PRE 14A 1 tkbcriticaltech1_pre14a.htm PRE 14A

 

 

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

Schedule 14A

 

 

 

Information Required in Proxy Statement
Schedule 14A Information

 

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Filed by the Registrant  
     
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  

 

Check the appropriate box:

 

Preliminary Proxy Statement
   
Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
   
Definitive Proxy Statement
   
Definitive Additional Materials
   
Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12

 

TKB Critical Technologies 1

(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

 

 

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)

 

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

 

No fee required.
   
Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
   
Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

 

 

 

 

 

 

TKB Critical Technologies 1
2340 Collins Avenue, Suite 402
Miami Beach, FL 33141

(949) 720-7133

 

PROXY STATEMENT FOR EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
OF
TKB CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES 1

 

Dear Shareholders of TKB Critical Technologies 1:

 

You are cordially invited to attend (in person or by proxy) the extraordinary general meeting of TKB Critical Technologies 1, a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “company”, “we”, “us” or “our”), to be held on ___________, 2023 at ___:___ a.m., Eastern time, at the offices of Loeb & Loeb LLP, located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154 (the “general meeting”), or at such other time, on such other date and at such other place to which the meeting may be postponed or adjourned, and the general meeting will be available to attend via teleconference. For the purposes of the articles of association of the company, the physical place of the meeting will be the offices of Loeb & Loeb LLP located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154. You will also be able to attend the general meeting via teleconference, vote, and submit your questions during the general meeting using the following dial-in information:

 

Telephone access:
Within the U.S.:
1 877-853-5257 (toll-free)
Outside of the U.S.:
1 470-381-2552 (standard rates apply)
Meeting ID:
___________
Passcode for telephone access:
___________#

 

Shareholders are encouraged to attend the meeting via teleconference and will be afforded the same rights and opportunities to vote, ask questions and participate as they would at an in-person extraordinary general meeting. The accompanying proxy statement is dated August __, 2023, and is first being mailed to shareholders of the company on or about August __, 2023.

 

Even if you are planning on attending the general meeting online, please promptly submit your proxy vote by completing, dating, signing and returning the enclosed proxy. It is strongly recommended that you complete and return your proxy card before the general meeting date to ensure that your shares will be represented at the general meeting. Instructions on how to vote your shares are in the accompanying proxy statement and the other proxy materials you received for the general meeting.

 

The general meeting is being held to consider and vote upon the following proposals:

 

1. Proposal No. 1 — The Name Change Proposal — as a special resolution, to amend the company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (the “charter”) pursuant to an amendment to the charter in the form set forth in Annex A of the accompanying proxy statement to change the name of the company from TKB Critical Technologies 1 to “Roth CH Acquisition Co.”.

 

2. Proposal No. 2 — The Adjournment Proposal — as an ordinary resolution, to approve the adjournment of the general meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the name change proposal (the “adjournment proposal”), which will be presented at the general meeting if, based on the tabulated votes, there are not sufficient votes at the time of the general meeting to approve the foregoing proposal, in which case the adjournment proposal will be the only proposal presented at the general meeting.

 

 

 

 

Each of the proposals is more fully described in the accompanying proxy statement, which you are encouraged to read carefully.

 

Approval of the name change proposal requires a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of at least two-thirds of the Class A ordinary shares and the Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of the company (the “Class B ordinary shares,” and together with the Class A ordinary shares, the “ordinary shares”), who, being present and entitled to vote at the general meeting, vote at the general meeting.

 

Approval of the adjournment proposal requires an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the ordinary shares who, being present and entitled to vote at the general meeting, vote at the general meeting.

 

THE COMPANY’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” EACH OF THE PROPOSALS.

 

The board has fixed the close of business on August __, 2023, as the record date for the general meeting (the “record date”). Only shareholders of record on August __, 2023 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the general meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof. Further information regarding voting rights and the matters to be voted upon is presented in the accompanying proxy statement.

 

All of our shareholders are cordially invited to attend, vote, and submit your questions during the general meeting at the offices of Loeb & Loeb LLP, located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154 or via teleconference, using the following dial-in information:

 

Telephone access:
Within the U.S.:
1 877-853-5257 (toll-free)
Outside of the U.S.:
1 470-381-2552 (standard rates apply)
Meeting ID:
____________
Passcode for telephone access:
__________#

 

To ensure your representation at the general meeting, however, you are urged to complete, sign, date and return your proxy card as soon as possible. If your shares are held in an account at a brokerage firm or bank, you must instruct your broker or bank on how to vote your shares. You may revoke your proxy card at any time prior to the general meeting.

 

A shareholder’s failure to vote in person or by proxy will not be counted towards the number of ordinary shares required to validly establish a quorum. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted in connection with the determination of whether a valid quorum is established but will have no effect on any of the proposals. We believe that each of the proposals is a “non-discretionary” matter, and therefore, there will not be any broker non-votes at the general meeting.

 

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. Please sign, date and return your proxy card as soon as possible. You are requested to carefully read the proxy statement and accompanying Notice of General Meeting for a more complete statement of matters to be considered at the general meeting.

 

If you have any questions or need assistance voting your ordinary shares, please contact Advantage Proxy, our proxy solicitor, by calling 877-870-8565, or banks and brokers can call collect at 206-870-8565, or by emailing KSmith@advantageproxy.com.

 

 

 

 

On behalf of the board, we would like to thank you for your support of TKB Critical Technologies 1.

 

By Order of the Board,

 

/s/ Byron Roth  
Byron Roth  

Co- Chief Executive Officer and Co-Chairman of the Board

________________, 2023

 

 

If you return your proxy card signed and without an indication of how you wish to vote, your shares will be voted “FOR” each of the proposals.

 

This proxy statement is dated August __, 2023
and is first being mailed to our shareholders with the form of proxy on or about August __, 2023.

 

 

 

 

IMPORTANT

 

Whether or not you expect to attend the general meeting, you are respectfully requested by the board of the company to sign, date and return the enclosed proxy promptly, or follow the instructions contained in the proxy card or voting instructions provided by your broker. If you grant a proxy, you may revoke it at any time prior to the general meeting.

 

 

 

 

TKB CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES 1
2340 Collins Avenue, Suite 402
Newport Beach, CA

(949) 720-7133

 

NOTICE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
TO BE HELD ON ___________, 2023

 

Dear Shareholders of TKB Critical Technologies 1:

 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the extraordinary general meeting in lieu of the annual general meeting of TKB Critical Technologies 1, a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “company”, “we”, “us” or “our”), will be held on ___________, 2023, at ___:___ a.m., Eastern time, at the offices of Loeb & Loeb LLP, located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154 (the “general meeting”), or at such other time, on such other date and at such other place to which the meeting may be postponed or adjourned and the general meeting will be available to attend via teleconference. For the purposes of the articles of association of the company, the physical place of the meeting will be the offices of Loeb & Loeb LLP located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154. You will also be able to attend the general meeting, vote, and submit your questions during the general meeting via teleconference, using the following dial-in information:

 

Telephone access:
Within the U.S. and Canada:
1 877-853-5257 (toll-free)
Outside of the U.S. and Canada:
1 470-381-2552 (standard rates apply)
Meeting ID:
___________
Passcode for telephone access:
_________#

 

Shareholders are encouraged to attend the meeting via teleconference and will be afforded the same rights and opportunities to vote, ask questions and participate as they would at an in-person extraordinary general meeting.

 

The general meeting will be held to consider and vote upon the following proposals:

 

1. Proposal No. 1 — The Name Change Proposal — as a special resolution, to amend the company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (the “charter”) pursuant to an amendment to the charter in the form set forth in Annex A of the accompanying proxy statement to change the name of the company from TKB Critical Technologies 1 to Roth CH Acquisition Co.

