UNITED STATES 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K/A

(Amendment No. 1)

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023

or

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from _________ to _________

Commission File Number: 001-39946

AGRIFY CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

2468 Industrial Row Dr.

Troy, Michigan 48084

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(855) 420-0020

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

YES ☒ NO ☐

Indicate check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

YES ☒ NO ☐

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

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).

YES ☐ NO ☒

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant, computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of June 30, 2023, was approximately $5,643,188. Shares of the registrant’s common stock held by each officer and director and each person known to the registrant to own 10% or more of the outstanding voting power of the registrant have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed affiliates. This determination of affiliate status is not a determination for other purposes.

There were a total of 14,229,386 shares of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share, outstanding as of April 19, 2024.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This report contains forward-looking statements and information relating to Agrify Corporation. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this report, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy and plans and our objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements relating to:

We caution you that the foregoing list may not contain all of the forward-looking statements made in this report. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short term and long-term business operations and objectives, and financial needs. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those described in “Risk Factors.” Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this report may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements.

You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this report to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART III

ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Directors and Officers

As of the date of this Report, our directors and executive officers are as follows:

Raymond Chang. Mr. Chang has served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors since June 2019 and served as the Company’s President from June 2019 to November 2021. From September 2015 through May 2019, Mr. Chang was a lecturer in the Practice of Management at the Yale School of Management and an Adjunct Professor at Babson College as well as a managing director at NXT Ventures. In 1997, Mr. Chang founded GigaMedia, the first broadband company in Asia. In 2000, this company went public on Nasdaq (Nasdaq: GIGM) and raised $280 million, one of the largest IPOs for an internet company prior to 2000. In 2007, Mr. Chang founded Luckypai, a leading TV shopping company in China and raised venture financing from Lightspeed Venture Partners, DT Capital, Intel, Lehman Brothers, and Goldman Sachs. Luckypai was sold to Lotte Group, which is one of the largest Asian conglomerates based in Korea, for $160 million in 2010. From 2012 to 2013, Mr. Chang served as the chief executive officer of New Focus Auto, the largest automobile aftersales service company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE: 0360.HK). In 2014, Mr. Chang completed the sale of New Focus Auto to CDH Investments, which is one of the largest private equity firms based in Asia and raised over $150 million for the company. In 2000, Mr. Chang was selected by Fortune as one of the twenty-five “Next Generation Global Leaders Under 40” and by Business Week Asia as one of Asia’s 20 most influential new economy leaders in the 21 century. He was also featured in 2005 as a panel speaker at the World Economic Forum in Zurich, Switzerland. Mr. Chang was the former treasurer/elected board member of Shanghai American School and a member of the Young Presidents Organization — Shanghai Chapter. Mr. Chang received his BA from New York University, MBA from Yale School of Management, and MPA from Harvard JFK School of Government. Mr. Chang has served as a Director of our Company since June 2019.

David Kessler. Mr. Kessler has served as our Chief Science Officer since July 2022. Since 2013, he has served as owner and operator of Willowbrook Orchids LLC, a national award-winning boutique orchid nursery. From 2006 through 2016, Mr. Kessler served as a Horticulturist at Atlantic Hydroponics, where he oversaw project management. Mr. Kessler has over twenty years of cannabis cultivation experience including ten years of CEA (closed environmental agriculture) indoor farm design. Mr. Kessler’s focus on the application of technology to optimize process & workflow while reducing operational costs are a common theme throughout his prolific industry publications having written for such companies as Sunlight Supply, Maximum Yield Magazine, Botanicare, and Hawthorne Gardening Company. Mr. Kessler also regularly lectures at many cannabis industry events and appears regularly on industry podcasts. Mr. Kessler’s decades of experience with horticultural lighting have allowed him the opportunity to be a product tester for companies such as Sharp Electronics and the Horticultural Lighting Group. He has worked with independent 3 party laboratories to provide unbiased testing data comparing product performance from a multitude of horticultural lighting manufacturers. Mr. Kessler received a Bachelor of Arts degree and undertook post graduate studies in biology at SUNY-Oswego.

Brian Towns. Mr. Towns has served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Extraction Division since May 2023, and previously served as Vice President of Operations from October 2021 through May 2023. Prior to that role, Mr. Towns served as Operations Manager of Precision Extraction from October 2016 through January 2019, at which time, Mr. Towns was appointed as the Director of Operations role at Precision Extraction in January 2019 until the acquisition by Agrify in October 2021. In these roles, with increasing responsibility, he oversaw multiple critical functions, including supply chain management, manufacturing, compliance, engineering, customer support, and field service teams. Mr. Town’s visionary approach and commitment to maintaining the highest standards ensured that Precision Extraction delivered top-notch products and services to its customers. The acquisition of Precision Extraction by Agrify in October of 2021 and the addition of industry leading equipment providers Pure Pressure, Lab Society, and Cascade Sciences put Mr. Towns in the position to lead the extraction businesses. At Agrify, Mr. Town’s expertise and innovative mindset continue to drive the extraction division’s success. With 7 years of experience in the cannabis extraction industry, Mr. Towns helps spearhead the development and implementation of cutting-edge extraction technologies, ensuring Agrify remains at the forefront of the market. Before joining Agrify, Mr. Towns honed his skills in executive protection, ensuring the safety and security of high-profile individuals from January 2012 through September 2014 as an account executive. Mr. Town’s early career led him to regional management in the wireless retail business from August 2014 to October 2016, where he demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic acumen. Mr. Towns received his formal education in Michigan.

