Securities Registration: Employee Benefit Plan (s-8)

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 20, 2023

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Hesai Group
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Cayman Islands
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

Not Applicable
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

9th Floor, Building L2-B, 1588 Zhuguang Road

Qingpu District, Shanghai 201702

The People’s Republic of China

(Address of Principal Executive Offices and Zip Code)

2021 Share Incentive Plan
(Full title of the plan)

Cogency Global Inc.
122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10168
+1 (800) 221-0102
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

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.

Large accelerated filer ¨	Accelerated filer ¨
Non-accelerated filer x	Smaller reporting company ¨
	Emerging growth company x

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

Copies to:

Louis T. Hsieh

Global Chief Financial
Officer

Hesai Group

9th Floor, Building
L2-B

1588 Zhuguang Road

Qingpu District

Shanghai 201702

The People’s Republic
of China

+86 21 3158-8240

Yuting Wu, Esq.

Skadden, Arps, Slate,
Meagher & Flom LLP

46/F, JingAn Kerry
Centre

Tower II, 1539 Nanjing
West Road
Shanghai

The People's Republic
of China

+86 21 6193-8200

Shu Du, Esq.

Skadden, Arps, Slate,
Meagher & Flom LLP

c/o 42/F, Edinburgh
Tower

The Landmark

15 Queen’s Road
Central

Hong Kong

+852 3740-4700

Yilin Xu, Esq.

Skadden, Arps, Slate,
Meagher & Flom LLP

30/F, China World Office 2

No. 1, Jianguomenwai
Avenue

Chaoyang District

Beijing 100004, China

+86 (10) 6535-5500

PART I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1.

Plan Information*

Item 2.

Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information*

* Information required by Part I to be contained in the Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this registration statement in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act and the Note to Part I of Form S-8. The documents containing information specified in this Part I will be separately provided to the participants covered by the 2021 Share Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act.

PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.

Incorporation of Documents by Reference

The following documents previously filed by Hesai Group (the “Registrant”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) are incorporated by reference herein:

(a)

The Registrant’s annual report on Form 20-F filed with the Commission on April 20, 2023; and

(b)

The description of the Registrant’s Class B ordinary shares set forth under “Description of Share Capital” in the Registrant’s registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-269247), including any amendment and report subsequently filed for the purpose of updating that description.

All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), after the date of this registration statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this registration statement which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement will be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained in this registration statement or in any other later filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to be a part of this registration statement.

Item 4.

Description of Securities

Not applicable.

Item 5.

Interests of Named Experts and Counsel

Not applicable.

Item 6.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s articles of association may provide for indemnification of directors and officers, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. The Registrant’s second amended and restated articles of association, adopted by a special resolution of its shareholders passed on January 28, 2023 and effective immediately prior to the completion of the initial public offering of the Registrant’s American Depositary Shares representing its Class B Ordinary Shares, provides that the Registrant shall indemnify its directors and officers against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by such persons other than by reason of their own dishonesty, willful default or fraud, in or about the conduct of the Registrant’s business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of their duties, powers, authorities or discretions, including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by such persons in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning the Registrant or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere.

Pursuant to the indemnification agreement, the form of which was filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-269247), the Registrant has agreed to indemnify its directors and executive officers against certain liabilities and expenses incurred by such persons in connection with claims made by reason of their being directors or officers of the Registrant.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Item 7.

Exemption from Registration Claimed

Not applicable.

Item 8.

Exhibits

See the Index to Exhibits attached hereto.

Item 9.

Undertakings

(a)

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1)

To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i)

to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii)

to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement; and

(iii)

to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to that information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement;

(2)

That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3)

To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b)

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c)

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number	Description

4.1	Second Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-269247))

4.2	Registrant’s Specimen Certificate for Class B ordinary shares (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-269247))

4.3*	Deposit Agreement by and among the Registrant, the depositary and the holders and beneficial owners of the American depositary shares issued thereunder, dated February 8, 2023

5.1*	Opinion of Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP, Cayman Islands counsel to the Registrant, regarding the legality of the Class B ordinary shares being registered

10.1	2021 Share Incentive Plan (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-269247))

23.1*	Consent of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP

23.2*	Consent of Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

24.1*	Power of Attorney (included on signature page hereto)

107*	Filing Fee Table

* Filed herewith.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Shanghai, China, on June 20, 2023.

Hesai Group

By:	/s/ Yifan Li
	Name:	Yifan Li
	Title:	Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints, severally and not jointly, each of Yifan Li and Louis T. Hsieh, with full power to act alone, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with the power of substitution, for and in such person’s name, place, and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each said attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each said attorney-in-fact may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities on June 20, 2023.

Signature		Title

/s/ Yifan Li		Director and Chief Executive Officer
Yifan Li		(Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ Kai Sun		Director
Kai Sun

/s/ Shaoqing Xiang		Director
Shaoqing Xiang

/s/ Louis T. Hsieh		Director and Global Chief Financial Officer
Louis T. Hsieh		(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

/s/ Cailian Yang		Director
Cailian Yang

/s/ Bonnie Zhang		Director
Bonnie Zhang

/s/ Jie Chen		Director
Jie Chen

SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE IN THE UNITED STATES

Pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of Hesai Group, has signed this registration statement or amendment thereto in New York, New York on June 20, 2023.