NOVUS CAPITAL CORPORATION II

COMPLETEDNRGV NRGV.WS

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**Returns of of S&P 500 and NOVUS CAPITAL CORPORATION II tracks since NOVUS CAPITAL CORPORATION II's IPO date (Feb 04, 2021)

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Events Timeline

Filings

Transaction Details

PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION: Energy Vault, Inc.

ENTERPRISE VALUE: $1.1 billion
ANTICIPATED SYMBOL: GWHR

Novus Capital Corporation II proposes to combine with Energy Vault, Inc., the company creating gravity-based, grid-scale energy storage solutions with its proprietary technology.

  • Energy Vault is the creator of sustainable energy storage products that are transforming the world’s approach to utility-scale energy storage for grid resiliency.
  • Applying conventional physics fundamentals of gravity and potential energy, the system combines advanced material science and proprietary, machine-vision AI software that autonomously orchestrates the charging and discharging of electricity using ultra low cost composite bricks and innovative mechanical crane systems.
  • Utilizing 100 percent eco-friendly materials with the ability to integrate waste materials for beneficial re-use at unprecedented economics, Energy Vault is accelerating the shift to a circular economy and a fully renewable world.

In June 2020, Energy Vault was named a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum. The company was created at Idealab Studio, the leading technology incubator founded by Bill Gross.


SUBSEQUENT EVENT – 2/1/22 (8-K LINK)

  • On January 29, 2022, Novus Capital Corporation II entered into a subscription agreement (the “Subscription Agreement”) with Atlas Renewable (the “Subscriber”), pursuant to which the Subscriber agreed to purchase 5,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Additional PIPE Shares”), for a purchase price of $10.00 per share and an aggregate purchase price of $50,000,000 in a private placement.
  • Pursuant to the Subscription Agreement, the Additional PIPE Shares will be sold upon the same terms and conditions as those set forth in those certain Subscription Agreements entered into between the Company and certain other investors on September 8, 2021 in connection with the execution of that certain business combination agreement and plan of reorganization (the “Business Combination Agreement”).
  • Energy Vault and Atlas Renewable have signed a $50 million licensing agreement for the use of Energy Vault’s proprietary gravity-based energy storage technology in China. The agreement includes terms governing volume-based deployment royalties and covers maintenance, monitoring and the beneficial re-use of waste materials within Energy Vault’s composite blocks. The payments of the $50 million licensing fees are scheduled to be made in 2022.

SUBSEQUENT EVENT – 12/29/21 (8-K LINK)

  • On December 29, 2021, Novus Capital Corporation II entered into a subscription agreement (the “Subscription Agreement”) with an accredited investor, pursuant to which the Subscriber agreed to purchase, and the Company agreed to sell to the Subscriber, 5,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock for a purchase price of $10.00 per share and an aggregate purchase price of $50,000,000 in a private placement. 

TRANSACTION

The transaction values the combined company at an implied pro-forma enterprise value of $1.1 billion. Pursuant to the proposed business combination, the combined company is expected to receive up to $388 million in gross cash proceeds from a combination of cash from a $100 million committed stock PIPE and $288 million in cash held in Novus’ trust account, assuming no public stockholders exercise their redemption rights at closing.

  • Net cash from the transaction is intended to be used to fund growth of the combined company and global deployment of Energy Vault’s breakthrough technologies.
    • This is in addition to a recent private Series C financing of approximately $100 million, which was led by:
      • Prime Movers Lab, with participation from SoftBank Vision Fund 1, Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures, Helena, Idealab X, Pickering Energy Partners through its Energy Equity Opportunity Fund, SailingStone Global Energy Transition, A.T. Gekko, Crexa Capital Advisors LLC, Green Storage Solutions Venture I LLC, and Gordon Crawford.
  • The PIPE is anchored by institutional investors including funds and accounts managed by Adage Capital Partners LP, Pickering Energy Partners, Sailingstone Capital Energy Transition Strategy Fund, SoftBank Investment Advisers, Cemex Ventures (NYSE: CX), Palantir Technologies Inc., (NYSE: PLTR) and other investors. Affiliates and associates of Novus Capital also participated in the PIPE investment.
  • Current Energy Vault stockholders will become the majority owners of the combined company at closing.
  • All existing stockholders and investors will continue to hold their equity ownership, including Idealab, Cemex Ventures, Neotribe, SoftBank Vision Fund 1, Helena, Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures as well as all previously announced Series C investors.

