UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2023

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from to

Commission File Number: 001-41112

Blue Ocean Acquisition Corp

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Cayman Islands		98-1593951
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

2 Wisconsin Circle,

7th Floor

Chevy Chase, MD 20815

20815

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)

(240) 235-5049

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of Each Class:	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered:
Units, each consisting of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant to purchase one Class A ordinary share	BOCNU	The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC

Class A ordinary share, par value $0.0001 per share	BOCN	The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC

Redeemable warrants, each exercisable for one Class A ordinary share at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment	BOCNW	The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☒ No ☐

As of August 11, 2023, there were 18,975,000 Class A ordinary shares and 4,743,750 Class B ordinary shares of the registrant issued and outstanding.

BLUE OCEAN ACQUISITION CORP.

FORM 10-Q FOR THE QUARTER ENDED JUNE 30, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

			Page

Part I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION			1
	Item 1.	Interim Financial Statements.	1
	Item 2.	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.	22
	Item 3.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.	28
	Item 4.	Controls and Procedures.	28
Part II - OTHER INFORMATION			29
	Item 1.	Legal Proceedings.	29
	Item 1A	Risk Factors.	29
	Item 2.	Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.	30
	Item 3.	Default Upon Senior Securities.	30
	Item 4.	Mine Safety Disclosures.	30
	Item 5.	Other Information.	30
	Item 6.	Exhibits.	31
Part III - SIGNATURES			32

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Interim Financial Statements

BLUE OCEAN ACQUISITION CORP

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

	June 30, 2023			December 31, 2022
	(Unaudited)
Assets
Current Assets:
Cash	$	425,374		$	627,628
Prepaid expenses and other assets		150,024			236,042
Interest receivable		831,318			—
Total current assets		1,406,716			863,670
Non-current assets
Marketable securities held in trust account		199,943,765			196,226,283
Total assets	$	201,350,481		$	197,089,953
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Deficit
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	$	2,485,238		$	576,727
Accounts Payable – Related Party		170,000			110,000
Promissory Note, Convertible – Related Party		350,000			—
Total current liabilities		3,005,238			686,727
Accrued offering costs, non-current		806,823			806,823
Warrant liabilities		806,509			1,403,438
Deferred underwriting fee payable		6,641,250			6,641,250
Total liabilities		11,259,820			9,538,238
Commitments
Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption; 18,975,000 shares issued and outstanding at redemption value of $10.54 and $10.34 as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively		199,943,765			196,226,283
Shareholders’ Deficit:
Preferred shares, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none outstanding		—			—
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 Par Value; 200,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued or outstanding (excluding 18,975,000 shares subject to possible redemption)		—			—
Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 Par Value; 20,000,000 shares authorized; 4,718,750 and 4,743,750 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively		472			474
Additional paid-in capital					—
Accumulated deficit		(9,853,576	)		(8,675,042	)
Total shareholders’ deficit		(9,853,104	)		(8,674,568	)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Deficit	$	201,350,481		$	197,089,953

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited condensed financial statements.

BLUE OCEAN ACQUISITION CORP

UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

	For The Three Months Ended June 30, 2023			For The Six Months Ended June 30, 2023			For The Three Months Ended June 30, 2022			For The Six Months Ended June 30, 2022
General and administrative expenses		2,298,234			2,606,637		$	318,309			692,046
Loss from operations		(2,298,234	)		(2,606,637	)		(318,309	)		(692,046	)

Other Income (expense):
Interest earned on marketable securities held in Trust Account		1,740,574			3,878,696			108,518			168,925
Unrealized gain or (loss) on marketable securities held in Trust Account		577,612			670,104			41,150			(65,543	)
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities		879,488			596,929			3,842,119			10,298,516
Net income		899,440			2,539,092		$	3,673,478		$	9,709,852
Weighted average shares outstanding of Class A redeemable ordinary shares		18,975,000			18,975,000			18,975,000		$	18,975,000
Basic and diluted net income per ordinary share, Class A redeemable ordinary shares		0.04			0.11		$	0.15		$	0.41
Weighted average shares outstanding of Class B ordinary shares non-redeemable shares		4,736,058			4,739,861			4,743,750		$	4,743,750
Basic and diluted net income per ordinary share, Class B ordinary shares non-redeemable shares		0.04			0.11		$	0.15		$	0.41

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited condensed financial statements.

BLUE OCEAN ACQUISITION CORP

UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT FOR THE

SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2023

	Class B Ordinary shares						Additional Paid in		Accumulated			Total Shareholders’
	Shares			Amount			Capital		Deficit			Deficit
Balance - December 31, 2022		4,743,750		$	474			—	$	(8,675,042	)	$	(8,674,568	)
Accretion of Class A ordinary shares to redemption value		—			—			—		(2,230,614	)		(2,230,614	)
Net Income		—			—			—		1,639,651			1,639,651
Balance – March 31, 2023		4,743,750		$	474		$	—	$	(9,266,005	)	$	(9,265,531	)
Accretion of Class A ordinary shares to redemption value		—			—			—		(1,486,868	)		(1,486,868	)
Net Income		—			—			—		899,440			899,440
Repurchase of Class B ordinary shares		(25,000	)		(2	)		—		(143	)		(145	)
Balance – June 30, 2023		4,718,750		$	472		$	—	$	(9,853,576	)	$	(9,853,104	)

BLUE OCEAN ACQUISITION CORP.

UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT FOR THE

SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2022

	Class B Ordinary shares				Additional Paid in		Accumulated			Total Shareholders’
	Shares		Amount		Capital		Deficit			Deficit
Balance – December 31, 2021		4,743,750	$	474	$	—	$	(18,652,465	)	$	(18,651,991	)
Net Income		—		—		—		6,036,374			6,036,374
Balance – March 31, 2022		4,743,750	$	474	$	—	$	(12,616,091	)	$	(12,615,617	)
Accretion of Class A ordinary shares to redemption value		—		—		—		(108,315	)		(108,315	)
Net Income		—		—		—		3,673,478			3,673,478
Balance – June 30, 2022		4,743,750	$	474	$	—	$	(9,050,928	)	$	(9,050,454	)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited condensed financial statements.

BLUE OCEAN ACQUISITION CORP

UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

	For The Six Months Ended June 30,
	2023			2022
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net income	$	2,539,092		$	9,709,852
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:
Interest earned on marketable securities held in Trust Account		(3,878,696	)		(168,925	)
Unrealized (gain) loss on marketable securities held in Trust Account		(670,104	)		65,543
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities		(596,929	)		(10,298,516	)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		86,018			(14,874	)
Other assets, non-current		—			128,750
Accounts payable and accrued expenses, current		1,908,365			(120,737	)
Accrued expenses, non-current		—			357,336
Accounts Payable – Related Party		60,000			50,000
Net cash used in operating activities		(552,254	)		(291,571	)
Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities:
Proceeds from convertible promissory note payable		350,000			—
Payment of offering costs		—			(11,105	)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		350,000			(11,105	)
Net change in cash		(202,254	)		(302,676	)
Cash at the beginning of the period		627,628			1,050,670
Cash at the end of the period	$	425,374		$	747,994
Supplemental Disclosure of Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities:
Deferred underwriting fee payable	$	6,641,250		$	6,641,250
Accretion of ordinary shares subject to redemption	$	3,717,482		$	—

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited condensed financial statements.

BLUE OCEAN ACQUISITION CORP

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Blue Ocean Acquisition Corp (the “Company”) is a blank check company incorporated in the Cayman Islands on March 26, 2021. The Company was formed for the purpose of effectuating a merger, capital share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”). The Company is an early stage and emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies.