 

2. Proposal No. 2 — The Adjournment Proposal — as an ordinary resolution, to approve the adjournment of the general meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the name change proposal (the “adjournment proposal”), which will be presented at the general meeting if, based on the tabulated votes, there are not sufficient votes at the time of the general meeting to approve the foregoing proposals, in which case the adjournment proposal will be the only proposal presented at the general meeting.

 

The above matters are more fully described in the accompanying proxy statement. We urge you to read carefully the accompanying proxy statement in its entirety.

 

 

 

 

Approval of the name change proposal requires a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of at least two-thirds of the Class A ordinary shares and the Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of the company (the “Class B ordinary shares,” and together with the Class A ordinary shares, the “ordinary shares”), who, being present and entitled to vote at the general meeting, vote at the general meeting.

 

Approval of the adjournment proposal requires an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the ordinary shares who, being present and entitled to vote at the general meeting, vote at the general meeting.

 

If the name change proposal is not approved, we will not be able to amend the name of the company.

 

Only shareholders of record of the company as of the close of business on August __, 2023 (the “record date”) are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the general meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. Each ordinary share entitles the holder thereof to one vote. On the record date, there were ___________ ordinary shares issued and outstanding, including (i) _______ Class A ordinary shares and (ii) 75,000 Class B ordinary shares. The company’s warrants do not have voting rights in connection with the proposals.

 

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. Proxy voting permits shareholders unable to attend the general meeting in person to vote their shares through a proxy. By appointing a proxy, your shares will be represented and voted in accordance with your instructions. You can vote your shares by completing and returning your proxy card or by completing the voting instruction form provided to you by your broker. Proxy cards that are signed and returned but do not include voting instructions will be voted by the proxy as recommended by the board. You can change your voting instructions or revoke your proxy at any time prior to the general meeting by following the instructions included in this proxy statement and on the proxy card.

 

It is strongly recommended that you complete and return your proxy card before the general meeting date to ensure that your shares will be represented at the general meeting. You are urged to review carefully the information contained in the enclosed proxy statement prior to deciding how to vote your shares. If you have any questions or need assistance voting your ordinary shares, please contact Advantage Proxy, our proxy solicitor, by calling 877-870-8565, or banks and brokers can call collect at 206-870-8565, or by emailing KSmith@advantageproxy.com.

 

By Order of the Board,

 

/s/ Byron Roth  
Byron Roth  

Co-Chairman of the Board

________________, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR
THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON ___________, 2023

 

This Notice of General Meeting and Proxy Statement, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on April 4, 2023 and our Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on April 14, 2023 (our “annual report”), and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2023, as filed with the SEC on May 15, 2023, are available at www.sec.gov.

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

    Page
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS   2
RISK FACTORS   4
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE PROXY MATERIALS AND OUR EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING   6
THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING   12
PROPOSAL NO. 1 — THE NAME CHANGE PROPOSAL   17
PROPOSAL NO. 2 — THE ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL   19
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT   20
OTHER MATTERS   22
ANNEX A   A-1

 

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TKB CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES 1
PROXY STATEMENT
FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
To Be Held at ___:___ a.m., Eastern time, on ___________, 2023

 

This proxy statement and the enclosed form of proxy are furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by our board of directors (the “board”) for use at the extraordinary general meeting in lieu of the annual general meeting of TKB Critical Technologies 1, a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “company”, “we”, “us” or “our”), and any postponements, adjournments or continuations thereof (the “general meeting”). The general meeting will be held on ___________, 2023 at ___:___ a.m., Eastern time, at the offices of Loeb & Loeb LLP, located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154 (the “general meeting”), or at such other time, on such other date and at such other place to which the meeting may be postponed or adjourned and the general meeting will be available to attend via teleconference. For the purposes of the articles of association of the company, the physical place of the meeting will be the offices of Loeb & Loeb LLP located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154. You will also be able to attend the general meeting, vote, and submit your questions during the general meeting via teleconference, using the following dial-in information:

 

Telephone access:
Within the U.S. and Canada:
1 877-853-5257 (toll-free)
Outside of the U.S. and Canada:
1 470-381-2552 (standard rates apply)
Meeting ID:
__________
Passcode for telephone access:
________#

 

Shareholders are encouraged to attend the meeting via teleconference and will be afforded the same rights and opportunities to vote, ask questions and participate as they would at an in-person extraordinary general meeting.

 

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This proxy statement contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements may relate to the company’s “initial business combination” (as defined below) and any other statements relating to future results, strategy and plans of the company (including statements which may be identified by the use of the words “plans,” “expects” or “does not expect,” “estimated,” “is expected,” “budget,” “scheduled,” “estimates,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “anticipates” or “does not anticipate,” “targets,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” or “believes,” or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “might,” “will” or “will be taken,” “occur” or “be achieved”).

 

Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management of the company as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to:

 

our being a company with no operating history and no operating revenues;

 

our ability to select an appropriate target business or businesses;

 

our ability to complete our initial business combination;

 

our expectations around the performance of a prospective target business or businesses;

 

our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination;

 

our directors and officers allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination;

 

our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination;

 

our pool of prospective target businesses in the technology industry and the effects on these sectors of broader economic trends, including the effects of COVID -19;

 

Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the geopolitical conditions resulting from the recent invasion of Ukraine by Russia and subsequent sanctions against Russia, Belarus and related individuals and entities and the status of debt and equity markets, as well as protectionist legislation in our target markets

 

changes in laws or regulations or how such laws or regulations are interpreted or applied, or a failure to comply with any laws or regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations;

 

the ability of our directors and officers to generate a number of potential business combination opportunities;

 

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our ability to consummate an initial business combination due to the uncertainty resulting from COVID-19;

 

the ability of our directors and officers to generate potential business combination opportunities;

 

our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading;

 

the use of proceeds not held in the trust account (as defined below) or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance;

 

the trust account not being subject to claims of third parties;

 

our independent registered public accounting firm’s report contains an explanatory paragraph that expresses substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a “going concern,” since we will cease all operations except for the purpose of liquidating if we are unable to complete an initial business combination by the extended date; and

 

our financial performance.

 

Additional information on these and other factors that may cause actual results and the company’s performance to differ materially is included in the company’s periodic reports filed with the SEC, including, but not limited to, our annual report including those factors described under the heading “Risk Factors” therein, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Copies of the company’s filings with the SEC are available publicly on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or may be obtained by contacting the company. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligations to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

 

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RISK FACTORS

 

You should consider carefully all of the risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 4, 2023 and amended on April 14, 2023 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 15, 2023, respectively, and in the other reports we file with the SEC before making a decision to invest in our securities. Furthermore, if any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected or we could face liquidation. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. The risks and uncertainties described in the aforementioned filings and below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results or result in our liquidation.

 

The SEC has recently issued proposed rules to regulate special purpose acquisition companies. Certain of the procedures that we, a potential business combination target, or others may determine to undertake in connection with such proposals may increase our costs and the time needed to complete our initial business combination and may constrain the circumstances under which we could complete a business combination.

 

On March 30, 2022, the SEC issued proposed rules (the “SPAC Rule Proposals”) relating, among other items, to disclosures in business combination transactions between special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) such as us and private operating companies; the condensed financial statement requirements applicable to transactions involving shell companies; the use of projections by SPACs in SEC filings in connection with proposed business combination transactions; the potential liability of certain participants in proposed business combination transactions; and the extent to which SPACs could become subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, including a proposed rule that would provide SPACs a safe harbor from treatment as an investment company if they satisfy certain conditions that limit a SPAC’s duration, asset composition, business purpose and activities. Certain of the procedures that we, a potential business combination target, or others may determine to undertake in connection with the SPAC Rule Proposals, or pursuant to the SEC’s views expressed in the SPAC Rule Proposals, may increase the costs of negotiating and completing an initial business combination and the time required to consummate a transaction, and may constrain the circumstances under which we could complete an initial business combination.

 

If we were deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we may be forced to abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination and instead be required to liquidate the company. To avoid that result, on or shortly prior to the 24-month anniversary of the effective date of the IPO Registration Statement, we liquidated the securities held in the trust account and instead hold all funds in the trust account in cash. As a result, following such liquidation, we will likely maintain the remaining amount in its trust account in an interest bearing demand deposit account at a bank.

 

On March 30, 2022, the SEC issued proposed rules (the “SPAC Rule Proposals”) relating, among other matters, to the circumstances in which special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) such as us could potentially be subject to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”) and the regulations thereunder. The SPAC Rule Proposals would provide a safe harbor for such companies from the definition of “investment company” under Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act, provided that a SPAC satisfies certain criteria. To comply with the duration limitation of the proposed safe harbor, a SPAC would have a limited time period to announce and complete a de-SPAC transaction. Specifically, to comply with the safe harbor, the SPAC Rule Proposals would require a company to file a report on Form 8-K announcing that it has entered into an agreement with a target company for an initial business combination no later than 18 months after the effective date of the IPO Registration Statement. The company would then be required to complete its initial business combination no later than 24 months after the effective date of the IPO Registration Statement.

 

There is currently uncertainty concerning the applicability of the Investment Company Act to a SPAC, including a company like ours, that has not entered into a definitive agreement within 18 months after the effective date of its IPO Registration Statement or that does not complete its initial business combination within 24 months after such date. We have not entered into a definitive business combination agreement within 18 months after the effective date of our IPO Registration Statement, and did not complete our initial business combination within 24 months of such date. As a result, it is possible that a claim could be made that we have been operating as an unregistered investment company.

 

If we were deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we might be forced to abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination and instead be required to liquidate the company.

 

4

 

 

If we are required to liquidate the company, our investors would not be able to realize the benefits of owning stock in a successor operating business, including the potential appreciation in the value of our stock and warrants following such a transaction, and our warrants would expire worthless.

 

The funds in the trust account have, since our IPO, been held only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. government treasury obligations and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. However, to mitigate the risk of us being deemed to have been operating as an unregistered investment company (including under the subjective test of Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended), on or prior to the 24-month anniversary of the effective date of the IPO Registration Statement, we instructed Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the trustee with respect to the trust account, to liquidate the U.S. government treasury obligations or money market funds held in the trust account and thereafter to hold all funds in the trust account in cash until the earlier of consummation of our initial business combination or liquidation. As a result, following such liquidation, we will likely maintain the remaining amount in its trust account in an interest bearing demand deposit account at a bank.

 

We may not be able to complete an initial business combination with certain potential target companies if a proposed transaction with the target company may be subject to review or approval by regulatory authorities pursuant to certain U.S. or foreign laws or regulations.

 

Certain acquisitions or business combinations may be subject to review or approval by regulatory authorities pursuant to certain U.S. or foreign laws or regulations. In the event that such regulatory approval or clearance is not obtained, or the review process is extended beyond the period of time that would permit an initial business combination to be consummated with us, we may not be able to consummate an initial business combination with such target.

 

Among other things, the U.S. Federal Communications Act prohibits foreign individuals, governments, and corporations from owning more a specified percentage of the capital stock of a broadcast, common carrier, or aeronautical radio station licensee. In addition, U.S. law currently restricts foreign ownership of U.S. airlines. In the United States, certain mergers that may affect competition may require certain filings and review by the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, and investments or acquisitions that may affect national security are subject to review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”). CFIUS is an interagency committee authorized to review certain transactions involving foreign investment in the United States by foreign persons in order to determine the effect of such transactions on the national security of the United States.

 

Outside the United States, laws or regulations may affect our ability to consummate a business combination with potential target companies incorporated or having business operations in jurisdiction where national security considerations, involvement in regulated industries (including telecommunications), or in businesses relating to a country’s culture or heritage may be implicated. U.S. and foreign regulators generally have the power to deny the ability of the parties to consummate a transaction or to condition approval of a transaction on specified terms and conditions, which may not be acceptable to us or a target. In such event, we may not be able to consummate a transaction with that potential target.

 

As a result of these various restrictions, the pool of potential targets with which we could complete an initial business combination may be limited and we may be adversely affected in terms of competing with other SPACs which do not have similar ownership issues. Moreover, the process of government review, could be lengthy. Because we have only a limited time to complete our initial business combination, our failure to obtain any required approvals within the requisite time period may require us to liquidate. If we liquidate, our public shareholders may only receive $10.17 per share, and our warrants will expire worthless. This will also cause you to lose any potential investment opportunity in a target company and the chance of realizing future gains on your investment through any price appreciation in the combined company.

 

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE PROXY MATERIALS AND OUR
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

 

These Questions and Answers are only summaries of the matters they discuss. They do not contain all of the information that may be important to you. You should read carefully the entire document, including any annexes to this proxy statement.

 

Why am I receiving this proxy statement?

 

This proxy statement and the enclosed proxy card are being sent to you in connection with the solicitation of proxies by our board for use at the general meeting to be held in person or via teleconference on ___________, 2023 or at any adjournments or postponements thereof. This proxy statement summarizes the information that you need to make an informed decision on the proposals to be considered at the general meeting.

 

What is being voted on?

 

You are being asked to vote on the following proposals:

 

1. Proposal — The Name Change Proposal — as a special resolution, to amend the company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (the “charter”) pursuant to an amendment to the charter in the form set forth in Annex A of the accompanying proxy statement to change the name of the company from TKB Critical Technologies 1 to Roth CH Acquisition Co.

 

2. Proposal No. 2 — The Adjournment Proposal — as an ordinary resolution, to approve the adjournment of the general meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the name change proposal (the “adjournment proposal”), which will be presented at the general meeting if, based on the tabulated votes, there are not sufficient votes at the time of the general meeting to approve the foregoing proposal, in which case the adjournment proposal will be the only proposal presented at the general meeting.

 

You are not being asked to vote on an initial business combination at this time.

 

Why do you want to change the name of the Company?

 

On June 25, 2023, TKB, TKB Sponsor I, LLC (the “former sponsor”), each independent director of the Company as of that date (the “Directors”), and affiliates of Roth Capital Partners and Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC (the “Buyers”) entered into a Securities Transfer Agreement (the “Agreement”) pursuant to which the former sponsor and the former Directors sold to Buyers, an aggregate of 4,312,500 ordinary shares consisting of 4,237,500 Class A ordinary shares and 75,000 Class B ordinary shares and 8,062,500 private placement warrants (together, the “Transferred Securities”) for an aggregate purchase price (the “Purchase Price”) of $1.00 (the “Transaction”).

 

In connection with the Transaction, the Company changed its officers and directors and believe that a new name is appropriate given the change in ownership. The Units, the Class A ordinary shares and the Public Warrants will continue to trade on Nasdaq under the symbols “USCTU,” “USCT” and “USCTW” respectively.

 

6

 

 

Can I attend the General Meeting?

 

The general meeting will be held on ___________, 2023 at ___:___ a.m., Eastern time, at the offices of Loeb & Loeb LLP, located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154 (the “general meeting”), or at such other time, on such other date and at such other place that the meeting may be postponed or adjourned and the general meeting will be available to attend via teleconference. For the purposes of the articles of association of the company, the physical place of the meeting will be the offices of Loeb & Loeb LLP located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154. You will also be able to attend the general meeting, vote, and submit your questions during the general meeting via teleconference, using the following dial-in information:

 

Telephone access:
Within the U.S. and Canada:
1 877-853-5257 (toll-free)
Outside of the U.S. and Canada:
1 470-381-2552 (standard rates apply)
Meeting ID:
___________
Passcode for telephone access:
_______#

 

The general meeting will comply with the meeting rules of conduct which will be available at the meeting. We encourage you to access the general meeting teleconference prior to the start time. Check-in will begin fifteen minutes prior to the start time of the general meeting, and you should allow ample time for the check-in procedures. Shareholders are encouraged to attend the meeting via teleconference and will be afforded the same rights and opportunities to vote, ask questions and participate as they would at an in-person extraordinary general meeting. You may submit your proxy by completing, signing, dating and returning the enclosed proxy card in the accompanying pre-addressed postage-paid envelope. If you hold your shares in “street name,” which means your shares are held of record by a broker, bank or other nominee, you should contact your broker, bank or other nominee to ensure that votes related to the shares you beneficially own are properly counted. In this regard, you must provide the broker, bank or other nominee with instructions on how to vote your shares.

 

How do the company insiders intend to vote their shares?

 

The company’s directors and officers collectively have the right to vote ____% of the company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares, and are expected to vote all of their shares in favor of each proposal to be voted upon by our shareholders at the general meeting.

 

What vote is required to approve the name change proposal?

 

Approval of the name change proposal requires a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of at least two-thirds of the ordinary shares, who, being present and entitled to vote at the general meeting, vote at the general meeting.

 

Why is the company proposing the adjournment proposal?

 

The company is proposing the adjournment proposal to provide flexibility to adjourn the meeting to give the company more time to seek approval of the name change proposal, if necessary. If the adjournment proposal is not approved, the company will not have the ability to adjourn the meeting to a later date for the purpose of soliciting additional proxies.

 

7

 

 

What vote is required to approve the adjournment proposal?

 

Approval of the adjournment proposal requires an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the ordinary shares who, being present and entitled to vote at the general meeting, vote at the general meeting.

 

What if I want to vote against or do not want to vote for the proposal?

 

If you do not want a proposal to be approved, you should vote against such proposal. A shareholder’s failure to vote by proxy or to vote in person or online at the general meeting will not be counted towards the number of shares required to validly establish a quorum, and if a valid quorum is otherwise established, such failure to vote will have no effect on such proposals. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted in connection with the determination of whether a valid quorum is established but will have no effect on any of the proposals.

 

We believe that the name change proposal is a “non-discretionary” matter, and therefore, there will not be any broker non-votes at the general meeting.

 

Where will I be able to find the voting results of the General Meeting?

 

We will announce preliminary voting results at the general meeting. We will also disclose voting results on a Current Report on Form 8-K that we will file with the SEC within four business days after the general meeting. If final voting results are not available to us in time to file a Current Report on Form 8-K within four business days after the general meeting, we will file a Current Report on Form 8-K to publish preliminary results and will provide the final results in an amendment to such Current Report on Form 8-K as soon as they become available.

 

Am I entitled to exercise redemption rights in connection with the vote to approve the name change proposal?

 

No. Shareholders are not entitled to redemption rights in connection with the vote on the name change proposal but will retain the right to exercise redemption rights in connection with the vote on any initial business combination.

 

How do I change my vote?

 

If you have submitted a proxy to vote your shares and wish to change your vote, you may send a later-dated, signed proxy card to the company’s secretary at 2340 Collins Avenue, Suite 402, Miami Beach, FL33141, so that it is received by the company’s secretary prior to the vote at the general meeting (which is scheduled to take place on ___________, 2023). Shareholders also may revoke their proxy by sending a notice of revocation to the company’s secretary, which must be received by the company’s secretary prior to the vote at the general meeting, or by attending the general meeting, revoking their proxy and voting in person. Attendance at the general meeting alone will not change your vote. However, if your shares are held in “street name” by your broker, bank or another nominee, you must contact your broker, bank or other nominee to change your vote.

 

How are votes counted?

 

Votes will be counted by the inspector of election appointed for the meeting, who will separately count “FOR” and “AGAINST” votes, abstentions and broker non-votes for each of the proposal. A shareholder’s failure to vote by proxy or to vote in person or via teleconference at the general meeting will not be counted towards the number of shares required to validly establish a quorum, and if a valid quorum is otherwise established, will have no effect on the proposals. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted in connection with the determination of whether a valid quorum is established but will have no effect on any of the proposals. We believe that each of the proposals is a “non-discretionary” matter, and therefore, there will not be any broker non-votes at the general meeting.

 

8

 

 

If my shares are held in “street name,” will my broker automatically vote them for me?

 

If you do not give instructions to your broker, your broker can vote your shares with respect to “discretionary” items, but not with respect to “non-discretionary” items. We believe that the name change proposal is a “non-discretionary” item.

 

Your broker can vote your shares with respect to “non-discretionary” items only if you provide instructions on how to vote. You should instruct your broker to vote your shares. Your broker can tell you how to provide these instructions. If you do not give your broker instructions, your shares will be treated as broker non-votes with respect to the name change proposal. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted in connection with the determination of whether a valid quorum is established but will have no effect on any of the proposals.

 

What is a quorum?

 

A quorum is the minimum number of shares required to be present at the general meeting for the general meeting to be properly held under our charter and Cayman Islands law. The presence, in person, virtually, by proxy, or, if a corporation or other non-natural person, by its duly authorized representative or proxy, of the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares entitled to vote at the general meeting constitutes a quorum. Proxies that are marked “abstain” and proxies relating to “street name” shares that are returned to us but marked by brokers as “not voted” (so-called “broker non-votes”) will be treated as shares present for purposes of determining the presence of establishing a quorum on all matters. If a shareholder does not give the broker voting instructions, under applicable self-regulatory organization rules, its broker may not vote its shares on “non-discretionary” matters. We believe that each of the proposals is a “non-discretionary” matter, and therefore, there will not be any broker non-votes at the general meeting.

 

Who can vote at the General Meeting?

 

Holders of ordinary shares as of the close of business on August __, 2023 (the “record date”), are entitled to vote at the general meeting. On the record date, there were ________ ordinary shares issued and outstanding, including (i) ________ Class A ordinary shares and (ii) 75,000 Class B ordinary shares. The company’s warrants do not have voting rights in connection with the proposals.

 

In deciding all matters at the general meeting, each shareholder will be entitled to one vote for each share held by them on the record date. Holders of Class A ordinary shares and holders of Class B ordinary shares will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders except as required by law. The directors and executive officers of the Company collectively own all of our issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares and 4,312,500 Class A ordinary shares, constituting ____% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares.

 

Registered Shareholders.

 

If our shares are registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, Continental, you are considered the shareholder of record with respect to those shares. As the shareholder of record, you have the right to grant your voting proxy directly to the individuals listed on the proxy card or to vote in person at the general meeting.

 

“Street Name” Shareholders.

 

If our shares are held on your behalf in a brokerage account or by a bank or other nominee, you are considered the beneficial owner of those shares held in “street name,” and your broker or nominee is considered the shareholder of record with respect to those shares. As the beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker or nominee as to how to vote your shares. However, since a beneficial owner is not the shareholder of record, you may not vote your ordinary shares at the general meeting unless you follow your broker’s procedures for obtaining a legal proxy. Throughout this proxy statement, we refer to shareholders who hold their shares through a broker, bank or other nominee as “street name shareholders.”

 

9

 

 

Does the board recommend voting for the approval of the proposals?

 

Yes, the board has determined that the proposals are in the best interests of the company and its shareholders. The board recommends that the company’s shareholders vote “FOR” the proposals.

 

Are there any appraisal or similar rights for dissenting shareholders?

 

Neither Cayman Islands law nor our charter provides for dissenters’ rights for dissenting shareholders in connection with the proposal to be voted upon at the general meeting. As a matter of Cayman Islands law, dissenters’ rights only apply in a statutory merger where the company is a constituent company, which is not the case with any of the proposals.

 

Warrant holders do not have appraisal rights in connection with the proposal to be voted upon at the general meeting.

 

Is the company subject to the Investment Company Act of 1940?

 

The company completed its IPO in October 2021. As a blank check company, the efforts of the company’s board of directors and management have been focused on searching for a target business with which to consummate an initial business combination since the completion of its IPO.

 

On March 30, 2022, the SEC issued the SPAC Rule Proposals relating, among other matters, to the circumstances in which special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) such as us could potentially be subject to the Investment Company Act and the regulations thereunder. The SPAC Rule Proposals would provide a safe harbor for such companies from the definition of “investment company” under Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act, provided that a SPAC satisfies certain criteria.

 

To comply with the duration limitation of the proposed safe harbor, a SPAC would have a limited time period to announce and complete a de-SPAC transaction. Specifically, to comply with the safe harbor, the SPAC Rule Proposals would require a company to file a report on Form 8-K announcing that it has entered into an agreement with a target company for an initial business combination no later than 18 months after the effective date of its registration statement for its initial public offering (“IPO Registration Statement”). The company would then be required to complete its initial business combination no later than 24 months after the effective date of the IPO Registration Statement.

 

There is currently uncertainty concerning the applicability of the Investment Company Act to a SPAC, including a company like ours, that has not entered into a definitive agreement within 18 months after the effective date of its IPO Registration Statement or that does not complete its initial business combination within 24 months after such date. Since we have not entered into a definitive business combination agreement within 18 months after the effective date of our IPO Registration Statement, and if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months of such date it is possible that a claim could be made that we have been operating as an unregistered investment company. If we were deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we might be forced to abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination and instead be required to liquidate the company. If we are required to liquidate the company, our investors would not be able to realize the benefits of owning stock in a successor operating business, including the potential appreciation in the value of our stock and warrants following such a transaction, and our warrants would expire worthless.

 

The funds in the trust account have, since our IPO, been held only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. government treasury obligations and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. However, to mitigate the risk of us being deemed to have been operating as an unregistered investment company (including under the subjective test of Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended), on or prior to the 24-month anniversary of the effective date of our IPO Registration Statement, we instructed Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the trustee with respect to the trust account, to liquidate the U.S. government treasury obligations or money market funds held in the trust account and thereafter to hold all funds in the trust account in cash until the earlier of consummation of our initial business combination or liquidation. As a result, following such liquidation, we will likely maintain the remaining amount in its trust account in an interest bearing demand deposit account at a bank. In addition, even prior to the 24-month anniversary of the effective date of our IPO Registration Statement, we may be deemed to be an investment company.

 

10

 

 

How do I vote?

 

If you are a holder of record of ordinary shares on the record date for the general meeting, you may vote in person or by teleconference attendance at the general meeting or by submitting a proxy for the general meeting. You may submit your proxy by completing, signing, dating and returning the enclosed proxy card in the accompanying pre-addressed postage-paid envelope. If you hold your shares in “street name,” which means your shares are held of record by a broker, bank or other nominee, you should contact your broker, bank or other nominee to ensure that votes related to the shares you beneficially own are properly counted. In this regard, you must provide the broker, bank or other nominee with instructions on how to vote your shares or, if you wish to attend the general meeting and vote in person, obtain a valid proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee. If you hold your shares in “street name” and wish to vote at the general meeting, you must email a copy (a legible photograph is sufficient) of your legal proxy to Continental at proxy@continentalstock.com. If you wish to attend the general meeting via teleconference or in person you should contact Continental no later than ________, 2023 to obtain this information. Your broker, bank or other nominee may have an earlier deadline by which you must provide instructions to it as to how to vote your shares, so you should read carefully the materials provided to you by your broker, bank or other nominee or intermediary.

 

What should I do if I receive more than one set of voting materials?

 

You may receive more than one set of voting materials, including multiple copies of this proxy statement and multiple proxy cards or voting instruction cards, if your shares are registered in more than one name or are registered in different accounts. For example, if you hold your shares in more than one brokerage account, you will receive a separate voting instruction card for each brokerage account in which you hold shares. Please complete, sign, date and return each proxy card and voting instruction card that you receive in order to cast a vote with respect to all of your shares.

 

Who is paying for this proxy solicitation?

 

Our board is soliciting proxies for use at the general meeting. All costs associated with this solicitation will be borne directly by the company. We have engaged Advantage Proxy, Inc. to assist in the solicitation of proxies for the general meeting. We have agreed to pay Advantage Proxy a fee of $7,500, plus disbursements, and indemnify Advantage Proxy and its affiliates against certain claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses for their services as the company’s proxy solicitor. We will also reimburse banks, brokers and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries representing beneficial owners of Class A ordinary shares for their expenses in forwarding soliciting materials to beneficial owners of Class A ordinary shares and in obtaining voting instructions from those owners. Our directors and officers may also solicit proxies by telephone, by facsimile, by mail, on the Internet or in person. They will not be paid any additional amounts for soliciting proxies.

 

Who can help answer my questions?

 

If you have questions about the general meeting or the proposals to be presented thereat, if you need additional copies of the proxy statement or the enclosed proxy card, or if you would like copies of any of the company’s filings with the SEC, including our annual report, and our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, you should contact Advantage Proxy at:

 

Advantage Proxy, Inc.

P.O. Box 13581

Des Moines, WA 98198

Toll Free: 877-870-8565

Collect: 206-870-8565

 

You may obtain additional information about the company from documents filed with the SEC by following the instructions in the section entitled “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

11

 

 

THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

 

Date, Time, Place and Purpose of the General Meeting

 

The general meeting will be held on ___________, 2023 at ___:___ a.m., Eastern time, at the offices of Loeb & Loeb LLP, located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154 (the “general meeting”), or at such other time, on such other date and at such other place that the meeting may be postponed or adjourned and the general meeting will be available to attend via teleconference. For the purposes of the articles of association of the company, the physical place of the meeting will be the offices of Loeb & Loeb LLP located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154. You will also be able to attend the general meeting, vote, and submit your questions during the general meeting via teleconference by using the following dial-in information:

 

Telephone access:
Within the U.S. and Canada:
1 877-853-5257 (toll-free)
Outside of the U.S. and Canada:
1 470-381-2552 (standard rates apply)
Meeting ID:
___________
Passcode for telephone access:
______#

 

Shareholders are encouraged to attend the meeting via teleconference and will be afforded the same rights and opportunities to vote, ask questions and participate as they would at an in-person extraordinary general meeting.

 

At the general meeting, you will be asked to consider and vote upon a proposal to:

 

1. Proposal No. 1 — The Name Change Proposal — as a special resolution, to amend the company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (the “charter”) pursuant to an amendment to the charter in the form set forth in Annex A of the accompanying proxy statement to change the name of the company from TKB Critical Technologies 1 to Roth CH Acquisition Co.

 

2. Proposal No. 2 — The Adjournment Proposal — as an ordinary resolution, to approve the adjournment of the general meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the name change proposal (the “adjournment proposal”), which will be presented at the general meeting if, based on the tabulated votes, there are not sufficient votes at the time of the general meeting to approve the foregoing proposals, in which case the adjournment proposal will be the only proposal presented at the general meeting.

 

Voting Power; Record Date

 

Only shareholders of record of the company as of the close of business on August __, 2023 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the general meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. Each of the ordinary shares entitles the holder thereof to one vote. If your shares are held in “street name” or are in a margin or similar account, you should contact your broker to ensure that votes related to the shares you beneficially own are properly counted. On the record date, there were _________ ordinary shares issued and outstanding, including (i) ___________ Class A ordinary shares and (ii) 75,000 Class B ordinary shares. The company’s warrants do not have voting rights in connection with the proposals.

