UNITED STATES 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES

EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2021

Commission File No. 000-27866

(919)-888-8194 

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ☐ Disclosure not contained.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the stock was sold, or the average bid and ask prices of such stock equity, as of June 30, 2021, the last business day of the issuer’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter: $45,785,090.

As of March 1, 2022, the number of outstanding shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of the registrant was 126,680,895.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement relating to its 2022 annual meeting of stockholders (the “2022 Proxy Statement”) are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K where indicated. The 2022 Proxy Statement will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the end of the year to which this report relates.

374WATER INC.

Annual Report on Form 10-K

Year Ended December 31, 2021

INDEX

JUMPSTART OUR BUSINESS STARTUPS ACT DISCLOSURE

We qualify as an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the “JOBS Act”). An issuer qualifies as an “emerging growth company” if it has total annual gross revenues of less than $1.0 billion during its most recently completed fiscal year, and will continue to be deemed an emerging growth company until the earliest of:

As an emerging growth company, we are exempt from various reporting requirements. Specifically, we are exempt from the following provisions:

Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies may delay adopting new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until such time as those standards apply to private companies.

PART I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS. 

General

374Water, Inc. (the “Company”, “374Water”, “We”, or “Our”) is a Delaware corporation which was incorporated on September 8, 2005. The Company was initially formed to develop, commercialize, and market a series of unique electric generating power systems designed to produce electrical power with zero emissions or waste byproducts, based on a patented pressure-driven expander motor and related organic rankine cycle technology.

 On April 16, 2021, 374Water Inc. (f/k/a PowerVerde, Inc.) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger”) with 374Water, Inc., a privately held company based in Durham, North Carolina, (“374Water Private Company”) and 374Water Acquisition Corp., a newly-formed wholly-owned subsidiary of PowerVerde. Subsequent to the merger, 374Water Inc. became the surviving entity.

As a result of the Merger, the former 374Water Private Company shareholders own 65.8% of our issued and outstanding common stock and 53.8% of our issued and outstanding voting stock (which includes the preferred stock on an as converted basis).

Subsequent to the Merger, 374Water is focused on being a cleantech and social impact company providing a disruptive technology that addresses imminent environmental pollution challenges. We are focused on a new era of sustainable waste stream management that promotes circular economy initiatives and enables organizations to achieve sustainability goals and create green impact. Our vision is a world without waste and our mission is to preserve a clean and healthy environment that sustains life.

We have developed proprietary waste stream treatment systems based on Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO). The term used for the process is AirSCWO^TM. SCWO leverages the unique properties of water in its supercritical phase (above 374^oC and 221 Bar) to convert organic matter to energy and safe products that can be recovered and used. The AirSCWO^TM systems are essentially waste stream agnostic and able to treat a variety of complex, hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams, opening up opportunities for multiple applications in diverse market verticals on an international scale. Most pertinently, the technology is shifting the landscape in addressing environmental challenges that, until now, have been considered unsurmountable (due to science/engineering or cost barriers), one good example being the global PFAS crisis.

We currently outsource manufacturing the AirSCWO^TM systems to our strategic partner in the US, Merrell Bros., Inc., that have the facilities and capability to rapidly ramp-up manufacturing volumes and also support system modifications and deployment as required per market and clients. We envision in the future applying an outsourced manufacturing model in a few territories, and may consider establishing our own manufacturing capability in geographies where this is needed to adequately grow our market share.

The systems are supplied to multiple market verticals, and our revenue model includes both capital equipment sales and long-term service agreements based on throughput and capacity (Waste Purchase Agreements). Our market penetration strategy is combined of direct client and channel partner sales routes, depending on the specific market and territory. In some cases, the systems may be white labelled and sold as part of a broader solution package.

Human Capital and Culture

We currently employ seven full-time employees and ten consultants on a full or part-time basis. Our current projections are to increase the workforce to twelve full-time employees in 2022 and forty full-time employees in 2023.

