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Proposed Capital Raise

In brief · summary, not quotable

Ilika raises up to £3.5 million through placing, retail offer and director subscriptions at 33 pence per share.

  • Gross proceeds target approximately £3.5 million
  • Placing shares 9,009,090 ordinary shares
  • Issue price 33 pence per share
  • Discount to closing price approximately 2.9 per cent
  • Placing shares as percentage of existing capital approximately 5.4 per cent
Full announcement

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Ilika (AIM: IKA), the UK pioneer in solid-state battery technology, today announces a proposed placing of up to 9,009,090 new ordinary shares of one pence each ("Ordinary Shares") in the Company (the "Placing Shares") at a price of 33 pence per Placing Share (the "Issue Price") to raise gross proceeds of approximately £3.0 million (the "Placing").

The Placing Shares represent approximately 5.4 per cent. of the existing issued ordinary share capital of the Company (the "Existing Ordinary Shares") and the Issue Price represents a discount of approximately 2.9 per cent. to the closing mid-market price of 34 pence per Existing Ordinary Share on 20 May 2025, being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this Announcement.

The Company intends to provide its existing shareholders ("Shareholders") in the United Kingdom with the opportunity to subscribe for up to 1,515,151 new Ordinary Shares (the "Retail Offer Shares") at the Issue Price by way of a retail offer (the "Retail Offer") to be conducted via the Bookbuild platform. A separate announcement will be made in due course regarding the Retail Offer and its terms. For the avoidance of doubt, the Retail Offer is not part of the Placing.

In addition, certain directors of the Company (the "Directors" or the "Board") intend to directly subscribe with the Company (the "Director Subscriptions") for, in aggregate, 81,819 new Ordinary Shares at the Issue Price (the "Director Subscription Shares" and, together with the Placing Shares and the Retail Offer Shares, the "New Ordinary Shares").

It is intended that the Placing, the Retail Offer and the Director Subscriptions (together the "Capital Raising") will result in the Company raising total gross proceeds of up to approximately £3.5 million.

Cavendish Capital Markets Limited ("Cavendish") is acting as nominated adviser, sole bookrunner and sole broker in connection with the Capital Raising.

The Placing Shares are being offered by way of an accelerated bookbuild process (the "ABB"), which will be launched immediately following this Announcement, in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the Appendix to this Announcement.

The timing of the closing of the ABB and the allocation of Placing Shares to be issued at the Issue Price are to be determined at the discretion of the Company and Cavendish.

A further announcement will be made following the close of the ABB, confirming final details of the Placing.

Capital Raising highlights

The net proceeds of the Capital Raising will be used primarily to advance the commercial status of both of the Company's product lines, specifically supporting the commercial launch and ramp up of the small format Stereax technology, and the continued development of the large format Goliath technology, through to a position where it is possible to secure commercial licensing agreements with commercial partners. The intended use of proceeds from the Capital Raising are outlined below:

Up to £1.1 million to support Stereax in the delivery of:

o Technology transfer to Cirtec;

o Testing & validation; and

o Customer support.

  • Up to £2.4 million for the development of Goliath technology, via:

o Prototype design & build;

o Testing equipment purchasing;

o Test programme execution; and

o Customer support and engagement.

Key highlights of the Capital Raising are as follows:

  • Placing to raise gross proceeds of approximately £3.0 million, through the issue of up to 9,009,090 new Ordinary Shares at the Issue Price.
  • Intended Director Subscriptions to raise gross proceeds of approximately £0.03 million, through the issue of 81,819 new Ordinary Shares at the Issue Price.
  • Retail Offer via the BookBuild Platform to raise gross proceeds of up to £0.5 million, through the issue of up to 1,515,151 new Ordinary Shares at the Issue Price.
  • The Capital Raising is not conditional upon approval by Shareholders.
  • The Capital Raising is not being underwritten.

The Company has two product lines. Its Stereax batteries are designed for powering miniature medical implants, industrial wireless sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) applications and the Goliath large format batteries are designed for electric vehicles ("EVs") and cordless appliances.

Through its licensing business model, Ilika supplies its intellectual property ("IP") portfolio to both OEMs and manufacturing partners in exchange for a license fee and future royalties.

BACKGROUND TO, AND REASONS FOR, THE CAPITAL RAISING

Founded in 2004, Ilika is a pioneer in solid state battery technology, enabling solutions for applications including MedTech, EVs, industrial IoT, and consumer electronics.

Ilika has two proprietary product lines:

  • Stereax - a thin-film miniature solid state battery designed to power implantable medical devices and industrial wireless sensors in specialist environments; and
  • Goliath - a larger format cell targeting the automotive industry and cordless consumer appliances.

