10/31/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/31/2024 14:08
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Sustainable Projects Group Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Nevada | 2834 | 81-5445107 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
Tankedraget 7
Aalborg, Denmark DK-9000
305-814-2915
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)
Sune Mathiesen
Chief Executive Officer
Tankedraget 7
Aalborg, Denmark DK-9000
305-814-2915
(Names, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
Ben A. Stacke
Griffin D. Foster
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
2200 Wells Fargo Center
90 South Seventh Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-3901
Telephone: (612) 766-7000
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to public: As soon as practicable after this registration statement becomes effective.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
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 | ☒ | Smaller reporting company | ☒ | |
Emerging growth company | ☐ |
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 to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
The registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information contained in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale of these securities is not permitted.
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS | SUBJECT TO COMPLETION | DATED October 31, 2024 |
PROSPECTUS
41,986,090 Shares
Sustainable Projects Group Inc.
Common Stock
This prospectus relates to the proposed resale or other disposition, from time to time, of up to 41,986,090 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of Sustainable Projects Group Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), by the selling stockholders named in this prospectus.
The shares offered by this prospectus may be sold by the selling stockholders from time to time in the over-the-counter market or any other national securities exchange or automated interdealer quotation system on which our common stock is then listed or quoted, through negotiated transactions or otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of sale or at negotiated prices, as described under "Plan of Distribution" herein.
The selling stockholders will sell all or a portion of the shares being offered pursuant to this prospectus at a fixed price of $0.20 per share until our common stock is quoted on the OTCQX, the OTCQB or listed on a national securities exchange, if ever, and thereafter at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at varying prices, or at negotiated prices.
All net proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock covered by this prospectus will go to the selling stockholders. We will receive none of the proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock covered by this prospectus by the selling stockholders. We are only paying expenses relating to the registration of the shares of common stock with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), but all selling and other expenses incurred by the selling stockholders will be borne by them.
Our common stock is currently quoted on the OTC Pink tier of the over-the-counter market ("OTC Pink") maintained by OTC Markets Group, Inc. ("OTC Markets") under the symbol "SPGX." However, the trading market for our common stock is sporadic and extremely limited. On October 30, 2024, the closing price of our common stock on the OTC Pink was $0.20 per share.
Investing in our securities involves significant risks. You should review carefully the "Risk Factors" beginning on page 8 of this prospectus for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our securities.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS | ii |
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS | 1 |
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY | 2 |
THE OFFERING | 7 |
RISK FACTORS | 8 |
USE OF PROCEEDS | 21 |
DETERMINATION OF OFFERING PRICE | 22 |
MARKET FOR OUR COMMON STOCK AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS | 23 |
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS | 24 |
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION | 26 |
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS | 28 |
BUSINESS | 38 |
MANAGEMENT | 43 |
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION | 45 |
PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS | 51 |
TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PERSONS | 52 |
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK | 53 |
MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF THE COMPANY'S COMMON STOCK | 54 |
LEGAL MATTERS | 57 |
EXPERTS | 57 |
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION | 57 |
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | F-1 |
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC, using a "shelf" registration process. Under this shelf registration process, the selling stockholders may, from time to time, offer and sell shares of common stock offered under this prospectus. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale by the selling stockholders of the common stock offered by them described in this prospectus.
We and the selling stockholders have not authorized anyone to provide any information or make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus. We and the selling stockholders take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby and only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. No dealer, salesperson, or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained in this prospectus. This prospectus is not an offer to sell securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy securities, in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. The information in this prospectus is current only as of its date. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may have changed since its date.
This prospectus contains summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed or will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described in the section entitled "Where You Can Find More Information."
The selling stockholders are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of our common stock only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of common stock. Neither the delivery of this prospectus, nor any sale made hereunder, will under any circumstances create any implication that there has been no change in our affairs since the date hereof or that the information contained herein is correct as of any time subsequent to the date of such information.
For investors outside the United States: We have not taken any action to permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the shares, and the distribution of this prospectus outside the United States.
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including those set forth in this prospectus. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ from projections include, but are not limited to, for example:
● | changes in economic and business conditions; |
● | estimates of and volatility in lithium prices or demand for lithium; |
● | our limited operating history in the lithium industry; |
● | availability of raw materials; |
● | increases in the cost of raw materials and energy; |
● | the pace of adoption and cost of developing electric transportation and storage technologies dependent upon lithium batteries; |
● | changes in our market in general; |
● | the occurrence of regulatory actions, proceedings, claims or litigation; |
● | changes in laws and government regulations impacting our operations; |
● | the effects of climate change, including any regulatory changes to which we might be subject; |
● | hazards associated with chemicals manufacturing; |
● | changes in accounting standards; |
● | our ability to access capital and the financial markets; |
● | volatility and uncertainties in the debt and equity markets; |
● | the development of an active trading market for our common stock; |
● | the occurrence of cybersecurity breaches, terrorist attacks, industrial accidents or natural disasters; |
● | technology or intellectual property infringement, including through cybersecurity breaches, and other innovation risks; |
● | recruiting, training and developing employees; |
● | our failure to successfully execute our growth strategy, including any delays in our future growth; |
● | our ability to begin construction of our manufacturing facilities as planned; |
● | our ability to enter into supply and other vendor agreements necessary to sustain our operations; |
● | decisions we may make in the future; and |
● | other specific risks that may be referred to in this prospectus. |
All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this prospectus regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenue or losses, projected costs, prospects and plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. When used in this prospectus, the words "will," "may," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "project," "plan," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or other information contained herein. Stockholders and potential investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Although we believe that our plans, intentions, and expectations reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements in this prospectus are reasonable, we cannot assure stockholders and potential investors that these plans, intentions, or expectations will be achieved. We disclose important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our expectations under "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in this prospectus. These cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf.
Information regarding market and industry statistics contained in this prospectus is included based on information available to us that we believe is accurate. It is generally based on publications that are not produced for purposes of securities offerings or economic analysis. Forecasts and other forward-looking information obtained from these sources are subject to the same qualifications and the additional uncertainties accompanying any estimates of future market size, revenue and market acceptance of products and services. We have no obligation to update forward-looking information to reflect actual results or changes in assumptions or other factors that could affect those statements, except as required by federal securities laws. See "Risk Factors" for a more detailed discussion of uncertainties and risks that may have an impact on our future results.
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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This summary highlights information that we present more fully in the rest of this prospectus. This summary does not contain all of the information you should consider before investing in our common stock. This summary contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, such as statements about our plans, objectives, expectations, assumptions or future events. These statements involve estimates, assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. See "Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements." You should read the entire prospectus carefully, including the "Risk Factors" section and the financial statements and the notes to those statements. Unless the context otherwise requires, "SPGX," "we," "us," "our," and the "Company" refer to Sustainable Projects Group Inc., a Nevada corporation, and its subsidiary following the closing of the Exchange Transaction. Unless the context otherwise requires, all references to "Legacy Lithium Harvest" refer to Lithium Harvest ApS, a Denmark private limited liability company. All references herein to the "Board" refer to the board of directors of the Company.
Overview
Sustainable Projects Group Inc. ("SPGX," "we," "us," our" or the "Company") is a pure-play lithium company focused on supplying high performance lithium compounds to the fast-growing electric vehicle ("EV") and broader battery markets. We have developed a proprietary technology to extract lithium from oilfield wastewater, which we believe will enable us to manufacture lithium compounds quickly, at an attractive cost, and with a minimal environmental footprint, which we expect to provide us with a competitive advantage over other lithium manufacturers. We believe this competitive advantage will enable us to capitalize on the acceleration of vehicle electrification and renewable energy adoption.
We have largely completed the environmental and construction permitting stage and plan to start physical construction of our first two lithium carbonate manufacturing facilities in North Dakota by the end of 2024, which we anticipate will be capable of manufacturing up to a total of 2,800 metric tons of lithium carbonate, and we plan to begin manufacturing battery-grade lithium compounds at such facilities in the second half of 2025. No assurance can be given that we will be able to establish such facilities or begin manufacturing within this timeframe or at all.
On February 14, 2023, we entered into a Securities Exchange Agreement (the "Exchange Agreement") with Legacy Lithium Harvest, and all of the shareholders of Legacy Lithium Harvest (the "Legacy Lithium Harvest Shareholders"). Pursuant to the terms of the Exchange Agreement, the Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Legacy Lithium Harvest in exchange for issuing to the Legacy Lithium Harvest Shareholders 206,667,233 shares of our common stock (the "Exchange Transaction"). The Exchange Transaction closed on February 14, 2023.
Prior to the Exchange Transaction, we were a business development company engaged in project development and holdings through value-based investments and collaborative partnerships, including a joint venture relationship with Hero Wellness Systems Inc. ("Hero Wellness") and a purchase agreement with the inventors of the Soy-yer Dough product line. During September 2022, we decided to exit the joint venture with Hero Wellness, and following the Exchange Transaction, we have not made final plans on the Soy-yer Dough project. We impaired our intangible assets associated with this project as of December 31, 2021.
Our Technology and Products
Direct Lithium Extraction Technology. Our Direct Lithium Extraction ("DLE") technology enables us to extract and manufacture lithium compounds from oilfield wastewater in a few hours. Competing technologies typically extract and manufacture lithium compounds from brine or hard rock through processes that take up to two to three years. Our DLE technology also allows us to adjust production according to customer needs, which we believe puts us in a favorable position to meet growing demand.
Lithium Carbonate and Lithium Hydroxide. We plan to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide for use in high performance lithium-ion batteries for EVs and broader battery markets. We plan to produce both standardized and customer specific compounds.
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Our Growth Strategy
To fully capitalize on the growing demand for lithium compounds, our growth strategy will involve continued investment in manufacturing facilities, research and development, and our people. Essential features of our growth strategy include:
● | Build and expand manufacturing capacities. We have largely completed the environmental and construction permitting stage and plan to start physical construction of our first two lithium carbonate manufacturing facilities in North Dakota by the end of 2024, which we anticipate will be capable of manufacturing up to a total of 2,800 metric tons of lithium carbonate, and we plan to begin manufacturing battery-grade lithium compounds at such facilities in the second half of 2025. We plan to continue to invest in manufacturing capacity and aim to have a total manufacturing capacity of approximately 6,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate by the end of 2026. |
● | Enter new geographic areas and expand North American operations. We believe that the federal and state governments in the U.S. and international governments will increasingly support the local and sustainable production of critical minerals, including lithium compounds, for the green energy transition. Our first lithium carbonate manufacturing facilities are planned to be established in North Dakota, and we intend to continue to expand our operations in North America in the near term, and eventually expand to Europe. |
● | Continued investment in research and development and the expansion of our product portfolio. We believe that the continued evolution of battery technologies will require new forms of lithium to be produced. To ensure that we are well-positioned to develop new products to keep pace with the evolving battery technology industry, we plan to continue to focus and invest in research and development. Further, we plan to utilize our proprietary technology to expand our product portfolio to also include nickel, magnesium, and vanadium in the future. |
● | Focus on sustainability. We believe that lithium will continue to be an important component of the green energy transition. Likewise, we believe that there will be a continued and increased focus on responsible lithium production and the Environmental, Social and Governance issues and concerns related to the production of lithium. Operating in a socially conscious, ethical, safe, and sustainable manner is reflected in our core values. Further, we believe that our DLE technology has the lowest environmental footprint of any lithium extraction technology in the industry. We believe that our sustainable extraction technology and our local manufacturing will differentiate us from our competitors and help us build important strategic relationships with customers and other stakeholders. |
● | Invest in our people. Our business depends on highly specialized research scientists, engineers, a technical sales force, and experienced management. We are committed to investing in our people through training and development. We aim to attract and retain talent by cultivating an inclusive and positive working environment that creates and supports diversity and provides equal opportunity and fairness in our management systems. |
Competitive Strengths
We believe the following strengths underpin our ability to grow our business and profitability:
● | Direct Lithium Extraction. Our DLE technology enables us to extract and manufacture lithium compounds from oilfield wastewater in a few hours. Competing technologies typically extract and manufacture lithium compounds from brine and hard rock through a process that takes up to two to three years. Our DLE technology also allows us to adjust production according to customer needs, which we believe puts us in a favorable position to meet growing demand. |
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● | Stable and readily available lithium feedstock. We use our DLE technology to produce high performance lithium compounds from oilfield wastewater (also referred to as "produced water"). The global oil and gas industry produces more than 250 million barrels of produced water per day, which will provide a stable supply of lithium feedstock. Further, our DLE technology does not require us to acquire land and obtain drilling permits, which we believe will allow us to establish new lithium operations and ramp production quicker than our competitors. |
● | Lower capital expenditures. We intend to construct our facilities on the land of our oil and gas partners and next to the oilfield wastewater pipelines. This eliminates the need to acquire land and the associated cost for doing so. Our facilities are based on a modular design, which enables us to achieve significant savings in the construction. We believe that our lower capital expenditures will allow us to ramp production quicker. |
● | Lower production cost. Our feedstock is readily available on the surface, which eliminates the cost to establish, run, and maintain wells. Our proprietary pretreatment technology conditions the feedstock before lithium extraction and allows us to achieve higher yields. We intend to do both extraction and refining in the same facility, which would eliminate ground transportation and associated costs for transportation to a secondary manufacturing site. We believe that our low cost of production will provide us with a competitive advantage. |
● | Minimal project risk. Competing technologies require comprehensive environmental studies and permits and it typically takes up to 10 to 12 years to bring new lithium operations online. Our technology is based on a modular design and as our feedstock is readily available on the surface, we expect to be able to bring new projects online in just 12 to 18 months with no risk of not obtaining permits to drill. As part of our feedstock agreements, we are obligated to return wastewater from our operations to our partners, which eliminates the risk of not obtaining disposal permits. |
● | Local manufacturing. We plan to produce our products as close to our customers as possible. We believe that governments will be increasingly focused on the local supply of critical minerals, and recent regulatory developments in our geographical focus areas strongly incentivize consumers and battery and vehicle manufacturers to source locally produced lithium products. |
● | Sustainable production. Competing technologies typically use large amounts of water and chemicals in the manufacturing process as well as emit large amounts of CO2. Our technology saves up to 500,000 gallons of water and 15,000 kg of CO2 per metric ton of lithium carbonate produced compared to traditional mining technologies, which we believe will be an increasingly important sales parameter. |
Our Market
The market for battery grade lithium compounds is global, and we plan to sell our products worldwide. Based on estimates by Benchmark Minerals, lithium demand is forecasted to rise from 350,000 tons in 2020 to more than 3 million tons in 2030 and over 7 million tons in 2040, with a positive long-term price trend estimate in excess of $15,000 per ton for battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide from 2025 to 2040. We believe that the continued electrification of transportation and transition to renewable energy sources will support continued significant growth in demand for lithium compounds over the next decade.
Intellectual Property
Our success depends in part upon our ability to protect and use our DLE technology and the intellectual property rights related to our DLE technology.
On February 8, 2023, we received a "Grant Approval" notification from the Danish Patent and Trademark Office. This patent, which covers the extraction of minerals such as lithium from oilfield wastewater, will expire in 2042. On September 21, 2023, we submitted a Patent Cooperation Treaty ("PCT") application. The PCT application was published on April 4, 2024, and we believe this further strengthens our patent portfolio.
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Further, we have a pending application for a U.S. patent, which also covers the extraction of minerals such as lithium from oilfield wastewater. We expect this patent to be granted in the third quarter of 2024. If granted, we expect this patent will expire in 2042.
Reverse Stock Split
On September 3, 2024, we filed a definitive information statement with the SEC with respect to a proposed reverse stock split within the range of 1-for-10 to 1-for-100 of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock. The proposed reverse stock split will not impact the number of authorized shares of common stock, which will remain at 500,000,000 shares. The share and per share information in this prospectus does not reflect the proposed reverse stock split of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock to occur on or immediately following the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
Recent Developments
Private Financings
Between March 30, 2023 and December 6, 2023, we entered into Securities Purchase Agreements (the "Purchase Agreements") with certain accredited investors (the "Investors"), pursuant to which we issued 1,500,000 shares of common stock at $0.25 per share on August 18, 2023, 4,006,000 shares of common stock at $0.35 per share on August 18, 2023 and 3,341,000 shares of common stock at $0.35 per share on December 22, 2023 (collectively, the "Private Placement Shares"). In total, 8,847,000 Private Placement Shares were purchased by the Investors, resulting in aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $2,946,450. Each of the Purchase Agreements contains representations, warranties and covenants made by the Company that are customary for transactions of this type.
North Dakota Facility I
We have entered into a lithium feedstock supply agreement with a leading midstream water management company. Pursuant to the supply agreement, we intend to establish a manufacturing facility in North Dakota with an annual capacity of 1,300 metric tons of lithium carbonate. As part of the feedstock supply agreement, we have obtained a sub-lease agreement which allows our lithium extraction facility to be co-located at the produced water collection site. The facility is initially expected to become operational in the second half of 2025. The facility will utilize the Company's proprietary lithium technology and will be constructed well-side to further reduce its environmental footprint.
North Dakota Facility II
We have entered into a second lithium feedstock supply agreement with a leading midstream water management company. Pursuant to the supply agreement, we intend to establish a second manufacturing facility in North Dakota with an annual capacity of 1,500 metric tons of lithium carbonate. As part of the feedstock supply agreement, we have obtained a sub-lease agreement which allows our lithium extraction facility to be co-located at the produced water collection site. The facility is initially expected to become operational in the second half of 2025. The facility will utilize the Company's proprietary lithium technology and will be constructed well-side to further reduce its environmental footprint.
Summary Risk Factors
Our ability to execute on our business strategy is subject to a number of risks, which are discussed more fully in the section titled "Risk Factors." You should carefully consider these risks before making an investment in our common stock. These risks include, among others, the following:
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Risks Related to Our Business
● | Demand and market prices for lithium will greatly affect the value of our investment in our lithium projects and our ability to develop them successfully. |
● | There is risk to the growth of lithium markets. |
● | Fluctuating construction costs can impact our business. |
● | Our inability to protect our intellectual property rights, or being accused of infringing on intellectual property rights of third parties, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. |
● | If we are unable to retain key personnel or attract new skilled personnel, it could have an adverse effect on our business. |
● | The development of non-lithium battery technologies could adversely affect our business. |
Risks Related to Our Financial Condition
● | We will need to raise additional capital to fund ongoing operations, and such capital raising may be costly or difficult to obtain and could dilute our stockholders' ownership interests. |
● | Our required capital expenditures can be complex, may experience delays or other difficulties, and the costs may exceed our estimates. |
● | Our business and financial results may be adversely affected by various legal and regulatory proceedings. |
Risks Related to Our Securities
● | The price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly, and this may make it difficult for you to resell the shares of common stock when you want or at prices you find attractive. |
● | Future sales of our common stock in the public market or the issuance of our common stock or securities convertible into common stock could depress the price of our common stock. |
● | Our common stock is not currently traded at high volumes, and you may be unable to sell at or near ask prices if you need to sell or liquidate a substantial number of shares at one time. |
Risks Related to the Common Stock Offering by the Selling Stockholders and our Proposed Reverse Stock Split
● | If the selling stockholders sell significant amounts of our common stock, or the perception exists that these sales could occur, such events could cause the price of our common stock to decline. |
● | None of the proceeds from the sale of our common stock by the selling stockholders in this offering will be available to us. |
● | Our proposed reverse stock split may not result in a proportional increase in the per share price of our common stock. |
● | If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline. |
General Risk Factors
● | Adverse conditions in the global economy, and volatility and disruption of financial markets, can negatively impact our business and results of operations. |
● | Our business and operations could suffer in the event of cybersecurity breaches, information technology system failures, or network disruptions. |
● | Natural disasters or other unanticipated catastrophes could impact our results of operations. |
● | Our insurance may not fully cover all potential exposures. |
● | We may be exposed to certain regulatory and financial risks related to climate change. |
● | We may become party to litigation or other proceedings. |
● | We may have certain conflicts of interest. |
Corporate Information
Our principal executive offices are located at Tankedraget 7, Aalborg, Denmark DK-9000. Our telephone number is 305-814-2915. Our websites are www.lithiumharvest.com and www.spgroupe.com. Information contained on our websites is not a part of this prospectus and the inclusion of our website addresses in this prospectus is an inactive textual reference only.
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THE OFFERING
Issuer | Sustainable Projects Group Inc. | |
Common stock being offered by the selling stockholders | 41,986,090 shares of common stock. | |
Offering price per share | The selling stockholders will sell all or a portion of the shares being offered pursuant to this prospectus at a fixed price of $0.20 per share until our common stock is quoted on the OTCQX, the OTCQB or listed on a national securities exchange, if ever, and thereafter at and prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at varying prices or at negotiated prices. | |
Use of proceeds | All net proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock covered by this prospectus will go to the selling stockholders. We will receive none of the proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock covered by this prospectus by the selling stockholders. See "Use of Proceeds." | |
Risk factors | Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk and purchasers of our common stock may lose part or all of their investment. See "Risk Factors" for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in our common stock. |
Ticker symbol for common stock | "SPGX." |
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Risk Factors
Risks Related to Our Business
Demand and market prices for lithium will greatly affect the value of our investment in our lithium projects and our ability to develop them successfully.
The prices of commodities vary on a daily basis. Price volatility could have dramatic effects on our results of operations and our ability to execute our business plan. The year 2023 saw significant fluctuations in lithium prices from the highs of around $80,000 per ton to levels of around $13,500 per metric ton as of the end of 2023. While lithium prices have recovered somewhat in 2024, there are no guarantees that the price of lithium carbonate will remain stable or increase. The price of lithium materials may also be reduced by the discovery of new lithium deposits and production methods, which could not only increase the overall supply of lithium (causing downward pressure on its price), but could draw new firms into the lithium industry that could compete with us. Even if commercial quantities of lithium are produced by us, there is no guarantee that a profitable market will exist for the sale of the lithium. The development of our projects will be significantly affected by changes in the market price of lithium-based end products, such as lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide. Factors beyond our control may affect the marketability of any lithium produced. The prices of various metals have experienced significant movement over short periods of time and are affected by numerous factors beyond our control, including international economic and political trends, expectations of inflation, currency exchange fluctuations, interest rates and global or regional consumption patterns, speculative activities and increased production due to improved mining and production methods. The supply of and demand for lithium is affected by various factors, including, among others, political events, economic conditions and production costs in major producing regions. Furthermore, the price of lithium products is significantly affected by their purity and performance, and by the specifications of end-user battery manufacturers. If the products produced from our projects do not meet battery-grade quality and/or do not meet customer specifications, pricing will be reduced from that expected for battery-grade product. In turn, the availability of customers may also decrease. We may not be able to effectively mitigate against pricing risks for our products. Depressed pricing for our products will affect the level of revenues expected to be generated by us, which in turn could affect our value, share price and the potential value of our properties. There can be no assurance that the price of lithium will be such that it can be produced at a profit.
Competition within our industry may adversely affect our businesses and results of operations.
We face strong competition from companies in connection with the production of lithium. Many of these companies have greater financial resources, operational experience and technical capabilities than us, and as a result, our competitors may be able to produce and sell lithium at a lower cost than us. Consequently, our prospects, revenues, operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.
There is risk to the growth of lithium markets.
Our lithium business is significantly dependent on the continued growth in demand for lithium batteries for EVs and energy storage. To the extent that such development, adoption and growth do not occur in the volume and/or manner that we contemplate, including for reasons described under the heading "The development of non-lithium battery technologies could adversely affect us" below, the long-term growth in the markets for lithium products may be adversely affected, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results.
Our business is subject to hazards common to chemical and natural resource extraction businesses, any of which could injure our employees or other persons, damage our facilities or other properties, interrupt our production and adversely affect our reputation and results of operations.
Our business is subject to hazards common to chemical manufacturing, storage, handling and transportation, as well as natural resource extraction, including explosions, fires, severe weather, natural disasters, mechanical failure, unscheduled downtime, transportation interruptions, remediation, chemical spills, discharges or releases of toxic or hazardous substances or gases and other risks. These hazards can cause personal injury and loss of life to our employees and other persons, severe damage to, or destruction of, property and equipment and environmental contamination. In addition, the occurrence of disruptions, shutdowns or other material operating problems at our facilities due to any of these hazards may diminish our ability to meet our output goals. Accordingly, these hazards and their consequences could adversely affect our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our operations as a whole, including our results of operations and cash flows, both during and after the period of operational difficulties.
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Our business is subject to a number of operational risks.
We are subject to a number of operational risks and may not be adequately insured for certain risks, including, among others, environmental contamination, liabilities arising from historic operations, accidents or spills, industrial and transportation accidents, which may involve hazardous materials, labor disputes, catastrophic accidents, fires, blockades or other acts of social activism, changes in the regulatory environment, the impact of non-compliance with laws and regulations, natural phenomena such as inclement weather conditions, floods, earthquakes, ground movements, cave-ins, and encountering unusual or unexpected geological conditions and technological failure of exploration methods.
There is no assurance that the foregoing risks and hazards will not result in damage to, or destruction of, our property, personal injury or death, environmental damage, increased costs, monetary losses and potential legal liability and adverse governmental action. These factors could all have an adverse impact on our future cash flows, earnings, results of operations and financial condition.
The resource extraction business is cyclical in nature.
The resource extraction business and the marketability of the products it produces are affected by worldwide economic cycles. At the present time, the significant demand for lithium and other commodities in many countries is driving increased prices, but it is difficult to assess how long such demand may continue. Fluctuations in supply and demand of resources in various regions throughout the world are common.
As our business is in the development stage and as we do not carry on commercial-scale production activities, our ability to fund ongoing development is affected by the availability of financing which is, in turn, affected by the strength of the economy and other general economic factors.
Electronic vehicle regulations and economic incentives may impact our business.
Demand for lithium-based end products, such as lithium-ion batteries for use in EVs, may be impacted by changes to government regulation and economic incentives. Government and economic incentives that support the development and adoption of EVs in the U.S. and abroad, including certain tax exemptions, tax credits and rebates, may be reduced, eliminated or exhausted from time to time. For example, previously available incentives favoring EVs in areas including Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, and California have expired or were cancelled or made temporarily unavailable, and in some cases were not replaced or reinstituted. Any similar developments, including as a result of the upcoming U.S. presidential and congressional elections in November 2024, could have a negative impact on overall prospects for growth of the lithium market and pricing, which in turn could have a negative effect on us and our projects.
Our business depends on adequate infrastructure.
Resource extraction activities depend on adequate infrastructure. Reliable roads, bridges, and power sources are important determinants which affect capital and operating costs. Unusual or infrequent weather phenomena, sabotage, or community, government or other interference in the maintenance or provision of such infrastructure could adversely affect our operations, financial condition and results of operations.
Fluctuating construction costs can impact our business.
As a result of the substantial expenditures involved in resource extraction development projects, developments are prone to material cost overruns versus budget. The capital expenditures and time required to develop new projects are considerable and changes in cost or construction schedules can significantly increase both the time and capital required to build the project.
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Construction costs and timelines can be impacted by a wide variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control. These include, but are not limited to, weather conditions, ground conditions, availability of material required for construction, availability and performance of contractors and suppliers, inflation, delivery and installation of equipment, design changes, accuracy of estimates and availability of accommodations for the workforce.
Project development schedules are also dependent on obtaining the governmental approvals necessary for the operation of a project. The timeline to obtain these government approvals is often beyond our control.
Our business could be adversely affected by environmental, health and safety laws and regulations.
The nature of our business exposes us to risks of liability under environmental laws and regulations due to the production, storage, use, transportation and sale of materials that can cause contamination or personal injury if released into the environment. In the jurisdictions in which we operate, or plan to operate, we are or will be subject to numerous U.S. and non-U.S. national, federal, state and local environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, including those governing the discharge of pollutants into the air and water, the management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes and the cleanup of contaminated properties. Liabilities associated with the investigation and cleanup of hazardous substances, as well as personal injury, property damages or natural resource damages arising from the release of, or exposure to, such hazardous substances may be imposed in many situations without regard to violations of laws or regulations or other fault, and may also be imposed jointly and severally (so that a responsible party may be held liable for more than its share of the losses involved, or even the entire loss). Such liabilities may also be imposed on many different entities, including, for example, current and prior property owners or operators, as well as entities that arranged for the disposal of the hazardous substances. Such liabilities may be material and can be difficult to identify or quantify.