We recognize and value our people as our most important asset in achieving our strategic goals and growing a great company. We are working towards a human resources strategy that will help drive the right culture, leadership, talent management, performance, reward and recognition, personal development, and ways of working vital to ensure the Company achieves its strategic goals whilst our people benefit from an exceptional experience.

Our focus areas in creating a working environment that draws out the best in our employees and allows them to fulfil their potential and support the Company to attain its goals are as follows:

Our recruitment strategy is based on identifying top talent, predominantly via existing networks and referrals, and offering competitive remuneration packages that combine salary, benefits and equity. As we move forward our recruitment strategy will expand to wider platforms allowing outreach to a wider audience. In the immediate future, we will use an outsourced human resources firm, and as we grow, within 2022, embed a human resources function into the Company. We intend to apply a wide range of retention initiatives that include rewarding high-performance, and opening opportunities for progression and career development. Identification of high-performing talent will be linked to succession planning and development of the future-workforce will be embedded in employee professional development schemes.

We are setting clear standards with respect to generating an open and transparent working environment in which everyone has a voice. This will invoke effective personal development discussions and provide the opportunity to conduct performance reviews supported by transparent data and open conversation.

We are dedicated to embedding Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) as an important part of developing our culture through delivery of innovative initiatives and internal workshops, ensuring that D&I policies touch on all aspects of the Company from recruitment practices to company behaviour/operating frameworks. These policies will also be reviewed periodically as required and updated accordingly.

Moving forward we intend to deliver a total reward strategy which appropriately supports achievement of organisational aims and priorities, and will help position us as an employer of choice which employees value and understand. This will undergo periodical review to ensure we are able to attract and retain top talent in a financially sustainable way.

All of our human resource initiatives will be supported by key performance indicators to monitor their effectiveness and gain insight into gaps that can be addressed quickly and ensure our overall human resource strategy is adapted as required and maintained to a high degree.

Markets and Industries

                Due to the nature of the technology and its ability to treat effectively diverse waste streams, applicable to different industries, the markets that the Company serves are broad. The Company’s technology provides a unique value proposition promoting its adoption across markets, and includes but is not limited to:

                One of our key markets is the sludge treatment market, which includes both municipal and industrial sludge. Sludge is the semi solid by-product obtained from wastewater treatment. When it is produced from the treatment of domestic sewage it is considered municipal sludge whilst sludge obtained as by-product from industrial chemicals and waste treatment is referred to as industrial sludge. Activated sludge is the most commonly applied biological treatment process for the treatment of municipal sewage. It generates a final residue also known as biosolids as it mainly consists of biological solids. Sludge and biosolids management is a key part of any wastewater treatment process.

                The global demand for municipal and industrial sludge treatment is expected to generate revenue of above $9 Billion by end of 2026, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of around 5.7% between 2020 and 2026 (Research and Markets Report, August 2020). Growing population has resulted in increased volume of sludge which drives the market for municipal and industrial sludge treatment. Moreover, escalating energy costs from conventional sources prompts the use of biogas which in turn is expected to trigger the municipal sludge treatment market in the near future.

The municipal sludge market is expected to comprise approximately 40% of the Company’s revenue, particularly due to its size, regulatory drivers related to emerging contaminants, evolving land application limitations/restrictions and ever-increasing sludge volumes that require treatment (Sludge at WWTPs: Global Trends of Treatment and Disposal/Reuse, The World Bank 2019). However, additional high value markets are being addressed and will contribute to the Company’s revenue and thereby help fuel its growth plans. Table 1 below shows a non-exhaustive list of target markets, their subsegments, and the relevant applications associated with those markets.

Table1: Representative target markets, their subsegments and applications

                The markets shown represent multi billions in Total Addressable Market (TAM) value, with typical 5-year CAGRs of between 5%-8%.