Ilika operates an asset-light business model, focused on the development and licensing of cutting-edge solid state battery technology protected by IP. The Company's technology addresses markets where conventional batteries are less feasible due to their safety, charge rates, energy density and life limits. The Company has adopted a business model applicable to both its product lines that is focused on three stages:

  • Utilising Company-operated pilot lines to produce small quantities of batteries to enable customer evaluation;
  • Scaling up production with strategic partners at mid-scale manufacturing facilities to demonstrate product and process robustness, whilst supporting the initial phase of commercialisation; and
  • Agreeing commercial collaborations, including for both the licensing of the Company's technology and for large scale volume.

The Company has built a significant IP portfolio with 62 granted patents across multiple key jurisdictions, providing the foundation to operate a license-based business model.

Funding for the business model has balanced commercial funding with non-dilutive grant funding to deliver a capital efficient technology programme. To date, Ilika has received in excess of £8 million of grant funding and is actively applying for further grant-funded programmes.

Ilika has in-house, purpose built, fabrication facilities and will retain and operate part of the production equipment in the UK, whilst actively seeking licensing partners to undertake the scaled manufacturing of the Company's products as commercial progress is delivered. This approach delivers critical IP protection over core elements of Ilika's technology whilst allowing a royalty-based revenue stream to be realised as the production levels are rapidly ramped-up.

Stereax

The demand for medical batteries is being driven by accelerated adoption of electroceuticals, smart wearables, and active implantable medical devices ("AIMDs") that are enhancing efficacy and productivity in patient care. AIMD market penetration is growing significantly and currently represents a c.$5.7bn market, with a compound annual growth rate of 18.1 per cent.

With its small footprint, high temperature tolerance and enhanced charging capabilities, Stereax is ideally suited to meet the needs of the medical implant industry, offering several key benefits: reduced surgery time, the ability to place the implant closer to the point of therapy, long-lasting performance within the body, user recharging at home, and the ability to power Bluetooth radio.

In August 2023, Ilika signed a ten-year manufacturing licence agreement with Cirtec Medical LLC ("Cirtec"), allowing Cirtec to produce the Stereax range of miniature batteries at its facility in Lowell, Massachusetts. This strategic licensing and royalty agreement enables Ilika to leverage Cirtec's manufacturing scale to rapidly ramp up production and realise economies of scale.

The partnership with Cirtec offers significant advantages, including validation of the Stereax product and process through Cirtec's medical certifications, access to their large-scale, medically accredited manufacturing capabilities to meet customer ramp-up needs, and expanded business development opportunities through Cirtec's extensive sales and marketing network. The partnership agreement demonstrates the successful execution of the Company's business strategy, allowing Ilika to focus on advanced technology development and IP licensing, whilst benefiting from Cirtec's manufacturing and commercial activities.

The production line for Stereax has been successfully transferred to Cirtec's US facility, where it has passed User Acceptance Testing. Following the conclusion of trial batches, Ilika is anticipating near term realisation of commercial revenues from the existing 24 orders received from 21 customers. These initial orders are for the Company's Stereax M300 product and are at commercial sample scale and delivery is due to commence in CY2025. Following successful delivery, it is anticipated that Ilika and Cirtec will be able to address larger volume commercial orders, subject to regulatory classification of the device.

The revenue profile of the Stereax product line is expected to develop as product adoption matures, with initial revenue being generated through the processing of the wafer component by Ilika for use by Cirtec with its customer orders. As customers engage and begin adopting the technology there will be subsequent non-recurring engineering income earned as the product is adapted for specific end use cases, with battery royalty revenue increasing with the scale of production and further licence fee issuance with additional partners completing the Stereax revenue streams.

Goliath

Goliath's development is closely aligned with the expanding EV market, which is being driven by global environmental regulations and the transition towards cleaner transport. As demand for EVs continues to grow and markets mature, the Goliath product presents a strong value proposition through its solid-state technology.

The Goliath technology can offer faster charging times, lower production costs, enhanced safety, lower pack weights and longer cell life when compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries. Goliath's chemistry provides a safer, lower temperature response to damage resulting in safety benefits to EV users whilst offering manufacturers reduced pack weight and cost benefits.

Ilika is targeting the Goliath product at the intersection of high volume and high-performance specialised applications. Ilika expects that the commercial adoption of its Goliath technology will also include high value consumer appliance applications such as personal care and domestic cleaning appliances - segments that can also benefit from some of the unique properties of solid-state batteries.

Independent modelling by UK-based battery consultants, Balance Batteries Ltd, using a hypothetical Hyundai Ioniq 5 pack equipped with Goliath solid-state cells showed a 20 per cent. reduction in weight, a £2,500 saving in bill of materials, and a 6-minute reduction in the time to reach 80 per cent. charge compared with lithium-ion equivalents.