Max Holtzman. Mr. Holtzman has served as a member of our Board of Directors since July 14, 2022. Mr. Holtzman has served as Operations Director at Ocean 14 Capital, a private equity impact fund focused on the Blue Economy, since December 2021. Mr. Holtzman has also served as Investments Principal at Pontos Aqua, LLC, which provides strategic advisory services in the global seafood and aquaculture space, since June 2017. Mr. Holtzman is a founding officer of Stronger America through Seafood, which strives to increase the production of healthy, sustainable, and affordable seafood in the United States. Mr. Holtzman previously served as the Vice Chairman of Capitol Peak Asset Management, which focused on infrastructure projects and companies in Rural America. Prior to Capitol Peak, Mr. Holtzman was appointed by President Obama as the Senior Advisor to the United States Secretary of Agriculture. From 2009 to 2014, Mr. Holtzman advised the Secretary on the development of new public-private partnerships, aquaculture, trade, biotechnology, and international food security. He also served as Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services and as Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Marketing and Regulatory Programs. In these roles, Mr. Holtzman represented the United States in its negotiations with the Peoples Republic of China as a four-time Delegate on the Joint Committee on Commerce and Trade, and he was regularly involved with a multitude of international trade issues, trade missions, and trade negotiations. He also served as the United States Chairman of the North American Biotechnology Initiative, which includes the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Holtzman, an attorney for over 25 years, provided strategic consulting to multi-national companies related to transportation infrastructure, project finance, public-private partnerships, health care, and government procurement. He also served as a City Attorney and Special Counsel to several municipalities. Mr. Holtzman has served as a Board Member of The Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture since September 2016, the Founding Chairman of Adopt-A-Classroom, and he has sat on the Global Advisory Council of Secure System since January 2018. Mr. Holtzman received his undergraduate degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and his law degree from the University of Miami.

I-Tseng Jenny Chan. Ms. Chan joined Agrify’s Board of Directors in January 2024. Ms. Chan is a luxury brand professional with more than twenty years’ expertise in selling and curating rare gems and antiques. From 2012 to 2018, Ms. Chan served as founder of Studio Rouge in Taipei, Taiwan, where she was responsible for jewelry procurement and merchandise development. Prior to that, Ms. Chan served in various roles at De Beers, Dior Joallerie, JP Collections, Nortel Networks and Thomasville Jewelry Company. Ms. Chan received a Bachelor of Engineering from McGill University and a Master of Science at the University of Illinois.

Leonard J. Sokolow. Mr. Sokolow has served as a member of Agrify’s Board of Directors since December 2021. Since September 2023, Mr. Sokolow has served as co-Chief Executive Officer of SKYX Platforms Corp. (Nasdaq: SKYX). He had served as in independent director and board committee member of SKYX Platforms since 2015 and continues to serve as a board member of that company. From 2015 to August 2023, Mr. Sokolow served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Newbridge Financial, Inc., a financial services holding company. From 2015 to July 2022 Mr. Sokolow served as Chairman of Newbridge Securities Corporation, Newbridge Financial, Inc.’s full service broker-dealer. From August 2022 to August 2023 Mr. Sokolow served as CEO of Newbridge Securities Corporation and Newbridge Financial Services Group, Inc., Newbridge Financial, Inc.’s, full service registered investment adviser. From 2008 through 2012, he served as President and Vice Chairman of National Holdings Corporation, a publicly traded financial services company. From November 1999 until January 2008, Mr. Sokolow was Chief Executive Officer and President, and a member of the Board of Directors, of vFinance Inc., a publicly traded financial services company, which he cofounded. Mr. Sokolow was the Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of vFinance Inc. from January 2007 until July 2008, when it merged into National Holdings Corporation. From 1994 to 1998, Mr. Sokolow was founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Americas Growth Fund Inc., a closed-end registered investment company. From 1988 until 1993, Mr. Sokolow was an Executive Vice President and the General Counsel of Applica Inc., a publicly traded appliance marketing and distribution company. From 1982 until 1988, Mr. Sokolow practiced corporate, securities and tax law and was one of the founding attorneys and a partner of an international boutique law firm. From 1980 until 1982, he worked as a Certified Public Accountant for Ernst & Young and KPMG Peat Marwick. Since June 2006, Mr. Sokolow has served on the Board of Directors of Consolidated Water Company Ltd. (Nasdaq: CWCO) and as Chairman of its Audit Committee; as well as a member of its Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee since 2011. Since December 2021, Mr. Sokolow has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Agrify Corporation (Nasdaq: AGFY), where he currently serves as a member of the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee. Mr. Sokolow received his B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Florida and a Masters of Law in Taxation from New York University Law School and remains a Certified Public Accountant.

Timothy Mahoney. Mr. Mahoney is the owner of Caribou LLC, a strategic advisory firm he founded in 2009 that consults with CEOs and their boards on managing systemic risk and maximizing shareholder value through the identification and capture of strategic opportunities. In March 2013, Mr. Mahoney also founded Cannae Policy Group, a Washington D.C. based public policy company, where he serves as a Chief Political Strategist advising companies, associations, and governments on complex public policy issues. Mr. Mahoney served as a U.S. Representative for Florida’s 16 congressional district from January 2007 to January 2009. From 1998 to 2007, Mr. Mahoney was a Co-Founder of vFinance, Inc., which subsequently acquired National Holdings Corporation. National Holdings Corporation has grown to become one of America’s leading middle-market investment brokerage firms, managing more than $5 billion of client assets with over 50 offices worldwide. Mr. Mahoney has also been involved with companies in the cannabis industry in varying capacities as a private investor, advisor and consultant, including Atlas Biotechnologies, Inc., a licensed medical cannabis grower operating in Canada and the EU, and Volcanic Green Holdings, Inc., a holding company for a Colombian based outdoor cultivation cannabis grower and CBD extracts producer. Mr. Mahoney holds a BA degree in Computer Science and Business from West Virginia University and an MBA from George Washington University. Mr. Mahoney has served as a member of Agrify’s Board of Directors since December 2020.