Further, some of the raw materials we handle are subject to government regulation. These regulations affect the manufacturing processes, handling, uses and applications of our products. In addition, our production facilities require numerous operating permits. Due to the nature of these requirements and changes in our operations, our operations may exceed limits under permits or we may not have the proper permits to conduct our operations. Ongoing compliance with such laws, regulations and permits is an important consideration for us, and we expect to incur substantial capital and operating costs in our compliance efforts. Compliance with environmental laws generally increases the costs of manufacturing, registration/approval requirements, transportation and storage of raw materials and finished products, and storage and disposal of wastes, and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. We may incur substantial costs, including fines, damages, criminal or civil sanctions and remediation costs, or experience interruptions in our operations, for violations arising under these laws or permit requirements. Furthermore, environmental laws are subject to change and have become increasingly stringent in recent years. We expect this trend to continue and to require materially increased capital expenditures and operating and compliance costs.
We are subject to extensive foreign government regulation that can negatively impact our business.
We are subject to government regulation in non-U.S. jurisdictions in which we conduct our business, including Denmark, among others. These jurisdictions may have different tax codes, environmental regulations, labor codes and legal frameworks, which add complexity to our compliance with these regulations. The requirements for compliance with these laws and regulations may be unclear or indeterminate and may involve significant costs, including additional capital expenditures or increased operating expenses, or require changes in business practice, in each case that could result in reduced profitability for our business. Our having to comply with these foreign laws or regulations may provide a competitive advantage to competitors who are not subject to comparable restrictions or prevent us from taking advantage of growth opportunities. Determination of noncompliance can result in penalties or sanctions that could also adversely impact our operating results and financial condition.
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Our inability to protect our intellectual property rights, or being accused of infringing on intellectual property rights of third parties, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We rely on the ability to protect our intellectual property rights and depend on patent, trademark and trade secret legislation to protect our proprietary know-how. There can be no assurance that we have adequately protected or will be able to adequately protect our valuable intellectual property rights, or will at all times have access to all intellectual property rights that are required to conduct our business or pursue our strategies, or that we will be able to adequately protect ourselves against any intellectual property infringement claims. There is also a risk that our competitors could independently develop similar technology, processes or know-how; that our trade secrets could be revealed to third parties; that any current or future patents, pending or granted, will not be broad enough to protect our intellectual property rights; or that foreign intellectual property laws will adequately protect such rights. The inability to protect our intellectual property could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We could face patent infringement claims from our competitors or others alleging that our processes or products infringe on their proprietary technologies. If we are found to be infringing on the proprietary technology of others, we may be liable for damages and we may be required to change our processes, redesign our products partially or completely, pay to use the technology of others, stop using certain technologies or stop producing the infringing product entirely. Even if we ultimately prevail in an infringement suit, the existence of the suit could prompt customers to switch to products that are not the subject of infringement suits. We may not prevail in intellectual property litigation and such litigation may result in significant legal costs or otherwise impede our ability to produce and distribute key products.
In addition to patents, we also rely upon unpatented proprietary manufacturing expertise, continuing technological innovation and other trade secrets to develop and maintain our competitive position. While we generally enter into confidentiality agreements with our employees and third parties to protect our intellectual property, we cannot assure you that our confidentiality agreements will not be breached, that they will provide meaningful protection for our trade secrets and proprietary manufacturing expertise or that adequate remedies will be available in the event of an unauthorized use or disclosure of our trade secrets or manufacturing expertise. In addition, our trade secrets and know-how may be improperly obtained by other means, such as a breach of our information technologies security systems or direct theft.
If we are unable to retain key personnel or attract new skilled personnel, it could have an adverse effect on our business.
Our success depends on our ability to attract and retain key personnel, including our management team. In light of the specialized and technical nature of our business, our performance is dependent on the continued service of, and on our ability to attract and retain, qualified management, scientific, technical, marketing and support personnel. Competition for such personnel is intense, and we may be unable to continue to attract or retain such personnel. In addition, because of our reliance on our senior management team, the unanticipated departure of any key member of our management team could have an adverse effect on our business. Our future success depends, in part, on our ability to identify and develop or recruit talent to succeed our senior management and other key positions throughout the organization. If we fail to identify and develop or recruit successors, we are at risk of being harmed by the departures of these key employees. Effective succession planning is also important to our long-term success. Failure to ensure effective transfer of knowledge and smooth transitions involving key employees could hinder our strategic planning and execution.
The development of non-lithium battery technologies could adversely affect us.
The development and adoption of new battery technologies that rely on inputs other than lithium compounds could significantly impact our prospects and future revenues. While current and next generation high energy density batteries for use in EVs rely on lithium compounds as a critical input, alternative materials and technologies are being researched with the goal of making batteries lighter, more efficient, faster charging and less expensive, and some of these technologies could be less reliant on lithium compounds. We cannot predict which new technologies may ultimately prove to be commercially viable and on what time horizon, but commercialized battery technologies that use no, or significantly less, lithium could materially and adversely impact our prospects and future revenues.
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Risks Related to Our Financial Condition
We will need to raise additional capital to fund ongoing operations, and such capital raising may be costly or difficult to obtain and could dilute our stockholders' ownership interests.
In order for us to fund ongoing operations, we will need to raise additional capital, which additional capital may not be available on reasonable terms or at all. Moreover, we will need to raise additional funds to accomplish the following:
● | construction of our first two lithium carbonate manufacturing facilities; |
● | pursuing growth opportunities, including sale of lithium carbonate; |
● | making capital improvements to improve our infrastructure; |
● | hiring and retaining qualified management and key employees; |
● | responding to competitive pressures; |
● | complying with regulatory requirements such as licensing and registration; and |
● | maintaining compliance with applicable laws, regulations and auditing and filing requirements. |
Any additional capital raised through the sale of equity or equity-backed securities may dilute our stockholders' ownership percentages and also could result in a decrease in the market value of our equity securities.
The terms of any securities issued by us in future capital transactions may be more favorable to new investors, and may include preferences, superior voting rights and the issuance of warrants or other derivative securities, which may have a further dilutive effect on the holders of any of our securities then outstanding.
In addition, we may incur substantial costs in pursuing future capital financing, including investment banking fees, legal fees, accounting fees, securities law compliance fees, printing and distribution expenses and other costs. We may also be required to recognize non-cash expenses in connection with certain securities we issue, such as convertible notes and warrants, which may adversely impact our financial condition.
Management has concluded that there is substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, and the report of our independent registered public accounting firm contains an explanatory paragraph as to our ability to continue as a going concern, which could prevent us from obtaining new financing on reasonable terms or at all.
Because we have limited operations and have sustained operating losses resulting in a deficit, substantial doubt exists regarding our ability to remain as a going concern. Accordingly, the report of Centurion ZD CPA & Co., our independent registered public accounting firm, with respect to our financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023, includes an explanatory paragraph as to our potential inability to continue as a going concern. The doubts regarding our potential ability to continue as a going concern may adversely affect our ability to obtain new financing on reasonable terms or at all.
We are exposed to fluctuations in currency exchange rates, which may adversely affect our operating results.
We conduct our business and incur costs in the local currency of most of the countries in which we operate. Changes in exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. Dollar will affect the recorded levels of our assets, liabilities, net sales, cost of goods sold and operating margins and could result in exchange losses. The primary currencies to which we have exposure are the Danish Krone and Euro. Exchange rates between these currencies and the U.S. Dollar in recent years have fluctuated significantly and may do so in the future. In addition to currency translation risks, we incur currency transaction risks whenever one of our operating subsidiaries enters into either a purchase or a sales transaction using a different currency from its functional currency. Our operating results may be affected by any volatility in currency exchange rates and our ability to manage effectively our currency transaction and translation risks.
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Changes in, or the interpretation of, tax legislation or rates throughout the world could materially impact our results.
Our effective tax rate and related tax balance sheet attributes could be impacted by changes in tax legislation throughout the world.
Our future effective tax rates could be affected by changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, expirations of tax holidays or rulings, changes in the assessment regarding the realization of the valuation of deferred tax assets, or changes in tax laws and regulations or their interpretation. Recent developments, including the European Commission's investigations on illegal state aid, as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development project on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting, may result in changes to long-standing tax principles, which could adversely affect our effective tax rates or result in higher cash tax liabilities.
We are and will be subject to the regular examination of our income tax returns by various tax authorities. Examinations in material jurisdictions or changes in laws, rules, regulations or interpretations by local taxing authorities could result in impacts to tax years open under statute or to foreign operating structures currently in place. We regularly assess the likelihood of adverse outcomes resulting from these examinations or changes in laws, rules, regulations or interpretations to determine the adequacy of our provision for taxes. It is possible the outcomes from these examinations will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and operating results.
Our required capital expenditures can be complex, may experience delays or other difficulties, and the costs may exceed our estimates.
Our capital expenditures generally consist of and will consist of expenditures to maintain and improve existing equipment, facilities and properties, and substantial investments in new or expanded equipment, facilities and properties. Execution of these capital expenditures can be complex, and commencement of production will require start-up, commission and certification of product quality by our customers, which may impact the expected output and timing of sales of product from such facilities. Construction of large chemical operations is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, among others, the ability to complete a project on a timely basis and in accordance with the estimated budget for such project and our ability to estimate future demand for our products. In addition, our returns on these capital expenditures may not meet our expectations.
Future capital expenditures may be significantly higher, depending on the investment requirements of any of our business lines, and may also vary substantially if we are required to undertake actions to compete with new technologies in our industry. We may not have the capital necessary to undertake these capital investments. If we are unable to do so, we may not be able to effectively compete in some of our markets.
Our business and financial results may be adversely affected by various legal and regulatory proceedings.
We may be involved in legal and regulatory proceedings, which may be material in the future. The outcome of proceedings, lawsuits and claims may differ from our expectations, leading us to change estimates of liabilities and related insurance receivables.
Legal and regulatory proceedings, whether with or without merit, and associated internal investigations, may be time-consuming and expensive to prosecute, defend or conduct, may divert management's attention and other resources, inhibit our ability to sell our products, result in adverse judgments for damages, injunctive relief, penalties and fines, and otherwise negatively affect our business.
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Due to material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting related to impairment of intangible assets associated with YER Brands Inc. and treatment of the reverse acquisition of Legacy Lithium Harvest on February 14, 2023 within the reporting of subsequent events, we had to restate our previously issued consolidated financial statements for several prior periods, which has resulted in unanticipated costs and may adversely affect investor confidence, our stock price, our ability to raise capital in the future and our reputation, and may result in stockholder litigation and regulatory actions.
We have incurred unanticipated costs for accounting and legal fees in connection with the restatements of our previously issued consolidated financial statements for several prior periods, and the restatements may have the effect of eroding investor confidence in our Company and our financial reporting and accounting practices and processes and may raise reputational issues for our business. The restatements may negatively impact the trading price of our securities and make it more difficult for us to raise capital on acceptable terms, or at all. In addition, the restatements and related material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting may also result in stockholder litigation against us, or adverse regulatory consequences, including investigations, penalties or suspensions by the SEC. Any such regulatory consequences, litigation, claim or dispute, whether successful or not, could subject us to additional costs, divert the attention of our management, or impair our reputation. Each of these consequences could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Risks Related to Our Securities
The price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly, and this may make it difficult for you to resell the shares of common stock when you want or at prices you find attractive.
The price of our common stock as traded on the OTC Pink marketplace changes frequently. We expect that the market price of our common stock will continue to fluctuate. Our stock price may fluctuate as a result of a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control. These factors include, among others:
● | actual or anticipated announcements of technological innovations; |
● | actual or anticipated changes in laws and governmental regulations; |
● | disputes relating to patents or proprietary rights; |
● | changes in business practices; |
● | developments relating to our efforts to obtain additional financing to fund or expand our operations; |
● | announcements by us regarding potential acquisitions and strategic alliances; |
● | changes in industry trends or conditions; |
● | our issuance of additional debt or equity securities; and |
● | sales of a significant number of our shares of common stock or other securities in the market. |
In addition, in recent years, the stock market in general has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations. This volatility has had a significant effect on the market price of securities issued by many small-cap companies for reasons often unrelated to their operating performance. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect our stock price, regardless of our operating results.
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We are subject to the penny stock rules adopted by the SEC that require brokers to provide extensive disclosure to their customers prior to executing trades in penny stocks. These disclosure requirements may cause a reduction in the trading activity of our common stock, which would likely make it difficult for our stockholders to sell their shares.
Rule 3a51-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), establishes the definition of a "penny stock," for purposes relevant to us, as any equity security that has a minimum bid price of less than $5.00 per share or with an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to a limited number of exceptions which are not available to us. This classification would severely and adversely affect any market liquidity for our common stock.
For any transaction involving a penny stock, unless exempt, the penny stock rules require that a broker or dealer approve a person's account for transactions in penny stocks and the broker or dealer receive from the investor a written agreement to the transaction setting forth the identity and quantity of the penny stock to be purchased. In order to approve a person's account for transactions in penny stocks, the broker or dealer must obtain financial information and investment experience and objectives of the person and make a reasonable determination that the transactions in penny stocks are suitable for that person and that such person has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial matters to be capable of evaluating the risks of transactions in penny stocks.
The broker or dealer must also deliver, prior to any transaction in a penny stock, a disclosure schedule prepared by the SEC relating to the penny stock market, which, in highlight form, sets forth:
● | the basis on which the broker or dealer made the suitability determination, and |
● | the fact that the broker or dealer received a signed, written agreement from the investor prior to the transaction. |
Disclosure also has to be made about the risks of investing in penny stocks in both public offerings and in secondary trading and commissions payable to both the broker-dealer and the registered representative, current quotations for the securities and the rights and remedies available to an investor in cases of fraud in penny stock transactions. Finally, monthly statements have to be sent disclosing recent price information for the penny stock held in the account and information on the limited market in penny stocks.
Because of these regulations, broker-dealers may not wish to engage in the above-referenced necessary paperwork and disclosures and/or may encounter difficulties in their attempt to sell shares of our common stock, which may affect the ability of stockholders to sell their shares in any secondary market and have the effect of reducing the level of trading activity in any secondary market. These additional sales practice and disclosure requirements could impede the sale of our common stock. In addition, the liquidity for our common stock may decrease, with a corresponding decrease in the price of our common stock. Our common stock, in all probability, will be subject to such penny stock rules for the foreseeable future and our stockholders will, in all likelihood, find it difficult to sell their common stock.
If we are unable to develop and maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, it could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We are required to provide a quarterly management certification and an annual management assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. As of December 31, 2023, we disclosed the following material weaknesses that have not yet been remediated: (1) we currently lack a functioning audit committee and lack a majority of outside directors on the Company's board of directors, resulting in ineffective oversight in the establishment and monitoring of required internal controls and procedures; (2) we currently have inadequate segregation of duties consistent with control objectives; (3) we have insufficient written policies and procedures for accounting and financial reporting with respect to the requirements and application of generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("US GAAP") and SEC disclosure requirements; (4) we have ineffective controls over period end financial disclosure and reporting processes; (5) we have ineffective controls over timely impairments of intangible assets; and (6) we lack internal control over financial reporting in the controls over the accounting treatment of subsequent events.
In addition, due to the material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting, we have also determined that our disclosure controls and procedures are ineffective.
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We cannot assure that the measures we have taken to date, and may take in the future, will be sufficient to remediate the control deficiencies that led to our material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting or that they will prevent or avoid potential future material weaknesses to be identified in the future. The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting is subject to various inherent limitations, including cost limitations, judgments used in decision making, assumptions about the likelihood of future events, the possibility of human error and the risk of fraud. Any failure to design, implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and effective disclosure controls and procedures, or any difficulties encountered in their implementation or improvement, may result in additional material misstatements of our financial statements or cause us to fail to meet our periodic reporting obligations, which may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and subject us to adverse regulatory consequences, including sanctions by the SEC or violations of applicable market or exchange listing rules.
There could also be a negative reaction in the financial markets due to a loss of investor confidence in our Company and the reliability of our financial statements, particularly in light of the restatement of the accompanying consolidated financial statements. Confidence in the reliability of our financial statements could also suffer if we are unable to remediate our existing material weaknesses or report additional material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. This could materially adversely affect us and lead to a decline in the price of our common stock.
Future sales of our common stock in the public market or the issuance of our common stock or securities convertible into common stock could depress the price of our common stock.
Our Articles of Incorporation authorize our Board to issue shares of our common stock in excess of our current outstanding common stock. Any additional issuances of any of our authorized but unissued shares will not require the approval of stockholders and may have the effect of further diluting the equity interest of stockholders.
We may issue our common stock in the future for a number of reasons, including to attract and retain key personnel, to lenders, investment banks or investors in order to achieve more favorable terms from these parties and align their interests with our stockholders, to management and/or employees to reward performance, to finance our operations and growth strategy, to adjust our ratio of debt to equity, to satisfy outstanding obligations or for other reasons. If we issue securities, our existing stockholders may experience dilution. Future sales of our common stock, the perception that such sales could occur or the availability for future sale of shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for our common stock could adversely affect the market prices of our common stock prevailing from time to time. The sale of shares issued upon the exercise of any derivative securities could also further dilute the holdings of our then existing stockholders.
Our common stock is not currently traded at high volumes, and you may be unable to sell at or near ask prices if you need to sell or liquidate a substantial number of shares at one time.
Our common stock is currently traded, but with very low, if any, volume, based on quotations on the OTC Pink marketplace, meaning that the number of persons interested in purchasing our common stock at or near bid prices at any given time may be relatively small or non-existent. This situation is attributable to a number of factors, including the fact that we are a small company which is still relatively unknown to investors and others in the investment community that generate or influence sales volume, and that even if we came to the attention of such persons, they tend to be risk-averse and would be reluctant to follow an unproven company such as ours or purchase or recommend the purchase of our shares until such time as we became more seasoned and viable. In addition, many institutional investors, which account for significant trading activity, are restricted from investing in stocks that trade below specified prices, have less than specified market capitalizations or have less than specified trading volume. As a consequence, there may be periods of several days or more when trading activity in our shares is minimal or non-existent, as compared to a seasoned issuer which has a large and steady volume of trading activity that will generally support continuous sales without an adverse effect on share price. We cannot give you any assurance that a broader or more active public trading market for our common stock will develop or be sustained, or that trading levels will be sustained.
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Shares eligible for future sale may adversely affect the market.
From time to time, certain of our stockholders may be eligible to sell all or some of their shares of our common stock by means of ordinary brokerage transactions in the open market pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), subject to certain limitations. Rule 144 permits, under certain circumstances, the sale of securities, without any limitation, by our stockholders that are non-affiliates that have satisfied a six-month holding period. Any substantial sale of our common stock pursuant to Rule 144 or pursuant to any resale prospectus may have a material adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.
Our directors, executive officers and controlling persons as a group have significant voting power and may take actions that may not be in the best interest of stockholders.
Our directors, executive officers and controlling persons as a group beneficially own approximately 87% of our common stock. They will have the ability to exert substantial influence over all matters requiring approval by our stockholders, including the election of directors and any proposed merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets. In addition, they could dictate the management of our business and affairs. This concentration of ownership could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control, or impeding a merger or consolidation, takeover or other business combination that could be favorable to you. This significant concentration of share ownership may also adversely affect the trading price for our common stock because investors may perceive disadvantages in owning stock in a company with controlling affiliated stockholders.
We do not plan to pay dividends to holders of our common stock.
We do not anticipate paying cash dividends to the holders of our common stock at any time. Accordingly, investors in our securities must rely upon subsequent sales after price appreciation as the sole method to realize a gain on investment. There are no assurances that the price of our common stock will ever appreciate in value. Investors seeking cash dividends should not buy our securities.
Risks Related to the Common Stock Offered by the Selling Stockholders and our Proposed Reverse Stock Split
If the selling stockholders sell significant amounts of our common stock, or the perception exists that these sales could occur, such events could cause the price of our common stock to decline.
This prospectus covers the resale from time to time by the selling stockholders of up to 41,986,090 shares of our common stock. If the selling stockholders sell significant amounts of our common stock following the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, the market price of our common stock could decline. Further, the perception of these sales could impair our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of our equity securities.
None of the proceeds from the sale of our common stock by the selling stockholders in this offering will be available to us.
We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of our common stock by the selling stockholders in this offering. The selling stockholders will receive all proceeds from the sale of such shares. Consequently, none of the proceeds from such sale by the selling stockholders will be available to us for our use. See "Use of Proceeds."
Our proposed reverse stock split may not result in a proportional increase in the per share price of our common stock.
The effect of our proposed reverse stock split on the market price for our common stock cannot be accurately predicted. In particular, we cannot assure you that the prices for shares of the common stock after the reverse stock split will increase proportionately to prices for shares of our common stock immediately before the reverse stock split. The market price of our common stock may also be affected by other factors which may be unrelated to the reverse stock split, or the number of shares issued and outstanding.
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Furthermore, even if the market price of our common stock does rise following the reverse stock split, we cannot assure you that the market price of our common stock immediately after the proposed reverse stock split will be maintained for any period of time. Moreover, because some investors may view the reverse stock split negatively, we cannot assure you that the reverse stock split will not adversely impact the market price of our common stock. There is also the possibility that liquidity may be adversely affected by the reduced number of shares which would be issued and outstanding when the reverse stock split is effected, particularly if the price per share of our common stock begins a declining trend after the reverse stock split is effected. Accordingly, our total market capitalization after the reverse stock split may be lower than the market capitalization before the reverse stock split.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our common stock will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. Securities and industry analysts do not currently, and may never, publish research on our Company. If no securities or industry analysts commence coverage of our Company, the trading price for our stock would likely be negatively impacted. In the event securities or industry analysts initiate coverage, if one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our stock or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price may decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of our Company or fails to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our stock could decrease, which might cause our stock price and trading volume to decline.
General Risk Factors
Adverse conditions in the global economy, and volatility and disruption of financial markets, can negatively impact our business and results of operations.
Global financial conditions have been subject to continued volatility. Government debt, the risk of sovereign defaults, bank failures, political instability and wider economic concerns in many countries have been causing significant uncertainties in the markets. Disruptions in the credit and capital markets can have a negative impact on the availability and terms of credit and capital. Uncertainties in these markets could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, ability to raise capital and cost of capital. High levels of volatility and market turmoil could also adversely impact commodity prices, exchange rates and interest rates and have a detrimental effect on our business.
Global economic and geopolitical events, such as the war in Ukraine and sanctions imposed on Russia, the war in Gaza and higher energy costs coupled with supply concerns, have been disruptive to the world economy, with increased volatility in commodity markets, international trade and financial markets and oil and gasoline prices, all of which have a trickle-down effect on supply chains, equipment and construction. There is substantial uncertainty about the extent to which each of these events will continue to impact economic and financial affairs, as the numerous issues arising from each event are in flux and there is the potential for escalation of conflict within Europe, the Middle East and globally. There is a risk of substantial market and financial turmoil arising from further conflict, which could have a material adverse effect on the economics of our projects and our ability to operate our business and advance project development. There is also a risk of recession in the United States and elsewhere, which may cause decreases in asset values and may result in impairment losses, which could adversely impact our operations.
Our business and operations could suffer in the event of cybersecurity breaches, information technology system failures, or network disruptions.
Attempts to gain unauthorized access to our information technology systems become more sophisticated over time. These attempts, which might be related to industrial or other espionage, include covertly introducing malware to our computers and networks and impersonating authorized users, among others. In some cases, we might be unaware of an incident or its magnitude and effects. The theft, unauthorized use or publication of our intellectual property and/or confidential business information could harm our competitive position, reduce the value of our investment in research and development and other strategic initiatives or otherwise adversely affect our business. To the extent that any cybersecurity breach results in inappropriate disclosure of our customers' or licensees' confidential information, we may incur liability as a result. The devotion of additional resources to the security of our information technology systems in the future could significantly increase the cost of doing business or otherwise adversely impact our financial results.
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In addition, risks associated with information technology systems failures or network disruptions, including risks associated with upgrading our systems or in successfully integrating information technology and other systems in connection with the integration of any businesses we acquire, could disrupt our operations by impeding our processing of transactions, financial reporting and our ability to protect our customer or company information, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Natural disasters or other unanticipated catastrophes could impact our results of operations.
The occurrence of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires or earthquakes, pandemics, or other unanticipated catastrophes at any of the locations in which we or our key partners, suppliers and customers do business, could cause interruptions in our operations. A global or regional pandemic or similar outbreak in a region of ours, our customers or our suppliers could disrupt business. If similar or other weather events, natural disasters or other catastrophic events occur in the future, they could negatively affect the results of operations at our sites in the affected regions as well as have adverse impacts on the global economy.
Our insurance may not fully cover all potential exposures.
Our insurance may not cover all risks associated with the hazards of our business and is subject to limitations, including deductibles and coverage limits. We may incur losses beyond the limits, or outside the coverage, of our insurance policies, including liabilities for environmental remediation. In addition, from time to time, various types of insurance for companies in the specialty chemical industry have not been available on commercially acceptable terms or, in some cases, have not been available at all. We are potentially at additional risk if one or more of our insurance carriers fail. Additionally, severe disruptions in the domestic and global financial markets could adversely impact the ratings and survival of some insurers. Future downgrades in the ratings of enough insurers could adversely impact both the availability of appropriate insurance coverage and its cost. In the future, we may not be able to obtain coverage at current levels, if at all, and our premiums may increase significantly on coverage that we maintain.
We may be exposed to certain regulatory and financial risks related to climate change.
Growing concerns about climate change may result in the imposition of additional regulations or restrictions to which we may become subject. Climate changes include changes in rainfall and in storm patterns and intensities, water shortages, significantly changing sea levels and increasing atmospheric and water temperatures, among others. A number of governments or governmental bodies have introduced or are contemplating regulatory changes in response to climate change, including regulating greenhouse gas emissions and the SEC's recently announced rule to require public companies to make additional climate change related disclosures. Potentially, additional U.S. federal regulation will be forthcoming with respect to greenhouse gas emissions (including carbon dioxide) and/or legislation that could impact our operations. In addition, we may in the future have operations in the EU, which has agreed to implement measures to achieve objectives under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The outcome of new legislation or regulation in the U.S. and other jurisdictions in which we operate may result in new or additional requirements, additional charges to fund energy efficiency activities, and fees or restrictions on certain activities. While certain climate change initiatives may result in new business opportunities for us by increasing the demand for EVs and lithium-ion batteries, compliance with these initiatives may also result in additional costs to us, including, among other things, increased production costs, additional taxes, reduced emission allowances or additional restrictions on production or operations. Adopted future climate change regulations could also negatively impact our ability to compete with companies situated in areas not subject to such limitations. Even without such regulation, increased public awareness and adverse publicity about potential impacts on climate change emanating from us or our industry could harm us. We may not be able to recover the cost of compliance with new or more stringent laws and regulations, which could adversely affect our business and negatively impact our growth. Furthermore, the potential impact of climate change and related regulation on our customers is highly uncertain and there can be no assurance that it will not have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
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We may become party to litigation or other proceedings.
In the ordinary course of our business, we may become party to new litigation or other proceedings in local or international jurisdictions in respect of any aspect of our business, whether under criminal law, contract or otherwise. The causes of potential litigation cannot be known and may arise from, among other things, business activities, employment matters, including compensation issues, environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, tax matters, failure to comply with disclosure obligations or labor disruptions at our project sites. Regulatory and government agencies may initiate investigations relating to the enforcement of applicable laws or regulations, and we may incur expenses in defending them and be subject to fines or penalties in case of any violation and could face damage to our reputation. We may attempt to resolve disputes involving foreign contractors/suppliers through arbitration in another country, and such arbitration proceedings may be costly and protracted, which may have an adverse effect on our financial condition. Litigation may be costly and time-consuming and can divert the attention of management and key personnel from our operations and, if adjudged adversely to us, may have a material and adverse effect on our cash flows, results of operations and financial condition.
We may have certain conflicts of interest.
Our directors and officers may become directors or officers of other mineral resource companies or reporting issuers or may acquire or have significant shareholdings in other mineral resource companies. To the extent that such other companies may participate in ventures in which we may participate or wish to participate, our directors and officers may have a conflict of interest with respect to such opportunities or in negotiating and concluding terms respecting the extent of such participation.
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USE OF PROCEEDS
All net proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock covered by this prospectus will go to the selling stockholders. We will receive none of the proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock covered by this prospectus by the selling stockholders.
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DETERMINATION OF OFFERING PRICE
The selling stockholders will sell all or a portion of the shares being offered pursuant to this prospectus at a fixed price of $0.20 per share until our common stock is quoted on the OTCQX, the OTCQB or listed on a national securities exchange, if ever, and thereafter at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at varying prices or at negotiated prices.
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MARKET FOR OUR COMMON STOCK AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
Market and Other Information
Our common stock is currently quoted on the OTC Pink under the symbol "SPGX". However, the trading market for our common stock is sporadic and extremely limited. On October 30, 2024, the reported closing price of our common stock was $0.20 per share. As of October 30, 2024, we had approximately 118 holders of record of our common stock.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Empire Stock Transfer Inc.
