JACKSON, Wyo., Aug. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brand Engagement Network Inc. ("BEN") (NASDAQ:BNAI), an emerging provider of safe and secure customer engagement AI, today announced it has closed a private placement with existing investors to purchase shares of BEN's common stock in the aggregate amount of $5.925 million. Concurrently, BEN announced that it has entered into a $50 million Standby Equity Purchase Agreement ("SEPA") with Yorkville Advisors. Together, these two transactions provide the Company with increased financial flexibility and access to capital in support of strategic growth initiatives, expanded market validation, and production scaling of its human-like, conversational AI assistants.
The private placement is backed by a group of existing BEN stockholders, who agreed to purchase 1.185 million shares of common stock at $5.00 per share, materially above the current trading price of the Company's common stock. For each share purchased, investors received an additional share of common stock from certain existing stockholders of the Company. In exchange for transferring their shares to existing investors, certain transferring stockholders were issued 960,000 warrants to purchase shares of the Company's common stock at a price of $5.00 per share, and received a release from certain existing "lockup" restrictions on 1,252,500 shares of common stock owned by them. The shares of common stock will be purchased on a monthly basis through April 5, 2025.
Under the terms of the SEPA, Yorkville Advisors has agreed to purchase BEN shares up to the aggregate amount of $50 million over three years. This financing structure will provide the company with access to capital on an as-needed basis to fund its business plan as ...
