Re: DSS | Best Efforts Secondary Offering | Placement Agent Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
[●], 2026
▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Chief Executive Officer
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, NY 14586
| Re: | DSS | Best Efforts Secondary Offering | Placement Agent Agreement |
Dear ▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇:
The purpose of this placement agent agreement is to outline our agreement pursuant to which Aegis Capital Corp. (“Aegis”) will act as the placement agent on a “best efforts” basis in connection with the proposed Best Efforts Secondary Offering (the “Placement”) by DSS, Inc. (collectively, with its subsidiaries and affiliates, the “Company”) of its shares of Common Stock (the “Securities”). This placement agent agreement sets forth certain conditions and assumptions upon which the Placement is premised. The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that ▇▇▇▇▇’s obligations hereunder are on a reasonable “best efforts” basis only and that the execution of this Agreement does not constitute a commitment by Aegis to purchase the Securities and does not ensure the successful placement of the Securities or any portion thereof or the success of Aegis with respect to securing any other financing on behalf of the Company. The Company confirms that entry into this placement agent agreement and completion of the Placement with Aegis will not breach or otherwise violate the Company’s obligations to any other party or require any payments to such other party. For the sake of clarity, such obligations may include but not be limited to obligations under an engagement letter, placement agency agreement, underwriting agreement, advisory agreement, right of first refusal, tail fee obligation or other agreement.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ · New York, New York · ▇▇▇▇▇ (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ · Fax (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ · Member ▇▇▇▇▇, SIPC |
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The terms of our agreement are as follows:
| 1. | Engagement. The Company hereby engages Aegis, for the period beginning on the date hereof and ending three (3) months thereafter or upon the completion of the Placement, whichever is sooner (the “Engagement Period”), to act as the Company’s exclusive investment bank in connection with the proposed Placement. During the Engagement Period or until the consummation of the Placement, and as long as Aegis is proceeding in good faith with preparations for the Placement, the Company agrees not to solicit, negotiate with or enter into any agreement with any other source of financing (whether equity, debt or otherwise), any underwriter, potential underwriter, placement agent, financial advisor, investment banking firm or any other person or entity in connection with an offering of the Company’s debt or equity securities or any other financing by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in this Agreement shall prohibit or restrict the Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries from obtaining or entering into any loans, advances, credit facilities, guarantees, or other extensions of credit, or any equity investments or capital contributions, in each case provided by the Company or any of its direct or indirect affiliates, provided no investment bank performing such services is involved (collectively, “Affiliate Financing”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Company shall be permitted, at its sole discretion, to pursue and obtain traditional financing from commercial banks or other institutional lenders without any obligation to Aegis or impact on the fees payable hereunder. For the avoidance of doubt, any Affiliate Financing shall not be deemed a breach of this Section 1 and shall not give rise to any fee, commission, right of first refusal, or other compensation payable to Aegis under this Agreement. Aegis will use its reasonable “best efforts” to solicit offers to purchase the Securities from the Company on the terms, and subject to the conditions, set forth in the Prospectus (as defined below). Aegis shall use commercially reasonable efforts to assist the Company in obtaining performance by each Purchaser (as defined below) whose offer to purchase Securities has been solicited by Aegis, but Aegis shall not, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, be obligated to disclose the identity of any potential purchaser or have any liability to the Company in the event any such purchase is not consummated for any reason. The Company acknowledges that under no circumstances will Aegis be obligated to underwrite or purchase any Securities for its own account and, in soliciting purchases of the Securities, Aegis shall act solely as an agent of the Company. The services provided pursuant to this placement agent agreement shall be on an “agency” basis and not on a “principal” basis. |
| 2. | The Placement. The Placement is expected to consist of a sale of $8.0 million of the Company’s Securities. Aegis will act as placement agent for the Placement subject to, among other matters referred to herein and additional customary conditions, completion of Aegis’s due diligence examination of the Company and its affiliates, listing approval by the NYSE American LLC (“Exchange”) of the Securities to be issued, and the execution of a definitive Securities Purchase Agreement in connection with the Placement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”). The actual size of the Placement, the precise number of Securities to be offered by the Company and the offering price will be the subject of continuing negotiations between the Company and the investors thereto. In connection with the entry into the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company (i) will meet with Aegis and its representatives to discuss such due diligence matters and to provide such documents as Aegis may require; (ii) will not file with the Commission any document regarding the Placement without the prior approval of Aegis and its counsel; (iii) will deliver to Aegis and the investors in the Placement such legal and accounting opinions and letters (including, without limitation, accounting comfort letters, legal opinions, negative assurance letters, good standing certificates and officers’ and secretary certificates) as Aegis may require, all in form and substance acceptable to Aegis and (iv) will ensure that Aegis is a third party beneficiary of all representations, warranties, covenants, closing conditions and deliverables in connection with the Placement. |