On June 6, 2023, the Company entered into an agreement and plan of merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with The News Lens Co., Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company (“TNL”), and TNL Mediagene, a Cayman Islands exempted company and wholly owned subsidiary of TNL (“Merger Sub”). On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, the parties thereto will enter into a business combination transaction pursuant to which, among other things, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company, with the Company surviving the Merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of TNL (the “Merger”).

As of June 30, 2023, the Company had not yet commenced any operations. All activity through June 30, 2023, relates to the Company’s formation and the initial public offering (the “Public Offering”) which is described below, and subsequent to the Public Offering, identifying a target for a Business Combination, including the negotiation of the Merger Agreement. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company generates non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Public Offering. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.

The registration statement for the Company’s Public Offering was declared effective on December 6, 2021 (the “Effective Date”). On December 7, 2021, the Company consummated the Public Offering of 16,500,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the shares of Class A ordinary shares included in the Units offered, the “Public Shares”), generating gross proceeds of $165,000,000 which is described in Note 3. Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share of the Company and one-half of one redeemable warrant (the “Public Warrants”). On December 9, 2021, the underwriters fully exercised the over-allotment option and purchased 2,475,000 units (the “Over-Allotment Option Units”) at a price of $10.00 per Over-Allotment Option Unit, generating gross proceeds of $24,750,000.

Simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering, the Company consummated the sale of 8,235,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant that closed in a private placement to Blue Ocean Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”) and Apollo SPAC Fund I, L.P. (“Apollo” or “Anchor Investor”) simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering (see Note 4). On December 9, 2021, the Company consummated the sale of additional 990,000 Private Placement Warrants (the “Additional Private Placement Warrants”) with the Sponsor at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, generating total proceeds of $990,000.

Transaction costs amounted to $12,517,335, consisting of $3,795,000 in cash underwriting fees, $6,641,250 of deferred underwriting fees, $1,248,100 of offering costs related to the fair value of the Founder Shares sold to Anchor Investor, and $832,985 of other offering costs.

Following the closing of the Public Offering, the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, the sale of the Over-Allotment Option Units and the sale of the Additional Private Placement Shares, an amount of $193,545,000 ($10.20 per Public Unit) was placed in a trust account (the “Trust Account”), located in the United States and will be invested only in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), with a maturity of 185 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by the Company meeting certain conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the funds held in the Trust Account, as described below.

The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. NASDAQ rules provide that the Business Combination must be with one or more target businesses that together have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in the Trust Account (less any deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on interest earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the signing a definitive agreement to enter a Business Combination. The Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-Business Combination company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully effect a Business Combination. Upon the closing of the Public Offering, management has agreed that $10.20 per Unit sold in the Public Offering, including the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, will be held in a trust account (the “Trust Account”) and may or may not be invested in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 185 days or less, or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the consummation of a Business Combination or (ii) the distribution of the funds in the Trust Account to the Company’s shareholders, as described below.

The Company will provide its holders of the outstanding Public Shares (the “public shareholders”) with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. In connection with a proposed Business Combination, the Company may seek shareholder approval of a Business Combination at a meeting called for such purpose at which shareholders may seek to redeem their shares, regardless of whether they vote for or against a Business Combination. The Company will proceed with a Business Combination only if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon such consummation of a Business Combination and, if the Company seeks shareholder approval, a majority of the outstanding shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company seeks shareholder approval of a Business Combination and it does not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association provides that, a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to 15% or more of the Public Shares without the Company’s prior written consent.

The public shareholders will be entitled to redeem their shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially $10.20 per share, plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its tax obligations). The per-share amount to be distributed to shareholders who redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions the Company will pay to the underwriter (as discussed in Note 7). There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of a Business Combination with respect to the Company’s warrants. These shares of Class A ordinary shares are recorded at a redemption value and classified as temporary equity in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity” (“ASC 480”).

If a shareholder vote is not required and the Company does not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Memorandum and Articles of Association, offer such redemption pursuant to the tender offer rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and file tender offer documents containing substantially the same information as would be included in a proxy statement with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination.

The Company’s Sponsor and Apollo have agreed (a) to vote their Founder Shares (as defined in Note 5) and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Public Offering in favor of a Business Combination, (b) not to propose an amendment to the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association with respect to the Company’s pre-Business Combination activities prior to the consummation of a Business Combination unless the Company provides dissenting Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares in conjunction with any such amendment; (c) not to redeem any shares (including the Founder Shares) into the right to receive cash from the Trust Account in connection with a shareholder vote to approve a Business Combination (or to sell any shares in a tender offer in connection with a Business Combination if the Company does not seek shareholder approval in connection therewith) or a vote to amend the provisions of the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association relating to shareholders’ rights of pre-Business Combination activity and (d) that the Founder Shares shall not participate in any liquidating distributions upon winding up if a Business Combination is not consummated. However, the Sponsor and Apollo will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any Public Shares purchased during or after the Public Offering if the Company fails to complete its Business Combination.

If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to us to pay taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the Company’s board of directors, proceed to commence a voluntary liquidation and thereby a formal dissolution of the Company, subject in each case to its obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of applicable law.

The underwriter has agreed to waive its rights to the deferred underwriting commission held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the assets remaining available for distribution will be less than the Public Offering price per Unit ($10.00).

The Sponsor and Apollo have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to the Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants it will receive if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if the Sponsor, Apollo or any of their respective affiliates acquire Public Shares, such Public Shares will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission (see Note 6) held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, and in such event, such amounts will be included with the other funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the assets remaining available for distribution will be less than the Public Offering price per Unit ($10.00).

In order to protect the amounts held in the trust, the Sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement or Business Combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.20 per Public Share and (ii) the actual amount per Public Share held in the Trust Account as of the day of liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.20 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to monies held in the Trust Account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriter of Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). However, the Company has not asked the Sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor has the Company independently verified whether the Sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy their indemnity obligations and believe that the Sponsor’s only assets are securities of the Company. Therefore, the Company cannot assure its shareholders that the Sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. None of the Company’s officers or directors will indemnify the Company for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.

Business Combination

At the closing of the Transactions (the “Closing”), by virtue of the Merger, the outstanding shares and warrants will be canceled and converted into the right to receive equivalent shares and warrants of TNL, and TNL is expected to be the publicly traded company with its ordinary shares and warrants listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”).

The Merger Agreement and related agreements are further described in the Form 8-K filed by the Company on June 6, 2023.

Liquidity, Capital Resources and Going Concern

As of June 30, 2023, and December 31, 2022, the Company had approximately $425,374 and $627,628 in its operating bank account, respectively, and working capital deficiency of approximately $1,598,522 as of June 30, 2023.

The Company’s liquidity needs to date have been satisfied through a payment of $25,000 from the Sponsor to purchase the Founder Shares, the loan from the Sponsor under the Note (as defined in Note 4), and the proceeds from the consummation of the Private Placement not held in the Trust Account of $2.2 million. The Company repaid the Note in full on December 6, 2021. In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide the Company Working Capital Loans (as defined in Note 5). As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were no amounts outstanding under any Working Capital Loans.

Additionally, on June 20, 2023, the Company entered into a Promissory Note (as defined in Note 5) with the Sponsor pursuant to which the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company up to an aggregate principal amount of up to $1,500,000. The Promissory Note is payable on the earlier of the date on which the Company consummates a Business Combination or June 7, 2024. Upon the consummation of the Business Combination, the Sponsor will have the option, but not the obligation, to convert the entire principal balance of the Promissory Note, in whole or in part, into private placement warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The terms of such private placement warrants (if issued) will be identical to the terms of the private placement warrants issued by the Company in connection with the IPO. The Promissory Note is subject to customary events of default, the occurrence of any of which automatically triggers the unpaid principal and interest balance of the Promissory Note and all other sums payable with regard to the Sponsor Note becoming immediately due and payable. As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the outstanding principal balance under the Note amounted to an aggregate of $350,000 and $0, respectively.

