EQUITY PURCHASE AGREEMENT
THIS EQUITY PURCHASE AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of the 30th day of January, 2015 (“Execution Date”), by and between CrowdGather, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and Alladin Trading, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company (“Investor”).
WHEREAS, the parties desire that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, the Company shall issue and sell to Investor, from time to time as provided herein, and Investor shall purchase, from time to time as provided herein, up to One Million Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,400,000) of the Company’s Common Stock $.001 par value per share (the "Common Stock");
WHEREAS, such investments will be made in reliance upon the provisions of Section 4(2) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), Rule 506 of Regulation D, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and/or upon such other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act as may be available with respect to any or all of the investments in Common Stock to be made hereunder; and
WHEREAS, contemporaneously with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the parties hereto are executing and delivering a Registration Rights Agreement substantially in the form attached hereto (the "Registration Rights Agreement") pursuant to which the Company has agreed to provide certain registration rights under the Securities Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and applicable state securities laws.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing recitals, which shall be considered an integral part of this Agreement, the covenants and agreements set forth hereafter, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Investor hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 DEFINITIONS of the following terms shall have the following meanings specified or indicated (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined) below:
“AFFILIATE” shall mean a party’s employees, representatives, agents, partners, consultants and advisors and all persons that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls or are controlled by, or under common control with, such party.
“AGREEMENT” shall have the meaning specified in the preamble hereof.
“BY-LAWS” shall have the meaning specified in Section 4.7.
“CLAIM NOTICE” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.3(a).
“CLOSING” shall mean one of the closings of a purchase and sale of shares of Common Stock pursuant to Section 2.3.
“CLOSING CERTIFICATE” shall mean the closing certificate of the Company in the form of Exhibit B hereto.
“CLOSING DATE” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.3.
“COMMITMENT AMOUNT” shall be the amount of One Million Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,400,000).
“COMMITMENT PERIOD” shall mean the period commencing on the Execution Date, and ending on the earlier of (i) the date on which Investor shall have purchased Put Shares pursuant to this Agreement for an aggregate Purchase Price of the Maximum Commitment Amount, or (ii) December 31, 2015.
“CLOSING PRICE” shall mean the last price at which Common Stock was sold on the Principal Market on a Trading Day.
“COMMON STOCK” shall mean the Company's common stock, $0.001 par value per share, and any shares of any other class of common stock whether now or hereafter authorized, having the right to participate in the distribution of dividends (as and when declared) and assets (upon liquidation of the Company).
“COMMON STOCK EQUIVALENTS” shall mean any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock or any options or other rights to subscribe for or purchase Common Stock or any such convertible or exchangeable securities.
“COMPANY” shall have the meaning specified in the preamble to this Agreement.
“DAMAGES” shall mean any loss, claim, damage, liability, cost and expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees and disbursements and costs and expenses of expert witnesses and investigation).
“DISPUTE PERIOD” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.3(a).
“DTC” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.3.
“DWAC” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.3.
“EFFECTIVE DATE” shall mean the date that the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC.
“ESTIMATED PUT SHARES” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.2(a).
“EXCHANGE ACT” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“EXECUTION DATE” shall have the meaning specified in the preamble hereof.
“FAST” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.3.
“FINRA” shall mean the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
“INDEMNIFIED PARTY” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.3(a).
“INDEMNIFYING PARTY” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.3(a).
“INDEMNITY NOTICE” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.3(b).
“INVESTMENT AMOUNT” shall mean the dollar amount to be invested by Investor to purchase Put Shares with respect to any Put as notified by the Company to Investor in accordance with Section 2.2.
“INVESTOR” shall have the meaning specified in the preamble to this Agreement.
“LEGEND” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8.1.
“MARKET PRICE” shall mean the average VWAP price on the Principal Market during the Valuation Period, as reported by Bloomberg Finance L.P.
“MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT” shall mean any effect on the business, operations, properties, or financial condition of the Company that is material and adverse to the Company and/or any condition, circumstance, or situation that would prohibit or otherwise materially interfere with the ability of the Company to enter into and perform its obligations under any of this Agreement.
“MAXIMUM COMMITMENT AMOUNT” shall mean One Million Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,400,000).
“PERSON” shall mean an individual, a corporation, a partnership, an association, a trust or other entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.
“PRINCIPAL MARKET” shall mean the OTC Bulletin Board, OTCQB or such other principal exchange which is at the time the principal trading exchange or market for the Common Stock.
“PURCHASE PRICE” shall mean 60% of the Market Price calculated in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
“PUT” shall mean the right of the Company to require the Investor to purchase shares of Common Stock, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
“PUT DATE” shall mean any Trading Day during the Commitment Period that a Put Notice is deemed delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(b).
“PUT NOTICE” shall mean a written notice, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, to Investor setting forth the Investment Amount with respect to which the Company intends to require Investor to purchase shares of Common Stock pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
“PUT SHARES” shall mean up to 17,500,000 shares of Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to a Put that has been exercised or may be exercised in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
“REGISTERED SECURITIES” shall mean the (a) Put Shares, (b) outstanding Common Stock of the Company subject to piggyback registration rights, and (c) any securities issued or issuable with respect to any of the foregoing by way of exchange, stock dividend or stock split or in connection with a combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other reorganization or otherwise. As to any particular Registered Securities, once issued such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when (i) a Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC and such Registrable Securities have been disposed of pursuant to a Registration Statement, (ii) such Registrable Securities have been sold under circumstances under which all of the applicable conditions of Rule 144 are met, (iii) such time as such Registrable Securities have been otherwise transferred to holders who may trade such shares without restriction under the Securities Act or (iv) in the opinion of counsel to the Company, which counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to Investor, such Registrable Securities may be sold without registration under the Securities Act or the need for an exemption from any such registration requirements and without any time, volume or manner limitations pursuant to Rule 144(b)(i) (or any similar provision then in effect) under the Securities Act.
“REGISTRATION STATEMENT” shall mean the Company’s effective registration statement on file with the SEC, and any follow up registration statement or amendment thereto.
“REGULATION D” shall mean Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act.
“RULE 144” shall mean Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act.
“SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“SECURITIES ACT” shall have the meaning specified in the recitals of this Agreement.
“SEC DOCUMENTS” shall mean, as of a particular date, all reports and other documents filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the Company's then most recently completed and reported fiscal year as of the time in question (provided that if the date in question is within ninety days of the beginning of the Company's fiscal year, the term shall include all documents filed since the beginning of the preceding fiscal year).
“SHORT SALES” shall mean all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act.
“SUBSCRIPTION DATE” shall mean the date on which this Agreement is executed and delivered by the Company and Investor.
“THIRD PARTY CLAIM” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.3(a).
“TRADING DAY” shall mean a day on which the Principal Market shall be open for business.
“TRANSACTION DOCUMENTS” shall mean this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
“TRANSFER AGENT” shall mean the transfer agent for the Common Stock (and to any substitute or replacement transfer agent for the Common Stock upon the Company's appointment of any such substitute or replacement transfer agent).