                The trends that are transforming these markets, and dictating a more robust and sustainable approach to waste stream management are derived from recognition by waste generators, waste operators, government and society that they are key social, environmental and economic benefits to be gained by moving waste up the waste management hierarchy, towards prevention, reuse, recycling and recovery. The drivers that are facilitating adoption of our technology include but are not limited to: population growth and urbanization, increasing quantity/complexity of waste streams, climate change, carbon economics, resource scarcity, corporate sustainability targets, commodity prices, energy security and tightening regulations (Global Industrial Waste Water Systems Market Survey Report, December 2021).

Strategy

                Our growth strategy includes a blend of routes, including but not limited to:

Organic Growth

                The Company’s growth over the next two years will be predominantly driven by sales of current systems in the identified key markets, leading to customer base expansion, with the municipal market expected to generate a significant portion of the Company’s revenue. The initial geographical focus will be North America and Canada, the UK, and EMEA. Our business model includes direct sales to end-users and indirect sales via channel partners. In some markets revenue will be generated from a mix of capital equipment sales and a Waste Purchase Agreement (WPA) which is a paid service for waste treatment. The latter will be offered through a financing arm which will be established within 2022 and target direct end-user engagement. The financing systems to be sold via service agreements will lower barriers to entry in our key markets and facilitate more rapid expansion of our client base. Examples of models to be used can include, but are not limited to: Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) and Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT), depending on clients’ preferences and limitations. We envisage that in some cases public private partnerships (PPPs) will be established, particularly when selling to public utilities, and addressing projects in developing geographies.

In addition, we are planning during the next two to three years to conduct further product development and expand our product portfolio that will facilitate entrance into new subsegments where particularly high strength waste streams require treatment. This is most relevant to some industrial manufacturing, defense, and waste management applications. Our intention is to maintain a healthy R&D budget to attain this goal.

Inorganic Growth

                Strategic partnerships will form an ongoing key growth strategy. Strategic partners being considered that we are currently engaging with include:

                A mid-term growth strategy, includes licensing agreements and M&As of Small Business Enterprises (SBEs) to increase functionality of our systems (such as implementation of IOT platforms for full process digitization) and to increase supply chain reliability and efficiency for ancillary process equipment that is required for full integration of systems (i.e., pumps, valves, filters, dewatering equipment etc.).

Products and Services

                We sell AirSCWO™ as a modular and containerized system. These are compact and prefabricated so they can be cost effectively shipped, installed, and operated within the footprint of an existing plant.  We are currently offering a six (6) wet tons per day throughput capacity system and a thirty (30) wet tons per day throughput capacity system in 2023. A two hundred (200) wet tons per day throughput capacity system is to be designed between FY 2024 and 2025.

                In some cases, on an as-needed basis, we will sell, as part of the solution package, ancillary equipment that is required to pre-treat the inlet waste stream and post-treat a product stream, depending on the application. For example, to meet the AirSCWO^TM inlet requirements (i.e., water %, total dissolved solids, etc.) sometimes a pre-treatment “bolt-on” process is implemented to ensure our system performance.

                We offer two purchase options as follows:

In addition, the Company will offer after sales agreements for supply of parts, maintenance and repairs.

Technology and Intellectual Property

We have designed an offensive intellectual property strategy to ensure we maintain a competitive edge in this space. We currently have filed five (5) provisional patents that cover crucial process operational aspects and improve system efficiencies and performance, including a provisional patent to cover a next-generation AirSCWO^TM system for high strength waste stream treatment. We are allocating R&D resources to support data generation that will allow moving to full non-provisional patent application by November 2022, with the intention of filing a PCT application.

Collaborations

                We have an exclusive manufacturing agreement in place with Merrell Bros Inc., which is based in Kokomo, Indiana, and is a nationwide biosolids management company helping municipalities, industries and agricultural operations successfully manage and recycle biosolids. They also serve as a channel partner to facilitate our market penetration and expansion plans in the US by opening up their existing client base.

                We have a Sponsored Partnership Agreement with Duke University that provides access to Duke’s world-class research capabilities, building on our own R&D expertise and strengthening our core development activities when needed.

                We have an exclusive partnership agreement with Environmental Services Company Ltd., who is based in Israel, to act as our channel partner for treating hazardous waste streams in Israel.