Dividend Policy
We have not paid any dividends on our common stock and we do not intend to pay any dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future.
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SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
The common stock being offered by the Selling Stockholders was previously issued to the Selling Stockholders. Please see below for additional information regarding the issuances of those shares of common stock. We are registering the shares of common stock in order to permit the Selling Stockholders to offer the shares for resale from time to time.
2023 Private Placements
Between March 30, 2023 and December 4, 2023, we entered into Purchase Agreements with the Investors, pursuant to which we issued 1,500,000 shares of common stock at $0.25 per share on August 18, 2023, 4,006,000 shares of common stock at $0.35 per share on August 18, 2023 and 3,341,000 shares of common stock at $0.35 per share on December 22, 2023. In total, 8,847,000 Private Placement Shares were purchased by the Investors, resulting in aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $2,946,450. Each of the Purchase Agreements contains representations, warranties and covenants made by the Company that are customary for transactions of this type.
Lithium Harvest Securities Exchange Agreement
On February 14, 2023, we entered into the Exchange Agreement with Legacy Lithium Harvest and the Legacy Lithium Harvest Shareholders. Pursuant to the Exchange Agreement, we acquired all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Legacy Lithium Harvest in exchange for issuing to the Legacy Lithium Harvest Shareholders 206,667,233 shares of our common stock.
Workplan Holding Private Transactions
Between August 29, 2018 and December 11, 2018, Workplan Holding Inc., our majority stockholder at the time, sold an aggregate of 4,148,686 restricted shares of the Company in three separate private transactions.
As a result of the sale of an aggregate of 4,148,686 shares, there was a change in control in the voting shares of the Company. Stefan Muehlbauer, the CEO at the time, as a result owned 11.0% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company; Paul Meier as a result owned 17.4% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company; Kurt Muehlbauer as a result owned 5.5% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company; and Workplan Holding Inc. as a result owned 1.0% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company.
Debt Settlement
On July 12, 2019, we entered into an unsecured convertible loan agreement with Doris Muehlbauer in the amount of $20,000 with an interest rate of 3.0% per annum. The loan was due on or before July 12, 2022. The lender had the option to convert the whole loan and the accrued interest into shares of our common stock at the price of $1.45 per share. On May 10, 2021, we agreed to a debt settlement arrangement whereby we would issue 640,000 shares of common stock in settlement of the principal amount outstanding under the loan of $20,000 as well as accrued interest and fees valued at $1,098. The transaction value was calculated to be $0.033 per share. The shares were issued during the year ended May 10, 2021
Additionally, weissued 23,736 shares to settle amounts pre-paid for the Company. The shares were issued July 31, 2017. The transaction value was calculated at $3.00 per share.
Material Relationships with Selling Stockholders
The selling stockholders include Doris Muehlbauer and Kurt Muehlbauer, who are the mother and father, respectively, of Stefan Muehlbauer, our Chief Financial Officer.
Other than as described above, none of the selling stockholders has had any material relationship with us or any of our predecessors or affiliates within the past three years.
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Selling Stockholder Table
The table set forth below lists the selling stockholders and other information regarding the beneficial ownership (as determined under Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder) of the shares of common stock held by each of the selling stockholders as of October 30, 2024.
Unless otherwise indicated, we believe, based on information supplied by the following persons, that the persons named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock that they beneficially own. The registration of the offered shares does not mean that any or all of the selling stockholders will offer or sell any of the shares of common stock.
Selling Stockholder | Number of Shares of Common Stock Owned Prior to Offering | Shares of Common Stock to be Sold Pursuant to this Prospectus | Number of Shares of Common Stock Owned After Offering |
Percent of Shares of Common Stock Owned After Offering |
||||||||||||
2xP Holding 2011 ApS(1) | 250,000 | 250,000 | - | - | ||||||||||||
AØNP14 ApS(2) | 29,603,782 | 29,603,782 | - | - | ||||||||||||
DMZ Holding ApS(3) | 4,800,000 | 4,800,000 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Doris Muehlbauer | 640,000 | 640,000 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Frederick Arthur Crosetto | 1,428,572 | 1,428,572 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Fundamental Fondsmæglerselskab A/S(4) | 250,000 | 250,000 | - | - | ||||||||||||
JYDSK INVEST APS(5) | 500,000 | 500,000 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Kurt Muehlbauer | 500,000 | 500,000 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Lyngså Invest ApS(6) | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Meier & Partner Vermogensverwaltung AG(7) | 15,584 | 15,584 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Paul Meier | 1,508,152 | 1,508,152 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Thomas Velin | 850,000 | 850,000 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Wullum Holding ApS(8) | 140,000 | 140,000 | - | - |
(1) | Poul Pasgaard is the director of 2xP Holding 2011 ApS. |
(2) | Aldo Petersen is the Chief Executive Officer of AØNP14 ApS. |
(3) | Flemming Segerlund is the Chief Executive Officer and Owner of DMZ Holding ApS. |
(4) | Michael Voss-Jensen is the Chief Executive Officer of Fundamental Fondsmæglerselskab A/S. |
(5) | Danny Kromanne is the Chief Executive Officer and Mogens Birkebæk is the Chairman of the Board of JYDSK INVEST APS. |
(6) | Lars Langelund Jørgensen is the director for Lyngså Invest ApS. |
(7) | Paul Meier is the Chief Executive Officer of Meier & Partner Vermogensverwaltung AG. |
(8) | Jimmi Wullum Larsen is the Chief Executive Officer of Wullum Holding ApS. |
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We are registering the resale of up to 41,986,090 shares of Common Stock by the selling stockholders from time to time after the date of this prospectus. These sales will be at a fixed price of $0.20 per share until our common stock is quoted on the OTCQX, the OTCQB or listed on a national securities exchange, if ever, and thereafter at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at varying prices or at negotiated prices. We will not receive any proceeds from the resale of shares of common stock by selling stockholders in this offering. We will bear all fees and expenses incident to our obligation to register the shares of common stock.
The selling stockholders may sell all or a portion of the shares of common stock held by them and offered hereby from time to time directly or through one or more underwriters, broker-dealers or agents. If the shares of common stock are sold through underwriters or broker-dealers, the selling stockholders will be responsible for underwriting discounts or commissions or agent's commissions. Sales may be effected in transactions, which may involve crosses or block transactions, pursuant to one or more of the following methods:
● | on any national securities exchange or quotation service on which the securities may be listed or quoted at the time of sale; | |
● | in the over-the-counter market; | |
● | in transactions otherwise than on these exchanges or systems or in the over-the-counter market; | |
● | through the writing or settlement of options, whether such options are listed on an options exchange or otherwise; | |
● | ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers; | |
● | block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; | |
● | purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account; | |
● | an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange; | |
● | privately negotiated transactions; | |
● | short sales made after the date the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part is declared effective by the SEC; | |
● | broker-dealers may agree with a selling stockholder to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share; | |
● | a combination of any such methods of sale; and | |
● | any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law. |
The selling stockholders may also sell shares of common stock under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, if available, rather than under this prospectus. In addition, the selling stockholders may transfer the shares of common stock by other means not described in this prospectus. If the selling stockholders effect such transactions by selling shares of common stock to or through underwriters, broker-dealers or agents, such underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may receive commissions in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the selling stockholders or commissions from purchasers of the shares of common stock for whom they may act as agent or to whom they may sell as principal (which discounts, concessions or commissions as to particular underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may be in excess of those customary in the types of transactions involved). In connection with sales of the shares of common stock or otherwise, the selling stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers, which may in turn engage in short sales of the shares of common stock in the course of hedging in positions they assume. The selling stockholders may also sell shares of common stock short and deliver shares of common stock covered by this prospectus to close out short positions and to return borrowed shares in connection with such short sales. The selling stockholders may also loan or pledge shares of common stock to broker-dealers that in turn may sell such shares.
The selling stockholders may pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the shares of common stock owned by them and, if they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell the shares of common stock from time to time pursuant to this prospectus or any amendment to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3) or other applicable provisions of the Securities Act amending, if necessary, the list of selling stockholders to include the pledgee, transferee or other successors in interest as selling stockholders under this prospectus. The selling stockholders also may transfer and donate the shares of common stock in other circumstances in which case the transferees, donees, pledgees or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus.
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To the extent required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, the selling stockholders and any broker-dealer participating in the distribution of the shares of common stock may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any commission paid, or any discounts or concessions allowed, to any such broker-dealer may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. At the time a particular offering of the shares of common stock is made, a prospectus supplement, if required, will be distributed, which will set forth the aggregate amount of shares of common stock being offered and the terms of the offering, including the name or names of any broker-dealers or agents, any discounts, commissions and other terms constituting compensation from the selling stockholders and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to broker-dealers.
Under the securities laws of some states, the shares of common stock may be sold in such states only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states the shares of common stock may not be sold unless such shares have been registered or qualified for sale in such state or an exemption from registration or qualification is available and is complied with.
There can be no assurance that any selling stockholder will sell any or all of the shares of common stock registered pursuant to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part.
The selling stockholders and any other person participating in such distribution will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder, including, without limitation, to the extent applicable, Regulation M of the Exchange Act, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the shares of common stock by the selling stockholders and any other participating person. To the extent applicable, Regulation M may also restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of the shares of common stock to engage in market-making activities with respect to the shares of common stock. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the shares of common stock and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to the shares of common stock.
Once sold under the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, the shares of common stock will be freely tradable in the hands of persons other than our affiliates.
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MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following is a discussion of our financial condition and results of operations and is intended to assist in the understanding and assessment of significant changes and trends related to our results of operations and financial position. This discussion should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, as well as the interim consolidated financial statements for the quarters ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, and the accompanying notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.
Overview
We are a pure-play lithium company focused on supplying high performance lithium compounds to the fast-growing EV and broader battery markets. We have developed a proprietary technology to extract lithium from oilfield wastewater, which we believe will enable us to manufacture lithium compounds quickly, at an attractive cost, and with a minimal environmental footprint, which we expect to provide us with a competitive advantage over other lithium manufacturers. We believe this competitive advantage will enable us to capitalize on the acceleration of vehicle electrification and renewable energy adoption.
We have largely completed the environmental and construction permitting stage and plan to start physical construction of our first two lithium carbonate manufacturing facilities in North Dakota by the end of 2024, which we anticipate will be capable of manufacturing up to a total of 2,800 metric tons of lithium carbonate, and we plan to begin manufacturing battery-grade lithium compounds at such facilities in the second half of 2025. We plan to continue to invest in manufacturing capacity and aim to have a total manufacturing capacity of approximately 6,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate by the end of 2026. No assurance can be given that we will be able to establish such facilities or begin manufacturing within this timeframe or at all.
On February 14, 2023, we entered into the Exchange Agreement with Legacy Lithium Harvest and all of the Legacy Lithium Harvest Shareholders. Pursuant to the terms of the Exchange Agreement, we acquired all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Legacy Lithium Harvest in exchange for issuing to the Legacy Lithium Harvest Shareholders 206,667,233 shares of our common stock. The Exchange Transaction closed on February 14, 2023.
Prior to the Exchange Transaction, we were a business development company engaged in project development and holdings through value-based investments and collaborative partnerships, including a joint venture relationship with Hero Wellness and a purchase agreement with the inventors of the Soy-yer Dough product line. During September 2022, we decided to exit the joint venture with Hero Wellness, and following the Exchange Transaction, we have not made final plans on the Soy-yer Dough project. We impaired our intangible assets associated with this project as of December 31, 2021.
In order to meet our targets, management will focus on the achievement of several critical missions over the next year:
Site Selection. Our proprietary technology operates on a vastly smaller footprint compared to traditional lithium production. While conventional production facilities require up to 65 acres for solar evaporation brine extraction and 115 acres for hard rock mining per 1,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate production, our production facilities require only 1.4 acres and can be located in remote areas or co-located with existing oil mining operation sites.
We have entered into two sub-lease agreements with a leading midstream water management company to establish two manufacturing facilities in North Dakota. The sub-leases at the produced water collection sites allow us to establish our lithium extraction facilities at the source of produced water. This eliminates transportation cost of feedstock to a secondary manufacturing site.
Lithium feedstock. We are dependent on a continued supply of produced water. Currently, the disposal of produced water is a costly undertaking for oil well operators and carries a large environmental footprint. We believe our proprietary technology offers significant cost savings for oil well operators as water is cleaned and used for re-injection or other purposes.
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The current U.S. production of produced water is more than 50 million barrels per day. Not all produced water is suitable for lithium production, but we estimate that the current U.S. production of produced water is sufficient to produce more than 500,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate annually.
North Dakota Facility I
We have entered into a lithium feedstock supply agreement with a leading midstream water management company. Pursuant to the supply agreement, we intend to establish a manufacturing facility in North Dakota with an annual capacity of 1,300 metric tons of lithium carbonate. As part of the feedstock supply agreement, we have obtained a sub-lease agreement which allows our lithium extraction facility to be co-located at the produced water collection site. The facility is initially expected to become operational in the second half of 2025. The facility will utilize the Company's proprietary lithium technology and will be constructed well-side to further reduce its environmental footprint.
North Dakota Facility II
We have entered into a second lithium feedstock supply agreement with a leading midstream water management company. Pursuant to the supply agreement, we intend to establish a second manufacturing facility in North Dakota with an annual capacity of 1,500 metric tons of lithium carbonate. As part of the feedstock supply agreement, we have obtained a sub-lease agreement which allows our lithium extraction facility to be co-located at the produced water collection site. The facility is initially expected to become operational in the second half of 2025. The facility will utilize the Company's proprietary lithium technology and will be constructed well-side to further reduce its environmental footprint.
Sourcing of Components. We source the major components for our proprietary lithium extraction process from blue-chip international suppliers. Management currently anticipates timely access to all major components. However, supply chain difficulties as seen during late 2021 and early 2022 could delay production start dates. We have identified our major vendors and are currently in contract discussions.
Hiring of Key Personnel. While our production process is largely automated, we will require significant additions to our personnel to achieve production start targets. Key areas of expansion are anticipated to include management, research and development, sales, project management and administration. We currently have 13 full-time employees and are in the process of hiring additional key personnel.
Results of Operations For the Year Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
For the | For the | |||||||
Year Ended | Year Ended | |||||||
December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
2023 | 2022 | |||||||
Operating and administrative expenses | ||||||||
Advertising and promotion | $ | 33,391 | $ | - | ||||
Amortized right of use assets | 178,022 | - | ||||||
Consulting fees | 104,988 | - | ||||||
Depreciation | 33,659 | - | ||||||
General and administrative expenses | 57,393 | 2,192 | ||||||
Interest on lease | 134,324 | - | ||||||
Management fees | 775,165 | 108,190 | ||||||
Office maintenance and utilities | 128,651 | - | ||||||
Professional fees | 329,116 | 102,777 | ||||||
Rent | 58,823 | - | ||||||
Stock based compensation (Note 13) | 492,708 | - | ||||||
Travel expenses | 108,087 | 9,785 | ||||||
Vehicle expense | 46,500 | - | ||||||
Wages and salaries | 516,926 | - | ||||||
Total operating and administrative expenses | 2,997,753 | 222,944 | ||||||
Operating loss before other items | (2,997,753 | ) | (222,944 | ) | ||||
Miscellaneous income | 251,089 | - | ||||||
Interest expense | (1,288 | ) | - | |||||
Net Loss | (2,747,952 | ) | (222,944 | ) | ||||
Translation loss | (44,375 | ) | (4,585 | ) | ||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss, attributed to shareholders | $ | (2,792,327 | ) | $ | (227,529 | ) | ||
Basic and diluted loss per share | $ | (0.011 | ) | $ | (4.551 | ) | ||
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding | 254,941,752 | 50,000 |
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During the year ended December 31, 2023, we had revenues of $0 compared to $0 during the year 2022. This is attributable to the fact that the Company is still in the process of developing its first lithium extraction plant.
Operating Expenses. The Company's operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2023 were $2,997,753 as compared to $222,944 for the prior fiscal year. The increase in operating expenses can be primarily attributed to the expansion of business activities following the reverse acquisition of Legacy Lithium Harvest. The most significant cost drivers are related to management fees, which increased from 108,190 in the year ended December 31, 2022 to $775,165 during the year ended December 31, 2023 as the Company expanded its management team.
Additionally, the increase in operating expenses was affected by a significant increase in wages and salaries, which increased to $516,926 for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $0 in the year ended December 31, 2022.
The third major driver of operating expenses was the cost of stock based compensation, which amounted to $492,708 for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $0 during the year ended December 31, 2022. The stock based compensation was in the form of RSUs, and settlement is subject to stockholder approval.
Additionally, the increase in operating expenses can be attributed to the expansion of our headquarters located in Denmark. Rights of use amortization related to the long term rent agreement on our office space for the year ended December 31, 2023 amounted to $178,022 as compared to $0 for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Miscellaneous Income. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company had miscellaneous income of $251,089, compared to $0 during the year ended December 31, 2022. This increase in miscellaneous income was attributable to income from sub-leases of office space at our Denmark office.
Net Loss. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company had a net loss of $2,747,952, compared to $222,944 during the year ended December 31, 2022. The loss was generally attributable to increased expenses in ramping up our business activities following the reverse acquisition of Legacy Lithium Harvest. As disclosed above, the largest cost increases experienced during the year ended December 31, 2023 were management fees, wages and salaries, and stock based compensation.
Translation Loss. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company had a translation loss of $44,375 as compared to $4,585 during the year ended December 31, 2022. This translation loss stems from variability in the exchange rate between U.S. Dollars and Danish Krone.
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Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2023, we had cash of $847,724 compared to a cash balance of $0 at December 31, 2022. The increase in cash balance was primarily due to private placements of common stock, as well as miscellaneous income from sub-leases at our Denmark office. During the 12-month period following the date of issuance of the consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, management anticipates that the Company will not generate sufficient revenues to continue the development of current projects and projects in the pipeline. Accordingly, the Company will be required to obtain additional financing in order to continue its plan of operations. Management may attempt to secure debt financing for future growth, but due to the absence of meaningful assets and limited operating history, debt financing may not be available to the Company. Management anticipates that additional funding will be in the form of equity financing from the sale of the Company's common stock, as well as debt if available. If we are successful in completing an equity financing, existing shareholders will experience dilution of their interest in the Company. However, the Company does not have any financing arranged and cannot provide investors with any assurance that it will be able to raise sufficient funding from the sale of its common stock to fund its plan of operations. In the absence of such financing, the Company will not be able to develop its products or facilities and its business plan will fail. Even if the Company is successful in obtaining equity financing and developing its business, additional development of its lithium extraction facilities will be required. If the Company does not continue to obtain additional financing, it will be forced to abandon its business and plan of operations.
As of December 31, 2023, we had total assets of $3,069,604, and a working capital deficit of $205,103, compared with total assets of $42,269 and a working capital deficit of $221,332 at December 31, 2022. The decrease in the working capital deficit was primarily due to a significant increase in cash to $847,724 and prepaid expenses and deposits of $398,067 for the year ended December 31, 2023. This compares to cash of $0 and prepaid expenses and deposits of $10,089 for the year ended December 31, 2022. Additionally, amounts due to related parties was $502,397 for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $146,402 for the year ended December 31, 2022. We also saw an increase in accounts payable, which increased to $449,952 for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $117,199 for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities
During the year ended December 31, 2023, net cash used in operating activities was $1,331,262 compared to $2,373 for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase in cash used in operating activities was primarily due to the expansion of our operating activities. The largest components of this increase in cash used in operating activities were from stock based compensation and amounts due to related parties for accrued salaries.
Additionally, we saw an increase in accounts payable related to expenses incurred in the expansion of our business, particularly in rental expenses and consulting fees. Furthermore, we saw an increase in amortization of right of use assets relating to our long-term lease for our Danish offices.
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities
During the year ended December 31, 2023, net cash used in investing activities was $178,596 compared to $0 for the year ended December 31, 2022. This increase in net cash used can largely be attributed to investments in office furniture and equipment. Additional factors were investments in filtration equipment and intangible assets related to our patent application.
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities
During the year ended December 31, 2023, net cash provided by financing activities was $2,386,574 as compared with financing activities of $0 for the year ended December 31, 2022. The net cash generated in financing activities was due to private placements of common stock.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
During the periods presented, we did not have, nor do we currently have, any relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, including entities sometimes referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities that were established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purposes. We do not engage in off-balance sheet financing arrangements. In addition, we do not engage in trading activities involving non-exchange traded contracts. We therefore believe that we are not materially exposed to any financing, liquidity, market or credit risk that could arise if we had engaged in these relationships.
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Significant Accounting Estimates
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Management makes its best estimate of the ultimate outcome for these items based on historical trends and other information available when the financial statements are prepared. Changes in estimates are recognized in accordance with the accounting rules for the estimate, which is typically in the period when new information becomes available to management. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
A critical accounting estimate is defined as a financial statement item where significant judgment is required in the selection of accounting policies and the determination of estimates. The accounting estimates that require more significant judgment are included below:
1. | Revenue recognition: We use judgment in determining the timing of revenue recognition and the amount of revenue to be recognized. This judgment is based on the timing of delivery, customer acceptance and other factors. Our revenue recognition policies are subject to periodic review and changes, and any changes could have a material impact on our financial statements. | |
2. | Allowance for doubtful accounts: We estimate the allowance for doubtful accounts based on historical data, current economic conditions and other factors. The actual amount of uncollectible accounts may differ from our estimates, and any significant changes could impact our financial statements. | |
3. | Inventory valuation: We estimate the value of inventory based on historical cost, estimated future demand and other factors. We regularly review our inventory and may write down the value if it is deemed to be obsolete or overvalued. Any significant changes to our inventory valuation could impact our financial statements. | |
4. | Depreciation and amortization: We estimate the useful lives of our property, plant and equipment and intangible assets, and the residual values used in our depreciation and amortization calculations. Our estimates are subject to change based on economic conditions, technological advancements and other factors, and any changes could have a material impact on our financial statements. | |
5. | Impairment of long-lived assets: We periodically review our long-lived assets for impairment and estimate the fair value of those assets. Our estimates are based on a variety of factors, including market conditions and future plans for the assets. If the estimated fair value of the assets is lower than the carrying value, we recognize an impairment charge. Any changes to our estimates could result in impairment charges and have a material impact on our financial statements. | |
6. | Exchange rates and translational risks: We are exposed to exchange rate fluctuations and translational risks, particularly with respect to the Danish Krone. We estimate the impact of these fluctuations on our financial statements and make adjustments as necessary. The fluctuations in exchange rates could have a significant impact on the value of our assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies, and on our results of operations when translating these amounts into our functional currency. Any material changes in exchange rates could have a significant impact on our financial statements. |
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Going Concern
We have limited operations and have sustained operating losses resulting in a deficit. In view of these matters, realization values may be substantially different from carrying values as shown. As of December 31, 2023, we have accumulated a deficit of $3,359,757 since inception and have yet to achieve profitable operations and further losses are anticipated in the development of our business. Our ability to continue as a going concern is in substantial doubt and is dependent upon obtaining additional financing and/or achieving a sustainable profitable level of operations. Our consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. We had $847,724 in cash as of December 31, 2023. Cash used by operations was $1,331,262 for the year ended December 31, 2023. We will need to raise additional cash in order to fund ongoing operations over the next 12 months. We expect to finance our operations through public or private equity, debt or other available financing transactions. However, there is no assurance that such additional funds will be available for us on acceptable terms, if at all.
Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly owned subsidiaries YER Brands Inc. and, prior to September 30, 2022, our joint venture, Hero Wellness Systems Inc. (formerly Vitalizer Americas Inc.) ("Hero Wellness"). The Company controls 55% of Hero Wellness. At September 30, 2022, Hero Wellness' assets were impaired and the Company impaired its investment and eliminated Hero Wellness' accounts from the consolidated financial statements. Previously, pursuant to ASC Topic 810, the joint venture company was considered as a variable interest entity that required the Company to consolidate its account. All intercompany balances and transactions were eliminated in this consolidation. The operating results of the joint venture were included in the Company's consolidated financial statements and the non-controlling interest that was not attributable to the Company was reported separately.
Equity Investments
We invest in equity securities of public and non-public companies for business and strategic purposes. Investments in public companies are carried at fair value based on quoted market prices. Investments in equity securities without readily determinable fair values are carried at cost, minus impairment, if any. We review our equity securities without readily determinable fair values on a regular basis to determine if the investment is impaired. For purposes of this assessment, we consider the investee's cash position, earnings and revenue outlook, liquidity and management ownership, among other factors in our review. If management's assessment indicates that an impairment exists, we estimate the fair value of the equity investment and recognize in current earnings an impairment loss that is equal to the difference between the fair value of the equity investment and its carrying amount.
Revenue Recognition
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued guidance on the recognition of Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The core principle of the guidance is that a company should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration which the company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. To achieve this core principle, the guidance provides a five-step analysis of transactions to determine when and how revenue is recognized. The guidance addresses several areas, including transfer of control, contracts with multiple performance obligations, and costs to obtain and fulfill contracts. The guidance also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract.
Recently issued accounting pronouncements
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses." The provision sets forth a "current expected credit loss" model which requires us to measure all expected credit losses for financial instruments held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable supportable forecasts. This replaces the prior incurred loss model and is applicable to the measurement of credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost and applies to some off-balance sheet credit exposures. SPGX adopted this standard as of December 31, 2022, with no impact.
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We adopt new pronouncements relating to US GAAP applicable to us as they are issued, which may be in advance of their effective date. Management does not believe that any pronouncement not yet effective but recently issued would, if adopted, have a material effect on the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
Results of Operations for the Quarter and Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 Compared to the Quarter and Six Months Ended June 30, 2023
For the Three | For the Three | For the Six | For the Six | |||||||||||||
Months Ended | Months Ended | Months Ended | Months Ended | |||||||||||||
June 30, 2024 | June 30, 2023 | June 30, 2024 | June 30, 2023 | |||||||||||||
Operating Expenses | ||||||||||||||||
Administrative and other operating expenses | $ | 24,868 | $ | 28,387 | $ | 125,898 | $ | 47,451 | ||||||||
Advertising and promotion | 5,290 | 8,157 | 7,437 | 8,157 | ||||||||||||
Amortization ROU Assets | 59,475 | 58,878 | 118,991 | 58,878 | ||||||||||||
Depreciation | 10,357 | 11,687 | 20,569 | 12,457 | ||||||||||||
Consulting fees | 2,010 | 61,221 | 2,010 | 61,221 | ||||||||||||
Management fees | 216,864 | 191,885 | 484,445 | 393,476 | ||||||||||||
Professional fees | 69,673 | 55,622 | 147,615 | 138,930 | ||||||||||||
Rent expense | - | 2,194 | - | 51,801 | ||||||||||||
Office Maintenance & Utilities | 45,545 | 36,116 | 88,434 | 36,116 | ||||||||||||
Wages and salaries | 150,602 | 146,236 | 295,931 | 199,712 | ||||||||||||
Travel Expenses | 18,501 | 10,319 | 48,219 | 17,337 | ||||||||||||
Vehicle expenses | 14,247 | 18,878 | 38,200 | 18,878 | ||||||||||||
Stock based payments | - | 164,236 | 148,195 | 164,236 | ||||||||||||
Lease liability expense | 41,575 | 45,718 | 84,263 | 45,718 | ||||||||||||
Research and development | 207 | - | 7,977 | - | ||||||||||||
Total Operating Expenses | 659,214 | 839,534 | 1,618,184 | 1,254,368 | ||||||||||||
Operating loss before other items | (659,214 | ) | (839,534 | ) | (1,618,184 | ) | (1,254,368 | ) | ||||||||
Miscellaneous income | 82,725 | 69,817 | 169,897 | 91,391 | ||||||||||||
Interest (expense) income | (810 | ) | (976 | ) | (1,620 | ) | 252 | |||||||||
Net loss | (577,299 | ) | (770,693 | ) | (1,449,907 | ) | (1,162,725 | ) | ||||||||
Comprehensive loss - translation | 15,611 | (6,959 | ) | 67,431 | (11,857 | ) | ||||||||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss attributed to shareholders | $ | (561,688 | ) | $ | (777,652 | ) | $ | (1,382,476 | ) | $ | (1,174,582 | ) | ||||
Loss per share of common stock | ||||||||||||||||
-Basic and diluted | $ | (0.002 | ) | $ | (0.003 | ) | $ | (0.005 | ) | $ | (0.005 | ) | ||||
Weighted average no. of shares of common stock | ||||||||||||||||
-Basic and diluted | 296,037,813 | 287,190,813 | 296,037,813 | 217,959,199 |
Quarter Ended June 30, 2024 Compared to the Quarter Ended June 30, 2023
Operating Expenses. The Company's operating expenses during the three months ended June 30, 2024 were $659,214 as compared to $839,534 for the same time period of the prior fiscal year. The decrease in operating expenses can be primarily attributed to a decrease in stock based payments from $164,236 during the three months ended June 30, 2023 to $Nil for the same period during the year 2024 and consulting fees from $61,221 during the three months ended June 30, 2023 to $2,010 for the same period during the year 2024, partially offset by an increase in management fees from $191,885 for the three months ended June 30, 2023 to $216,864 for the same period in 2024.
