As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 21, 2020

Registration No. 333-        

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Berkeley Lights, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   35-2515390

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

5858 Horton Street, Suite 320

Emeryville, California 94608

  94608
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

 

 

2011 Equity Incentive Plan

2020 Incentive Award Plan

2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

(Full Title of the Plan)

 

 

Eric D. Hobbs, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer

Berkeley Lights, Inc.

5858 Horton Street, Suite 320

Emeryville, California 94608

(510) 858-2855

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

 

 

Copies to:

Brian J. Cuneo

Alexander White

Latham & Watkins LLP

140 Scott Drive

Menlo Park, California 94025

Telephone: (650) 328-4600

  

Shaun Holt

Chief Financial Officer

Berkeley Lights, Inc.

5858 Horton Street, Suite 320

Emeryville, California 94608

Telephone: (510) 858-2855

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an 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 Each Class of

Securities to be Registered

 

Amount

to be

Registered(1)

 

Proposed

Maximum

Offering Price

Per Share(2)

 

Proposed

Maximum

Aggregate Offering

Price Per Share(2)

 

Amount of

Registration Fee

Common Stock, $0.00005 par value per share

  17,225,483   $6.38-$59.32   $460,586,991.84   $59,785

 

 

(1)

Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this registration statement shall also cover any additional shares of the Registrant’s common stock that become issuable under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “2011 Plan”), the 2020 Incentive Award Plan (the “2020 Plan”) and the 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or similar transaction effected without the Registrant’s receipt of consideration which would increase the number of outstanding shares of common stock. In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act, this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefits plan described herein.

(2)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) and Rule 457(c) promulgated under the Securities Act. The offering price per share and the aggregate offering price (a) for outstanding options granted under the 2011 Plan and the 2020 Plan are based upon the weighted-average exercise price of such outstanding options and (b) for shares reserved for future issuance under the 2020 Plan and the ESPP are based on the average of the high and the low price of Registrant’s common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on July 17, 2020 and (c) for shares reserved for future issuance under the ESPP are based on the average of the high and the low price of the Registrant’s common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on July 17, 2020 multiplied by 85%, which is the percentage of the price per share applicable to purchases under the ESPP. The chart below details the calculations of the registration fee:

 

 

Securities  

Number of

Shares

 

Offering Price Per

Share

 

Aggregate

Offering Price

Shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options granted under the 2011 Plan and the 2020 Plan(3)

  10,498,333   $6.38(2)(a)   $66,979,364.54

Shares reserved for future grant under the 2020 Plan(3)

  6,115,000   $59.32(2)(b)   $362,741,800.00

Shares reserved for future grant under the ESPP

  612,150   $50.42(2)(c)   $30,865,827.30

Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price

          $460,586,991.84

Registration Fee

          $59,785

 

 

(3)

Pursuant to the terms of the 2020 Plan, any shares subject to outstanding options originally granted under the 2011 Plan that terminate, expire or lapse for any reason without the delivery of shares to the holder thereof shall become available for issuance pursuant to awards granted under the 2020 Plan.

 

 

Proposed sale to take place as soon after the effective date of the

registration statement as awards under the plans are exercised and/or vest.

 

 

 

 

 


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 with or included in this Form S-8 (by incorporation by reference or otherwise) in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

In this registration statement, Berkeley Lights, Inc. is sometimes referred to as “Registrant,” “we,” “us” or “our.”

 

Item 3.

Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

  The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information we file with them, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this registration statement, and later information filed with the SEC will update and supersede this information. We hereby incorporate by reference into this registration statement the following documents previously filed with the SEC:

 

  (a)

The prospectus filed by the Registrant with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, on July 17, 2020, relating to the registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (No. 333-239487), which contains the Registrant’s audited financial statements for the latest fiscal year for which such statements have been filed;

 

  (b)

The Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC on July 21, 2020; and

 

  (c)

The description of the Registrant’s common stock contained in the Registrant’s registration statement on Form 8-A (Registration No. 001-39388), filed by the Registrant with the SEC under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), on July 14, 2020, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All documents that the Registrant subsequently files pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to the registration statement which indicates that all of the shares of common stock offered have been sold or which deregisters all of such shares then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents; except as to any portion of any future annual or quarterly report to stockholders or document or current report furnished under current Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K, and exhibits furnished on such form that relate to such items, that is not deemed filed under such provisions. For the purposes of this registration statement, any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein 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.