Marketing

                Our approach is through information, education, and thought leadership. This is because business purchase decisions are based more on bottom-line revenue impact. Return on investment (ROI) is a primary focus for corporate decision makers.

                We perform a business-to-business style of marketing of our products and services. We conduct marketing campaigns are aimed at any individual(s) with control or influence on purchasing decisions. This can encompass a wide variety of titles and functions, from entry-level end-users all the way up to the C-suite.

                We deploy conventional, yet highly creative demand generation marketing tactics including the following:

Clients

                Our clients include channel partners (EPCs, technology integrators, waste service providers, operations service providers, NGOs) and end-users which include utilities (private and public), industrial manufacturing facilities (i.e., pharmaceutical, chemical, food & beverage, semi-conductor etc.), waste management and environmental remediation companies (that own/operate waste disposal sites, landfills, incineration sites etc.), agricultural companies, and governmental entities (i.e., MODs).

Government Regulations

Our operations and AirSCWO units may be subject to various United States federal, state and local and, in the case of our Israel operations, Israeli laws and regulations and requirements governing the protection of the environment, public health and safety, and other matters. For example, the construction and operation of our AirSCWO units may require obtaining air permits from various states or, alternatively, obtaining a formal determination from a state that a permit is not required. We may also be required to obtain state and local treatment works approval to install our AirSCWO units if a unit is connected to a system which is permitted pursuant to the United States National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems Act. In the event our AirSCWO units are used to treat metals, the resulting mineral stream may constitute heavy meals under the United States Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (the “RCRA”) and require separation and regulated disposal if such heavy metals were deemed to be hazardous waste under the RCRA. If the operators of our AirSCWO units are treating hazardous waste, they may be required to obtain special hazardous waste technician training. Additionally, we are currently evaluating whether our AirSCWO units may be regulated pursuant to the United States Occupational Safety and Health Act and thereby be subject to inspections thereunder. We intend that our operations and AirSCWO units will be in material compliance with, and in many cases surpass, minimum standards required by applicable laws and regulations.

Where You Can Find Additional Information

The Company is subject to the reporting requirements under the Exchange Act. The Company files with, or furnishes to, the SEC quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports and will furnish its proxy statement. These filings are available free of charge on the Company’s website, www.374water.com shortly after they are filed with, or furnished to, the SEC.

The SEC maintains an Internet website, www.sec.gov, that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers.

Emerging Growth Company

We are also an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or “JOBS Act.” As long as we remain an “emerging growth company,” we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not an “emerging growth company,” like those applicable to a “smaller reporting company,” including, but not limited to, a scaled down description of our business in SEC filings; no requirements to include risk factors in Exchange Act filings; no requirement to include certain selected financial data and supplementary financial information in SEC filings; not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements that we file under the Exchange Act; no requirement for Sarbanes-Oxley Act Section 404(b) auditor attestations of internal control over financial reporting; and exemptions from the requirements of holding an annual nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and seeking nonbinding stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We are also only required to file audited financial statements for the previous two fiscal years when filing registration statements, together with reviewed financial statements of any applicable subsequent quarter.

We may take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an “emerging growth company.” We can remain an “emerging growth company” for up to five years. We would cease to be an “emerging growth company” prior to such time if we have total annual gross revenues of $1 billion or more and when we become a “larger accelerated filer,” have a public float of $700 million or more or we issue more than $1 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period.

Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can also delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We have irrevocably elected not to avail ourselves of this exemption from new or revised accounting standards and, therefore, will be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies.