In the past 18 months, the Company has delivered a number of key technical and commercial milestones with its Goliath product. Key amongst these were the delivery of the design freeze for its first-generation prototype (D4), achieving energy density parity with incumbent lithium-ion technologies. This enabled the delivery of the Company's first commercial testing prototype (P1), which has been successfully tested in customer-sponsored programmes. The first batch of P1 prototype products was shipped to a Tier 1 customer in July 2024 allowing for testing and validation to be undertaken by an independent commercial party.

In April 2025, Ilika confirmed the superior performance of its Goliath batteries manufactured via an industrially scaled process at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre ("UKBIC") versus similar starting materials on Ilika's pilot line. Trials confirmed higher yields and capacities under rapid charge protocols, enabled by a successful coating of electrode-electrolyte composite which confirms that the tolerance of industrial equipment will unlock further improvements to Goliath SSB technology. In parallel, Ilika is working with Mpac Group plc to complete the installation of a 1.5MWh per annum solid-state battery assembly line, capable of producing Goliath prototypes for automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. The assembly line is expected to be fully operational for H2 CY 2025.

The UKBIC validation, achieved through the Project SiSTEM grant funded programme, is crucial to potential industrial adoption of Goliath technology. The output of Project SiSTEM determines that Goliath can be produced on standard giga-scale production lines, with improved yields and reduced wastage through consistent production. From a manufacturing partner or licensee's perspective this has the potential to simplify the production process and significantly reduce the required upfront capital investment to achieve production of Goliath units on a commercial scale.

Alongside the technical milestones that have been successfully delivered, the Company has established a substantial network of commercial relationships with key operators in the sector. In April 2024, Ilika formally entered into a 12-month technology collaboration agreement with Agratas, a subsidiary of the Tata Group, to facilitate development of Goliath to the D8 development milestone, achieved in March 2025 with the successful prototyping of a 50Ah Goliath battery. In addition, grant funded projects have been completed with partners including the BMW Group, Fortescue Zero (formerly William Advanced Engineering), McLaren, Ricardo Plc and Jaguar Land Rover.

The initial batch of prototype Goliath batteries has been successfully shipped to an automotive customer, with additional evaluations by OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers currently in progress. As Goliath technology advances toward minimum viable product ("MVP") status, where cells will meet customer-agreed specifications for EV applications, Ilika is actively pursuing commercialisation through strategic partnerships with OEMs. To date, Ilika has engaged commercially with 21 companies, demonstrating strong and growing market interest. Successful delivery of the following key milestones in H2 CY2025 will significantly progress the commercial appeal of the Goliath product:

  • Completion of 10Ah P1.5 test programme;
  • Manufacture and release of P1.5 evaluation prototypes to automotive customers;
  • Completion of the pilot production line to 1.5MWh per annum to accommodate automotive requests for quotation with 3rd generation P2 prototypes;
  • Build & test of Ilika's 50Ah P2 prototypes; and
  • Release of P2 prototypes to customers for evaluation and testing.

CURRENT TRADING AND PROSPECTS

The Board is pleased to confirm that the Company continues to progress through its commercial and technical roadmap as planned. Accordingly, Ilika expects trading for the year ended 30 April 2025 to be in line with current market expectations. The Company expects to announce revenue of approximately £1.1m for FY 2025 (FY 2024: £2.1m), and an EBITDA loss excluding share-based payments of around £5.5m (2024: EBITDA loss of £4.1m). Cash and cash equivalents at 30 April 2025 are expected to be approximately £7.9m (30 April 2024: £11.9m).

Management continues to pursue opportunities to secure further grant funding, with multiple programmes under active consideration. Based on the Company's prior involvement in grant funded programmes and considering the nature of the programmes being considered, management believe that further grant funding is a realistic prospect, however, no final determination has been made with regards the programmes under consideration.

The Board is encouraged by the commercial progress being made with the Company's Stereax product via the licensing agreement with Cirtec. It is anticipated that the first commercial revenues will be recognised from the M300 battery product through the partnership in CY2025, providing commercial validation of the Company's product and business strategy. With respect to Stereax, the Company expects to commence recognition of commercial revenues via wafer processing in FY2026. The Company is participating in trade shows with Cirtec and is jointly fielding new customer enquiries to maintain and build the commercial pipeline.

Regarding Goliath, in H2 CY2025, the Company expects to complete testing of its 10Ah P1.5 prototypes and release them to customers for evaluation. Later in the same period, the Company will build and test its P2 prototypes, which are also its MVP, and begin their release to customers at the end of CY2025. In parallel, in order to support the larger number of battery builds, Ilika will take delivery of its 1.5MWh assembly line, built through the APC grant-supported SiSTEM project. The Company is actively applying for further grant funding through UK Government and European funding agencies. This grant funding is expected to facilitate further interactions with OEMs and Tier1s.