Based on the foregoing, management believes that the Company will have sufficient working capital and borrowing capacity from the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors to meet its needs through the earlier of the consummation of a Business Combination or one year from this filing. Over this time period, the Company will be using these funds for paying existing accounts payable, identifying and evaluating prospective initial Business Combination candidates, performing due diligence on prospective target businesses, paying for travel expenditures, selecting the target business to merge with or acquire, and structuring, negotiating and consummating the Business Combination.

In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with the authoritative guidance in FASB Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern.” The Company has until September 7, 2023, to consummate a Business Combination. It is uncertain that the Company will be able to consummate a Business Combination by the specified period. If a Business Combination is not consummated by September 7, 2023, and the Company decides not to extend the period of time to consummate a Business Combination, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution.

The Company’s evaluation of its liquidity condition and the date for mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern one year from the date that these condensed financial statements are issued. These condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recovery of the recorded assets or the classification of the liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.

Risks and Uncertainties

Management is currently evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising interest rates, inflation and the Russia-Ukraine war on the industry and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that any of these could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these unaudited condensed financial statements. The unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR Act”) was signed into federal law. The IR Act provides for, among other things, a new U.S. federal 1% excise tax on certain repurchases of stock by publicly traded U.S. domestic corporations and certain U.S. domestic subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign corporations occurring on or after January 1, 2023. Because we may acquire a domestic corporation or engage in a transaction in which a domestic corporation becomes our parent or our affiliate and our securities trade on US stock exchange, we may become a “covered corporation” within the meaning of the IR Act. The excise tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not its shareholders from which shares are repurchased. The amount of the excise tax is generally 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased at the time of the repurchase. However, for purposes of calculating the excise tax, repurchasing corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances against the fair market value of stock repurchases during the same taxable year. In addition, certain exceptions apply to the excise tax. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) has been given authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out and prevent the abuse or avoidance of the excise tax.

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 8 of Regulation S-X of the SEC. Certain information or footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC for interim financial reporting. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes necessary for a comprehensive presentation of financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of a normal recurring nature, which are necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, operating results and cash flows for the periods presented.

The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Current Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2023. The interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2023 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2023 or for any future interim periods.

Emerging Growth Company

The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company, which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Depository Insurance Coverage of $250,000. The Company has not experienced losses on this account and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such account.

Marketable Securities Held in Trust Account

At June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, substantially all of the assets held in the Trust Account were held in U.S. Treasury securities or funds which invest total assets in cash, US Treasury bills, notes and other obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Treasury.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company had $425,374 and $627,628 in cash held in its operating account as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. The Company did not have any cash equivalents as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

Income Taxes

The Company complies with the accounting and reporting requirements of ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes,” which requires an asset and liability approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed for differences between the financial statements and tax bases of assets and liabilities that will result in future taxable or deductible amounts, based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.

ASC Topic 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits, if any, as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position.

There is currently no taxation imposed on income by the Government of the Cayman Islands. In accordance with Cayman income tax regulations, income taxes are not levied on the Company. Consequently, income taxes are not reflected in the Company’s financial statements. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” (“ASC 820”) approximates the carrying amounts represented in the condensed balance sheets, primarily due to their short-term nature.

Fair Value Measurements

The Company follows the guidance in ASC 820 for its financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value at each reporting period, and non-financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value at least annually.

The fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities reflects management’s estimate of amounts that the Company would have received in connection with the sale of the assets or paid in connection with the transfer of the liabilities in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In connection with measuring the fair value of its assets and liabilities, the Company seeks to maximize the use of observable inputs (market data obtained from independent sources) and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs (internal assumptions about how market participants would price assets and liabilities).

The following fair value hierarchy is used to classify assets and liabilities based on the observable inputs and unobservable inputs used in order to value the assets and liabilities:

Level 1:

Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. An active market for an asset or liability is a market in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.

Level 2:

Observable inputs other than Level 1 inputs. Examples of Level 2 inputs include quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities and quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.

Level 3:

Unobservable inputs based on our assessment of the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

In some circumstances, the inputs used to measure fair value might be categorized within different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In those instances, the fair value measurement is categorized in its entirety in the fair value hierarchy based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company evaluates its financial instruments to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives in accordance with ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging” (“ASC 815”). For derivative financial instruments that are accounted for as liabilities, the derivative instrument is initially recorded at its fair value on the grant date and is then re-valued at each reporting date, with changes in the fair value reported in the statements of operations. The classification of derivative instruments, including whether such instruments should be recorded as liabilities or as equity, is evaluated at the end of each reporting period. Derivative liabilities are classified in the balance sheet as current or non-current based on whether or not net-cash settlement or conversion of the instrument could be required within 12 months of the balance sheet date.

Warrant Liabilities

The Company accounts for warrants as either equity-classified or liability-classified instruments based on an assessment of the warrant’s specific terms and applicable authoritative guidance in ASC 480 and ASC 815. The assessment considers whether the warrants are freestanding financial instruments, meet the definition of a liability, and whether the warrants meet all of the requirements for equity classification, including whether the warrants are indexed to the Company’s own ordinary shares, among other conditions for equity classification. This assessment, which requires the use of professional judgment, is conducted at the time of warrant issuance and as of each subsequent quarterly period end date while the warrants are outstanding.

For issued or modified warrants that meet all of the criteria for equity classification, the warrants are required to be recorded as a component of additional paid-in capital at the time of issuance. For issued or modified warrants that do not meet all the criteria for equity classification, the warrants are required to be recorded at their initial fair value on the date of issuance, and each balance sheet date thereafter. Changes in the estimated fair value of the warrants are recognized as a non-cash gain or loss on the statement of operations.

The Company evaluated the Public Warrants (as defined in Note 7) and the Private Placement Warrants (collectively, the “Warrants”) in accordance with ASC 815, and concluded that a provision in the warrant agreement, dated December 2, 2021 (the “Warrant Agreement”) related to certain tender or exchange offers precludes the Warrants from being accounted for as components of equity. As the Warrants meet the definition of a derivative as contemplated in ASC 815, the Warrants are recorded as derivative liabilities on the condensed balance sheets and measured at fair value at inception (on the date of the IPO) and at each reporting date in accordance with ASC 820 with changes in fair value recognized in the condensed statement of operations in the period of change.

Offering Costs Associated with the Public Offering

The Company complies with the requirements of ASC 340-10-S99-1, SEC Staff Accounting bulletin Topic 5A – “Expenses of Offering”, and SEC Staff Accounting bulletin Topic 5T – “Accounting for Expenses or Liabilities Paid by Principal Stockholder(s)”. Offering costs consist principally of professional and registration fees incurred through the balance sheet date that are related to the IPO. Offering costs directly attributable to the issuance of an equity contract to be classified in equity are recorded as a reduction of equity. Offering costs for equity contracts that are classified as assets and liabilities are expensed immediately. The Company incurred offering costs amounting to $12,517,335 as a result of the Public Offering (consisting of $3,795,000 of underwriting fees, $6,641,250 of deferred underwriting fees, $1,248,100 for the excess fair value of Founder Shares attributable to the Anchor Investor, and $832,985 of other offering costs). The Company recorded $10,788,729 of offering costs as a reduction of equity in connection with the Class A ordinary shares included in the Units. The Company immediately expensed $480,506 of offering costs in connection with the Warrants that were classified as liabilities.