Sarbanes/Oxley Act

Except for the limitations excluded by the JOBS Act discussed under the preceding heading “Emerging Growth Company,” we are also subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The Sarbanes/Oxley Act created a strong and independent accounting oversight board to oversee the conduct of auditors of public companies and strengthens auditor independence. It also requires steps to enhance the direct responsibility of senior members of management for financial reporting and for the quality of financial disclosures made by public companies; establishes clear statutory rules to limit, and to expose to public view, possible conflicts of interest affecting securities analysts; creates guidelines for audit committee members’ appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of public companies’ auditors; management assessment of our internal controls; prohibits certain insider trading during pension fund blackout periods; requires companies and auditors to evaluate internal controls and procedures; and establishes a federal crime of securities fraud, among other provisions. Compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes/Oxley Act will substantially increase our legal and accounting costs.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Prospective investors are cautioned that the statements in this Report that are not descriptions of historical facts may be forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. This Report contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of our management as well as on assumptions made by and information currently available to us as of the date of this Report. When used in this Report, the words “plan,” “will,” “may,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “project” and similar expressions, as they relate to 374Water, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although 374Water believes these statements are reasonable, actual actions, operations and results could differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of the risk factors included in this Report or other factors. We must caution, however, that this list of factors may not be exhaustive and that these or other factors, many of which are outside of our control, could have a material adverse effect on 374Water and our ability to achieve our objectives. All forward-looking statements attributable to 374Water or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth above.

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS. 

None.

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES. 

None.

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. 

None.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES. 

Not applicable.

PART II

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES. 

Our common stock trades on the Over-The-Counter Bulletin Board (“OTCBB”) under the symbol “SCWO.” The over-the-counter market quotations provided below reflect inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-ups, mark-down or commission and may not represent actual transactions. The following table sets forth the range of high and low sales prices on the OTCBB for the periods indicated.

Dividends

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock, nor do we intend to declare or pay any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. Subject to the limitations described below, the holders of our common stock are entitled to receive only such dividends (cash or otherwise) as may (or may not) be declared by our Board of Directors.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

All of 374Water’s sales of unregistered securities since inception have been made pursuant to private offerings to accredited investors. The sales set forth below were made pursuant to an exemption from registration requirements under Regulation D and/or Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Except as otherwise noted below, no placement agent fees or commissions were paid on these offerings, and net proceeds were used for working capital.

In connection with the Merger with PowerVerde, 374Water closed on a private placement of 436,783 shares of Series D Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”) with a par value of $.0001, yielding gross proceeds of $6,551,745 (the “Private Placement”) and the settlement of a $50,000 liability for Preferred Stock shares. The Private Placement proceeds will be used for working capital, primarily for development, manufacture and commercialization of 374Water Inc.’s Air SCWO Nix systems. The Preferred Stock has a stated value of $15 per share, is convertible into common stock at $.30 per share and has voting rights based on the underlying shares of common stock. Upon liquidation of the Company, the Preferred Stockholders have liquidation preference before any assets can be distributed to common stockholders. All of the Preferred Stock was sold pursuant to an exemption from registration requirements under Regulation D and/or Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

In December 2021, 374Water closed on a private placement of 2,500,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Common Shares”) with a par value of $.0001 and at a exercise price of $2.00 yielding $5,000,000. The private placement proceeds were raised to assist in the Company’s efforts of towards meeting Nasdaq uplisting requirements.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

As of December 31, 2021, the Company did not have any purchases of equity securities from stockholders.

ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA. 

Not required for smaller reporting companies.

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS. 

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto appearing elsewhere herein.

Critical Accounting Policies

The consolidated financial statements of 374Water Inc., formerly known as PowerVerde, Inc. (“374Water Inc.,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or the “Company”) are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires our management to make estimates and assumptions about future events that effect the amounts reported in the financial statements and related notes. Future events and their effects cannot be determined with absolute certainty. Therefore, the determination of estimates requires the exercise of judgment. We believe the following critical accounting policies affect its more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements.