“UNDERWRITER” shall mean any underwriter participating in any disposition of the Registered Securities on behalf of Investor pursuant to the Registration Statement.
“VALUATION PERIOD” shall mean the period of three (3) Trading Days immediately following the Put Date associated with the applicable Put Notice during which the Purchase Price of the Common Stock is valued.
“VWAP” shall mean the volume weighted average price for the Company’s common stock on the Principal Market over the Trading Days constituting the Valuation Period as reported by Bloomberg Finance L.P. In the event the Company’s common stock does not trade on a Trading Day within the Valuation Period, this shall not serve to lengthen the Valuation Period which shall remain at three (3) Trading Days.
ARTICLE II
PURCHASE AND SALE OF COMMON STOCK
Section 2.1 INVESTMENTS.
(a) PUTS. Upon the terms and conditions set forth herein (including, without limitation, the provisions of Article VII), on any Put Date the Company may exercise a Put by the delivery of a Put Notice. The number of Put Shares that Investor shall purchase pursuant to such Put shall be determined by dividing the Investment Amount specified in the Put Notice by the Purchase Price with respect to such Put Notice.
Section 2.2 MECHANICS.
(a) PUT NOTICE. At any time during the Commitment Period, the Company may deliver a Put Notice to Investor, subject to the conditions set forth in Section 7.2; provided, however, that the Investment Amount identified in the applicable Put Notice, when taken together with all prior Put Notices, shall not exceed the Maximum Commitment Amount. On the Put Date, the Company shall deliver to Investor’s brokerage account estimated Put Shares equal to the Investment Amount indicated in the Put Notice divided by the Closing Price on the Trading Day immediately preceding the Put Date multiplied by sixty percent (60%) (the “Estimated Put Shares”). Simultaneously therewith, and in all events within one Trading Day following the Put Date, Investor shall pay the Investment Amount to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds. The Investment Amount shall be deemed delivered on the Trading Day it is received by the Company if such wire is received on or prior to 12:00 noon Eastern time. Similarly, the Put Shares shall be deemed delivered on the Trading Day they are received electronically by Investor if such Put Shares are received on or prior to 12:00 Noon Eastern time. Any wire transfer or Put Shares received after 12:00 Noon Eastern time on a Trading Day shall be deemed to have been received on the next Trading Day.
(b) DATE OF DELIVERY OF PUT NOTICE. A Put Notice shall be deemed delivered on (i) the Trading Day it is received by electronic mail by Investor if such notice is received on or prior to 12:00 noon Eastern time, or (ii) the immediately succeeding Trading Day if it is received by electronic mail after 12:00 noon Eastern time on a Trading Day or at any time on a day which is not a Trading Day.
Section 2.3 CLOSINGS. At the end of the Valuation Period, the Purchase Price shall be established and the number of Put Shares shall be determined for a particular Put. If the number of Estimated Put Shares initially delivered to Investor is greater than the number of Put Shares purchased by Investor pursuant to such Put, then, immediately after the Valuation Period, the Investor shall deliver to the Company any excess Estimated Put Shares associated with such Put. If the number of Estimated Put Shares delivered to Investor is less than the Put Shares purchased by Investor pursuant to a Put, then immediately after the Valuation Period the Company shall deliver to Investor the difference between the Estimated Put Shares and the Put Shares issuable pursuant to such Put. If the Investment Amount delivered to the Company is greater than the Investment Amount established at the end of the Valuation Period by reason of the 17,500,000 Put Share limitation, the Company shall promptly return to the Investor, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, the difference between the amount delivered to the Company and the Investment Amount established at the end of the Valuation Period. The Closing of a Put shall occur on the Trading Day (the “Closing Date”) in which the Purchase Price has been established and the Put Share and payment adjustments provided for above have been made. In addition, on or prior to such Closing Date, each of the Company and Investor shall deliver to each other all documents, instruments and writings required to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement or reasonably requested by any of them pursuant to this Agreement in order to implement and effect the transactions contemplated herein.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF INVESTOR
Investor represents and warrants to the Company that:
Section 3.1 INTENT. Investor is entering into this Agreement for its own account and Investor has no present arrangement (whether or not legally binding) at any time to sell the Registered Securities to or through any person or entity; provided, however, that Investor reserves the right to dispose of the Registered Securities at any time in accordance with federal and state securities laws applicable to such disposition.
Section 3.2 NO LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE COMPANY. The Investor acknowledges that it has had the opportunity to review this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement with its own legal counsel and investment and tax advisors. The Investor is relying solely on such counsel and advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company, or any of its representatives or agents, for legal, tax or investment advice with respect to this investment, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or the securities laws of any jurisdiction.
Section 3.3 SOPHISTICATED INVESTOR. Investor is a sophisticated investor (as described in Rule 506(b)(2)(ii) of Regulation D) and an accredited investor (as defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D), and Investor has such experience in business and financial matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Registered Securities. Investor acknowledges that an investment in the Registered Securities is speculative and involves a high degree of risk.
Section 3.4 AUTHORITY. (a) Investor has the requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby in accordance with its terms; (b) the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action and no further consent or authorization of Investor or its partners is required; and (c) this Agreement has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by Investor and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of Investor enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally the enforcement of, creditors' rights and remedies or by other equitable principles of general application.
Section 3.5 NOT AN AFFILIATE. Investor is not an officer, director or “affiliate” (as that term is defined in Rule 405 of Securities Act) of the Company.
Section 3.6 ORGANIZATION AND STANDING. Investor is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Nevada and has all requisite power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as now being conducted. Investor is duly qualified and in good standing in every jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, other than those in which the failure so to qualify would not have a material adverse effect on Investor.
Section 3.7 ABSENCE OF CONFLICTS. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and any other document or instrument contemplated hereby, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and compliance with the requirements hereof and thereof, will not (a) violate any law, rule, regulation, order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree or award binding on Investor, (b) violate any provision of any indenture, instrument or agreement to which Investor is a party or is subject, or by which Investor or any of its assets is bound, or conflict with or constitute a material default thereunder, (c) result in the creation or imposition of any lien pursuant to the terms of any such indenture, instrument or agreement, or constitute a breach of any fiduciary duty owed by Investor to any third party, or (d) require the approval of any third-party (that has not been obtained) pursuant to any material contract, instrument, agreement, relationship or legal obligation to which Investor is subject or to which any of its assets, operations or management may be subject.
Section 3.8 DISCLOSURE; ACCESS TO INFORMATION. Investor had an opportunity to review copies of the SEC Documents filed on behalf of the Company and has had access to all publicly available information with respect to the Company.
Section 3.9 MANNER OF SALE. At no time was Investor presented with or solicited by or through any leaflet, public promotional meeting, television advertisement or any other form of general solicitation or advertising.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
The Company represents and warrants to Investor that, except as disclosed in the SEC Documents:
Section 4.1 ORGANIZATION OF THE COMPANY. The Company is a corporation duly organized and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Nevada and has all requisite power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as now being conducted. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to do business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, other than those in which the failure so to qualify would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.2 AUTHORITY. (a) The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and to issue the Put Shares; (b) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and no further consent or authorization of the Company or its Board of Directors or stockholders is required; and (c) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally the enforcement of, creditors' rights and remedies or by other equitable principles of general application.
