Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Description of the Business

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Description of the Business
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Description of the Business Description of the Business
Nauticus Robotics, Inc. (the “Company”, “our”, "us" or “we”) develops autonomous robots for the ocean industries. We were initially incorporated as CleanTech Acquisition Corp. (“CLAQ”) under the laws of the State of Delaware on June 18, 2020. The Company’s principal corporate offices are located in Webster, Texas. Nauticus’ robotic systems and services are designed to address both commercial and government-facing customers. Nauticus Robotics, Inc. develops autonomous robots for the ocean industries. Autonomy requires the extensive use of sensors, artificial intelligence, and effective algorithms for perception and decision allowing the robot to adapt to changing environments. The company’s business model includes using robotic systems for service, selling vehicles and components, and licensing of related software to both the commercial and defense business sectors. Nauticus has designed and is currently testing and certifying a new generation of vehicles to reduce operational cost and gather data to maintain and operate a wide variety of subsea infrastructure. Besides a standalone service offering and forward-facing products, Nauticus’ approach to ocean robotics has also resulted in the development of a range of technology products for retrofit/upgrading legacy systems and other third-party vehicle platforms. Nauticus’ services provide customers with the necessary data collection, analytics, and subsea manipulation capabilities to support and maintain assets while reducing their operational footprint, operating cost, and greenhouse gas emissions, to improve offshore health, safety, and environmental exposure.
Business Combination - On September 9, 2022 (the “Closing Date”), Nauticus Robotics, Inc. consummated its business combination pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement,” and together with the other agreements and transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the “Business Combination”) with CleanTech Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of CLAQ (“Merger Sub”), and Nauticus Robotics, Inc., a Texas corporation (prior to the Closing Date, “Nauticus Robotics Holdings, Inc.”). Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, a business combination between CLAQ and Nauticus Robotics Holdings, Inc. was affected through the merger of Merger Sub with and into Nauticus Robotics Holdings, Inc., with Nauticus Robotics Holdings, Inc. surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of CLAQ. On the Closing Date, CLAQ was renamed “Nauticus Robotics, Inc.” and the previous Nauticus Robotics, Inc. was renamed “Nauticus Robotics Holdings, Inc.”.
At the closing, among other things, (a) each share of Nauticus Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, that was issued and outstanding immediately prior to the closing converted into shares of Nauticus Common stock, par value $0.01 per share, (“Nauticus Preferred Stock Conversion”); (b) each of Nauticus Robotic Holdings, Inc.’s unsecured convertible note obligations outstanding was converted into shares of Nauticus Common Stock in accordance with the terms of each such Nauticus Convertible Note; and (c) each share of Nauticus Common Stock (including shares of Nauticus Common Stock outstanding as a result of the Nauticus Preferred Stock Conversion and Nauticus Convertible Notes Conversion) was converted into the right to receive (i) the per share merger consideration and (ii) Earnout Shares.
Shares issued at closing is summarized as follows (i) an aggregate of 36,650,778 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 (the “Common Stock” of CLAQ prior to the Closing, and the Common Stock of Nauticus following the Closing) shares were issued to holders of Nauticus Common Stock in the Business Combination (ii) the right to receive 7,499,993 additional shares of Common Stock held in escrow pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement and as further described below (such additional escrowed shares, the “Earnout Shares”) and (iii) the issuance of 3,100,000 shares of Common Stock for the Equity Financing (as described below). An aggregate of 47,250,771 shares of Common Stock (inclusive of the Earnout Shares) was issued after the Business Combination.
Former holders of Nauticus Common Stock are entitled to receive their pro rata share of up to 7,499,993 additional shares of Common Stock (the “Earnout Shares”) held in escrow. The Earnout Shares will be released upon occurrence of the following (each, a “Triggering Event”):
i.one-half of the Earnout Shares will be released if, within a 5-year period, the volume-weighted average price of our Common Stock equals or exceeds $15.00 per share over any 20 trading days within a 30-day trading period;
ii.one-quarter of the Earnout Shares will be released if, within a 5-year period, the volume-weighted average price of our Common Stock equals or exceeds $17.50 per share over any 20 trading days within a 30-day trading period; and
iii.one-quarter of the Earnout Shares will be released if, within a 5-year period, the volume-weighted average price of our Common Stock equals or exceeds $20.00 per share over any 20 trading days within a 30-day trading period.
At closing, we received proceeds from Private Investment in a Public Entity subscribers (“PIPE Investment”) consisting of:
the issuance of 3,100,000 shares of Common Stock, for a purchase price of $10.00 per share and an aggregate purchase price of $31 million (the “Equity Financing”), and
the issuance of secured Debentures with warrants having an aggregate principal amount of $36,530,320 (the “Debentures”) pursuant to a securities purchase agreement with certain investors providing net proceeds of $35,800,000 inclusive of a 2% original issue discount. The fair value of the SPA Warrants was estimated to be $20,949,110 using a Monte Carlo valuation model incorporating future projections of the various potential outcomes and any exercise price adjustments based on future financing events. The Debentures are convertible into 2,922,425 shares of Common Stock and associated warrants for an additional 2,922,425 shares with an exercise price equal to $20 per share, subject to adjustment (“SPA Warrants”).
The Business Combination was accounted for as a reverse recapitalization under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). Nauticus Robotics Holdings Inc. was determined to be the accounting acquirer and CLAQ was treated as the acquired company for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the financial statements of the combined company represent a continuation of the financial statements of Nauticus Robotics Holdings Inc.
On September 9, 2022, the Company received from the Business Combination with CLAQ net cash of $14,947,875. The Company also assumed $30,157 in prepaids, $14,796,942 in accounts payable and accrued liabilities, $850,333 in notes payable and net equity of $(669,243).
CLAQ’s net cash at the Closing Date totaled $14,947,875. This amount, together with proceeds of the PIPE Investment, were available to repay certain indebtedness, transaction costs and for general corporate purposes.
The Company incurred $12,582,000 in direct and incremental costs associated with the Equity Financing, which primarily consisted of investment banking, legal, accounting, and other professional fees.
On December 31, 2023, the Company and ATW Special Situations I LLC, as the purchaser, entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “PIPE SPA”), pursuant to which the purchaser agreed to purchase up to an aggregate of $5,000 of the shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), at a $2 per share purchase price. The sale of these shares of Common Stock was subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the PIPE SPA and pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder as a transaction by an issuer not involving a public offering. As a result of the sale of shares under the PIPE SPA, the conversion prices under the warrants and debentures issued pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement (as defined below) were reset to $2 pursuant to their terms, removing future dilutive effects pursuant to the “ratchet” provisions of such warrants and debentures.
LiquidityThe Company has incurred recurring losses each year since its inception. The Company continues to develop its principal products and conduct research and development activities. Supply chain disruptions instigated production delays and have continued to impact the Company’s ability to deploy its products and realize rental or product sale revenues. Currently, the Company does not generate sufficient revenue to cover operating expenses, working capital and capital expenditures. The Company has embarked on cost-cutting measures to continue to preserve cash. The Company may require additional liquidity to continue its operations over the next twelve months to sufficiently alleviate or mitigate the conditions and events noted above, which a current investor has committed to the Company. The Company believes with this investor support that there will be sufficient resources to continue as a going concern for at least one year from the date that the consolidated financial statements contained in this Form 10-K are issued.