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Miscellaneous Income. During the three months ended June 30, 2024, the Company had miscellaneous income of $82,725 compared to $69,817 during the same prior fiscal year period. This increase in miscellaneous income was attributable to income from sub-leases of office space at our Denmark office.
Net Loss. During the three months ended June 30, 2024, the Company had a net loss of $577,299, compared to a net loss of $770,693 in the same prior fiscal year period. The decreased net loss was largely attributable to lower stock based payments and consulting expenses during the three months ended June 30, 2024 as compared to the same period during the year 2023.
Translation Gain (Loss). During the three-month period ended June 30, 2024, the Company had a translation gain of $15,611 as compared to a translation loss of $6,959 during the same period during the year 2023. Translation gains and losses stem from variability in the exchange rate between U.S. Dollars and Danish Krone.
Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 Compared to the Six Months Ended June 30, 2023
Operating Expenses. The Company's operating expenses during the six months ended June 30, 2024 were $1,618,184 as compared to $1,254,368 for the same time period of the prior fiscal year. The increase in operating expenses can be primarily attributed to the expansion of business activities following the reverse acquisition of Lithium Harvest. The most significant cost drivers are related to wages and salaries, which increased from $199,712 in the first half of 2023 to $295,931 during the first half of 2024. Additionally, the increase in operating expenses was affected by a significant increase in management fees, which increased to $484,445 for the six months ending June 30, 2024 as compared to $393,476 in the corresponding period for the year 2023. The third major driver of operating expenses was increased administrative and other operating expenses, which increased from $47,451 for the six months ending June 30, 2023 to $125,898 during the six months ended June 30, 2024. Additionally, amortization of ROU Assets relating to our office lease for our headquarters in Denmark increased to $118,991 for the six months ended June 30, 2024 from $58,878 for the six months ended June 30, 2023. These operating expense increases were partially offset by a decrease in rent expense from $51,801 during the six months ended June 30, 2023 to $Nil during the six months ended June 30, 2024.
Miscellaneous Income. During the six months ended June 30, 2024, the Company had miscellaneous income of $166,897, compared to $91,391 during the same prior fiscal year period. This increase in miscellaneous income was attributable to income from sub-leases of office space at our Denmark office.
Net Loss. During the six months ended June 30, 2024, the Company had a net loss of $1,449,907, compared to a net loss of $1,162,725 in the same prior fiscal year period. The increased loss was generally attributable to increased expenses in ramping up our business activities following the reverse acquisition of Lithium Harvest. As disclosed above, the largest cost increases experienced during the six-month period ended June 30, 2024 were attributable to wages and salaries, management fees, administrative and other operating expenses and amortization of ROU assets, partially offset by a decrease in rent expense.
Translation Gain (Loss). During the six-month period ended June 30, 2024, the Company had a translation gain of $67,431 as compared to a translation loss of $11,857 during the same period during the year 2023. Translation gains and losses stem from variability in the exchange rate between U.S. Dollars and Danish Krone.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of June 30, 2024, we had cash of $188, compared to a cash balance of $847,724 at December 31, 2023. The decrease in cash balance was primarily due to increasing operating expenses as disclosed above. During the 12-month period following the date of this report, management anticipates that the Company will not generate sufficient revenues to continue the development of current projects and projects in the pipeline. Accordingly, the Company will be required to obtain additional financing in order to continue its plan of operations. Management may attempt to secure debt financing for future growth, but due to the absence of meaningful assets and limited operating history, debt financing may not be available to the Company. Management anticipates that additional funding will be in the form of equity financing from the sale of the Company's common stock, as well as debt if available. If we are successful in completing an equity financing, existing shareholders will experience dilution of their interest in the Company. However, the Company does not have any financing arranged and cannot provide investors with any assurance that it will be able to raise sufficient funding from the sale of its common stock to fund its plan of operations. In the absence of such financing, the Company will not be able to develop its products or facilities and its business plan will fail. Even if the Company is successful in obtaining equity financing and developing its business, additional development of its lithium extraction facilities will be required. If the Company does not continue to obtain additional financing, it will be forced to abandon its business and plan of operations.
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As of June 30, 2024, we had total assets of $1,943,187, and a working capital deficit of $1,417,243, compared with total assets of $3,069,604 and a working capital deficit of $205,103 at December 31, 2023. The increase in the working capital deficit was primarily due to a significant decrease in cash from $847,724 on December 31, 2003 to $188 on June 30, 2024. The increase in working capital deficit was also driven by increased amounts due to related parties as well as accounts payable and accrued liabilities, partially offset by a decrease in payroll liabilities.
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities
During the six months ended June 30, 2024, net cash used in operating activities was $717,206 compared to $146,292 for the six months ended June 30, 2023. The increase in cash used in operating activities was primarily related to the expansion of business activities following the reverse acquisition of Lithium Harvest. As disclosed above, the largest drivers of this increase in net cash used in operating activities were increased wages and salaries, management fees, administrative and other operating expenses and amortization of ROU assets, partially offset by a decrease in rent expense.
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities
During the six months ended June 30, 2024, net cash used in investing activities was $27,579 compared to $144,431 for the six months ended June 30, 2023. The decrease in cash used in investing activities was primarily due to decreased spending for office equipment and the completion of our website design process.
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Financing Activities
During the six months ended June 30, 2024, net cash flows used in financing activities was $170,865 as compared with $922,346 generated for the six months ended June 30, 2023. During the six months ended June 30, 2024, net cash used in financing activities was due to lease payments. During the six months ended June 30, 2023, net cash provided by financing activities was primarily largely due to private placement shares subscribed for the Company's common stock.
Going Concern
We have limited operations and have sustained operating losses resulting in a deficit. In view of these matters, realization values may be substantially different from carrying values as shown. We have accumulated a deficit of $4,809,664 since inception and have yet to achieve profitable operations and further losses are anticipated in the development of our business. Our ability to continue as a going concern is in substantial doubt and is dependent upon obtaining additional financing and/or achieving a sustainable profitable level of operations. Our consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. We had $188 in cash as of June 30, 2024. Cash used by operations was $717,206 for the six months ended June 30, 2024. We will need to raise additional cash in order to fund ongoing operations over the next 12 months. We expect to finance our operations through public or private equity, debt or other available financing transactions. However, there is no assurance that such additional funds will be available for us on acceptable terms, if at all.
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Inflation
While inflation has eased significantly globally, management anticipates continued inflation in all areas of operations. High rates of inflation could impact the Company's development costs for its first production plant expected to be operational in the second half of 2025. During the construction of our first production plant, we expect to rely on the delivery of certain components from third party vendors, such as filtration equipment, piping and other goods. We cannot rule out that inflation could affect the cost of these components during the construction process, leading to increased development costs. Additionally, the Company could suffer from negative effects from wage inflation. We anticipate increasing our number of employees for the construction and operation phase of our first lithium production plant. Wage inflation could lead to higher than anticipated employee expenses during this hiring process.
Critical Accounting Estimates
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated interim financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Management makes its best estimate of the ultimate outcome for these items based on historical trends and other information available when the financial statements are prepared. Changes in estimates are recognized in accordance with the accounting rules for the estimate, which is typically in the period when new information becomes available to management. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
A critical accounting estimate is defined as a financial statement item where significant judgment is required in the selection of accounting policies and the determination of estimates. The accounting estimates that require more significant judgment are included below:
1. | Revenue recognition: We use judgment in determining the timing of revenue recognition and the amount of revenue to be recognized. This judgment is based on the timing of delivery, customer acceptance and other factors. Our revenue recognition policies are subject to periodic review and changes, and any changes could have a material impact on our financial statements. | |
2. | Allowance for doubtful accounts: We estimate the allowance for doubtful accounts based on historical data, current economic conditions and other factors. The actual amount of uncollectible accounts may differ from our estimates, and any significant changes could impact our financial statements. | |
3. | Inventory valuation: We estimate the value of inventory based on historical cost, estimated future demand and other factors. We regularly review our inventory and may write down the value if it is deemed to be obsolete or overvalued. Any significant changes to our inventory valuation could impact our financial statements. | |
4. | Depreciation and amortization: We estimate the useful lives of our property, plant and equipment and intangible assets, and the residual values used in our depreciation and amortization calculations. Our estimates are subject to change based on economic conditions, technological advancements and other factors, and any changes could have a material impact on our financial statements. | |
5. | Impairment of long-lived assets: We periodically review our long-lived assets for impairment and estimate the fair value of those assets. Our estimates are based on a variety of factors, including market conditions and future plans for the assets. If the estimated fair value of the assets is lower than the carrying value, we recognize an impairment charge. Any changes to our estimates could result in impairment charges and have a material impact on our financial statements. | |
6. | Exchange rates and translational risks: We are exposed to exchange rate fluctuations and translational risks, particularly with respect to the Danish Krone. We estimate the impact of these fluctuations on our financial statements and make adjustments as necessary. The fluctuations in exchange rates could have a significant impact on the value of our assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies, and on our results of operations when translating these amounts into our functional currency. Any material changes in exchange rates could have a significant impact on our financial statements. |
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BUSINESS
Overview
We are a pure-play lithium company focused on supplying high performance lithium compounds to the fast-growing EV and broader battery markets. We have developed a proprietary technology to extract lithium from oilfield wastewater, which we believe will enable us to manufacture lithium compounds quickly, at an attractive cost, and with a minimal environmental footprint, which we expect to provide us with a competitive advantage over other lithium manufacturers. We believe this competitive advantage will enable us to capitalize on the acceleration of vehicle electrification and renewable energy adoption.
We have largely completed the environmental and construction permitting stage and plan to start physical construction of our first two lithium carbonate manufacturing facilities in North Dakota by the end of 2024, which we anticipate will be capable of manufacturing up to a total of 2,800 metric tons of lithium carbonate, and we plan to begin manufacturing battery-grade lithium compounds at such facilities in the second half of 2025. No assurance can be given that we will be able to establish such facilities or begin manufacturing within this timeframe or at all.
On February 14, 2023, we entered into the Exchange Agreement with Legacy Lithium Harvest and all of the Legacy Lithium Harvest Shareholders. Pursuant to the terms of the Exchange Agreement, the Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Legacy Lithium Harvest in exchange for issuing to the Legacy Lithium Harvest Shareholders 206,667,233 shares of our common stock. The Exchange Transaction closed on February 14, 2023.
Prior to the Exchange Transaction, we were a business development company engaged in project development and holdings through value-based investments and collaborative partnerships, including a joint venture relationship with Hero Wellness and a purchase agreement with the inventors of the Soy-yer Dough product line. During September 2022, we decided to exit the joint venture with Hero Wellness, and following the Exchange Transaction, we have not made final plans on the Soy-yer Dough project. We impaired our intangible assets associated with this project as of December 31, 2021.
Our Technology and Products
Direct Lithium Extraction Technology. Our DLE technology enables us to extract and manufacture lithium compounds from oilfield wastewater in a few hours. Competing technologies typically extract and manufacture lithium compounds from brine or hard rock through processes that take up to two to three years. Our DLE technology also allows us to adjust production according to customer needs, which we believe puts us in a favorable position to meet growing demand.
Lithium Carbonate and Lithium Hydroxide. We plan to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide for use in high performance lithium-ion batteries for EVs and broader battery markets. We plan to produce both standardized and customer specific compounds.
Our Growth Strategy
To fully capitalize on the growing demand for lithium compounds, our growth strategy will involve continued investment in manufacturing facilities, research and development, and our people. Essential features of our growth strategy include:
● | Build and expand manufacturing capacities. We have largely completed the environmental and construction permitting stage and plan to start physical construction of our first two lithium carbonate manufacturing facilities in North Dakota by the end of 2024, which we anticipate will be capable of manufacturing up to a total of 2,800 metric tons of lithium carbonate, and we plan to begin manufacturing battery-grade lithium compounds at such facilities in the second half of 2025. We plan to continue to invest in manufacturing capacity and aim to have a total manufacturing capacity of approximately 6,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate by the end of 2026. |
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● | Enter new geographic areas and expand North American operations. We believe that U.S. and international governments will increasingly support the local and sustainable production of critical minerals, including lithium compounds, for the green energy transition. Our first lithium carbonate manufacturing facilities are planned to be established in North Dakota, and we intend to continue to expand our operations in North America in the near term, and eventually expand to Europe. | |
● | Continued investment in research and development and the expansion of our product portfolio. We believe that the continued evolution of battery technologies will require new forms of lithium to be produced. To ensure that we are well-positioned to develop new products to keep pace with the evolving battery technology industry, we plan to continue to focus and invest in research and development. Further, we plan to utilize our proprietary technology to expand our product portfolio to also include nickel, magnesium, and vanadium. | |
● | Focus on sustainability. We believe that lithium will continue to be an important component of the green energy transition. Likewise, we believe that there will be a continued and increased focus on responsible lithium production and the Environmental, Social and Governance issues and concerns related to the production of lithium. Operating in a socially conscious, ethical, safe and sustainable manner is reflected in our core values. Further, we believe that our DLE technology has the lowest environmental footprint of any lithium extraction technology in the industry. We believe that our sustainable extraction technology and our local manufacturing will differentiate us from our competitors and help us build important strategic relationships with customers and other stakeholders. | |
● | Invest in our people. Our business depends on highly specialized research scientists, engineers, a technical sales force and experienced management. We are committed to investing in our people through training and development. We aim to attract and retain talent by cultivating an inclusive and positive working environment that creates and supports diversity and provides equal opportunity and fairness in our management systems. |
Competitive Strengths
We believe the following strengths underpin our ability to grow our business and profitability:
● | Direct Lithium Extraction. Our DLE technology enables us to extract and manufacture lithium compounds from oilfield wastewater in a few hours. Competing technologies typically extract and manufacture lithium compounds from brine and hard rock through a process that takes up to two to three years. Our DLE technology also allows us to adjust production according to customer needs, which we believe puts us in a favorable position to meet growing demand. | |
● | Stable and readily available lithium feedstock. We use our DLE technology to produce high performance lithium compounds from oilfield wastewater (also referred to as "produced water"). The global oil and gas industry produces more than 250 million barrels of produced water per day, which will provide a stable supply of lithium feedstock. Further, our DLE technology does not require us to acquire land and obtain drilling permits, which we believe will allow us to establish new lithium operations and ramp production quicker than our competitors. | |
● | Lower capital expenditures. We intend to construct our facilities on the land of our oil and gas partners and next to the oilfield wastewater pipelines. This eliminates the need to acquire land and the associated cost for doing so. Our facilities are based on a modular design, which enables us to achieve significant savings in the construction. We believe that our lower capital expenditures will allow us to ramp production quicker. | |
● | Lower production cost. Our feedstock is readily available on the surface, which eliminates the cost to establish, run, and maintain wells. Our proprietary pretreatment technology conditions the feedstock before lithium extraction and allows us to achieve higher yields. We intend to do both extraction and refining in the same facility, which would eliminate ground transportation and associated costs for transportation to a secondary manufacturing site. We believe that our low cost of production will provide us with a competitive advantage. |
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● | Minimal project risk. Competing technologies require comprehensive environmental studies and permits and it typically takes up to 10 to 12 years to bring new lithium operations online. Our technology is based on a modular design and as our feedstock is readily available on the surface, we expect to be able to bring new projects online in just 12 to 18 months with no risk of not obtaining permits to drill. As part of our feedstock agreements, we are obligated to return wastewater from our operations to our partners, which eliminates the risk of not obtaining disposal permits. | |
● | Local manufacturing. We plan to produce our products as close to our customers as possible. We believe that governments will be increasingly focused on the local supply of critical minerals, and recent regulatory developments in our geographical focus areas strongly incentivize consumers and battery and vehicle manufacturers to source locally produced lithium products. | |
● | Sustainable production. Competing technologies typically use large amounts of water and chemicals in the manufacturing process as well as emit large amounts of CO2. Our technology saves up to 500,000 gallons of water and 15,000 kg of CO2 per metric ton of lithium carbonate produced compared to traditional mining technologies, which we believe will be an increasingly important sales parameter. |
Our Market
The market for battery grade lithium compounds is global, and we plan to sell our products worldwide. Based on estimates by Benchmark Minerals, lithium demand is forecasted to rise from 350,000 tons in 2020 to more than 3 million tons in 2030 and over 7 million tons in 2040, with a positive long-term price trend estimate of $15,000 per ton for battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide from 2025 to 2040. We believe that the continued electrification of transportation and transition to renewable energy sources will support continued significant growth in demand for lithium compounds over the next decade.
Raw Materials
Lithium
We plan to produce our lithium products from oilfield wastewater. The annual global production of produced water is more than 250 million barrels per day. The U.S. production of produced water is more than 50 million barrels per day. Not all produced water is suitable for lithium production, but we estimate that the current U.S. production of produced water is sufficient to produce more than 500,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate annually.
We have entered into two lithium feedstock supply agreements with a leading midstream water management company. As part of the feedstock supply agreements, we have obtained sub-lease agreements which allow our lithium extraction facilities to be co-located at the produced water collection sites.
Water
All fresh water used in our production will be reused water from the production of oil and natural gas. We do not require any additional fresh water supplies.
Energy
Our production relies on a steady source of energy. We expect to use solar energy to the extent possible, but we will require an external supply of energy for our equipment.
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Other raw materials
We use a range of raw materials and chemical intermediates in our production processes. We generally expect to satisfy our requirements through spot purchases but likely will rely on medium-to-long-term agreements for the supply of certain raw materials.
Generally, we are not expecting supply chain constraints, but temporary shortages of certain raw materials may occur and cause temporary price increases. During periods of high demand, our raw materials are subject to significant price fluctuations that may have an adverse impact on our results of operations. In addition, there could be inflationary pressure on the costs of raw materials.
Competition
Our products will compete with other lithium compounds available in the market. Many of our competitors are large companies with long-term experience in the industry. The market for battery grade lithium compounds faces barriers to entry, including access to a stable and sufficient supply of lithium feedstock, the ability to produce a sufficient quality and quantity of lithium, technical know-how, and sufficient lead time to develop new lithium mining projects. We believe that our DLE technology enables us to produce high quality products quickly, at an attractive cost, and with a minimal environmental footprint, which we believe will differentiate us from our competitors. We intend to continue to invest in research and development to further improve our products, develop new products, and build market share.
Intellectual Property
Our success depends in part upon our ability to protect and use our DLE technology and the intellectual property rights related to our DLE technology.
On February 8, 2023, we received a "Grant Approval" notification from the Danish Patent and Trademark Office. This patent, which covers the extraction of minerals such as lithium from oilfield wastewater, will expire in 2042. On September 21, 2023, we submitted a Patent Cooperation Treaty ("PCT") application. The PCT application was published on April 4, 2024, and we believe this further strengthens our patent portfolio.
Further, we have a pending application for a U.S. patent, which also covers the extraction of minerals such as lithium from oilfield wastewater. We expect this patent to be granted in the third quarter of 2024. If granted, we expect this patent will expire in 2042.
Customers
We intend to sell our products to customers in the EV and broader battery markets, and plan to initially sell lithium locally to customers in the regions close to our manufacturing facilities.
Sales and Marketing
We intend to initially sell our products directly to customers in the U.S. and anticipate that we will subsequently sell our products to customers throughout North America, Asia and Europe.
Manufacturing
We have largely completed the environmental and construction permitting stage and plan to start physical construction of our first two lithium carbonate manufacturing facilities in North Dakota by the end of 2024, which we anticipate will be capable of manufacturing up to a total of 2,800 metric tons of lithium carbonate, and we plan to begin manufacturing battery-grade lithium compounds at such facilities in the second half of 2025.
Research and Development
We conduct research and development to optimize our DLE technology and our lithium products and to develop new product candidates and technologies.
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Seasonality
Our operations are generally not impacted by seasonality. However, production is expected to be marginally lower during the summer due to the U.S. vacation season.
Government Controls and Regulations
We are subject to and will incur capital and operating costs to comply with U.S. federal, state and local environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, including those governing employee health and safety, the composition of our products, the discharge of pollutants into the air and water, and the management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes.
In June 2016, modifications to the Toxic Substances Control Act in the United States were signed into law, requiring chemicals to be assessed against a risk-based safety standard and for the elimination of unreasonable risks identified during risk evaluation. Other initiatives in Asia and potentially in other regions will require toxicological testing and risk assessments of a wide variety of chemicals, including chemicals used or produced by us. These assessments may result in heightened concerns about the chemicals involved and additional requirements being placed on the production, handling, labeling or use of the subject chemicals. Such concerns and additional requirements could also increase the cost incurred by our customers to use our chemical products and otherwise limit the use of these products, which could lead to a decrease in demand for these products.
To the extent we manufacture or import products into the European Union ("EU") or downstream users of our products are located in the EU, we may be subject to the European Community Regulation on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals ("REACH"). REACH imposes obligations on EU manufacturers and importers of chemicals and other products into the EU to compile and file comprehensive reports, including testing data, on each chemical substance, and perform chemical safety assessments. Currently, certain lithium products are undergoing a risk assessment review under REACH, which may eventually result in restrictions in the handling or use of lithium carbonate and other lithium products that we produce, which may increase our production costs. In addition, REACH regulations impose significant additional responsibilities and costs on chemical producers, importers, downstream users of chemical substances and preparations, and the entire supply chain. REACH, if applicable to the sale or manufacture of our products, may lead to increases in the costs of raw materials we may purchase and the products we may sell in the EU, which could increase the costs of our products and result in a decrease in their overall demand.
We use and generate hazardous substances and wastes in our operations and may become subject to claims and substantial liability for personal injury, property damage, wrongful death, loss of production, pollution and other environmental damages relating to the release of such substances into the environment. Depending on the frequency and severity of such incidents, it is possible that the Company's revenues, operating costs, insurability and relationships with customers, employees and regulators could be impaired.
Human Capital Management
We had 11 full-time employees as of October 30, 2024. None of our employees are represented by a labor organization or are a party to a collective bargaining arrangement. We have not experienced any work stoppages, and we consider our relations with our employees to be good.
Available Information
We file Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, proxy and information statements and other reports required by the SEC under the Exchange Act. Reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC are available to the public free of charge on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.
Properties
Our corporate headquarters are located at Tankedraget 7, Aalborg, Denmark DK-9000 and are subject to a long-term lease contract.
Our U.S. headquarters, which we lease on an annual basis, are located at 2316 Pine Ridge Rd #383, Naples, Florida, 34109.
Legal Proceedings
From time to time, we may become involved in legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business. We are not presently a party to any legal proceedings that, if determined adversely to us, would individually or taken together have a material adverse effect on our Company, nor is any such litigation threatened as of the date of this prospectus.
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MANAGEMENT
Executive Officers and Directors
The following table sets forth information regarding our executive officers and directors as of the date of this prospectus:
Name | Age | Position | ||
Sune Mathiesen | 50 | Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director | ||
Stefan Muehlbauer | 46 | Chief Financial Officer and Secretary | ||
Paw Juul | 46 | Chief Technology Officer and Director* |
* Mr. Juul's appointment as a director is effective 10 days following the mailing of an information statement that satisfies the requirements of Rule 14F-1 under the Exchange Act to the Company's stockholders.
Sune Mathiesen. Mr. Mathiesen has served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since February 14, 2023. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Mathiesen served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Legacy Lithium Harvest since August 2020. Prior to co-founding Legacy Lithium Harvest, Mr. Mathiesen served as Chief Executive Officer and a Director of LiqTech International Inc. (Nasdaq: LIQT) from July 2014 to May 2022. Mr. Mathiesen has also served as a CEO and Director of Masu A/S, a Danish company, since February 2013. He is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of Sune Mathiesen Holding ApS, which he founded in August 2020, and Masu Consult ApS, which he founded in January 2018. He previously served as CEO and Director of Provital A/S from June 2012 to August 2015. Before that he served as Country Manager of Broen Lab Group from July 2010 to May 2011 and as Country Manager of GPA Flowsystem from August 1997 to June 2010. Mr. Mathiesen has been working hands-on with technical products within the valves and fittings industry for the past 20 years. He holds a degree in commercial science. The Board has concluded that Mr. Mathiesen should serve as the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer because his significant experience in management and business development enables him to make valuable contributions to the Company.
Stefan Muehlbauer. Mr. Muehlbauer has served as Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of the Company since February 14, 2023. Mr. Muehlbauer has also served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company from May 2018 to February 2023, as Chief Financial Officer from January 2018 to May 2018, as Chief Communications Officer from July 2018 to February 2023, as a director from February 2017 to February 2023, and as the Treasurer and Corporate Secretary from January 2018 to February 2023. Mr. Muehlbauer has also served as Chief Executive Officer of Arma Communications Inc., a business development and marketing agency, since 2013. Previously, Mr. Muehlbauer held positions with several leading investment banks in Europe, including as the Chief Operating Officer at Silvia Quandt & Cie AG, where he was responsible for building up the institution's research and corporate finance activities. Mr. Muehlbauer received his degree in Finance from the University of Miami. The Board has concluded that Mr. Muehlbauer should serve as Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary because of his significant business experience, investment banking background, and knowledge of financial markets.
Paw Juul. Mr. Juul has served as the Chief Technology Officer of the Company since February 14, 2023. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Juul served as the Chief Technology Officer of Legacy Lithium Harvest since August 2020. Prior to co-founding Legacy Lithium Harvest, Mr. Juul served as the Chief Executive Officer of LiqTech Water A/S, a subsidiary of LiqTech International Inc. from September 2014 until March 2022. Mr. Juul co-founded Pivotal A/S in 2009 and served as its Chief Technology Officer until August 2014. Mr. Juul has also been the Chief Executive Officer of QLT Water ApS since May 2022 and FENO Holding ApS since January 2018. Mr. Juul has extensive experience in new business development, specifically in the water treatment industry. Mr. Juul holds a master's degree in Biomedical Engineering from Aalborg University in Aalborg, Denmark. The Board has concluded that Mr. Juul should serve as Chief Technology Officer and Director because his significant experience in management, business development and the water treatment industry enables him to make valuable contributions to the Company.
Family Relationships
There are no family relationships among any of the directors or executive officers.
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Corporate Governance
Director Independence
The Company's board of directors currently consists of Sune Mathiesen. Pursuant to Item 407(a)(1)(ii) of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, the Company's board of directors has adopted the definition of "independent director" as set forth in Rule 5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules. In summary, an "independent director" means a person other than an executive officer or employee of the Company or any other individual having a relationship which, in the opinion of the Company's board of directors, would interfere with the exercise of independent judgement in carrying out the responsibilities of a director.
The Company has also adopted the heightened definitions of independence applicable to members of audit and compensation committees under the Nasdaq Listing Rules. The Company's board of directors has determined that none of the Company's directors as of the date of this prospectus are "independent" for purposes of 5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules and the rules applicable to audit and compensation committee members.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Our board of directors currently has no separate committees, and the board of directors acts as the audit committee and the compensation committee. The functions of those committees are being undertaken by our board of directors because we do not currently have any independent directors. We do not yet have an audit committee financial expert serving on the board of directors.
Code of Ethics
The Company has adopted a financial code of ethics that applies to all its executive officers and employees, including its CEO and CFO. See Exhibit 14 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 for more information. The Company undertakes to provide any person with a copy of its financial code of ethics free of charge. Please contact the Company at 305-814-2915 to request a copy of the Company's financial code of ethics. Management believes the Company's financial code of ethics is reasonably designed to deter wrongdoing and promote honest and ethical conduct; provide full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in public reports; comply with applicable laws; ensure prompt internal reporting of code violations; and provide accountability for adherence to the code.
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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Summary Compensation Table
The following table presents summary information regarding the total compensation for services rendered in all capacities that was awarded to, earned by, or paid to our named executive officers for fiscal 2023 and 2022.