| 3. | Placement Compensation. The placement commission will be 7.0% for the Placement and a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1.0% of the Placement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, no placement commission, expense allowance, advisory fee or other compensation shall be payable to Aegis in connection with, and the provisions of this Agreement shall not apply to, the proposed merger, business combination or other strategic transaction involving Impact BioMedical Inc. or any financing, equity issuance or other transaction undertaken in connection with or in furtherance thereof by DSS, Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. |
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| 4. | Registration Statement. To the extent the Company decides to proceed with the Placement, the Company will, as soon as practicable, prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and a prospectus included therein (the “Prospectus”) covering the Securities to be offered and sold in the Placement. The Registration Statement (including the Prospectus therein), and all amendments and supplements thereto, will be in form reasonably satisfactory to Aegis and counsel to Aegis. Other than any information provided by Aegis in writing specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will be solely responsible for the contents of its Registration Statement and Prospectus and any and all other written or oral communications provided by or on behalf of the Company to any actual or prospective investor of the Securities, and the Company represents and warrants that such materials and such other communications will not, as of the date of the offer or sale of the Securities, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit 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. If at any time prior to the completion of the offer and sale of the Securities an event occurs that would cause the Registration Statement or Prospectus (as supplemented or amended) to contain an untrue statement of a material fact or to omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, the Company will notify Aegis immediately of such event and Aegis will suspend solicitations of the prospective purchasers of the Securities until such time as the Company shall prepare a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that corrects such statement or omission. |
| 5. | Lock-Ups. In connection with the Placement, the Company’s directors, executive officers, employees and shareholders holding at least ten percent (10%) of the outstanding common stock will enter into customary “lock-up” agreements in favor of the Placement Agent for a period of sixty (60) days after the Closing of the Placement (the “Lock-Up Period”); provided, however, that any sales by parties to the lock-ups shall be subject to the lock-up agreements and provided further, that none of such common stock shall be saleable in the public market until the expiration of the Lock-Up Period. |
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| 6. | Company Standstill. In connection with the Placement, without the prior written consent of the investors, the Company will not, for a period of sixty (60) days after the Closing of the Placement (the “Standstill Period”), (a) offer, sell, issue, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any equity of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for equity of the Company; (b) file or caused to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any equity of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for equity of the Company; or (c) enter into any agreement or announce the intention to effect any of the actions described in subsections (a) or (b) hereof (all of such matters, the “Standstill Restrictions”). So long as none of such equity securities shall be saleable in the public market until the expiration of the Standstill Period, the following matters shall not be prohibited by the Standstill Restrictions: (i) the adoption of an equity incentive plan and the grant of awards or equity pursuant to any equity incentive plan, and the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8; (ii) securities issued pursuant to agreements, options, restricted share units or convertible securities existing as of the date hereof provided the terms are not modified; and (iii) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions (whether by merger, consolidation, purchase of equity, purchase of assets, reorganization or otherwise) approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that such securities are issued as “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144) and carry no registration rights that require or permit the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith during the Standstill Period, and provided that any such issuance shall only be to a person or entity (or to the equityholders of an entity) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an owner of an asset in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and shall provide to the Company additional benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities. In no event should any equity transaction during the Standstill Period result in the sale of equity at an offering price to the public less than that of the Placement referred herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the rights granted to Aegis under this Section 6 shall not apply to any Affiliate Financing. Any Affiliate Financing shall not be deemed a financing transaction subject to this Section 6 and shall not give rise to any right of first refusal, fee, commission or other compensation payable to Aegis under this Agreement. Additionally, the rights granted to Aegis under this Section 6 shall not apply to any commercial real estate mortgages, equipment financing, project-level debt, or the financing or refinancing of existing indebtedness related to the assets or operational subsidiaries of the Company, and no such transactions shall give rise to any right of first refusal, fee, commission or other compensation payable to Aegis under this Agreement. |