Under no circumstances will any information filed under current items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K, and exhibits furnished on such form that relate to such items, be deemed incorporated herein by reference unless such Form 8-K expressly provides to the contrary.

 

Item 4.

Description of Securities.

  Not applicable.

 

Item 5.

Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

  None.


Item 6.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

  As permitted by Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, we have adopted provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and our amended and restated bylaws (the “Bylaws”) that limit or eliminate the personal liability of our directors for a breach of their fiduciary duty of care as a director. The duty of care generally requires that, when acting on behalf of the corporation, directors exercise an informed business judgment based on all material information reasonably available to them. Consequently, a director will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for:

 

   

any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders;

 

   

any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

   

any act related to unlawful stock repurchases, redemptions or other distributions or payment of dividends; or

 

   

any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

These limitations of liability do not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as injunctive relief or rescission. Our Certificate of Incorporation also requires us to indemnify our officers and directors and authorizes us to indemnify our employees and other agents to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law.

As permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our Bylaws provide that:

 

   

we shall indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to limited exceptions;

 

   

we shall advance expenses to our directors and officers in connection with a legal proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to limited exceptions; and

 

   

the rights provided in our Bylaws are not exclusive.

Our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws provide for the indemnification provisions described above and elsewhere herein. We have also entered into separate indemnification agreements with our directors and officers which may be broader than the specific indemnification provisions contained in the Delaware General Corporation Law. These indemnification agreements generally require us, among other things, to indemnify our officers and directors against liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers, other than liabilities arising from willful misconduct. These indemnification agreements also generally require us to advance any expenses incurred by the directors or officers as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. In addition, we have purchased a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our directors and officers against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances. These indemnification provisions and the indemnification agreements may be sufficiently broad to permit indemnification of our officers and directors for liabilities, including reimbursement of expenses incurred, arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act.

 

Item 7.

Exemption from Registration Claimed.

  Not applicable.

 

Item 8.

Exhibits.

  Reference is made under this Item 8 to the exhibit index included in this Registration Statement.


Item 9.

Undertakings.

1. The Registrant hereby undertakes:

 

  (a)

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;

 

  (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 SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent 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) of this section 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 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.

 

  (b)

That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, 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.

 

  (c)

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.

 

  (d)

That, for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 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.

2. The Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, 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 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.


3. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


Exhibit Index

 

        

Incorporated by Reference

  

Filed
Herewith

Exhibit
Number

 

Exhibit Description

  

Form

  

Date

  

Number

    
4.1   Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Berkeley Lights, Inc.    8-K    7-21-20    3.1   
4.2   Amended and Restated Bylaws of Berkeley Lights, Inc.    8-K    7-21-20    3.2   
4.3   Form of Common Stock Certificate.    S-1/A    7-13-20    4.2   
5.1   Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP.             X
23.1   Consent of independent registered public accounting firm.             X
23.2   Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).             X
24.1   Power of Attorney. Reference is made to the signature page to the Registration Statement.             X
99.1(a)#   Berkeley Lights, Inc. 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended.    S-1    6-26-20    10.1(a)   
99.1(b)#   Form of Notice of Stock Option Grant and Stock Option Agreement under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan.    S-1    6-26-20    10.1(b)   
99.2(a)#   Berkeley Lights, Inc. 2020 Incentive Award Plan.    S-1/A    7-13-20    10.2(a)   
99.2(b)#   Form of Stock Option Grant Notice and Stock Option Agreement under the 2020 Incentive Award Plan.    S-1/A    7-13-20    10.2(b)   
99.2(c)#   Form of Restricted Stock Award Agreement under the 2020 Incentive Award Plan.    S-1/A    7-13-20    10.2(c)   
99.2(d)#   Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Grant Notice under the 2020 Incentive Award Plan.    S-1/A    7-13-20    10.2(d)   
99.3#   2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.    S-1/A    7-13-20    10.3   

 

# Indicates management contract or compensatory plan.


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 Emeryville, State of California, on this 21st day of July, 2020.