Name and principal position (a) |
Year (b) |
Salary ($) (c) |
Bonus ($) (d) |
Stock Awards ($) (e) |
Option Awards ($) (f) |
Non- Equity Incentive Plan ($) (g) |
Non- qualified Deferred Compensation Earnings ($) (h) |
All other compensation ($) (i) |
Total ($) (j) |
|||||||||||||||||
Sune Mathiesen, CEO | *2023 | 285,020 | nil | 300,000 | nil | nil | nil | nil | 585,020 | |||||||||||||||||
*2022 | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | ||||||||||||||||||
Paw Juul, CTO | 2023 | 285,020 | nil | 300,000 | nil | nil | nil | nil | 585,020 | |||||||||||||||||
2022 | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | ||||||||||||||||||
Stefan Muehlbauer, CFO | 2023 | 120,625 | nil | 125,000 | nil | nil | nil | nil | 245,000 | |||||||||||||||||
2022 | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil |
*In 2022, the Company incurred management fees from a company controlled by Sune Mathiesen of $108,190. In 2023, the Company incurred additional management fees from a company controlled by Sune Mathiesen of $83,000.
Amounts in the "Stock Awards" column reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of RSUs computed in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board ASC Topic 718. Disclosure of the relevant assumptions related to the valuation of awards is provided in Note 13 of the consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.
Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End
Stock Awards | ||||||||||||
Number of shares or units of stock that have not vested | Market value of shares or units of stock that have not vested | Equity incentive plan awards: number of unearned shares, units or other rights that have not vested | Equity incentive plan awards: market or payout value of unearned shares, units or other rights that have not vested | |||||||||
Name | (#) | (#) | (#) | ($) | ||||||||
(a) | (g) | (h) | (i) | (j) | ||||||||
Sune Mathiesen | 6,111,111 | $ | 1,772,222 | nil | nil | |||||||
Stefan Muehlbauer | 1,736,111 | $ | 503,472 | nil | nil | |||||||
Paw Juul | 5,625,000 | $ | 1,631,250 | nil | nil |
On May 10, 2023, the Company granted RSU awards to certain key employees and directors under the Company's 2023 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Incentive Plan"). The settlement of these RSU awards was subject to stockholder approval. The Company was authorized to grant options and other stock-based awards to executive officers, directors, employees and consultants enabling them to acquire up to 45,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company. The maximum term and/or vesting period was required to not be more than ten years from the grant date.
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RSU awards were subject to vesting spread over time at the discretion of the committee administering the Incentive Plan. Upon the vesting of RSUs and the Company's determination that any necessary conditions precedent to the release of vested shares had been satisfied, such vested shares would have been made available to the participants. The RSU awards granted on May 10, 2023 provided that the recipients did not have rights of a stockholder prior to vesting. The fair value of the Company's common stock on the grant date was $0.072 per share. At June 30, 2024, the stock based compensation expense was $640,902.
Pursuant to the terms of the Incentive Plan, because the Incentive Plan did not receive approval of the Company's stockholders on or before May 10, 2024, the Incentive Plan and all awards issued thereunder are of no further force and effect. Therefore, the Incentive Plan and all RSU awards issued under the Incentive Plan automatically terminated on May 11, 2024.
The table below sets forth the original vesting schedule with respect to the RSUs granted on May 10, 2023.
Vesting Schedule (Number of Shares) | ||||||||||||||||||
Name | Title | Total RSUs | May 10, 2024 | May 10, 2025 | May 10, 2026 | |||||||||||||
Sune Mathiesen | CEO, Director | 6,111,111 | 2,037,037 | 2,037,037 | 2,037,037 | |||||||||||||
Paw Juul | CTO, Director | 5,625,000 | 1,875,000 | 1,875,000 | 1,875,000 | |||||||||||||
Stefan Muehlbauer | CFO, Secretary | 1,736,111 | 578,704 | 578,704 | 578,703 | |||||||||||||
Kristian Jensen | Director | 1,458,333 | 486,111 | 486,111 | 486,111 | |||||||||||||
4,976,852 | 4,976,852 | 4,976,851 |
Vesting Schedule (Number of Shares) | ||||||||||||||||||
Name | Title | Total RSUs | May 10, 2024 | May 10, 2025 | May 10, 2026 | |||||||||||||
Sune Mathiesen | CEO, Director | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | |||||||||||||
Paw Juul | CTO, Director | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | |||||||||||||
Stefan Muehlbauer | CFO, Secretary | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | |||||||||||||
Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
Director Compensation
Fees earned or paid in cash |
Stock awards | Total | ||||||||
Name | ($) | ($) | ($) | |||||||
(a) | (b) | (c) | (h) | |||||||
Kristian Jensen | nil | $ | 105,000 | $ | 105,000 |
For the year ending December 31, 2023, the Company had one independent director, Kristian Jensen. As part of the equity awards program described above, Mr. Jensen received 1,458,333 RSUs, which had a grant date fair value of $105,000.
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Employment Agreements
The Company has entered into employment agreements with each of Sune Mathiesen, Stefan Muehlbauer and Paw Juul to serve as the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Technology Officer, respectively, of the Company.
Transition Employment Agreement with Sune Mathiesen
On February 14, 2023, we entered into an executive service agreement with Mr. Mathiesen, effective as of January 14, 2023, providing for his employment as our Chief Executive Officer (the "Prior CEO Agreement").
Pursuant to the Prior CEO Agreement, Mr. Mathiesen was entitled to an initial annual base salary of $300,000 and annual pension contributions that amounted to 10% of Mr. Mathiesen's annual base salary. The Prior CEO Agreement also indicated that Mr. Mathiesen would be eligible to receive (i) an annual cash bonus of up to 150% of his base salary pursuant to a separate bonus agreement and (ii) a stock-based bonus of up to 100% of his annual base salary pursuant to a separate stock grant agreement. Under the Prior CEO Agreement, Mr. Mathiesen was also entitled to a company car, and we agreed to pay for all expenses related to such company car. During the year ended December 31, 2023, Mr, Mathiesen did not receive a company car.
The Prior CEO Agreement was non-terminable until December 31, 2025, after which date, upon providing 12 months advance notice, the Prior CEO Agreement could have been terminated by either Mr. Mathiesen or us. On August 13, 2024, we and Mr. Mathiesen mutually agreed to terminate the Prior CEO Agreement, effective March 31, 2024.
The CEO Agreement contained a perpetual confidentiality requirement.
U.S. Employment Agreement with Sune Mathiesen
On August 13, 2024, we entered into a new executive employment agreement (the "CEO Employment Agreement") with our chief executive officer, Sune Mathiesen, effective as of April 1, 2024. Under the terms of the CEO Employment Agreement, Mr. Mathiesen will continue to serve as the Company's chief executive officer until December 31, 2025 (the "CEO Expiration Date"), except upon the earlier termination of the CEO Employment Agreement as discussed below. Following the CEO Expiration Date, the CEO Employment Agreement may be terminated by Mr. Mathiesen or us for any reason.
Pursuant to the CEO Employment Agreement, Mr. Mathiesen is entitled to an annual base salary of $300,000 and is eligible to participate in our retirement plan, subject to the eligibility terms and conditions of such plan. The CEO Employment Agreement also indicates that Mr. Mathiesen shall be eligible to receive (i) an annual cash bonus of up to 150% of his base salary pursuant to a separate bonus agreement and (ii) a stock-based bonus of up to 100% of his base salary pursuant to a separate stock grant agreement. Under the CEO Employment Agreement, Mr. Mathiesen also is entitled: (i) to a company car, and we pay for all expenses related to such company car; (ii) to the reimbursement of reasonable moving costs to the Houston area; and (iii) for so long as Mr. Mathiesen remains employed by us, for up to the initial two consecutive years following the date Mr. Mathiesen relocates to the Houston area, to reimbursement for reasonable housing costs in the Houston area, up to a total amount of $6,500 per month.
Pursuant to the CEO Employment Agreement, if Mr. Mathiesen's employment is involuntarily terminated by us without Cause (as defined below) or by reason of his death or Disability (as defined below), then, subject to his timely execution and non-revocation of a release of claims, in addition to compensation that has been earned but not yet paid, he will be entitled to a severance amount equal to his then current base monthly salary from the date of his termination until the CEO Expiration Date, or, if such termination occurs after the CEO Expiration Date, his then current base monthly salary for a period of 12 months following his date of termination.
For purposes of the CEO Employment Agreement, "Cause" means: (i) any act by Mr. Mathiesen that is materially detrimental to our best interests or that constitutes common law fraud, a felony or any other criminal act involving moral turpitude; (ii) gross misconduct, material neglect or any act of disloyalty or dishonesty by Mr. Mathiesen related to or connected with Mr. Mathiesen's employment by us or otherwise likely to cause material harm to us or our reputation; (iii) a material violation by Mr. Mathiesen of our written policies, codes of conduct or direction of our board of directors; (iv) wrongful appropriation by Mr. Mathiesen of our funds or property or other material breach of Mr. Mathiesen's fiduciary duties to us; or (v) the material breach of the CEO Employment Agreement by Mr. Mathiesen, or any other written agreement between us and Mr. Mathiesen.
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For purposes of the CEO Employment Agreement, "Disability" means the inability of Mr. Mathiesen to perform on a full-time basis the duties and responsibilities of Mr. Mathiesen's employment with us by reason of Mr. Mathiesen's illness or other physical or mental impairment or condition, if such inability continues for an uninterrupted period of 120 days or more during any 180 day period. A period of inability is "uninterrupted" unless and until Mr. Mathiesen returns to full time work for a continuous period of at least 30 days.
The CEO Employment Agreement also required Mr. Mathiesen to enter into a confidentiality and restrictive covenant agreement, which contains a 12 month post-termination non-solicitation requirement and a perpetual confidentiality requirement, among other terms and conditions.
Employment Agreement with Stefan Muehlbauer
On May 17, 2024, we entered into an executive employment agreement with Stefan Muehlbauer providing for his employment as our Chief Financial Officer (the "CFO Agreement"), through December 31, 2025 (the "CFO Expiration Date"), except upon the earlier termination of the CFO Agreement as discussed below. Followingthe CFO Expiration Date, the CFO Agreement may be terminated by Mr. Muehlbauer or us for any reason.
Pursuant to the CFO Agreement, Mr. Muehlbauer is entitled to an annual base salary of $200,000 and is eligible to participate in our retirement plan, subject to the eligibility terms and conditions of such plan. The CFO Agreement also indicates that Mr. Muehlbauer shall be eligible to receive (i) an annual cash bonus of up to 100% of his base salary pursuant to a separate bonus agreement and (ii) a stock-based bonus of up to 100% of his base salary pursuant to a separate stock grant agreement. Under the CFO Agreement, Mr. Muehlbauer also is entitled: (i) to a company car, and we pay for all expenses related to such company car; (ii) to the reimbursement of reasonable moving costs to the Houston area; and (iii) for so long as Mr. Muehlbauer remains employed by us, for up to the initial two consecutive years following the date Mr. Muehlbauer relocates to the Houston area, to reimbursement for reasonable housing costs in the Houston area, up to a total amount of $5,000 per month.
Pursuant to the CFO Agreement, if Mr. Muehlbauer's employment is involuntarily terminated by us without Cause (as defined below) or by reason of his death or Disability (as defined below), then, subject to his timely execution and non-revocation of a release of claims, in addition to compensation that has been earned but not yet paid, he will be entitled to a severance amount equal to his then current base monthly salary from the date of his termination until the CFO Expiration Date, or, if such termination occurs after the CFO Expiration Date, his then current base monthly salary for a period of 12 months following his date of termination.
For purposes of the CFO Agreement, "Cause" means: (i) any act by Mr. Muehlbauer that is materially detrimental to our best interests or that constitutes common law fraud, a felony or any other criminal act involving moral turpitude; (ii) gross misconduct, material neglect or any act of disloyalty or dishonesty by Mr. Muehlbauer related to or connected with Mr. Muehlbauer's employment by us or otherwise likely to cause material harm to us or our reputation; (iii) a material violation by Mr. Muehlbauer of our written policies, codes of conduct or direction of our board of directors; (iv) wrongful appropriation by Mr. Muehlbauer of our funds or property or other material breach of Mr. Muehlbauer's fiduciary duties to us; or (v) the material breach of the CFO Agreement by Mr. Muehlbauer, or any other written agreement between us and Mr. Muehlbauer.
For purposes of the CFO Agreement, "Disability" means the inability of Mr. Muehlbauer to perform on a full-time basis the duties and responsibilities of Mr. Muehlbauer's employment with us by reason of Mr. Muehlbauer's illness or other physical or mental impairment or condition, if such inability continues for an uninterrupted period of 120 days or more during any 180 day period. A period of inability is "uninterrupted" unless and until Mr. Muehlbauer returns to full time work for a continuous period of at least 30 days.
The CFO Agreement also required Mr. Muehlbauer to enter into a confidentiality and restrictive covenant agreement, which contains a 12 month post-termination non-solicitation requirement and a perpetual confidentiality requirement, among other terms and conditions.
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Transition Employment Agreement with Paw Juul
On February 14, 2023, we entered into an executive service agreement with Mr. Juul, effective as of January 14, 2023, providing for his employment as our Chief Technology Officer (the "CTO Agreement").
Pursuant to the CTO Agreement, Mr. Juul is entitled to an initial annual base salary of approximately $300,000 and annual pension contributions that amount to 10% of Mr. Juul's annual base salary. The CTO Agreement also indicates that Mr. Juul shall be eligible to receive (i) an annual cash bonus of up to 150% of his base salary pursuant to a separate bonus agreement and (ii) a stock-based bonus of up to 100% of his annual base salary pursuant to a separate stock grant agreement. Under the CTO Agreement, Mr. Juul is also entitled to a company car, and we will pay for all expenses related to such company car.
The CTO Agreement is non-terminable until December 31, 2025, after which date, upon providing 12 months advance notice, the CTO Agreement may be terminated by either Mr. Juul or us.
The CTO Agreement contains a perpetual confidentiality requirement.
U.S. Employment Agreement with Paw Juul
Upon Mr. Juul's relocation to the U.S., we intend to enter into a new executive employment agreement with him to replace the CTO Agreement and provide for Mr. Juul's continued employment as our Chief Technology Officer (the "U.S. CTO Agreement") through December 31, 2025 (the "U.S. CTO Agreement Expiration Date"), except upon the earlier termination of the U.S. CTO Agreement as discussed below. Following the U.S. CTO Agreement Expiration Date, the U.S. CTO Agreement may be terminated by Mr. Juul or us for any reason.
Pursuant to the U.S. CTO Agreement, Mr. Juul will be entitled to an annual base salary of $300,000 and will be eligible to participate in our retirement plan, subject to the eligibility terms and conditions of such plan. The U.S. CTO Agreement also indicates that Mr. Juul shall be eligible to receive (i) an annual cash bonus of up to 150% of his base salary pursuant to a separate bonus agreement and (ii) a stock-based bonus of up to 100% of his base salary pursuant to a separate stock grant agreement. Under the U.S. CTO Agreement, Mr. Juul also will be entitled: (i) to a company car, and we will pay for all expenses related to such company car; (ii) to the reimbursement of reasonable moving costs to the Houston area; and (iii) for so as Mr. Juul remains employed by us, for up to the initial two consecutive years following the date Mr. Juul relocates to the Houston area, to reimbursement for reasonable housing costs in the Houston area, up to a total amount of $5,000 per month.
Pursuant to the U.S. CTO Agreement, if Mr. Juul's employment is involuntarily terminated by us without Cause (as defined below) or by reason of his death or Disability (as defined below), then, subject to his timely execution and non-revocation of a release of claims, in addition to compensation that has been earned but not yet paid, he will be entitled to a severance amount equal to his then current base monthly salary from the date of his termination until the U.S. CTO Agreement Expiration Date, or, if such termination occurs after the U.S. CTO Agreement Expiration Date, his then current base monthly salary for a period of 12 months following his date of termination.
For purposes of the U.S. CTO Agreement, "Cause" means: (i) any act by Mr. Juul that is materially detrimental to our best interests or that constitutes common law fraud, a felony or any other criminal act involving moral turpitude; (ii) gross misconduct, material neglect or any act of disloyalty or dishonesty by Mr. Juul related to or connected with Mr. Juul's employment by us or otherwise likely to cause material harm to us or our reputation; (iii) a material violation by Mr. Juul of our written policies, codes of conduct or direction of our board of directors; (iv) wrongful appropriation by Mr. Juul of our funds or property or other material breach of Mr. Juul's fiduciary duties to us; or (v) the material breach of the U.S. CTO Agreement by Mr. Juul, or any other written agreement between us and Mr. Juul.
For purposes of the U.S. CTO Agreement, "Disability" means the inability of Mr. Juul to perform on a full-time basis the duties and responsibilities of Mr. Juul's employment with us by reason of Mr. Juul's illness or other physical or mental impairment or condition, if such inability continues for an uninterrupted period of 120 days or more during any 180 day period. A period of inability is "uninterrupted" unless and until Mr. Juul returns to full time work for a continuous period of at least 30 days.
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The U.S. CTO Agreement required Mr. Juul to enter into a confidentiality and restrictive covenant agreement, which contains a 12 month post-termination, non-solicitation requirement and a perpetual confidentiality requirement, among other terms and conditions.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table sets forth information regarding outstanding grants and shares available for grant under our 2023 Equity Incentive Plan. All information is as of December 31, 2023.Plan category | Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights | Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights | Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a)) | |||||||||
(a) | (b) | (c) | ||||||||||
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders | nil | $ | nil | nil | ||||||||
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders | 14,930,555 | (1) | nil | (2) | 30,069,445 | (3) | ||||||
Total | 14,930,555 | $ | nil | 30,069,445 |
(1) Represents shares that may be issued pursuant to outstanding RSUs granted under the Incentive Plan. The settlement of these RSU awards is subject to stockholder approval.
(2) The RSUs, once vested, convert into shares of our common stock on a one-for-one basis for no additional consideration.(3) Represents shares available for future issuance under the Incentive Plan.
On August 22, 2023, the Company's board of directors approved the Incentive Plan, pursuant to which the Company was authorized to grant options and other stock-based awards to executive officers, directors, employees and consultants enabling them to acquire up to 45,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company. Any shares subject to an award under the Incentive Plan that expired, was cancelled or forfeited, was settled for cash or otherwise did not result in the issuance of all of the shares subject to such award would have, to the extent of such cancellation, forfeiture, expiration, cash settlement or non-issuance, again become available for awards under the Incentive Plan. In addition, if (i) payment of the exercise price of any award or satisfaction of any tax withholding obligations arising from any award would have been made through the tendering of shares or by the withholding of shares by the Company, or (ii) any shares had been repurchased by the Company with proceeds received from the exercise of a stock option issued under the Incentive Plan, then the shares so tendered, withheld or repurchased would have become available for awards under the Incentive Plan.
RSU awards were subject to vesting spread over time at the discretion of the committee administering the Incentive Plan. Upon the vesting of RSUs and the Company's determination that any necessary conditions precedent to the release of vested shares had been satisfied, such vested shares would have been made available to the participants. The RSU awards granted on May 10, 2023 provided that the recipients did not have rights of a stockholder prior to vesting. The fair value of the Company's common stock on the grant date was $0.072 per share. On May 10, 2023, the Company granted RSU awards to certain key employees and directors under the Incentive Plan.
Pursuant to the terms of the Incentive Plan, because the Incentive Plan did not receive approval of the Company's stockholders on or before May 10, 2024, the Incentive Plan and all awards issued thereunder are of no further force and effect. Therefore, the Incentive Plan and all RSU awards issued under the Incentive Plan automatically terminated on May 11, 2024.
Director Compensation
Directors are expected to timely and fully participate in all regular and special board meetings, and all meetings of committees that they serve on. Non-employee directors will be compensated through cash and equity grants, while other directors are compensated through equity grants only.
Our current non-employee director compensation is as follows:
Cash | RSUs | |||||||
Director Fee | $ | 35,000 | $ | 35,000 | * | |||
Chairman Fee (supplement) | $ | 35,000 | $ | 35,000 | ||||
Audit Committee Fee (supplement) | $ | 5,000 | N/A | |||||
Compensation and Nominating and Governance Committee Fee (supplement) | $ | 3,000 | N/A |
*Newly appointed directors will receive an initial RSU grant with a three-year vesting period.
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PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock on October 30, 2024 by (a) each person who is known by us to beneficially own 5% or more of our common stock, (b) each of our directors and executive officers, and (c) all of our directors and executive officers as a group. Beneficial ownership is determined according to the rules of the SEC, which generally provide that a person has beneficial ownership of a security if he, she or it possesses sole or shared voting or investment power over that security, which includes the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of the security or the right to acquire such powers within 60 days. In computing the number of shares of our common stock beneficially owned by a person or entity and the percentage ownership, the Company deemed outstanding shares of its common stock subject to options held by that person or entity that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of October 30, 2024. The Company did not deem these shares outstanding, however, for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person or entity. Unless otherwise noted, the address of each beneficial owner is c/o Tankedraget 7, Aalborg, Denmark DK-9000.
The beneficial ownership percentages of the Company's common stock is based on 306,220,259 shares of the Company's common stock issued and outstanding as of October 30, 2024.
Name |
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned |
Percentage of Shares Beneficially Owned(2) |
||||||
Greater than 5% Stockholders | ||||||||
Kestrel Flight Fund LLC(1) | 71,797,703 | 23.4 | % | |||||
AØNP14 ApS(2) | 29,603,782 | 9.7 | % | |||||
Directors and Executive Officers | ||||||||
Sune Mathiesen | 92,483,587 | (3) | 30.2 | % | ||||
Stefan Muehlbauer | 1,000,000 | 0.3 | % | |||||
Paw Juul | 92,483,587 | (4) | 30.2 | % | ||||
All directors and executive officers as a group (3 persons) | 185,967,174 | 60.7 | % |
(1) | Albert Hanser is the Managing Partner of Kestrel Flight Fund LLC. The address of Kestrel Flight Fund LLC is 149 Meadowbrook Road, Weston, Massachusetts 02493. | |
(2) | Aldo Petersen is the managing director of AØNP14 ApS. The address of AØNP14 ApS is Amaliegade 6, DK-1256 København K. | |
(3) | Consists of 92,483,587 shares owned directly by Sune Mathiesen Holding ApS. Mr. Mathiesen is the managing director of Sune Mathiesen Holding ApS. | |
(4) | Consists of 92,483,587 shares owned by FENO Holding ApS. Mr. Juul is the managing director of FENO Holding ApS. |
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TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PERSONS
Transactions with Related Persons
We describe below transactions or series of similar transactions, since January 1, 2022, or currently proposed, to which we were a party or will be a party, in which the amounts involved exceeded $120,000 or 1% of the Company's total assets, whichever is less; and any of our directors, executive officers or beneficial holders of more than 5% of any class of our capital stock, or any immediate family member of, or person sharing the household with, any of these individuals or entities, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.
Transactions with Directors & Officers
Stefan Muehlbauer resigned as a director of the Company on February 14, 2023 and is currently the Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") of the Company. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company incurred management fees to the CFO totaling an aggregate of $120,625. At December 31, 2023, $140,875 was owing to the CFO for management fees, consisting of current and past due amounts, and $2,020 for reimbursement of out of pocket expenses.
On February 14, 2023, Tiffany Muehlbauer resigned as Chief Technology Officer ("CTO") of the Company. At December 31, 2023, $12,766 was owing to Ms. Muehlbauer for past due salaries and $25,500 for management fees.
At December 31, 2023, the Company owed a company controlled by Stefan Muehlbauer and Tiffany Muehlbauer the amount of $20,647 for office expenses.
On February 14, 2023, Sune Mathiesen became a director and Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of the Company. During the year ended December 31, 2023, Legacy Lithium Harvest incurred management fees payable to the CEO totaling an aggregate of $285,020 (DKK 1,925,000). At December 31, 2023, $151,764 (DKK 1,025,000) was owing to the CEO for salaries, and $2,771 (DKK 18,714) for reimbursement of out of pocket expenses.
In 2022, the Company incurred management fees from a company controlled by Sune Mathiesen of $108,190. In 2023, the Company incurred additional management fees from a company controlled by Sune Mathiesen of $83,000.
At December 31, 2023, a company controlled by the director and CEO was owed $40,425 (DKK 273,027) for out of pocket expenses, current and past due. During the year ended December 31, 2023, Legacy Lithium Harvest entered into two notes payable with a company controlled by the CEO, with one note in the principal amount of $17,173 (DKK 118,000) and the other in the principal amount of $2,183 (DKK 15,000), and each with a 3% interest rate per annum that was due on or before May 1, 2023. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the loans were repaid.
On February 14, 2023, Paw Juul became CTO of the Company. During the year ended December 31, 2023, Legacy Lithium Harvest incurred management fees from the CTO totaling an aggregate of $285,020 (DKK 1,925,000). At December 31, 2023, $143,895 (DKK 971,850) was owing to the CTO for salaries.
On April 28, 2023, a Company controlled by a director and CTO of the Company, Paw Juul, loaned the Company $14,506 (DKK 99,000). The loan had a 3% interest rate that was due on or before June 30, 2023. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the loan was repaid.
On July 24, 2024, a company controlled by the CEO and director of the Company loaned the Company an additional aggregate of approximately $221,140 (DKK 1,511,919). The loan bears no interest and is due on or before September 30, 2024. If the loan is not paid by September 30, 2024, then the loan shall bear a rate of 5% interest.
Securities Exchange Agreement
On February 14, 2023, we entered into the Exchange Agreement with Legacy Lithium Harvest and the Legacy Lithium Harvest Shareholders. Pursuant to the terms of the Exchange Agreement, the Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Legacy Lithium Harvest in exchange for issuing to the Legacy Lithium Harvest Shareholders 206,667,233 shares of the Company's common stock. The Exchange Transaction closed on February 14, 2023.
Following the issuance to the Legacy Lithium Harvest Shareholders of the shares of the Company's common stock, the Legacy Lithium Harvest Shareholders hold approximately 72% of the outstanding voting power and capital stock of the Company and the holders of SPGX's common stock prior to the Exchange Transaction hold approximately 3%. The Legacy Lithium Harvest Shareholders include Sune Mathiesen Holding ApS, of which Mr. Mathiesen is the managing director; FENO Holding ApS, of which Mr. Juul is the managing director; and AØNP14 ApS, of which Mr. Petersen is the managing director, which entities hold 31.2%, 31.2% and 7.3%, respectively, of the outstanding voting power and capital stock of the Company. Kestrel Flight Fund LLC, which held a convertible loan issued by the Company prior to the Exchange Transaction, holds approximately 24.3% of the outstanding voting power and capital stock of the Company.
The Company's Related Party Transactions
As described above, Albert Hanser is the Managing Partner of Kestrel Flight Fund LLC and directly or indirectly holds 24.3% of the issued and outstanding shares in the Company. Kestrel Flight Fund LLC loaned the Company $100,000 pursuant to a Loan Agreement dated July 21, 2021, by and between the Company and Kestrel Flight Fund LLC, which was subsequently amended on June 22, 2022, to increase the loan amount by $25,000 to a total of $125,000 (the "Loan"). The Loan accrued interest at the rate of 10% per annum and converted into the Company's common stock upon the effectiveness of the Exchange Transaction.
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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
General
The following description of our capital stock and certain provisions of our Articles of Incorporation and By-laws are summaries. Copies of these documents are filed with the SEC as exhibits to our registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part.
Our authorized capital stock consists of 500,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share. As of October 30, 2024, 306,220,259 shares of our common stock were outstanding.
Description of Common Stock
We are authorized to issue 500,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share. Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share. Our Articles of Incorporation, as amended (the "Articles of Incorporation"), do not provide for cumulative voting, which means that the holders of more than 50% of outstanding shares voting for the election of directors can elect all of our directors if they so choose and, in such event, the holders of the remaining shares will not be able to elect any of our directors. Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably such dividends, if any, as may be declared by our board of directors out of legally available funds. However, the current policy of our Board is to retain earnings, if any, for the operation and expansion of the Company. Upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in all of our assets which are legally available for distribution, after payment of or provision for all liabilities. The holders of our common stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. All issued and outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and non-assessable.
Voting Rights. Holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share of common stock standing in such stockholder's name on the records of the Company on all matters submitted to a stockholder vote, with no cumulative voting rights.
Conversion and Redemption Rights. Shares of our common stock have no conversion rights and are not subject to any rights of redemption by operation of a sinking fund or otherwise.
Dividend Rights. We have not paid any dividends on our common stock and we do not intend to pay any dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future.