| 7. | Expenses. The Company will be responsible for and will pay all expenses relating to the Placement, including, without limitation, (a) all filing fees and expenses relating to the registration of the Securities with the Commission; (b) all FINRA Public Offering filing fees; (c) all fees and expenses relating to the listing of the Company’s equity or equity-linked securities on an Exchange; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of the Securities under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as Aegis may reasonably designate (including, without limitation, all filing and registration fees, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Company’s “blue sky” counsel, which will be Aegis’s counsel) unless such filings are not required in connection with the Company’s proposed Exchange listing; (e) any fees for counsel to lead investors in the Placement; (f) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the Securities under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as Aegis may reasonably designate; (g) the costs of all mailing and printing of the Placement documents; (h) transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of Securities from the Company to Aegis; (i) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants; and (j) $100,000 for reasonable legal fees and disbursements for Aegis’s counsel. |
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| 8. | Right of First Refusal. If, for the period beginning on the Closing of the Placement and ending twelve (12) months after the commencement of sales in the Placement, the Company or any of its subsidiaries (a) decides to finance or refinance any indebtedness, Aegis (or any affiliate designated by Aegis) shall have the right to act as sole book-runner, sole manager, sole placement agent or sole agent with respect to such financing or refinancing; or (b) decides to raise funds by means of a public offering (including at-the-market facility) or a private placement or any other capital raising financing of equity, equity-linked or debt securities, Aegis (or any affiliate designated by Aegis) shall have the right to act as sole book-running manager, sole underwriter or sole placement agent for such financing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the rights granted to Aegis under this Section 8 shall not apply to any Affiliate Financing, including any loans, advances, credit facilities, guarantees or other extensions of credit, or any equity investments or capital contributions, in each case provided by the Company or any of its direct or indirect affiliates, whether at the DSS, Inc. level or at any subsidiary or project-level entity, provided no investment bank performing such services is involved. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Company shall be permitted, at its sole discretion, to pursue and obtain traditional financing from commercial banks or other institutional lenders without any obligation to Aegis or impact on the fees payable hereunder. Any Affiliate Financing shall not be deemed a financing transaction subject to this Section 8 and shall not give rise to any right of first refusal, fee, commission or other compensation payable to Aegis under this Agreement. Additionally, the rights granted to Aegis under this Section 8 shall not apply to any (i) ordinary-course working-capital or revolving credit facilities, (ii) commercial real estate mortgages, (iii) equipment leases or equipment financing, (iv) project-level or subsidiary-level indebtedness, or (v) the financing or refinancing (including any amendment, extension, renewal, replacement or other modification) of any existing indebtedness of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or project-level entities, and no such transactions shall give rise to any right of first refusal, fee, commission or other compensation payable to Aegis under this Agreement, provided no investment bank such services is involved. If Aegis or one of its affiliates decides to accept any such engagement, the agreement governing such engagement (each, a “Subsequent Transaction Agreement”) will contain, among other things, provisions for customary fees for transactions of similar size and nature, but in no event will the fees be less than those outlined herein, and the provisions of this placement agent agreement, including indemnification, that are appropriate to such a transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the decision to accept the Company’s engagement under this Section 8 shall be made by Aegis or one of its affiliates, by a written notice to the Company, within ten (10) Business Days of the receipt of the Company’s notification of its financing needs, including a detailed term sheet. Aegis’s determination of whether in any case to exercise its right of first refusal will be strictly limited to the terms on such term sheet, and any waiver of such right of first refusal shall apply only to such specific terms. If Aegis waives its right of first refusal, any deviation from such terms (including without limitation after the launch of a subsequent transaction) shall void the waiver and require the Company to seek a new waiver from the right of first refusal on the terms set forth in this Section 8. For the avoidance of doubt, any transaction that falls within any of the carve-outs or exceptions set forth in this Section 8 shall not be deemed, in whole or in part, to give rise to any right of first refusal or any fee, commission, tail fee or other compensation payable to Aegis or any of its affiliates. For purposes of this Section 8 only, references to the “Company” shall mean DSS, Inc. exclusively and shall expressly exclude any subsidiaries or other affiliates of DSS, Inc. |
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| 9. | Closing; Closing Deliverables. Unless otherwise directed by the Placement Agent, settlement of the Securities shall occur via “Delivery Versus Payment” (“DVP”) (i.e., on the Closing Date, the Company shall cause the Depositary to issue the Securities directly to the clearing firm designated by the Placement Agent; upon receipt of such Securities, the Placement Agent shall promptly electronically deliver such Securities to the applicable Purchaser, and payment therefor shall be made by the Placement Agent (or its clearing firm) by wire transfer to the Company). |
| 9.1. | Company Deliveries. |
| 9.1.1. | On the date hereof, the Company shall deliver each of the following: |
