ordinary Shares

 

Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, in the event that a U.S. Holder’s Class A ordinary shares are redeemed pursuant to the redemption provisions described in this prospectus under “Description of Securities—Ordinary Shares” or if we purchase a U.S. Holder’s Class A ordinary shares in an open market transaction (each of which is referred to herein as a “redemption”), the treatment of the redemption for U.S. federal income tax purposes will depend on whether it qualifies as a sale of the Class A ordinary shares under Section 302 of the Code. If the redemption qualifies as a sale of Class A ordinary shares, the U.S. Holder will be treated as described under “—Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Ordinary Shares” above. If the redemption does not qualify as a sale of Class A ordinary shares, the U.S. Holder will be treated as receiving a corporate distribution with the tax consequences described above under “—Taxation of Distributions.” Whether a redemption qualifies for sale treatment will depend largely on the total number of our Class A ordinary shares treated as owned by the U.S. Holder (including any shares constructively owned by the U.S. Holder) relative to all of our shares outstanding both before and after such redemption. The redemption of Class A ordinary shares generally will be treated as a sale of the Class A ordinary shares (rather than as a corporate distribution) if such redemption (i) is “substantially disproportionate” with respect to the U.S. Holder, (ii) results in a “complete termination” of the U.S. Holder’s interest in us or (iii) is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to the U.S. Holder. These tests are explained more fully below.

 

In determining whether any of the foregoing tests is satisfied, a U.S. Holder takes into account not only Class A ordinary shares actually owned by the U.S. Holder, but also Class A ordinary shares that are constructively owned by it. A U.S. Holder may constructively own, in addition to shares owned directly, shares owned by certain related individuals and entities in which the U.S. Holder has an interest or that have an interest in such U.S. Holder, as well as any shares the U.S. Holder has a right to acquire by exercise of an option. For a redemption to meet the substantially disproportionate test, the percentage of our issued and outstanding voting shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. Holder immediately following the redemption of Class A ordinary shares must, among other requirements, be less than 80% of the percentage of our issued and outstanding voting shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. Holder immediately before the redemption. Before the completion of our initial business combination, the Class A ordinary shares may not be treated as voting shares for this purpose and, consequently, this substantially disproportionate test may not apply. There will be a complete termination of a U.S. Holder’s interest if either (i) all of our shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. Holder are redeemed or (ii) all of our shares actually owned by the U.S. Holder are redeemed and the U.S. Holder is eligible to waive, and effectively waives in accordance with specific rules, the attribution of shares owned by certain family members and the U.S. Holder does not constructively own any other shares of our stock. The redemption of the Class A ordinary shares will not be essentially equivalent to a

 

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dividend with respect to a U.S. Holder if it results in a “meaningful reduction” of the U.S. Holder’s proportionate interest in us. Whether the redemption will result in a meaningful reduction of a U.S. Holder’s proportionate interest in us will depend on the particular facts and circumstances. However, the IRS has indicated in a published ruling that even a small reduction in the proportionate interest of a small minority shareholder in a publicly held corporation that exercises no control over corporate affairs may constitute such a “meaningful reduction.” A U.S. Holder should consult its tax advisor as to the tax consequences of a redemption.

 

If none of the foregoing tests is satisfied, then the redemption will be treated as a corporate distribution and the tax effects will be as described under “—Taxation of Distributions” above. After the application of those rules, any remaining tax basis of the U.S. Holder in the redeemed Class A ordinary shares will be added to the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its remaining shares, or, if it has none, to the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis possibly in other shares constructively owned by it.

 

Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules

 

A foreign (i.e., non-U.S.) corporation will be classified as a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes if either (i) at least 75% of its gross income in a taxable year, including its pro rata share of the gross income of any corporation in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the shares by value, is passive income or (ii) at least 50% of its assets in a taxable year (ordinarily determined based on fair market value and averaged quarterly over the year), including its pro rata share of the assets of any corporation in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the shares by value, are held for the production of, or produce, passive income. Passive income generally includes dividends, interest, rents and royalties (other than rents or royalties derived from the active conduct of a trade or business) and gains from the disposition of passive assets.

 

Because we are a blank check company, with no current active business, we believe that it is likely that we will meet the PFIC asset or income test for our current taxable year. However, pursuant to a start-up exception, a corporation will not be a PFIC for the first taxable year the corporation has gross income (the “start-up year”) if (1) no predecessor of the corporation was a PFIC; (2) the corporation satisfies the IRS that it will not be a PFIC for either of the two taxable years following the start-up year; and (3) the corporation is not in fact a PFIC for either of those years. The applicability of the start-up exception to us is uncertain and will not be known until after the close of our current taxable year or, possibly, after the close of the first two taxable years following our start-up year. After the acquisition of a company or assets in a business combination, we may still meet one of the PFIC tests depending on the timing of the acquisition and the amount of our passive income and assets as well as the passive income and assets of the acquired business. If the company that we acquire in a business combination is a PFIC (or we do not complete a business acquisition by the end of the first taxable year after the taxable year of our formation), then we will likely not qualify for the start-up exception and will likely be a PFIC for the year of our formation. Our actual PFIC status for the year of our formation or any subsequent taxable year, however, will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year (or possibly later, as indicated above). Accordingly, there can be no assurance with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any future taxable year.

 

Although our PFIC status is determined annually, an initial determination that our company is a PFIC will generally apply for subsequent years to a U.S. Holder who held Class A ordinary shares while we were a PFIC, whether or not we meet the test for PFIC status in those subsequent years. If we are determined to be a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. Holder of our Class A ordinary shares and the U.S. Holder did not make either a timely QEF election or a mark-to-market election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder held (or was deemed to hold) Class A ordinary shares, as described below, such U.S. Holder generally would be subject to special and adverse rules with respect to (i) any gain recognized by the U.S. Holder on the sale or other disposition of its Class A ordinary shares and (ii) any “excess distribution” made to the U.S. Holder (generally, any distributions to such U.S. Holder during a taxable year of the U.S. Holder that are greater than 125% of the average annual distributions received by such U.S. Holder in respect of the Class A ordinary shares during the three preceding taxable years of such U.S. Holder or, if shorter, such U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Class A ordinary shares).