 

Berkeley Lights, Inc.

By:   /s/ Eric Hobbs, Ph.D.
  Eric Hobbs, Ph.D.
  Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below does hereby constitute and appoint Eric Hobbs, Ph.D., Shaun Holt and Stuart Merkadeau, and each of them, with full power of substitution and full power to act without the other, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to act for him or her in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file this registration statement, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in order to effectuate the same as fully, to all intents and purposes, as they or he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Eric Hobbs, Ph.D.   

Chief Executive Officer and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

  July 21, 2020
Eric Hobbs, Ph.D.
/s/ Shaun Holt   

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  July 21, 2020
Shaun Holt
/s/ Sarah Boyce   

Director

  July 21, 2020
Sarah Boyce
/s/ Igor Khandros, Ph.D.   

Director

  July 21, 2020
Igor Khandros, Ph.D.
/s/ Gregory Lucier   

Director

  July 21, 2020
Gregory Lucier
/s/ Michael Marks   

Director

  July 21, 2020
Michael Marks
/s/ Michael Moritz   

Director

  July 21, 2020
Michael Moritz


/s/ Elizabeth Nelson   

Director

   July 21, 2020
Elizabeth Nelson
/s/ James Rothman, Ph.D.   

Director

   July 21, 2020
James Rothman, Ph.D.
EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

  

140 Scott Drive

Menlo Park, California 94025

Tel: +1.650.328.4600 Fax: +1.650.463.2600

www.lw.com

   FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES
July 21, 2020   

Beijing

Boston

Brussels

Century City

Chicago

Dubai

Düsseldorf

Frankfurt

Hamburg

Hong Kong

Houston

London

Los Angeles

Madrid

Milan

  

Moscow

Munich

New York

Orange County

Paris

Riyadh

San Diego

San Francisco

Seoul

Shanghai

Silicon Valley

Singapore

Tokyo

Washington, D.C.

Berkeley Lights, Inc.

5858 Horton Street, Suite 320

Emeryville, California 94608

 

Re:    Registration Statement on Form S-8; 17,225,483 shares of Common Stock of Berkeley Lights, Inc., par value $0.00005 per share

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Berkeley Lights, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the registration by the Company of 17,225,483 shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.00005 per share (the “Shares”), issuable under the Company’s 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “2011 Plan”), 2020 Incentive Award Plan (the “2020 Plan”) and 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP” and together with the 2011 Plan and the 2020 Plan, the “Plans”).

The Shares are included in a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on July 21, 2020 (the “Registration Statement”). This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement or the related prospectuses, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issuance of the Shares.

As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), and we express no opinion with respect to any other laws.


July 21, 2020

Page 2

  
  

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, when the Shares shall have been duly registered on the books of the transfer agent and registrar therefor in the name or on behalf of the purchasers and have been issued by the Company against payment therefor in the circumstances contemplated by the Plans, assuming in each case that the individual issuances, grants or awards under the Plans are duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and duly issued, granted or awarded and exercised in accordance with the requirements of law and the applicable Plans (and the agreements and awards duly adopted thereunder and in accordance therewith), the issue and sale of the Shares will have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. In rendering the foregoing opinion, we have assumed that the Company will comply with all applicable notice requirements regarding uncertificated shares provided in the DGCL.

This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Latham & Watkins LLP

EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors

Berkeley Lights, Inc.:

We consent to the use of our report incorporated by reference herein.

Our report dated April 17, 2020, except as to Note 19C, which is as of July 15, 2020, refers to the Company’s change in its method of accounting for leases effective January 1, 2019, due to the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-02, Leases, and the related accounting standard updates.

 

/s/ KPMG LLP

San Francisco, California

July 21, 2020