Class A Shares Subject to Possible Redemption

The Company accounts for its Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC 480. Ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption are classified as a liability instrument and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable ordinary shares (including ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ equity. The Company’s Class A ordinary shares feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption is presented as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of the Company’s condensed balance sheets. Accordingly, as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in the amounts of $199,943,765 and $196,226,283, respectively, are presented as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of the Company’s balance sheets.

As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the amount of Class A ordinary shares reflected on the balance sheet are reconciled in the following table:

Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption as of December 31, 2022	$	196,226,283
Plus
Adjust carrying value to initial redemption value		2,230,614
Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption as of March 31, 2023	$	198,456,897
Adjust carrying value to initial redemption value		1,486,868
Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption as of June 30, 2023	$	199,943,765

Net Income Per Ordinary Share

Basic income per ordinary share is computed by dividing net income applicable to ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period. Consistent with ASC 480, ordinary shares subject to possible redemption, as well as their pro rata share of undistributed trust earnings consistent with the two-class method, have been excluded from the calculation of income per ordinary share for the six months ended June 30, 2023. Such shares, if redeemed, only participate in their pro rata share of trust earnings. Diluted income per share includes the incremental number of ordinary shares to be issued to settle warrants, as calculated for the six months ended June 30, 2023. The Company did not have any dilutive warrants, securities or other contracts that could potentially be exercised or converted into ordinary shares. As a result, diluted income per ordinary share is the same as basic income per ordinary share for all periods presented.

A reconciliation of net income per ordinary share is as follows:

	For the Three Months ended June 30, 2023				For the Three Months ended June 30, 2022
	Class A		Class B		Class A		Class B
EPS
Numerator: Net Income
Allocation of net income	$	719,552	$	179,888	$	2,938,783	$	734,696
Denominator: Weighted Average share
Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding		18,975,000		4,736,058		18,975,000		4,743,750
Basic and diluted net income per ordinary share	$	0.04	$	0.04	$	0.15	$	0.15

	For the Six Months ended June 30, 2023				For the Six Months ended June 30, 2022
	Class A		Class B		Class A		Class B
EPS
Numerator: Net Income
Allocation of net income	$	2,031,274	$	507,818	$	7,767,882	$	1,941,970
Denominator: Weighted Average share
Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding		18,975,000		4,739,861		18,975,000		4,743,750
Basic and diluted net income per ordinary share	$	0.11	$	0.11	$	0.41	$	0.41

Stock Compensation Expense

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation expense in accordance with ASC 718, “Compensation - Stock Compensation” (“ASC 718”). Under ASC 718, stock-based compensation associated with equity-classified awards is measured at fair value upon the grant date and recognized over the requisite service period. To the extent a stock-based award is subject to a performance condition, the amount of expense recorded in a given period, if any, reflects an assessment of the probability of achieving such performance condition, with compensation recognized once the event is deemed probable to occur. Forfeitures are recognized as incurred. The Company has not recognized any stock-based compensation expense during the six months ended June 30, 2023, and the period from inception to December 31, 2022.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt - Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40) (“ASU 2020-06”) to simplify accounting for certain financial instruments. ASU 2020-06 eliminates the current models that require separation of beneficial conversion and cash conversion features from convertible instruments and simplifies the derivative scope exception guidance pertaining to equity classification of contracts in an entity’s own equity. The new standard also introduces additional disclosures for convertible debt and freestanding instruments that are indexed to and settled in an entity’s own equity. ASU 2020-06 amends the diluted earnings per share guidance, including the requirement to use the if-converted method for all convertible instruments. As a smaller reporting company, ASU 2020-06 is effective January 1, 2024, and should be applied on a full or modified retrospective basis, with early adoption permitted beginning on January 1, 2021. The Company is currently assessing the impact, if any, that ASU 2020-06 would have on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.

NOTE 3. PUBLIC OFFERING

Pursuant to the Public Offering, the Company sold 16,500,000 Units at $10.00 per Unit. On December 9, 2021, the underwriters fully exercised the over-allotment option and purchased 2,475,000 Units at a price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $24,750,000. Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share, $0.0001 par value, and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at an exercise price of $11.50 per whole share (see Note 7).

An Anchor Investor unaffiliated with any member of our management team purchased an aggregate of 1,895,602 of the Units sold in the Public Offering. These Units purchased by Apollo in this offering are not subject to any agreements restricting their transfer. Further, Apollo purchased 175,000 founder shares at $0.0058 per share.

The Company considers the excess fair value of the Founder Shares issued to the Anchor Investor above the purchase price as offering costs and will reduce the gross proceeds by this amount. The Company has valued the excess fair value over consideration of the founder shares offered to the Anchor Investor at $1,248,100. The excess of the fair value over consideration of the Founder Shares was determined to be an offering cost in accordance with Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 5A and 5T and were allocated to stockholders’ equity and expenses upon the completion of the Public Offering.

NOTE 4. PRIVATE PLACEMENT

Simultaneously with the closing of Public Offering, the Sponsor and Anchor Investor purchased an aggregate of 8,235,000 Private Placement Warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant. On December 9, 2021, the Company consummated the sale of additional 990,000 Private Placement Warrants with the Sponsor at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, generating total proceeds of $990,000.

Each Private Placement Warrant is identical to the warrants offered in the Public Offering, except there is no redemption rights or liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to Private Placement Warrants, which will expire worthless if we do not consummate a Business Combination within the Combination Period. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants were added to the net proceeds from the Public Offering held in the Trust Account.

NOTE 5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Founder Shares

On March 26, 2021, the Company issued an aggregate of 4,312,500 shares of Class B ordinary shares (the “Founder Shares”) to the Sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000. On December 2, 2021, the Company effected a share capitalization of an additional 431,250 Class B ordinary shares, resulting in an aggregate of 4,743,750 Class B ordinary shares outstanding. All share and per-share amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect the share capitalization.

The Sponsor and Anchor Investor have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of its Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) one year after the completion of a Business Combination or (B) subsequent to our initial Business Combination (x) if the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial Business Combination or (y) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our Public Shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.

The Anchor Investor has not been granted any shareholder or other rights in addition to those afforded to the Company’s other public shareholders. Further, the Anchor Investor is not required to (i) hold any Units, Class A ordinary shares or warrants purchased in the Public Offering or thereafter for any amount of time, (ii) vote any Class A ordinary shares they may own at the applicable time in favor of the Business Combination or (iii) refrain from exercising their right to redeem their public shares at the time of the Business Combination. The Anchor Investor has the same rights to the funds held in the Trust Account with respect to the Class A ordinary shares underlying the Units they purchased in the Public Offering as the rights afforded to the Company’s other public shareholders.

Related Party Loans

In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Company’s Sponsor, an affiliate of the Sponsor, or the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (the “Working Capital Loans”). Such Working Capital Loans would be evidenced by promissory notes. The notes would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of notes may be converted upon consummation of a Business Combination into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants will be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. There are no Working Capital Loans outstanding as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

Working Capital –Promissory Note

On June 20, 2023, the Company issued an unsecured promissory note (the “Note”) to the Sponsor for borrowings from time to time of up to an aggregate of $1,500,000 which may be drawn by the Company to finance costs incurred in connection with a potential initial business combination and for working capital purposes and/or to finance monthly deposits into the Trust Account for each public share that is not redeemed in connection with the extension of the Company’s termination date from September 7, 2023 to June 7, 2024. The Note is interest bearing and is payable on the earlier of (i) June 7, 2024; (ii) the date on which the Company consummates a Business Combination or (iii) the Company liquidates the Trust Account upon the failure to consummate an initial business combination within the requisite time period. Upon consummation of the Company’s initial business combination, the Note may be converted, at the Sponsor’s discretion, into private placement warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants will be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the outstanding principal balance under the Note amounted to an aggregate of $350,000 and $0, respectively.

Administrative Support Agreement

On December 2, 2021, the Company entered into an administrative support agreement pursuant to which, until the Company’s initial business combination or liquidation, the Company may reimburse an affiliate of the Sponsor up to an amount of $10,000 per month for office space and secretarial and administrative support (the “Administrative Support Agreement”). As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there have been $170,000 and $110,000 in charges, respectively, $18,000 of which have been reimbursed.

NOTE 6. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Registration Rights

The holders of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and any warrants that may be issued upon conversion of the Working Capital Loans (and in each case holders of their component securities, as applicable) are entitled to registration rights pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, effective December 2, 2021, which requires the Company to register such securities for resale (in the case of the Founder Shares, only after conversion to our Class A ordinary shares). The holders of the majority of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the consummation of a Business Combination and rights to require the Company to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.

Underwriter’s Agreement

The Company paid a cash underwriting discount of 2.00% of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering, or $3,795,000 due to the exercise of the over-allotment option in full. In addition, the underwriter is entitled to a deferred fee of three and a half percent (3.50%) of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering, or $6,641,250. The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriter from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that the Company completes a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement. The underwriter has reimbursed the Company for $550,000 for offering expenses. The reimbursement of these costs has been accounted for as a reduction to offering costs of the Public Offering.

NOTE 7. WARRANTS

The Company accounted for the 18,712,500 warrants issued in connection with the Public Offering (the 9,487,500 Public Warrants and the 9,225,000 Private Placement Warrants) in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 815. Such guidance provides that because the warrants do not meet the criteria for equity treatment thereunder, each warrant much be recorded as a liability. Accordingly, the Company has classified each warrant as a liability at its fair value. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date. With each such re-measurement, the warrant liability will be adjusted to fair value, with the change in fair value recognized in the Company’s statement of operations.

Warrants-Public

Warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the Public Warrants. The Public Warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the consummation of a Business Combination. The Public Warrants will expire five years from the consummation of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.

The Company will not be obligated to deliver any Class A ordinary shares pursuant to the exercise of a Public Warrant and will have no obligation to settle such Public Warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to the Company satisfying its obligations with respect to registration. No Public Warrant will be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, and the Company will not be obligated to issue any shares to holders seeking to exercise their Public Warrants, unless the issuance of the shares upon such exercise is registered or qualified under the securities laws of the state of the exercising holder, or an exemption from registration is available.

The Company has agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days, after the closing of a Business Combination, it will use its best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement registering the issuance, under the Securities Act, of the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants. The Company will use its best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the shares of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants, to cause such registration statement to become effective and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those shares of Class A ordinary shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the Warrant Agreement. If a registration statement covering the shares of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of a Business Combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption.

Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00.

Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the Warrants for redemption:

●

in whole and not in part;

●

at a price of $0.01 per Public Warrant;

●

upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption to each warrant holder and

●

if, and only if, the reported last sale price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant as described) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending three business days before the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders.

The Company will not redeem the warrants as described above unless an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is then effective and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares is available throughout the 30-day redemption period. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, the Company may exercise its redemption right even if the Company is unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws.

Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $10.00.

Once the Warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the Warrants for redemption:

●

in whole and not in part;

●

at $0.10 per warrant upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption provided that holders will be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis prior to redemption and receive that number of shares determined by reference to the table based on the redemption date and the “fair market value” of our Class A ordinary shares;

●

if, and only if, the Reference Value (as defined above under “Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00”) equals or exceeds $10.00 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant); and

●

if the Reference Value is less than $18.00 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant), the Private Placement Warrants must also concurrently be called for redemption on the same terms as the outstanding Public Warrants, as described above.

If and when the Public Warrants become redeemable by the Company, the Company may not exercise its redemption right if the issuance of shares of ordinary shares upon exercise of the warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or the Company is unable to effect such registration or qualification.

The exercise price and number of shares of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a share dividend, or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the Public Warrants. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with the respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless. If the Company calls the Public Warrants for redemption, management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise the Public Warrants to do so on a “cashless basis,” as described in the Warrant Agreement. The exercise price and number of shares of ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a share dividend, extraordinary dividend or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless.

In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional shares of Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of its initial Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share of Class A ordinary shares (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by the Sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of the Company’s initial Business Combination on the date of the consummation of such initial Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates its initial Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described above will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the greater of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.

The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants included in the Units sold in the Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants and the shares of ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants are not transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Private Placement Warrants are exercisable on a cashless basis and are non-redeemable so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. If the Private Placement Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants.

NOTE 8. SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT

Preferred Shares-The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 shares of $0.0001 par value preferred shares. On June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were no preferred shares issued or outstanding.

Class A Ordinary shares-The Company is authorized to issue up to 200,000,000 shares of Class A, $0.0001 par value ordinary shares. Holders of the Company’s ordinary shares are entitled to one vote for each share.

Class B Ordinary shares-The Company is authorized to issue up to 20,000,000 shares of Class B, $0.0001 par value ordinary shares. Holders of the Company’s ordinary shares are entitled to one vote for each share. On December 2, 2021, the Company effected a share capitalization of an additional 431,250 Class B ordinary shares, resulting in an aggregate of 4,718,750 Class B ordinary shares outstanding, after giving effect to the repurchase by the Sponsor of 25,000 Class B ordinary shares from Dale Mathias upon her resignation from the Board. All share and per-share amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect the share capitalization.

Holders of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares will vote together as a single class on all other matters submitted to a vote of shareholders, except as required by law; provided that only holders of Class B ordinary shares have the right to vote for the election of directors prior to the Company’s initial Business Combination.

The shares of Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial Business Combination, or earlier at the option of the holder, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional Class A ordinary shares, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts issued in this offering and related to the closing of our initial Business Combination, the ratio at which the Class B ordinary shares will convert into Class A ordinary shares will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares agree to waive such anti-dilution adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Class B ordinary shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of all ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the completion of this offering plus all Class A ordinary shares and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial Business Combination, excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in our initial Business Combination. The term “equity-linked securities” refers to any debt or equity securities that are convertible, exercisable or exchangeable for our Class A ordinary shares issued in a financing transaction in connection with our initial business combination, including but not limited to a private placement of equity or debt.

Pursuant to and concurrently with the Public Offering, the Company sold 18,975,000 Units. At June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were no Class A ordinary shares issued and outstanding, excluding 18,975,000 Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption (see Note 2), and 4,718,750 and 4,743,750, respectively or Class B ordinary shares issued and outstanding.

NOTE 9. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The following table presents information about the Company’s assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis on June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation inputs the Company utilized to determine such fair value:

	June 30, 2023		Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Other Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Assets:
Marketable securities held in Trust Account	$	199,943,765	$	199,943,765	$	—	$	—
Liabilities:
Warrant liabilities – Public Warrants	$	408,911	$	—	$	408,911	$	—
Warrant liabilities – Private Placement Warrants	$	397,598	$	—	$	—	$	397,598

	December 31, 2022		Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Other Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Assets:
Marketable securities held in Trust Account	$	196,226,283	$	196,226,283	$	—	$	—
Liabilities:
Warrant liabilities – Public Warrants	$	711,563	$	—	$	711,563	$	—
Warrant liabilities – Private Placement Warrants	$	691,875	$	—	$	—	$	691,875

The Warrants are accounted for as liabilities in accordance with ASC 815 and are presented within warrant liabilities on the condensed balance sheets. The warrant liabilities are measured at fair value at inception and on a recurring basis, with changes in fair value presented within change in fair value of warrant liabilities in the condensed statements of operations. Transfers to/from Levels 1, 2 and 3 are recognized at the beginning of the reporting period in which a change in valuation technique or methodology occurs.

The Company established the initial fair value for the warrant liabilities on December 7, 2021, the date of the Company’s Public Offering, using a Binomial Lattice-based model for the Public Warrants, and a Black-Scholes option pricing model for the Private Placement Warrants. The Private Placement Warrants and Public Warrants were classified as Level 3 at the initial measurement date due to the use of unobservable inputs. The estimated fair value of Public Warrants was transferred from a Level 3 measurement to a Level 1 measurement when the Public Warrants were separately listed and traded in an active market in January 2022.

As of December 31, 2022, the estimated fair value of Public Warrants was transferred from a Level 1 measurement to a Level 2 measurement when the Public Warrants were considered to no longer have an active market.

The Private Placement Warrants were valued using a Black-Scholes option pricing model, which is considered to be a Level 3 fair value measurement. The key inputs into the Black-Scholes option pricing model for the Private Placement Warrants were as follows as of June 30, 2023:

Input	June 30, 2023		December 31, 2022
Risk-free interest rate		—		—
Expected term (years)		4.44		5.20
Expected volatility		—		—
Exercise price	$	11.50	$	11.50
Fair value of Class A ordinary shares	$	10.57	$	10.28

The Company’s use of the Black-Scholes option pricing model required the use of subjective assumptions:

●

The risk-free interest rate assumption was based on the U.S. Treasury Constant Maturity rate for the expected term of the warrants.

●

The expected term was determined utilizing a probability weighted term input to be consistent with the stock price and volatility inputs which are reflective of the probability of successful merger.

●

The expected volatility assumption was based on the implied volatility solved by calibrating the warrant value output from a Binomial Lattice based model to the publicly observed, traded price on each valuation date. An increase in the expected volatility, in isolation, would result in an increase in the fair value measurement of the warrant liabilities and vice versa.

●

The fair value of one Class A ordinary share is the publicly-traded stock price.

The following table presents the changes in the fair value of the Company’s Level 3 financial instruments that are measured at fair value:

Fair value as of December 31, 2022	$	12,629,625
Transfer of Public Warrants to Level 1 measurement		(6,356,625	)
Change in fair value		(3,228,750	)
Fair value as of March 31, 2022	$	3,044,250
Change in fair value		(1,845,000	)
Fair value as of June 30, 2022	$	1,199,250
Change in fair value		(184,500	)
Fair value as of September 30, 2022	$	1,014,750
Change in fair value		(322,875	)
Fair value as of December 31, 2022	$	691,875
Change in fair value		139,298
Fair value as of March 31, 2023	$	831,173
Change in fair value		(433,575	)
Fair value as of June 30, 2023	$	397,598

NOTE 10. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Management of the Company evaluated events that have occurred after the balance sheet date through the date the financial statements were issued. Based upon this review, other than below, management did not identify any recognized or unrecognized subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements.

On August 1, 2023, the Company filed a proxy statement seeking shareholder approval to (i) amend the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association in order to (i) extend the date by which the Company must consummate its initial business combination, cease its operations and redeem all of its Class A ordinary shares (the “Extension Amendment Proposal”), (ii) amend the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association in order to permit for the issuance of Class A ordinary shares to holders of Class B ordinary shares upon the exercise of the right of a holder of the Company’s Class B ordinary shares to convert such holder’s Class B ordinary shares into Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis at any time and from time to time prior to the closing of a business combination at the election of the holder (“Founder Share Amendment Proposal”), and(iii) to eliminate the limitation that the Company may not redeem public shares in an amount that would cause the Company’s net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 (the “Redemption Limitation”), and (iv) to re-appoint by way of ordinary resolution by the holders of Class B ordinary shares, each of Norman Pearlstine and Sean Glodek to the Board, to serve until the third annual general meeting of shareholders following the extraordinary general meeting or until his successor is elected and qualified (the “Director Appointment Proposal”), (v) ratify the selection of the audit committee of the Board of Marcum LLP to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023 (the “Auditor Ratification Proposal”), and (vi) approve the adjournment of the extraordinary general meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to (1) permit further solicitation and vote of proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal and Founder Share Amendment Proposal and (2) if the Board determines before the extraordinary general meeting that it is not necessary or no longer desirable to proceed with the other proposals.

On August 3, 2023, the Company issued an unsecured promissory note to TNL with a principal amount equal to $400,000 (the “TNL Working Capital Note”). The TNL Working Capital Note is a non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory note that will not be repaid in the event that the Merger agreement is terminated prior to the Business Combination. The TNL Working Capital Note will be paid on the date on which the Company consummates the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement. The following shall constitute an event of default under the TNL Working Capital Note: (i) a failure to pay the principal within five business days of the maturity date and (ii) the commencement of a voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy action.

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

References in this report (the “Quarterly Report’) to “we,” “us” or the “Company” refer to Blue Ocean Acquisition Corp. References to our “management” or our “management team” refer to our officers and directors, and references to the “Sponsor” refer to Blue Ocean Sponsor LLC. The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this Quarterly Report. Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ significantly from the results, expectations and plans discussed in these forward-looking statements. See “Special Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements.”

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Quarterly Report, including, without limitation, statements under the heading “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Exchange Act of 1934. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. The forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the heading “Risk Factors” of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 30, 2023 and under the heading “Item 1A. Risk Factors” of this Quarterly Report. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

Overview

We are a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities.

On June 6, 2023, we entered into an agreement and plan of merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with The News Lens Co., Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company (“TNL”), and TNL Mediagene, a Cayman Islands exempted company and wholly owned subsidiary of TNL (“Merger Sub”). On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, the parties thereto will enter into a business combination transaction (the “Business Combination” and together with the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the “Transactions”), pursuant to which, among other things, Merger Sub will merge with and into us, with us surviving the Merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of TNL (the “Merger”).

At the closing of the Transactions (the “Closing”), by virtue of the Merger, our outstanding shares and warrants will be canceled and converted into the right to receive equivalent shares and warrants of TNL, and TNL is expected to be the publicly traded company with its ordinary shares and warrants listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”).

We intend to effectuate our initial Business Combination using cash from the proceeds of the Public Offering, the sale of the Private Placement Warrants and the Additional Private Placement Warrants, our capital shares, debt or a combination of cash, shares and debt. The Company is an “emerging growth company”, and as such, the Company is subject to all risks associated with emerging growth companies.

As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, we had cash of approximately $425,374 and $627,628 respectively. As of June 30, 2023 we had a working capital deficit of approximately $1,598,522 and positive working capital of approximately $176,944, as of December 31, 2022. We expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our acquisition plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to complete a business combination will be successful.

Results of Operations

We did not commence operations until after the closing of our Public Offering in December 2021, and as of June 30, 2023, we have not engaged in any significant operations nor generated any operating revenues to date. We will not generate any operating revenues until after completion of our initial Business Combination. We will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents. There has been no significant change in our financial or trading position and no material adverse change has occurred since the date of our audited financial statements. We have incurred and expect to continue to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses.

For the three months ended June 30, 2023, we had net income of $899,440, which was impacted by interest earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $1,740,574, change in fair value of warrant liability of $879,488, unrealized gain on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $577,612, and a loss from operations of $2,298,234.

For the six months ended June 30, 2023, we had net income of $2,539,092 which was impacted by interest earned on marketable securities held in the trust account of $3,878,696, change in fair value of warrant liability of $596,929, unrealized gain on marketable securities held in the trust account of $670,104, and a loss from operations of $2,606,637.

For the three months ended June 30, 2022, we had net income of $3,673,478, which was impacted by interest earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $108,518, change in fair value of warrant liability of $3,842,119, unrealized gain on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $41,150, and a loss from operations of $318,309.

For the six months ended June 30, 2022, we had net income of $9,709,852, which was impacted by interest earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $168,925, change in fair value of warrant liability of $10,298,516, unrealized loss on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $65,543 and a loss from operations of $692,046.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

On December 7, 2021, we consummated our Public Offering of 16,500,000 Units and the Private Placement of an aggregate of 8,235,000 private placement warrants, generating gross proceeds of $173,235,000. On December 9, 2021, the Underwriter exercised in full the option granted to them by the Company to purchase up to 2,475,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments, and we issued an additional 990,000 Private Placement Warrants in the Additional Private Placement, generating total gross proceeds of $25,245,000.

Following our Public Offering, the exercise of the over-allotment option and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, a total of $193,545,000 was placed in the Trust Account. We incurred $12,517,335 in transaction costs, including $3,795,000 in cash underwriting fees, $6,641,250 of deferred underwriting fees, $1,248,100 of offering costs related to the fair value of the Founder Shares sold to Anchor Investor, and $832,985 of other offering costs.

For the six months ended June 30, 2023, cash used in operating activities was $552,254. Net income of $2,539,092 was impacted by interest earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $3,878,696, change in fair value of warrant liability of $596,929, unrealized gain on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $670,104, and changes in operating assets and liabilities, $2,054,383.

As of June 30, 2023, and December 31, 2022, we had investments of $199,943,765 and $196,226,283 held in the Trust Account, respectively. We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the Trust Account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the Trust Account (less taxes paid and deferred underwriting commissions) to complete our initial Business Combination. We may withdraw interest to pay taxes. During the six months ended June 30, 2023 and the year ended December 31, 2022, we did not withdraw any interest earned on the Trust Account. To the extent that our capital stock or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial Business Combination, the remaining proceeds held in the Trust Account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.

As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, we had cash of $425,374 and $627,628 outside of the Trust Account, respectively. We intend to use the funds held outside the Trust Account primarily to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, and structure, negotiate and complete our initial Business Combination.

In addition, in order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business Combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial Business Combination, we would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to us. Otherwise, such loans may be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. In the event that our initial Business Combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our Trust Account would be used to repay such loaned amounts. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants of the post-business combination company, at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender.

On June 20, 2023, the Company entered into a Promissory Note (as defined in Note 5) with the Sponsor pursuant to which the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company up to an aggregate principal amount of up to $1,500,000. The Promissory Note is payable on the earlier of the date on which the Company consummates a Business Combination or June 7, 2024. Upon the consummation of the Business Combination, the Sponsor will have the option, but not the obligation, to convert the entire principal balance of the Promissory Note, in whole or in part, into private placement warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The terms of such private placement warrants (if issued) will be identical to the terms of the private placement warrants issued by the Company in connection with the IPO. The Promissory Note is subject to customary events of default, the occurrence of any of which automatically triggers the unpaid principal and interest balance of the Promissory Note and all other sums payable with regard to the Sponsor Note becoming immediately due and payable. As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the outstanding principal balance under the Note amounted to an aggregate of $350,000 and $0, respectively.

In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with the authoritative guidance in FASB ASU 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern.” The Company has until September 7, 2023, 21 months from the closing of the IPO, to consummate a Business Combination. It is uncertain that the Company will be able to consummate a Business Combination by the specified period. If a Business Combination is not consummated by September 7, 2023 and the Company decides not to extend the period of time to consummate a Business Combination, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution.

Off-Balance Sheet Financing Arrangements

On June 30, 2023, we did not have any obligations, assets or liabilities that would be considered off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K and did not have any commitments or contractual obligations.

Contractual Obligations

Administrative Support Agreement

On December 2, 2021, the Company entered into an Administrative Support Agreement pursuant to which the Company may reimburse an affiliate of the Sponsor up to an amount of $10,000 per month for office space and secretarial and administrative support.

Registration Rights

The holders of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and any warrants that may be issued upon conversion of the Working Capital Loans (and in each case holders of their component securities, as applicable) are entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement effective December 2, 2021, which requires the Company to register such securities for resale (in the case of the Founder Shares, only after conversion to our Class A ordinary shares). The holders of the majority of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the consummation of a business combination and rights to require the Company to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.

Underwriter’s Agreement

The Company paid a cash underwriting discount of 2.00% of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering, or $3,795,000 due to the exercise of the over-allotment option in full. In addition, the underwriter will be entitled to a deferred fee of three and a half percent (3.50%) of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering, or $6,641,250. The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriter from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that the Company completes a business combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement. The underwriter has reimbursed the Company for $550,000 for offering expenses. The reimbursement of these costs has been accounted for as a reduction to offering costs of the Public Offering.

Critical Accounting Policies

This management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our unaudited financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of our unaudited financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in our unaudited financial statements. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates and judgments, including those related to fair value of financial instruments and accrued expenses. We base our estimates on historical experience, known trends and events and various other factors that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

Warrant Liabilities

The Company accounts for the Warrants as either equity-classified or liability-classified instruments based on an assessment of the specific terms of the Warrants and the applicable authoritative guidance in ASC 480 and ASC 815. The assessment considers whether they are freestanding financial instruments pursuant to ASC 480, meet the definition of a liability pursuant to ASC 480, and meet all of the requirements for equity classification under ASC 815, including whether the Warrants are indexed to the Company’s own common shares and whether the holders of the Warrants could potentially require “net cash settlement” in a circumstance outside of the Company’s control, among other conditions for equity classification. This assessment, which requires the use of professional judgment, is conducted at the time of issuance of the Warrants and as of each subsequent quarterly period end date while the Warrants are outstanding. For issued or modified warrants that meet all of the criteria for equity classification, such warrants are required to be recorded as a component of additional paid-in capital at the time of issuance. For issued or modified warrants that do not meet all the criteria for equity classification, such warrants are required to be recorded at their initial fair value on the date of issuance, and each balance sheet date thereafter. Changes in the estimated fair value of liability-classified warrants are recognized as a non-cash gain or loss on the statement of operations.

Class A Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption

Class A ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as liability instruments and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable Class A ordinary shares (including Class A ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, Class A ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ equity. Our Class A ordinary shares feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of our control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, at June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, 18,975,000 shares of Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption are presented as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of the Company’s condensed balance sheets.

Net Income Per Ordinary Share

Basic income per ordinary share is computed by dividing net income applicable to ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period. Consistent with ASC 480, ordinary shares subject to possible redemption, as well as their pro rata share of undistributed trust earnings consistent with the two-class method, have been excluded from the calculation of income per ordinary share for the six month period ended June 30, 2023 and the period from March 26, 2021 (inception) to December 31, 2022. Such shares, if redeemed, only participate in their pro rata share of trust earnings. Diluted income per share includes the incremental number of ordinary shares to be issued to settle warrants, as calculated using the treasury method. For the period from December 31, 2022 to June 30, 2023, the Company did not have any dilutive warrants, securities or other contracts that could potentially, be exercised or converted into ordinary shares. As a result, diluted income per ordinary share is the same as basic income per ordinary share for all periods presented.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt - Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40) (“ASU 2020-06”) to simplify accounting for certain financial instruments. ASU 2020-06 eliminates the current models that require separation of beneficial conversion and cash conversion features from convertible instruments and simplifies the derivative scope exception guidance pertaining to equity classification of contracts in an entity’s own equity. The new standard also introduces additional disclosures for convertible debt and freestanding instruments that are indexed to and settled in an entity’s own equity. ASU 2020-06 amends the diluted earnings per share guidance, including the requirement to use the if-converted method for all convertible instruments. As a smaller reporting company, ASU 2020-06 is effective January 1, 2024 and should be applied on a full or modified retrospective basis, with early adoption permitted beginning on January 1, 2021. The Company is currently assessing the impact, if any, that ASU 2020-06 would have on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.