DETAILS OF THE PLACING

The Company is proposing to raise gross proceeds of approximately £3.0 million by means of the Placing. The Placing Shares, in aggregate, will represent approximately 5.4 per cent. of the Existing Ordinary Shares on 20 May 2025, the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this Announcement. The aggregate net proceeds after costs related to the Placing are expected to be approximately £2.7 million.

Cavendish's obligations under the Placing Agreement (as defined below) in respect of the Placing are conditional, inter alia, upon:

  • the Placing Agreement becoming unconditional in all respects (save for any condition relating to admission of the New Ordinary Shares ("Admission")) and not having been terminated in accordance with its terms prior to Admission; and
  • Admission becoming effective by no later than 8.00 a.m. on 2 June 2025 (or such later time and/or date (being no later than 8.00 a.m. on 30 June 2025 (the "Long Stop Date")) as Cavendish and the Company may agree).

If any of the conditions above are not satisfied, the Placing Shares will not be issued.

The Placing Shares are not subject to clawback. The Placing is not being underwritten.

DIRECTOR SUBSCRIPTIONS

DirectorExisting beneficial shareholdingnew Ordinary Shares subscribed forShareholding on completion of the Capital RaisingShareholding as a percentage of the issued share capital (enlarged by the Capital Raising) 1,2
Graeme Purdy836,49845,455881,9530.49%
Keith Jackson119,99915,152135,1510.08%
Monika Biddulph16,07115,15231,2230.02%
Jason Stewart7,1426,06013,2020.01%

1 Assuming full take up of the Retail Offer

USE OF PROCEEDS

The net proceeds of the Capital Raising will be used primarily to advance the commercial status of both of the Company's product lines, specifically supporting the commercial launch and ramp up of Stereax and the continued development of the Goliath technology through to a position where it is possible to secure commercial licensing agreements with commercial partners. The intended use of proceeds from the Capital Raising are outlined below:

Up to £1.1 million to support Stereax in the delivery of:

o Technology transfer to Cirtec;

o Testing & validation; and

o Customer support.

  • Up to £2.4 million for the development of Goliath technology, via:

o Prototype design & build;

o Testing equipment purchasing;

o Test programme execution; and

o Customer support and engagement.

Alongside cash and cash equivalents of £7.9 million on 30 April 2025, the funds will provide the Company with the necessary working capital to achieve a number of important technical and commercial milestones. For Stereax, this includes the ongoing cooperation between Ilika and Cirtec, building on the commercial relationship. The technology transfer, testing and validation is expected to be completed in CY2025, following the completion of process optimisation and product quality validation.

For Goliath, it enables the execution of the planned roadmap, ensuring all necessary steps are completed to reach a position whereby Ilika can realise the option to license. This includes the release of the 10Ah 2nd generation customer prototype (P1.5), the 1.5MWh assembly line site acceptance test, release of 50 Ah 3rd generation customer prototypes (P2) which management believe should position Ilika to secure an OEM licence.

Alongside the proposed fundraise, the management team are seeking to access further non-dilutive grant funding to provide additional funds to progress the portfolio.

EFFECTS OF THE CAPITAL RAISING

Upon Admission, and assuming full take up of the Retail Offer, the Enlarged Issued Share Capital is expected to be 178,715,126 Ordinary Shares. On this basis, the New Ordinary Shares will represent approximately 5.9 per cent. of the Enlarged Issued Share Capital.

Following the issue of the New Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Capital Raising, assuming full take up of the Retail Offer, Shareholders who participate in neither the Placing nor the Retail Offer will suffer a dilution of approximately 5.9 per cent. to their interests in the Company.

The Directors have concluded that proceeding with the Capital Raising is the most suitable option available to the Company for raising additional funds through the issue of the New Ordinary Shares and that issuing the New Ordinary Shares at a discount is fair and reasonable so far as all existing Shareholders are concerned. The Issue Price has been set by Cavendish, after consultation with the Company, following its assessment of market conditions and following discussions with a number of institutional investors.

ADMISSION, SETTLEMENT AND CREST

An application will be made to the London Stock Exchange, for the admission of the New Ordinary Shares to trading on AIM. Admission is expected to become effective and dealings are expected to commence in the New Ordinary Shares on or around 8.00 a.m. on 2 June 2025.

The Capital Raising is conditional upon Admission becoming effective and upon the placing agreement between the Company and Cavendish (the "Placing Agreement") not being terminated in accordance with its terms. Following Admission, assuming the full take up of the New Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Capital Raising, the Company will have 178,715,126 Ordinary Shares in issue. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Placing Agreement between the Company and Cavendish is terminated prior to Admission then none of the Placing, the Director Subscriptions or the Retail Offer will occur.