 

12

 

 

Quorum and Vote of Shareholders

 

A quorum is the minimum number of shares required to be present at the general meeting for the general meeting to be properly held under our charter and Cayman Islands law. The presence, in person, virtually, by proxy, or, if a corporation or other non-natural person, by its duly authorized representative or proxy, of the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares entitled to vote at the general meeting constitutes a quorum. Proxies that are marked “abstain” and proxies relating to “street name” shares that are returned to us but marked by brokers as “not voted” (so-called “broker non-votes”) will be treated as shares present for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum on all matters. If a shareholder does not give the broker voting instructions, under applicable self-regulatory organization rules, its broker may not vote its shares on “non-routine” matters. We believe that the name change proposal is a “non-discretionary” matter.

 

Vote Required

 

Approval of the name change proposal requires a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of at least two-thirds of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon and who do so in person or by proxy at the general meeting.

 

Approval of the adjournment proposal requires an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the ordinary shares represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon and who do so in person or by proxy at the general meeting.

 

If you do not want the proposal to be approved, you should vote against such proposal. A shareholder’s failure to vote by proxy or to vote in person or online at the general meeting will not be counted towards the number of shares required to validly establish a quorum, and if a valid quorum is otherwise established, such failure to vote will have no effect on such proposal. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted in connection with the determination of whether a valid quorum is established but will have no effect on the proposal. We believe that each of the proposals is a “non-discretionary” matter, and therefore, there will not be any broker non-votes at the general meeting.

 

Voting

 

You can vote your shares at the general meeting by proxy or by attending the general meeting via teleconference. If your shares are owned directly in your name with our transfer agent, Continental, you are considered, with respect to those shares, the “shareholder of record.” If your shares are held in a stock brokerage account or by a bank or other nominee or intermediary, you are considered the beneficial owner of shares held in “street name” and are considered a “non-record (beneficial) shareholder.”

 

Shareholders of Record

 

You can vote by proxy by having one or more individuals who will be at the general meeting vote your shares for you. These individuals are called “proxies” and using them to cast your ballot at the general meeting is called voting “by proxy.” If you wish to vote by proxy, you must (i) complete the enclosed form, called a “proxy card,” and mail it in the envelope provided or (ii) submit your proxy over the Internet in accordance with the instructions on the enclosed proxy card. If you complete the proxy card and mail it in the envelope provided or submit your proxy over the Internet as described above, you will designate each of _________ and ________, or the Chairperson of the general meeting to act as your proxy at the general meeting. One of the aforementioned individuals will then vote your shares at the general meeting in accordance with the instructions you have given them in the proxy card with respect to the proposals presented in this proxy statement. Proxies will extend to, and be voted at, any adjournments or postponements of the general meeting.

 

Alternatively, you can vote your shares by attending the general meeting via teleconference.

 

13

 

 

Beneficial Owners

 

If your shares are held in an account through a broker, bank or other nominee or intermediary, you must instruct the broker, bank or other nominee how to vote your shares by following the instructions that the broker, bank or other nominee provides you along with this proxy statement. Your broker, bank or other nominee may have an earlier deadline by which you must provide instructions to it as to how to vote your shares, so you should read carefully the materials provided to you by your broker, bank or other nominee or intermediary.

 

If you wish to attend and vote your shares at the general meeting, you must first obtain a legal proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee that holds your shares and email a copy (a legible photograph is sufficient) of your legal proxy to Continental at proxy@continentalstock.com.

 

If you do not provide voting instructions to your bank, broker or other nominee or intermediary and you do not vote your shares at the general meeting, your shares will not be voted on any proposal on which your bank, broker or other nominee does not have discretionary authority to vote. In these cases, the bank, broker or other nominee or intermediary will not be able to vote your shares on those matters for which specific authorization is required. We believe the name change proposal constitutes a “non-discretionary” matter.

 

Proxies

 

Our board is asking for your proxy. Giving our board your proxy means you authorize it to vote your shares at the general meeting in the manner you direct. You may vote for or against the proposal or you may abstain from voting. All valid proxies received prior to the general meeting will be voted. All shares represented by a proxy will be voted, and where a shareholder specifies by means of the proxy a choice with respect to any matter to be acted upon, the shares will be voted in accordance with the specification so made. If no choice is indicated on the proxy, the shares will have no effect on the proposal described herein and as the proxy holders may determine in their discretion with respect to any other matters that may properly come before the general meeting.

 

Proxies that are marked “abstain” and proxies relating to “street name” shares that are returned to us but marked by brokers as “not voted” (so-called “broker non-votes”) will be treated as shares present for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum on all matters. If a shareholder does not give the broker voting instructions, under applicable self-regulatory organization rules, its broker may not vote its shares on “non-discretionary” matters. We believe the proposal constitutes a “non-discretionary” matter, and therefore, there will not be any broker non-votes at the general meeting.

 

Shareholders who have questions or need assistance in completing or submitting their proxy cards should contact our proxy solicitor, Advantage Proxy at 877-870-8565, or banks and brokers can call collect at 206-870-8565 or by sending a letter to Advantage Proxy, Inc., P.O. Box 13581, Des Moines, WA 98198, or by emailing KSmith@advantageproxy.com.

 

Revocability of Proxies

 

Shareholders may send a later-dated, signed proxy card to the company’s secretary at 2340 Collins Avenue, Suite 402, Miami Beach, FL33141, so that it is received by the company’s secretary prior to the vote at the general meeting (which is scheduled to take place on ___________, 2023). Shareholders also may revoke their proxy by sending a notice of revocation to the company’s secretary, which must be received by the company’s secretary prior to the vote at the general meeting or by attending the general meeting, revoking their proxy and voting in person. Attendance at the general meeting alone will not change your vote. However, if your shares are held in “street name” by your broker, bank or another nominee, you must contact your broker, bank or other nominee to change your vote.

 

14

 

 

Attendance at the General Meeting

 

The general meeting will be held in person or by proxy at ___:___ a.m., Eastern time, on ___________, 2023 at the offices of Loeb & Loeb LLP, located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154, or via teleconference by using the following dial-in information:

 

Telephone access:
Within the U.S.:
1 877-853-5257 (toll-free)
Outside of the U.S.:
1 470-381-2552 (standard rates apply)
Meeting ID:
___________
Passcode for telephone access:
_______#

 

While shareholders are encouraged to attend the meeting via teleconference, you will be permitted to attend the general meeting in person at the offices of Loeb & Loeb LLP, located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154 only to the extent consistent with, or permitted by, applicable law and directives of public health authorities. You may submit your proxy by completing, signing, dating and returning the enclosed proxy card in the accompanying pre-addressed postage-paid envelope. If you hold your shares in “street name,” which means your shares are held of record by a broker, bank or nominee, you should contact your broker, bank or nominee to ensure that votes related to the shares you beneficially own are properly counted. In this regard, you must provide the broker, bank or nominee with instructions on how to vote your shares or, if you wish to attend the general meeting and vote in person, obtain a valid proxy from your broker, bank or nominee.

 

Solicitation of Proxies

 

Our board is soliciting proxies for use at the general meeting. All costs associated with this solicitation will be borne directly by the company. We have engaged Advantage Proxy, Inc. to assist in the solicitation of proxies for the general meeting. We have agreed to pay Advantage Proxy a fee of $7,500, plus disbursements, and indemnify Advantage Proxy and its affiliates against certain claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses for their services as the company’s proxy solicitor. We will also reimburse banks, brokers and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries representing beneficial owners of Class A ordinary shares for their expenses in forwarding soliciting materials to beneficial owners of Class A ordinary shares and in obtaining voting instructions from those owners. Our directors and officers may also solicit proxies by telephone, by facsimile, by mail, on the Internet or in person. They will not be paid any additional amounts for soliciting proxies.

 

You may contact Advantage Proxy at:

 

Advantage Proxy, Inc.
P.O. Box 13581
Des Moines, WA 98198
Toll Free: 877-870-8565
Collect: 206-870-8565

 

If any additional solicitation of the holders of our outstanding ordinary shares is deemed necessary, we (through our directors and officers) anticipate making such solicitation directly.

 

15

 

 

Dissenters’ Rights and Appraisal Rights

 

Neither Cayman Islands law nor our charter provide for appraisal or other similar rights for dissenting shareholders in connection with the proposal to be voted upon at the general meeting. Accordingly, our shareholders will have no right to dissent and obtain payment for their shares. As a matter of Cayman Islands law, dissenters’ rights only apply in a statutory merger where the company is a constituent company, which is not the case with any of the proposals.

 

Warrant holders do not have appraisal rights in connection with the proposal to be voted upon at the general meeting.

 

Shareholder Proposals

 

No business may be transacted at an annual general meeting, including an extraordinary general meeting in lieu of an annual general meeting, other than business that is either (i) specified in the Notice of General Meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the directors of the company or (ii) otherwise properly brought before the general meeting in accordance with the requirements set forth in the charter.

 

Other Business

 

The board does not know of any other matters to be presented at the general meeting. The form of proxy accompanying this proxy statement confers discretionary authority upon the named proxy holders with respect to amendments or variations to the matters identified in the accompanying Notice of General Meeting and with respect to any other matters that may properly come before the general meeting. If any additional matters are properly presented at the general meeting, or at any adjournments or postponements of the general meeting, the persons named in the enclosed proxy card will have discretion to vote the shares they represent in accordance with the recommendations of our board with respect to any such matters. We expect that the Class A ordinary shares represented by properly submitted proxies will be voted by the proxy holders in accordance with the recommendations of our board with respect to any such matters.

 

Principal Executive Offices

 

Our principal executive offices are located at 2340 Collins Avenue, Suite 402, Miami Beach, FL33141. Our telephone number is (949) 720-7133.

 

16

 

 

PROPOSAL NO. 1 — THE NAME CHANGE PROPOSAL

 

Background

 

TKB is a blank check company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands on April 20, 2021, for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, with one or more businesses, without limitation as to business, industry or sector. On October 29, 2021, TKB consummated its IPO of 23,000,000 units (the “Units”). Each Unit consisted of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant, with each whole warrant entitling the holder to purchase one Ordinary Share at $11.50 per share beginning 30 days after the completion of an initial business combination (“Public Warrant”). The Units were sold at an offering price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $230,000,000. Simultaneously with the consummation of the IPO and the sale of the Units, TKB consummated the private placement of an aggregate of 10,750,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) issued to TKB Sponsor I, LLC at a price of $1.00 per warrant, generating total proceeds of $10,750,000. Each Private Placement Warrant is exercisable for one Ordinary Share beginning 30 days after the completion of a business combination. Upon completion of the IPO, A total of $234,600,000 of the net proceeds from TKB’s IPO and sale of the Private Placement Warrants were deposited in the Trust Account established for the benefit of the holders of Public Shares.

 

Like most blank check companies, the charter provides for the return of the IPO proceeds held in trust to the holders of public shares sold in the IPO if there is no qualifying business combination(s) consummated on or before January 29, 2023. The Company was unable to complete a qualifying business combination by January 29, 2023, the initial liquidation date set forth in its charter, and on January 27, 2023, the Company held an extraordinary general meeting at which the Company’s shareholders approved an amendment to the charter to provide that the Company would have until June 29, 2023 to complete a business combination.

 

On June 28, 2023, the Company held a subsequent extraordinary general meeting at which time shareholders approved a further amendment to extend the deadline by which a business combination may be consummated monthly up to 16 times, from June 29, 2023 up to October 29, 2024 (i.e., for a period of time ending up to 36 months after the consummation of its IPO). As of the date of this proxy statement, the business combination deadline has been extended to August 29, 2023.

 

Reason for the Name Change Proposal

 

On June 25, 2023, TKB, TKB Sponsor I, LLC (the “former sponsor”), each independent director of the Company as of that date (the “Directors”), and affiliates of Roth Capital Partners and Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC (the “Buyers”) entered into a Securities Transfer Agreement (the “Agreement”) pursuant to which the former sponsor and the former Directors sold to Buyers, an aggregate of 4,312,500 ordinary shares consisting of 4,237,500 Class A ordinary shares and 75,000 Class B ordinary shares and 8,062,500 private placement warrants (together, the “Transferred Securities”) for an aggregate purchase price (the “Purchase Price”) of $1.00 (the “Transaction”).

 

In connection with the Transaction, the Company changed its officers and directors and believe that a new name is appropriate given the change in ownership. The Units, the Class A ordinary shares and the Public Warrants will continue to trade on Nasdaq under the symbols “USCTU,” “USCT” and “USCTW” respectively.

 

Shareholders will not be required to exchange outstanding share certificates for new share certificates if the Name Change Proposal is adopted.

 

If the name change proposal is approved, the name change will be reflected in the charter, which form is attached to the proxy statement as Annex A.

 

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Vote Required for Approval

 

Approval of the name change proposal requires a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of at least two-thirds of the ordinary shares, who, being present and entitled to vote at the general meeting, vote at the general meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted in connection with the determination of whether a valid quorum is established but will have no effect on any of the proposals. We believe the proposal constitutes a “non-discretionary” matter, and therefore, there will not be any broker non-votes at the general meeting.

 

All of the company’s directors and officers are expected to vote all ordinary shares owned by them in favor of the name change. On the record date, the sponsor and all of the company’s directors and officers beneficially owned and were entitled to vote an aggregate of __________ ordinary shares. See the section entitled “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” for additional information regarding the holders of the ordinary shares and their respective ownership thereof.

 

Full Text of Resolution

 

RESOLVED, as a special resolution, that the name of the company is changed from TKB Critical Technologies 1 to Roth CH Acquisition Co.

 

Recommendation

 

As discussed above, after careful consideration of all relevant factors, our board has determined that the name change proposal is in the best interests of the company and its shareholders. Our board has approved and declared advisable the adoption of the name change proposal.

 

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” THE NAME CHANGE PROPOSAL.

 

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PROPOSAL NO. 2 — THE ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL

 

Overview

 

The adjournment proposal, if adopted, will allow our board to adjourn the general meeting to a later date or dates to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the name change proposal. The adjournment proposal will only be presented at the general meeting if, based on the tabulated votes, there are not sufficient votes at the time of the general meeting to approve the name change proposal, in which case the adjournment proposal will be the only proposal presented at the general meeting.

 

Consequences if the Adjournment Proposal is Not Approved

 

If the adjournment proposal is not approved by our shareholders, our board may not be able to adjourn the general meeting to a later date in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the name change proposal.

 

Vote Required for Approval

 

Approval of the adjournment proposal requires an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the ordinary shares who, being present and entitled to vote at the general meeting, vote at the general meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted in connection with the determination of whether a valid quorum is established but will have no effect on any of the proposals. We believe the name change proposal constitutes a “non-discretionary” matter, and therefore, there will not be any broker non-votes at the general meeting.

 

Full Text of Resolution

 

RESOLVED, as an ordinary resolution, that the adjournment of the general meeting to a later date or dates to be determined by the chairman of the general meeting, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies be confirmed, ratified and approved in all respects.

 

Recommendation of the Board

 

As discussed above, after careful consideration of all relevant factors, our board has determined that the adjournment proposal is in the best interests of the company and its shareholders. Therefore, if there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the name change proposal, our board will approve and declare advisable adoption of the adjournment proposal.

 

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT, IF PRESENTED, YOU VOTE “FOR” THE ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL.

 

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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

 

The following table sets forth information available to us as of ___________, 2023 with respect to our ordinary shares held by:

 

each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding ordinary shares;

 

each of our executive officers and directors; and

 

all our executive officers and directors 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, including options and warrants that are currently exercisable or will become exercisable within 60 days. Except as described in the footnotes below and subject to applicable community property laws and similar laws, we believe that each person listed below has sole voting and investment power with respect to such shares.

