SOUNDHOUND AI, INC. 2022 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN FORM OF STOCK OPTION AWARD AGREEMENT

Exhibit 10.9

 

SOUNDHOUND AI, INC.
2022 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

 

FORM OF

STOCK OPTION AWARD AGREEMENT

 

I. NOTICE OF STOCK OPTION GRANT

 

Name:

 

Address:

 

The undersigned Participant has been granted an Option to purchase shares of Class A Common Stock (the “Shares”) of SoundHound AI, Inc. (the “Company”), subject to the terms and conditions of the SoundHound AI, Inc. 2022 Incentive Award Plan (the “Plan”) and this Award Agreement (the “Agreement”), as follows:

 

Date of Grant:
Vesting Commencement Date:
Exercise Price per Share:	$
Total Number of Shares Granted:
Total Exercise Price:	$
Type of Option:	☐      Incentive Stock Option
	☐      Nonqualified Stock Option
Term/Expiration Date:

 

Vesting Schedule: This Option shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, [over a four-year period], according to the following vesting schedule:

 

●

[One-quarter (1/4) of the Shares subject to the Option shall vest on the one (1) year anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date, and

 

●

Thereafter, one-forty-eighth (1/48th) of the Shares subject to the Option shall vest on each monthly anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date;

 

provided, in each case, each vesting is subject to the Participant continuing to be an employee, non-employee director, or consultant to the Company or its subsidiaries (a “Service Provider”) from the Date of Grant through each such date.]

 

 

Exercise Period: To the extent vested, this Option shall be exercisable for [three (3) months] after Participant ceases to be a Service Provider, unless such termination is due to Participant’s death or Disability, in which case this Option shall be exercisable for [twelve (12) months] after Participant ceases to be a Service Provider. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, in no event may this Option be exercised after the Term/Expiration Date as provided above, and if the Participant commits an act of Cause or violates the non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality or other similar restrictive covenant provisions of any employment contract, confidentiality and nondisclosure agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Option (whether vested or unvested) shall terminate immediately.

 

II. AGREEMENT

 

1. Grant of Option.

 

(a) The Company hereby grants to the Participant named in the Notice of Stock Option Grant in Part I of this Agreement (“Participant”), an option (the “Option”) to purchase the number of Shares set forth in the Notice of Stock Option Grant, at the exercise price per Share set forth in the Notice of Stock Option Grant (the “Exercise Price”), and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. In the event of a conflict between the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Plan shall prevail. Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the Plan shall have the same defined meanings in this Agreement.

 

(b) If designated in the Notice of Stock Option Grant as an Incentive Stock Option (“ISO”), this Option is intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option as defined in Section 422 of the Code. Nevertheless, to the extent that it exceeds the $100,000 rule of Code Section 422(d), this Option shall be treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option (“NSO”). Further, if for any reason this Option (or portion thereof) shall not qualify as an ISO, then, to the extent of such nonqualification, such Option (or portion thereof) shall be regarded as a NSO. In no event shall the Company or any parent or subsidiary corporation or any of their respective employees or directors have any liability to the Participant (or any other person) due to the failure of the Option to qualify for any reason as an ISO.

 

2. Exercise of Option. This Option shall be exercisable during its term as follows:

 

(a) Right to Exercise. This Option shall be exercisable cumulatively according to the vesting schedule set forth in the Notice of Stock Option Grant, but the Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.

 

(b) Method of Exercise. This Option shall be exercisable by delivery of an exercise notice or in a manner and pursuant to such procedures as the Committee may determine, which shall state the election to exercise the Option (to the extent then vested), the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is being exercised (the “Exercised Shares”), and such other representations and agreements as may be required by the Company. The Exercise Notice shall be accompanied by payment of the aggregate Exercise Price as to all Exercised Shares, together with any applicable tax withholding. This Option shall be deemed to be exercised upon receipt by the Company of such fully executed Exercise Notice accompanied by the aggregate Exercise Price, together with any applicable tax withholding.

 

(c) Compliance. No Shares shall be issued pursuant to the exercise of the Option unless such issuance and such exercise comply with Applicable Laws. Assuming such compliance, for income tax purposes, the Shares shall be considered transferred to Participant on the date on which the Option is exercised with respect to such Shares. The shares shall be unregistered unless the Company voluntarily files a registration statement covering such shares with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

3. Participant’s Representations. In the event the Shares have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), at the time this Option is exercised, Participant shall, if required by the Company, concurrently with the exercise of all or any portion of this Option, deliver to the Company an investment representation statement.

 

4. Method of Payment. Payment of the aggregate Exercise Price shall be by any of the following, or a combination thereof, at the election of the Participant:

 

(a) cash, wire transfer of immediately available funds or check payable to the order of the Company, provided that the Administrator may limit the use of one of the foregoing payment forms if one or more of the payment forms below is permitted;

 

(b) if there is a public market for Shares at the time of exercise, unless the Administrator otherwise determines, (i) delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Administrator) of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a broker acceptable to the Administrator to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to pay the Exercise Price, or (B) the Participant’s delivery to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Administrator to deliver promptly to the Company cash or a check sufficient to pay the Exercise Price; provided that such amount is paid to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator;

 

(c) delivery (either by actual delivery or attestation) of Shares owned by the Participant valued at their Fair Market Value, provided such delivery meets the conditions established by the Administrator to avoid adverse accounting consequences to the Company (as determined by the Administrator);

 

(d) surrendering Shares then issuable upon the Option’s exercise valued at their Fair Market Value on the exercise date; or

 

(e) any combination of the above payment forms approved by the Administrator.

 

5. Restrictions on Exercise. This Option may not be exercised until such time as the Plan has been approved by the stockholders of the Company, or if the issuance of such Shares upon such exercise or the method of payment of consideration for such Shares would constitute a violation of any Applicable Laws.

 

6. Non-Transferability of Option. Except as specifically authorized in writing by the Administrator, this Option may not be transferred in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised during the lifetime of Participant only by Participant. The terms of the Plan and this Agreement shall be binding upon the executors, administrators, heirs, successors and assigns of Participant.

 

 

7. Term of Option. This Option may be exercised only within the term set out in the Notice of Stock Option Grant, and may be exercised during such term only in accordance with the Plan and the terms of this Agreement.

 

8. Tax Obligations.

 

(a) Tax Withholding. Participant agrees to make appropriate arrangements with the Company (or the parent or subsidiary employing or retaining Participant) for the satisfaction of all Federal, state, local, and foreign income and employment tax withholding requirements applicable to the Option exercise. Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company may refuse to honor the exercise and refuse to deliver the Shares if such withholding amounts are not delivered at the time of exercise.

 

(b) Notice of Disqualifying Disposition of ISO Shares. If the Option granted to Participant herein is an ISO, and if Participant sells or otherwise disposes of any of the Shares acquired pursuant to the ISO on or before the later of (i) the date two (2) years after the Date of Grant, or (ii) the date one (1) year after the date of exercise, Participant shall immediately notify the Company in writing of such disposition. Participant agrees that Participant may be subject to income tax withholding by the Company on the compensation income recognized by Participant.

 

(c) Code Section 409A. The Option is intended to be exempt from Section 409A of the Code, and it shall be administered and interpreted in a manner that is consistent with such intent.

 

9. Entire Agreement; Governing Law. The Plan is incorporated herein by reference. The Plan and this Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof, and may not be modified adversely to the Participant’s interest except by means of a writing signed by the Company and Participant. This Agreement is governed by the internal substantive laws but not the choice of law rules of the State of Delaware.

 

10. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. The execution of this Agreement may be by actual or facsimile signature.

 

11. No Guarantee of Continued Service. PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE VESTING OF THE OPTION PURSUANT TO THE VESTING SCHEDULE HEREOF IS EARNED ONLY BY CONTINUING AS A SERVICE PROVIDER AT THE WILL OF THE COMPANY (OR THE PARENT OR SUBSIDIARY EMPLOYING OR RETAINING PARTICIPANT) AND NOT THROUGH THE ACT OF BEING HIRED, BEING GRANTED THIS OPTION OR ACQUIRING SHARES HEREUNDER. PARTICIPANT FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THIS AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER AND THE VESTING SCHEDULE SET FORTH HEREIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESS OR IMPLIED PROMISE OF CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE VESTING PERIOD, FOR ANY PERIOD, OR AT ALL, AND SHALL NOT INTERFERE IN ANY WAY WITH PARTICIPANT’S RIGHT OR THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY (OR THE PARENT OR SUBSIDIARY EMPLOYING OR RETAINING PARTICIPANT) TO TERMINATE PARTICIPANT’S RELATIONSHIP AS A SERVICE PROVIDER AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE.

 

 

Participant acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan and represents that Participant is familiar with the terms and provisions thereof, and hereby accepts this Option subject to all of the terms and provisions thereof. Participant has reviewed the Plan and this Option in its entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Option. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions arising under the Plan, this Option, or this Agreement. Participant further agrees to notify the Company upon any change in the residence address indicated below.

 

PARTICIPANT		SOUNDHOUND AI, INC.
Signature		By
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