Krishnan Varier. Mr. Varier joined Agrify’s Board of Directors in June 2020, after briefly serving as a board observer. He is a Managing Partner and the Chief Investment Officer of Arcadian Capital Management, a Los Angeles, California based venture capital private equity firm particularly focused on investing in ancillary businesses related to the cannabis and hemp industries. He has served in this role since joining Arcadian in 2018 to help lead its principal investing activities, bringing more than 15 years of financial services and Wall Street deal-making experience. From 2016 through 2018, Mr. Varier formed Varier Venture Consulting LLC to assist in the growth of early-stage startup companies, primarily by providing strategic advice regarding capital raising strategies. From 2014 through 2016, Mr. Varier was an investment banker with Cowen & Company, where he covered corporate clients in the healthcare biotechnology industry. From 2013 through 2014, he was a Senior Investment Analyst with Health Care REIT, which has since been re-branded as Welltower REIT, and is a leading provider of real estate capital to seniors housing operators, post-acute healthcare providers and health systems. From 2011 through 2013, Mr. Varier was an investment banker in BofA-Merrill Lynch’s Global Corporate & Investment Banking group covering healthcare corporate clients. He began his investment banking career in 2010 with Morgan Keegan, which is now part of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Mr. Varier has been involved in more than $6 billion in closed capital raising and merger and acquisition transactions as an investment banking professional. Mr. Varier earned a B.A. in Economics with a focus in Business Administration in 2001 from the University of Texas at Austin. In 2010, Mr. Varier received an MBA degree in Finance and Investment Management from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School. Mr. Varier has served as a member of our Board of Directors since June 2020.

Director Qualifications

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee reviews annually with the Board the composition of the Board as a whole and recommends, if necessary, measures to be taken so that the Board reflects the appropriate balance of knowledge, experience, skills, expertise and diversity required for the Board as a whole and contains at least the minimum number of independent directors required by applicable laws and regulations. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for ensuring that the composition of the Board accurately reflects the needs of the Company’s business and, in furtherance of this goal, proposing the addition of members and the necessary resignation of members for purposes of achieving this goal. The Committee also considers the nominees’ roles in assisting with development and implementation of the Company’s strategic plan.

The Board of Directors believes that each director nominee brings a strong and unique background and set of skills to the Board, giving the Board as a whole competence and experience in a wide variety of areas, including corporate governance and board service, executive management, private equity, finance, marketing and international business. Set forth below are the particular experiences, qualifications, attributes or skills, which led the Company’s Board of Directors to conclude that each director nominee should serve as a director of the Company.

Mr. Chang, a director since June 2019, is currently the chairman and chief executive officer of the Company. Mr. Chang has a wealth of successful experience directing, managing and/or financing early-stage agricultural- and technology-based companies. Mr. Chang’s entrepreneurial nature and well-developed leadership and financial experience led the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to conclude that his skills fit with the needs of the Board of Directors and qualified him to continue to serve as a director of the Company.

Mr. Holtzman, a director since July 2022, is Operations Director at Ocean 14 Capital, a private equity impact fund. Mr. Holtzman’s extensive experience in finance, government relations and international trade led the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to conclude that his skills and background fit the needs of the Board of Directors and qualified him to continue to serve as a director of the Company.

Ms. Chan, a director since January 2024, provides the Company with extensive experience in business development and retail sales. Ms. Chan’s experience as an entrepreneur led the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to conclude that her skills and background fit the needs of the Board of Directors and qualified her to be a director nominee.

Mr. Mahoney, a director since December 2020, through his strategic advisory firm, has worked as an independent consultant assisting management teams and boards of directors through the identification of systemic risk and the development of creative strategies targeted towards maximizing shareholder value. He also qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined under SEC rules. Mr. Mahoney’s knowledge and experience with the legislative process of Congress and his diverse experience and knowledge in corporate governance led the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to conclude that his skills and background fit the needs of the Board of Directors and qualified him to continue to serve as a director of the Company.

Mr. Sokolow, a director since December 2021, is currently the co-Chief Executive Officer of SKYX Platforms, a Nasdaq-listed company. Mr. Sokolow has vast financing and public company executive management and board of director experience. He also qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined under SEC rules. Mr. Sokolow’s financial experience, combined with his operational and board of director experience led the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to conclude that his skills and background fit the needs of the Board of Directors and qualified him to continue to serve as a director of the Company.

Mr. Varier, a director since June 2020, is a managing partner of Arcadian Capital Management, a leader in cannabis venture capital. Mr. Varier has nearly 20 years of experience in corporate finance and investment advisory. He also qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined under SEC rules. Mr. Varier’s extensive capital markets experience, knowledge of the cannabis industry, as well as his experience working with cannabis companies as an investor, mentor, advisor and consultant, led the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to conclude that his overall experience fits the needs of the Board of Directors and qualified him to continue to serve as a director of the Company.

Family relationships

There are no family relationships among any of our executive officers or directors.

Number of Meetings of the Board of Directors and Attendance in 2023

During fiscal 2023, our Board and various Board Committees held the following number of meetings: Board of Directors, 12 meetings; Audit Committee, 5 meetings; Compensation Committee, 3 meetings; and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, no meetings. No director attended fewer than 75% of the aggregate Board meetings and Board Committee meetings on which that director served, except for Mr. Hua, who attended 33% of Board meetings.

Board and Board Committee Matters

The Board currently consists of six directors. The Board has determined that Max Holtzman, Timothy Mahoney, Leonard J. Sokolow, and Krishnan Varier are all “Independent” directors under the Nasdaq listing standards.

As required by the Nasdaq listing standards, the Board must be composed of a majority of independent directors. The committee charters are reviewed annually and updated as necessary to reflect changes in regulatory requirements and evolving oversight practices.

The Board currently has four standing committees consisting of: the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, the Compensation Committee, and the Audit Committee and the Mergers and Acquisitions Committee. No member of the Audit, Compensation or Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is an employee of the Company or its subsidiaries, and all are currently independent as defined by the Nasdaq listing standards. In March 2022, the Company became aware of a consulting arrangement between an entity partially owned by Mr. Mahoney and the Company that resulted in Mr. Mahoney not being considered independent for purposes of Audit Committee membership. Mr. Mahoney did not provide any consulting services on behalf of the consulting group and did not receive any fees from the consulting group in connection with the agreement between the consulting group and the Company. The Company promptly terminated the consulting relationship, upon which Mr. Mahoney regained his independent status for Audit Committee purposes. Each of the Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees has a written charter approved by the Board of Directors. The committee charters as well as the Company’s Code of Conduct and Ethics, which applies to all directors, officers and employees, are available under “Corporate Governance” in the Investor Relations section of our Company’s website at https://ir.agrify.com. Please note that the information contained on the Company website is not incorporated by reference in, or considered to be a part of, this proxy statement.