Preemptive or Similar Rights. Our common stock has no preemptive or conversion rights or other subscription rights, nor are there any redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of Our By-laws and Nevada Law
Meetings of Stockholders. Our By-laws provide that a special meeting of stockholders may be called only by the president or the secretary of the Company, by resolution of the directors or on the written request of the stockholders owning a majority of the issued and outstanding shares and entitled to vote. Business transactions at any special meeting of stockholders are limited to the purpose stated in the notice.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
Section 78.438 of the Nevada Revised Statutes prohibits a Nevada corporation with 200 or more stockholders of record from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder (generally defined as a person which together with its affiliates owns, or within the last two years has owned, 10% of our voting stock) unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. Further, Nevada law contains provisions governing "acquisition of controlling interest" in Sections 78.378 through 78.3793 of the Nevada Revised Statutes. This law provides generally that any person or entity that acquires 20% or more of the outstanding voting shares of a publicly-held Nevada corporation in the secondary public or private market may be denied voting rights with respect to the acquired shares, unless a majority of the disinterested stockholders of the corporation elects to restore such voting rights in whole or in part. The Control Share Acquisition Act provides that a person or entity acquires "control shares" whenever it acquires shares that, but for the operation of the Control Share Acquisition Act, would bring its voting power within any of the following three ranges: 20 to 33-1/3%; 33-1/3% to 50%; or more than 50%. A "control share acquisition" is generally defined as the direct or indirect acquisition of either ownership or voting power associated with issued and outstanding control shares. The stockholders or board of directors of a corporation may elect to exempt the stock of the corporation from the provisions of the Control Share Acquisition Act through adoption of a provision to that effect in the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation. Our By-laws currently exempt our common stock from the Control Share Acquisition Act. At such time as they may apply, the provisions of the Control Share Acquisition Act may discourage companies or persons interested in acquiring a significant interest in or control of us, regardless of whether such acquisition may be in the interest of our stockholders. The existence of the foregoing provisions and other potential anti-takeover measures could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock. They could also deter potential acquirers of our Company, thereby reducing the likelihood that you could receive a premium for your common stock in an acquisition.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Empire Stock Transfer Inc.
Listing
Our common stock is currently quoted on the OTC Pink under the symbol "SPGX".
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF THE COMPANY'S COMMON STOCK
The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to non-U.S. holders (as defined below) of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Company's common stock included in this offering, but does not purport to be a complete analysis of all the potential tax considerations relating thereto. This summary is based upon the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Internal Revenue Code, Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, published administrative rulings and judicial decisions, all as of the date hereof. These authorities may be changed or be subject to differing interpretations, possibly retroactively, so as to result in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those set forth below. No ruling on the U.S. federal, state, local or other tax considerations relevant to the Company's operations or to the purchase, ownership or disposition of its shares, has been requested from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, or other tax authority. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position contrary to any of the tax consequences described below.
This summary also does not address the tax considerations arising under any U.S. federal tax laws other than income tax laws, the laws of any non-U.S., state or local jurisdiction, or under U.S. federal gift and estate tax laws. In addition, this summary does not address U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to a non-U.S. holder's particular circumstances or to non-U.S. holders that may be subject to special tax rules, including, without limitation:
● | banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions, regulated investment companies or real estate investment trusts; | |
● | persons subject to the alternative minimum tax or Medicare contribution tax on net investment income; | |
● | tax-exempt organizations or governmental organizations; | |
● | tax-qualified retirement plans; | |
● | "controlled foreign corporations," "passive foreign investment companies" and corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax; | |
● | brokers or dealers in securities or currencies; | |
● | traders in securities that elect to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for their securities holdings; | |
● | persons that own, or are deemed to own, more than five percent of the Company's capital stock (except to the extent specifically set forth below); | |
● | U.S. expatriates and former citizens or long-term residents of the United States; | |
● | partnerships or entities classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes or other pass-through entities (and investors therein); | |
● | persons who hold the Company's common stock as a position in a hedging transaction, "straddle," "conversion transaction" or other risk reduction transaction or integrated investment; | |
● | "qualified foreign pension funds" as defined in Section 897(l)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code and entities all of the interests of which are held by qualified foreign pension funds; | |
● | persons subject to special tax accounting rules as a result of any item of gross income with respect to common stock being taken into account in an applicable financial statement; |
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● | persons who hold or receive the Company's common stock pursuant to the exercise of any employee stock option or otherwise as compensation; | |
● | persons who do not hold the Company's common stock as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code; or | |
● | persons deemed to sell the Company's common stock under the constructive sale provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. |
In addition, if a partnership or entity classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the Company's common stock, the tax treatment of a partner generally will depend on the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership, and certain determinations made at the partner level. Accordingly, partnerships that hold the Company's common stock, and partners in such partnerships, should consult their tax advisors.
This discussion is for informational purposes only and is not tax advice. You are urged to consult your tax advisor with respect to the application of the U.S. federal income tax laws to your particular situation, as well as any tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Company's common stock arising under the U.S. federal estate or gift tax rules or under the laws of any state, local, non-U.S., or other taxing jurisdiction or under any applicable tax treaty.
For purposes of this discussion, you are a non-U.S. holder (other than a partnership) if you are a beneficial owner of the Company's common stock other than:
● | an individual citizen or resident of the United States (for U.S. federal income tax purposes); | |
● | a corporation or other entity taxable as a corporation created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia, or other entity treated as such for U.S. federal income tax purposes; | |
● | an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or | |
● | a trust (x) whose administration is subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and which has one or more "U.S. persons" (within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code) who have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (y) which has made a valid election to be treated as a U.S. person for U.S. federal income tax purposes. |
Distributions
As described in the section entitled "Market for our Common Stock and Related Stockholder Matters- Dividend Policy," the Company has never declared or paid cash dividends on its common stock and does not anticipate paying any dividends on its common stock in the foreseeable future. However, if the Company does make distributions of cash or property on its common stock, those payments will constitute dividends for U.S. tax purposes to the extent paid from the Company's current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. To the extent those distributions exceed both the Company's current and its accumulated earnings and profits, they will constitute a return of capital and will first reduce your basis in the Company's common stock, but not below zero, and then will be treated as gain from the sale of stock as described below under "-Gain on the Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Common Stock."
Subject to the discussion below on effectively connected income, backup withholding and foreign accounts, any dividend paid to you generally will be subject to U.S. withholding tax either at a rate of 30% of the gross amount of the dividend or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. In order to receive a reduced treaty rate, you must timely provide us or the applicable withholding agent with a valid IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, or other appropriate version of IRS Form W-8 or applicable certifying qualification for the reduced rate. A non-U.S. holder of shares of the Company's common stock eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. withholding tax pursuant to an income tax treaty may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS. If the non-U.S. holder holds the stock through a financial institution or other agent acting on the non-U.S. holder's behalf, the non-U.S. holder will be required to provide appropriate documentation to the agent, which then will be required to provide certification to the Company or its paying agent, either directly or through other intermediaries.
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Dividends received by you that are effectively connected with your conduct of a U.S. trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by you in the United States) are generally exempt from the withholding tax described above. In order to obtain this exemption, you must provide us or the applicable withholding agent with a valid IRS Form W-8ECI or other applicable IRS Form W-8 properly certifying such exemption. Such effectively connected dividends, although not subject to U.S. federal income withholding tax, are taxed for U.S. federal income tax purposes at the same graduated rates applicable to U.S. persons, net of certain deductions and credits. In addition, if you are a corporate non-U.S. holder, dividends you receive that are effectively connected with your conduct of a U.S. trade or business may also be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. You should consult your tax advisor regarding any applicable tax treaties that may provide for different rules.
Gain on the Sale or other Taxable Disposition of Common Stock
Subject to the discussion below regarding information reporting, backup withholding and foreign accounts, you generally will not be required to pay U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized upon the sale or other taxable disposition of the Company's common stock unless:
● | the gain is effectively connected with your conduct of a U.S. trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the gain is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by you in the United States); | |
● | you are a non-resident alien individual who is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year in which the sale or disposition occurs and certain other conditions are met; or | |
● | the Company's common stock constitutes a United States real property interest, or USRPI, by reason of its status as a "United States real property holding corporation," or USRPHC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes at any time within the shorter of (i) the five-year period preceding your sale or other taxable disposition of the Company's common stock, or (ii) your holding period for its common stock. |
The Company believes that it is not currently and will not become a USRPHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and the remainder of this discussion so assumes. However, because the determination whether the Company is a USRPHC depends on the fair market value of its USRPIs relative to the fair market value of its other business assets, there can be no assurance that the Company will not become a USRPHC in the future. Even if the Company becomes a USRPHC, however, as long as its common stock is regularly traded on an established securities market, the common stock you own will be treated as a USRPI only if you actually or constructively hold more than five percent of the Company's outstanding common stock at any time during the shorter of (i) the five-year period preceding your disposition of the Company's common stock, or (ii) your holding period for the stock.
If you are a non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet above, you will generally be required to pay tax on the net gain derived from the sale under regular graduated U.S. federal income tax rates, and a corporate non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet above also may be subject to the branch profits tax at a 30% rate, or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. If you are an individual non-U.S. holder described in the second bullet above, you will be required to pay a flat 30% tax (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on the gain derived from the sale or other taxable disposition, which gain may be offset by U.S. source capital losses for the year (provided you have timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses). You should consult any applicable income tax or other treaties that may provide for different rules.
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Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
Generally, the Company or an applicable withholding agent must report annually to the IRS, regardless of whether any tax was withheld, the amount of dividends paid to you, your name and address and the amount of tax withheld, if any. A similar report will be sent to you. Pursuant to applicable income tax treaties or other agreements, the IRS may make these reports available to tax authorities in your country of residence.
Payments of dividends or of proceeds on the sale or disposition of stock made to you may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding at a current rate of 24% unless you establish an exemption, for example, by properly certifying your non-U.S. status on a timely provided and valid IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, or another appropriate version of IRS Form W-8 or applicable documentation. Proceeds of a sale or other disposition of the Company's common stock conducted through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax; rather, the U.S. federal income tax liability of persons subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund or credit may generally be obtained from the IRS, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS in a timely manner.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance
Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Internal Revenue Code, known as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, impose withholding tax at a rate of 30% on, dividends on and (subject to the proposed Treasury regulations discussed below) gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, the Company's common stock paid to a "foreign financial institution" (as specially defined under these rules), unless such institution enters into an agreement with the U.S. government to withhold on certain payments and to collect and provide to the U.S. tax authorities substantial information regarding the U.S. account holders of such institution (which includes certain equity and debt holders of such institution, as well as certain account holders that are foreign entities with U.S. owners) or otherwise establishes an exemption. FATCA also generally imposes a U.S. federal withholding tax of 30% on dividends on and gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of the Company's common stock paid to a "non-financial foreign entity" (as specially defined for purposes of these rules) unless such entity (i) provides the withholding agent with a certification identifying certain substantial direct and indirect U.S. owners of the entity, (ii) certifies that there is none or (iii) otherwise establishes an exemption. The withholding provisions under FATCA generally apply to dividends on our common stock. Although potential withholding under FATCA would also have applied to gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of stock on or after January 1, 2019, recently proposed Treasury regulations eliminate FATCA withholding on payments of gross proceeds entirely. Withholding agents may rely on these proposed Treasury regulations until final Treasury regulations are issued. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country may modify the requirements described in this paragraph. Non-U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible implications of this legislation on their investment in the Company's common stock.
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the shares of our common stock offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Hutchison & Steffen, PLLC, Las Vegas, Nevada.
EXPERTS
The financial statements included in this prospectus have been audited by Centurion ZD CPA & Co., an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which includes an explanatory paragraph relating to our ability to continue as a going concern, appearing herein. Such financial statements are included in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 to register the resale of shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, some of which is contained in exhibits to the registration statement as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information with respect to us and our common stock, we refer you to the registration statement, including the exhibits filed as a part of the registration statement. Statements contained in this prospectus concerning the contents of any contract or any other document is not necessarily complete. If a contract or document has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, please see the copy of the contract or document that has been filed. Each statement in this prospectus relating to a contract or document filed as an exhibit is qualified in all respects by the filed exhibit. The SEC also maintains an internet website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information about issuers, like us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is www.sec.gov.
We are subject to the information and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and, in accordance with this law, file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. These periodic reports, proxy statements and other information are available over the internet at the website of the SEC referred to above. We also maintain the websites www.lithiumharvest.com and www.spgroupe.com. You may access these materials free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Information contained on our websites is not a part of this prospectus and the inclusion of our website addresses in this prospectus is an inactive textual reference only.
57 |
SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS GROUP INC.
index to THE CONSOLIDATED financial statements
Audited Financial Statements for the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 | Page |
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID 2769) | F-2 |
Consolidated Balance Sheets | F-4 |
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss | F-5 |
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Deficit | F-6 |
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows | F-7 |
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements | F-8 to F-19 |
Consolidated Unaudited Interim Financial Statements for the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023 | Page |
Consolidated Unaudited Interim Balance Sheets | F-20 |
Consolidated Unaudited Interim Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss | F-21 |
Consolidated Unaudited Interim Statements of Stockholders' Deficit | F-22 |
Consolidated Unaudited Interim Statements of Cash Flows | F-23 |
Notes to the Consolidated Unaudited Interim Financial Statements | F-24 to F-33 |
F-1 |
Report of Independent Public Accountant
中正達會計師事務所 Centurion ZD CPA & Co. Certified Public Accountants (Practising) |
Unit 1304, 13/F, Two Harbourfront, 22 Tak Fung Street, Hunghom, Hong Kong. 香港 紅磡 德豐街22號 海濱廣場二期 13樓1304室 Tel 電話: (852) 2126 2388 Fax 傳真: (852) 2122 9078 |
|
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Sustainable Projects Group, Inc.:
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Sustainable Projects Group Inc. and its subsidiaries (the "Company") as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss, stockholders' equity (deficit), and cash flows, for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "consolidated financial statements"). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Material Uncertainty Relating to Going Concern
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements, the Company had a significant working capital deficiency and needs to raise additional funds to meet its obligations and sustain its operations. These conditions raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Management's plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 2. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. Our opinion is not modified with respect to this matter.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical Audit Matter
Critical audit matters are matters arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. We determined that there are no critical audit matters.
/s/ Centurion ZD CPA & Co.
We have served as the Company's auditor since 2023.
Hong Kong, China
April 4, 2024
PCAOB ID: 2769
F-2 |
SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS GROUP INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2022 |
|||||||
ASSETS | ||||||||
Current Assets: | ||||||||
Cash | $ | 847,724 | $ | - | ||||
Other receivables - Note 4 | - | 32,180 | ||||||
Prepaid expenses and deposits | 398,067 | 10,089 | ||||||
1,245,791 | 42,269 | |||||||
Right Of Use Assets - Note 9 | 1,688,003 | - | ||||||
Equipment - Note 5 | 102,907 | - | ||||||
Intangible assets - Note 7 | 32,903 | - | ||||||
TOTAL ASSETS | $ | 3,069,604 | $ | 42,269 | ||||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT | ||||||||
LIABILITIES | ||||||||
CURRENT LIABILITIES: | ||||||||
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities - Note 8 | $ | 449,952 | $ | 117,199 | ||||
Amounts due to related parties - Note 12 | 502,397 | 146,402 | ||||||
Payroll liabilities | 149,148 | - | ||||||
Other payables - Note 4 | 19,334 | - | ||||||
Notes and interest payable - Note 10 | 69,605 | - | ||||||
Deposits received | 76,545 | - | ||||||
Lease liability, current portion - Note 9 | 183,913 | - | ||||||
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES | 1,450,894 | 263,601 | ||||||
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES | ||||||||
Lease liability obligation - long term - Note 9 | 1,559,818 | - | ||||||
TOTAL NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES | 1,559,818 | - | ||||||
TOTAL LIABILITIES | 3,010,712 | 263,601 | ||||||
STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT | ||||||||
Common Stock - Note 11 Par Value: $0.0001Authorized 500,000,000shares Common Stock Issued: 296,037,813(Dec 31, 2022 - Capital Shares 50,000) | 29,604 | 7,940 | ||||||
Additional Paid in Capital | 3,438,273 | - | ||||||
Accumulated Deficit | (3,359,757 | ) | (224,419 | ) | ||||
Other Accumulated Comprehensive Loss | (49,228 | ) | (4,853 | ) | ||||
TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT | 58,892 | (221,332 | ) | |||||
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT | $ | 3,069,604 | $ | 42,269 |
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
F-3 |
SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS GROUP INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
For the | For the | |||||||
Year Ended | Year Ended | |||||||
December 31 | December 31 | |||||||
2023 | 2022 | |||||||
Operating and administrative expenses | ||||||||
Advertising and promotion | $ | 33,391 | $ | - | ||||
Amortized right of use assets | 178,022 | - | ||||||
Consulting fees | 104,988 | - | ||||||
Depreciation | 33,659 | - | ||||||
General and administrative expenses | 57,393 | 2,192 | ||||||
Interest on lease | 134,324 | - | ||||||
Management fees | 775,165 | 108,190 | ||||||
Office maintenance and utilities | 128,651 | - | ||||||
Professional fees | 329,116 | 102,777 | ||||||
Rent | 58,823 | - | ||||||
Stock based compensation (Note 13) | 492,708 | - | ||||||
Travel expenses | 108,087 | 9,785 | ||||||
Vehicle expense | 46,500 | - | ||||||
Wages and salaries | 516,926 | - | ||||||
Total operating and administrative expenses | 2,997,753 | 222,944 | ||||||
Operating loss before other items | (2,997,753 | ) | (222,944 | ) | ||||
Miscellaneous income | 251,089 | - | ||||||
Interest expense | (1,288 | ) | - | |||||
Net Loss | (2,747,952 | ) | (222,944 | ) | ||||
Translation loss | (44,375 | ) | (4,585 | ) | ||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss, attributed to shareholders | $ | (2,792,327 | ) | $ | (227,529 | ) | ||
Basic and diluted loss per share | $ | (0.011 | ) | $ | (4.551 | ) | ||
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding | 254,941,752 | 50,000 |
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
F-4 |
SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS GROUP INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
Common | Par Value at $0.0001 | Share |
Additional Paid-in |
Shares | Accumulated |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For December 31, 2023 | Shares | Amount | Capital | Capital | Subscribed | Deficit | Loss | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance, December 31, 2022 | 50,000 | $ | - | $ | 7,940 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | (224,419 | ) | $ | (4,853 | ) | $ | (221,332 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Common stock issued in reverse merger* | 287,140,813 | 28,719 | (7,940 | ) | - | - | (387,386 | ) | - | (366,607 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss | - | - | - | - | - | (392,032 | ) | (4,898 | ) | (396,930 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Balance, March 31, 2023 | 287,190,813 | $ | 28,719 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | (1,003,837 | ) | $ | (9,751 | ) | $ | (984,869 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Shares subscribed at $0.25per share | - | - | - | - | 877,100 | - | - | 877,100 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares subscribed at $0.35 per share | - | - | - | - | 375,000 | - | - | 375,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stock based payments | - | - | - | 164,236 | - | (164,236 | ) | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss | - | - | - | - | - | (606,457 | ) | (6,959 | ) | (613,416 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Balance, June 30, 2023 | 287,190,813 | $ | 28,719 | $ | - | $ | 164,236 | $ | 1,252,100 | $ | (1,774,530 | ) | $ | (16,710 | ) | $ | (346,185 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Shares subscribed at $0.35per share | - | - | - | - | 994,350 | - | - | 994,350 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares issued at $0.25per share | 1,500,000 | 150 | - | 374,850 | (375,000 | ) | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares issued at $0.35per share | 4,006,000 | 401 | - | 1,401,699 | (1,402,100 | ) | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Stock based payments | - | - | - | 164,236 | - | (164,236 | ) | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss | - | - | - | - | - | (679,498 | ) | 23,867 | (655,631 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance, September 30, 2023 | 292,696,813 | $ | 29,270 | $ | - | $ | 2,105,021 | $ | 469,350 | $ | (2,618,264 | ) | $ | 7,157 | $ | (7,466 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Shares subscribed at $0.35per share | - | - | - | - | 700,000 | - | - | 700,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares issued at $0.35per share | 3,341,000 | 334 | - | 1,169,016 | (1,169,350 | ) | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Stock based payments | - | - | - | 164,236 | - | (164,236 | ) | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss | - | - | - | - | - | (577,257 | ) | (56,385 | ) | (633,642 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Balance, December 31, 2023 | 296,037,813 | $ | 29,604 | $ | - | $ | 3,438,273 | $ | - | $ | (3,359,757 | ) | $ | (49,228 | ) | $ | 58,892 |
* | Including 71,979,703shares of common stock issued pursuant to a convertible loan settlement, as disclosed in Note 11. |
Other | ||||||||||||||||||||
Common | Share | Accumulated | Accumulated | |||||||||||||||||
For December 31, 2022 | Shares | Capital | Deficit | Comprehensive | Total | |||||||||||||||
Balance, December 31, 2021 | 50,000 | - | $ | 7,940 | - | - | $ | (1,475 | ) | $ | (268 | ) | $ | 6,197 | ||||||
Net loss for the period | - | - | - | - | - | (175 | ) | (133 | ) | (308 | ) | |||||||||
Balance, March 31, 2022 | 50,000 | - | $ | 7,940 | - | - | $ | (1,650 | ) | $ | (401 | ) | $ | 5,889 | ||||||
Net loss for the period | - | - | - | - | - | (5,056 | ) | (140 | ) | (5,196 | ) | |||||||||
Balance, June 30, 2022 | 50,000 | - | $ | 7,940 | - | - | $ | (6,706 | ) | $ | (541 | ) | $ | 693 | ||||||
Net loss for the period | - | - | - | - | - | (3,243 | ) | 61 | (3,182 | ) | ||||||||||
Balance September 30 2022 | 50,000 | $ | 7,940 | - | - | $ | (9,949 | ) | $ | (480 | ) | $ | (2,489 | ) | ||||||
Net loss for the period | - | - | - | - | - | (214,470 | ) | (4,373 | ) | (218,843 | ) | |||||||||
Balance, December 31, 2022 | 50,000 | - | $ | 7,940 | - | - | $ | (224,419 | ) | $ | (4,853 | ) | $ | (221,332 | ) |
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
F-5 |
SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS GROUP INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
For the Year ended December 31, 2023 |
For the Year ended December 31, 2022 |
|||||||
Cash Flows from operating activities: | ||||||||
Net loss | $ | (2,747,952 | ) | $ | (222,944 | ) | ||
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||||||
Depreciation | 33,659 | - | ||||||
Amortized right of use assets | 178,022 | - | ||||||
Stock based compensation | 492,708 | - | ||||||
Interest on lease payments | 134,324 | - | ||||||
Changes in current assets and liabilities | ||||||||
Prepaid expenses and deposits | (387,978 | ) | (10,089 | ) | ||||
Other receivables | 32,180 | (32,180 | ) | |||||
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 332,753 | 116,438 | ||||||
Payroll liabilities | 149,148 | - | ||||||
Other payables | 19,334 | |||||||
Deposits received | 76,545 | - | ||||||
Amount due to related parties | 355,995 | 146,402 | ||||||
Net cash used in operating activities | (1,331,262 | ) | (2,373 | ) | ||||
Cash Flows from investing activities: | ||||||||
Office furniture and equipment | (121,409 | ) | - | |||||
Filtration equipment | (21,220 | ) | - | |||||
Intangible assets | (35,967 | ) | - | |||||
Net cash used in investing activities | (178,596 | ) | - | |||||
Cash Flows from financing activities: | ||||||||
Common stock issued in reverse acquisition | (366,607 | ) | - | |||||
Lease payment | (262,874 | ) | - | |||||
Common stock issued in private placements | 2,946,450 | |||||||
Proceeds from note payable and interest payable | 69,605 | - | ||||||
Net cash provided by financing activities | 2,386,574 | - | ||||||
Effect of foreign exchange on cash | (28,992 | ) | (4,585 | ) | ||||
Net increase (decrease) in cash | 847,724 | (6,958 | ) | |||||
Cash at beginning of period | - | 6,958 | ||||||
Cash at end of period | $ | 847,724 | $ | - | ||||
Supplemental Disclosures | ||||||||
Cash paid for: | ||||||||
Interest | $ | 124.00- | $ | - |
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
F-6 |
SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS GROUP INC.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31, 2023
1. Organization and Nature of Operations
Sustainable Projects Group Inc. (the "Company") was incorporated in the State of Nevada, USA on September 4, 2009 as Blue Spa Incorporated. On December 19, 2016, the Company amended its name from "Blue Spa Incorporated" to "Sustainable Petroleum Group Inc." On September 6, 2017, the Company obtained a majority vote from its shareholders to amend the Company's name from "Sustainable Petroleum Group Inc." to "Sustainable Projects Group Inc." to better reflect its business at the time. The name change was effective on October 20, 2017. Prior to the Exchange Transaction (as defined below), the Company was a multinational business development company that pursued investments and partnerships with companies across sustainable sectors. The Company also was involved in consulting services and collaborative partnerships.
The Company is a pure-play lithium company focused on supplying high performance lithium compounds to the fast-growing electric vehicle and broader battery markets. It has developed a proprietary technology to extract lithium from oilfield wastewater, which it believes will enable it to manufacture lithium compounds quickly, at an attractive cost, and with a minimal environmental footprint, which it expects to provide a competitive advantage over other lithium manufacturers.
On February 14, 2023, the Company entered into a Securities Exchange Agreement (the "Agreement") with Lithium Harvest ApS ("Lithium Harvest"), and all the shareholders of Lithium Harvest (the "Shareholders"). Pursuant to the Agreement, the Company acquired all outstanding shares of capital stock of Lithium Harvest in exchange for issuing to the Shareholders 206,667,233shares of the Company's common stock (the "Exchange Transaction"). In addition, the lender of a convertible note payable exercised its conversion feature and received 71,797,703shares of common stock in exchange for its debt and interest. The Exchange Transaction represents a change of control and was accounted for as a reverse acquisition with Lithium Harvest being the accounting acquirer and the Company being the accounting acquiree. As a result of the transaction, the number of shares of common stock outstanding was increased to 287,190,813.The Company's year-end is December 31.
2. Going Concern
These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States or "GAAP," which contemplate continuation of the Company as a going concern. However, the Company has limited revenue and has sustained operating losses resulting in a deficit. In view of these matters, realization of a major portion of the assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets is dependent upon the continued operations of the Company, which in turn is dependent upon the Company's ability to meet its financing requirements, and the successful implementation of the Company's planned strategy of supplying high performance lithium compounds to the electric vehicle and broader battery markets.
The Company has accumulated a deficit of $3,359,757since inception and has yet to achieve profitable operations and further losses are anticipated in the development of its business. The Company's ability to continue as a going concern is in substantial doubt and is dependent upon obtaining additional financing and/or achieving a sustainable profitable level of operations. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.The Company had $847,724in cash as of December 31, 2023. The Company will need to raise additional cash in order to fund ongoing operations over the next 12 months. The Company may seek additional equity as necessary, and it expects to raise funds through private or public equity, as well as debt, if available, in order to support its existing operations and develop its first lithium extraction facility. There is no assurance that such additional funds will be available for the Company on acceptable terms, if at all.F-7 |
3. Summary of accounting policies
Use of estimates and assumptions
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Management makes its best estimate of the ultimate outcome for these items based on historical trends and other information available when the financial statements are prepared. Changes in estimates are recognized in accordance with the accounting rules for the estimate, which is typically in the period when new information becomes available to management. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Reverse Acquisition
The Exchange Transaction between the Company and Lithium Harvest was accounted for as a "reverse acquisition" since, immediately following completion of the Exchange Transaction, the Shareholders effectuated control of the post-combination Company. For accounting purposes, Lithium Harvest was deemed to be the accounting acquirer in the transaction and, consequently, the transaction is treated as a recapitalization of Lithium Harvest (i.e., a capital transaction involving the issuance of shares by the Company for the shares of Lithium Harvest). Accordingly, the consolidated assets, liabilities and results of operations of Lithium Harvest became the historical financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, and the Company's assets, liabilities and results of operations were consolidated with those of Lithium Harvest beginning on the acquisition date. No step-up in basis or intangible assets or goodwill were recorded in this Exchange Transaction. As a result of the Exchange Transaction, Lithium Harvest became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.
Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Sustainable Projects Group Inc., Lithium Harvest ApS and YER Brands Inc. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated in the consolidation process.
Operating Leases - Right of Use Assets
In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2016-02, Leases ("Topic 842"). The new standard establishes a right-of-use model that requires a lessee to record a right-of-use asset ("ROU asset") and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. For leases with an initial term of 12 months or less, a lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset not to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. If a lessee makes this election, it should recognize lease expense for such leases generally on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition. Similarly, lessors will be required to classify leases as sales-type, finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of income recognition. Classification for both lessees and lessors will be based on an assessment of whether risks and rewards as well as substantive control have been transferred through a lease contract.
F-8 |
The Company adopted the new standard as of April 1, 2023. The Company has elected not to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities for leases with an initial term of 12 months or less. There are no other material asset leases, whether operating or finance, except as indicated below.