 

In the table below, percentage ownership is based on ________ ordinary shares outstanding as of ________, 2023 including _________ Class A ordinary shares and 75,000 Class B ordinary shares. Voting power represents the combined voting power of ordinary shares owned beneficially by such person. On all matters to be voted upon, the holders of the ordinary shares vote together as a single class. The table below does not include any ordinary shares underlying our outstanding warrants because such securities are not exercisable within 60 days of February 23, 2023.

 

In preparing the following table, we relied upon statements filed with the SEC by beneficial owners of more than 5% of our outstanding ordinary shares pursuant to Section 13(d), 13(g) and Section 16 of the Exchange Act, unless we knew or had reason to believe that the information contained in such statements was not complete or accurate, in which case we relied upon information which we considered to be accurate and complete. Due to shareholder redemptions related to the June 28, 2023 general meeting to approve an extension of time in order to complete the Company’s business combination, the Company has reason to believe that all information filed with the SEC as of the most recent practicable date by beneficial owners of more than 5% of our outstanding ordinary shares pursuant to Section 13(d) and 13(g) of the Exchange Act is no longer complete or accurate.

 

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    Class A
Ordinary Shares
    Class B
Ordinary Shares
 
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1)   Beneficially
Owned
    Approximate
Percentage of
Class Issued and
Outstanding
Ordinary
Shares
    Beneficially
Owned
    Approximate
Percentage of
Class Issued and
Outstanding
Ordinary
Shares
 
5% shareholders                                
TKB Sponsor I, LLC(2)                             %
CR Financial Holdings, Inc.                             %
Directors and Executive Officers                                
Byron Roth                                
John Lipman                                
Gordon Roth                                
Rick Hartfiel                                
Aaron Gurewitz                                
Joseph Tonnos                                
Ryan Hultstrand                                
Matthew Day                                
Adam Rothstein                                
Sam Chawla                                
Christopher Bradley                                
All directors and executive officers as a group (11 individuals)     -       -       -       0 %

 

 
* Less than 1%
(1) Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following entities or individuals is 2340 Collins Avenue, Suite 402, Miami Beach, FL 33141.
(2) The address for TKB Sponsor I, LLC is 400 Continental Boulevard, Suite 600, El Segundo, CA 90245.

 

Our officers and directors beneficially own ____% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares and have the right to elect all of our directors prior to our initial business combination as a result of holding all of the Class B ordinary shares. In addition, because of its ownership block, our sponsor may be able to effectively influence the outcome of all other matters requiring approval by our shareholders, including amendments to our Charter and approval of significant corporate transactions.

 

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OTHER MATTERS

 

Shareholder Proposals

 

No business may be transacted at an annual general meeting, including an extraordinary general meeting, other than business that is either (i) specified in the Notice of General Meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the directors of the company or (ii) otherwise properly brought before the general meeting in accordance with the requirements set forth in the charter.

 

Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports

 

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our officers, directors and persons who beneficially own more than ten percent of our ordinary shares to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the SEC. These reporting persons are also required to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file. Based solely upon a review of such forms furnished since the effective date of our IPO, we believe that there have been no delinquent filers other than as previously disclosed in the company’s SEC filings.

 

Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report and SEC Filings

 

Our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022, are included in our annual report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on April 4, 2023 and a Form10-K/A filed on April 14, 2023. This proxy statement and our annual report are available from the SEC at its website at www.sec.gov. You may also obtain a copy of our annual report without charge by sending a written request to TKB Critical Technologies 1, 2340 Collins Avenue, Suite 402, Miami Beach, FL 33141.

 

Delivery Of Documents To Shareholders

 

For shareholders receiving printed proxy materials, unless we have received contrary instructions, we may send a single copy of this proxy statement to any household at which two or more shareholders reside if we believe the shareholders are members of the same family. This process, known as “householding,” reduces the volume of duplicate information received at any one household and helps to reduce our expenses. However, if shareholders prefer to receive multiple sets of our disclosure documents at the same address this year or in future years, the shareholders should follow the instructions described below. Similarly, if an address is shared with another shareholder and together both of the shareholders would like to receive only a single set of our disclosure documents, the shareholders should follow these instructions:

 

if the shares are registered in the name of the shareholder, the shareholder should contact us at our offices at 2340 Collins Avenue, Suite 402, Miami Beach, FL 33141 or (949) 720-7133, to inform us of their request; or

 

if a bank, broker or other nominee holds the shares, the shareholder should contact the bank, broker or other nominee directly.

 

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Where You Can Find More Information

 

We file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC as required by the Exchange Act. You can read the company’s SEC filings, including this proxy statement, over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

If you would like additional copies of this proxy statement or if you have questions about the initial business combination or the proposals to be presented at the general meeting, you should contact the company at the following address and telephone number:

 

TKB Critical Technologies 1
2340 Collins Avenue, Suite 402
Miami Beach, FL33141
(949) 720-7133

 

If you are a shareholder of the company and would like to request documents, please do so by March 9, 2023 (one week prior to the general meeting), in order to receive them before the general meeting. If you request any documents from us, we will mail them to you by first class mail, or another equally prompt means.

 

*   *   *

 

The board does not know of any other matters to be presented at the general meeting. If any additional matters are properly presented at the general meeting, the persons named in the enclosed proxy card will have discretion to vote the shares they represent in accordance with their own judgment on such matters.

 

It is important that your shares be represented at the general meeting, regardless of the number of shares that you hold. You are, therefore, urged to execute and return, at your earliest convenience, the enclosed proxy card in the envelope that has also been provided.

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
August __, 2023

 

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Annex A

 

FORM OF AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES

OF ASSOCIATION OF TKB CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES 1

 

SPECIAL RESOLUTION OF THE SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY

 

RESOLVED, as a special resolution, that the name of the Company is changed from TKB Critical Technologies 1 to Roth CH Acquisition Co.

 

A-1

 

 

FORM OF PROXY CARD — NOT FOR USE
TKB CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES 1
PROXY FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholder Meeting to be held on ___________, 2023:

 

The undersigned hereby appoints each of ___________ and ________, or the Chairperson of the general meeting as proxy of the undersigned to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”) of TKB Critical Technologies 1 (the “company”), to be held via teleconference as described in the Proxy Statement on ___________, 2023 at ___:___ a.m., Eastern time, and any postponement or adjournment thereof, and to vote as if the undersigned were then and there personally present on all matters set forth in the Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting, dated August __, 2023 (the “Notice”), a copy of which has been received by the undersigned, as follows:

 

Proposal No. 1 — The Name Change Proposal — as a special resolution, to amend the company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (the “charter”) pursuant to an amendment to the charter in the form set forth in Annex A of the accompanying proxy statement to change the name of the company from TKB Critical Technologies 1 to Roth CH Acquisition Co.

 

For ☐   Against ☐   Abstain ☐

 

Proposal No. 2 — The Adjournment Proposal — as an ordinary resolution, to approve the adjournment of the general meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the name change proposal (the “adjournment proposal”), which will be presented at the general meeting if, based on the tabulated votes, there are not sufficient votes at the time of the general meeting to approve the name change proposal, in which case the adjournment proposal will be the only proposal presented at the general meeting.

 

For ☐   Against ☐   Abstain ☐

 

NOTE: IN HIS DISCRETION, THE PROXY HOLDER IS AUTHORIZED TO VOTE UPON SUCH OTHER MATTER OR MATTERS THAT MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING AND ANY ADJOURNMENT(S) THEREOF.

 

THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPECIFIC INDICATION ABOVE. IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH INDICATION, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED “FOR” EACH PROPOSAL AND, AT THE DISCRETION OF THE PROXY HOLDER, ON ANY OTHER MATTERS THAT MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OR ANY POSTPONEMENT OR ADJOURNMENT THEREOF.

 

Dated: ___________________

 

   
  Signature of Stockholder
   
   
  PLEASE PRINT NAME