Novus II Transaction Overview


PIPE

  • Subsequent Event – On January 29, 2022, Novus Capital Corporation II entered into a subscription agreement (the “Subscription Agreement”) with Atlas Renewable (the “Subscriber”), pursuant to which the Subscriber agreed to purchase 5,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Additional PIPE Shares”), for a purchase price of $10.00 per share and an aggregate purchase price of $50,000,000 in a private placement.
  • Subsequent Event – On December 29, 2021, Novus Capital Corporation II entered into a subscription agreement (the “Subscription Agreement”) with an accredited investor, pursuant to which the Subscriber agreed to purchase, and the Company agreed to sell to the Subscriber, 5,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock for a purchase price of $10.00 per share and an aggregate purchase price of $50,000,000 in a private placement. 
  • $100 million committed stock PIPE anchored by institutional investors including:
    • Funds and accounts managed by Adage Capital Partners LP, Pickering Energy Partners, Sailingstone Capital Energy Transition Strategy Fund, SoftBank Investment Advisers, Cemex Ventures (NYSE: CX), Palantir Technologies Inc., (NYSE: PLTR) and other investors.
    • Affiliates and associates of Novus Capital also participated in the PIPE investment.

FOUNDER SHARES FORFEITURE

  • Novus and each Stockholder agree that effective upon the closing, the stockholders shall forfeit and surrender to Novus for cancellation, for no additional consideration, an aggregate of 718,750 Founder Shares, leaving a remainder of 6,468,750 shares of Novus common Stock held by Initial Holders.

LOCK-UP

  • With respect to 50% of the Lock-up Shares other than the Founder Warrants and the shares of Novus Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Founder Warrants (half of which may be Restricted Shares, as defined in the Sponsor Restricted Stock Agreement) (the “Early Release Shares”), the Lock-Up Period shall terminate 180 days after the closing date of the Merger.
  • With respect to the Lock-up Shares held by any signatory of the Lock-Up Agreement that are not Early Release Shares, Founder Warrants or shares issuable upon exercise of Founder Warrants, the Lock-Up Period shall terminate upon the earlier of:
    • (i) 365 days after the closing date of the Merger or
    • (ii) the closing of a sale, merger, liquidation, or exchange offer transaction after the closing date of the Merger.
  • With respect to the Founder Warrants and the shares of Novus Common Stock issuable upon exercise of Founder Warrants, the Lock-up Period shall terminate 180 days after the closing date of the Merger.

EARNOUT

  • During the period between the date that is 90 days following the Closing and the third anniversary of the Closing (the “Earn Out Period”):
    • Novus will issue to eligible Company equityholders up to 9,000,000 additional shares of Novus Common Stock in the aggregate (the “Earn Out Shares”) in three equal tranches of 3,000,000 Earn Out Shares upon Novus’ achieving price targets of $15.00, $20.00 or $30.00 for any 20 trading days within a 30 consecutive trading day period.

NOTABLE CONDITIONS TO CLOSING

  • Novus shall have at least $170,000,000 of cash on hand following the consummation of the PIPE, the distribution of the Trust Account, and the exercise of Redemption Rights.

NOTABLE CONDITIONS TO TERMINATION

  • The Business Combination Agreement may be terminated as follows:
    • By mutual written consent of Novus and the Company, if the Effective Time will not have occurred prior to the date that is 180 days after the date of the Business Combination Agreement (the “Outside Date”).

ADVISORS

  • Goldman Sachs served as the lead placement agent along with Cowen and Guggenheim Securities, LLC in the PIPE transaction.
  • Guggenheim Securities, LLC, Goldman Sachs and Stifel served as financial advisors to Energy Vault.
  • Cowen is serving as lead capital markets advisor and sole financial advisor to Novus.
  • Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP is serving as legal advisor to Energy Vault.
  • BlankRome LLP is serving as legal advisor to Novus.
  • ICR is serving as investor relations advisor for Energy Vault.
  • Milltown Partners LLP is serving as strategic communications advisor for Energy Vault.

MANAGEMENT & BOARD


Executive Officers

Robert J. Laikin, 57
Chief Executive Officer & Director

Mr. Laikin cofounded and served as Chairman of Novus Capital Corporation [NASDAQ: NOVSU; NOVS; NOVSW] since its inception in March 2020. Mr. Laikin has served as a managing member of Novus Capital Associates, LLC, one of our initial stockholders, since its formation in October 2020. Mr. Laikin currently serves as the non-executive Chairman of the Board of Washington Prime Group Inc. (NYSE:WPG), where he has held a director role since May 2014. Mr. Laikin held the Lead Independent Director role at Washington Prime Group Inc. until the position was eliminated by the Board in 2016 and he at that time became Chairman of the Board. Mr. Laikin has also been the managing member of L7 Investments LLC, a closely held company that invests primarily in multi-family apartments as well as single purpose buildings, hotels, divestitures and single-family homes, since January 2015. Mr. Laikin served as Executive Advisor to the CEO and Government Relations Executive of Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE:IM), a wholesale technology distributor and supply chain management and mobile device lifecycle services company, from November 2012 to December 2019. Previously Mr. Laikin served as the founder, Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of directors of Brightpoint, Inc. (Nasdaq:CELL) from August 1989 until it was acquired by Ingram Micro Inc. in November 2012. Mr. Laikin holds a Bachelor of Science from Indiana University.