 

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Under these rules:

 

•

the U.S. Holder’s gain or excess distribution will be allocated ratably over the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Class A ordinary shares;

 

•

the amount allocated to the U.S. Holder’s taxable year in which the U.S. Holder recognized the gain or received the excess distribution, or to the period in the U.S. Holder’s holding period before the first day of our first taxable year in which we are a PFIC, will be taxed as ordinary income;

 

•

the amount allocated to other taxable years (or portions thereof) of the U.S. Holder and included in its holding period will be taxed at the highest tax rate in effect for that year and applicable to the U.S. Holder; and

 

•

an additional tax equal to the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed on the U.S. Holder with respect to the tax attributable to each such other taxable year of the U.S. Holder.

 

In general, if we are determined to be a PFIC, a U.S. Holder may avoid the adverse PFIC tax consequences described above in respect of our Class A ordinary shares by making and maintaining a timely and valid QEF election (if eligible to do so) to include in income its pro rata share of our net capital gains (as long-term capital gain) and other earnings and profits (as ordinary income), on a current basis, in each case whether or not distributed, in the taxable year of the U.S. Holder in which or with which our taxable year ends. A U.S. Holder generally may make a separate election to defer the payment of taxes on undistributed income inclusions under the QEF rules, but if deferred, any such taxes will be subject to an interest charge.

 

A QEF election is made on a shareholder-by-shareholder basis and, once made, can be revoked only with the consent of the IRS. A U.S. Holder generally makes a QEF election by attaching a completed IRS Form 8621 (Information Return by a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign Investment Company or Qualified Electing Fund), including the information provided in a PFIC annual information statement, to a timely filed U.S. federal income tax return for the tax year to which the election relates. A U.S. Holder might be able to make a QEF election with respect to a previous taxable year if it has filed a protective statement with its U.S. federal income tax return for such taxable year and certain other conditions are met or with the consent of the IRS. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the availability and tax consequences of a retroactive QEF election under their particular circumstances.

 

In order to comply with the requirements of a QEF election, a U.S. Holder must receive a PFIC annual information statement from us. If we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year, upon written request, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. Holder such information as the IRS may require, including a PFIC annual information statement, in order to enable the U.S. Holder to make and maintain a QEF election, but there is no assurance that we will timely provide such required information. There is also no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of our status as a PFIC in the future or of the required information to be provided.

 

If a U.S. Holder has made a QEF election with respect to our Class A ordinary shares, and the excess distribution rules discussed above do not apply to such shares (because of a timely QEF election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) such shares or a purge of the PFIC taint pursuant to a purging election, as described above), any gain recognized on the sale of our Class A ordinary shares generally will be taxable as capital gain and no additional interest charge will be imposed under the PFIC rules. As discussed above, if we are a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder of our Class A ordinary shares that has made a QEF election will be currently taxed on its pro rata share of our earnings and profits, whether or not distributed for such year. A subsequent distribution of such earnings and profits that were previously included in income generally should not be taxable when distributed to such U.S. Holder. The tax basis of a U.S. Holder’s shares in a QEF will be increased by amounts that are included in income, and decreased by amounts distributed but not taxed as dividends, under the above rules. In addition, if we are not a PFIC for any taxable year, such U.S. Holder will not be subject to the QEF inclusion regime with respect to our Class A ordinary shares for such taxable year.

 

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Alternatively, if we are a PFIC and our Class A ordinary shares constitute “marketable stock,” a U.S. Holder may avoid the adverse PFIC tax consequences discussed above if such U.S. Holder, at the close of the first taxable year in which it holds (or is deemed to hold) our Class A ordinary shares, makes a mark-to-market election with respect to such shares for such taxable year. Such U.S. Holder generally will include for each of its taxable years as ordinary income the excess, if any, of the fair market value of its Class A ordinary shares at the end of such year over its adjusted tax basis in its Class A ordinary shares. The U.S. Holder also will recognize an ordinary loss in respect of the excess, if any, of its adjusted tax basis of its Class A ordinary shares over the fair market value of its Class A ordinary shares at the end of its taxable year (but only to the extent of the net amount of previously included income as a result of the mark-to-market election). The U.S. Holder’s tax basis in its Class A ordinary shares will be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss amounts, and any further gain recognized on a sale or other taxable disposition of its Class A ordinary shares will be treated as ordinary income.

 

The mark-to-market election is available only for “marketable stock,” which generally is stock that is regularly traded on a national securities exchange that is registered with the SEC, including the NYSE (on which we intend to list the Class A ordinary shares), or on a foreign exchange or market that the IRS determines has rules sufficient to ensure that the market price represents a legitimate and sound fair market value. If made, a mark-to-market election would be effective for the taxable year for which the election was made and for all subsequent taxable years unless the Class A ordinary shares ceased to qualify as “marketable stock” for purposes of the PFIC rules or the IRS consented to the revocation of the election. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the availability and tax consequences of a mark-to-market election with respect to our Class A ordinary shares under their particular circumstances.

 

If we are a PFIC and, at any time, have a foreign subsidiary that is classified as a PFIC, U.S. Holders generally would be deemed to own a portion of the shares of such lower-tier PFIC, and generally could incur liability for the deferred tax and interest charge described above if we receive a distribution from, or dispose of all or part of our interest in, the lower-tier PFIC or the U.S. Holders otherwise were deemed to have disposed of an interest in the lower-tier PFIC. We will endeavor to cause any lower-tier PFIC to provide to a U.S. Holder the information that may be required to make or maintain a QEF election with respect to the lower-tier PFIC. There can be no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of the status of any such lower-tier PFIC. In addition, we may not hold a controlling interest in any such lower-tier PFIC and thus there can be no assurance we will be able to cause the lower-tier PFIC to provide such required information. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the tax issues raised by lower-tier PFICs.

 

A U.S. Holder that owns (or is deemed to own) shares in a PFIC during any taxable year of the U.S. Holder may have to file an IRS Form 8621 (whether or not a QEF or mark-to-market election is made) and such other information as may be required by the U.S. Treasury Department. Failure to do so, if required, will extend the statute of limitations with respect to the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax returns until such required information is furnished to the IRS.

 

The rules dealing with PFICs and with the QEF and mark-to-market elections are very complex and are affected by various factors in addition to those described above. Accordingly, U.S. Holders of our Class A ordinary shares should consult their tax advisors concerning the application of the PFIC rules to our securities under their particular circumstances.