JOBS Act

On April 5, 2012, the JOBS Act was signed into law. The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected to irrevocably opt out of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we will adopt the new or revised standard at the time public companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our financial statements with another emerging growth company that has not opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accountant standards used.

Additionally, we are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on the other reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if, as an “emerging growth company”, we choose to rely on such exemptions we may not be required to, among other things, (i) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404, (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis), and (iv) disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the Chief Executive Officer’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of our Public Offering or until we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” whichever is earlier.

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.

We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information otherwise required under this item.

Item 4. Controls and Procedures.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, we carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act. Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

Disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) during the most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

PART II - OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings.

We are not a party to any material legal proceedings and no material legal proceedings have been threatened by us or, to the best of our knowledge, against us.

Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Factors that could cause our business, prospects, results of operations or financial condition to differ materially from the descriptions provided in this report include the risk factors described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2023. In addition, the following risk factor could also have such an effect.

Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.

We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we are required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial Business Combination, and results of operations.

On March 30, 2022, the SEC issued proposed rules relating to, among other items, enhancing disclosures in business combination transactions involving SPACs and private operating companies; amending the financial statement requirements applicable to transactions involving shell companies; effectively limiting the use of projections in SEC filings in connection with proposed business combination transactions; increasing the potential liability of certain participants in proposed business combination transactions; and the extent to which SPACs could become subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940. These rules, if adopted, whether in the form proposed or in revised form, may materially adversely affect our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination and may increase the costs and time related thereto.

A new 1% U.S. federal excise tax could be imposed on us in connection with redemption by us of our shares.

On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR Act”) was signed into federal law. The IR Act provides for, among other things, a new U.S. federal 1% excise tax on certain repurchases (including redemptions) of stock by publicly traded domestic (i.e., U.S.) corporations and certain domestic subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign corporations. Because we may acquire a domestic corporation or engage in a transaction in which a domestic corporation becomes our parent or our affiliate and our securities trade on US stock exchange, we may become a “covered corporation” within the meaning of the IR Act. The excise tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not its shareholders from which shares are repurchased. The amount of the excise tax is generally 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased at the time of the repurchase. However, for purposes of calculating the excise tax, repurchasing corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances against the fair market value of stock repurchases during the same taxable year. In addition, certain exceptions apply to the excise tax. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) has been given authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out, and prevent the abuse or avoidance of the excise tax. The IR Act applies only to repurchases that occur after December 31, 2022.

Our shareholders will have the right to require us to redeem their public shares under certain conditions. Any redemption or other repurchase that occurs after December 31, 2022, in connection with a business combination or otherwise may be subject to the excise tax. Whether and to what extent we would be subject to the excise tax in connection with a business combination would depend on a number of factors, including (i) the fair market value of the redemptions and repurchases in connection with the business combination, (ii) the structure of the business combination, (iii) the nature and amount of any PIPE or other equity issuances in connection with the business combination (or otherwise issued not in connection with the business combination but issued within the same taxable year of the business combination) and (iv) the content of regulations and other guidance from the Treasury. In addition, because the excise tax would be payable by us, and not by the redeeming holder, the mechanics of any required payment of the excise tax have not been determined. The foregoing excise tax could cause a reduction in the cash available on hand to complete a business combination and adversely affect our ability to complete a business combination.

Failure to complete the Transactions could negatively impact the Company.

If the Transactions are not completed for any reason, there may be various adverse consequences and we may experience negative reactions from the financial markets. Additionally, if the Merger Agreement is terminated, the market price of our securities could decline to the extent that current market prices reflect a market assumption that the Transactions will be beneficial and will be completed. We also could be subject to litigation related to any failure to complete the Transactions or to perform our obligations under the Merger Agreement.

The Transactions may be more difficult, costly, or time-consuming than expected, and we may not realize the anticipated benefits of the Transactions.

To realize the anticipated benefits from the Transactions, we must successfully integrate and combine our business with that of TNL Mediagene. If we are not able to successfully achieve these objectives, the anticipated benefits of the Transactions may not be realized fully or at all or may take longer to realize than expected. In addition, the actual benefits of the Transactions could be less than anticipated, and integration may result in additional unforeseen expenses. In addition, we and TNL Mediagene have operated and, until the completion of the Transactions, must continue to operate, independently. It is possible that the integration process could result in the loss of one or more key employees, the disruption of each company’s ongoing businesses or inconsistencies in standards, controls, procedures, and policies that adversely affect each company’s ability to achieve the anticipated benefits of the Transactions. Integration efforts between the companies may also divert management attention and resources. These integration matters could have an adverse effect on the Company during this transition period and for an undetermined period after completion of the Transactions.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

None.

Item 3. Default Upon Senior Securities.

None.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Other Information.

None.

Item 6. Exhibits.

The following exhibits are filed as part of, or incorporated by reference into, this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.		Description of Exhibit
3.4		Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (3)
2.1		Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 6, 2023, among The News Lens Co., Ltd., TNL Mediagene and Blue Ocean Acquisition Corp (5)
4.1		Specimen Unit Certificate (2)
4.2		Specimen Ordinary Share Certificate (2)
4.3		Specimen Warrant Certificate (2)
4.4		Warrant Agreement, dated December 2, 2021, among the Registrant and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent (3)
10.1		Letter Agreement dated December 2, 2021, among the Registrant, Blue Ocean Sponsor LLC, Apollo SPAC Fund I, L.P., and the Registrant’s officers and directors (3)
10.3		Investment Management Trust Agreement dated December 2, 2021, between the Registrant and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as trustee (3)
10.4		Registration Rights Agreement, dated December 2, 2021, among the Registrant, Blue Ocean Sponsor LLC and certain other security holders named therein (3)
10.6		Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated December 2, 2021, between the Registrant and Blue Ocean Sponsor LLC (3)
10.7		Form of Indemnity Agreement, dated December 2, 2021, between the Company and each officer and/or director (3)
10.8		Securities Subscription Agreement, dated as of April 6, 2021, between the Registrant and Blue Ocean Sponsor LLC (1)
10.9		Securities Subscription Agreement, dated as of October 28, 2021, by and among the Registrant, Blue Ocean Sponsor LLC and Apollo SPAC Fund I, L.P. (1)
10.10		Administrative Support Agreement, dated December 2, 2021, between the Registrant and Blue Ocean Sponsor LLC (3)
10.11		Consulting Agreement, dated as of October 11, 2022, between the Registrant and Richard Leggett (4)
10.12		Promissory Note, dated as of June 20, 2023, between the Company and the Sponsor. (6)

Exhibit No.		Description of Exhibit
31.1*		Certification of the Chief Executive Officer required by Rule 13a-14(a) or Rule 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002.
31.2*		Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(a) and 15(d)-14(a), as adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.1**		Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.2**		Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
101.INS*		XBRL Instance Document
101.CAL*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.SCH*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.DEF*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase Document
101.PRE*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
104*		Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)

Filed herewith

Furnished herewith

(1)

Incorporated by reference to Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission on November 9, 2021.

(2)

Incorporated by reference to Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission on November 19, 2021.

(3)

Incorporated by reference to Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission on December 8, 2021.

(4)

Incorporated by reference to Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission on October 14, 2022.

(5)

Incorporated by reference to Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission on June 6, 2023.

(6)

Incorporated by reference to Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission on July 19, 2023.

PART III SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Date: August 11, 2023	BLUE OCEAN ACQUISITION CORP

	By:	/s/ Richard Leggett
	Name:	Richard Leggett
	Title:	Chief Executive Officer
		(Principal Executive Officer)

	By:	/s/ Matt Lasov
	Name:	Matt Lasov
	Title:	Chief Financial Officer
		(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)