Section 4.3 CAPITALIZATION. As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 975,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, of which 117,033,508 shares were issued and outstanding, and 25,000,000 shares of preferred stock, of which no shares were issued or outstanding. There are 1,300,000 shares of Preferred Stock designated as Series A Preferred Stock, of which none are outstanding and 1,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock designated as Series B Preferred Stock of which none are outstanding; 8,308,750 shares are reserved for issuance pursuant to the Company’s stock option plans, 13,733,182 shares are reserved for issuance upon exercise of warrants, and 48,000,000 shares are reserved for issuance upon conversion of convertible promissory notes. All of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.
Section 4.4 COMMON STOCK. The Company is in full compliance with all reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and the Company has maintained all requirements for the continued listing or quotation of the Common Stock, and such Common Stock is currently listed or quoted on the Principal Market which is presently the OTCQB.
Section 4.5 SEC DOCUMENTS. The Company may make available to Investor true and complete copies of the SEC Documents (including, without limitation, proxy information and solicitation materials). To the Company’s knowledge, the Company has not provided to Investor any information that, according to applicable law, rule or regulation, should have been disclosed publicly prior to the date hereof by the Company, but which has not been so disclosed. As of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and other federal laws, rules and regulations applicable to such SEC Documents, and none of the SEC Documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents comply as to form and substance in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC or other applicable rules and regulations with respect thereto. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except (a) as may be otherwise indicated in such financial statements or the notes thereto or (b) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may not include footnotes or may be condensed or be summary statements, fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments).
Section 4.6 VALID ISSUANCES. When issued and paid for as herein provided, the Put Shares shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable. The sales of the Put Shares pursuant to this Agreement, and the Company's performance of its obligations hereunder, shall not (a) result in the creation or imposition of any liens, charges, claims or other encumbrances upon the Put Shares, or any of the assets of the Company, or (b) entitle the holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock to preemptive or other rights to subscribe to or acquire the Common Stock or other securities of the Company. The Put Shares shall not subject Investor to personal liability, in excess of the subscription price by reason of the ownership thereof.
Section 4.7 NO CONFLICTS. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation the issuance of the Put Shares, do not and will not (a) result in a violation of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws or (b) conflict with, or constitute a material default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a material default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any material agreement, indenture, instrument or any “lock-up” or similar provision of any underwriting or similar agreement to which the Company is a party, or (c) result in a violation of any federal, state or local law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws and regulations) applicable to the Company or by which any property or asset of the Company is bound or affected (except for such conflicts, defaults, terminations, amendments, accelerations, cancellations and violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect) nor is the Company otherwise in violation of, conflict with or in default under any of the foregoing. The business of the Company is not being conducted in violation of any law, ordinance or regulation of any governmental entity, except for possible violations that either singly or in the aggregate do not and will not have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is not required under federal, state or local law, rule or regulation to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under this Agreement or issue and sell the Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof (other than any SEC, FINRA or state securities filings that may be required to be made by the Company subsequent to any Closing, any registration statement that may be filed pursuant hereto); provided that, for purposes of the representation made in this sentence, the Company is assuming and relying upon the accuracy of the relevant representations and agreements of Investor herein.
Section 4.8 LITIGATION AND OTHER PROCEEDINGS. Except as disclosed in the Company’s SEC filings, there are no lawsuits or proceedings pending or to the knowledge of the Company threatened, against the Company, nor has the Company received any written or oral notice of any such action, suit, proceeding or investigation, which would have a Material Adverse Effect. No judgment, order, writ, injunction or decree or award has been issued by or, so far as is known by the Company, requested of any court, arbitrator or governmental agency which would have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.9 DILUTION. The number of shares of Common Stock issuable as Put Shares may increase substantially in certain circumstances, including, but not necessarily limited to, the circumstance wherein the trading price of the Common Stock declines during the period between the Effective Date and the end of the Commitment Period. The Company’s executive officers and directors have studied and fully understand the nature of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and recognize that they have a potential dilutive effect. The Company specifically acknowledges that its obligation to issue the Put Shares is binding upon the Company and enforceable regardless of the dilution such issuance may have on the ownership interests of other shareholders of the Company.
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS OF INVESTOR
Section 5.1 COMPLIANCE WITH LAW; TRADING IN SECURITIES. Investor's trading activities with respect to shares of the Common Stock will be in compliance with all applicable state and federal securities laws, rules and regulations and the rules and regulations of FINRA and the Principal Market on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted.
Section 5.2 SHORT SALES AND CONFIDENTIALITY. Neither Investor nor any Affiliate of the Investor acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it will execute any Short Sales during the period from the date hereof to the end of the Commitment Period. For the purposes hereof, and in accordance with Regulation SHO, the sale after delivery of a Put Notice of such number of shares of Common Stock reasonably expected to be purchased under a Put Notice shall not be deemed a Short Sale. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Investor may not sell any shares of the Company’s Common Stock owned by Investor, other than the Put Shares, during the period from the delivery of a Put Notice to the applicable Closing Date, other than to other Persons party to this Agreement, Investor has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction).
ARTICLE VI
COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
Section 6.1 RESERVATION OF COMMON STOCK. The Company will, from time to time as needed in advance of a Closing Date, reserve and keep available until the consummation of such Closing, sufficient shares of Common Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to satisfy its obligation to issue the Put Shares to be issued in connection therewith. The number of shares so reserved from time to time, as theretofore increased or reduced as hereinafter provided, may be reduced by the number of shares actually delivered hereunder.
Section 6.2 LISTING OF COMMON STOCK. If the Company is required to apply to have the Common Stock traded on any other Principal Market, it shall include in such application the Put Shares, and shall take such other action as is necessary or desirable in the reasonable opinion of Investor to cause the Common Stock to be listed on such other Principal Market as promptly as possible. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to continue the listing and trading of the Common Stock on the Principal Market (including, without limitation, maintaining sufficient net tangible assets) and will comply in all respects with the Company's reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the FINRA and the Principal Market.
Section 6.3 CERTAIN AGREEMENTS. From the date of this Agreement to the earlier to occur of (a) the expiration of the Commitment Period or (b) the date in which the Company has put to the Investor at least $1,500,000 worth of Put Shares, the Company covenants and agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of the Investor, enter into any other agreement with a third party during the Commitment Period having terms and conditions substantially comparable to this Agreement, except as may be necessary to satisfy outstanding pre-emptive rights. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained in the Transaction Documents shall restrict, or require the Investor's consent for, any agreement providing for the sale, issuance or distribution of (or the sale, issuance or distribution of) any equity securities of the Company pursuant to any agreement or arrangement that is not commonly understood to be a “registered offering”. Further, nothing contained in this Transaction Document shall restrict, or require the Investor’s Consent for, any agreement providing for the sale, issuance or distribution of (or the sale, issuance or distribution of) any debt securities of the Company.
ARTICLE VII
CONDITIONS TO DELIVERY OF
PUT NOTICES AND CONDITIONS TO CLOSING
Section 7.1 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO THE OBLIGATION OF THE COMPANY TO ISSUE AND SELL COMMON STOCK. The obligation hereunder of the Company to issue and sell the Put Shares to Investor is subject to the satisfaction of each of the conditions set forth below.
(a) ACCURACY OF INVESTOR'S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. The representations and warranties of Investor shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date of this Agreement and as of the date of each such Closing as though made at each such time.
(b) PERFORMANCE BY INVESTOR. Investor shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by Investor at or prior to such Closing.
(c) PRINCIPAL MARKET REGULATION. The Company shall not issue any Put Shares, and the Investor shall not have the right to receive any Put Shares, if the issuance of such shares would exceed the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock which the Company may issue without breaching the Company’s obligations under the rules or regulations of the Principal Market (the “Exchange Cap”).
Section 7.2 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY TO DELIVER A PUT NOTICE AND THE OBLIGATION OF INVESTOR TO PURCHASE PUT SHARES. The right of the Company to deliver a Put Notice and the obligation of Investor hereunder to acquire and pay for the Put Shares is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions:
(a) EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT. The Registration Statement, and any amendment or supplement thereto, shall remain effective for the sale by Investor of the Registered Securities subject to such Put Notice, and (i) neither the Company nor Investor shall have received notice that the SEC has issued or intends to issue a stop order with respect to such Registration Statement or that the SEC otherwise has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of such Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, or intends or has threatened to do so and (ii) no other suspension of the use or withdrawal of the effectiveness of such Registration Statement or related prospectus shall exist.
(b) ACCURACY OF THE COMPANY'S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. The representations and warranties of the Company shall be true and correct in all material respects (except for representations and warranties specifically made as of a particular date), except for any conditions which have temporarily caused any representations or warranties herein to be incorrect and which have been corrected with no continuing impairment to the Company or Investor.
(c) PERFORMANCE BY THE COMPANY. The Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company.
(d) NO INJUNCTION. No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or adopted by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction that prohibits or directly and materially adversely affects any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and no proceeding shall have been commenced that may have the effect of prohibiting or materially adversely affecting any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(e) ADVERSE CHANGES. Since the date of filing of the Company's most recent SEC Document, no event that had or is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect has occurred.
(f) NO SUSPENSION OF TRADING IN OR DELISTING OF COMMON STOCK. The trading of the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the SEC, the Principal Market or the FINRA and the Common Stock shall have been approved for listing or quotation on and shall not have been delisted from the Principal Market.
(g) INTENTIONALLY OMITTED.
(h) TEN PERCENT LIMITATION. On each Closing Date, the number of Put Shares then to be purchased by Investor shall not exceed the number of such shares that, when aggregated with all other shares of Common Stock then owned by Investor beneficially or deemed beneficially owned by Investor, would result in Investor owning more than 9.99% of all of such Common Stock as would be outstanding on such Closing Date, as determined in accordance with Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section, in the event that the amount of Common Stock outstanding as determined in accordance with Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder is greater on a Closing Date than on the date upon which the Put Notice associated with such Closing Date is given, the amount of Common Stock outstanding on such Closing Date shall govern for purposes of determining whether Investor, when aggregating all purchases of Common Stock made pursuant to this Agreement, would own more than 9.99% of the Common Stock following such Closing Date.
(i) PRINCIPAL MARKET REGULATION. The Company shall not issue any Put Shares, and the Investor shall not have the right to receive any Put Shares, if the issuance of such shares would exceed the Exchange Cap.
(j) NO KNOWLEDGE. The Company shall have no knowledge of any event reasonably likely to have the effect of causing such Registration Statement to be suspended or otherwise ineffective (which event is more likely than not to occur within the sixty (60) Trading Days following the Trading Day on which such Put Notice is deemed delivered).
(k) NO VIOLATION OF SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL REQUIREMENT. The issuance of shares of Common Stock with respect to the applicable Closing, if any, shall not violate the shareholder approval requirements of the Principal Market.
(l) OTHER. Within one (1) Trading Days of the date of delivery of each Put Notice, Investor shall have received a certificate in substantially the form and substance of Exhibit B hereto, executed by an executive officer of the Company and to the effect that all the conditions to such Closing shall have been satisfied as at the date of each such certificate.
ARTICLE VIII
LEGENDS
Section 8.1 NO STOCK LEGEND OR STOCK TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS. No legend shall be placed on the shares representing the Put Shares.
Section 8.2 INVESTOR'S COMPLIANCE. Nothing in this Article VIII shall affect in any way Investor's obligations under any agreement to comply with all applicable securities laws upon the sale of the Common Stock.
ARTICLE IX
NOTICES; INDEMNIFICATION
Section 9.1 NOTICES. All notices, demands, consents, approvals, and other requests, communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and, unless otherwise specified herein, shall be (a) personally served, (b) deposited in the mail, registered or certified, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, (c) delivered by reputable air courier service with charges prepaid, or (d) transmitted by hand delivery, telegram, or electronic mail as a PDF, addressed as set forth below or to such other address as such party shall have specified most recently by written notice given in accordance herewith. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be deemed effective (i) upon hand delivery or delivery by electronic mail as a PDF, at the address below (if delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered other than on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received) or (ii) on the second business day following the date of mailing by express courier service or on the fifth business day after deposited in the mail, in each case, fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or upon actual receipt of such mailing, whichever shall first occur.
The addresses for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
CrowdGather, Inc.
20300 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 330
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
Attn: Sanjay Sabnani, CEO
(Sanjay@crowdgather.com)
If to Investor:
Alladin Trading, LLC
17116 Prairie St
Northridge CA 91325
Attn: Harold Minsky, Managing Member
(hal@halminsky.com)
Either party hereto may from time to time change its address or electronic mail for notices under this Section 9.1 by giving at least ten (10) days' prior written notice of such changed address or electronic mail to the other party hereto.
Section 9.2 INDEMNIFICATION. Each party (an “Indemnifying Party”) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the other party along with its officers, directors, employees, and authorized agents, and each Person or entity, if any, who controls such party within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (an “Indemnified Party”) from and against any Damages, joint or several, and any action in respect thereof to which the Indemnified Party becomes subject to, resulting from, arising out of or relating to (i) any misrepresentation, breach of warranty or nonfulfillment of or failure to perform any covenant or agreement on the part of Indemnifying Party contained in this Agreement, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus or contained in the final prospectus (as amended or supplemented, if the Company files any amendment thereof or supplement thereto with the SEC) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading, or (iv) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any state securities law or any rule or regulation under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law, as such Damages are incurred, except to the extent such Damages result primarily from Indemnified Party's failure to perform any covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement or Indemnified Party's negligence, recklessness or bad faith in performing its obligations under this Agreement; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any Damages of an Indemnified Party to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made by an Indemnifying Party in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Indemnifying Party by the Indemnified Party expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus (as amended or supplemented).
Section 9.3 METHOD OF ASSERTING INDEMNIFICATION CLAIMS. All claims for indemnification by any Indemnified Party (as defined below) under Section 9.2 shall be asserted and resolved as follows:
(a) In the event any claim or demand in respect of which an Indemnified Party might seek indemnity under Section 9.2 is asserted against or sought to be collected from such Indemnified Party by a person other than a party hereto or an affiliate thereof (a “Third Party Claim”), the Indemnified Party shall deliver a written notification, enclosing a copy of all papers served, if any, and specifying the nature of and basis for such Third Party Claim and for the Indemnified Party's claim for indemnification that is being asserted under any provision of Section 9.2 against an Indemnifying Party, together with the amount or, if not then reasonably ascertainable, the estimated amount, determined in good faith, of such Third Party Claim (a “Claim Notice”) with reasonable promptness to the Indemnifying Party. If the Indemnified Party fails to provide the Claim Notice with reasonable promptness after the Indemnified Party receives notice of such Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party shall not be obligated to indemnify the Indemnified Party with respect to such Third Party Claim to the extent that the Indemnifying Party's ability to defend has been prejudiced by such failure of the Indemnified Party. The Indemnifying Party shall notify the Indemnified Party as soon as practicable within the period ending thirty (30) calendar days following receipt by the Indemnifying Party of either a Claim Notice or an Indemnity Notice (as defined below) (the “Dispute Period”) whether the Indemnifying Party disputes its liability or the amount of its liability to the Indemnified Party under Section 9.2 and whether the Indemnifying Party desires, at its sole cost and expense, to defend the Indemnified Party against such Third Party Claim.
(i) If the Indemnifying Party notifies the Indemnified Party within the Dispute Period that the Indemnifying Party desires to defend the Indemnified Party with respect to the Third Party Claim pursuant to this Section 9.3(a), then the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to defend, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party, at the sole cost and expense of the Indemnifying Party, such Third Party Claim by all appropriate proceedings, which proceedings shall be vigorously and diligently prosecuted by the Indemnifying Party to a final conclusion or will be settled at the discretion of the Indemnifying Party (but only with the consent of the Indemnified Party in the case of any settlement that provides for any relief other than the payment of monetary damages or that provides for the payment of monetary damages as to which the Indemnified Party shall not be indemnified in full pursuant to Section 9.2). The Indemnifying Party shall have full control of such defense and proceedings, including any compromise or settlement thereof; provided, however, that the Indemnified Party may, at the sole cost and expense of the Indemnified Party, at any time prior to the Indemnifying Party's delivery of the notice referred to in the first sentence of this clause (i), file any motion, answer or other pleadings or take any other action that the Indemnified Party reasonably believes to be necessary or appropriate to protect its interests; and provided further, that if requested by the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnified Party will, at the sole cost and expense of the Indemnifying Party, provide reasonable cooperation to the Indemnifying Party in contesting any Third Party Claim that the Indemnifying Party elects to contest. The Indemnified Party may participate in, but not control, any defense or settlement of any Third Party Claim controlled by the Indemnifying Party pursuant to this clause (i), and except as provided in the preceding sentence, the Indemnified Party shall bear its own costs and expenses with respect to such participation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnified Party may takeover the control of the defense or settlement of a Third Party Claim at any time if it irrevocably waives its right to indemnity under Section 9.2 with respect to such Third Party Claim.
(ii) If the Indemnifying Party fails to notify the Indemnified Party within the Dispute Period that the Indemnifying Party desires to defend the Third Party Claim pursuant to Section 9.3(a), or if the Indemnifying Party gives such notice but fails to prosecute vigorously and diligently or settle the Third Party Claim, or if the Indemnifying Party fails to give any notice whatsoever within the Dispute Period, then the Indemnified Party shall have the right to defend, at the sole cost and expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Third Party Claim by all appropriate proceedings, which proceedings shall be prosecuted by the Indemnified Party in a reasonable manner and in good faith or will be settled at the discretion of the Indemnified Party(with the consent of the Indemnifying Party, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld). The Indemnified Party will have full control of such defense and proceedings, including any compromise or settlement thereof; provided, however, that if requested by the Indemnified Party, the Indemnifying Party will, at the sole cost and expense of the Indemnifying Party, provide reasonable cooperation to the Indemnified Party and its counsel in contesting any Third Party Claim which the Indemnified Party is contesting. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this clause (ii), if the Indemnifying Party has notified the Indemnified Party within the Dispute Period that the Indemnifying Party disputes its liability or the amount of its liability hereunder to the Indemnified Party with respect to such Third Party Claim and if such dispute is resolved in favor of the Indemnifying Party in the manner provided in clause (iii) below, the Indemnifying Party will not be required to bear the costs and expenses of the Indemnified Party's defense pursuant to this clause (ii) or of the Indemnifying Party's participation therein at the Indemnified Party's request, and the Indemnified Party shall reimburse the Indemnifying Party in full for all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Indemnifying Party in connection with such litigation. The Indemnifying Party may participate in, but not control, any defense or settlement controlled by the Indemnified Party pursuant to this clause (ii), and the Indemnifying Party shall bear its own costs and expenses with respect to such participation.
(iii) If the Indemnifying Party notifies the Indemnified Party that it does not dispute its liability or the amount of its liability to the Indemnified Party with respect to the Third Party Claim under Section 9.2 or fails to notify the Indemnified Party within the Dispute Period whether the Indemnifying Party disputes its liability or the amount of its liability to the Indemnified Party with respect to such Third Party Claim, the amount of Damages specified in the Claim Notice shall be conclusively deemed a liability of the Indemnifying Party under Section 9.2 and the Indemnifying Party shall pay the amount of such Damages to the Indemnified Party on demand. If the Indemnifying Party has timely disputed its liability or the amount of its liability with respect to such claim, the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party shall proceed in good faith to negotiate a resolution of such dispute; provided, however, that if the dispute is not resolved within thirty (30) days after the Claim Notice, the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to institute such legal action as it deems appropriate.
(b) In the event any Indemnified Party should have a claim under Section 9.2 against the Indemnifying Party that does not involve a Third Party Claim, the Indemnified Party shall deliver a written notification of a claim for indemnity under Section 9.2 specifying the nature of and basis for such claim, together with the amount or, if not then reasonably ascertainable, the estimated amount, determined in good faith, of such claim (an “Indemnity Notice”) with reasonable promptness to the Indemnifying Party. The failure by any Indemnified Party to give the Indemnity Notice shall not impair such party's rights hereunder except to the extent that the Indemnifying Party demonstrates that it has been irreparably prejudiced thereby. If the Indemnifying Party notifies the Indemnified Party that it does not dispute the claim or the amount of the claim described in such Indemnity Notice or fails to notify the Indemnified Party within the Dispute Period whether the Indemnifying Party disputes the claim or the amount of the claim described in such Indemnity Notice, the amount of Damages specified in the Indemnity Notice will be conclusively deemed a liability of the Indemnifying Party under Section 9.2 and the Indemnifying Party shall pay the amount of such Damages to the Indemnified Party on demand. If the Indemnifying Party has timely disputed its liability or the amount of its liability with respect to such claim, the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party shall proceed in good faith to negotiate a resolution of such dispute; provided, however, that if the dispute is not resolved within thirty (30) days after the Claim Notice, the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to institute such legal action as it deems appropriate.
