As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 4, 2016

 

Registration No. 333-208784

 

 

 

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Amendement No. 1

 

to

 

Form S-3

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

CLEARSIGN COMBUSTION CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

Washington   3823   26-2056298

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial

Classification Code Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

12870 Interurban Avenue South

Seattle, Washington 98168

(206) 673-4848

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

Stephen E. Pirnat

Chief Executive Officer

ClearSign Combustion Corporation

12870 Interurban Avenue South

Seattle, Washington 98168

(206) 673-4848

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

 

With copies to:

 

Kevin Friedmann, Esq.

Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP
11377 West Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064

(310) 312-3106

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement, as determined by market conditions and other factors.

 

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ¨

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. x

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨

 

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ¨

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ¨

 

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

 

Large accelerated filer ¨   Accelerated filer ¨
Non-accelerated filer ¨ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)   Smaller reporting company x

 

 

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 
 
Title of Each Class of
Securities to be Registered
  Amount to be
Registered
  Proposed
Maximum
Offering Price
Per Unit
  Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price
  Amount of
Registration Fee
Primary Offering                
Common Stock            
Preferred Stock            
Warrants to purchase Preferred or Common Stock            
Units            
Total           $         30,000,000.00   $         2,415.94(1)

 

(1) The registration fee was paid on December 29, 2015.

 

The registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment that specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

 

This Amendment No. 1 to Form S-3 registration statement is being filed by ClearSign Combustion Corporation solely for the purpose of adding the SEC file number (333-208784) to the consent, attached as exhibit 23.1, provided by Gumbiner Savett Inc. on December 29, 2015.

 

3
 

 

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

 

The following statement sets forth the expenses and costs expected to be incurred by ClearSign Combustion Corporation in connection with the distribution of its securities being registered in this registration statement. All amounts are estimates. 

 

SEC registration fee   $2,416 
Transfer agent’s fees and expenses*   $1,000 
Legal fees and expenses*   $20,000 
Accounting fees and expenses*   $2,000 
Miscellaneous fees and expenses*   $14,000 
      
Total*   $39,416 

*Estimate

 

Item 15. Indemnification of Officers and Directors.

 

The following summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of any statutes referred to below and the amended articles of incorporation of ClearSign Combustion Corporation, a Washington corporation.

 

The Company’s articles of incorporation provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by Washington law, the Company’s directors will not be liable to the Company or its shareholders for monetary damages. This provision, however, does not eliminate or limit liability for acts or omissions that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law by a director, for conduct violating Revised Code of Washington section 23B.08.310 (approval of an unlawful distribution) or for any transaction from which the director will personally receive a benefit in money, property, or services to which the director is not legally entitled. Pursuant to section 23B.08.52 of the Revised Code of Washington, because the Company’s articles of incorporation do not limit the obligation, the Company must indemnify a director who was wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which the director was a party because of being a director against reasonable expenses incurred by the director in connection with the proceeding.

 

The Company’s bylaws further provide that each person who was, is or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, claim or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative and whether formal or informal, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Company or was serving at the Company’s request as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another entity, shall be indemnified and held harmless against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses actually and reasonably incurred or suffered in connection with the proceeding. This indemnification right continues even after the individual has ceased to be a director or officer or to serve at the Company’s request as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another entity. However, if the person indemnified initiates the proceeding, he or she shall be entitled to indemnification only if the proceeding was authorized or ratified by the Company’s board of directors. No indemnification will be provided for acts or omissions finally adjudged to be intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, for conduct finally adjudged to be in violation of Revised Code of Washington section 23B.08.310, for any transaction with respect to which it was finally adjudged that the indemnitee personally received a benefit in money, property or services to which the indemnitee was not legally entitled or if the Company is otherwise prohibited by applicable law from paying indemnification. The Company must advance expenses to an indemnitee for an indemnification obligation so long as the Company receives an undertaking by or on behalf of the indemnitee to repay all amounts so advanced if it is determined by a final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified.

 

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Under our Director and Officer Insurance Policy, our directors and officers are provided liability coverage of $5 million subject to retention. The policy has a one year term with annual renewal possible. The policy can be terminated by the insured if there is a merger or acquisition which includes a change in ownership of 50% of the voting shares. Upon such an occurrence the insurer may elect to cancel the policy. We may elect to then obtain “run off” insurance for a period of between one and six years at a cost of between 125% and 225% of the initial policy premium. The policy is a claim made policy. It covers only those claims made during the policy term. If an act giving rise to a claim occurs during the policy term, but the claim is not reported within 60 days of the termination or expiration policy, the claim will not be covered.

 

We have entered into, and will enter into in the future, indemnification agreements with the individuals who serve as our officers and directors. Pursuant to these agreements, we will indemnify officers and directors who are made parties to, or threatened to be made parties to, any proceeding by reason of the fact that they are or were officers or directors, or are or were serving at our request as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another entity. The agreements require us to indemnify our officers and directors against all expenses, judgments, fines and penalties actually and reasonably incurred by them in connection with the defense or settlement of any such proceeding, subject to the terms and conditions of the agreements.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Company 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 Company will, unless in the opinion of its counsel that 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

Item 16. Exhibits.

 

a) Exhibits.   

 

Exhibit    
No.   Description of Document
4.1   Form of Common Stock Certificate(1)
5.1   Opinion of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP **
23.1   Consent of Gumbiner Savett Inc., Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm*
24.1   Power of Attorney**
31.2   Consent of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)**

 

*Filed herewith.

**Previously filed.

(1) Incorporated by reference from the registrant’s registration statement on Form S-1, as amended, file number 333-177946, originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 14, 2011.

 

Item 17.  Undertakings.

 

(a)The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

(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 of 1933, as amended;

 

I-2
 

 

(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.

 

(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), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

 

(2)That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, 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.

 

(4)That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, to any purchaser:

 

(i)If the registrant is relying on Rule 430B:

 

(A)Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

(B)Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; or

 

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(ii)If the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

 

(5)That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

(i)Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

(ii)Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

 

(iii)The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

 

(iv)Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

(b)The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this 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 of 1933, as amended, 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 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 of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

In accordance with 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-3 and authorized this Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Seattle, State of Washington, on January 4, 2016.

 

  CLEARSIGN COMBUSTION CORPORATION  
       
  By: /s/ James N. Harmon  
    Chief Financial Officer  

 

SIGNATURES AND POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

In accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement was signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates stated.

 

Dated: January 4, 2016   *  
    Stephen E. Pirnat  
    Chief Executive Officer and Director  
    (Principal Executive Officer)  
       
Dated: January 4, 2016   /s/ James N. Harmon  
    James N. Harmon  
    Chief Financial Officer  
    (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)  
       
Dated: January 4, 2016   *  
    David B. Goodson  
    Chief Science Officer and Director  
       
Dated: January 4, 2016   *  
    Jeffrey L. Ott, Director  
       
Dated: January 4, 2016   *  
    Scott P. Isaacson, Director  
       
Dated: January 4, 2016   *  
    Lon E. Bell, Ph.D., Director  

 

*By: /s/ James N. Harmon  
  James N. Harmon, attorney-in-fact