Vincent Donargo, 60
Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Donargo co-founded Novus Capital Corporation and served as its Chief Financial Officer since its inception in March 2020. Since August 2020, Mr. Donargo has served as the Chief Accounting Officer for Calumet Specialty Products Partners, LP, a leading producer of specialty hydrocarbons and fuels. From December 2019 to August 2020, Mr. Donargo provided financial advisory and consulting services to private clients. From May 2019 to December 2019, Mr. Donargo served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Celadon Group Inc. (OTC:CGIPQ). From November 2017 to April 2019, he was Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of the Celadon Group Inc., where he was brought in to assist with Celadon Group’s financial restructuring. Celadon Group filed a voluntary petition for bankruptcy on December 8, 2019. From August 2016 to November 2017, Mr. Donargo was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Beaulieu Group LLC, a North American carpet and flooring manufacturing company, where he assisted the company with its financial restructuring process. Beaulieu Group LLC filed a voluntary petition for bankruptcy on July 16, 2017. Prior to joining Beaulieu Group, Mr. Donargo held senior finance positions at several publicly traded companies, including Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Brightstar Corporation from April 2014 to August 2016 and Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Brightpoint, Inc. from September 2005 until it was acquired by Ingram Micro Inc. in November 2012. From 1998 to 2005, Mr. Donargo was the strategic business unit controller, director of finance and corporate controller of Aearo Company, a safety products manufacturing company. Prior to that, from 1990 to 1998, Mr. Donargo was employed in various financial positions with National Starch and Chemical Company, a specialty chemical manufacturing company. Mr. Donargo holds a BA in Accounting from Rutgers University.


Board of Directors

Larry M. Paulson, 66
Chairman

Mr. Paulson co-founded Novus Capital Corporation and has served as its Chief Executive Officer and a director since its inception in March 2020. Mr. Paulson has served as a managing member of Novus Capital Associates, LLC since its formation in October 2020. He has also served as principal and founder of Rancho Santa Fe Solutions, a wireless industry consulting company he founded in February 2010. From 2013 to January 2020, Mr. Paulson was with Qualcomm (Nasdaq:QCOM) where he served as Vice President of Product Management (2013-16), Vice President and President India and SAARC (2016-2018) and Vice President Sales NA and Australia (2018-Jan 2020). Prior to Qualcomm, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Brightpoint, Inc., a provider of worldwide distribution and integrated logistics services to the wireless communications industry, from 2011 to 2013. Prior to that he served with Nokia (NYSE:NOK) from 1987 to 2009 where he had numerous roles including global Senior Vice President and General Manager CDMA Product line. Mr. Paulson holds a BA in Communications from Point Park University.


Hersch Klaff, 67
Director

Mr. Klaff is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Klaff Realty which he formed in 1984. Klaff Realty deploys several entrepreneurial strategies to unlock value for its investors, including its flagship business line of acquiring distressed and under-utilized retail real estate and operating businesses. To date, Klaff Realty (including through partnerships and entities managed by it or its affiliates) has acquired properties and invested in operating entities that control in excess of 200 million square feet with a value in excess of $10 billion. Mr. Klaff is currently on the board of directors of Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE: ACI), Tienda Inglesa (Uruguay), and Chlorum Solutions (Brazil). Mr. Klaff began his career with the public accounting firm of Altschuler, Melvoin and Glasser in Chicago. Mr. Klaff holds a degree in Economics and Accounting from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.


Jeffrey Foster, 43
Director 

Mr. Foster is an active real estate investor, managing a portfolio of multi-family, commercial and single-family assets. Mr. Foster has been the managing member of New Frontier LLC since its inception in 2012. Mr. Foster was a professional basketball player, playing for the NBA’s Indiana Pacers from 1999 through 2012. Mr. Foster holds a B.A.A.S. from Texas State University.


Heather Goodman, 47
Director 

Ms. Goodman has served as a director of Novus Capital Corporation since its inception in March 2020. Since March 2007, Ms.  Goodman has served as the Chief Operating Officer and President of True Capital Management, a boutique multi-family office specializing in business management and investment advisory services for athletes, entertainers and high net worth individuals. Previously Ms. Goodman acted as Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney from February 2002 to February 2007. Ms. Goodman holds a BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She is a Certified Public Accountant and maintains Series 63, 65 and life insurance licenses.


Ronald J. Sznaider, 61
Director

Previously Mr. Sznaider has held executive leadership positions in several global technology companies.  In January 2020, Mr. Sznaider founded Sznaider Consulting LLC, a firm which provides expert business advisory services, and has served as its President since its formation.   Mr. Sznaider serves as a member of the board of directors of the TBG AG ownership group overseeing DTN LLC, where he has served as Vice Chairman since December 2018. Mr. Sznaider held several executive positions with DTN LLC from 1998 serving as its chief executive officer from November 2018 through his retirement in December 2019. Mr. Sznaider is also currently a member of the American Meteorological Society Commission on Weather, Water, and Climate Enterprise.   Mr. Sznaider holds a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.


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