Common Stock Purchase Warrants

The Company accounts for common stock purchase warrants in accordance with ASC Topic 815- 40, Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (“ASC 815-40”). Based on the provisions of ASC 815- 40, the Company classifies as equity any contracts that (i) require physical settlement or net-share settlement, or (ii) gives the Company a choice of net-cash settlement or settlement in its own shares (physical settlement or net-share settlement). The Company classifies as assets or liabilities any contracts that (i) require net-cash settlement including a requirement to net cash settle the contract if an event occurs and if that event is outside the control of the Company), or (ii) give the counterparty a choice of net-cash settlement or settlement in shares (physical settlement or net-share settlement). All outstanding warrants as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 were classified as equity. The Company utilizes the Black Scholes Model to complete valuation of warrants and uses the inputs for the Black Scholes Model including Risk Free Rate, Dividend yield, stock price, exercise price, term, and volatility. The Company uses other public company comparison for Volatility and pulls the risk-free rate from the federal treasury rates based on the term. The Company’s exercise price is pulled from the warrant agreement and the stock price is pulled from the market close on the day of issuance. The Company’s term for the warrants utilizes the simplified method for the calculation of the term.

Intellectual Property

                The Company reviews intangible assets with finite lives for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. The Company uses an estimate of the undiscounted cash flows over the remaining life of its long-lived assets, or related group of assets where applicable, in measuring whether the assets to be held and used will be realizable. In the event of impairment, the Company would discount the future cash flows using its then estimated incremental borrowing rate to estimate the amount of the impairment.

Stock-based compensation

We account for stock-based compensation based on ASC Topic 718-Stock Compensation which requires expensing of stock options and other share-based payments based on the fair value of each stock option awarded. The fair value of each stock option is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes valuation model. This model requires management to estimate the expected volatility, expected dividends, and expected term as inputs to the valuation model.

Overview

374Water, Inc. (the “Company”, “374Water”, “We”, or “Our”) is a Delaware corporation which was incorporated on September 8, 2005. The Company was initially formed to develop, commercialize, and market a series of unique electric generating power systems designed to produce electrical power with zero emissions or waste byproducts, based on a patented pressure-driven expander motor and related organic rankine cycle technology.

 On April 16, 2021, 374Water Inc. (f/k/a PowerVerde, Inc.) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger”) with 374Water, Inc., a privately held company based in Durham, North Carolina, (“374Water Private Company”) and 374Water Acquisition Corp., a newly-formed wholly-owned subsidiary of PowerVerde.

As a result of the Merger, the former 374Water Private Company shareholders own 65.8% of our issued and outstanding common stock and 53.8% of our issued and outstanding voting stock (which includes the preferred stock on an as converted basis).

Subsequent to the Merger, 374Water is focused on being a cleantech and social impact company providing a disruptive technology that addresses imminent environmental pollution challenges. We are focused on a new era of sustainable waste stream management that promotes circular economy initiatives and enables organizations to achieve sustainability goals and create green impact. Our vision is a world without waste and our mission is to preserve a clean and healthy environment that sustains life.

We have developed proprietary waste stream treatment systems based on Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO). The term used for the process is AirSCWO^TM. SCWO leverages the unique properties of water in its supercritical phase (above 374 ^oC and 221 Bar) to convert organic matter to energy and safe products that can be recovered and used. The AirSCWO^TM systems are essentially waste stream agnostic and able to treat a variety of complex, hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams, opening up opportunities for multiple applications in diverse market verticals on an international scale. Most pertinently, the technology is shifting the landscape in addressing environmental challenges that, until now, have been considered unsurmountable (due to science/engineering or cost barriers), one good example being the global PFAS crisis.

We currently outsource manufacturing of the AirSCWO^TM systems to our strategic partner in the US, Merrell Bros., Inc., that have the facilities and capability to rapidly ramp-up manufacturing volumes and also support system modifications and deployment as required per market and clients. We envision in the future applying an outsourced manufacturing model in a few territories, and may consider establishing our own manufacturing capability in geographies where this is needed to adequately grow our market share.

The systems are supplied to multiple market verticals, and our revenue model includes both capital equipment sales and long-term service agreements based on throughput and capacity (Waste Purchase Agreements). Our market penetration strategy is combined of direct client and channel partner sales routes, depending on the specific market and territory. In some cases, the systems may be white labelled and sold as part of a broader solution package.