9.1.1.1 This Agreement duly executed by the Company.
9.1.1.2 A cold comfort letter from the Company’s auditor, addressed to the Placement Agent in form and substance reasonably satisfactory in all material respects.
9.1.1.3 A certificate executed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company in customary form reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel.
9.1.1.4 The Lock-Up Agreements duly executed by the parties thereto.
| 9.1.2. | On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver each the following: |
9.1.2.1 A legal opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Carmel LLP, addressed to the Placement Agent and the Purchasers, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Placement Agent and Purchasers.
9.1.2.2 A negative assurance letter from ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Carmel LLP, addressed to the Placement Agent and dated the Closing Date, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent.
9.1.2.3 A copy of the irrevocable instructions to the Transfer Agent instructing the Transfer Agent to deliver, on an expedited basis, a certificate (or at the request of the Purchaser, book entry statement) evidencing a number of Shares equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount divided by the Per Share Purchase Price, registered in the name of such Purchaser; Shares, divided by the Per Share Purchase Price, registered in the name of such Purchaser.
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9.1.2.4 For each Purchaser of Pre-Funded Warrants pursuant to Section 9, a Pre-Funded Warrant registered in the name of such Purchaser to purchase up to a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the portion of such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount applicable to Pre-Funded Warrants divided by the Per Share Purchase Price, with an exercise price equal to $0.00001, subject to adjustment as provided therein.
9.1.2.5 The Company shall have provided each Purchaser with the Company’s wire instructions, on Company letterhead and executed by the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer.
9.1.2.6 The Company shall have provided ▇▇▇▇▇ the signed flow of funds executed by the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer.
9.1.2.7 A duly executed and delivered Officers’ Certificate, in customary form reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel.
9.1.2.8 A cold comfort letter from the Company’s auditor, addressed to the Placement Agent in form and substance reasonably satisfactory in all material respects.
9.1.2.9 The Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement (which may be delivered in accordance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act).
| 10. | Conditions of the Obligations of the Placement Agent. The obligations of the Placement Agent hereunder shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in the Securities Purchase Agreement (on which the Company authorizes the Placement Agent to Rely), in each case as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though then made, to the timely performance by each of the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder on and as of such dates, and to each of the following additional conditions: |
| 10.1. | Regulatory Matters. |
10.1.1. Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 424 Information. The Registration Statement is effective on the date of this Agreement, and, on the Closing Date no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed by the Closing Date shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424.
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10.1.2. FINRA Clearance. On or before the Closing Date, the Placement Agent shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Placement Agent as described in the Registration Statement.
10.1.3. Listing of Additional Shares. On or before the Closing Date, the Company shall have filed a notice with the Exchange with respect to the Company’s additional listing of the securities sold in the Offering.
10.2. Closing Deliverables. The Company shall have delivered all closing deliverables to the Placement Agent as set forth in Section 9.1 as of the time required and in form reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent.
