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EXHIBIT 10.2
[Form
of]
JOINT
DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT
By
and Between
MILLENNIUM
CELL INC.
and
THE
DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
|
1. |
Definitions |
2 |
|
2. |
Milestones. |
2 |
|
2.1. |
Purpose |
2 |
|
2.2. |
Milestones
1, 2, 3 and 4 |
2 |
|
2.3. |
Steering
Committee |
2 |
|
2.4. |
No
Restrictions |
3 |
|
3. |
Intellectual
Property. |
3 |
|
3.1. |
MCEL-Contributed
IP |
3 |
|
3.2. |
Cross
Licensing Agreement |
3 |
|
4. |
Development
Obligations of MCEL. |
4 |
|
4.1. |
MCEL
Obligations Generally |
4 |
|
4.2. |
MCEL
Obligations Per Milestone |
4 |
|
5. |
Development
Obligations of Dow. |
7 |
|
5.1. |
Dow
Obligations Generally. |
7 |
|
5.2. |
Dow
Obligations Per Milestone |
8 |
|
6. |
Compensation
to Dow Upon Achievement of Milestones |
9 |
|
6.1. |
Compensation
Per Milestone |
9 |
|
6.2. |
Limitations
on Compensation. |
10 |
|
7. |
Representations
and Warranties By MCEL |
11 |
|
7.1. |
General
Representations and Warranties. |
11 |
|
7.2. |
MCEL’s
Commitment |
12 |
|
7.3. |
MCEL-Contributed
Intellectual Property |
12 |
|
7.4. |
Disclaimer. |
13 |
|
7.5. |
JDA
Intellectual Property |
13 |
|
7.6. |
Disclaimer. |
15 |
|
8. |
Representations
and Warranties By Dow |
15 |
|
8.1. |
General
Representations and Warranties. |
15 |
|
8.2. |
Disclaimer |
16 |
|
9. |
Other
Agreements Relating to the Joint Development Activities. |
16 |
|
9.1. |
Confidential
Information |
16 |
|
9.2. |
License
and Supplier Arrangements with Third Parties. |
18 |
|
9.3. |
Non-Solicitation
of Employees |
19 |
|
9.4. |
Costs
and Expenses Related to Joint Development |
19 |
|
9.5. |
Determination
of Milestone and Objectives under the Milestone Table. |
19 |
|
9.6. |
Publicity/Press
Releases |
20 |
|
9.7. |
Records |
20 |
|
9.8. |
Insurance |
20 |
|
10. |
Indemnification. |
21 |
|
10.1. |
Survival |
21 |
|
10.2. |
Indemnification
by MCEL |
21 |
|
10.3. |
Indemnification
by Dow |
22 |
|
10.4. |
Limitation |
22 |
|
10.5. |
Procedures. |
22 |
|
10.6. |
Additional
Obligations with respect to Intellectual Property |
24 |
|
10.7. |
Exclusivity
of Remedies |
24 |
|
11. |
Term
and Termination. |
24 |
|
11.1. |
Term |
24 |
|
11.2. |
Termination
by Either Party |
25 |
|
11.3. |
Termination
By Dow |
25 |
|
11.4. |
Termination
by MCEL |
25 |
|
11.5. |
Effect
of Termination. |
26 |
|
11.6. |
Survival
of Certain Provisions |
26 |
|
12. |
Disputes. |
26 |
|
12.1. |
Alternative
Dispute Resolution |
26 |
|
13. |
General
Provisions. |
27 |
|
13.1. |
Relationship
of the Parties |
27 |
|
13.2. |
Transfer;
Successors and Assigns |
27 |
|
13.3. |
Governing
Law |
27 |
|
13.4. |
Counterparts |
27 |
|
13.5. |
Construction
of Certain Terms |
27 |
|
13.6. |
Notices |
28 |
|
13.7. |
Amendments
and Waivers |
29 |
|
13.8. |
Severability |
29 |
|
13.9. |
Delays
or Omissions |
29 |
|
13.10. |
Entire
Agreement |
29 |
Exhibit
A Definitions
Exhibit
B Milestones
Schedule
1 MCEL-Contributed
Intellectual Property
Schedule
2 Excluded
Intellectual Property
JOINT
DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT
THIS
JOINT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT (this
“Agreement”) is
made and entered into on this __ day of __________, 2005 (the “Effective
Date”) by and
between THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (“Dow”) and
MILLENNIUM CELL INC., a Delaware corporation (“MCEL”). Dow
and MCEL also may be referred to herein individually as a “Party” or
collectively as the “Parties.”
Recitals
WHEREAS,
the Parties entered into that certain Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of
February 27, 2005 (the “Stock
Purchase Agreement”),
pursuant to which, among other things, at the First Closing (as defined in the
Stock Purchase Agreement), the Parties are to enter into this
Agreement;
WHEREAS,
the First Closing has occurred and, simultaneously therewith, the Parties are
entering into this Agreement pursuant of the Stock Purchase
Agreement;
WHEREAS,
simultaneously with the entering into of this Agreement, Dow and MCEL have also
entered into that certain Cross Licensing and Intellectual Property Agreement,
dated as of the Effective Date (the “Cross
Licensing Agreement”);
WHEREAS,
MCEL is engaged in the business of developing fuel systems for the safe storage,
transportation and generation of hydrogen for use as an energy source and, in
connection therewith, has developed and patented the proprietary system called
Hydrogen
on Demand®,
whereby the energy potential of hydrogen is carried in the chemical bonds of
sodium borohydride, which in the presence of a catalyst, releases
hydrogen;
WHEREAS,
among other things, Dow is engaged directly and indirectly in developing
technologies addressing the increasing need for energy for portable electronics
devices;
WHEREAS,
the Parties wish to jointly develop portable energy solutions through the
production of hydrogen gas for use by fuel cells within the Field of Use (as
defined below) and within the Application (as defined below), using certain
processes currently being developed by MCEL, as further described in this
Agreement;
WHEREAS,
in connection with the joint development arrangement described above, and
pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Stock Purchase Agreement and this
Agreement, MCEL and Dow have agreed that MCEL will (i) upon the execution
of this Agreement, issue certain shares of Series A Preferred Stock (as defined
below) and (ii) upon the achievement of Milestones 1, 2, 3 and 4 (each as
defined below), issue certain shares of Series A Preferred Stock in
consideration for Dow providing its commercial and technical services pursuant
to this Agreement, as further described in this Agreement and the Stock Purchase
Agreement; and
WHEREAS,
pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Stock Purchase Agreement, MCEL and
Dow have agreed that, upon the achievement of Milestones 1, 2, 3 and 4, MCEL
will offer to sell, and Dow may purchase, certain shares of Series B Preferred
Stock in consideration for Dow’s equity investments into MCEL, as further
described in this Agreement and the Stock Purchase Agreement.
1
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and
agreements contained herein, the Parties agree as follows:
1. Definitions.
Capitalized terms used in this Agreement shall have the meanings set forth in
Exhibit
A
(Definitions). Capitalized terms that do not appear in Exhibit
A shall
have the meanings given such terms as provided for in this
Agreement.
2. Milestones.
2.1. Purpose.
The Parties have entered into this Agreement for the purpose of jointly
developing portable energy solutions through the production of hydrogen gas for
use by fuel cells using certain processes currently being developed by MCEL. In
connection therewith, MCEL shall use reasonable best efforts to, among other
things, perform the MCEL Military Tasks and the MCEL Consumer Tasks and Dow
shall use commercially reasonable efforts when requested by MCEL to perform the
Dow Military Tasks and the Dow Consumer Tasks in accordance with this Agreement.
By performing these obligations, MCEL will seek to cause the occurrence of the
Military Objectives and the Consumer Objectives (if any) contained in the four
(4) milestones described in this Article
2 (each, a
“Milestone” and,
collectively, the “Milestones”) and,
as a result of the occurrence of all the Military Objectives or the Consumer
Objectives in any such Milestone, will achieve such Milestone as set forth in
the Milestone Table. Upon the achievement of each Milestone, Dow will be
entitled to receive Series A Preferred Stock and to purchase Series B Preferred
Stock and receive Warrants, subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement and the other Transaction Agreements.
2.2. Milestones
1, 2, 3 and 4.
Each of the four (4) Milestones (“Milestone
1,”
“Milestone
2”,
“Milestone
3” and
“Milestone
4”,
respectively) shall be achieved upon the occurrence of either (i) all of the
Military Objectives or (ii) all of the Consumer Objectives, in either case,
corresponding to such Milestone in the Milestone Table set forth on Exhibit
B of this
Agreement (the “Milestone
Table”).
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in the Milestone Table, (i)
if Milestone 2 is achieved prior to the achievement of Milestone 1, then
Milestone 1 will be deemed to have been achieved upon the achievement of
Milestone 2, (ii) if Milestone 3 is achieved prior to the achievement of
Milestone 1 and/or Milestone 2, then any prior Milestone that has not been
achieved at such time (Milestone 1 and/or Milestone 2, as the case may be) will
be deemed to have been achieved upon the achievement of Milestone 3, (iii) if
Milestone 4 is achieved prior to the achievement of Milestone 1, Milestone 2
and/or Milestone 3, then any prior Milestone that has not been achieved at such
time (Milestone 1, Milestone 2 and/or Milestone 3, as the case may be) will be
deemed to have been achieved upon the achievement of Milestone 4. In any such
event, all of the Closings (as defined in the Stock Purchase Agreement)
preceding the applicable Milestone shall occur simultaneously.
