Liquidity and Going Concern
On October 8, 2021, we consummated the Initial Public Offering of 17,500,000 Units, at a price of $10.00 per Unit, which included the partial exercise by the underwriter of its over-allotment option in the amount of 2,000,000 Units, generating gross proceeds of $175,000,000. Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the sale of 885,000 Placement Units to the Sponsor, Cantor Fitzgerald and CCM at a price of $10.00 per Placement Unit generating gross proceeds of $8,850,000.
Following the Initial Public Offering, the partial exercise of the over-allotment option and the sale of the Placement Units, a total of $178,500,000 was placed in the Trust Account ($10.20 per Unit). We incurred $12,729,318 in transaction costs, including $2,635,000 of underwriting fees, $9,150,000 of deferred underwriting fees and $944,318 of other offering costs.
As of March 31, 2023, the Company had $178,093 in its operating bank accounts, $14,031,783 in Cash and marketable securities held in Trust Account to be used for a Business Combination or to repurchase or redeem its Common Stock in connection therewith and a working capital deficit of $2,272,113, net of income and franchise taxes payable.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023, there was $197,777 of cash used in operating activities.
For the three months ended March 31, 2022, there was $308,091 of cash used in operating activities.
We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the Trust Account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the Trust Account (less taxes payable), to complete our Business Combination. To the extent that our capital stock or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our Business Combination, the remaining proceeds held in the Trust Account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.
In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, our Sponsor or an affiliate of our Sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete a Business Combination, we may repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to us. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account to repay such loaned amounts, but no proceeds from our Trust Account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be converted into units of the post Business Combination entity, at a price of $10.00 per unit, at the option of the lender. The units would be identical to the Placement Units. On December 13, 2022, the Company entered into a promissory note with the Sponsor. In order to fund ongoing operations, the Sponsor will loan up to $1,500,000 to the Company. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there was $650,000 of outstanding borrowings under the working capital loan arrangement.
We monitor the adequacy of our working capital in order to meet the expenditures required for operating our business prior to our initial business combination. However, if our estimates of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating an initial business combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to our business combination. Moreover, we may need to obtain additional financing either to complete our business combination or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of our business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the Trust Account.
The Company currently projects that it will not have sufficient funds to cover its expenses over a one-year period from the date the financial statements are available to be issued. If the Company is unable to raise additional capital, it may be required to take additional measures to conserve liquidity, which could include, but not necessarily be limited to, curtailing operations, suspending the pursuit of a potential transaction, and reducing overhead expenses. The Company cannot provide any assurance that new financing will be available to it on commercially acceptable terms, if at all. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a reasonable period of time, which is considered to be one year from the issuance date of the financial statements.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We have no obligations, assets or liabilities, which would be considered off-balance sheet arrangements as of March 31, 2023. We do not participate in transactions that create relationships with entities or financial partnerships, often referred to as variable interest entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements. We have not entered into any off-balance sheet financing arrangements, established any special purpose entities, guaranteed any debt or commitments of other entities, or purchased any non-financial assets.
Contractual obligations
We do not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities, other than an agreement to pay the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor a monthly fee of $20,000 for office space, administrative and shared personnel support services to the Company. We began incurring these fees on October 6, 2021 and incurred these fees monthly through December 31, 2022. The payment of these fees was suspended on December 31, 2022 and reinstated on March 31, 2022.
The Company entered into an agreement, commencing on the date of its listing on NASDAQ, to pay the spouse of our Chief Executive Officer a monthly consulting fees of $15,000 for assisting the Company in identifying and evaluating potential acquisition targets. Payment of the consulting fees ended on December 31, 2022 as part of the Charter Amendment approval.
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