Information to Distributors

UK product governance

EEA product governance

Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures in the European Economic Area (together, the "MiFID II Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Placing Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the Placing Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of (a) retail investors, (b) investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and (c) eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the "EU Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the EU Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the Placing Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Placing Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Placing Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The EU Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Placing. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the EU Target Market Assessment, Cavendish will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties.

APPENDIX

No prospectus

The Placing Shares are being offered to a limited number of specifically invited persons only and will not be offered in such a way as to require any prospectus or other offering document to be published. No prospectus or other offering document has been or will be submitted to be approved by the FCA in relation to the Placing or the Placing Shares and Placees' commitments will be made solely on the basis of the information contained in this Announcement and subject to any further terms set forth in the contract note to be sent to individual Placees.

Each Placee, by participating in the Placing, agrees that the content of this Announcement is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and confirms that it has neither received nor relied on any information, representation, warranty or statement made by or on behalf of Cavendish or the Company or any other person and none of Cavendish, the Company nor any other person acting on such person's behalf nor any of their respective Representatives has or shall have any liability for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any other information, representation, warranty or statement. Each Placee acknowledges and agrees that it has relied on its own investigation of the business, financial or other position of the Company in accepting a participation in the Placing. No Placee should consider any information in this Announcement to be legal, tax or business advice. Nothing in this paragraph shall exclude the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation.

Details of the Placing Agreement and the Placing Shares

Cavendish has today entered into a placing agreement (the "Placing Agreement") with the Company under which, on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the Placing Agreement, Cavendish, as agent for and on behalf of the Company, has agreed to use its reasonable endeavours to procure Placees for the Placing Shares. The Placing is not being underwritten.

The Placing Shares will, when issued, be subject to the articles of association of the Company, be credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing issued ordinary shares of one pence each (the "Existing Ordinary Shares") in the capital of the Company, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid in respect of such Existing Ordinary Shares after the date of issue of the Placing Shares.

As part of the Placing, the Company has agreed that it will not, for a period of 120 days after (but including) Admission, allot, issue, offer, sell, contract to sell or issue, grant any option, right or warrant to subscribe for or purchase or otherwise dispose of or create any interest or equity of any person (including any right to acquire, option or right of pre-emption or conversion) or any mortgage, charge, pledge, lien, assignment, hypothecation, security interest, title retention, or any other security agreement or arrangement, or any agreement to create any of the foregoing over, directly or indirectly, any "equity securities" (as defined in the Companies Act) (or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for equity securities or which carry rights to subscribe or purchase equity securities) or any interest in any equity securities or agree to do any of such things or undertake any other transaction with the same economic effect as any of the foregoing or announce an offering of Ordinary Shares or any interest therein or to announce publicly any intention to enter into any transaction described above. This agreement is subject to certain customary exceptions and does not prevent the allotment and issue of the Retail Offer Shares pursuant to the Retail Offer, the grant or exercise of options under any of the Company's existing share incentives and share option schemes, or following Admission the issue by the Company of any Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of any right or option or the conversion of a security already in existence.

Conditions to the Placing

  • the Placing Agreement becoming unconditional in all respects (save for any condition relating to Admission) and not having been terminated in accordance with its terms prior to Admission;
  • the Company having allotted, subject only to Admission, the Placing Shares in accordance with the Placing Agreement; and
  • Admission having become effective at or before 8.00 a.m. on 2 June 2025 or such later time as Cavendish may agree with the Company (not being later than 8.00 a.m. on the Long Stop Date),

If any of the Conditions set out in the Placing Agreement is not satisfied or, where permitted, waived in accordance with the Placing Agreement within the stated time periods (or such later time and/or date as the Company and Cavendish may agree), or the Placing Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, the Placing will lapse and the Placees' rights and obligations shall cease and terminate at such time and each Placee agrees that no claim can be made by or on behalf of the Placee (or any person on whose behalf the Placee is acting) in respect thereof.

Cavendish may, in its absolute discretion and upon such terms as they think fit, waive satisfaction of all or any of the Conditions in whole or in part, or extend the time provided for satisfaction of one or more Conditions, save that certain Conditions including the Condition relating to Admission referred to in paragraph c above may not be waived. Any such extension or waiver will not affect Placees' commitments as set out in this Appendix.

Neither Cavendish nor any of its affiliates nor the Company shall have any liability to any Placee (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise) in respect of any decision any of them may make as to whether or not to waive or to extend the time and/or date for the satisfaction of any Condition nor for any decision any of them may make as to the satisfaction of any Condition or in respect of the Placing generally and by participating in the Placing each Placee agrees that any such decision is within the absolute discretion of Cavendish.

In consideration for its services in relation to the Placing and Admission and conditional upon completion of the Placing, Cavendish will be paid a commission based on the aggregate value of the Placing Shares at the Issue Price.

Termination of the Placing

  • there has, in the opinion of Cavendish (acting in good faith), been a breach of the warranties given to it;
  • there has, in the opinion of Cavendish (acting in good faith), been a material adverse change;
  • any statement contained in this Announcement or any other document or announcement issued or published by or on behalf of the Company in connection with the Placing is or has become or has been discovered to be untrue or inaccurate in any respect or misleading in any respect; or
  • in the opinion of Cavendish (acting in good faith), there has been a force majeure event.

By participating in the Bookbuilding Process, each Placee agrees with the Company and Cavendish that the exercise by the Company or either of Cavendish of any right of termination or any other right or other discretion under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the Company or Cavendish or for agreement between the Company and Cavendish (as the case may be) and that neither the Company nor Cavendish need make any reference to such Placee and that none of the Company, Cavendish nor any of their respective Representatives shall have any liability to such Placee (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise) whatsoever in connection with any such exercise. Each Placee further agrees that they will have no rights against Cavendish, the Company or any of their respective directors or employees under the Placing Agreement pursuant to the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 (as amended).

By participating in the Placing, each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations terminate only in the circumstances described above and under the "Conditions of the Placing" section above and will not be capable of rescission or termination by it after the issue by Cavendish of a trade confirmation email confirming that Placee's allocation and commitment in the Placing.

Application for admission to trading

It is expected that Admission will take place on or around 8.00 a.m. on 2 June 2025 and that dealings in the Placing Shares on AIM will commence at the same time.

Principal terms of the Placing

  • Cavendish is acting as bookrunner to the Placing, as agent for and on behalf of the Company.
  • the Issue Price is fixed at 33 pence and is payable to Cavendish (as agent for the Company) by each Placee.
  • Cavendish will, following consultation with the Company, determine in its absolute discretion the extent of each Placee's participation in the Placing, and this will be confirmed orally or in writing (including by email) by Cavendish as agent of the Company. Such confirmation will constitute a legally binding commitment on the relevant Placee to acquire the relevant Placing Shares.
  • Each Placee's allocation and commitment will be evidenced by a trade confirmation email issued to such Placee by Cavendish. The terms of this Appendix will be deemed incorporated in that contract note.
  • Each Placee's allocation and commitment to acquire Placing Shares will be made on the terms and subject to the conditions in this Appendix and will be legally binding on the Placee on behalf of which it is made and, except with Cavendish's consent, will not be capable of variation or revocation after the time at which it is submitted. Each Placee will have an immediate, separate, irrevocable and binding obligation, owed to Cavendish (as agent for the Company), to pay to it (or as it may direct) in cleared funds an amount equal to the product of the Issue Price and the number of Placing Shares such Placee has agreed to acquire and the Company has agreed to allot and issue to that Placee.
  • To the fullest extent permissible by law and applicable FCA rules, neither:
  • Cavendish;
  • any of Cavendish's affiliates, agents, directors, officers, consultants, partners or employees; nor

shall have any liability (including to the extent permissible by law, any fiduciary duties) to Placees or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise. In particular, neither Cavendish nor any of its affiliates shall have any liability (including, to the extent permissible by law, any fiduciary duties) in respect of Cavendish's conduct of the Placing or of such alternative method of effecting the Placing as Cavendish and the Company may agree.

Registration and settlement

If Placees are allocated any Placing Shares in the Placing they will be sent a trade confirmation email which will confirm the number of Placing Shares allocated to them, the Issue Price and the aggregate amount owed by them to Cavendish.

Settlement of transactions in the Placing Shares (ISIN: GB00B608Z994) following Admission will take place within the CREST system, subject to certain exceptions. Settlement through CREST is expected to occur on 2 June 2025 (the "Settlement Date") in accordance with the contract notes. Settlement will be on a delivery versus payment basis. However, in the event of any difficulties or delays in the admission of the Placing Shares to CREST or the use of CREST in relation to the Placing, the Company and Cavendish may agree that the Placing Shares should be issued in certificated form. Cavendish reserves the right to require settlement for the Placing Shares, and to deliver the Placing Shares to Placees, by such other means as it deems necessary if delivery or settlement to Placees is not practicable within the CREST system or would not be consistent with regulatory requirements in the jurisdiction in which a Placee is located.