2.3. Steering
Committee.
The Parties shall establish and maintain a steering committee (the “Steering
Committee”) that
will oversee the development activities under, and all other aspects of the
relationship contemplated by, this Agreement and facilitate the relationship
between Dow and MCEL as explicitly set forth this Agreement. The Steering
Committee shall consist of four (4) individuals (each, a “Committee
Member”), two
(2) of which shall be appointed by Dow at its sole discretion and two (2) of
which shall be appointed by MCEL at its sole discretion. The initial Committee
Members shall be as follows (a) two MCEL-appointed Committee Members shall be:
(i) Adam Briggs and (ii) John Battaglini and the two-Dow appointed Committee
Members shall be: (i) Director Emerging Energy Platform and (ii) another
representative to be appointed in the future; provided,
however, either
Party may replace such Party’s Committee Members at any time by providing
written notice to the other Party. During the Term, the Steering Committee will
meet from time to time and in the manner as the Committee Members shall agree.
Any action made by the Steering Committee under this Agreement shall only be
enforceable if at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Committee Members
agree to such action in writing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set
forth herein, in no event shall the Steering Committee have the right to modify,
amend, supplement, change or waive any provision or term of this
Agreement.
2
2.4. No
Restrictions.
In no event shall the obligations of the Parties contained in this Agreement,
the Stock Purchase Agreement, the other Transaction Agreements or transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby prevent or in any way prohibit or restrain the
either Party from engaging in any activities (including without limitation,
development activities, joint development activities, investment activities or
otherwise) which may be deemed to be directly or indirectly competitive with the
other Party, the current operations of the other Party or the future business
plans of the other Party, it being understood that each Party may by itself or
in combination with other third parties, develop, manufacture, produce or sell
hydrogen fuel cell products; provided,
however, each
Party’s rights under this Section
2.4 shall be
subject to all agreements and restrictions of the Parties with respect to (i)
Dow Intellectual Property, MCEL-Contributed Intellectual Property (as defined
below) and Joint Development Intellectual Property under this Agreement, the
Cross Licensing Agreement and all other Transaction Agreements, (ii) the
specific representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained in the
Transaction Agreements and (iii) confidentiality and non-solicitation
obligations of the Parties under this Agreement.
| 3. | Intellectual Property. |
3.1. MCEL-Contributed
IP.
MCEL hereby acknowledges and agrees that all patents, copyrights, trade secrets,
technical data, designs, concepts, processes, formulae, know-how and information
of MCEL as of the date of this Agreement to be used by MCEL in furtherance of
the purpose of this Agreement, including without limitation the patents,
copyrights and other intellectual property set forth on Schedule
1, and all
know-how and trade secrets embodied therein shall collectively be, “MCEL-Contributed
Intellectual Property”;
provided,
however, neither
(i) the intellectual property set forth on Schedule
2 of this
Agreement nor (ii) the JDA Intellectual Property shall be deemed
MCEL-Contributed Intellectual Property. MCEL shall use the MCEL-Contributed
Intellectual Property to the extent necessary to meet its obligations under this
Agreement.
3.2. Cross
Licensing Agreement.
Simultaneously herewith, the Parties acknowledge and agree that the Parties have
entered into the Cross Licensing Agreement with respect to the intellectual
property matters related to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
3
| 4. | Development Obligations of MCEL. |
4.1. MCEL
Obligations Generally.
During the Term, MCEL shall use its reasonable best efforts to achieve each of
the Military Objectives and each of the Consumer Objectives as expeditiously as
possible; provided,
however, that in
the event the Board of Directors of MCEL determines in good faith that it is in
the best interests of MCEL to primarily pursue only the Military Objectives or
the Consumer Objectives in respect of MCEL’s efforts to achieve the unachieved
Milestones (such determination being a “One-Track
Determination”), then
MCEL shall (i) promptly inform Dow that MCEL has made such One-Track
Determination and (ii) for the remainder of the Term MCEL shall use its
reasonable best efforts to achieve only the Military Objectives or the Consumer
Objectives, as the case may be, applicable to such unachieved
Milestones.
4.2. MCEL
Obligations Per Milestone.
Without limiting the generality of Section
4.1, MCEL
shall perform, at a minimum, each of the incomplete MCEL Military Tasks and the
incomplete MCEL Consumer Tasks on the terms set forth in this Section
4.2
regardless of the Milestone that has been achieved for purposes of the Milestone
Table; provided,
however, if a
Milestone has been achieved under the Milestone Table due to the occurrence of
all Military Objectives, on the one hand, or Consumer Objectives, on the other
hand, contained in such Milestone, then for the purposes of this Section
4.2, the
Military Objectives or the Consumer Objectives, as applicable, contained in all
preceding Milestones shall be deemed to have occurred; provided,
further, if MCEL
has made a One-Track Determination, then MCEL will only be required to perform
such incomplete MCEL Consumer Tasks or such incomplete MCEL Military Tasks, as
applicable.
(a) MCEL
Military Tasks - Throughout Term
For
the time period commencing on the date hereof and ending upon the earlier of the
achievement of the Military Objectives contained in Milestone 4 or the
expiration of the Term, MCEL shall (i) identify potential opportunities with
military and/or government entities to become Military Customers party to a
Military Contract, Production-Ready Military Contract and/or Military P.O. and
exercise reasonable best efforts through marketing and business development
activities to enhance such potential opportunities; (ii) exercise best efforts
to comply with any then-effective Military Contract, Production-Ready Military
Contract or Military P.O.; and (iii) prepare the filings for all
government/regulatory approvals necessary and appropriate for the use of
NaBH4 for the
military applications contemplated by the Military Objectives, make such filings
if and when applicable, and follow up with specific government/regulatory bodies
and exercise reasonable best efforts to respond to further application issues as
appropriate (the obligations described in this clause (iii) being the
“Military
NaBH4
Approval Process”).
(b) MCEL
Military Tasks - Milestone 1.
From the date hereof until the achievement of the Military Objectives contained
in Milestone 1, MCEL shall (i) develop proposed Military Prototype
specifications to meet military needs for a fuel cell power source and develop
proposed terms for a future Military Contract; (ii) develop and test the
proposed Military Prototype and exercise reasonable best efforts to make the
appropriate improvements thereto prior to the execution of the Military
Contract; (iii) exercise reasonable best efforts to negotiate and execute a bona
fide proposed Military Contract; and (iv) exercise reasonable best efforts to
test, develop, manufacture and deliver a Military Prototype meeting the
specifications of the executed Military Contract.
4
(c) MCEL
Military Tasks - Milestone 2.
From the date of achievement of the Military Objectives contained in Milestone 1
until the achievement of the Military Objectives contained in Milestone 2, MCEL
shall (i) perform an evaluation of the Military Prototype and MCEL’s performance
under the Military Contract to identify areas of improvement; (ii) develop and
test the proposed production-ready Military Prototype and exercise reasonable
best efforts to make the appropriate improvements thereto prior to execution of
the Production-Ready Military Contract; (iii) exercise reasonable best efforts
to negotiate and execute a proposed Production-Ready Military Contract; (iv)
seek to become the preferred provider or the exclusive provider of the
production-ready Military Prototype to the Military Customer under the
Production-Ready Military Contract; and (v) exercise reasonable best efforts to
test, develop, manufacture and deliver the Military Prototypes meeting the
specifications of the executed Production-Ready Military Contract.
(d) MCEL
Military Tasks - Milestone 3. From
the date of achievement of the Military Objectives contained in Milestone 2
until the achievement of the Military Objectives contained in Milestone 3, MCEL
shall (i) perform an evaluation of the production-ready Military Prototype and
MCEL’s performance under the Production-Ready Military Contract to identify
areas of improvement; (ii) develop a manufacturing plan for a Military Product;
(iii) if applicable, identify and exercise reasonable best efforts to engage in
discussions with potential licensees and suppliers of intellectual property, raw
materials and products necessary or helpful for the manufacture of the
production-ready Military Product and seek access thereto in anticipation of the
Military P.O.; (iv) if applicable, exercise reasonable best efforts to negotiate
and enter into appropriate license agreements and supplier agreements in
anticipation of the Military P.O.; (v) if applicable, exercise reasonable best
efforts to acquire required technology (by merger, acquisition, purchase or
otherwise) to perform a proposed Military P.O.; (vi) develop and test the
proposed Military Product and exercise reasonable best efforts to make the
appropriate improvements thereto prior to the execution of the Military P.O.;
and (vii) exercise reasonable best efforts to negotiate and execute a proposed
Military P.O.; provided, that
clauses (iii) and (iv) of this Section
4.2(d) shall be
subject to Section
9.2.
(e)