Results of Operations

Year Ended December 31, 2021, as Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2020

Since inception, we have focused on the development, testing and commercialization of our clean energy electric power generation systems. Since the closing of the 374Water Merger, our business has been focused on development and commercialization of 374Water’s supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) systems. We generated $48,100 and $86,570 in revenue from manufacturing assembly services and from consulting and advisory services during the years ended December 31, 2021, and 2020, respectively. This year, we had substantial expenses due to our ongoing research and development activities and efforts to commercialize our systems, as well as substantial administrative expenses associated with our status as a public company. Our general and administrative expenses increased to $1,095,382 during the year ended December 31, 2021, as compared to $17,483 in the same period of 2020, primarily because of increased insurance costs, payroll expenses due to hiring employees and stock-based compensation expenses. Our professional fees increased to $343,862 during the year ended December 31, 2021, as compared to $8,791 in the same period of 2020, primarily because of increased legal fees and accounting fees relating to the 374Water Merger and our status as a public company. Our research and development expenses were $375,032 during the year ended December 31, 2021, as compared to $57,718 in the same period of 2020, primarily because of the increase in engineering expenses following the 374Water Merger. Our product development expenses were $1,399,833 during the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to no such expenses in the same period of 2020. This activity represents the issuance of stock warrants to a strategic partner in the second quarter of 2021 as part of compensation for the manufacturing, supply and service of AirSCWO products. Substantial net losses are expected until we are able to successfully commercialize and market our 374Water systems, as to which there can be no assurance.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

In April 2021, in connection with the Merger, we raised approximately $6.6 million from the sale of Series D Preferred Stock and converted all of its convertible debt notes and accrued interest to shares of common stock. On December 17, 2021, the Company raised approximately $5 million from the sales of Common Stock.

We have financed our operations since inception principally through the sale of debt and equity securities. As of December 31, 2021, we had working capital of $11,263,270 compared to working capital of $10,572 at December 31, 2020. This increase in working capital occurred in April 2021, and is due primarily to the gross proceeds of $6,551,745 from the sale of Series D Convertible Preferred Stock, the receipt of $1,134,999 of proceeds from the exercise of a warrant, and the gross proceeds of $4,999,975 from the private placement in December 2021 for the sale of Common Stock.

We believe that these funds will satisfy our working capital needs for the next 12 months. There can be no assurance that these funds will be sufficient to finance our plan of operations and commercialize our systems or that we will be able to raise any necessary additional funds on a commercially reasonable basis or at all. 

ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK. 

Not required for smaller reporting companies.

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA. 

The consolidated financial statements of the Company and other information required by this Item are set forth herein in a separate section beginning with the Index to the Financial Statements on page F-1.

ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE. 

None.

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES. 

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

The Company, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s management, have evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were not effective.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act). Our management, with the participation of our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021. Our management’s evaluation of our internal control over financial reporting was based on the framework in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013), issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this evaluation, our management concluded that as of December 31, 2021, our internal control over financial reporting was not effective.

The ineffectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting was due to the following material weaknesses which we identified in our internal control over financial reporting:

No Attestation Report

This annual report does not include an attestation report of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report was not subject to attestation by the Company’s registered public accounting firm pursuant to rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission that permit the Company to provide only management’s report in this annual report.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Management noted that in response to the material weaknesses related to complex accounting and lack of segregation of duties, the Company hired Israel Abitbol, CFO, who operated as the full-time accountant on behalf of 374Water Inc., pre-merger. The Company utilized KSDT, a CPA firm to assist with the month-end close (MEC) process following the merger from April to June 2021. At the end of June 2021, a part-time contractor CPA was hired (Steven Dinkins) to assist with the MEC process of the accounting records. Beginning with July 2021, a MEC Checklist was created that allowed the consultant to sign-off as a preparer for records in QuickBooks (QB) as well as schedules and reports maintained outside of QB, and Israel Abitbol would conduct a detailed review of the checklist procedures. This process evolved over the year to include a formal sign-off on the review of the checklist. Beginning in September 2021, the Company hired King Consulting Group (KCG) to assist with the review and preparation of financial statements as well as additional supplemental review over complex accounting areas. For financial reporting, this would have Steven Dinkins, consultant become the initial preparer and KCG be the initial reviewer of the drafted financial statement information to be used for the quarter (or for the year). KCG would prepare the draft copy of the financial statements and supplemental schedules and allow Israel Abitbol, CFO, and Yaacov Nagar, CEO to review the draft and approval of the final copy. Before publishing, the financial statements are also reviewed by the Company Legal Counsel before the final submission to the SEC. We believe that our postmerger actions fully addressed and remediated this material weakness.