 

Tax Reporting

 

Certain U.S. Holders may be required to file an IRS Form 926 (Return by a U.S. Transferor of Property to a Foreign Corporation) to report a transfer of property (including cash) to us. Substantial penalties may be imposed on a U.S. Holder that fails to comply with this reporting requirement and the period of limitations for assessment and collection of U.S. federal income taxes will be extended in the event of a failure to comply. Furthermore, certain U.S. Holders who are individuals and certain entities will be required to report information with respect to such U.S. Holder’s investment in “specified foreign financial assets” on IRS Form 8938 (Statement of Specified

 

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Foreign Financial Assets), subject to certain exceptions. An interest in our company constitutes a specified foreign financial asset for these purposes. Persons who are required to report specified foreign financial assets and fail to do so may be subject to substantial penalties and the period of limitations for assessment and collection of U.S. federal income taxes will be extended in the event of a failure to comply. Potential investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the foreign financial asset and other reporting obligations and their application to an investment in our Class A ordinary shares.

 

Non-U.S. Holders

 

This section applies to you if you are a “Non-U.S. Holder.” As used herein, the term “Non-U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of our Class A ordinary shares (other than a partnership or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) who or that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

•

a non-resident alien individual (other than certain former citizens and residents of the United States subject to U.S. tax as expatriates);

 

•

a foreign corporation; or

 

•

an estate or trust that is not a U.S. Holder,

 

but generally does not include an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition. If you are such an individual, you should consult your tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the sale or other disposition of our securities.

 

Dividends (including constructive dividends) paid or deemed paid to a Non-U.S. Holder in respect of our Class A ordinary shares generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax, unless the dividends are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such holder maintains in the United States). In addition, a Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain attributable to a sale or other disposition of our Class A ordinary shares unless such gain is effectively connected with its conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such holder maintains in the United States).

 

Dividends (including constructive dividends) and gains that are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base in the United States) generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the same regular U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to a comparable U.S. Holder and, in the case of a Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, also may be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate or a lower applicable tax treaty rate.

 

The characterization for U.S. federal income tax purposes of the redemption of a Non-U.S. Holder’s Class A ordinary shares will generally correspond to the U.S. federal income tax characterization of such a redemption of a U.S. Holder’s Class A ordinary shares, as described under “U.S. Holders—Redemption of Class A Ordinary Shares” above, and the consequences of the redemption to the Non-U.S. Holder will be as described in the paragraphs above under the heading “Non-U.S. Holders” based on such characterization.

 

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

 

Dividend payments with respect to our Class A ordinary shares and proceeds from the sale, exchange or redemption of our Class A ordinary shares may be subject to information reporting to the IRS and possible U.S. backup withholding. Backup withholding will not apply, however, to a U.S. Holder who furnishes a correct taxpayer identification number and makes other required certifications, or who is otherwise exempt from backup

 

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withholding and establishes such exempt status. A Non-U.S. Holder generally will eliminate the requirement for information reporting and backup withholding by providing certification of its foreign status, under penalties of perjury, on a duly executed applicable IRS Form W-8 or by otherwise establishing an exemption.

 

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Amounts withheld as backup withholding may be credited against a holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, and a holder generally may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules by timely filing the appropriate claim for refund with the IRS and furnishing any required information. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of backup withholding and the availability of and procedure for obtaining an exemption from backup withholding in their particular circumstances.

 

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UNDERWRITING

 

Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, the underwriters have agreed to purchase from us on a firm commitment basis the following respective number of Class A ordinary shares at a public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions set forth on the cover page of this prospectus:

 

Underwriter		Number of Shares
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC.
Total			90,000,000

 

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the Class A ordinary shares being offered in this offering are subject to approval of legal matters by counsel and to other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to purchase all of the Class A ordinary shares (other than those covered by the option to purchase additional Class A ordinary shares described below) if it purchases any of the Class A ordinary shares.

 

Class A ordinary shares sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be offered at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus. Certain of the underwriters may offer and sell the Class A ordinary shares through one or more of their respective affiliates or selling agents. If all of the Class A ordinary shares are not sold at the initial offering price, the underwriters may change the offering price and the other selling terms. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. has advised us that the underwriters do not intend to make sales to discretionary accounts.

 

If the underwriters sell more Class A ordinary shares than the total number set forth in the table above, we have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable for 45 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to 10,000,000 additional Class A ordinary shares at the public offering price less the underwriting discount. To the extent the option is exercised, the underwriters must purchase a number of additional Class A ordinary shares approximately proportionate to their initial purchase commitment. Any Class A ordinary shares issued or sold under the option will be issued and sold on the same terms and conditions as the other Class A ordinary shares that are the subject of this offering.

 

We, our sponsor and our officers and directors have agreed that, for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus, we and they will not, without the prior written consent of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Class A ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Class A ordinary shares; provided, however, that we may (i) issue and sell the private placement shares, (ii) issue and sell the additional Class A ordinary shares to cover our underwriters’ option to purchase additional Class A ordinary shares (if any), (iii) register with the SEC pursuant to an agreement to be entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in this offering, the resale of the founder shares and the private placement shares and (iv) issue securities in connection with an initial business combination. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. in its sole discretion may release any of the securities subject to these lock-up agreements at any time without notice.

 

Our initial shareholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until the earlier to occur of: (i) one year after the completion of our initial business combination; or (ii) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction after our initial business combination that results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property (except as described herein under “Principal Shareholders—Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Shares”). Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and

 

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other agreements of our initial shareholders with respect to any founder shares. We refer to such transfer restrictions throughout this prospectus as the lock-up. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, the founder shares will be released from the lock-up.

 

The private placement shares will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination (except with respect to permitted transferees as described herein under “Principal Shareholders—Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Shares”).

 

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our securities. Consequently, the initial public offering price for the shares was determined by negotiations between us and the underwriters.

 

The determination of our per share offering price was more arbitrary than would typically be the case if we were an operating company. Among the factors considered in determining initial public offering price were the history and prospects of companies whose principal business is the acquisition of other companies, prior offerings of those companies, our management, our capital structure, and currently prevailing general conditions in equity securities markets, including current market valuations of publicly traded companies considered comparable to our company. We cannot assure you, however, that the price at which the Class A ordinary shares will sell in the public market after this offering will not be lower than the initial public offering price or that an active trading market in our Class A ordinary shares will develop and continue after this offering.

 

We have applied to have our shares approved for listing on the NYSE under the symbol “TBA.”

 

The following table shows the underwriting discounts and commissions that we are to pay to the underwriters in connection with this offering. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional Class A ordinary shares.

 

		Paid by Thoma Bravo Advantage
		No Exercise				Full Exercise
Per Share(1)		$	0.55			$	0.55
Total(1)		$	49,500,000			$	55,000,000

 

(1)

$0.20 per share, or $18,000,000 in the aggregate (or $20,000,000 in the aggregate if the option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full), is payable upon the closing of this offering. $0.35 per share, or $31,500,000 in the aggregate (or $35,000,000 in the aggregate if the option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full) payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions will be placed in a trust account located in the United States as described herein. The deferred commissions will be released to the underwriters only on and concurrently with completion of an initial business combination.

 

The offering of the shares by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.

 

If we do not complete our initial business combination within the completion window, the underwriters have agreed that (i) they will forfeit any rights or claims to their deferred underwriting discounts and commissions, including any accrued interest thereon, then in the trust account and (ii) that the deferred underwriters’ discounts and commissions will be distributed on a pro rata basis, together with any accrued interest thereon (which interest will be net of taxes paid or payable) to the public shareholders.

 

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In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell Class A ordinary shares in the open market. Purchases and sales in the open market may include short sales, purchases to cover short positions, which may include purchases pursuant to the option to purchase additional shares, and stabilizing purchases.

 

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Short sales involve secondary market sales by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than it is required to purchase in the offering.

 

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“Covered” short sales are sales of shares in an amount up to the number of shares represented by the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares.

 

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“Naked” short sales are sales of shares in an amount in excess of the number of shares represented by the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares.

 

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Covering transactions involve purchases of shares either pursuant to the option to purchase additional shares or in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover short positions.

 

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To close a naked short position, the underwriters must purchase shares in the open market after the distribution has been completed. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the shares in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering.

 

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To close a covered short position, the underwriters must purchase shares in the open market after the distribution has been completed or must exercise the option to purchase additional shares. In determining the source of shares to close the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through the option to purchase additional Class A ordinary shares.

 

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Stabilizing transactions involve bids to purchase shares so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.

 

Purchases to cover short positions and stabilizing purchases, as well as other purchases by the underwriters for their own accounts, may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the shares. They may also cause the price of the shares to be higher than the price that would otherwise exist in the open market in the absence of these transactions. The underwriters may conduct these transactions in the over-the-counter market or otherwise. If the underwriters commence any of these transactions, they may discontinue them at any time.

 

We estimate that the total expenses of this offering payable by us will be $3,150,000, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make because of any of those liabilities. We have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for certain expenses in an amount not to exceed $25,000. The underwriters have agreed to reimburse certain of our expenses.

 

We are not under any contractual obligation to engage the underwriters to provide any services for us after this offering, and have no present intent to do so. However, the underwriters may introduce us to potential target businesses or assist us in raising additional capital in the future. If the underwriters provide services to us after this offering, we may pay the underwriters fair and reasonable fees that would be determined at that time in an arm’s length negotiation; provided that no agreement will be entered into with the underwriters and no fees for such services will be paid to the underwriters prior to the date that is 60 days from the date of this prospectus, unless FINRA determines that such payment would not be deemed underwriters’ compensation in connection with this offering and we may pay the underwriters of this offering or any entity with which it is affiliated a finder’s fee or other compensation for services rendered to us in connection with the completion of a business combination.

 

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In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

 

Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada

 

The shares may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the shares must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

 

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

 

Pursuant to section 3A.3 (or, in the case of securities issued or guaranteed by the government of a non-Canadian jurisdiction, Section 3A.4) of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (“NI 33-105”), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

 

European Economic Area and the United Kingdom

 

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”) an offer to the public of our ordinary shares may not be made in that Relevant Member State, except that an offer to the public in that Relevant Member State of our ordinary shares may be made at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Directive:

 

(a)

to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive;

 

(b)

to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the Representative for any such offer; or

 

(c)

in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, provided that no such offer of our ordinary shares shall result in a requirement for the publication by us or any underwriters of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

 

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to our ordinary shares in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and our ordinary shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase our ordinary shares, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State, the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended), including by Directive 2010/73/EU, and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State.

 

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This European Economic Area selling restriction is in addition to any other selling restrictions set out below.

 

Notice to Investors in the United Kingdom

 

The underwriters severally represent, warrant and agree as follows:

 

(a)

it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of FSMA) to persons who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling with Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 or in circumstances in which section 21 of FSMA does not apply to the company; and

 

(b)

it has complied with, and will comply with all applicable provisions of FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

 

Notice to Prospective Investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC”)

 

This prospectus relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”). This prospectus is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus supplement nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for this prospectus. The securities to which this prospectus relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

 

Notice to Prospective Investors in Australia

 

This prospectus:

 

•

does not constitute a disclosure document or a prospectus under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the “Corporations Act”);

 

•

has not been, and will not be, lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (“ASIC”), as a disclosure document for the purposes of the Corporations Act and does not purport to include the information required of a disclosure document for the purposes of the Corporations Act; and

 

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•

may only be provided in Australia to select investors who are able to demonstrate that they fall within one or more of the categories of investors, available under section 708 of the Corporations Act (“Exempt Investors”).

 

The securities may not be directly or indirectly offered for subscription or purchased or sold, and no invitations to subscribe for or buy the securities may be issued, and no draft or definitive offering memorandum, advertisement or other offering material relating to any securities may be distributed in Australia, except where disclosure to investors is not required under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act or is otherwise in compliance with all applicable Australian laws and regulations. By submitting an application for the securities, you represent and warrant to us that you are an Exempt Investor.

 

As any offer of securities under this document will be made without disclosure in Australia under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act, the offer of those securities for resale in Australia within 12 months may, under section 707 of the Corporations Act, require disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D.2 if none of the exemptions in section 708 applies to that resale. By applying for the securities you undertake to us that you will not, for a period of 12 months from the date of issue of the securities, offer, transfer, assign or otherwise alienate those securities to investors in Australia except in circumstances where disclosure to investors is not required under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act or where a compliant disclosure document is prepared and lodged with ASIC.

 

Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland

 

This prospectus is not intended to constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase or invest in the securities. The securities may not be publicly offered, directly or indirectly, in Switzerland within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services (“FinSA”) and no application has or will be made to admit the securities to trading on any trading venue (exchange or multilateral trading facility) in Switzerland. Neither this prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the securities constitutes a prospectus pursuant to the FinSa, and neither this prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the securities may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

 

Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong

 

The shares may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), or (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong) and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the shares may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.

 

Notice to Prospective Investors in Japan

 

The shares have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan, or the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law, and each underwriter has agreed that it will not offer or sell any securities, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the

 

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Financial Instruments and Exchange Law and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.

 

Notice to Prospective Investors in Singapore

 

This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”), (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to compliance with conditions set forth in the SFA

 

Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is

 

•

a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or

 

•

a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:

 

•

to an institutional investor (for corporations, under Section 274 of the SFA) or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person pursuant to an offer that is made on terms that such shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or such rights and interest in that trust are acquired at a consideration of not less than $200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction, whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets, and further for corporations, in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA;

 

•

where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer; or

 

•

where the transfer is by operation of law.

 

Singapore Securities and Futures Act Product Classification Solely for the purposes of our obligations pursuant to sections 309B(1)(a) and 309B(1)(c) of the SFA, we have determined, and hereby notify all relevant persons (as defined in Section 309A of the SFA), that the shares are “prescribed capital markets products” (as defined in the Securities and Futures (Capital Markets Products) Regulations 2018) and Excluded Investment Products (as defined in MAS Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products).

 

Cayman Islands

 

No offer or invitation to subscribe for any securities may be made to the public in the Cayman Islands.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

 

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, New York, New York is acting as United States counsel in connection with the registration of our ordinary shares under the Securities Act. Maples and Calder, Cayman Islands, will pass upon the validity of the securities offered in this prospectus with respect to the ordinary shares and matters of Cayman Islands law. Latham & Watkins LLP, New York, New York, is acting as counsel to the underwriters.

 

EXPERTS

 

The financial statements of Thoma Bravo Advantage as of November 11, 2020, and for the period from November 6, 2020 (inception) through November 11, 2020 appearing in this prospectus have been audited by WithumSmith+Brown, PC, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities we are offering by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For further information about us and our securities, you should refer to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed with the registration statement. Whenever we make reference in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents, the references are materially complete but may not include a description of all aspects of such contracts, agreements or other documents, and you should refer to the exhibits attached to the registration statement for copies of the actual contract, agreement or other document.

 

Upon completion of this offering, we will be subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act and will file annual, quarterly and current event reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can read our SEC filings, including the registration statement, over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

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THOMA BRAVO ADVANTAGE

 

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

		Page
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm			F-2
Balance Sheet as of November 11, 2020			F-3
Statement of Operations for the period from November 6, 2020 (inception) through November  11, 2020			F-4
Statement of Changes in Shareholder’s Equity for the period from November  6, 2020 (inception) through November 11, 2020			F-5
Statement of Cash Flows for the period from November 6, 2020 (inception) through November 11, 2020			F-6
Notes to Financial Statements			F-7

 

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Shareholder and the Board of Directors of

Thoma Bravo Advantage

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Thoma Bravo Advantage (the “Company”) as of November 11, 2020, and the related statements of operations, changes in shareholder’s equity and cash flows for the period from November 6, 2020 (inception) through November 11, 2020, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of November 11, 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the period from November 6, 2020 (inception) through November 11, 2020, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the “PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

/s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC

 

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2020.

 

New York, New York

January 6, 2021

 

 

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THOMA BRAVO ADVANTAGE

BALANCE SHEET

November 11, 2020

 

Assets
Deferred offering costs associated with proposed public offering		$	150,000
Total Assets		$	150,000
Liabilities and Shareholder’s Equity
Current liabilities:
Accrued expenses		$	130,111
Total current liabilities			130,111
Commitments and Contingencies
Shareholder’s Equity:
Preference shares, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding			—
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding			—
Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized; 25,000,000 shares issued and outstanding(1)(2)			2,500
Additional paid-in capital			22,500
Accumulated deficit			(5,111	)
Total shareholder’s equity			19,889
Total Liabilities and Shareholder’s Equity		$	150,000

 

(1)

This number includes up to 2,500,000 Class B ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters. (see Note 6).

(2)

Shares and the associated amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect: (i) the surrender of 25,875,000 Class B ordinary shares to the Company for no consideration on November 18, 2020; and (ii) the share capitalization of 22,125,000 Class B ordinary shares on December 22, 2020, resulting in 25,000,000 Class B ordinary shares outstanding.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

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THOMA BRAVO ADVANTAGE

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

For the period from November 6, 2020 (inception) through November 11, 2020

 

General and administrative expenses		$	5,111
Net loss		$	(5,111	)
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted(1)(2)			22,500,000
Basic and diluted net loss per ordinary share		$	(0.00	)

 

(1)

This number excludes up to 2,500,000 Class B ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters.

(2)

Shares and the associated amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect: (i) the surrender of 25,875,000 Class B ordinary shares to the Company for no consideration on November 18, 2020; and (ii) the share capitalization of 22,125,000 Class B ordinary shares on December 22, 2020, resulting in 25,000,000 Class B ordinary shares outstanding.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

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THOMA BRAVO ADVANTAGE

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY

For the period from November 6, 2020 (inception) through November 11, 2020

 

		Ordinary Shares																Additional Paid-in Capital				Accumulated Deficit				Total Shareholder’s Equity
		Class A								Class B
		Shares				Amount				Shares				Amount
Balance—November 6, 2020 (inception)			—			$	—				—			$	—			$	—			$	—			$	—
Issuance of Class B ordinary shares to Sponsor(1)(2)			—				—				25,000,000				2,500				22,500				—				25,000
Net loss			—				—				—				—				—				(5,111	)			(5,111	)
Balance—November 11, 2020			—			$	—				25,000,000			$	2,500			$	22,500			$	(5,111	)		$	19,889

 

(1)

This number includes up to 2,500,000 Class B ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters.

(2)

Shares and the associated amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect: (i) the surrender of 25,875,000 Class B ordinary shares to the Company for no consideration on November 18, 2020; and (ii) the share capitalization of 22,125,000 Class B ordinary shares on December 22, 2020, resulting in 25,000,000 Class B ordinary shares outstanding.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

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THOMA BRAVO ADVANTAGE

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

For the period from November 6, 2020 (inception) through November 11, 2020

 

Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net loss		$	(5,111	)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accrued expenses			5,111
Net cash used in operating activities			—
Net change in cash			—
Cash—beginning of the period			—
Cash—ending of the period		$	—
Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Deferred offering costs included in accrued expenses		$	125,000
Deferred offering costs paid by Sponsor in exchange for issuance of Class B ordinary shares		$	25,000

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

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THOMA BRAVO ADVANTAGE

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Note 1—Description of Organization, Business Operations and Basis of Presentation

 

Thoma Bravo Advantage (the “Company”) was incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on November 6, 2020. The Company was incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (the “Business Combination”). The Company is an emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with emerging growth companies.

 

As of November 11, 2020, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from November 6, 2020 (inception) through November 11, 2020 relates to the Company’s formation and the proposed initial public offering described below. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents from the proceeds derived from the Proposed Public Offering (as defined below). The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.

 

The Company’s sponsor is Thoma Bravo Advantage Sponsor LLC, a Cayman Islands limited liability company (the “Sponsor”). The Company’s ability to commence operations is contingent upon obtaining adequate financial resources through a proposed public offering (the “Proposed Public Offering”) of 90,000,000 Class A ordinary shares (the “Public Shares”) (or 100,000,000 Public Shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at $10.00 per share, which is discussed in Note 3, and the sale of 2,200,000 Class A ordinary shares (the “Private Placement Shares”) (or 2,400,000 Private Placement Shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at a price of $10.00 per Private Placement Share in a private placement to the Sponsor that will close simultaneously with the Proposed Public Offering.

 

The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Proposed Public Offering and the sale of Private Placement Shares, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully. The Company must complete one or more initial Business Combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the Trust Account (as defined below) (net of amounts disbursed to management for working capital purposes, if permitted, and excluding the amount of any deferred underwriting discount) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial Business Combination. However, the Company 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 acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

 

Upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering, management has agreed that an amount equal to $10.00 per Class A ordinary share sold in the Proposed Public Offering, including the proceeds of the Private Placement Shares, will be held in a trust account (“Trust Account”), located in the United States at Citibank, N.A., with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and will invest only in U.S. “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account as described below.

 

The Company will provide its holders (the “Public Shareholders”) of the Public Shares, with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination either (i) in

 

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THOMA BRAVO ADVANTAGE

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

connection with a general meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek shareholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion. The Public Shareholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially anticipated to be $10.00 per Public Share). The per-share amount to be distributed to Public Shareholders who redeem their Public Shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions the Company will pay to the underwriters (as discussed in Note 5). These Public Shares will be classified as temporary equity upon the completion of the Proposed Public Offering in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” In such case, the Company will proceed with a Business Combination if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 and the approval of an ordinary resolution. If a shareholder vote is not required by law and the Company does not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If, however, shareholder approval of the transactions is required by law, or the Company decides to obtain shareholder approval for business or legal reasons, the Company will offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. Additionally, each Public Shareholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. If the Company seeks shareholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the initial shareholders (as defined below) have agreed to vote their Founder Shares (as defined below in Note 4), Private Placement Shares and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Proposed Public Offering in favor of a Business Combination. Subsequent to the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering, the Company will adopt an insider trading policy which will require insiders to: (i) refrain from purchasing shares during certain blackout periods and when they are in possession of any material non-public information and (ii) to clear all trades with the Company’s legal counsel prior to execution. In addition, the initial shareholders have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their Founder Shares, Private Placement Shares and Public Shares in connection with the completion of a Business Combination.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association 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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% or more of the Class A ordinary shares sold in the Proposed Public Offering, without the prior consent of the Company.

 

The Company’s Sponsor, officers and directors (the “Initial Shareholders”) have agreed not to propose an amendment to the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering (or 30 months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering, if the Company has executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for its Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering but has not completed the Business Combination within such 24-month period) (the “Completion Window”) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity, unless the Company provides the Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A ordinary shares in conjunction with any such amendment.

 

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THOMA BRAVO ADVANTAGE

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Completion Window, the Company 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, 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 and not previously released to the Company to pay its income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the then-outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any); and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.

 

The Sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to waive their liquidation rights with respect to the Founder Shares and Private Placement Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Completion Window. However, if the Initial Shareholders or members of the Company’s management team acquire Public Shares in or after the Proposed Public Offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to such Public Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Completion Window. The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to its deferred underwriting commission (see Note 5) held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within in the Completion Window and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the other funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the residual assets remaining available for distribution (including Trust Account assets) will be only $10.00 per share initially held in the Trust Account. In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Sponsor has agreed to be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account. This liability will not apply with respect to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account or to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Proposed Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (except for the Company’s independent registered accounting firm), prospective target businesses or other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.

 

The Company does not have sufficient liquidity to meet its anticipated obligations over the next year from the date of issuance of these financial statements. In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” management has determined that the Company has access to funds from the Sponsor that are sufficient to fund the working capital needs of the Company until the earlier of the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering or a minimum of one year from the date of issuance of these financial statements.

 

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THOMA BRAVO ADVANTAGE

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Emerging Growth Company

 

The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “Securities Act”), as modified by the Jumpstart Business Startups Act of 2012, (the “JOBS Act”), and it may 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 its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

 

Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make the comparison of the Company’s financial statement with another public company that is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company that has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.

 

Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under the FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the balance sheet, primarily due to their short-term nature.

 

Deferred Offering Costs

 

The Company complies with the requirements of FASB ASC 340-10-S99-1. Deferred offering costs consisted of legal fees incurred through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the Proposed Public Offering and that will be charged to shareholder’s equity upon the completion of the Proposed Public Offering. Should the Proposed Public Offering prove to be unsuccessful, these deferred costs, as well as additional expenses to be incurred, will be charged to operations.

 

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THOMA BRAVO ADVANTAGE

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Net Loss Per Ordinary Share

 

The Company complies with accounting and disclosure requirements of FASB ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share.” Net loss per ordinary share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period, excluding ordinary shares subject to forfeiture. Weighted average shares at November 11, 2020 were reduced for the effect of an aggregate of 2,500,000 Class B ordinary shares that are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters (see Note 6). As of November 11, 2020, the Company did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into ordinary shares and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted loss per ordinary share is the same as basic loss per ordinary share for the period presented.

