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Form S-8 BIO KEY INTERNATIONAL

July 8, 2021 6:03 AM EDT

 

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 7, 2021

Registration No. 333-_______

 



 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 


 

BIO-KEY INTERNATIONAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

 

41-1741861

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

 

3349 Highway 138, Building A, Suite E
Wall, NJ 07719

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 


 

BIO-key International, Inc.

2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

(Full title of the plan)

 

Michael W. DePasquale

Chief Executive Officer

BIO-key International, Inc.

3349 Highway 138, Building A, Suite E

Wall, NJ 07719

(732) 359-1100

 

(Name and address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

Copies requested to:

Vincent A. Vietti

Fox Rothschild LLP

997 Lenox Drive, Building 3

Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

(609) 896-3600

 


 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer ☐

 

Accelerated filer ☐

Non-accelerated filer ☒

 

Smaller reporting company ☒

   

Emerging growth company ☐

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

 

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

Title of Securities

to be Registered

Amount to be

Registered

Proposed Maximum

Offering Price Per

Share 

Proposed Maximum

Aggregate Offering

Price 

Amount of

Registration

Fee

Common Stock, par value $.0001 per share

789,000 (1)

$3.635(2)

$2,868,015

$312.90

 


(1)

This Registration Statement registers 789,000 shares of common stock, par value $.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), for issuance under the BIO-key International, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended (the “Plan”). Pursuant to Rule 416 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement covers an indeterminate amount of additional shares of Common Stock which may be issued under the Plan as a result of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without the receipt of consideration which results in an increase in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock.

 

(2)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee and calculated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act on the basis of the average of the high and low sales prices of the Common Stock, as reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market on July 6, 2021.

 

 

 

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

 

BIO-key International, Inc. (the “Registrant” or the “Company”) has filed this registration statement on Form S-8 (this “Registration Statement”) with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act, to register the offer and sale of 789,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock under the Plan and such indeterminate number of shares of Common Stock as may become available under the Plan as a result of the adjustment provisions thereof.

 

PART I

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

 

The information called for in Part I of Form S-8 is not being filed or included in this Registration Statement (by incorporation by reference or otherwise) in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission.

 

PART II

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference

 

The following documents previously filed with the Commission are incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement:

 

 

(a)

The Registrants annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020;

 

 

(b)

The Registrants definitive proxy statement for the Registrants annual meeting of stockholders’ held on June 18, 2021;

 

 

(c)

The Registrants quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2021 (File No. 1-13463);

 

 

(d)

The Registrant’s current reports on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 9, 2021, and June 21, 2021; and

 

 

(e)

The description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-13463) filed with the Commission on July 21, 2017 under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating that description.

 

In addition, all documents filed with the Commission by the Registrant (other than portions of such documents which are furnished and not filed) pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all of the securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all such securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the time of filing of such documents with the Commission.

 

Any statement contained in the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

 

Item 4. Description of Securities.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

 

None.

 

 

 

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) authorizes a corporation to indemnify its directors and officers against liabilities arising out of actions, suits and proceedings to which they are made or threatened to be made a party by reason of the fact of their prior or current service to the corporation as a director or officer, in accordance with the provisions of Section 145, which are sufficiently broad to permit indemnification under certain circumstances for liabilities arising under the Securities Act. The indemnity may cover expenses (including attorneys’ fees) judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the director or officer in connection with any such action, suit or proceeding. Section 145 permits corporations to pay expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by directors and officers in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding. In addition, Section 145 provides that a corporation has the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of its directors and officers against any liability asserted against them and incurred by them in their capacity as a director or officer, or arising out of their status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify the director or officer against such liability under Section 145.

 

Our certificate of incorporation, as amended, provides that, unless otherwise required under applicable law (1) a director shall not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, and (2) we shall indemnify any director or officer made a party to an action or proceeding, whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact of such person’s current or prior service as a director or officer of the Company, any predecessor of the Company or any other enterprise per the Company’s or any predecessor to the Company’s request.

 

Our bylaws provide that (a) we shall indemnify and hold harmless our directors and officers to the maximum extent and in the manner permitted by the DGCL against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) reasonably incurred in connection with any proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, arising by reason of the fact that such person is or was an agent of the Company, (b) we shall advance expenses incurred by any director or officer prior to the final disposition of any proceeding to which the director or officer was or is or is threatened to be made a party promptly following a request therefore, subject to certain limited requirements, and (c) the rights conferred in our Bylaws are not exclusive.

 

We have also obtained insurance policies covering our directors and officers with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

 

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 8. Exhibits

 

The following exhibits are filed with or incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement:

 

Exhibit No.

Description

 

3.1

Certificate of Incorporation of BIO-key International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the current report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on January 5, 2005)

3.2

Bylaws (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the current report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on January 5, 2005)

3.3

Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the definitive proxy statement, filed with the SEC on January 18, 2006)

3.4

Certificate of Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation of Bio-key International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to the annual report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2015)

3.5

Certificate of Elimination of BIO-key International, Inc. filed October 6, 2015 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.5 to the registration statement on Form S-1 File No. 333-208747 filed with the SEC on December 23, 2015)

3.6

Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations of Series A-1 Convertible Preferred Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the current report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on November 2, 2015)

3.7

Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations of Series B-1 Convertible Preferred Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the quarterly report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on November 16, 2015)

3.8

Certificate of Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation of Bio-key International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the current report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on December 28, 2016)

3.9

Certificate of Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation of Bio-Key International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the current report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on November 19, 2020)

4.1

Specimen Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the registration statement on Form SB-2, File No. 333-16451)  

5.1

Opinion of Counsel Regarding Legality (filed herewith)

23.1

Consent of Rotenberg Meril Solomon Bertiger & Guttilla, P.C. (filed herewith)

23.2

Consent of Counsel (included as part of Exhibit 5.1)

24.1

Power of Attorney (included on signature page to this Registration Statement)

99.1

BIO-key International, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on May 4, 2021)

 

 

 

Item 9. Undertakings.

 

(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes as follows:

 

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

 

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

 

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement; and

 

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

 

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the Registration Statement is on Form S-8, and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

 

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Wall, State of New Jersey, on July 7, 2021.

 

 

BIO-KEY INTERNATIONAL, INC.

 
 

(Registrant)

 
     
       
 

By:

/s/ Michael W. DePasquale

 
   

Michael W. DePasquale

 
   

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Michael W. DePasquale, with full authority to act without the others, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

 

Signature 

 

Title 

 

Date 

         

/s/ Michael W. DePasquale

 

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

 

July 7, 2021

Michael W. DePasquale

 

(Principal Executive Officer)

   
         

/s/ Cecilia Welch

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

July 7, 2021

Cecilia Welch

 

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

   
         

/s/ Robert J. Michel

 

Director

 

July 7, 2021

Robert J. Michel

       
         

/s/ Thomas E. Bush, III

 

Director

 

July 7, 2021

Thomas E. Bush, III

       

 

/s/ Thomas Gilley

 

Director

 

July 7, 2021

Thomas Gilley

       

 

/s/Wong Kwok Fong

 

Director

 

July 7, 2021

Wong Kwok Fong

       

 

/s/ Pieter Knook

 

Director

 

July 7, 2021

Pieter Knook

       
         

/s/ Emmanuel Alia

 

Director

 

July 7, 2021

Emmanuel Alia

       

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

FOX ROTHSCHILD LLP
Princeton Pike Corporate Center
997 Lenox Drive
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648-2311

 

July 7, 2021

 

BIO-key International, Inc.

3349 Highway 138, Building A, Suite E

Wall, NJ 07719

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We are acting as counsel to BIO-key International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the filing on this date of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) for the registration of 789,000 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), to be offered to participants under the BIO-key International, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”).

 

We have examined the original or a photostatic or certified copy of such documents, records, and other information as we deemed relevant and necessary as the basis for the opinion set forth below. In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness and authenticity of each document submitted to us as an original, the conformity to the original document of each document submitted to us as a certified copy or photostatic copy, and the authenticity of the original of each such latter document. In connection with our examination, we have assumed the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures on original documents, including electronic signatures made and/or transmitted using electronic signature technology (e.g., via DocuSign or similar electronic signature technology), that any such signed electronic record shall be valid and effective to bind the party so signing as a paper copy bearing such party’s handwritten signature, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified or photocopies, the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents, and the accuracy and completeness of all documents and records reviewed by us. In addition, we have assumed, in rendering the opinion set forth below, that any stock certificate evidencing any shares of the Company’s Common Stock registered by the Registration Statement, when issued under the Plan, will have been duly executed on behalf of the Company and will have been countersigned by the Company’s transfer agent and registered by the Company’s registrar prior to its issuance.

 

This opinion is limited to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (including the statutory provisions, all applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting the foregoing) and is based on these laws as in effect on the date hereof, and we express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of the laws of any other jurisdiction. We express no opinion as to the applicable choice of law rules that may affect the interpretation or enforcement of the Common Stock. We further disclaim any opinion as to any statute, rule, regulation, ordinance, order or other promulgation of any regional or local governmental body or as to any related judicial or administrative opinion or matter may be inferred or implied herefrom.

 

On the basis of our examination mentioned above, subject to the assumptions stated and relying on statements of fact contained in the documents that we have examined, we are of the opinion that the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement have been duly and validly authorized and reserved for issuance and that upon the issuance of such Shares and payment therefore in accordance with the provisions of the Plan and the instruments executed pursuant to the Plan, the Shares will be legally and validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable.

 

The opinion expressed herein is rendered as of the date hereof and we expressly disclaim any obligation to update this letter or advise you of any change in any matter after the date hereof.

 

We consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

/s/ Fox Rothschild LLP

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.1

 

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

 

The Board of Directors

BIO-key International, Inc.:

 

 

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8, of our report dated March 29, 2021, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets of BIO-key International, Inc. and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders’ equity (deficit) and cash flows for each of the years then ended, which report is included in the December 31, 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K of BIO-key International, Inc.

 

 

/s/ Rotenberg Meril Solomon Bertiger & Guttilla, P.C.

 

Saddle Brook, New Jersey

July 7, 2021

 

 

 


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