The current members of the Committees are identified below:

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The current members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are directors Holtzman, who chairs the committee, Mahoney and Varier. Each of these directors is independent as defined under applicable Nasdaq listing requirements. This Committee’s responsibilities include the selection of potential candidates for the Board.

Compensation Committee. The current members of the Compensation Committee are directors Mahoney, who chairs the committee, Sokolow and Holtzman. Each of these directors is independent as defined under applicable Nasdaq listing requirements. The Compensation Committee is responsible for discharging the responsibilities of the Board with respect to the compensation of our executive officers. The Compensation Committee sets performance goals and objectives for the Chief Executive Officer and the other executive officers, evaluates their performance with respect to those goals and sets their compensation based upon the evaluation of their performance. In evaluating executive officer pay, the Compensation Committee has retained the services of a compensation consultant and considers recommendations from the Chief Executive Officer with respect to goals and compensation of the other executive officers. The Compensation Committee assesses the information it receives in accordance with its business judgment. The Compensation Committee also periodically reviews director compensation. All decisions with respect to executive and director compensation are approved by the Compensation Committee and, in the case of director compensation, ratified by the Board.

Audit Committee. The current members of the Audit Committee are directors Varier, who chairs the committee, Mahoney and Sokolow. The Board of Directors has determined that all members of the Audit Committee satisfy the financial literacy requirements of the Nasdaq listing standards and are independent as defined under the Nasdaq listing requirements and applicable Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) rules. In addition, our Board of Directors has determined that each of Messrs. Varier and Sokolow qualifies as an “Audit Committee Financial Expert” as defined under SEC rules. The Audit Committee is primarily concerned with the accuracy and effectiveness of the audits of our Company’s financial statements by our independent registered public accountants. Its duties include, among other things:

The Audit Committee has adopted policies and procedures relating to the approval of all audit and non-audit services that are performed by our independent registered public accounting firm. This policy generally provides that we will not engage our independent registered public accounting firm to render audit or non-audit services unless the service is specifically approved in advance by the Audit Committee or the engagement is entered into pursuant to pre-approval procedures. On an ongoing basis, management communicates specific projects and categories of services for which the advance approval of the Audit Committee is requested. The Audit Committee reviews these requests and advises management if the Committee approves the engagement of the independent registered public accountants. On a periodic basis, management reports to the Audit Committee regarding the actual spending for such projects and services compared to the approved amounts.

The Audit Committee considers whether the provisions of these services are compatible with maintaining the auditor’s independence, and it determined such services for 2023 and 2022 were compatible.

Mergers and Acquisitions Committee. The current members of the Mergers and Acquisitions Committee are directors Varier, who chairs the committee, Mahoney and Holtzman. The purpose of the Mergers & Acquisitions Committee is to assist the Board and the Audit Committee in evaluating any related party transactions that the Company may consider from time to time.

Code of Ethics and Business Conduct

The Company has adopted a code of ethics and business conduct that applies to our directors, officers and employees. This code of ethics and business conduct (which we refer to as a “code of conduct”) may be accessed and reviewed through the Company’s website at https://ir.agrify.com. Any amendments to, or waivers from, any provisions of the code of conduct which apply to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or any person performing similar functions, will be disclosed either on a Current Report on Form 8-K or on our website promptly following the date of any such amendment or waiver.

Stockholder Nomination Procedures

As of the date of this Report, there have been no material changes to the procedures by which stockholders may recommend nominees to our Board of Directors.

Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports

Under the U.S. securities laws, directors, executive officers and persons holding more than 10% of the Company’s Common Stock must report their initial ownership of the Common Stock and any changes in that ownership to the SEC. The SEC has designated specific due dates for these reports and we must identify in this proxy statement those persons who did not file these reports when due. Based solely on our review of the copies of these forms received by us or written representations furnished to us, we believe that, for the reporting period covering our 2023 fiscal year, our executive officers and directors complied with all their reporting requirements under Section 16(a) for this fiscal year, except for a Form 3 filed by Mr. Towns on June 14, 2023 relating to Mr. Towns’ appointment effective as of June 1, 2023 due to a delay in obtaining EDGAR filing codes.

ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Summary Compensation Table

The table below summarizes the total compensation paid or earned by each of the named executive officers noted below for services rendered in all capacities, during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. As a smaller reporting company, we are only required to provide two years of compensation information for our named executive officers.

Employment and Separation Agreements

The Compensation Committee believes that it is in our best interest as well as the interests of our stockholders to offer severance and change in control benefits to certain of our Named Executive Officers. We compete for talent in a highly competitive market in which companies routinely offer similar benefits to senior executives. The Compensation Committee believes that providing severance and change in control benefits to our Named Executive Officers reduces any reluctance of senior management to pursue potential change in control transactions that may be in the best interests of stockholders. In addition, the income security provided by competitive severance and change in control arrangements helps minimize distractions caused by uncertain personal financial circumstances during the negotiation of a potential change in control transaction, a period of time requiring focused and thoughtful leadership to ensure a successful outcome.

Employment Agreement for Mr. Chang: On January 4, 2021, we entered into a three-year employment agreement with Mr. Chang as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, effective February 1, 2021 (the “Mr. Chang’s Employment Agreement”). The agreement, at the end of the initial three-year term, automatically renewed for a successive three-year period.

At signing, Mr. Chang’s Employment Agreement established a minimum annual base salary level of $300,000 and provided for a discretionary bonus of $300,000, with payment subject to Mr. Chang being employed by us at this time of payment.

In accordance with the terms of the agreement, if Mr. Chang’s employment is terminated by us without cause, or in connection with a change of control, or by Mr. Chang for good reason, Mr. Chang will be entitled to receive certain severance benefits, including severance pay equal to the greater of (a) 300% of his annual base salary and (b) $1,000,000. Mr. Chang will also be eligible to receive insurance benefits for a period of up to twelve months following his termination of employment. We can terminate Mr. Chang’s employment for cause only if we receive the unanimous agreement of our board of directors. In addition, if we terminate his employment without cause, or if Mr. Chang resigns for good reason, or upon the occurrence of a change of control, all of his issued but unvested options will immediately vest.

In addition to the terms of our standard invention assignment, restrictive covenants, and confidentiality agreement, Mr. Chang’s employment agreement contains confidentiality, non-solicitation and non-competition provisions, whereby Mr. Chang is subject to non-solicitation restrictions for a period of at least one year and to non-competition restrictions for a period of at least six months following his employment period.

On November 8, 2021, the Compensation Committee, in contemplation of expected executive level changes within the Company, performed a market study of compensation trends related to our various executive level positions. Based upon this review, the Compensation Committee approved increases to Mr. Chang’s base salary (increasing it from $300,000 to $350,000) and discretionary bonus (from $300,000 to $400,000), effective as of January 1, 2022.

Employment Offer Letter for Mr. Kessler: On January 20, 2020, we provided a letter of employment offer to Mr. Kessler, as amended by the updated offer letter effective as of August 9, 2022.

Mr. Kessler’s offer letter establishes a minimum annual base salary level of $250,000 and provides for a discretionary performance-based bonus of $150,000. Mr. Kessler is an at will employee, and there are no severance benefits if his employment is terminated.

Employment Agreement for Mr. Towns: On October 22, 2021, we provided a letter of employment offer to Mr. Towns, as amended on March 1, 2023, and May 25, 2023.

Mr. Towns’ offer letter, as amended, establishes a minimum annual base salary level of $250,000. Mr. Towns is an at will employee, and there are no severance benefits if his employment is terminated.

Employment Agreement for Mr. Oakes: On November 10, 2021, we entered into a two-year employment agreement with Mr. Massie as our Chief Financial Officer, effective November 10, 2021. The agreement, at the end of the initial one-year term, if not terminated by either Mr. Oakes or the Company, would have automatically renewed for successive one-year periods.

Mr. Oakes’ Employment Agreement established a minimum annual base salary level of $250,000 and provided for a discretionary performance-based bonus of $200,000, payable in quarterly $50,000 installment, with payment subject to Mr. Oakes being employed by us at this time of payment. The Board could from time to time elect to pay additional bonuses based on performance that exceeds the mutually agreed upon goals. On August 8, 2022, based on a report from its independent compensation consultant and discussions with the consultant, the Compensation Committee approved an increase to Mr. Oakes’ base salary from $250,000 to $275,000 per year, and an increase in his maximum discretionary bonus opportunity from $200,000 to $250,000 per year.

In accordance with the terms of the agreement, if Mr. Oakes’ employment was terminated by us without cause, or in connection with a change of control, or by Mr. Oakes for good reason, Mr. Oakes would be entitled to receive certain severance benefits, including severance pay equal to 100% of his annual base salary plus his projected bonus for such fiscal year. Mr. Oakes would also be eligible to receive insurance benefits for a period of up to twelve months following his termination of employment. We could terminate Mr. Oakes’ employment for cause only if we received the unanimous agreement of our board of directors. In addition, if we terminated his employment without cause, or if Mr. Oakes resigned for good reason, or upon the occurrence of a change of control, all of his issued but unvested options would immediately vest.

In addition to the terms of our standard invention assignment, restrictive covenants, and confidentiality agreement, Mr. Oakes’ employment agreement contained confidentiality, non-solicitation and non-competition provisions, whereby Mr. Oakes was subject to non-solicitation restrictions for a period of at least one year and to non-competition restrictions for a period of at least six months following his employment period. Mr. Oakes resigned as Chief Financial Officer effective February 28, 2023.

Employment Agreement for Mr. Wilcox: On July 14, 2022, we entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Wilcox as our Chief Operating Officer. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Mr. Wilcox received an annual base salary of $300,000 and was eligible to participate in all employee benefit programs. Mr. Wilcox was also eligible to receive a discretionary performance-based bonus of up to $300,000 with respect to each fiscal year, based on the mutually agreed upon goals that will be set by our Chief Executive Officer and the compensation committee of the Board, and was issued 1,000 restricted stock units that would vest in three equal installments on the one-year, two-year and three-year anniversaries of grant. If Mr. Wilcox’s employment with us was terminated for any reason, he would be entitled to (i) his annual base salary through the termination date, (ii) any accrued unused paid time off, (iii) any vested benefit due and owing under any employee benefit plan and (iv) any unreimbursed business expenses. If Mr. Wilcox’s employment had been terminated by us without cause or by Mr. Wilcox for good reason (as such terms are defined in his employment agreement), he would have also been entitled to receive (i) 100% of his annual base salary and his projected bonus for such fiscal year, (ii) only in the instance of termination without cause or for good reason that occurs within 30 days prior to, or within six months following, a change in control, immediate vesting of all his issued but unvested options or restricted stock units and (iii) continued participation in our group health insurance benefits through August 31, 2025.

In connection with Mr. Wilcox’s resignation, on May 23, 2023, we entered into a separation agreement with Mr. Wilcox. The separation agreement provided that, among other things, (a) Mr. Wilcox would receive reimbursement for COBRA premiums for medical, dental and vision benefits for a period of six months, and (b) all of Mr. Wilcox’s restricted stock units will continue to vest in accordance with their original vesting terms, notwithstanding his resignation. The separation agreement also contained a general release in favor of the Company.

Potential Termination Payments and Equity Awards

The Employment Agreements for our Named Executive Officers, as described above, generally provide for cash payment in the event that their employment with the Company is terminated in certain circumstances by the Company without cause or by such Named Executive Officer for good reason (1) outside of a change of control and (2) in connection with a change of control. The potential payouts each Named Executive Officer may be eligible to receive in either instance under their respective employment agreements is calculated based upon the measurement criteria described above.

If the Named Executive Officers covered by employment agreements or severance agreements had their employment terminated as of December 31, 2023, the Named Executive Officers would have been eligible to receive payments, depending upon whether the termination was for good reason or based upon a change in control, as set forth in the following table.

Termination Payout Table

The following table sets forth information concerning termination payouts for Named Executive Officers serving as of December 31, 2023. These disclosed amounts are estimates only and do not necessarily reflect the actual amounts that would be paid to the Named Executive Officers, which would only be known at the time that they become eligible for payment and would only be payable if the events set forth in the table below occur.