The relevant settlement details for the Placing Shares are as follows:

CREST Participant ID of Cavendish:601
Expected trade time & date:08.00 a.m. on 29 May 2025
Settlement Date:02 June 2025
ISIN code for the Placing Shares:GB00B608Z994

Interest is chargeable daily on payments not received from Placees on the due date in accordance with the arrangements set out above, in respect of either CREST or certificated deliveries, at the rate of three percentage points above the prevailing base rate of Barclays Bank plc as determined by Cavendish.

Each Placee is deemed to agree that if it does not comply with these obligations, Cavendish may sell any or all of the Placing Shares allocated to that Placee on their behalf and retain from the proceeds, for Cavendish's own account and benefit, an amount equal to the aggregate amount owed by the Placee plus any interest due. The relevant Placee will, however, remain liable for any shortfall below the Issue Price and for any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (together with any interest or penalties) which may arise upon the sale of its Placing Shares on its behalf. By communicating a bid for Placing Shares, such Placee confers on Cavendish all such authorities and powers necessary to carry out such sale and agrees to ratify and confirm all actions which Cavendish lawfully takes in pursuance of such sale.

Representations, warranties and further terms

By submitting a bid in the Bookbuilding Process, each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) irrevocably confirms, represents, warrants, acknowledges and agrees (for itself and for any such prospective Placee) with the Company and Cavendish (in its capacity as bookrunner and placing agent of the Company in respect of the Placing) that (save where Cavendish expressly agrees in writing to the contrary):

  • is required under the UK Prospectus Regulation or other applicable law; and
  • has been or will be prepared in connection with the Placing;
  • it has made its own assessment of the Placing Shares and has relied on its own investigation of the business, financial or other position of the Company in accepting a participation in the Placing and neither Cavendish nor the Company nor any of their respective Representatives nor any person acting on behalf of any of them has provided, and will not provide, it with any material regarding the Placing Shares or the Company or any other person other than the information in this Announcement or any information publicly announced through a Regulatory Information Service (as defined in the AIM Rules) by or on behalf of the Company on or prior to the date of this Announcement (the "Publicly Available Information"); nor has it requested Cavendish, the Company, any of their respective Representatives or any person acting on behalf of any of them to provide it with any such information;
  • Cavendish nor any person acting on behalf of it nor any of their respective Representatives has or shall have any liability for any Publicly Available Information, or any representation relating to the Company, provided that nothing in this paragraph excludes the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation made by that person;
  • the content of this Announcement and the Publicly Available Information has been prepared by and is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and that neither Cavendish nor any persons acting on its behalf is responsible for or has or shall have any liability for any information, representation, warranty or statement relating to the Company contained in this Announcement or the Publicly Available Information nor will they be liable for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any information, representation, warranty or statement contained in this Announcement, the Publicly Available Information or otherwise. Nothing in this Appendix shall exclude any liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation;
  • it has the funds available to pay for the Placing Shares which it has agreed to acquire and acknowledges and agrees that it will pay the total subscription amount in accordance with the terms of this Announcement on the due time and date set out herein, failing which the relevant Placing Shares may be placed with other Placees or sold at such price as Cavendish determines;
  • it and/or each person on whose behalf it is participating:
  • has fully observed such laws and regulations;
  • it understands that:
  • it will not offer, sell, transfer, pledge or otherwise dispose of any Placing Shares except:
  • pursuant to another exemption from registration under the Securities Act, if available,
  • none of Cavendish, the Company nor any of their respective Representatives nor any person acting on behalf of any of them is making any recommendations to it or advising it regarding the suitability of any transactions it may enter into in connection with the Placing and that participation in the Placing is on the basis that it is not and will not be a client of Cavendish and that Cavendish has no duties or responsibilities to it for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in relation to the Placing nor in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities contained in the Placing Agreement nor for the exercise or performance of any of its rights and obligations thereunder including any rights to waive or vary any Conditions or exercise any termination right;
  • it will make payment to Cavendish for the Placing Shares allocated to it in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Announcement on the due times and dates set out in this Announcement, failing which the relevant Placing Shares may be placed with others on such terms as Cavendish determines in its absolute discretion without liability to the Placee and it will remain liable for any shortfall below the net proceeds of such sale and the proceeds of such Placing Shares and may be required to bear any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (together with any interest or penalties due pursuant to the terms set out or referred to in this Announcement) which may arise upon the sale of such Placee's Placing Shares on its behalf;
  • the person who it specifies for registration as holder of the Placing Shares will be:
  • the Placee; or
  • a nominee of the Placee, as the case may be,

and that Cavendish and the Company will not be responsible for any liability to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax resulting from a failure to observe this requirement. Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of such Placee agrees to acquire Placing Shares pursuant to the Placing and agrees to indemnify the Company and Cavendish in respect of the same on the basis that the Placing Shares will be allotted or transferred (as applicable) to a CREST stock account of Cavendish who will hold them as nominee on behalf of the Placee until settlement in accordance with its standing settlement instructions with it;