10.2.1. No Material Changes. Prior to and on the Closing Date: (i) there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect or development involving a prospective Material Adverse Effect in the condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any affiliates of the Company before or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may materially adversely affect the business, operations, prospects or financial condition or income of the Company, except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iv) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
10.2.2. Additional Documents. At the Closing Date, Placement Agent’s counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Placement Agent and Placement Agent’s counsel.
| 11. | Prior Agreement. By entering into this Agreement, the parties agree that that certain letter of engagement, dated March 28, 2026, entered into between the same parties hereof, shall automatically terminate and cease to have any effect whatsoever and shall be superseded in its entirety by this Agreement. |
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| 12. | Termination. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company agrees that the provisions relating to the payment of fees, reimbursement of expenses, right of first refusal, indemnification and contribution, equitable remedies, confidentiality, conflicts, independent contractor and waiver of the right to trial by jury will survive any termination or expiration of this placement agent agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company has the right to terminate the placement agent agreement for cause in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(5)(B)(i). The exercise of such right of termination for cause eliminates the Company’s obligations with respect to the provisions relating to right of first refusal. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this placement agent agreement, in the event that no Placement is completed for any reason whatsoever during the Engagement Period, the Company shall be obligated to pay to Aegis its actual and accountable out-of-pocket expenses related to the Placement (including the fees and disbursements of Placement Agent’s legal counsel) and if applicable, for electronic road show service used in connection with the Placement. During the engagement hereunder: (i) the Company will not, and will not permit its representatives to, other than in coordination with Aegis, contact or solicit institutions, corporations or other entities or individuals as potential purchasers of the Securities and (ii) the Company will not pursue any financing transaction which would be in lieu of the Placement. Furthermore, the Company agrees that during ▇▇▇▇▇’s engagement hereunder, all inquiries from prospective investors will be referred to Aegis. |
| 13. | Publicity. The Company agrees that it will not issue press releases or engage in any other publicity, without ▇▇▇▇▇’s prior written consent, commencing on the date hereof and continuing until the final Closing of the Placement. |
| 14. | Information. During the Engagement Period or until the Closing, the Company agrees to cooperate with Aegis and to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to Aegis, any and all information and data concerning the Company, and the Placement that Aegis deems appropriate (the “Information”). The Company will provide Aegis reasonable access during normal business hours from and after the date of execution of this placement agent agreement until the Closing to all of the Company’s assets, properties, books, contracts, commitments and records and to the Company’s officers, directors, employees, appraisers, independent accountants, legal counsel and other consultants and advisors. Except as contemplated by the terms hereof or as required by applicable law, Aegis will keep strictly confidential all non-public Information concerning the Company provided to Aegis. No obligation of confidentiality will apply to Information that: (a) is in the public domain as of the date hereof or hereafter enters the public domain without a breach by Aegis, (b) was known or became known by Aegis prior to the Company’s disclosure thereof to Aegis as demonstrated by the existence of its written records, (c) becomes known to Aegis from a source other than the Company which information is not provided by the breach of an obligation of confidentiality owed to the Company, (d) is disclosed by the Company to a third party without restrictions on its disclosure or (e) is independently developed by Aegis as demonstrated by its written records. For the avoidance of doubt, except as otherwise provided herein, all information which is not publicly available relating to the Company’s proprietary technology is proprietary and confidential. |
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| 15. | No Third Party Beneficiaries; No Fiduciary Obligations. This placement agent agreement does not create, and shall not be construed as creating, rights enforceable by any person or entity not a party hereto, except those entitled hereto by virtue of the indemnification provisions hereof. The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (i) Aegis is not and shall not be construed as a fiduciary of the Company and shall have no duties or liabilities to the equity holders or the creditors of the Company or any other person or entity by virtue of this placement agent agreement or the retention of Aegis hereunder, all of which are hereby expressly waived; and (ii) Aegis is a full service securities firm engaged in a wide range of businesses and from time to time, in the ordinary course of its business, Aegis or its affiliates may hold long or short positions and trade or otherwise effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers in debt or equity securities or loans of the companies which may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this placement agent agreement. During the course of Aegis’s engagement with the Company, Aegis may have in its possession material, non-public information regarding other companies that could potentially be relevant to the Company or the transactions contemplated herein but which cannot be shared due to an obligation of confidence to such other companies. |
| 16. | Indemnification, Advancement & Contribution. |
16.1. Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Aegis, its affiliates and each person controlling Aegis (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act), and the directors, officers, agents and employees of Aegis, its affiliates and each such controlling person (Aegis, and each such entity or person hereafter is referred to as an “Indemnified Person”) from and against any losses, claims, damages, judgments, assessments, costs and other liabilities (collectively, the “Liabilities”), and shall reimburse each Indemnified Person for all fees and expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Indemnified Persons) (collectively, the “Expenses”) and agrees to advance payment of such Expenses as they are incurred by an Indemnified Person in investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any actions, whether or not any Indemnified Person is a party thereto, arising out of or based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (A) the Registration Statement, Prospectus or any other offering documents (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented), (B) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Placement, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or (C) any application or other document or written communication (collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Securities under the securities laws thereof or to file for an exemption from such requirement or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, any national securities exchange; or (ii) the omission or alleged omission therefrom of 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, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information provided to the Company by Aegis in writing specifically for use in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or any other offering documents with respect which or resulting from conduct by Aegis or another Indemnified Party, as to which Aegis shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its officers, directors and controlling parties in the manner set forth in this Section 16. The Company also agrees to reimburse and advance each Indemnified Person for all Expenses as they are incurred in connection with such Indemnified Person’s enforcement of his or its rights under this Section 16.
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16.2. Procedure. Upon receipt by an Indemnified Person of actual notice of an action against such Indemnified Person with respect to which indemnity may reasonably be expected to be sought under this Section 16, such Indemnified Person shall promptly notify the Company in writing; provided that failure by any Indemnified Person so to notify the Company shall not relieve the Company from any obligation or liability which the Company may have on account of this Section 16 or otherwise to such Indemnified Person. The Company shall, if requested by Aegis, assume the defense of any such action (including the employment of counsel designated by Aegis and reasonably satisfactory to the Company). Any Indemnified Person shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless: (i) the Company has failed promptly to assume the defense and employ separate counsel reasonably acceptable to Aegis for the benefit of Aegis and the other Indemnified Persons or (ii) such Indemnified Person shall have been advised that in the opinion of counsel that there is an actual or potential conflict of interest that prevents (or makes it imprudent for) the counsel designated by and engaged by the Company for the purpose of representing the Indemnified Person, to represent both such Indemnified Person and any other person represented or proposed to be represented by such counsel, in which event the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of one counsel, plus local counsel, for all Indemnified Parties, which counsel shall, if Aegis is a defendant, be designated by Aegis. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any action effected without its written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld). In addition, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Aegis, settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action in respect of which advancement, reimbursement, indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not such Indemnified Person is a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination (i) includes an unconditional release of each Indemnified Person, acceptable to such Indemnified Party, from all Liabilities arising out of such action for which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person. The advancement, reimbursement, indemnification and contribution obligations of the Company required hereby shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as every Liability and Expense is incurred and is due and payable, and in such amounts as fully satisfy each and every Liability and Expense as it is incurred (and in no event later than 30 Calendar Days following the date of any invoice therefore).
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16.3. Contribution. In the event that a court of competent jurisdiction makes a finding, final beyond right of review, that indemnity is unavailable to an Indemnified Person, the Company shall contribute to the Liabilities and Expenses paid or payable by such Indemnified Person in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and to Aegis and any other Indemnified Person, on the other hand, of the matters contemplated by this Section 16 or (ii) if the allocation provided by the immediately preceding clause is not permitted by applicable law, not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and Aegis and any other Indemnified Person, on the other hand, in connection with the matters as to which such Liabilities or Expenses relate, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided that in no event shall the Company contribute less than the amount necessary to ensure that all Indemnified Persons, in the aggregate, are not liable for any Liabilities and Expenses in excess of the amount of commissions and non-accountable expense allowance actually received by Aegis in the Placement. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or Aegis on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and Aegis agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection 16.3 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection 16.3. For purposes of this paragraph, the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and to Aegis on the other hand, of the matters contemplated by this Section 16 shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as: (a) the total value received by the Company in the Placement, whether or not such Placement is consummated, bears to (b) the commissions paid to Aegis under the Placement Agent Agreement. Notwithstanding the above, no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act shall be entitled to contribution from a party who was not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation.