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

The following table sets forth outstanding equity awards for Named Executive Officers as of December 31, 2023.

Pension Plan Benefits and Defined Contribution Plans

The Company does not have a pension plan or defined benefit plan that provides for payments or benefits to the Named Executive Officers at, following, or in connection with retirement.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Annual Cash Compensation. Each of the Company’s non-employee directors receives an annual cash retainer of $24,000, payable in twelve monthly installments. In addition, the following Committee retainer amounts are payable to Committee members.

The Audit Committee Chair receives an annual retainer of $5,000 per year, while Audit Committee members are entitled to receive an annual retainer of $1,000. The annual retainers are paid in twelve monthly installments and are in addition to the annual cash retainer for non-employee directors described above.

The Compensation Committee Chair receives an annual retainer of $5,000 per year, while Compensation Committee members are entitled to receive an annual retainer of $1,000. The annual retainers are paid in twelve monthly installments and are in addition to the annual cash retainer for non-employee directors described above.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Chair receives an annual retainer of $5,000 per year, while Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee members are entitled to receive an annual retainer of $1,000. The annual retainers are paid in twelve monthly installments and are in addition to the annual cash retainer for non-employee directors described above.

Currently, there are no annual retainer fees awarded to either the Merger and Acquisitions Committee Chair or the Merger and Acquisition Committee members.

Stock Options and Share-Based Awards. Following initial election to the Company’s Board of Directors, non-employee directors are eligible to receive restricted stock units as determined by the Board.

The Company’s Board and Compensation Committee believe that equity-based awards are essential to our continued success. Equity-based awards are necessary to attract, retain and motivate highly qualified directors to serve Agrify and to improve Agrify’s business results and earnings by providing these individuals an opportunity to acquire or increase a direct proprietary interest in Agrify’s operations and future success while further aligning recipient’s interests with those of shareholders.

The Board compensation guidelines described above are designed to (a) compensate Committee members through Committee cash retainers in order to provide compensation commensurate with relevant service level commitments for Committee service and (b) set overall Board compensation at a level that is competitive with market norms, in order to enable the Company to attract potential new directors and provide market-based remuneration for existing directors.

Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation. We do not provide Non-Equity Incentive Compensation to our directors.

Pension Benefits. We do not have a pension plan and therefore, do not offer any such pension arrangements to our directors.

The table below provides compensation information for the year ended December 31, 2023 for each non-employee member of our Board of Directors. Guichao Hua served on the Board of Directors until our Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on January 8, 2024, at which point I-Tseng Jenny Chan was elected to the Board of Directors.

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

Beneficial Ownership

The following table provides information, as of April 19, 2024, about the beneficial ownership of our Company’s Common Stock by: (1) the persons known to us to be beneficial owners of more than 5% of our Company’s outstanding Common Stock; (2) our directors; (3) each named executive officer; and (4) our directors and executive officers as a group. To the best of our knowledge, each such person has sole voting and investment power over the shares shown in this table, except as otherwise indicated. As of April 19, 2024, there were 65 record holders and 14,229,386 outstanding shares of our Company’s Common Stock.

The number of shares beneficially owned by each stockholder is determined under rules issued by the SEC and includes voting or investment power with respect to securities. Under these rules, beneficial ownership includes any shares as to which the individual or entity has sole or shared voting power or investment power and includes any shares as to which the individual or entity has the right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days after April 19, 2024 through the exercise of any warrant, stock option or other right. The inclusion in this proxy statement of such shares, however, does not constitute an admission that the named stockholder is a direct or indirect beneficial owner of such shares. Common stock subject to options or warrants currently exercisable, or exercisable within 60 days after April 19, 2024, are deemed outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of the person holding those options or warrants but are not deemed outstanding for computing the percentage ownership of any other person.

Unless otherwise indicated below, to our knowledge, all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to their shares of Common Stock, except to the extent spouses share authority under community property laws.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

The following table sets forth information as of December 31, 2023 concerning the number of shares of common stock issuable under our existing equity compensation plans.

Changes in Control

We are not aware of any arrangements that may result in “changes in control” as that term is defined by the provisions of Item 403(c) of Regulation S-K.

ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

We have entered into indemnity agreements with our directors and Named Executive Officers which provide, among other things, that we will indemnify such executive officer or director, under the circumstances and to the extent provided for therein, for expenses, damages, judgments, fines and settlements he or she may be required to pay in actions or proceedings which he or she is or may be made a party by reason of his or her position as a director, executive officer or other agent of our Company, and otherwise to the full extent permitted under Nevada law and our Company’s amended and restated bylaws.

In order to identify and address concerns regarding related party transactions and their disclosures, the Company uses Director and Officer Questionnaires and its conduct and ethics policies. The Company also considers the independence of its directors. 

Director and Officer Questionnaires are distributed to executive officers and directors at the beginning of each fiscal year to identify any potential related-party transactions. Within the questionnaire, executive officers and directors are asked to describe any transaction, arrangement or relationship or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships, occurring since the beginning of the prior fiscal year, in which the Company was or is to be a participant and the amount involved exceeds $120,000, and in which any of the following had or will have a direct or indirect interest: (i) the individual; (ii) any director or executive officer of the Company; (iii) a nominee for director; (iv) an immediate family member of a director or executive officer of the Company; (v) an immediate family member of a nominee for director; (vi) a security holder of more than 5% of the Common Stock; or (vii) an immediate family member of the security holder. Responses provided within the questionnaire are reviewed by management of the Company to determine any necessary course of action.

It is the policy of the Company that all employees, directors and agents maintain the highest ethical standards and comply with all applicable legal requirements when conducting Company business. Guidelines regarding conflicts of interest are detailed in the Company’s Code of Conduct and Business Ethics, which was adopted by the Board. The Company’s Code of Conduct and Business Ethics policy is available on the Company’s website at https://ir.agrify.com. All Company employees must deal with vendors, customers and others doing business with the Company in a manner that avoids even the appearance of conflict between personal interests and those of the Company. Potential conflicts of interest may arise from any of the following:

The Audit Committee is authorized to review all potential conflicts of interest involving directors and executive officers.