(c) The Indemnifying Party agrees to pay the Indemnified Party, promptly as such expenses are incurred and are due and payable, for any reasonable legal fees or other reasonable expenses incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim.
(d) The indemnity provisions contained herein shall be in addition to (i) any cause of action or similar rights of the Indemnified Party against the Indemnifying Party or others, and (ii) any liabilities the Indemnifying Party may be subject to.
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 10.1 GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION. This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of California without regard to the principles of conflicts of law. Each of the Company and Investor hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States Federal and state courts located in Los Angeles, California with respect to any dispute arising under this Agreement, the agreements entered into in connection herewith or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
Section 10.2 ASSIGNMENT. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and Investor and their respective successors. Neither this Agreement nor any rights of Investor or the Company hereunder may be assigned by either party to any other person.
Section 10.3 THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the Company and Investor and their respective successors, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other person.
Section 10.4 TERMINATION. The Company may terminate this Agreement at any time by written notice to the Investor. Additionally, this Agreement shall terminate at the end of Commitment Period or as otherwise provided herein; provided, however, that the provisions of Articles IX, and Sections 10.1 and 10.2 shall survive the termination of this Agreement for a period of twenty four (24) months.
Section 10.5 ENTIRE AGREEMENT, AMENDMENT; NO WAIVER. This Agreement and the instruments referenced herein contain the entire understanding of the Company and Investor with respect to the matters covered herein and therein and, except as specifically set forth herein or therein, neither the Company nor Investor makes any representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters. No provision of this Agreement may be waived or amended other than by an instrument in writing signed by the party to be charged with enforcement.
Section 10.6 FEES AND EXPENSES. The Company agrees to pay its own expenses in connection with the preparation of this Agreement and performance of its obligations hereunder. The Company shall pay all stamp or other similar taxes and duties levied in connection with issuance of the Put Shares pursuant hereto.
Section 10.7 COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which may be executed by less than all of the parties and shall be deemed to be an original instrument which shall be enforceable against the parties actually executing such counterparts and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement may be delivered to the other parties hereto by electronic mail of a copy of this Agreement bearing the signature of the parties so delivering this Agreement.
Section 10.8 SEVERABILITY. In the event that any provision of this Agreement becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, unenforceable or void, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect without said provision; provided that such severability shall be ineffective if it materially changes the economic benefit of this Agreement to any party.
Section 10.9 FURTHER ASSURANCES. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 10.10 NO STRICT CONSTRUCTION. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.
Section 10.11 EQUITABLE RELIEF. The Company recognizes that in the event that it fails to perform, observe, or discharge any or all of its obligations under this Agreement, any remedy at law may prove to be inadequate relief to Investor. The Company therefore agrees that Investor shall be entitled to temporary and permanent injunctive relief in any such case without the necessity of proving actual damages.
Section 10.12 TITLES AND SUBTITLES. The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are used for the convenience of reference and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.
Section 10.13 REPORTING ENTITY FOR THE COMMON STOCK. The reporting entity relied upon for the determination of the Closing Price for the Common Stock on any given Trading Day for the purposes of this Agreement shall be Bloomberg Finance L.P. or any successor thereto. The written mutual consent of Investor and the Company shall be required to employ any other reporting entity.
Section 10.14 PUBLICITY. The Company and Investor shall consult with each other in issuing any press releases or otherwise making public statements with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and no party shall issue any such press release or otherwise make any such public statement without the prior written consent of the other parties, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, except that no prior consent shall be required if such disclosure is required by law, in which such case the disclosing party shall provide the other parties with prior notice of such public statement.
[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Equity Purchase Agreement to be executed by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first set forth above.
CrowdGather, Inc.
By: Sanjay Sabnani
Name: Sanjay Sabnani
Title: Chief Executive Officer
ALADDIN TRADING LLC
By: Harold Minsky
Name: Harold Minsky
Title: Managing Member
EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT A - Put Notice
EXHIBIT B - Closing Certificate
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF PUT NOTICE
TO: ALADDIN TRADING, LLC
We refer to the Equity Purchase Agreement dated _______, 2015 (the “Agreement”) entered into by CROWDGATHER, INC. (the “Company”) and you. Capitalized terms defined in the Agreement shall, unless otherwise defined, have the same meaning when used herein.
We hereby:
1 - Give you notice that we require you to purchase $__________ (the “Investment Amount”) in Put Shares; and
2 - Certify that, as of the date hereof, to the best of our knowledge, the conditions set forth in Section 7.2 of the Agreement are satisfied.
Date: _____________, 20__
CROWDGATHER, INC.
By:
Name: Sanjay Sabnani
Title: Chief Executive Officer
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF
CERTIFICATE OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
OF
CROWDGATHER, INC.
Pursuant to Section 7.2(m) of that certain Equity Purchase Agreement dated _______, 2015 (the “Agreement”) by and between the Company and ALADDIN TRADING, LLC (the “Investor”), the undersigned, in his capacity as the Chief Executive Officer of CROWDGATHER, INC. (the “Company”), and not in his individual capacity, hereby certifies, as of the date hereof (such date, the “Condition Satisfaction Date”), the following:
1. The representations and warranties of the Company are true and correct in all material respects as of the Condition Satisfaction Date as though made on the Condition Satisfaction Date (except for representations and warranties specifically made as of a particular date) with respect to all periods, and as to all events and circumstances occurring or existing to and including the Condition Satisfaction Date, except for any conditions which have temporarily caused any representations or warranties of the Company set forth in the Agreement to be incorrect and which have been corrected with no continuing impairment to the Company or Investor; and
2. All of the Company’s conditions to Closing set forth in Section 7.2 of the Agreement have been satisfied as of the Condition Satisfaction Date.
Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement unless otherwise defined herein.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto affixed his hand as of the ___ day of __________, 20__.
By:
Name: Sanjay Sabnani
Title: Chief Executive Officer
19
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement ("Agreement"), is made and entered into on January 30, 2015, by and between CrowdGather, Inc., a Nevada corporation ("Company"), and Aladdin Trading, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company (the "Investor").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Equity Purchase Agreement ("Purchase Agreement"), between the Investor and the Company, the Company has agreed to issue and sell to the Investor shares (the "Put Shares") of its common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the "Common Stock") from time to time for an aggregate investment price of up to One Million Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,400,000) (the "Registered Securities"); and
WHEREAS, to induce the Investor to execute and deliver the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain registration rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the "Securities Act"), and applicable state securities laws with respect to the Registered Securities.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Investor hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions.