30. it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to persons in the United Kingdom or a Relevant State prior to the expiry of a period of six months from Admission except to persons whose ordinary activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of their business or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and which will not result in an offer to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of section 85(1) of the FSMA (within the meaning of the UK Prospectus Regulation), or an offer to the public in any member state of the EEA (within the meaning of the EU Prospectus Regulation);

32. it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and it will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the FSMA) relating to Placing Shares in circumstances in which section 21(1) of the FSMA does not require approval of the communication by an authorised person and it acknowledges and agrees that this Announcement has not been approved by Cavendish in its capacity as an authorised person under section 21 of the FSMA and it may not therefore be subject to the controls which would apply if it was made or approved as financial promotion by an authorised person;

  • if it is a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the UK Prospectus Regulation, the Placing Shares acquired by it will not be acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in the United Kingdom other than Qualified Investors, or in circumstances in which the express prior written consent of Cavendish has been given to each proposed offer or resale;
  • Cavendish, nor the Company nor any of their respective Representatives nor any person acting on behalf of the Company, Cavendish or its Representatives is making any recommendations to it, advising it regarding the suitability of any transactions it may enter into in connection with the Placing nor providing advice in relation to the Placing nor in respect of any warranties, acknowledgements, agreements, undertakings, or indemnities contained in the Placing Agreement nor the exercise or performance of any of Cavendish's rights and obligations thereunder including any rights to waive or vary any Conditions or exercise any termination right;
  • Cavendish and its affiliates, acting as an investor for its or their own account(s), may bid or subscribe for and/or purchase Placing Shares and, in that capacity, may retain, purchase, offer to sell or otherwise deal for its or their own account(s) in the Placing Shares, any other securities of the Company or other related investments in connection with the Placing or otherwise. Accordingly, references in this Announcement to the Placing Shares being offered, subscribed, acquired or otherwise dealt with should be read as including any offer to, or subscription, acquisition or dealing by, Cavendish and/or any of its affiliates acting as an investor for its or their own account(s). Neither Cavendish nor the Company intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or transaction otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligation to do so;
  • it:
  • is not a person:
  • any money held in an account with Cavendish on behalf of the Placee and/or any person acting on behalf of the Placee will not be treated as client money within the meaning of the relevant rules and regulations of the FCA made under the FSMA. The Placee acknowledges that the money will not be subject to the protections conferred by the client money rules; as a consequence, this money will not be segregated from Cavendish's money in accordance with the client money rules and will be used by Cavendish's in the course of its business; and the Placee will rank only as a general creditor of Cavendish's;
  • it acknowledges that its commitment to acquire Placing Shares on the terms set out in this Announcement and in the trade confirmation will continue notwithstanding any amendment that may in future be made to the terms and conditions of the Placing and that Placees will have no right to be consulted or require that their consent be obtained with respect to the Company's or Cavendish's conduct of the Placing;
  • it irrevocably appoints any duly authorised officer of Cavendish as its agent for the purpose of executing and delivering to the Company and/or its registrars any documents on its behalf necessary to enable it to be registered as the holder of any of the Placing Shares for which it agrees to acquire upon the terms of this Announcement;
  • the Company, Cavendish and others (including each of their respective Representatives) will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, warranties, acknowledgements, undertakings and agreements, which are given to Cavendish on its own behalf and on behalf of the Company and are irrevocable;
  • time is of the essence as regards its obligations under this Appendix;
  • the Placing Shares will be issued subject to the terms and conditions of this Appendix; and
  • the terms and conditions contained in this Appendix and all documents into which this Appendix is incorporated by reference or otherwise validly forms a part and/or any agreements entered into pursuant to these terms and conditions and all agreements to acquire Placing Shares pursuant to the Bookbuilding Process and/or the Placing and all non-contractual or other obligations arising out of or in connection with them, will be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and it submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts in relation to any claim, dispute or matter arising out of such contract (including any dispute regarding the existence, validity or termination of such contract or relating to any non-contractual or other obligation arising out of or in connection with such contract), except that enforcement proceedings in respect of the obligation to make payment for the Placing Shares (together with interest chargeable thereon) may be taken by the Company or Cavendish in any jurisdiction in which the relevant Placee is incorporated or in which any of its securities have a quotation on a recognised stock exchange.

The representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings contained in this Appendix are given to Cavendish for itself and on behalf of the Company and are irrevocable.

References to time in this Announcement are to London time, unless otherwise stated.

Cleaned text: letterheads, contacts and legal notices removed. View the original announcement ↗ · Company filings. Not investment advice.

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