Relationships, including business, financial, personal, and family, may give rise to conflicts of interest or the appearance of a conflict. Employees should carefully evaluate their relationships as they relate to Company business to avoid conflict or the appearance of a conflict. To avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance of a conflict:

Any employee or director who becomes aware of a conflict is required to bring it to the attention of a supervisor, management or other appropriate personnel.

Directors are expected and required to uphold the same dedication to corporate ethics as the Company’s employees.

If a conflict of interest arises involving an executive officer or director, the Board must approve a waiver to the Code of Conduct and Business Ethics and if a director has the conflict, that director must abstain from the approval. Waivers are made on a case-by-case basis. The Board has not adopted a formal written policy with respect to waiving conflict of interests or approving related party transactions. In making this determination, the Board considered the infrequency in occurrence of these transactions. Any waivers to the Code of Conduct and Business Ethics granted to an executive officer or director shall be disclosed by the Company on its website at https://ir.agrify.com.

Related Party Transactions

Convertible Note Amendment, Restatement and Consolidation

On October 27, 2023, CP Acquisitions LLC (the “New Lender”), an entity affiliated with and controlled by Raymond Chang, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and I-Tseng Jenny Chan, a member of our Board of Directors, purchased from an institutional investor (the “Former Lender”) the Senior Secured Note issued by us to the Former Lender on August 19, 2022 (the “Exchange Note”) and the Senior Secured Convertible Note issued by us to the Former Lender on March 10, 2023 (the “Convertible Note”). On January 25, 2024, following stockholder approval at an annual meeting of stockholders on January 8, 2024, we and the New Lender consolidated the outstanding principal and interest due under the Junior Secured Note and the Exchange Note into the Convertible Note and amended and restated the Convertible Note (as amended and restated, the “Restated Note”), with an outstanding principal amount of approximately $18.9 million at the time of issuance of the Restated Note. The Restated Note amended the terms of the Convertible Note by, among other things, (i) reducing the conversion price to $1.46 per share of common stock, (ii) increasing the beneficial ownership limitation to 49.99% with respect to any individual or group, provided that the New Lender may assign its right to receive shares upon conversion to Mr. Chang and/or Ms. Chan or their affiliates, in which case the 49.99% beneficial ownership limitation will apply to each of them individually, (iii) extending the maturity date to December 31, 2025, (iv) increasing the interest rate from 9% to 10% per annum, (v) increasing the default interest from 15% to 18% per annum, and (vi) providing for the payment of interest every six months, or in lieu of cash interest payments, we may issue shares as payments-in-kind at a conversion price equal to the higher of (i) $1.46 or (ii) a 20% discount to our trailing seven-day volume weighted average price as of the date of interest payment. Immediately following the execution of the Restated Note, the New Lender immediately elected to convert approximately $3.9 million of outstanding principal into an aggregate of 2,671,633 shares of common stock, and assigned its rights to receive such shares to entities affiliated with Mr. Chang and Ms. Chan. Following the conversion, there was $15.0 million in principal amount outstanding under the Restated Note.

Note Amendment and Secured Promissory Note

On July 12, 2023, we issued an unsecured promissory note in favor of GIC Acquisition, LLC (“GIC”), an entity that is owned and managed by Raymond Chang, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. On October 27, 2023, we and GIC amended and restated the Note (the “GIC Note”). Pursuant to the terms of the GIC Note, as restated, the maturity date was extended until December 31, 2023 and we granted a junior security interest in our assets. On January 25, 2024, we and GIC amended and restated the GIC Note to increase the principal amount thereunder to $1.0 million, all of which is currently outstanding under the GIC Note, and to extend the maturity date until June 30, 2024.

Concurrently with the restatement of the GIC Note, we issued a junior secured promissory note (the “Junior Secured Note”) to the New Lender. Pursuant to the Junior Secured Note, the New Lender loaned an aggregate of approximately $4.0 million to us. The Junior Secured Note bore interest at a rate of 10% per annum, had a maturity date of December 31, 2023, and could be prepaid without any fee or penalty. The Junior Secured Note was a junior secured obligation.

Distribution Agreement with Enozo

Guichao Hua, a former member of our board of directors, and Raymond Chang, our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, each have ownership interests and are board members of Enozo Technologies Inc. (“Enozo”).

On March 9, 2020, the Company entered into a distribution agreement with Enozo, for an initial term of five years with auto renewal for successive one-year periods unless earlier terminated. The agreement contains the following minimum purchases to retain exclusive distributor status for one of the Company’s products: for the period from the contract date until December 31, 2021 for $375,000, for the year ended December 31, 2022 for $750,000, and for the year ended December 31, 2023 for $1,100,000, which amount may increase by 3% for the later years. The Company had no purchases of Enozo product for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to $40,000 for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Securities Purchase Agreement with RTC3 2020 Irrevocable Family Trust and Stuart Wilcox

On December 20, 2022, as part of our public offering of shares of Common Stock and warrants, the RTC3 2020 Irrevocable Family Trust purchased 115,385 shares of Common Stock and warrants to purchase 230,770 shares of Common Stock. The purchase price per share of Common Stock and warrant was $13.00. Raymond Chang, our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, retains the authority to remove the independent trustee of the RTC3 2020 Irrevocable Family Trust, although Mr. Chang does not have a pecuniary interest in our securities held by that trust.

Public Offering Purchases by RTC3 2020 Irrevocable Family Trust

On January 28, 2022, as part of our private placement financing, we entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with parties including the RTC3 2020 Irrevocable Family Trust and Stuart Wilcox. Pursuant to that agreement, we sold 181 shares of Common Stock and warrants to purchase 136 shares of Common Stock to each of the RTC3 2020 Irrevocable Family Trust and Mr. Wilcox. The purchase price per share of Common Stock and partial warrant was $1,496. Raymond Chang, our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, retains the authority to remove the independent trustee of the RTC3 2020 Irrevocable Family Trust, although Mr. Chang does not have a pecuniary interest in our securities held by that trust.