(a) As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meaning:
(i) "Subscription Date" means the date of this Agreement.
(ii) "Investor" has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
(iii) "Register," "registered" and "registration" refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing a Registration Statement or Statements in compliance with the Securities Act and pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act or any successor rule providing for offering securities on a delayed or continuous basis ("Rule 415"), and the declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such Registration Statement by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").
(iv) "Registered Securities" will have the same meaning as set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
(v) "Registration Statement" means the Company's registration statement on Form S-1, or any similar registration statement of the Company filed with SEC under the Securities Act with respect to the Registered Securities.
(vi) "EDGAR" means the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System.
(vii) "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar federal statute, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, all as the same will then be in effect.
(b) Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
2. Obligation of the Company. In connection with the registration of the Registered Securities, the Company shall do each of the following:
(a) Prepare promptly and file with the SEC on or before February 28, 2015, a Registration Statement under Rule 415 with respect to (i) 17,500,000 Put Shares that may be issued pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and (ii) the Company’s outstanding common shares to which piggyback registration rights apply, and thereafter use all commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement relating to the Registered Securities to become effective within five (5) business days after notice from the Securities and Exchange Commission that such Registration Statement may be declared effective, and keep the Registration Statement effective at all times prior to the termination of the Purchase Agreement until the earliest of (i) the date that is three months after the completion of the last Closing Date under the Purchase Agreement, (ii) the date when the Investor may sell all Registered Securities under Rule 144 without volume limitations, or (iii) the date the Investor no longer owns any of the Registered Securities (collectively, the "Registration Period"), which Registration Statement (including any amendments or supplements, thereto and prospectuses contained therein) shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(b) Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to the Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection with the Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement effective at all times during the Registration Period, and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all Registered Securities of the Company covered by the Registration Statement until the expiration of the Registration Period.
(c) With respect to the Registered Securities, permit counsel designated by Investor to review the Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto a reasonable period of time (but not less than two (2) business days) prior to their filing with the SEC, and not file any document in a form to which such counsel reasonably objects.
(d) As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of the following facts, the Company shall notify Investor and Investor's legal counsel identified to the Company and (if requested by any such person) confirm such notice in writing no later than one (1) business day thereafter (i): (A) when a prospectus or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is filed; (B) with respect to the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective; (ii) of the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registered Securities or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; and (iii) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registered Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.
(e) Unless available to the Investor without charge through EDGAR, the SEC's website or the Company's website, furnish to Investor, promptly after the same is prepared and publicly distributed, filed with the SEC, or received by the Company, one (1) copy of the Registration Statement, each preliminary prospectus and the prospectus, and each amendment or supplement thereto;
(f) Use all commercially reasonable efforts to (i) register and/or qualify the Registered Securities covered by the Registration Statement under such other securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Investor may reasonably request and in which significant volumes of shares of Common Stock are traded, (ii) prepare and file in those jurisdictions such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registrations and qualifications as may be necessary to maintain the effectiveness thereof at all times during the Registration Period, (iii) take such other actions as may be necessary to maintain such registrations and qualification in effect at all times during the Registration Period, and (iv) take all other actions reasonably necessary or advisable to qualify the Registered Securities for sale in such jurisdictions: provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to (A) qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 2(f), (B) subject itself to general taxation in any such jurisdiction, (C) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction, (D) provide any undertakings that cause more than nominal expense or burden to the Company or (E) make any change in its charter or by-laws or any then existing contracts, which in each case the Board of Directors of the Company determines to be contrary to the best interests of the Company and its stockholders;
(g) As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event, notify the Investor of the happening of any event of which the Company has knowledge, as a result of which the prospectus included in the Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading ("Registration Default"), and promptly prepare a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement or other appropriate filing with the SEC to correct such untrue statement or omission, and take any other commercially reasonable steps to cure the Registration Default, and, unless available to the Investor without charge through EDGAR, the SEC's website or the Company's website, deliver a number of copies of such supplement or amendment to the Investor as the Investor may reasonably request.
(h) [INTENTIONALLY OMITTED];
(i) Comply with Section 5.2 of the Purchase Agreement;
(j) Provide a transfer agent for the Registered Securities not later than the Subscription Date under the Purchase Agreement; and
(k) Take all other commercially reasonable actions necessary to expedite and facilitate distribution to the Investor of the Registered Securities in accordance with the Purchase Agreement.
3. Obligations of the Investor. In connection with the registration of the Registered Securities, the Investor shall have the following obligations;
(a) It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company to complete the registration pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the Registered Securities of the Investor that the Investor shall timely furnish to the Company such information regarding itself, the Registered Securities held by it, and the intended method of disposition of the Registered Securities held by it, as shall be reasonably required to effect the registration of such Registered Securities and shall timely execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Company may reasonably request.
(b) The Investor by such Investor's acceptance of the Registered Securities agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement hereunder; and
(c) The Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 2(d)(ii) or (iii) or 2(g) above, the Investor will immediately discontinue disposition of Registered Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement covering such Registered Securities until the Investor receives the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 2(d)(ii) or (iii) or 2(g) and, if so directed by the Company, the Investor shall deliver to the Company (at the expense of the Company) or destroy (and deliver to the Company a certificate of destruction) all copies in the Investor's possession, of the prospectus covering such Registered Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.
4. Expenses of Registration. All reasonable expenses incurred in connection with registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to Section 2 including, without limitation, all registration, listing, and qualifications fees, printers and accounting fees, the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company shall be borne by the Company.
5. Indemnification. After Registered Securities are included in a Registration Statement under this Agreement:
(a) To the extent permitted by law, the Company will indemnify and hold harmless, the Investor, the directors, if any, of such Investor, the officers, if any, of such Investor, each person, if any, who controls the Investor within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (each, an "Indemnified Person"), against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (joint or several) incurred (collectively, "Claims") to which any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such Claims (or actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereof or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus or contained in the final prospectus (as amended or supplemented, if the Company files any amendment thereof or supplement thereto with the SEC) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading or (iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any state securities law or any rule or regulation under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law (the matters in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii) being collectively referred to as "Violations"). Subject to Section 5(b) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Investor, promptly as such expenses are incurred and are due and payable, for any reasonable legal fees or other reasonable expenses incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 5(a) shall not (i) apply to any Claims arising out of or based upon a Violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person expressly for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto, if such prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof; (ii) with respect to any preliminary prospectus, inure to the benefit of any such person from whom the person asserting any such Claim purchased the Registered Securities that are the subject thereof (or to the benefit of any person controlling such person) if the untrue statement or omission of material fact contained in the preliminary prospectus was corrected in the prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, if such prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof; (iii) be available to the extent such Claim is based on a failure of the Investor to deliver or cause to be delivered the prospectus made available by the Company; or (iv) apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Investor will indemnify the Company, its officers, directors and agents (including legal counsel) against any claims arising out of or based upon a Violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company, by or on behalf of the Investor, expressly for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement, subject to such limitations and conditions set forth in the previous sentence.