Lithium Harvest has one office lease. The lease conveys no ownership at the end of the lease term and contains no purchase option nor any guarantee of residual value. The lease does not contain renewal periods at the end of the term. The lease is amortized straight line over the entire term of the office lease agreement. The Company uses an annual interest rate of 10%, or a rate of 2.50% per quarter. This operating lease is classified as an ROU asset under the new standard (Topic 842). The office lease commenced April 1, 2023.Lithium Harvest has one software lease. The lease conveys no ownership at the end of the lease term and contains no purchase option nor any guarantee of residual value. The lease has one renewal period of one year at the end of the term. The lease is amortized straight line over the entire term of the software lease. The Company uses an annual interest rate of 10%, or a rate of 2.50% per quarter. This operating lease was classified as an ROU asset under the new standard (Topic 842). The software lease commenced May 1, 2023.Lithium Harvest has one equipment lease. The lease conveys no ownership at the end of the lease term and contains no purchase option nor any guarantee of residual value. The lease does not contain renewal periods at the end of the term. The lease is amortized straight line over the entire term of the equipment lease. The Company uses an annual interest rate of 10%, or a rate of 2.50% per quarter. This operating lease is classified as an ROU asset under the new standard (Topic 842). The equipment lease commenced June 1, 2023.Lithium Harvest has one service equipment lease. The lease conveys no ownership at the end of the lease term and contains no purchase option nor any guarantee of residual value. The lease does not contain renewal periods at the end of the term. The lease is amortized straight line over the entire term of the service equipment lease. The Company uses an annual interest rate of 10%, or a rate of 2.50% per quarter. This operating lease was classified as an ROU asset under the new standard (Topic 842). The service equipment lease commenced May 10, 2023.Stock Based Compensation
The Company follows the guideline under Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 718, "Compensation-Stock Compensation". The standard provides that for all stock-based compensation plans, including employee stock options, restricted stock, employee stock purchase plans and stock appreciation rights, all share-based payments to both employees and directors are recognized in the statements of operations and consolidated loss based on their fair values. For non-employee stock-based compensation, the Company applies ASC 505-50, "Equity-Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employees." This standard provides that all stock-based compensation related to non-employees be measured at the fair value of the consideration received or the fair value of the equity instruments issued, whichever can be most reliably measured or determinable.
F-9 |
Segment Reporting
The Company reports segment information based on the "management" approach. The management approach designates the internal reporting used by management for making decisions and assessing performance of its various businesses on a corporation-wide basis. As of December 31, 2023, the Company has three reportable segments: YER Brands, Sustainable Projects Group and Lithium Harvest. The segments are determined based on several factors including the nature of products and services, nature of production processes and delivery channels and consultancy services. Each operating segment's performance is evaluated based on its segment income. Segment income is defined as gross sales and miscellaneous income. For the year ended December 31, 2023 and the year ended December 31, 2022, segment income and total assets were reported as follows:
For the Year Ended |
For the Year Ended |
|||||||
December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2022 |
|||||||
Sales and miscellaneous income | ||||||||
Sustainable Projects Group | $ | - | $ | - | ||||
YER Brands | - | - | ||||||
Lithium Harvest | 251,089 | - | ||||||
Total Sales | $ | 251,089 | $ | - | ||||
Total Assets at End of Period | ||||||||
Sustainable Projects Group | $ | 6,090 | $ | - | ||||
YER Brands | - | - | ||||||
Lithium Harvest | 3,063,514 | 42,269 | ||||||
Total Assets | $ | 3,069,604 | $ | 42,269 |
Revenue Recognition
The Company adopted ASC 606, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" ("ASC 606"). The Company recognizes revenue when the Company transfers promised services to the customer. The performance obligation is the monthly services rendered. The Company has one main revenue source at the moment from Lithium Harvest, which is sub-leasing office space with and/or without furniture. Accordingly, the Company recognizes revenue when services are provided. This revenue is billed in advance, arrears and/or is prepaid. The performance obligation is the monthly services rendered. Where there is a sub-leasing contract for office space with and/or without furniture, the Company bills monthly for its services as rendered. Where there is no contract, the revenue is recognized when received.
The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with ASC 606 using the following five steps to identify revenues:
● | identify the contract with a customer; | |
● | identify the performance obligations in the contract; | |
● | determine the transaction price; | |
● | allocate the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract; and | |
● | recognize revenue as the performance obligation is satisfied. |
F-10 |
Sub-leasing office
The Company recognizes revenue when the Company transfers promised services to the customer. The performance obligation is the monthly services rendered. The Company has one main revenue source at the moment from Lithium Harvest, which is sub-leasing office space with and/or without furniture. Accordingly, the Company recognizes revenue when services are provided. This revenue is billed in advance, arrears and/or is prepaid. The performance obligation is the monthly services rendered. Where there is a sub-leasing contract for office space with and/or without furniture, the Company bills monthly for its services as rendered.
A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to the customer and is the unit of account in the new revenue standard. The contract transaction price is allocated to each distinct performance obligation and recognized as revenue when or as the performance obligation is satisfied.
Advances from client's deposits are contract liabilities with customers that represent the Company's obligation to either transfer goods or services in the future, or refund the amount received. Where possible, the Company obtains retainers to lessen risk of non-payment by customers. Advances from client's deposits are recognized as revenue as the Company meets specified performance obligations as detailed in the contract.
The income earned from sub-leasing office space is recognized as "miscellaneous income".
Accounts Receivable and Concentration of Risk
Accounts receivable, net is stated at the amount the Company expects to collect, or the net realizable value. The Company provides a provision for allowances that includes returns, allowances and doubtful accounts equal to the estimated uncollectible amounts. The Company estimates its provision for allowances based on historical collection experience and a review of the current status of trade accounts receivable. It is reasonably possible that the Company's estimate of the provision for allowances will change.
Intangible assets
Intangible assets are non-monetary identifiable assets, controlled by the Company that will produce future economic benefits, based on reasonable and supportable assumptions about conditions that will exist over the life of the asset. An intangible asset that does not meet these attributes will be recognized as an expense when it is incurred. Intangible assets that do, are capitalized and initially measured at cost. Those with a determinable life will be amortized on a systematic basis over their future economic life. Those with an indefinite useful life shall not be amortized until its useful life is determined to be longer indefinite. An intangible asset subject to amortization shall be periodically reviewed for impairment. A recoverability test will be performed and, if applicable, unscheduled amortization is considered.
License agreements have been capitalized, recorded at cost and amortized over the life of the contracts. Website costs have been capitalized and will be subject to amortization once the website is operational. They will be amortized over the life of the license to which it supports.
Equipment
Equipment represents purchases made for assets, whose useful life was determined to be greater than one year. The assets are initially recorded at cost and depreciated over their estimated useful lives on a 3year straight line basis.Loss per share
The Company reports basic loss per share in accordance with ASC Topic 260, Earnings Per Share ("ASC 260"). Basic loss per share is based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding and diluted loss per share is based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding and dilutive common stock equivalents. Basic loss per share is computed by dividing net loss (numerator) applicable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding (denominator) for the period. Loss per share presented in the financial statements is basic loss per share as defined by ASU 260. There is no diluted net loss per share on the potential exercise of the equity-based financial instruments; thus, a state of anti-dilution has occurred.
F-11 |
Website development costs
The Company recognized the costs associated with developing a website in accordance with ASC 350-50, "Website Development Cost" that codified the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants ("AICPA") Statement of Position ("SOP") NO. 98-1, "Accounting for the Costs of Computer Software Developed or Obtained for Internal Use". Relating to website development costs, the Company follows the guidance pursuant to the Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) NO. 00-2, "Accounting for Website Development Costs". The website development costs are divided into three stages, planning, development and production. The development stage can further be classified as application and infrastructure development, graphics development and content development. In short, website development cost for internal use should be capitalized except content input and data conversion costs in content development stage.
Costs associated with the website consist primarily of website development costs paid to third parties. These capitalized costs will be amortized based on their estimated useful life over three years upon the website becoming operational. Internal costs related to the development of website content will be charged to operations as incurred. Website development costs related to the customers are charged to cost of sales.
Concentration of credit risk
The Company places its cash and cash equivalents with a high credit quality financial institution. The Company maintains United States Dollars. The Company minimizes its credit risks associated with cash by periodically evaluating the credit quality of its primary financial institution.
Financial instruments
The Company's financial instruments consist principally of cash, accounts payable, accrued liabilities and notes payable. The carrying amounts of such financial instruments in the accompanying financial statements approximate their fair values due to their relatively short-term nature or the underlying terms are consistent with market terms. It is management's opinion that the Company is not exposed to any significant currency or credit risks arising from these financial instruments.
Fair value measurements
The Company follows the guidelines in ASC Topic 820 "Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures". Fair value is defined as the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities, which are required to be recorded at fair value, the Company considers the principal or most advantageous market in which the Company would transact and the market-based risk measurements or assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, such as inherent risk, transfer restrictions and credit risk.
The Company applies the following fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value into three levels and bases the categorization within the hierarchy upon the lowest level of input that is available and significant to the fair value measurement. All financial instruments approximate their fair value.
Level 1 - Observable inputs that reflect unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities traded in active markets. | |
Level 2 - Observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities | |
Level 3 - Inputs are generally unobservable and typically reflect management's estimates of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. The fair values are therefore determined using model-based techniques, including option pricing models and discounted cash flow models. |
F-12 |
Advertising and Promotion Costs
The Company follows ASC 720, "Advertising Costs" and expenses costs as incurred.
Credit Losses
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses". The ASU sets forth a "current expected credit loss" (CECL) model which requires the Company to measure all expected credit losses for financial instruments held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable supportable forecasts. This replaces the existing incurred loss model and is applicable to the measurement of credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost and applies to some off-balance sheet credit exposures. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this ASU with no impact on its financial statements.
Income Taxes
The Company uses the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes in accordance with ASC 740, "Income Taxes". Under this method, income tax expense is recognized as the amount of: (i) taxes payable or refundable for the current year and (ii) future tax consequences attributable to differences between financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in the results of operations in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is provided to reduce the deferred tax assets reported if based on the weight of available evidence it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
Recently issued accounting pronouncements
The Company adopts new pronouncements relating to GAAP applicable to the Company as they are issued, which may be in advance of their effective date. Management does not believe that any pronouncements not included above will have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
4. Other Receivables/Payables
Other receivables/payables pertain to VAT (value added taxes) receivables/payables of Lithium Harvest. The standard VAT rate in Denmark is 25%.F-13 |
5. Equipment
Schedule of Equipment
Cost |
Accumulated Depreciation |
Net | ||||||||||
Computer | $ | 21,088 | $ | 8,461 | $ | 12,627 | ||||||
Equipment | 5,000 | 5,000 | - | |||||||||
Office Furniture & Equipment | 95,320 | 26,260 | 69,060 | |||||||||
Machinery under construction | 21,220 | - | 21,220 | |||||||||
$ | 142,628 | $ | 39,721 | $ | 102,907 |
7. Intangible Assets
Cost |
Accumulated Depreciation |
Net | ||||||||||
Patent - Denmark | $ | 35,967 | $ | 3,064 | $ | 32,903 |
8. Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 are summarized as follows:
Accounts Payable: |
December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2022 |
||||||
Accounting fee | $ | 25,597 | $ | - | ||||
Audit fee | 750 | - | ||||||
Consulting fee | 73,266 | - | ||||||
Rental expenses | 63,992 | - | ||||||
Professional fees | 176,767 | 117,199 | ||||||
Others | 42,330 | - | ||||||
$ | 382,702 | $ | 117,199 |
Accrued liabilities: |
December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2022 |
||||||
Audit fee | $ | 67,250 | $ | - |
F-14 |
9. Right of Use Assets and Lease Liability
The Company has entered into lease agreements with various third parties. The terms of the Company's operating leases range from 12to 94months. These operating leases are included in "Right of Use Assets" on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets and represent the Company's right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. The Company's obligation to make lease payments are included in "Lease liability" on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets. Additionally, the Company has entered into various short-term operating leases with an initial term of 12 months or less. These leases are not recorded on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets. All operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
December 31, 2023 |
||||
Right-of-use asset | ||||
Right-of-use asset, net | $ | 1,688,003 | ||
Lease liability | ||||
Current lease liability | $ | 183,913 | ||
Non-current lease liability | 1,559,818 | |||
Total lease liability | $ | 1,743,731 | ||
Remaining lease term and discount rate | ||||
Weighted average remaining lease term | 84months | |||
Discount rate used | 10 | % |
Commitments
The following table summarizes the future minimum lease payments due under the Company's operating leases as of December 31, 2023:
2024 | $ | 351,532 | ||
Thereafter | 2,099,565 | |||
Less: imputed interest | (707,366 | ) | ||
Total | $ | 1,743,731 |
10. Notes Payable, Convertible Notes Payable and Obligation to Issue Shares
On March 1, 2019, the Company entered into an unsecured loan agreement for $50,000with an interest rate of 3.5% per annum. The loan was originally due on or before April 15, 2022. On March 28, 2022, the term of the loan agreement was extended to April 15, 2024. At December 31, 2023, there was $8,462in accrued interest under the loan.On July 12, 2019, the Company entered into an unsecured convertible loan agreement with a relative of the Company's CEO in the amount of $20,000with an interest rate of 3.0% per annum. The loan was due on or before July 12, 2022. The lender had the option to convert the whole loan and the accrued interest into shares of common stock of the Company at the price of $1.45per share. On May 10, 2021, the Company agreed to a debt settlement arrangement whereby it would issue 640,000shares of common stock in settlement of the principal amount outstanding under the loan of $20,000as well as accrued interest and fees valued at $1,098. The transaction value was calculated to be $0.033per share. The shares were issued during the year ended December 31, 2022.F-15 |
11. Common Stock
The following stock transactions occurred with respect to the Company's common stock during the year ended December 31, 2023:
a) | On February 14, 2023, 206,667,233shares of common stock valued at $10,333,362were issued to the shareholders of Lithium Harvest pursuant to the Agreement with Lithium Harvest with respect to the Exchange Transaction. | |
b) | On February 14, 2023, 71,979,703shares of common stock valued at $3,589,885were issued to a lender pursuant to a convertible loan settlement in connection with the Exchange Transaction. | |
c) | On August 18, 2023, 1,500,000shares of common stock valued at $375,000were issued to an investor pursuant to a private placement subscription at $0.25per share. | |
d) | On August 18, 2023, an aggregate of 4,006,000shares of common stock valued at $1,402,100were issued to investors pursuant to private placement subscriptions at $0.35per share. | |
e) | On December 22, 2023, an aggregate of 3,341,000shares of common stock valued at $1,169,350were issued to investors pursuant to private placement subscriptions at $0.35per share. |
F-16 |
12. Related-Party Transactions
Related party transactions as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 are summarized as follows:
December 31, 2023 | December 31, 2022 | |||||||
Accounts payable | $ | 205,558 | $ | 146,402 | ||||
Accrued liabilities | 296,839 | - | ||||||
$ | 502,397 | $ | 146,402 |
F-17 |
13. Stock Based Compensation
On May 10, 2023, the Company granted restricted stock unit ("RSU") awards to certain key employees and directors under the Company's 2023 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Incentive Plan"). The settlement of these RSU awards is subject to stockholder approval. The Company is authorized to grant options and other stock-based awards to executive officers, directors, employees and consultants enabling them to acquire up to 45,000,000shares of common stock of the Company. The exercise price of each option equals the market price of the Company's shares of common stock as calculated on the date of the grant. The maximum term and/or vesting period shall not be more than ten yearsfrom the grant date. The vesting period for all options is at the discretion of the board of directors of the Company and shall not be more than ten years from the grant date. The options are non-transferable.Restricted stock and RSU awards are subject to vesting spread over time at the discretion of the committee administering the Incentive Plan. Upon the vesting of RSUs and the Company's determination that any necessary conditions precedent to the release of vested shares have been satisfied, such vested shares will then be made available to the participants. Except as otherwise provided in the Incentive Plan or award agreement, the participants with a restricted stock award shall have all the rights of a stockholder, including the right to vote the shares of restricted stock. The RSU awards granted on May 10, 2023 provide that the recipients do not have rights of a stockholder prior to vesting. The fair value of the Company's common stock on the grant date was $0.072per share. At December 31, 2023, the stock based compensation expense was $492,708. The table below sets forth the vesting schedule with respect to the RSUs granted on May 10, 2023.Vesting Schedule (Number of Shares) | ||||||||||||||||||
Name | Title | Total RSUs | May 10, 2024 | May 10, 2025 | May 10, 2026 | |||||||||||||
Sune Mathiesen | CEO, Director | 6,111,111 | 2,037,037 | 2,037,037 | 2,037,037 | |||||||||||||
Paw Juul | CTO, Director | 5,625,000 | 1,875,000 | 1,875,000 | 1,875,000 | |||||||||||||
Stefan Muehlbauer | CFO | 1,736,111 | 578,704 | 578,704 | 578,703 | |||||||||||||
Kristian Jensen | Director | 1,458,333 | 486,111 | 486,111 | 486,111 | |||||||||||||
4,976,852 | 4,976,852 | 4,976,851 |
14. Commitments and Contingencies
At December 31, 2023, there was no commitment and contingency to report other than what has been disclosed in this report.
F-18 |
15. Income Taxes
The Company and its subsidiaries file separate income tax returns.
Income tax recovery differs from that which would be expected from applying the effective tax rates to the net loss for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 for the Company as follows:
For the Year Ended Dec 31, 2023 | For the Year Ended Dec 31, 2022 | |||||||
Net loss for the year | $ | (2,747,952 | ) | $ | (222,944 | ) | ||
Statutory and effective tax rate | 21 | % | 22 | % | ||||
Income tax recovery at the effective rate | (577,100 | ) | (49,048 | ) | ||||
Change in statutory, foreign tax, foreign exchange rates and other | (6,600 | ) | - | |||||
Permanent differences | 103,400 | - | ||||||
Tax benefit deferred | 480,300 | 49,048 | ||||||
Income tax recovery | $ | - | $ | - |
The Company has accumulated net operating losses for income tax purposes of $2,049,049of which $1,340,280will expire beginning in 2029 and the balance of $708,769is indefinite. The components of the net deferred tax asset at December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the statutory tax rate and the effective tax rate, and the amount of the valuation, are scheduled below:
Dec 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2022 | |||||||
Tax losses carried forward | $ | 4,089,500 | $ | 224,419 | ||||
Intangible Assets and Goodwill temporary differences | 211,900 | - | ||||||
Leases | 49,500 | - | ||||||
Net timing differences | 4,350,900 | 224,419 | ||||||
Statutory and effective tax rate | 21 | % | 22 | % | ||||
Deferred tax assets | 913,700 | 49,372 | ||||||
Valuation allowance | (913,700 | ) | (49,372 | ) | ||||
Net deferred asset | $ | - | $ | - |
16. Legal Matters
The Company has no known legal issues pending.
17. Subsequent Events
None.
F-19 |
SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS GROUP INC.
CONSOLIDATED INTERIM BALANCE SHEETS
(Unaudited)
June 30, | December 31, | |||||||
2024 | 2023 | |||||||
As at | ||||||||
ASSETS | ||||||||
Current Assets: | ||||||||
Cash | $ | 188 | $ | 847,724 | ||||
Prepaid expenses and deposits | 281,049 | 398,067 | ||||||
281,237 | 1,245,791 | |||||||
Right of Use Asset - Note 9 | 1,522,773 | 1,688,003 | ||||||
Equipment - Note 5 | 109,015 | 102,907 | ||||||
Intangible assets - Note 7 | 30,162 | 32,903 | ||||||
TOTAL ASSETS | $ | 1,943,187 | $ | 3,069,604 | ||||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT | ||||||||
LIABILITIES | ||||||||
CURRENT LIABILITIES: | ||||||||
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities - Note 8 | $ | 525,384 | $ | 449,952 | ||||
Amounts due to related parties - Note 12 | 784,055 | 502,397 | ||||||
Other payable - Note 4 | 8,636 | 19,334 | ||||||
Payroll liabilities | 25,543 | 149,148 | ||||||
Note payable, related party - Note 10, 12 | 21,901 | - | ||||||
Notes and interest payable - Note 10 | 71,225 | 69,605 | ||||||
Deposits received | 73,902 | 76,545 | ||||||
Lease liability, current portion - Note 9 | 187,834 | 183,913 | ||||||
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES | 1,698,480 | 1,450,894 | ||||||
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES | ||||||||
Lease Liability obligation, long term - Note 9 | 1,420,096 | 1,559,818 | ||||||
TOTAL NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES | 1,420,096 | 1,559,818 | ||||||
TOTAL LIABILITIES | 3,118,576 | 3,010,712 | ||||||
STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT | ||||||||
Common Stock - Note 11 Par Value: $0.0001Authorized 500,000,000shares Common Stock Issued: 296,037,813(Dec 31, 2023 - 296,037,813) | 29,604 | 29,604 | ||||||
Additional Paid In Capital | 3,586,468 | 3,438,273 | ||||||
Accumulated Deficit | (4,809,664 | ) | (3,359,757 | ) | ||||
Other Accumulated Comprehensive Gain (Loss) | 18,203 | (49,228 | ) | |||||
TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT | (1,175,389 | ) | 58,892 | |||||
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT | $ | 1,943,187 | $ | 3,069,604 |
See accompanying notes to the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements.
F-20 |
SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS GROUP INC.
CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
(Unaudited)
For the Three | For the Three | For the Six | For the Six | |||||||||||||
Months Ended | Months Ended | Months Ended | Months Ended | |||||||||||||
June 30, 2024 | June 30, 2023 | June 30, 2024 | June 30, 2023 | |||||||||||||
Operating Expenses | ||||||||||||||||
Administrative and other operating expenses | $ | 24,868 | $ | 28,387 | $ | 125,898 | $ | 47,451 | ||||||||
Advertising and promotion | 5,290 | 8,157 | 7,437 | 8,157 | ||||||||||||
Amortization ROU Assets | 59,475 | 58,878 | 118,991 | 58,878 | ||||||||||||
Depreciation | 10,357 | 11,687 | 20,569 | 12,457 | ||||||||||||
Consulting fees | 2,010 | 61,221 | 2,010 | 61,221 | ||||||||||||
Management fees | 216,864 | 191,885 | 484,445 | 393,476 | ||||||||||||
Professional fees | 69,673 | 55,622 | 147,615 | 138,930 | ||||||||||||
Rent expense | - | 2,194 | - | 51,801 | ||||||||||||
Office Maintenance & Utilities | 45,545 | 36,116 | 88,434 | 36,116 | ||||||||||||
Wages and salaries | 150,602 | 146,236 | 295,931 | 199,712 | ||||||||||||
Travel Expenses | 18,501 | 10,319 | 48,219 | 17,337 | ||||||||||||
Vehicle expenses | 14,247 | 18,878 | 38,200 | 18,878 | ||||||||||||
Stock based payments | - | 164,236 | 148,195 | 164,236 | ||||||||||||
Lease liability expense | 41,575 | 45,718 | 84,263 | 45,718 | ||||||||||||
Research and development | 207 | - | 7,977 | - | ||||||||||||
Total Operating Expenses | 659,214 | 839,534 | 1,618,184 | 1,254,368 | ||||||||||||
Operating loss before other items | (659,214 | ) | (839,534 | ) | (1,618,184 | ) | (1,254,368 | ) | ||||||||
Miscellaneous income | 82,725 | 69,817 | 169,897 | 91,391 | ||||||||||||
Interest (expense) income | (810 | ) | (976 | ) | (1,620 | ) | 252 | |||||||||
Net loss | (577,299 | ) | (770,693 | ) | (1,449,907 | ) | (1,162,725 | ) | ||||||||
Comprehensive loss - translation | 15,611 | (6,959 | ) | 67,431 | (11,857 | ) | ||||||||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss attributed to shareholders | $ | (561,688 | ) | $ | (777,652 | ) | $ | (1,382,476 | ) | $ | (1,174,582 | ) | ||||
Loss per share of common stock | ||||||||||||||||
-Basic and diluted | $ | (0.002 | ) | $ | (0.003 | ) | $ | (0.005 | ) | $ | (0.005 | ) | ||||
Weighted average no. of shares of common stock | ||||||||||||||||
-Basic and diluted | 296,037,813 | 287,190,813 | 296,037,813 | 217,959,199 |
See accompanying notes to the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements.
F-21 |
SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS GROUP INC.
CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
(Unaudited)
Par Value at |
Additional |
Accumulated Other |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Common | $0.0001 | Paid-in | Accumulated | Comprehensive | ||||||||||||||||||||
For June 30, 2024 | Shares | Amount | Capital | Deficit | Loss | Total | ||||||||||||||||||
Balance, December 31, 2023 | 296,037,813 | $ | 29,604 | - | - | $ | 3,438,273 | $ | (3,359,757 | ) | $ | (49,228 | ) | $ | 58,892 | |||||||||
Stock based payments | - | - | 148,195 | (148,195 | ) | - | - | |||||||||||||||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss | - | - | - | - | - | (724,413 | ) | 51,820 | (672,593 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Balance, March 31, 2024 | 296,037,813 | 29,604 | - | - | 3,586,468 | (4,232,365 | ) | 2,592 | (613,701 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss | - | - | - | - | - | (577,299 | ) | 15,611 | (561,688 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Balance, June 30, 2024 | 296,037,813 | $ | 29,604 | - | - | $ | 3,586,468 | $ | (4,809,664 | ) | $ | 18,203 | $ | (1,175,389 | ) |
Common | Par Value at $0.0001 | Share | Additional Paid-in | Shares | Accumulated | Accumulated Other Comprehensive | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For June 30, 2023 | Shares | Amount | Capital | Capital | Subscribed | Deficit | Loss | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance, December 31, 2022 | 50,000 | $ | - | $ | 7,940 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | (224,419 | ) | $ | (4,853 | ) | $ | (221,332 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Common stock issued in reverse acquisition* | 287,140,813 | 28,719 | (7,940 | ) | - | - | (387,386 | ) | - | (366,607 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss | - | - | - | - | - | (392,032 | ) | (4,898 | ) | (396,930 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Balance, March 31, 2023 | 287,190,813 | $ | 28,719 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | (1,003,837 | ) | $ | (9,751 | ) | $ | (984,869 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Shares subscribed at $0.25per share | - | - | - | - | 375,000 | - | - | 375,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares subscribed at $0.35per share | - | - | - | - | 877,100 | - | - | 877,100 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stock based payments | - | - | - | 164,236 | - | (164,236 | ) | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss | - | - | - | - | - | (606,457 | ) | (6,959 | ) | (613,416 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Balance, June 30, 2023 | 287,190,813 | $ | 28,719 | $ | - | $ | 164,236 | $ | 1,252,100 | $ | (1,774,530 | ) | $ | (16,710 | ) | $ | (346,185 | ) |
* | Including 71,979,703shares of common stock issued pursuant to a convertible loan settlement, as disclosed in Note 11. |
See accompanying notes to the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements.
F-22 |
SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS GROUP INC.
CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
For the Six | For the Six | |||||||
Months Ended | Months Ended | |||||||
June 30, 2024 | June 30, 2023 | |||||||
Cash Flows from operating activities: | ||||||||
Net loss | $ | (1,449,907 | ) | $ | (1,162,725 | ) | ||
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||||||
Depreciation | 20,569 | 12,457 | ||||||
ROU amortization | 118,991 | 58,878 | ||||||
Stock based compensation | 148,195 | 164,236 | ||||||
Interest on lease payments | 84,263 | - | ||||||
Changes in current assets and liabilities | ||||||||
Prepaid expenses | 117,018 | (211,882 | ) | |||||
Accounts receivable | - | (47 | ) | |||||
Other receivables | - | (76,182 | ) | |||||
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 75,432 | 445,324 | ||||||
Interest payable | 1,620 | - | ||||||
Payroll liabilities | (123,605 | ) | 53,807 | |||||
Other payables | (10,698 | ) | - | |||||
Deposits received | (2,643 | ) | 71,109 | |||||
Deferred revenue | - | 8,388 | ||||||
Amount due to related parties | 303,559 | 490,341 | ||||||
Net cash used in operating activities | (717,206 | ) | (146,296 | ) | ||||
Cash Flows from investing activities: | ||||||||
Office equipment | (2,648 | ) | (108,837 | ) | ||||
Filtration equipment | (24,931 | ) | (25,056 | ) | ||||
Intangible assets | - | (10,538 | ) | |||||
Net cash used in investing activities | (27,579 | ) | (144,431 | ) | ||||
Cash Flows from financing activities: | ||||||||
Proceeds from note and interest payable, related party | - | 14,605 | ||||||
Proceeds from note payable and interest payable | - | 67,966 | ||||||
Shares subscribed | - | 1,252,100 | ||||||
Common stock issued in reverse acquisition | - | (366,607 | ) | |||||
Lease payments | (170,865 | ) | (45,718 | ) | ||||
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (170,865 | ) | 922,346 | |||||
Effect of foreign exchange on cash | 68,114 | (2,111 | ) | |||||
Net (decrease) increase in cash | (847,536 | ) | 629,508 | |||||
Cash at beginning of period | 847,724 | - | ||||||
Cash at end of period | $ | 188 | $ | 629,508 | ||||
Supplemental Disclosures | ||||||||
Cash paid for: | ||||||||
Interest | $ | - | $ | - |
See accompanying notes to the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements.