 

Income Taxes

 

ASC 740, “Income Taxes,” prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. There were no unrecognized tax benefits as of November 11, 2020. The Company’s management determined that the Cayman Islands is the Company’s only major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. No amounts were accrued for the payment of interest and penalties for the period from November 6, 2020 (inception) through November 11, 2020. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position. The Company is subject to income tax examinations by major taxing authorities since inception.

 

There is currently no taxation imposed on income by the Government of the Cayman Islands. In accordance with Cayman federal income tax regulations, income taxes are not levied on the Company. Consequently, income taxes are not reflected in the Company’s financial statements. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

The Company’s management does not believe that there are any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.

 

Note 3—Proposed Public Offering

 

Pursuant to the Proposed Public Offering, the Company intends to offer for sale 90,000,000 Class A ordinary shares at a price of $10.00 per share.

 

Note 4—Related Party Transactions

 

Founder Shares

 

On November 11, 2020, the Sponsor paid $25,000, or approximately $0.0009 per share, to cover certain offering costs in consideration for 28,750,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 (the “Founder Shares”). Shares and the associated amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect: (i) the surrender of 25,875,000 Class B ordinary shares to the Company for no consideration on November 18, 2020; and (ii) the share capitalization of 22,125,000 Class B ordinary shares on December 22, 2020, resulting in 25,000,000 Class B

 

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THOMA BRAVO ADVANTAGE

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

ordinary shares outstanding. On January 6, 2021, each of the Company’s independent directors, Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé, purchased 75,000 Founder Shares from the Sponsor at a price of $0.001 per Founder Share. Of the 25,000,000 Founder Shares outstanding, up to 2,500,000 of the Class B ordinary shares held by the Sponsor are subject to forfeiture to the extent that the over-allotment option is not exercised in full by the underwriters. The forfeiture will be adjusted to the extent that the over-allotment option is not exercised in full by the underwriters so that the Founder Shares will represent 20.0% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Proposed Public Offering (excluding the Private Placement Shares). If the Company increases or decreases the size of the offering, the Company will effect a share capitalization or share contribution back to capital, as applicable, immediately prior to the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering in such amount as to maintain the Founder Share ownership of the Company’s shareholders prior to the Proposed Public Offering at 20.0% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering (excluding the Private Placement Shares).

 

The Initial Shareholders will agree, subject to limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of their Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) one year after the completion of the initial Business Combination and (B) subsequent to the initial Business Combination, (x) if the last reported sale price of Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the initial Business Combination, or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the Public Shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.

 

Private Placement Shares

 

The Sponsor will agree to purchase an aggregate of 2,200,000 Private Placement Shares (or 2,400,000 Private Placement Shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $10.00 per Private Placement Share ($22,000,000 in the aggregate, or $24,000,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of the Proposed Public Offering. A portion of the proceeds from the Private Placement Shares will be added to the proceeds from the Proposed Public Offering to be held in the Trust Account. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Completion Window, the Private Placement Shares will expire worthless.

 

The Sponsor will agree, subject to limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of its Private Placement Shares until 30 days after the completion of the initial Business Combination.

 

Sponsor Loan

 

On November 6, 2020, the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company pursuant to a promissory note (the “Note”), which was later amended on December 21, 2020, up to $400,000 to cover expenses related to the Proposed Public Offering. This loan is non-interest bearing and payable on the earlier of March 31, 2021 or the completion of the Proposed Public Offering. As of November 11, 2020, the Company had not borrowed any amount under the Note. As of January 6, 2021, the Company had borrowed approximately $285,000 under the Note.

 

Working Capital Loans

 

In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans. In the event that a Business Combination

 

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THOMA BRAVO ADVANTAGE

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

does not close, the Company may use a portion of proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. The Working Capital Loans would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into shares at a price of $10.00 per share, which shares will have terms identical to those of the Private Placement Shares. Except for the foregoing, the terms of such Working Capital Loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. As of January 6, 2021, the Company had no borrowings under the Working Capital Loans.

 

Administrative Services Agreement

 

The Company will enter into an agreement that will provide that, commencing on the date that the Company or its securities are first listed on the NYSE through the earlier of consummation of the initial Business Combination or the Company’s liquidation, the Company will pay the Sponsor $10,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative services.

 

In addition, the Sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on the Company’s behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable Business Combinations. The Company’s audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made by the Company to the Sponsor, executive officers or directors, or the Company’s or their affiliates. Any such payments prior to an initial Business Combination will be made using funds held outside the Trust Account.

 

Note 5—Commitments and Contingencies

 

Registration Rights

 

The holders of Founder Shares, Private Placement Shares, and Class A ordinary shares that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed upon consummation of the Proposed Public Offering. These holders will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company registers such securities. In addition, these holders will have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the completion of the initial Business Combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.

 

Underwriting Agreement

 

The Company will grant the underwriters a 45-day option from the final prospectus relating to the Proposed Public Offering to purchase up to 10,000,000 additional Class A ordinary shares to cover over-allotments, if any, at the Proposed Public Offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

The underwriters will be entitled to an underwriting discount of $0.20 per share, or $18,000,000 in the aggregate (or $20,000,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), payable upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering. In addition, $0.35 per share, or $31,500,000 in the aggregate (or $35,000,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions. The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that the Company completes a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.

 

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THOMA BRAVO ADVANTAGE

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Risks and Uncertainties

 

Management continues to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the virus could have a negative effect on the Proposed Public Offering, the Company’s financial position, results of its operations and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

 

Note 6—Shareholder’s Equity

 

Preference Shares—The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 preference shares with such designations, voting and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s board of directors. As of November 11, 2020, there were no preference shares issued or outstanding.

 

Class A Ordinary Shares—The Company is authorized to issue 500,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. At November 11, 2020, there were no Class A ordinary shares issued or outstanding.

 

Class B Ordinary Shares—The Company is authorized to issue 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders are entitled to one vote for each share of Class B ordinary shares. Shares and the associated amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect: (i) the surrender of 25,875,000 Class B ordinary shares to the Company for no consideration on November 18, 2020; and (ii) the share capitalization of 22,125,000 Class B ordinary shares, resulting in 25,000,000 Class B ordinary shares outstanding. Of the 25,000,000 Class B ordinary shares outstanding, an aggregate of up to 2,500,000 shares held by the Sponsor are subject to forfeiture to the Company for no consideration to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part, so that the Initial Shareholders will collectively own 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares after the Proposed Public Offering.