16.4. Limitation. The Company also agrees that no Indemnified Person shall have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract or tort or otherwise) to the Company for or in connection with advice or services rendered or to be rendered by any Indemnified Person pursuant to this placement agent agreement, the transactions contemplated thereby or any Indemnified Person’s actions or inactions in connection with any such advice, services or transactions, except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction has made a finding that Liabilities (and related Expenses) of the Company have resulted exclusively from such Indemnified Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with any such advice, actions, inactions or services.
| 17. | Equitable Remedies. Each party to this placement agent agreement acknowledges and agrees that (a) a breach or threatened breach by the Company of any of its obligations under Section 8 or the exclusivity provisions of Section 1 would give rise to irreparable harm to Aegis for which monetary damages would not be an adequate remedy and (b) if a breach or a threatened breach by the Company of any such obligations occurs, Aegis will, in addition to any and all other rights and remedies that may be available to such party at law, at equity, or otherwise in respect of such breach, be entitled to equitable relief, including a temporary restraining order, an injunction, specific performance of the terms of Section 8 or the exclusivity provisions of Section 1, as applicable, and any other relief that may be available from a court of competent jurisdiction, without any requirement to (i) post a bond or other security, or (ii) prove actual damages or that monetary damages will not afford an adequate remedy. Each party to this placement agent agreement agrees that such party shall not oppose or otherwise challenge the existence of irreparable harm, the appropriateness of equitable relief or the entry by a court of competent jurisdiction of an order granting equitable relief, in either case, consistent with the terms of this Section 17. |
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| 18. | Governing Law; Venue. This placement agent agreement will be deemed to have been made and delivered in the State of New York, USA, and both the binding provisions of this placement agent agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby will be governed as to validity, interpretation, construction, effect and in all other respects by the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof. Each of Aegis and the Company: (i) agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this placement agent agreement and/or the transactions contemplated hereby will be instituted exclusively in the courts located in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, County of New York, State of New York (ii) waives any objection which it may have or hereafter to the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding, and (iii) irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the courts located in the City of New York, County of New York and State of New York, in any such suit, action or proceeding. Each of Aegis and the Company further agrees to accept and acknowledge service of any and all process which may be served in any such suit, action or proceeding in such courts and agrees that service of process upon the Company mailed by certified mail to the Company’s address will be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company, in any such suit, action or proceeding, and service of process upon Aegis mailed by certified mail to Aegis’s address will be deemed in every respect effective service process upon Aegis, in any such suit, action or proceeding. Notwithstanding any provision of this placement agent agreement to the contrary, the Company agrees that neither Aegis nor its affiliates, and the respective officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives of Aegis, its affiliates and each other person, if any, controlling Aegis or any of its affiliates, will have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract or tort or otherwise) to the Company for or in connection with the engagement and transaction described herein except for any such liability for losses, claims, damages or liabilities incurred by the Company that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of such individuals or entities. Aegis will act under this placement agent agreement as an independent contractor with duties to the Company. |
| 19. | Miscellaneous. The Company represents and warrants that it has all required power and authority to enter into and carry out the terms and provisions of this placement agent agreement and the execution, delivery and performance of this placement agent agreement does not breach or conflict with any agreement, document or instrument to which it is a party or bound. The binding provisions of this placement agent agreement are legally binding upon and inure to the benefit of both the Company and Aegis and their respective assigns, successors, and legal representatives. If any provision of this placement agent agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect, and the remainder of the placement agent agreement shall remain in full force and effect. This placement agent agreement may be executed in counterparts (including electronic counterparts), each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. The undersigned hereby consents to receipt of this placement agent agreement in electronic form and understands and agrees that this placement agent agreement may be signed electronically. Signatures to this placement agent agreement transmitted in electronic form will have the same effect as physical delivery of a paper document bearing the original signature, and if any signature is delivered electronically evidencing an intent to sign this placement agent agreement, such electronic mail or other electronic transmission shall create a valid and binding obligation of the undersigned with the same force and effect as if such signature were an original. Execution and delivery of this placement agent agreement by electronic mail or other electronic transmission is legal, valid and binding for all purposes. |
If you are in agreement with the foregoing, please sign and return to us one copy of this placement agent agreement. This placement agent agreement may be executed in counterparts (including facsimile or .pdf counterparts), each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
[Signature Page of DSS Best Efforts Secondary Offering Placement Agent Agreement Follows]
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[Signature Page of DSS Best Efforts Secondary Offering Placement Agent Agreement]
| Very truly yours, | ||
| Aegis Capital Corp. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
AGREED AND ACCEPTED:
The foregoing accurately sets forth our understanding and agreement with respect to the matters set forth herein.
| DSS, Inc. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
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