(b) Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person under this Section 5 of notice of the commencement of any action (including any governmental action), such Indemnified Person shall, if a Claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section 5 deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement thereof and the indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the indemnifying party and the Indemnified Person, as the case may be; provided, however, that an Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the reasonable fees and expenses to be paid by the indemnifying party, if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel retained by the indemnifying party, the representation by such counsel of the Indemnified Person and the indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between such Indemnified Person and any other party represented by such counsel in such proceeding. In such event, the Company shall pay for only one separate legal counsel for the Investor selected by the Investor. The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such indemnifying party of any liability to the Indemnified Person under this Section 5, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is prejudiced in its ability to defend such action. The indemnification required by this Section 5 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as such expense, loss, damage or liability is incurred and is due and payable.
6. Contribution. To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying party is prohibited or limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the maximum contribution with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be liable under Section 5 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however, that (a) no contribution shall be made under circumstances where the maker would not have been liable for indemnification under the fault standards set forth in Section 5; (b) no seller of Registered Securities guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any seller of Registered Securities who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation; and (c) contribution by any seller of Registered Securities shall be limited in amount to the net amount of proceeds received by such seller from the sale of such Registered Securities.
7. Reports under Exchange Act. With a view to making available to the Investor the benefits of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act or any other similar rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit the Investor to sell securities of the Company to the public without registration ("Rule 144"), the Company agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to:
(a) make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144;
(b) file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act for so long as the Company remains subject to such requirements, and the filing of such reports is required for sales under Rule 144;
(c) furnish to the Investor so long as the Investor owns Registered Securities, promptly upon request, (i) a written statement by the Company that it has complied with the reporting requirements of Rule 144, the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, (ii) unless available to the Investor without charge through EDGAR, the SEC's website or the Company's website, a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the Company, and (iii) such other information as may be reasonably requested to permit the Investors to sell such securities pursuant to Rule 144 without registration; and
(d) at the request of any Investor of Registered Securities, give its Transfer Agent instructions (supported by an opinion of Investor's counsel, if required or requested by the Transfer Agent) to the effect that, upon the Transfer Agent's receipt from such Investor of:
(i) a certificate (a "Rule 144 Certificate") certifying (A) that such Investor has held the shares of Registered Securities which the Investor proposes to sell (the "Securities Being Sold") for a period of not less than (6) months and (B) as to such other matters as may be appropriate in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act, and
(ii) an opinion of Investor's counsel acceptable to the Company that, based on the Rule 144 Certificate, Securities Being Sold may be sold pursuant to the provisions of Rule 144, even in the absence of an effective Registration Statement, the Transfer Agent is to effect the transfer of the Securities Being Sold and issue to the buyer(s) or transferee(s) thereof one or more stock certificates representing the transferred Securities Being Sold without any restrictive legend and without recording any restrictions on the transferability of such shares on the Transfer Agent's books and records (except to the extent any such legend or restriction results from facts other than the identity of the Investor, as the seller or transferor thereof, or the status, including any relevant legends or restrictions, of the shares of the Securities Being Sold while held by the Investor). If the Transfer Agent requires any additional documentation at the time of the transfer, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered all such reasonable additional documentation as may be necessary to effectuate the issuance of an unlegended certificate.
8. Miscellaneous.
(a) Registered Owners. A person or entity is deemed to be a holder of Registered Securities whenever such person or entity owns of record such Registered Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or elections from two or more persons or entities with respect to the same Registered Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions, notice or election received from the registered owner of such Registered Securities.
(b) Rights Cumulative; Waivers. The rights of each of the parties under this Agreement are cumulative. The rights of each of the parties hereunder shall not be capable of being waived or varied other than by an express waiver or variation in writing. Any failure to exercise or any delay in exercising any of such rights shall not operate as a waiver or variation of that or any other such right. Any defective or partial exercise of any of such rights shall not preclude any other or further exercise of that or any other such right. No act or course of conduct or negotiation on the part of any party shall in any way preclude such party from exercising any such right or constitute a suspension or any variation of any such right.
(c) Benefit; Successors Bound. This Agreement and the terms, covenants, conditions, provisions, obligations, undertakings, rights, and benefits hereof, shall be binding upon, and shall inure to the benefit of, the undersigned parties and their successors.
(d) Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. There are no promises, agreements, conditions, undertakings, understandings, warranties, covenants or representations, oral or written, express or implied, between them with respect to this Agreement or the matters described in this Agreement, except as set forth in this Agreement and in the other documentation relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Any such negotiations, promises, or understandings shall not be used to interpret or constitute this Agreement.
(e) Amendment. Any provision of this Agreement may be amended and the observance thereof may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively), only with the written consent of the Company and Investor. Any amendment or waiver affected in accordance with this Section 8 shall be binding upon the parties hereto.
(f) Severability. Each part of this Agreement is intended to be severable. In the event that any provision of this Agreement is found by any court or other authority of competent jurisdiction to be illegal or unenforceable, such provision shall be severed or modified to the extent necessary to render it enforceable and as so severed or modified, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
(g) Notices. Notices required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to be sufficiently given when personally delivered (by hand, by courier, receipt confirmed, or electronic mail) or sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, properly addressed and with proper postage pre-paid (i) if to the Company, at its executive office and (ii) if to the Investor, at the address set forth under its name in the Purchase Agreement, with a copy to its designated attorney, or at such other address as each such party furnishes by notice given in accordance with this Section 8(g), and shall be effective, when personally delivered, upon receipt and, when so sent by certified mail, five (5) business days after deposit with the United States Postal Service.
(h) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of California without regard to the principles of conflicts of law. Each of the Company and Investor hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States Federal and state courts located in California with respect to any dispute arising under this Agreement, the agreements entered into in connection herewith or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
(i) Consents. The person signing this Agreement on behalf of each party hereby represents and warrants that he has the necessary power, consent and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement on behalf of that party.
(j) Further Assurances. In addition to the instruments and documents to be made, executed and delivered pursuant to this Agreement, the parties hereto agree to make, execute and deliver or cause to be made, executed and delivered, to the requesting party such other instruments and to take such other actions as the requesting party may reasonably require to carry out the terms of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.
(k) Section Headings. The Section headings in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
(1) Construction. Unless the context otherwise requires, when used herein, the singular shall be deemed to include the plural, the plural shall be deemed to include each of the singular, and pronouns of one or no gender shall be deemed to include the equivalent pronoun of the other or no gender.
(m) Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement. This Agreement, once executed by a party, may be delivered to the other party hereto by electronic mail of a .pdf bearing the signature of the party so delivering this Agreement. An electronic mail of a .pdf of this signed Agreement shall be legal and binding on all parties hereto.
[Signatures On Following Page]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the day and year first above written.
CROWDGATHER, INC.
By: Sanjay Sabnani
Name: Sanjay Sabnani
Title: Chief Executive Officer
ALADDIN TRADING LLC
By: Harold Minsky
Name: Harold Minsky
Title: Managing Member