 

Ordinary shareholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders. Except as described below, holders of Class A ordinary shares and holders of Class B ordinary shares will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders except as required by law.

 

The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on the first business day following the consummation of the initial Business Combination at a ratio such that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Founder Shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of (i) the total number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering, plus the sum of the total number of Class A ordinary shares issued or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities (as defined herein) or rights issued or deemed issued, by the Company in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the initial Business Combination (net of any redemptions of Class A ordinary shares by Public Shareholders), excluding any Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities exercisable for or convertible into Class A ordinary shares issued, deemed issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial Business Combination and any Private Placement Shares issued to the Sponsor, members of the founding team or any of their affiliates upon conversion of Working Capital Loans. In no event will the Class B ordinary shares convert into Class A ordinary shares at a rate of less than one-to-one.

 

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THOMA BRAVO ADVANTAGE

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Note 7—Subsequent Events

 

Shares and the associated amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect: (i) the surrender of 25,875,000 Class B ordinary shares to the Company for no consideration on November 18, 2020; and (ii) the share capitalization of 22,125,000 Class B ordinary shares on December 22, 2020, resulting in 25,000,000 Class B ordinary shares outstanding.

 

On December 21, 2020, the Company amended the Note to increase the principal to up to $400,000. Subsequent to November 11, 2020, the Company borrowed approximately $285,000 under the Note.

 

On January 6, 2021, each of the Company’s independent directors, Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé, purchased 75,000 Founder Shares from the Sponsor at a price of $0.001 per Founder Share.

 

The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date up to January 6, 2021, the date that the financial statements were issued. Based on this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events other than noted above that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements.

 

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90,000,000 Shares

 

Thoma Bravo Advantage

 

 

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

 

                , 2021

 

 

 

Citigroup

 

Deutsche Bank Securities

 

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

 

 

Credit Suisse

 

Until                 , 2021 (25 days after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that buy, sell or trade our ordinary shares, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

 

 

 

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PART II

 

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

 

The estimated expenses payable by us in connection with the offering described in this registration statement (other than the underwriting discount and commissions) will be as follows:

 

SEC and FINRA expenses		$	285,919
Accounting fees and expenses			30,000
Printing and engraving expenses			35,000
Legal fees and expenses			1,000,000
NYSE listing and filing fees			85,000
Director & Officers liability insurance premiums(1)			1,700,000
Miscellaneous			14,081
Total		$	3,150,000

 

(1)

This amount represents the approximate amount of annual director and officer liability insurance premiums the Registrant anticipates paying following the completion of its initial public offering and until it completes a business combination.

 

Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against willful default, willful neglect, civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides for indemnification of our officers and directors to the maximum extent permitted by law, including for any liability incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own actual fraud, willful default or willful neglect. We may purchase a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.

 

Our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account, and have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever. Accordingly, any indemnification provided will only be able to be satisfied by us if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination.

 

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

 

Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

 

On November 11, 2020, Thoma Bravo Advantage Sponsor LLC, our sponsor, paid $25,000 or approximately $0.0009 per share, to cover for certain offering costs in consideration for 28,750,000 shares of our Class B ordinary shares. Such securities were issued in connection with our organization pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. On November 18, 2020, our

 

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sponsor surrender 25,875,000 of such shares to our company for no value. On December 22, 2020, we effected a share capitalization of 22,125,000 shares of our Class B ordinary shares to our sponsor, resulting in a price per share of $0.001 for the 25,000,000 Class B ordinary shares held by our sponsor immediately following such issuance. On January 6, 2020, each of our independent directors, Les Brun, Cam McMartin and Pierre Naudé, purchased 75,000 Class B ordinary shares from our sponsor at a price of $0.001 per Class B ordinary share.

 

Our sponsor is an accredited investor for purposes of Rule 501 of Regulation D. Each of the equity holders in our sponsor is an accredited investor under Rule 501 of Regulation D. The sole business of Thoma Bravo Advantage Sponsor, LLC is to act as our company’s sponsor in connection with this offering.

 

Our sponsor has committed, pursuant to a written agreement, to purchase 2,200,000 private placement shares (or 2,400,000 private placement shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at a price of $10.00 per share in a private placement to occur concurrently with the closing of this offering for an aggregate purchase price of $22,000,000 (or $24,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. These issuances will be made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.

 

No underwriting discounts or commissions were paid with respect to such sales.

 

Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

 

(a) The Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 17. Undertakings.

 

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

(1) That for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933 in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

 

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

 

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

(2) That for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser, if the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

 

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(b) The undersigned hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriter at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.

 

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

(d) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

 

(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

 

(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

	1.1			Form of Underwriting Agreement.
	3.1	*		Memorandum and Articles of Association.
	3.2			Form of Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association.
	4.1	*		Specimen Ordinary Share Certificate.
	5.1			Opinion of Maples and Calder, Cayman Islands Legal Counsel to the Registrant.
	10.1			Form of Investment Management Trust Agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company and the Registrant.
	10.2			Form of Registration Rights Agreement among the Registrant, the Sponsor and the Holders signatory thereto.
	10.3			Form of Private Placement Share Purchase Agreement between the Registrant and the Sponsor.
	10.4	*		Form of Indemnity Agreement.
	10.5	*		Form of Administrative Services Agreement between the Registrant and the Sponsor.
	10.6	*		Amended and Restated Promissory Note, dated as of December 21, 2020, issued to the Sponsor.
	10.7	*		Securities Subscription Agreement, dated November 6, 2020, between the Registrant and the Sponsor.
	10.8			Form of Letter Agreement between the Registrant, the Sponsor and each director and officer of the Registrant.
	23.1			Consent of WithumSmith+Brown, PC.
	23.2			Consent of Maples and Calder (included in Exhibit 5.1).
	99.1	*		Consent of Les Brun.
	99.2	*		Consent of Cam McMartin.
	99.3	*		Consent of Pierre Naudé.

 

*

Previously filed.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on the 7th day of January, 2021.

 

 

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

 

NAME		POSITION		DATE
/s/ Robert Sayle Robert Sayle		Chief Executive Officer		January 7, 2021
/s/ Amy Coleman Redenbaugh Amy Coleman Redenbaugh		Chief Financial Officer		January 7, 2021

 

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