Greenstone Holdings (“Greenstone”)

Greenstone is a related party because one of our former Agrify Brands employees and our VP of Engineering had a minority ownership, and is a customer of Agrify’s that is in the process of installing Vertical Farming Units (“VFUs”) in its indoor growing facility in Denver, Colorado. The Company has generated revenues from Greenstone through both construction services and the sale of VFUs. A current and former non-executive level employee owns approximately 27% and 10% of Greenstone, respectively. The Company has determined that Greenstone as a Variable Interest Entity, however it does not consolidate the operating results of Greenstone into its consolidated financial statements as Agrify does not have a “controlling interest” in Greenstone. Agrify reported revenues from Greenstone totaling $648,000 during the year ended December 31, 2022 and $9,429,000 during the year ended December 31, 2021. Additionally, the Company made purchases from Greenstone totaling approximately $1.0 million in 2022.

Director and Officer Indemnification and Limitation of Liability

We have entered, and intend to continue to enter, into separate indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers, in addition to the indemnification provided for in our amended and restated bylaws. These agreements, among other things, require us to indemnify our directors and executive officers for certain expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, penalties, fines and settlement amounts incurred by a director or executive officer in any action or proceeding arising out of their services as one of our directors or executive officers or as a director or executive officer of any other company or enterprise to which the person provides services at our request.

We are a Nevada corporation and generally governed by the Nevada Private Corporations Code, Title 78 of the Nevada Revised Statutes, or NRS. Section 78.138 of the NRS provides that, unless the corporation’s articles of incorporation provide otherwise, a director or officer will not be individually liable unless it is proven that (i) the director’s or officer’s acts or omissions constituted a breach of his or her fiduciary duties, and (ii) such breach involved intentional misconduct, fraud, or a knowing violation of the law. Our articles of incorporation provide the personal liability of our directors is eliminated to the fullest extent permitted under the NRS.

Section 78.7502 of the NRS permits a Nevada corporation to indemnify its directors and officers against expenses, judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with a threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding, if the officer or director (i) is not liable pursuant to NRS 78.138, or (ii) acted in good faith and in a manner the officer or director reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, if a criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the conduct of the officer or director was unlawful.

Section 78.7502 of the NRS precludes indemnification by the corporation if the officer or director has been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals, to be liable to the corporation or for amounts paid in settlement to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court determines that in view of all the circumstances, the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses.

Discretionary indemnification pursuant to Section 78.7502 may be made as authorized upon determination that the indemnification is proper under the circumstances. Such determination may be made by (i) the stockholders; (ii) the board of directors by majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the action, suit, or proceeding; or (iii) independent legal counsel if ordered by a majority of the quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the action, suit, or proceeding or if a quorum of directors who were not parties to the action, suit, or proceeding cannot be obtained.

Section 78.751 of the NRS requires a Nevada corporation to indemnify its officers and directors to the extent such person is successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any actual or threatened civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative action, suit, or proceeding or any claim, issue, or matter therein, including an action by or in the right of the corporation, if such person is or was serving as an officer or director of the corporation or, at the request of the corporation, as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. Such indemnification shall be for expenses actually and reasonably incurred by the person, including attorney’s fees, in connection with defending any such action, suit, or proceeding.

Unless otherwise restricted by the articles of incorporation, bylaws, or an agreement made by the corporation, Section 78.751 of the NRS provides that a corporation may pay expenses as incurred and in advance of the final disposition of the action, suit, or proceeding, upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the officer or director to repay the amount if it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that such officer or director is not entitled to be indemnified by the company. Section 78.751 of the NRS further permits the corporation to grant its directors and officers additional rights of indemnification under its articles of incorporation, bylaws, or other agreement, including the requirement of mandatory advance payment of expenses.

Section 78.752 of the NRS provides that a Nevada company may purchase and maintain insurance or make other financial arrangements on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the company, or is or was serving at the request of the company as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another company, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise, for any liability asserted against him and liability and expenses incurred by him in his capacity as a director, officer, employee, or agent, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the company has the authority to indemnify him against such liability and expenses.

Our bylaws implement the indemnification provisions permitted by Chapter 78 of the NRS by providing that we shall indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the NRS against expense, liability, and loss reasonably incurred or suffered by them in connection with their service as an officer or director. Our bylaws require the payment of costs and expenses incurred with respect to any proceeding to which a person is made a party as a result of being a director or officer in advance of final disposition of such proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director or officer to repay such amount if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to indemnification. We may purchase and maintain liability insurance, or make other arrangements for such obligations or otherwise, to the extent permitted by the NRS.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted for directors, executive officers, or persons controlling us, 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 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES :

The following table sets forth the aggregate fees billed by Marcum LLP (“Marcum”) for professional services rendered during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:

In the table above, “Audit Fees” are fees our Company paid to Marcum for professional services rendered connection with the audit of the Company’s consolidated financial statements, the review of financial statements included in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC, or for services that are normally provided by the auditors in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements, net of out of pocket expenses; “Audit-Related Fees” are fees billed by Marcum for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our Company’s financial statements (accounting consultations on transaction related matters including work related to our registration statements); and “Tax Fees” are fees billed by Marcum either for corporate income tax return preparation and filing services and/or individual expatriate income tax services and advice.

Policy on Audit Committee Pre-Approval of Audit and Non-Audit Services of Independent Auditor

The Audit Committee has adopted policies and procedures relating to the approval of all audit and non-audit services that are performed by our independent registered public accounting firm. This policy generally provides that we will not engage our independent registered public accounting firm to render non-audit services unless the service is specifically approved in advance by the Audit Committee or the engagement is entered into pursuant to pre-approval procedures. 100% of the audit services, or audit-related services, were pre-approved by the Audit Committee. On an ongoing basis, management communicates specific projects and categories of services for which the advance approval of the Audit Committee is requested. The Audit Committee reviews these requests and advises management if the Committee approves the engagement of the independent registered public accountants. On a periodic basis, management reports to the Audit Committee regarding the actual spending for such projects and services compared to the approved amounts.

The Audit Committee considers whether the provisions of these services are compatible with maintaining the auditor’s independence, and it determined such services for 2023 and 2022 were compatible.

PART IV

ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

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