F-23 |
SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS GROUP INC.
NOTES TO THE INTERIM CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
June 30, 2024
1. Organization and Nature of Operations
Sustainable Projects Group Inc. (the "Company") was incorporated in the State of Nevada, USA on September 4, 2009 as Blue Spa Incorporated. On December 19, 2016, the Company amended its name from "Blue Spa Incorporated" to "Sustainable Petroleum Group Inc." On September 6, 2017, the Company obtained a majority vote from its shareholders to amend the Company's name from "Sustainable Petroleum Group Inc." to "Sustainable Projects Group Inc." to better reflect its business at the time. The name change was effective on October 20, 2017. Prior to the Exchange Transaction (as defined below), the Company was a multinational business development company that pursued investments and partnerships with companies across sustainable sectors. The Company also was involved in consulting services and collaborative partnerships.
The Company is a pure-play lithium company focused on supplying high performance lithium compounds to the fast-growing electric vehicle and broader battery markets. It has developed a proprietary technology to extract lithium from oilfield wastewater, which it believes will enable it to manufacture lithium compounds quickly, at an attractive cost, and with a minimal environmental footprint, which it expects to provide a competitive advantage over other lithium manufacturers.
On February 14, 2023, the Company entered into a Securities Exchange Agreement (the "Agreement") with Lithium Harvest ApS ("Lithium Harvest"), and all the shareholders of Lithium Harvest (the "Shareholders"). Pursuant to the Agreement, the Company acquired all outstanding shares of capital stock of Lithium Harvest in exchange for issuing to the Shareholders 206,667,233shares of the Company's common stock (the "Exchange Transaction"). In addition, the lender of a convertible note payable exercised its conversion feature and received 71,797,703shares of common stock in exchange for its debt and interest. The Exchange Transaction represents a change of control and was accounted for as a reverse acquisition with Lithium Harvest being the accounting acquirer and the Company being the accounting acquiree. As a result of the transaction, the number of shares of common stock outstanding was increased to 287,190,813.The Company's year-end is December 31.
2. Going Concern
These consolidated interim financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States or "GAAP," which contemplate continuation of the Company as a going concern. However, the Company has limited revenue and has sustained operating losses resulting in a deficit. In view of these matters, realization of a major portion of the assets in the accompanying consolidated interim balance sheets is dependent upon the continued operations of the Company, which in turn is dependent upon the Company's ability to meet its financing requirements, and the successful completion of the Company's planned lithium production facilities.
The Company has accumulated a deficit of $4,809,664since inception and has yet to achieve profitable operations and further losses are anticipated in the development of its business. The Company's ability to continue as a going concern is in substantial doubt and is dependent upon obtaining additional financing and/or achieving a sustainable profitable level of operations. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.The Company had $188in cash as of June 30, 2024. The Company will need to raise additional cash in order to fund ongoing operations over the next 12 months. The Company may seek additional equity as necessary, and it expects to raise funds through private or public equity investment in order to support its existing operations and expand the range of its business. There is no assurance that such additional funds will be available for the Company on acceptable terms, if at all.F-24 |
3. Summary of accounting policies
Basis of presentation
While the information presented is unaudited, it includes all adjustments, which are, in the opinion of management, necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and cashflows for the interim period presented in accordance with GAAP. All adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. These consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's audited December 31, 2023 year-end financial statements. Operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 are not necessarily indicative of the results that can be expected for the year ending December 31, 2024.
Reverse Acquisition
The Exchange Transaction between the Company and Lithium Harvest was accounted for as a "reverse acquisition" since, immediately following completion of the Exchange Transaction, the Shareholders effectuated control of the post-combination Company. For accounting purposes, Lithium Harvest was deemed to be the accounting acquirer in the transaction and, consequently, the transaction is treated as a recapitalization of Lithium Harvest (i.e., a capital transaction involving the issuance of shares by the Company for the shares of Lithium Harvest). Accordingly, the consolidated assets, liabilities and results of operations of Lithium Harvest became the historical financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, and the Company's assets, liabilities and results of operations were consolidated with those of Lithium Harvest beginning on the acquisition date. No step-up in basis or intangible assets or goodwill was recorded in this Exchange Transaction. As a result of the Exchange Transaction, Lithium Harvest became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.
Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements
The Company restated its Consolidated Interim Balance Sheets as of June 30, 2023, Consolidated Interim Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss, Consolidated Interim Statements of Stockholders' Deficit, Consolidated Interim Statements of Cash Flows and its Notes to the Consolidated Interim Financial Statements for each of the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, which was originally filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on August 22, 2023 (the "Original Form 10-Q"). These consolidated interim financial statements were restated to reflect the identification of impairment of goodwill, intellectual property and inventories associated with the Company's intellectual property related to its YER Brands subsidiary in the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022. These financial statements include the impairment of inventory, intellectual properties and intangible assets of YER Brands Inc.
1. Restatement of Financial Statements:
The Company restated its financial statements as of and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, included in its Original Form 10-Q, due to the identification of impairment of goodwill associated with the Company's intellectual property related to its YER Brands subsidiary. This impairment occurred subsequent to the filing of the Original Form 10-Q, retroactively, and resulted in material adjustments to the consolidated interim financial statements. The impairment assessment was performed in accordance with GAAP.
2. Change in Accounting Treatment of Reverse Acquisition:
The Company revised its accounting treatment for a reverse acquisition that was previously reported in its Original Form 10-Q. Upon further evaluation, the Company determined that prior year adjustments were necessary. The Company impaired goodwill and intellectual property and wrote-off inventory of YER Brands Inc. as of the year ended December 31, 2021.
Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated unaudited interim financial statements include the accounts of the Sustainable Projects Group Inc., Lithium Harvest ApS and YER Brands Inc. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated in the consolidation process.
F-25 |
Operating Leases - Right of Use Assets
In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-02, Leases ("Topic 842"). The new standard establishes a right-of-use model that requires a lessee to record a right-of-use asset ("ROU asset") and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. For leases with an initial term of 12 months or less, a lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset not to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. If a lessee makes this election, it should recognize lease expense for such leases generally on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition. Similarly, lessors will be required to classify leases as sales-type, finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of income recognition. Classification for both lessees and lessors will be based on an assessment of whether risks and rewards as well as substantive control have been transferred through a lease contract.
The Company adopted the new standard as of April 1, 2023. The Company has elected not to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities for leases with an initial term of 12 months or less. There are no other material asset leases, whether operating or finance, except as indicated below.
Lithium Harvest has one office lease. The lease conveys no ownership at the end of the lease term and contains no purchase option nor any guarantee of residual value. The lease does not contain renewal periods at the end of the term. The lease is amortized straight line over the entire term of the office lease agreement. The Company uses an annual interest rate of 10%, or a rate of 2.50% per quarter. This operating lease is classified as an ROU asset under the new standard (Topic 842). The office lease commenced April 1, 2023.Lithium Harvest has one software lease. The lease conveys no ownership at the end of the lease term and contains no purchase option nor any guarantee of residual value. The lease has one renewal period of one year at the end of the term. The lease is amortized straight line over the entire term of the software lease. The Company uses an annual interest rate of 10%, or a rate of 2.50% per quarter. This operating lease was classified as an ROU asset under the new standard (Topic 842). The software lease commenced May 1, 2023.Lithium Harvest has one equipment lease. The lease conveys no ownership at the end of the lease term and contains no purchase option nor any guarantee of residual value. The lease does not contain renewal periods at the end of the term. The lease is amortized straight line over the entire term of the equipment lease. The Company uses an annual interest rate of 10%, or a rate of 2.50% per quarter. This operating lease is classified as an ROU asset under the new standard (Topic 842). The equipment lease commenced June 1, 2023.Lithium Harvest has one service equipment lease. The lease conveys no ownership at the end of the lease term and contains no purchase option nor any guarantee of residual value. The lease does not contain renewal periods at the end of the term. The lease is amortized straight line over the entire term of the service equipment lease. The Company uses an annual interest rate of 10%, or a rate of 2.50% per quarter. This operating lease was classified as an ROU asset under the new standard (Topic 842). The service equipment lease commenced May 10, 2023.Significant Accounting Policies
There have been no material changes in the Company's significant accounting policies previously disclosed in the December 31, 2023 annual report.
F-26 |
Use of estimates
The preparation of the consolidated interim financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Management makes its best estimate of the ultimate outcome for these items based on historical trends and other information available when the financial statements are prepared. Changes in estimates are recognized in accordance with the accounting rules for the estimate, which is typically in the period when new information becomes available to management. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Segment Reporting
The Company reports segment information based on the "management" approach. The management approach designates the internal reporting used by management for making decisions and assessing performance of its various businesses on a corporation-wide basis. As of June 30, 2024, the Company has three reportable segments: YER Brands, Sustainable Projects Group and Lithium Harvest. The segments are determined based on several factors including the nature of products and services, nature of production processes and delivery channels and consultancy services. Each operating segment's performance is evaluated based on its segment income. Segment income is defined as gross sales and miscellaneous income. For the six months ended June 30, 2024 and the year ended December 31, 2023, segment income and total assets were reported as follows:
For the Six | For the Year | |||||||
Months Ended | Ended | |||||||
June 30, |
December 31, 2023 | |||||||
Sales and miscellaneous income | ||||||||
Sustainable Projects Group | $ | - | $ | - | ||||
YER Brands | - | - | ||||||
Lithium Harvest | 169,897 | 251,089 | ||||||
Total Sales | $ | 169,897 | $ | 251,089 | ||||
Total Assets | ||||||||
Sustainable Projects Group | $ | 16,014 | $ | 6,090 | ||||
YER Brands | - | - | ||||||
Lithium Harvest | 1,927,173 | 3,063,514 | ||||||
Total Assets | $ | 1,943,187 | $ | 3,069,604 |
Revenue Recognition
The Company adopted Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 606, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" ("ASC 606"). The Company recognizes revenue when the Company transfers promised services to the customer. The performance obligation is the monthly services rendered. The Company has one main revenue source at the moment from Lithium Harvest, which is sub-leasing office space with and/or without furniture. Accordingly, the Company recognizes revenue when services are provided. This revenue is billed in advance, arrears and/or is prepaid. The performance obligation is the monthly services rendered. Where there is a sub-leasing contract for office space with and/or without furniture, the Company bills monthly for its services as rendered. Where there is no contract, the revenue is recognized when received.
The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with ASC 606 using the following five steps to identify revenues:
● | identify the contract with a customer; | |
● | identify the performance obligations in the contract; | |
● | determine the transaction price; | |
● | allocate the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract; and | |
● | recognize revenue as the performance obligation is satisfied. |
Sub-leasing office
The Company recognizes revenue when the Company transfers promised services to the customer. The performance obligation is the monthly services rendered. The Company has one main revenue source at the moment from Lithium Harvest, which is sub-leasing office space with and/or without furniture. Accordingly, the Company recognizes revenue when services are provided. These revenues are billed in advance, arrears and/or are prepaid. The performance obligation is the monthly services rendered. Where there is a sub-leasing contract for office space with and/or without furniture, the Company bills monthly for its services as rendered.
F-27 |
A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to the customer and is the unit of account in the new revenue standard. The contract transaction price is allocated to each distinct performance obligation and recognized as revenue when or as the performance obligation is satisfied.
Advances from clients' deposits are contract liabilities with customers that represent our obligation to either transfer goods or services in the future, or refund the amount received. Where possible, we obtain retainers to lessen our risk of non-payment by our customers. Advances from clients' deposits are recognized as revenue as we meet specified performance obligations as detailed in the contract.
The income earned from sub-leasing office space is recognized as "miscellaneous income".
Accounts Receivable and Concentration of Risk
Accounts receivable, net is stated at the amount the Company expects to collect, or the net realizable value. The Company provides a provision for allowances that includes returns, allowances and doubtful accounts equal to the estimated uncollectible amounts. The Company estimates its provision for allowances based on historical collection experience and a review of the current status of trade accounts receivable. It is reasonably possible that the Company's estimate of the provision for allowances will change.
Income Taxes
The Company uses the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes in accordance with ASC 740, "Income Taxes" ("ASC 740"). Under this method, income tax expense is recognized as the amount of: (i) taxes payable or refundable for the current year and (ii) future tax consequences attributable to differences between financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in the results of operations in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is provided to reduce the deferred tax assets reported if based on the weight of available evidence it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
Recently issued accounting pronouncements
The Company adopts new pronouncements relating to GAAP applicable to the Company as they are issued, which may be in advance of their effective date. Management does not believe that any pronouncements not included above will have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
4. Other Receivables/Payables
Other receivables/payables pertain to VAT (value added taxes) receivables/payables of Lithium Harvest. The standard VAT rate in Denmark is 25%.5. Equipment
Equipment as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 is summarized as follows:
Accumulated | ||||||||||||
As of June 30, 2024 | Cost | Depreciation | Net | |||||||||
Computer | $ | 23,262 | $ | 11,498 | $ | 11,764 | ||||||
Equipment | 5,000 | 5,000 | - | |||||||||
Office Furniture & Equipment | 92,663 | 40,972 | 51,691 | |||||||||
Machinery under construction | 45,560 | - | 45,560 | |||||||||
$ | 166,485 | $ | 57,470 | $ | 109,015 |
Accumulated | ||||||||||||
As of December 31, 2023 | Cost | Depreciation | Net | |||||||||
Computer | $ | 21,088 | $ | 8,461 | $ | 12,627 | ||||||
Equipment | 5,000 | 5,000 | - | |||||||||
Office Furniture & Equipment | 95,320 | 26,260 | 69,060 | |||||||||
Machinery under construction | 21,220 | - | 21,220 | |||||||||
$ | 142,628 | $ | 39,721 | $ | 102,907 |
Machinery under construction has not been depreciated as it is not yet available for use.
6. Reverse AcquisitionOn February 14, 2023, the Company entered into the Agreement with Lithium Harvest and all the Shareholders. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Company acquired all outstanding shares of capital stock of Lithium Harvest in exchange for issuing to the Shareholders 206,667,233shares of the Company's common stock. The lender of a convertible note payable exercised its conversion feature and received 71,797,703shares of common stock in exchange for its debt and interest. The Exchange Transaction represents a change of control and was accounted for as a reverse acquisition with Lithium Harvest being the accounting acquirer and the Company being the accounting acquiree. As a result of the Exchange Transaction, the number of shares of common stock outstanding increased to 287,190,813. The purchase price of Lithium Harvest was valued at $10,333,362using the fair market value of the Company's common stock price on the date of the Exchange Transaction, February 14, 2023.F-28 |
7. Intangible Assets
Intangible assets as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 are summarized as follows:
Accumulated | ||||||||||||
As of June 30, 2024 | Cost | Depreciation | Net | |||||||||
Patent - Denmark | $ | 34,964 | $ | 4,802 | $ | 30,162 |
Accumulated | ||||||||||||
As of December 31, 2023 | Cost | Depreciation | Net | |||||||||
Patent - Denmark | $ | 35,967 | $ | 3,064 | $ | 32,903 |
8. Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 are summarized as follows:
Accounts Payable: | Jun 30, 2024 | Dec 31, 2023 | ||||||
Accounting fee | $ | 28,470 | $ | 25,597 | ||||
Audit fee | 81,750 | 750 | ||||||
Consulting fee | 73,266 | 73,266 | ||||||
Machinery under construction | 966 | - | ||||||
Rental expenses | 63,992 | 63,992 | ||||||
Professional fees | 148,123 | 176,767 | ||||||
Others | 96,613 | 42,330 | ||||||
$ | 493,180 | $ | 382,702 |
Accrued liabilities: | Jun 30, 2024 | Dec 31, 2023 | ||||||
Professional fees | $ | 20,007 | $ | - | ||||
Accounting fees | 4,318 | - | ||||||
Audit fees | 5,000 | 67,250 | ||||||
General and Administrative | 2,879 | - | ||||||
$ | 32,204 | $ | 67,250 |
F-29 |
9. Right of Use Assets and Lease Liability
The Company has entered into lease agreements with various third parties. The terms of the Company's operating leases range from 12to 94months. These operating leases are included in "Right of Use Assets" on the Company's Consolidated Interim Balance Sheets and represent the Company's right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. The Company's obligation to make lease payments is included in "Lease liability" on the Company's Consolidated Interim Balance Sheets. Additionally, the Company has entered into various short-term operating leases with an initial term of 12 months or less. These leases are not recorded on the Company's Consolidated Interim Balance Sheets. All operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.June 30, | December 31, | |||||||
2024 | 2023 | |||||||
Right-of-use asset | ||||||||
Right-of-use asset, net | $ | 1,522,773 | $ | 1,688,003 | ||||
Lease liability | ||||||||
Current lease liability | $ | 187,834 | $ | 183,913 | ||||
Non-current lease liability | 1,420,096 | 1,559,818 | ||||||
Total lease liability | $ | 1,607,930 | $ | 1,743,731 | ||||
Remaining lease term and discount rate | ||||||||
Weighted average remaining lease term | 78months | 84months | ||||||
Discount rate used | 10 | % | 10 | % |
Commitments
The following table summarizes the future minimum lease payments due under the Company's operating leases as of June 30, 2024:
Remainder of 2024 | $ | 170,865 | ||
Thereafter | 2,041,030 | |||
Less: imputed interest | (603,965 | ) | ||
Total | $ | 1,607,930 |
10. Notes Payable, Convertible Notes Payable and Obligation to Issue Shares
On March 1, 2019, the Company entered into an unsecured loan agreement for $50,000with an interest rate of 3.5% per annum. The loan was originally due on or before April 15, 2022. On March 28, 2022, the term of the loan agreement was extended to April 15, 2024. At June 30, 2024, the Company is in default, and there was $9,335(June 30, 2023 - $7,580) in accrued interest under the loan. The Company is negotiating new terms.F-30 |
11. Common Stock
There were no stock transactions during the period ended June 30, 2024. At June 30, 2024, the Company had 296,037,813shares of common stock issued and outstanding.The following stock transactions occurred with respect to the Company's common stock during the year ended December 31, 2023:
a) | On February 14, 2023, 206,667,233shares of common stock valued at $10,333,362were issued to the shareholders of Lithium Harvest pursuant to the Agreement with Lithium Harvest with respect to the Exchange Transaction. | |
b) | On February 14, 2023, 71,979,703shares of common stock valued at $3,589,885were issued to a lender pursuant to a convertible loan settlement in connection with the Exchange Transaction. | |
c) | On August 18, 2023, 1,500,000shares of common stock valued at $375,000were issued to an investor pursuant to a private placement subscription at $0.25per share. | |
d) | On August 18, 2023, an aggregate of 4,006,000shares of common stock valued at $1,402,100were issued to investors pursuant to private placement subscriptions at $0.35per share. | |
e) | On December 22, 2023, an aggregate of 3,341,000shares of common stock valued at $1,169,350were issued to investors pursuant to private placement subscriptions at $0.35per share. |
12. Related Party transactions
Related party transactions as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 are summarized as follows:
Jun 30, 2024 | Dec 31, 2023 | |||||||
Accounts payable | $ | 302,775 | $ | 205,558 | ||||
Accrued liabilities | 481,280 | 296,839 | ||||||
$ | 784,055 | $ | 502,397 |
F-31 |
F-32 |
13. Stock Based Compensation
On May 10, 2023, the Company granted restricted stock unit ("RSU") awards to certain key employees and directors under the Company's 2023 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Incentive Plan"). The settlement of these RSU awards was subject to stockholder approval. The Company was authorized to grant options and other stock-based awards to executive officers, directors, employees and consultants enabling them to acquire up to 45,000,000shares of common stock of the Company. The maximum term and/or vesting period was required to not be more than ten yearsfrom the grant date.RSU awards were subject to vesting spread over time at the discretion of the committee administering the Incentive Plan. Upon the vesting of RSUs and the Company's determination that any necessary conditions precedent to the release of vested shares had been satisfied, such vested shares would have been made available to the participants. The RSU awards granted on May 10, 2023 provided that the recipients did not have rights of a stockholder prior to vesting. The fair value of the Company's common stock on the grant date was $0.072per share. At June 30, 2024, the stock based compensation expense was $640,902.Pursuant to the terms of the Incentive Plan, because the Incentive Plan did not receive approval of the Company's stockholders on or before May 10, 2024, the Incentive Plan and all awards issued thereunder are of no further force and effect. Therefore, the Incentive Plan and all RSU awards issued under the Incentive Plan automatically terminated on May 11, 2024.
The table below sets forth the original vesting schedule with respect to the RSUs granted on May 10, 2023.
Vesting Schedule (Number of Shares) | ||||||||||||||||||
Name | Title | Total RSUs | May 10, 2024 | May 10, 2025 | May 10, 2026 | |||||||||||||
Sune Mathiesen | CEO, Director | 6,111,111 | 2,037,037 | 2,037,037 | 2,037,037 | |||||||||||||
Paw Juul | CTO, Director | 5,625,000 | 1,875,000 | 1,875,000 | 1,875,000 | |||||||||||||
Stefan Muehlbauer | CFO, Secretary | 1,736,111 | 578,704 | 578,704 | 578,703 | |||||||||||||
Kristian Jensen | Director | 1,458,333 | 486,111 | 486,111 | 486,111 | |||||||||||||
4,976,852 | 4,976,852 | 4,976,851 |
Vesting Schedule (Number of Shares) | ||||||||||||||||||
Name | Title | Total RSUs | May 10, 2024 | May 10, 2025 | May 10, 2026 | |||||||||||||
Sune Mathiesen | CEO, Director | 6,111,111 | 2,037,037 | 2,037,037 | 2,037,037 | |||||||||||||
Paw Juul | CTO, Director | 5,625,000 | 1,875,000 | 1,875,000 | 1,875,000 | |||||||||||||
Stefan Muehlbauer | CFO, Secretary | 1,736,111 | 578,704 | 578,704 | 578,703 | |||||||||||||
13,472,222 | 4,490,741 | 4,490,741 | 4,490,740 |
14. Commitments and Contingencies
At June 30, 2024, there were no commitments or contingencies to report other than what has been disclosed in this report.
15. Income Taxes
The Company and its subsidiaries file separate income tax returns.
The Company files income tax returns in the United States of America and in the States of Florida and Indiana for Sustainable Projects Group Inc. and YER Brands Inc., respectively, and is subject to a U.S. federal corporate income tax rate of 21%. The Company generated a taxable loss for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023. Lithium Harvest is subject to a Danish corporate income tax rate of 22%.16. Legal Matters
The Company has no known legal issues pending.
17. Subsequent Events
Subsequent to June 30, 2024, a company controlled by the CEO and director of the Company loaned the Company an additional aggregate of approximately $221,140(DKK 1,511,919). The loan bears no interest and is due on or before September 30, 2024. If the loan is not paid by September 30, 2024, then the loan shall bear a rate of 5% interest.F-33 |
41,986,090 Shares
Sustainable Projects Group Inc.
Common Stock
PROSPECTUS
, 2024
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The following table sets forth the costs and expenses payable solely by us in connection with the sale of the securities being registered hereby. All amounts, other than the SEC registration fee, are estimates.
Amount | ||||
SEC registration fee | $ | 1,286 | ||
Accounting fees and expenses | 5,000 | |||
Legal fees and expenses | 36,000 | |||
Transfer agent fees and expenses | 3,000 | |||
Printing and related fees | 1,000 | |||
Advisory fees | - | |||
Miscellaneous fees and expenses | - | |||
Total | $ | 46,286 |
Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
The Nevada Revised Statutes ("NRS")
Under Nevada law, a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, except an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses, including attorneys' fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the action, suit or proceeding if he or she:
(a) | is not liable pursuant to NRS § 78.138; or | |
(b) | acted in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. |
The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, does not, of itself, create a presumption that the person is liable pursuant to NRS § 78.138 or did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, or that, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, he or she had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
Under our By-laws, every person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, because he or a person whom he legally represents is or was a director or officer of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation or for its benefit as a director or officer of another corporation, or as its representative in a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, is indemnified and held harmless to the fullest legally permissible under Chapter 78 of the NRS from time to time against all expenses, liability, and loss (including attorney's fees, judgments, fines, and amounts paid or to be paid in settlements) reasonably incurred or suffered by him in connection with his acting.
The expenses of officers and directors incurred in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding must be paid by the corporation as they are incurred and in advance of the final disposition of the action, suit, or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director or officer to repay the amount if it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation. The right of indemnification is a contract right that may be enforced in any manner desired by the person. The right of indemnification does not extinguish any other right that the directors, officers, or representatives may have or later acquire and, without limiting the generality of the statement, they are entitled to their respective rights of indemnification under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders, provision of law, or otherwise, as well as their rights under Article 12 of our By-laws.
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We have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC, insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable. In the event a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than our payment of expenses incurred or paid by our director, officer, or controlling person 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, we will, unless in the opinion of our counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by us is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers, or employees in which indemnification is sought, nor are we aware of any threatened litigation that may result in claims for indemnification.
We intend to enter into separate, but substantively identical, indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers. The indemnification agreements will allow us to indemnify each of them to the fullest extent permitted by Nevada law.
Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.
During the past three years, we issued the following securities, which were not registered under the Securities Act. Except as otherwise provided below, the Company relied upon the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act or under Regulation D promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act.
Convertible Notes
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company issued 640,000 shares of common stock in a debt settlement transaction, settling a convertible note payable with a principal balance of $20,000 and accrued interest of $1,098.
Kestrel Flight Fund LLC loaned the Company $100,000 pursuant to a Loan Agreement dated July 21, 2021, by and between the Company and Kestrel Flight Fund LLC, which was subsequently amended on June 22, 2022, to increase the Loan amount by $25,000 to a total of $125,000. The Loan accrued interest at the rate of 10% per annum and converted into the Company's common stock upon the effectiveness of the Exchange Transaction.
Exchange Transaction
The following stock transactions occurred with respect to the Company's common stock in regards to the reverse acquisition of Legacy Lithium Harvest:
a) | On February 14, 2023, 206,667,233 shares of common stock valued at $10,333,362 were issued to the shareholders of Legacy Lithium Harvest pursuant to the Exchange Agreement with Legacy Lithium Harvest with respect to the Exchange Transaction. | |
b) | On February 14, 2023, 71,979,703 shares of common stock valued at $3,589,885 were issued to Kestrel Flight Fund LLC pursuant to settlement of the Loan in connection with the Exchange Transaction. |
2023 Private Placements
Between March 30, 2023 and December 4, 2023, the Company entered into Purchase Agreements with the Investors, pursuant to which the Company issued 1,500,000 shares of common stock at $0.25 per share on August 18, 2023, 4,006,000 shares of common stock at $0.35 per share on August 18, 2023 and 3,341,000 shares of common stock at $0.35 per share on December 22, 2023. In total, 8,847,000 Private Placement Shares were purchased by the Investors, resulting in aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $2,946,450.
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Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
(a) Exhibits.
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23.1 | Consent of Hutchison & Steffen, PLLC (included in Exhibit 5.1). | |
23.2 | Consent of Centurion ZD CPA & Co., Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. | |
24.1 | Powers of Attorney (included on the signature pages of this registration statement). | |
107 | Filing Fee Table. |
Item 17. 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 of 1933;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the 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 the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Filing Fee Tables" or "Calculation of Registration Fee" table, as applicable, in the effective 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 such information in the registration statement;
Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (ii), and (iii) 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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, 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.
(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
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(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(b) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 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 Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 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 and 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 hereby, 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.
(c) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1), or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus 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.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Houston, State of Texas, on October 31, 2024.
Sustainable Projects Group Inc. | ||
By: | /s/ Sune Mathiesen | |
Sune Mathiesen | ||
Chief Executive Officer |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Sune Mathiesen and Stefan Muehlbauer, and each one of them, as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and redistribution, for him and in their 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 sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by this registration statement that is to be effective on filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, and all post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his substitute or substitutes, 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 and on the dates indicated.
SIGNATURE | TITLE | DATE | ||
/s/ Sune Mathiesen | Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer | October 31, 2024 | ||
Sune Mathiesen | (principal executive officer) | |||
/s/ Stefan Muehlbauer | Chief Financial Officer and Secretary | October 31, 2024 | ||
Stefan Muehlbauer | (principal financial and accounting officer) | |||
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