Additionally, management noted that in response to the material weakness related to the lack of entity level controls due to ineffective Board of Directors and no Audit Committee, the Company is working to remediate the material weakness by December 31, 2022.  The Company noted that as part of this remediation process, the Board of Directors has expanded to a four member Board of Directors following the merger.  The four members of the board consist of Yaacov Nagar, CEO, Marc Deshusses, Head of Technology, Richard Davis, PowerVerde’s prior CEO, and Terry Merrell, CFO of Merrell Bros. Inc.  The Company had their first Board of Directors meeting on May 6, 2021.  The Board held 7 monthly meetings out of the 8 total months the Board was active during FY2021. As part of the Company’s uplisting to NASDAQ process, the Company is working on adding 3-4 Independent Board members and creating several Board committees, including Audit Committee.

ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION. 

None.

PART III

ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE.

The information required by this Item is set forth under the headings “Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance” and “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance” in the Company’s 2022 Proxy Statement to be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) within 120 days after December 31, 2021 in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the Company’s 2022 annual meeting of shareholders and is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION.

The information required by this Item is set forth under the heading “Executive Compensation” and under the subheadings “Board Oversight of Risk Management,” “Compensation of Directors,” “Director Compensation-2021” and “Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation” under the heading “Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance” in the Company’s 2022 Proxy Statement to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after December 31, 2021 and is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS.

The information required by this Item is set forth under the headings “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” and “Equity Compensation Plan Information” in the Company’s 2022 Proxy Statement to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after December 31, 2021 and is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE.

The information required by this Item is set forth under the heading “Review, Approval or Ratification of Transactions with Related Persons” and under the subheading “Board Committees” under the heading “Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance” in the Company’s 2022 Proxy Statement to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after December 31, 2021 and is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES.

The information required by this Item is set forth under the subheadings “Fees Paid to Auditors” and “Policy on Audit Committee Pre-Approval of Audit and Non-Audit Services Performed by the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” under the proposal “Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” in the Company’s 2022 Proxy Statement to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after December 31, 2022 and is incorporated herein by reference.

PART IV

ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES. 

See Exhibit Index and Financial Statements Index, below.

374Water Inc. and Subsidiaries 

Annual Report on Form 10-K

Year Ended December 31, 2021

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders

374Water Inc. and subsidiaries

Durham, North Carolina

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of 374Water Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2021, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2021, and the related notes (collectively, the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provided a reasonable basis for our opinion.

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors of

374Water, Inc.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of 374Water, Inc. (the Company) as of December 31, 2020, and the related statements of operations, stockholders’ deficit, and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2020, and the related notes to the financial statements (collectively referred to as the financial statements).

In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2020, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Substantial Doubt Regarding Going Concern

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements, the Company has incurred operating losses, has incurred negative cash flows from operations and has an accumulated deficit. These and other factors raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plan regarding these matters is also described in Note 2 to the financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB and in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matters

Critical audit matters are matters arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. We determined that there were no critical audit matters.

D. Brooks and Associates CPAs, P.A.

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2020.

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

March 29, 2021

374 Water Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheet

As of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

374 Water Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statement of Operations

For the years ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

374 Water Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Changes in Stockholders’ Equity

For the years ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

374 Water Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

374 Water Inc. and Subsidiaries

For the Years Ended December 31, 2021 and 2020

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements