Item 1A. Risk Factors
The following risk factors apply to the business and operations of Graphjet Technology and its consolidated subsidiaries. The occurrence of one or more of the events or circumstances described in these risk factors, alone or in combination with other events or circumstances, may adversely affect the ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the Business Combination and may have an adverse effect on the business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations of Graphjet Technology. We may face additional risks and uncertainties that are not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial, which may also impair our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
We have a very limited operating history, which may make it difficult for you to evaluate the success of our business to date and to assess our future viability.
Graphjet was formed on December 23, 2019, and our objective is to become a manufacturer of artificial graphite and graphene using a waste product, palm seed kernels. To date, we have devoted substantially all of our resources to performing research and development and enabling manufacturing activities in support of our product development efforts, hiring personnel, acquiring and developing our technology, performing business planning, establishing our intellectual property portfolio and raising capital to support and expand such activities. Our production methods utilizing palm kernel shells to produce single layer graphene and artificial graphite is a new type of product in the industry. Predicting our future revenue and appropriately budgeting for our expenses is difficult, and we have limited insight into trends that may emerge and affect our business. If actual results differ from our estimates or we adjust our estimates in future periods, our operating results and financial position could be materially and adversely affected. You should consider our prospects in light of the risks and uncertainties emerging companies encounter when introducing a new product.
Our independent registered public accounting firm’s report contains an explanatory paragraph that expresses substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a “going concern.”
As of September 30, 2025, the Company incurred a net loss of approximately $16.4 million and, as of that date, the Company’s current liabilities, exceeded its current assets by approximately $10.0 million. These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.
We face a variety of risks related to our proposed graphene/graphite manufacturing business.
We plan to develop a graphene/graphite manufacturing business that produces low-cost, high-quality, and high-margin graphene/graphite. The proposed graphene and graphite manufacturing carries a number of risks, including, without limitation:
unanticipated liabilities or contingencies, including those related to intellectual property;
the need for additional capital and other resources to expand into the graphene/graphite manufacturing business; and
competition from better-funded public and private companies, including from producers of natural graphite, artificial graphite, and competition from foreign companies that are not subject to the same environmental and other regulations as the Company.
Entry into a new line of business may also subject us to new laws and regulations with which we are not familiar and may lead to increased litigation and regulatory risk. Further, our graphene/graphite manufacturing business model and strategy are still evolving and are continually being reviewed and revised, and we may not be able to successfully implement our business model and strategy. We may not be able to produce graphene or graphite with the characteristics needed for commercial use, and we may not be able to attract a sufficiently large number of customers. If we are unable to successfully implement our graphene/graphite manufacturing business, our revenue and profitability may not grow as we expect, our competitiveness may be materially and adversely affected, and our reputation and business may be harmed.
In developing our proposed graphene/graphite manufacturing business, we have and will continue to invest significant time and resources. Initial timetables for the development of our graphene/graphite manufacturing business may not be achieved. Failure to successfully manage these risks in the development and implementation of our new graphene/graphite manufacturing business could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
The graphene and graphite industry is highly competitive. Our market share, net sales or net income could decline due to vigorous price and other competition.
Competition in the graphene and graphite industry is based primarily on market acceptance, material differentiation and quality, delivery reliability and customer service. Competition with respect to new material is, and is expected to continue to be, based primarily on price, performance and cost effectiveness, customer service and product innovation. Competition could prevent implementation of price increases, require price reductions or require increased spending on research and development, marketing and sales that could adversely affect us. In such a competitive market, changes in market conditions, including customer demand and technological development, could adversely affect our competitiveness, sales and/or profitability.
We may or may not recoup expenditures associated with our growth.
To keep pace with increasing market demand, we need to invest in expanding our production capacity. The manufacture of our graphene and graphite is capital-intensive, and equipment, once purchased, may break down or require costly maintenance or may become obsolete due to technological improvements or other factors. There can be no assurance that investments intended to increase production capacity will have the desired impact which could materially and adversely affect our operating results and financial position.
We may not respond quickly and profitably to continued innovations in the graphene and graphite industry.
We believe that technological advances in graphene and graphite manufacturing will continue to occur and new technologies will continue to develop. Advances in the manufacturing of graphene and graphite could allow our competitors to develop graphene and graphite faster or produce more efficiently or at lower cost than we can or they may have significantly greater sources in which to grow their graphene and graphite innovation more rapidly. If we are unable to adapt or incorporate technological advances into our operations, our production facilities could become less competitive. Further, it may be necessary for us to incur significant expenditures to acquire any new technologies and retrofit our current processes to remain competitive.
If we do not effectively implement our sales, marketing and service plans, our sales will not grow and our results of operations will suffer.
Our sales and marketing efforts may not achieve intended results and, therefore, may not generate the projected revenue we anticipate. As a result of our corporate strategies, we have decided to focus our resources on selected vertical markets. We may change our focus to other markets or applications in the future. There can be no assurance that our focus or our near-term plans will be successful. If we are not able to address markets for graphene and graphite successfully, we may not be able to grow our business, compete effectively or achieve profitability. Although we have secured the letter of intents from our potential customers, such letters are non-binding and can be terminated as and when they want. There can also be no assurance that we will be able to secure the contracts from our potential customers or any other customers.
We are unlikely to enter into any long-term contracts with its customers. The lack of long-term contracts is mainly due to the nature of the business that graphene and graphite prices fluctuate, the prevailing customer practices where the demand for graphene and graphite is subject to the customers’ needs and business decisions, of which are difficult to secure any long-term contracts. The absence of long-term contracts may result in the fluctuation of our sales and result in uncertainties over the overall financial performance. Should our future customers cease purchasing from us, and if we are unable to replace these customers with new customers in a timely manner, our financial performance may be adversely affected. However, we believe that our customers are unlikely to switch to alternative competitors due to price and quality, that differentiate Graphjet to its competitors.
While we strive to ensure customer satisfaction by improving our graphene and graphite quality, strengthening existing business relationships and establishing relationships with new customers to expand our customer base, any adverse economic conditions or slowdowns in the demand graphene may negatively impact the sales, which will consequently result in a decline in our financial performance.
We must continuously invest in research and development and devote significant resources to commercializing new products in the graphene and graphite industry.
To remain competitive, we must continuously invest in research and development and our future growth depends on penetrating new markets, expansion in current markets, and introducing quality graphene and graphite that achieve market acceptance. Much of our technology and intellectual property portfolio is at an early stage of development, and we may not be able to continue to identify, develop, exploit, market and, in certain cases, secure regulatory approval for, innovative graphene and graphite in a timely manner or at all. Further, our graphene and graphite may not achieve market acceptance, create any additional revenue or become profitable, which could materially harm our business, prospects, financial results and liquidity. In the event that we are not able to secure the customer contracts for the sales of at least 60 tons of graphene yearly throughout 2023- through 2027, our financial performance could be materially affected.
Because we have limited capital, inherent manufacturing risks pose a significant threat to us compared with our larger competitors.
Because we have limited capital, we may be unable to withstand significant losses that can result from inherent risks associated with manufacturing graphene and graphite, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, flooding, earthquake, interruptions due to weather conditions and other acts of nature which larger competitors could withstand. Such risks could result in damage to or destruction of our infrastructure and production facilities, as well as to adjacent properties, personal injury, environmental damage and processing and production delays, causing monetary losses and possible legal liability.
Any malfunction or system failure on the plant and machinery may interrupt the business operations, result in unavailability of its services and hinder the ability to manage the processing of graphene and graphite to meet its customers’ order and expose us to other operational inefficiencies and risk that could materially and adversely affect the business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks of relationships with third parties in respect of commercialization, sales and marketing of our graphene and graphite products.
Although we have resources and staff dedicated to research and development and market conditions, other factors such as management efficiencies may make it required or preferable for us to enter into collaboration arrangements with third parties for the commercialization, sales and marketing of our graphene and graphite. If we are not successful entering into appropriate collaboration arrangements or recruiting sales and marketing personnel or in building a sales and marketing infrastructure, we will have difficulty successfully commercializing our graphene and graphite, which would adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition.
We may not be able to enter into collaboration agreements on terms acceptable to us or at all. In addition, even if we enter into such relationships, we may have limited or no control over the sales, marketing and commercialization activities of these third parties. Our future revenues may depend heavily on the success of the efforts of these third parties. If we elect to establish a sales and marketing infrastructure, we may not realize a positive return on this investment.
Our failure to protect our intellectual property rights may undermine our competitive position, and litigation to protect our intellectual property rights may be costly.
Although we have taken many protective measures to protect our technology with trade secrets, know-how and specialized domain expertise, including agreements, limited access, segregation of knowledge, password protections and other measures, policing unauthorized use of proprietary technology can be difficult and expensive.
Also, litigation may be necessary to enforce our intellectual property rights, protect our trade secrets, or determine the validity and scope of the proprietary rights of others. Such litigation may result in our intellectual property rights being challenged, limited in scope, or declared invalid or unenforceable. We cannot be certain that the outcome of any litigation will be in our favor, and an adverse determination in any such litigation could impair our intellectual property rights and may harm our business, prospects and reputation.
We rely primarily on know-how, specialized knowledge, domain expertise, trade secrets and non-disclosure, confidentiality and other types of contractual restrictions to establish, maintain, and enforce our intellectual property and proprietary rights. However, our rights under these laws and agreements afford us only limited protection and the actions we take to establish, maintain, and enforce our intellectual property rights may not be adequate. For example, our trade secrets and other confidential information could be disclosed in an unauthorized manner to third parties, our owned or licensed intellectual property rights could be challenged, invalidated, circumvented, infringed, or misappropriated or our intellectual property rights may not be sufficient to provide us with a competitive advantage, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results.
We may need to defend ourselves against claims that we infringe, have misappropriated or otherwise violate the intellectual property rights of others, which may be time-consuming and would cause us to incur substantial costs.
Companies, organizations, or individuals, including our competitors, and suppliers may hold or obtain patents, trademarks, or other proprietary rights that they may in the future believe are infringed by our products or services. Although we are not currently subject to any claims related to intellectual property, these companies holding patents or other intellectual property rights allegedly relating to our technologies could, in the future, make claims or bring suits alleging infringement, misappropriation, or other violations of such rights, or otherwise asserting their rights and seeking licenses or injunctions. In specific cases indemnify our customers or suppliers against claims that the products we supply infringe, misappropriate, or otherwise violate third party intellectual property rights, and we may therefore be required to our customers such . If a claim is brought in the future and we or our products are determined to have , , or otherwise a third party’s intellectual property rights, we may be required to do one or more of the following:
cease selling or using our products that incorporate the challenged intellectual property;
pay substantial damages (including treble damages and attorneys’ fees if our infringement is determined to be willful) ;
obtain a license from the holder of the intellectual property right, which license may not be available on reasonable terms or at all; or
redesign our graphene and graphite or means of production, which may not be possible or cost-effective.
Any of the foregoing could adversely affect our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition. In addition, any litigation or claims, whether or not valid, could harm our reputation, result in substantial costs, and divert resources and management attention.
Our success will depend, among other factors, on our ability to obtain, maintain and protect our intellectual property rights.
In order to remain competitive, we must develop, maintain and protect the proprietary aspects of our brands, technologies and data. We rely on a combination of contractual provisions, confidentiality procedures and patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret and other intellectual property laws to protect the proprietary aspects of our brands, technologies and data. These legal measures afford only limited protection, and competitors or others may gain access to or use our intellectual property and proprietary information. Our success will depend, in part, on preserving our trade secrets, maintaining the security of our data and know-how and obtaining and maintaining other intellectual property rights. We may not be able to obtain or maintain intellectual property or other proprietary rights necessary to our business or in a form that provides us with a competitive advantage.
In addition, our trade secrets, data and know-how could be subject to unauthorized use, misappropriation, or disclosure to unauthorized parties, despite our efforts to enter into confidentiality agreements with our employees, consultants, clients and other vendors who have access to such information, and could otherwise become known or be independently discovered by third parties. Our intellectual property, including trademarks, could be challenged, invalidated, infringed, and circumvented by third parties, and our trademarks could also be diluted, declared generic or found to be infringing on other marks. If any of the foregoing occurs, we could be forced to re-brand our products, resulting in loss of brand recognition and requiring us to devote resources to advertising and marketing new brands, and suffer other competitive harm. Third parties may also adopt trademarks similar to ours, which could our brand identity and lead to market . to obtain and maintain intellectual property rights necessary to our business and to protect, monitor and control the use of our intellectual property rights could impact our ability to compete and cause us to incur significant expenses. The intellectual property laws and other statutory and contractual arrangements in the United States and other jurisdictions we depend upon may not provide sufficient protection in the future to prevent the , use, or of our trademarks, data, technology and other intellectual property and services, and may not provide an adequate remedy if our intellectual property rights are , or otherwise .
We rely, in part, on our ability to obtain, maintain, expand, enforce, and defend the scope of our intellectual property portfolio or other proprietary rights, including the amount and timing of any payments we may be required to make in connection with the licensing, filing, defense and enforcement of any patents or other intellectual property rights. The process of applying for and obtaining a patent is expensive, time consuming and complex, and we may not be able to file, prosecute, maintain, enforce or license all necessary or desirable patent applications at a reasonable cost, in a timely manner, or in all jurisdictions where protection may be commercially advantageous, or we may not be able to protect our proprietary rights at all. Despite our efforts to protect our proprietary rights, unauthorized parties may be able to obtain and use information that we regard as proprietary. In addition, the issuance of a patent does not ensure that it is valid or enforceable, so even if we obtain patents, they may not be valid or enforceable third parties.
Graphjet received approval of its patent application (i) for a palm-based synthetic graphite and the preparation method thereof on September 22, 2022; and a palm-based synthetic graphene and the preparation method thereof on March 27, 2024. Our patent application for producing palm-based graphene may not result in an issued patent and our patents may not be sufficiently broad to protect our technology. Moreover, even if we are able to obtain patent protection for both productions, such patent protection may be of insufficient scope to achieve our business objectives. Issued patents may be challenged, narrowed, invalidated or circumvented. Decisions by courts and governmental patent agencies may introduce uncertainty in the enforceability or scope of patents owned by or licensed to us. Furthermore, the issuance of a patent does not give us the right to practice the patented invention. Third parties may have blocking patents that could prevent us from marketing our own products and practicing our own technology. Alternatively, third parties may seek approval to market their own products similar to or otherwise competitive with our products. In these circumstances, we may need to defend and/or assert our patents, including by filing lawsuits patent . In any of these types of proceedings, a court or agency with jurisdiction may find our patents , unenforceable or not ; competitors may then be to market products and use manufacturing and analytical processes that are substantially similar to ours. Even if we have valid and enforceable patents, these patents still may not provide protection competing products or processes sufficient to our business objectives.
We depend on third parties for certain construction, maintenance, engineering, transportation, warehousing and logistics services.
We contract, or will contract, with third parties for certain services relating to the design, construction and maintenance of various components of our production facilities and other systems. If these third parties fail to comply with their obligations, the facilities may not operate as intended, which may result in delays in the production of our products and materially adversely affect our ability to meet our production targets and satisfy customer requirements or we may be required to recognize impairment charges. In addition, production delays could cause us to miss deliveries and breach our contracts, which could damage our relationships with our customers and subject us to claims for damages under our contracts. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
We will also rely primarily on third parties for the transportation of our products. In particular, a significant portion of our goods are transported to different countries, which requires sophisticated warehousing, logistics and other resources. If any of the third parties that we use to transport products are unable to deliver the goods in a timely manner, we may be unable to sell these products at full value or at all, which could cause us to miss deliveries and breach our contracts, which could damage our relationships with our customers and subject us to claims for damages under our contracts. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
Our business may be impacted by international instability, war, terrorism, and geopolitical events.
International political and economic instability or volatility, geopolitical regional conflicts, terrorist activity, political unrest, civil strife, acts of war, public corruption, expropriation and other economic or political uncertainties could interrupt and negatively affect the performance of our services, sale of our products or other business operations. A slowdown in economic growth in some emerging markets could result in long sales cycles, greater risk of uncollectible accounts and longer collection cycles. Fluctuations or devaluations in currency values, especially in emerging markets, could have an adverse effect on us, our suppliers, logistics providers and manufacturing vendors. Although our reporting currency is the U.S. dollar, we operate in different geographical areas and transact in a range of currencies in addition to the U.S. dollar, such as Malaysian Ringgit. As a result, movements in exchange rates may cause our revenue and expenses to fluctuate, impacting our , financial position and cash flows. All of these factors could result in increased costs or decreased revenues, and could materially and affect our product sales, financial condition and results of operations.
Our future success depends in part on our ability to increase our production capacity and we may not be able to do so in a cost-effective manner.
We intend to begin construction on a manufacturing plant. Our ability to plan, construct and equip the manufacturing plant, and any future additional manufacturing plants, is subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including the following:
The expansion or construction of any manufacturing facilities will be subject to the risks inherent in the development and construction of new facilities, including risks of delays and cost overruns as a result of factors outside our control, such as delays in government approvals, burdensome permitting conditions, and delays in the delivery of manufacturing equipment and subsystems that we manufacture or obtain from suppliers.
Adding manufacturing capacity in any international location will subject us to new laws and regulations including those pertaining to labor and employment, environmental and export import. In addition, it brings with it the risk of managing larger scale foreign operations.
We may be unable to achieve the production throughput necessary to achieve our target annualized production run rate at our current and future manufacturing facilities.
Manufacturing equipment may take longer and cost more to engineer and build than expected and may not operate as required to meet our production plans.
We may depend on third-party relationships in the development and operation of additional production capacity, which may subject us to the risk that such third parties do not fulfill their obligations to us under our arrangements with them.
We may be unable to attract or retain qualified personnel.
Natural disaster events, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, monsoon seasons, severe weather conditions, and landslides, which could have an adverse effect on the progress of the construction of the manufacturing plant.
We use external freight shipping and transportation services to transport and deliver materials and equipment for our manufacturing plant. Adverse fluctuations in freight costs, limitations on shipping and receiving capacity, and other disruptions in the transportation and shipping infrastructure at important shipping and delivery points could materially adversely affect the progress of the manufacturing plant.
Our equipment for the production will be imported from China to Malaysia, in which this will be subjected to the legislations, regulations and/or policy regarding importation, exportation and customs in Malaysia and China.
Labor shortage or work stoppages would also affect the progress, as such, we will source available workforce locally and/or from the surrounding community.
Delays in construction of our manufacturing plant.
We are subject to laws, regulations and standards, related to building and operation of the manufacturing plant, including product safety, health and safety and environmental matters. We may also face unexpected delays in obtaining permits and approvals required under relevant laws in connection with the construction and operation of the manufacturing plant.
If we are unable to expand our manufacturing facilities, we may be unable to further scale our business. If the demand for our product or our production output decreases or does not rise as expected, we may not be able to spread a significant amount of our fixed costs over the production volume, thereby increasing our per unit fixed cost, which would have a negative impact on our financial condition and results of operations.
If we fail to manage our growth effectively, our business and operating results may suffer.
Our current growth and future growth plans may make it difficult for us to efficiently operate our business, challenging us to effectively manage our capital expenditures and control our costs while we expand our operations to increase our revenue. If we experience significant growth in orders, without improvements in automation and efficiency, we may need additional manufacturing capacity and we and some of our suppliers may need additional and capital intensive equipment. Any growth in manufacturing must include a scaling of quality control as the increase in production increases the possible impact of manufacturing defects. In addition, any growth in the volume of sales of our products may outpace our ability to engage sufficient and experienced personnel to manage the higher number of installations and to engage contractors to complete installations on a timely basis and in accordance with our expectations and standards. Any failure to manage our growth effectively could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition. Our future operating results depend to a large extent on our ability to manage this expansion and growth .
If we are unable to attract and retain key employees and hire qualified management, technical, engineering, and sales personnel, our ability to compete and successfully grow our business could be harmed.
We believe that our success and our ability to reach our strategic objectives are highly dependent on the contributions of our key management, technical, engineering and sales personnel. The performance of the business operation, implementation of on-going projects and successful execution on the business strategy will depend on the expertise, experience, and contribution of the management team. The loss of the services of any of our key executives or employees could disrupt our operations, delay the development and introduction of our products and services, and negatively impact our business, prospects and operating results. We cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully attract and retain senior leadership necessary to grow our business. Furthermore, there is increasing competition for talented individuals in our field. We cannot assure that we will be able to afford the compensation packages customary in our filed, which may lead to to attract and retain and talent. Our to attract and retain our executive officers and other key technology, sales, marketing and support personnel, could impact our business, prospects, financial condition, and operating results. In addition, we do not have “key person” life insurance policies covering any of our officers or other key employees.
Future litigation or administrative proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may be involved in legal proceedings, administrative proceedings, claims and other litigation that arise in the ordinary course of business. In addition, since our products are a new type of graphene and graphite product, we may in the future need to seek the amendment of existing regulations or, in some cases, the creation of new regulations, in order to operate our business in some jurisdictions. Such regulatory processes may require public hearings concerning our business, which could expose us to subsequent litigation.
Shareholders have also filed dozens of nuisance claims alleging misleading disclosures in proxy statements soliciting shareholder approval of de-SPAC merger transactions. These kinds of proxy statement challenges, which are common in the public M&A setting, are frequently brought under Section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and SEC Rule 14a-9. In these actions, plaintiffs’ lawyers threaten to enjoin a shareholder vote until the issuer releases supplemental information. We settled one such lawsuit, and owe the plaintiff’s counsel a de minimus “mootness fee”.
Unfavorable outcomes or developments relating to proceedings to which we are a party or transactions involving our products, such as judgments for monetary damages, injunctions, or denial or revocation of permits, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, settlement of claims could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Cyber-attacks or other failures in our telecommunications or information technology systems, or those of our collaborators, third-party logistics providers, distributors or other contractors or consultants, could result in information theft, data corruption and significant disruption of our business operations.
We, our programs, our collaborators, third-party logistics providers, distributors and other contractors and consultants utilize information technology, or IT, systems and networks to process, transmit and store electronic information, including but not limited to intellectual property, proprietary business information and personal information, in connection with our business activities. Our internal IT systems and those of current and future third parties on which we rely may fail and are vulnerable to breakdown, breach, interruption or damage from cyber incidents, employee error or malfeasance, theft or misuse, sophisticated nation-state and nation-state-supported actors, unauthorized access, natural disasters, terrorism, war, telecommunication and electrical failures or other compromises. As use of digital technologies has increased, cyber , including third parties access to employee accounts using or inferred credentials, computer malware, viruses, , phishing attacks, -of-service attacks or other means, and attacks and attempts to access to computer systems and networks, have increased in frequency, intensity, and sophistication. These pose a risk to the security of our, our programs’, our ’, third-party logistics providers’, distributors and other contractors’ and consultants’ systems and networks, and the confidentiality, availability and of our data. There can be no assurance that we will be in cyber-attacks or mitigating their effects. We may not be to anticipate all types of security , and we may not be to implement preventive measures all such security . The techniques used by cyber change frequently, may not be recognized until launched, and can originate from a wide variety of sources, including outside groups such as external service providers, organized affiliates, terrorist organizations or foreign governments or agencies. Similarly, there can be no assurance that our , third-party logistics providers, distributors and other contractors and consultants will be in protecting our clinical and other data that is stored on their systems. Any of clinical trial data from our completed or ongoing clinical trials for any of our product candidates could result in in our development and regulatory approval efforts and significantly increase our costs to recover or reproduce the data. Although to our knowledge we have not experienced any such material system or material security to date, if such an event were to occur and cause in our operations, it could result in a material of development programs and business operations.
Any cyber-attack that leads to unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of personal information, data breach or destruction or loss of data could result in a violation of applicable U.S. and international privacy, data protection and other laws and regulations, subject us to litigation and governmental investigations, proceedings and regulatory actions by federal, state and local regulatory entities in the United States and by international regulatory entities, resulting in exposure to material civil and/or criminal liability, cause us to breach our contractual obligations, which could result in significant legal and financial exposure and reputational damages. As cyber threats continue to evolve, we may be required to incur significant additional expenses in order to implement further data protection measures or to remediate any information security vulnerability. Further, our general liability insurance and corporate risk program may not cover all potential to which we are and may not be adequate to indemnify us for all liability that maybe imposed, which could have a material effect on our business and prospects. There can be no assurance that the of liability in our contracts would be enforceable or adequate or would otherwise protect us from liabilities or as a result of the events referenced above.
We are dependent on the palm oil industry for availability of raw material
Any fluctuation of the selling price could materially, either positively or negatively, affect our business and financial condition. The processing of graphene is contingent on the availability of raw material such as palm kernel shell, which is a natural commodity that is exposed to price volatility as a result of market demand and supply conditions. As such, we are exposed to the price volatility of raw material. We are also dependent on the palm oil industry to source the raw material such as the palm kernels for our products to ensure successful business operations and financial performance. A slowdown in the palm oil industry due to, among others, a fall in the global market prices of crude palm oil and crude palm kernel oil, a decline in demand for palm oil and palm oil product due to among others, trade barriers and restrictions, actions by pressure groups and changing customer preference, adverse changes in the countries where palm oil plantations are located, natural , changes to climatic conditions that affect oil palm cultivation and crop production or other factors that may affect oil palm cultivation, crop production and demand for palm oil and its derivatives and product would have a material effect on our business operations and financial performance if we are not be to source for sufficient raw material elsewhere.
Our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected by risks associated with our international operations.
An important part of targeting international markets is increasing our brand awareness and establishing relationships with customers internationally. However, there are certain risks inherent in doing business in international market, which is heavily regulated in many jurisdictions. These risks include:
local economic, political and social conditions, including the possibility of economic slowdowns, hyperinflationary conditions, political instability, social unrest or outbreaks of pandemic or contagious diseases, such as Ebola, Zika, avian flu, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), H1N1 (swine flu), the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS);
multiple, conflicting and changing laws and regulations such as tax laws, privacy and data protection laws and regulations, export and import restrictions, employment laws, regulatory requirements and other governmental approvals, permits and licenses;
obtaining regulatory approvals or clearances where required for the sale of our products in various countries; requirements to maintain data and the processing of that data on servers located in countries in which we may operate;
protecting and enforcing our intellectual property rights;
competition from companies with significant market share in our market, with greater resources than we have and with a better understanding of user preferences;
financial risks, such as longer payment cycles, difficulty collecting accounts receivable, the effect of local and regional financial pressures on demand and payment for our products and services; the inability to manage and coordinate the various legal and regulatory requirements of multiple jurisdictions that are constantly evolving and subject to change;
currency exchange rate fluctuations, changes in currency policies or practices and restrictions on currency conversion;
limitations or restrictions on the repatriation or other transfer of funds;
the inability to enforce agreements, collect payments or seek recourse under or comply with differing commercial laws;
natural disasters, political and economic instability, including wars, terrorism, political unrest, outbreak of disease, boycotts, curtailment of trade, and other market restrictions; and
managing the potential conflicts between locally accepted business practices and our obligations to comply with laws and regulations, including anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws and regulations.
Our overall success and ability to continue to expand our business depends, in part, on our ability to anticipate and effectively manage these risks and there can be no assurance that we will be able to do so without incurring unexpected or increased costs. If we are not able to manage the risks related to our international operations, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected. In certain regions, the degree of these risks may be higher due to more volatile economic, political or social conditions, less developed and predictable legal and regulatory regimes and increased potential for various types of adverse governmental action. Our ability to continue to expand our business and to attract talented employees, customers and members in various international markets will require considerable management attention and resources and is subject to the particular challenges of supporting a rapidly growing business. Entering new international markets is expensive, our ability to successfully gain market acceptance or establish a robust customer base in any particular market is uncertain. Further, the potential this could cause our senior management team could lead to other areas of our operations being and our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may make investments into or acquire other companies or technologies, which could divert our management’s attention, result in dilution to our shareholders, and otherwise disrupt our operations, and we may have difficulty integrating any such acquisitions successfully or realizing the anticipated benefits therefrom, any of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The pursuit of potential acquisitions may divert the attention of management and cause us to incur various expenses in identifying, investigating, and pursuing suitable acquisitions, whether or not they are consummated. In addition, we have limited experience in acquiring other businesses and may have difficulty integrating acquired businesses or assets, or otherwise realizing any of the anticipated benefits of acquisitions. If we acquire additional businesses, we may not be able to integrate the acquired operations and technologies successfully, or effectively manage the combined business following the acquisition. Integration may prove to be difficult due to the necessity of integrating personnel with disparate business backgrounds, different geographical locations and who may be accustomed to different corporate cultures.
We also may not achieve the anticipated benefits from any acquired business due to a number of factors, including:
inability to integrate or benefit from acquired technologies or services in a profitable manner;
unanticipated costs or liabilities, including legal liabilities, associated with the acquisition;
difficulties and additional expenses associated with supporting legacy products and hosting infrastructure of the acquired business;
difficulty converting the customers of the acquired business into our current and future offerings and contract terms, including disparities in the revenue model of the acquired company;
diversion of management’s attention or resources from other business concerns;
adverse effects on our existing business relationships or strategic partners as a result of the acquisition;
complexities associated with managing the geographic separation of the combined businesses and consolidating multiple physical locations;
the potential loss of key employees;
acquisition targets not having as robust internal controls over financial reporting as would be expected of a public company;
possible cash flow interruption or loss of revenue as a result of transitional matters; and
use of substantial portions of our available cash to consummate the acquisition.
We may issue equity securities or incur indebtedness to pay for any such acquisition or investment, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Any such issuances of additional shares may cause shareholders to experience significant dilution of their ownership interests and the per share value of our ordinary shares to decline. In addition, a significant portion of the purchase price of any companies we acquire may be allocated to acquired goodwill and other intangible assets, which must be assessed for impairment at least annually. In the future, if our acquisitions do not yield expected returns, we may be required to take charges to our results of operations based on this impairment assessment process, which could adversely affect our results of operations.
We may be subject to export and import control laws and regulations that could impair our ability to compete in international markets or subject us to liability if we violate such laws and regulations.
We and our products may be import and export controls and trade and economic sanctions regulations, which prohibit the shipment or provision of certain products and solutions to certain countries, governments and persons. We are also subject laws and regulations governing our operations, including regulations administered by the governments of Malaysia, including applicable export control regulations, economic sanctions and embargoes on certain countries and persons, anti-money laundering laws, import and customs requirements and currency exchange regulations. While we have mechanisms to identify high-risk individuals and entities before contracting with them, an instance of non-compliance with all such applicable laws could result in our being subject to criminal and civil penalties, disgorgement and other sanctions and remedial measures, and legal expenses. Likewise, any investigation of any potential violations of such laws could also have an adverse impact on our reputation, our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Risks Related to our Intellectual Property
We may not be able to prevent others from unauthorized use of our intellectual property, which could harm our business and competitive position.
We may not be able to prevent others from unauthorized use of our intellectual property, which could harm our business and competitive position. We rely on a combination of patents, trade secrets (including know-how), employee and third-party nondisclosure agreements, copyrights, trademarks, intellectual property licenses, and other contractual rights to establish and protect our rights in our technology. Despite our efforts to protect our proprietary rights, third parties may attempt to copy or otherwise obtain and use our intellectual property or seek court declarations that they do not infringe upon our intellectual property rights or those rights are not enforceable. Monitoring unauthorized use of our intellectual property is difficult and costly, and the steps we have taken or will take are aimed to prevent misappropriation. From time to time, we may have to resort to litigation to enforce our intellectual property rights, which could result in substantial costs and of our resources, including significant amounts of time from our key executives and management, and may not have the outcome.
Patent, trademark, and trade secret laws vary significantly throughout the world. Some countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as do the laws of the United States and European Union. Therefore, we may not be able to secure certain intellectual property rights in some jurisdictions, and our intellectual property rights may not be as strong or as easily enforced outside of the United States and the European Union. Failure to adequately protect our intellectual property rights could result in our competitors offering similar products, potentially resulting in the loss of some of our competitive advantage and a decrease in our revenue which, would adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
As our patents may expire and may not be extended, our patent applications may not be granted and our patent rights may be contested, circumvented, invalidated or limited in scope, our patent rights may not protect we effectively. In particular, we may not be able to prevent others from developing or exploiting competing technologies.
Our patents could be contested, circumvented or invalidated in the future. In addition, the rights granted under any issued patents may not provide we with meaningful protection or competitive advantages. The claims under any patents that issue from our patent applications may not be broad enough to prevent others from developing technologies that are similar or that achieve results similar to us. The intellectual property rights of others could also bar us from licensing and exploiting any patents that issue from our pending applications. Numerous patents and pending patent applications owned by others exist in the fields in which we have developed and is developing our technology. These patents and patent applications might have priority over our patent applications and could result in refusal of or invalidation of our patent applications. Finally, in addition to those who may claim priority, any of our existing or pending patents may also be challenged by others on the basis that they are otherwise or unenforceable.
We may need to defend ourselves against patent or trademark infringement claims, which may be time-consuming and would cause us to incur substantial costs.
Companies, organizations, or individuals, including our competitors, may hold or obtain patents, trademarks or other proprietary rights that would prevent, limit or interfere with our ability to make, use, develop, sell, leasing or market our vehicles or components, which could make it more difficult for us to operate our business. From time to time, we may receive communications from holders of patents (including non-practicing entities or other patent licensing organizations), trademarks or other intellectual property regarding their proprietary rights. Companies holding patents or other intellectual property rights may bring suits alleging infringement of such rights or otherwise assert their rights and urge us to take licenses. Our applications and uses of trademarks relating to our design, software or artificial intelligence technologies could be found to infringe upon existing trademark ownership and rights. In addition, if we are determined to have infringed upon a third party’s intellectual property rights, we may be required to do one or more of the following:
cease manufacturing our aircraft, or discontinue use of certain components in our aircraft, or offering services that incorporate or use the challenged intellectual property;
pay substantial damages;
seek a license from the holder of the infringed intellectual property right, which license may not be available on reasonable terms, or at all;
redesign our aircraft; or
establish and maintain alternative branding for our aircraft or services
In the event of a successful claim of infringement against us and our failure or inability to obtain a license to the infringed technology or other intellectual property right, our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, any litigation or claims, whether or not valid, could result in substantial costs, negative publicity and diversion of resources and management attention.
We may be subject to damages resulting from claims that we or our employees have wrongfully used or disclosed alleged trade secrets of our employees’ former employers.
Many of our employees were previously employed by other companies or by suppliers to companies in the same industry we operate. We may be subject to claims that us or these employees have inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed trade secrets or other proprietary information of our former employers. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims. If we fail in defending such claims, in addition to paying monetary damages, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights or personnel. A loss of key personnel or our work product could hamper or prevent our ability to commercialize our products, which could our business. Even if we are in these , could result in substantial costs and demand on management resources.
Risks Related to the Regulatory Environment in Which We Operate
Our sales and results of operations could be materially and adversely impacted by risks inherent in international markets.
As we expand in international markets, customers may have difficulty or be unable to integrate our products into their existing systems or may have difficulty complying with foreign regulatory and commercial requirements. As a result, our products may require redesign. Any redesign of the product may delay sales or cause quality issues. In addition, we may be subject to a variety of other risks associated with international business, including import/export restrictions, fluctuations in currency exchange rates and economic or political instability. In addition, doing business internationally subjects us to risks relating to political or social unrest, as well as corruption and government regulation, including U.S. laws such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. If any of these events occur, our businesses may be adversely affected.
Our operations are subject to hazards which could result in significant liability to us.
Our operations are subject to hazards associated with manufacturing and the related use, storage, transportation and disposal of raw materials, products and wastes. These hazards include explosions, fires, severe weather (including but not limited to hurricanes or other adverse weather that may be increasing as a result of climate change) and natural disasters, industrial accidents, mechanical failures, discharges or releases of toxic or hazardous substances or gases, transportation interruptions, human error and terrorist activities. These hazards can cause personal injury and loss of life, severe damage to or destruction of property and equipment as well as environmental , and may result in of operations and the imposition of civil and liabilities, including and awards. While we believe our insurance policies are in accordance with customary industry practices, such insurance may not cover all risks associated with the of our business and is subject to , including deductibles and maximum liabilities covered. We may incur beyond the limits, or outside the coverage, of our insurance policies. In the future, we may not be to obtain coverage at current levels, and our premiums may increase significantly on coverage that we maintain. Costs associated with events in excess of our insurance coverage could have a material effect on our business, competitive or financial position or our ongoing results of operations.
Complying with numerous health, safety and environmental regulations is both complex and costly.
Our business is subject to numerous health, safety, and environmental requirements in Malaysia. Such laws and regulations govern, among other matters, air emissions, wastewater discharges, solid and hazardous waste management and the use, composition, handling, distribution, and transportation of hazardous materials. Many such laws and regulations are becoming increasingly stringent (and may impose strict liability) and the cost of compliance with these requirements can be expected to increase over time. Although we believe that our operations comply with applicable regulations, any failure to comply with these laws and regulations could result in us incurring costs and /or liabilities, including as a result of regulatory enforcement, personal injury, property damage and claims and litigation resulting from such events, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Industrial operations can be hazardous.
Accidents involving the mishandling of heavy equipment or hazardous substances could cause severe or critical damage or injury to property and human health. Such an event could result in civil lawsuits and/or regulatory enforcement proceedings, both of which could lead to significant liabilities. Any damage to persons, equipment or property or other disruption of our business could result in significant additional costs to replace, repair and insure assets, which could negatively affect our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition.
We may be subject to export and import control laws and regulations that could impair our ability to compete in international markets or subject us to liability if we violate such laws and regulations.
We and our products may be import and export controls and trade and economic sanctions regulations, which prohibit the shipment or provision of certain products and solutions to certain countries, governments and persons. We are also subject laws and regulations governing our operations, including regulations administered by the governments of Malaysia, including applicable export control regulations, economic sanctions and embargoes on certain countries and persons, anti-money laundering laws, import and customs requirements and currency exchange regulations. While we have mechanisms to identify high-risk individuals and entities before contracting with them, an instance of non-compliance with all such applicable laws could result in our being subject to criminal and civil penalties, disgorgement and other sanctions and remedial measures, and legal expenses. Likewise, any investigation of any potential violations of such laws could also have an adverse impact on our reputation, our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Risks Related to Ownership of Our Securities
An active market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.
The price of our securities may vary significantly due to factors specific to us as well as to general market or economic conditions. Furthermore, an active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established and sustained.
If securities or industry analysts publish reports that are interpreted negatively by the investment community or publish negative research reports about our business, our share price and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our ordinary shares depends, to some extent, on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. We do not have any control over these analysts, or the information contained in their reports. If one or more analysts publish research reports that are interpreted negatively by the investment community, or have a negative tone regarding our business, financial condition or results of operations, industry or end-markets, our share price could decline. In addition, if a majority of these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause our share price or trading volume to decline.
Future sales of our Class A Ordinary Shares, or the perception of such sales, by us or our shareholders in the public market could cause the market price for our Class A Ordinary Shares to decline.
The sale of our Class A Ordinary Shares in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, could harm the prevailing market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares. These sales, or the possibility that these sales may occur, also might make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and at a price that it deems appropriate.
In addition, the Class A Ordinary Shares reserved for future issuance under the Equity Incentive Plan will become eligible for sale in the public market once those shares are issued, subject to any applicable vesting requirements, lockup agreements and other restrictions imposed by law. A total number of shares equal to 248,385 have been reserved for future issuance under the Equity Incentive Plan. We intend to file a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register Class A Ordinary Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Class A Ordinary Shares issued pursuant to the Equity Incentive Plan, which registration statement will automatically become effective upon filing. Accordingly, shares registered under the registration statements will be available for sale in the open market.
In the future, we may also issue its securities in connection with investments or acquisitions. The amount of Class A Ordinary Shares issued in connection with an investment or acquisition could constitute a material portion of the then-outstanding Class A Ordinary Shares. Any issuance of additional securities in connection with investments or acquisitions may result in additional dilution to our shareholders.
Our Class A Ordinary Share price may decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment as a result.
Broad market and industry factors may materially harm the market price of Graphjet Technology’s securities irrespective of its operating performance. The stock market in general has experienced price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of the particular companies affected. The trading prices and valuations of these stocks, and of Graphjet Technology’s securities, may not be predictable. A loss of investor confidence in the market for retail stocks or the stocks of other companies which investors perceive to be similar to Graphjet Technology could depress Graphjet Technology’s share price regardless of its business, prospects, financial conditions or results of operations. You may not be able to resell your Class A Ordinary Shares at an attractive price due to a number of factors such as those listed in “— Risks Related to Our Business and Industry ” and the following:
actual or anticipated fluctuations in Graphjet Technology’s quarterly financial results or the quarterly financial results of companies perceived to be similar to it;
changes in the market’s expectations about Graphjet Technology’s operating results;
success or entry of competitors;
Graphjet Technology’s operating results failing to meet the expectation of securities analysts or investors in a particular period;
changes in financial estimates and recommendations by securities analysts concerning Graphjet Technology or the homebuilding industry in general;
operating and share price performance of other companies that investors deem comparable to Graphjet Technology;
Graphjet Technology’s ability to bring its products and technologies to market on a timely basis, or at all;
changes in laws and regulations affecting Graphjet Technology’s business;
Graphjet Technology’s ability to meet compliance requirements;
commencement of, or involvement in, litigation involving Graphjet Technology;
changes in Graphjet Technology’s capital structure, such as future issuances of securities or the incurrence of additional debt;
the volume of Graphjet Technology’s shares of ordinary share available for public sale;
any major change in the Graphjet Technology’s Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors”) or management;
sales of substantial amounts of Graphjet Technology’s shares of Ordinary Share by its directors, executive officers or significant stockholders or the perception that such sales could occur;
general economic and political conditions such as recessions, interest rates, fuel prices, international currency fluctuations, and acts of war or terrorism, inflation and market liquidity; and
the other risk factors set forth in the “- Risks Related to Graphjet Technology’s Business and Industry .”
A decline in the market price of Graphjet Technology’s securities also could adversely affect its ability to issue additional securities and its ability to obtain additional financing in the future. In the past, following periods of market volatility, stockholders have initiated derivative actions. If we are involved in derivative litigation, it could have a substantial cost and divert resources and the attention of management from our business regardless of the outcome of the litigation
Because there are no current plans to pay cash dividends on our Class A Ordinary Shares for the foreseeable future, you may not receive any return on investment unless you sell your Class A Ordinary Shares at a price greater than what you paid for it.
We intend to retain future earnings, if any, for future operations, expansion and debt repayment, and there are no current plans to pay any cash dividends for the foreseeable future. The declaration, amount and payment of any future dividends on our Class A Ordinary Shares will be at the sole discretion of our Board of Directors. Our Board of Directors may take into account general and economic conditions, our financial condition and results of operations, our available cash and current and anticipated cash needs, capital requirements, contractual, legal, tax and regulatory restrictions, implications of the payment of dividends by us to our shareholders or by our subsidiaries to us and such other factors as our Board may deem relevant. As a result, you may not receive any return on an investment in our Class A Ordinary Shares unless you sell your Class A Ordinary Shares for a price greater than that which you paid for them.
Our shareholders may experience dilution in the future.
The percentage of our Class A Ordinary Shares owned by current shareholders may be diluted in the future because of equity issuances for acquisitions, capital market transactions or otherwise, including, without limitation, equity awards that we may grant to our directors, officers and employees, and exercise of our warrants. Such issuances may have a dilutive effect on our earnings per share, which could adversely affect the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares.
Changes in laws, regulations or rules, or a failure to comply with any laws, regulations or rules, may adversely affect our business, investments and results of operations.
We are subject to laws, regulations and rules enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we are required to comply with certain SEC, and other legal or regulatory requirements of businesses providing financial services. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws, regulations and rules may be difficult, time consuming and costly. These laws, regulations, and rules include, without limitation, the following:
As an employer, we will be subject to state and federal laws relating to employment practices, health and safety of employees, employee benefits and other employment-related matters.
We are an SEC reporting company and therefore we are required to comply with the various rules and regulations of the SEC that relate to, among other things, the timing and content of annual, quarterly and current reports, the process to register additional shares for sale to the public or for resale by existing investors, and disclosures in connection with meetings of our stockholders. Changes in these rules and regulations can have a significant impact on us.
As our business expands to additional states, we will be required to review and comply with those states’ laws that apply to our services and business activities. We will also be required to determine whether we will become subject to additional areas of regulation if we expand the types of activities in which we engage. For example, because we do not hold customer deposits or offer loans for consumer or personal purposes, we are not currently required have a financial institution charter or lending license in the states in which we currently provide services or loans. If we do not identify activities that would require a regulatory application, license or other approval, or if the interpretation and application of the laws to which we are currently subject change, those additional laws, rules, and regulations or changes therein could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. A failure to comply with any applicable laws, regulations or rules, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
We may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and our stock price, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
We cannot assure you that as a result of factors outside of Graphjet Technology’s business and outside of Graphjet Technology’s control issues may arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write down or write off assets, restructure operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in losses. Unexpected risks may arise, and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about Graphjet Technology or its securities. Accordingly, our shareholders could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such stockholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
Graphjet Technology is subject to financial reporting and other requirements as a public company for which its accounting and other management systems and resources may not be adequately prepared adversely impacting stock price.
As a public company with listed equity securities, Graphjet Technology will need to comply with laws, regulations, and requirements, including the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), certain corporate governance provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and related regulations of the SEC, with which it was not required to comply as a private company. The Exchange Act requires that Graphjet Technology file annual, quarterly, and current reports with respect to its business and financial condition. Graphjet Technology did not timely file a Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2024 and Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended December 31, 2024, March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2025. As of the date of this Prospectus, we have filed all its required annual, quarterly, and current reports with the SEC. Graphjet Technology might not be able to file timely reports in the future, or its reported financial results may be materially misstated and result in the loss of investor confidence and cause the market price of its securities to decline.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that Graphjet Technology establish and maintain effective internal controls and procedures for financial reporting. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires Graphjet Technology’s management and independent auditors to report annually on the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting. However, Graphjet Technology is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, and, for as long as it continues to be an emerging growth company, it intends to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404. Once Graphjet Technology is no longer an emerging growth company or, if prior to such date, it opts to no longer take advantage of the applicable exemptions, it will be required to include an opinion from its independent auditors on the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting.
Graphjet Technology will cease to be an “emerging growth company” upon the earliest of (i) the last day of the fiscal year (A) following the fifth anniversary of the closing of the Energem Initial Public Offering (the “IPO”), September 30, 2027, (B) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (C) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our outstanding ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30, and (ii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three year period. These reporting and other obligations will place significant demands on management, administrative, operational, and accounting resources and will cause Graphjet Technology to incur significant expenses. It may need to upgrade its systems or create new systems, implement additional financial and management controls, reporting systems and procedures, create or outsource an internal audit function, and hire additional accounting and finance staff. If it is unable to accomplish these objectives in a timely and effective fashion, its ability to comply with the financial reporting requirements and other rules that apply to reporting companies could be impaired. Any to maintain internal control over financial reporting could have a material effect on Graphjet Technology’s business, prospects, liquidity, financial condition, and results of operations.
As a public company, these rules and regulations make it more expensive for Graphjet Technology to obtain director and officer liability insurance. These factors could also make it more difficult to attract and retain qualified members to the Board, particularly to serve on the audit committee and compensation committee, and qualified executive officers.
As a result of disclosure of information in this prospectus and in filings required of a public company, Graphjet Technology’s business and financial condition is more visible, which it believes may result in threatened or actual litigation, including by competitors and other third parties. If such claims are successful, Graphjet Technology’s business and operating results could be adversely affected, and even if the claims do not result in litigation or are resolved in Graphjet Technology’s favor, these claims, and the time and resources necessary to resolve them, could divert the resources of Graphjet Technology’s management and adversely affect its business and operating results.
As a public company, Graphjet Technology is obligated to develop and maintain proper and effective internal control over financial reporting. Graphjet Technology may not complete its analysis of its internal control over financial reporting in a timely manner, or these internal controls may not be determined to be effective, which may adversely affect investor confidence in Graphjet Technology and, as a result, the value of its securities.
Graphjet Technology is required, pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, to furnish a report by management on, among other things, the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting as of the end of its fiscal year. This assessment will need to include disclosure of any material weaknesses identified by Graphjet Technology’s management in its internal control over financial reporting. Graphjet Technology is in the early stages of the costly and challenging process of compiling the system and processing documentation necessary to perform the evaluation needed to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. It may not be able to complete its evaluation, testing, and any required remediation in a timely fashion. During the evaluation and testing process, if Graphjet Technology identifies one or more material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting, it will be unable to assert that its internal controls are effective. If it is unable to assert that its internal control over financial reporting is effective, it could investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of its financial reports, which would cause the price of its securities to , and it may be subject to or sanctions by the SEC.
Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate significantly and could fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors due to seasonality and other factors, some of which are beyond our control, resulting in a decline in our stock price.
Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate significantly because of several factors, including:
labor availability and costs for hourly and management personnel;
profitability of our services, especially in new markets and due to seasonal fluctuations;
macroeconomic conditions, both nationally and locally;
negative publicity relating to products we serve;
changes in consumer preferences and competitive conditions;
expansion to new markets; and
fluctuations in commodity prices.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish or cease publishing research or reports about Graphjet Technology, its business, or its market, or if they change their recommendations regarding the Class A Ordinary Shares Graphjet Technology adversely, then the price and trading volume of the Class A Ordinary Shares of Graphjet Technology could decline.
The trading market for our Class A Ordinary Share will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts may publish about us, our business, our market, or our competitors. Securities and industry analysts do not currently, and may never, publish research on the Graphjet Technology. If no securities or industry analysts commence coverage of Graphjet Technology, the stock price and trading volume of the Class A Ordinary Shares of Graphjet Technology would likely be negatively impacted. If any of the analysts who may cover Graphjet Technology change their recommendation regarding our stock adversely, or provide more favorable relative recommendations about our competitors, the price of the Class A Ordinary Shares would likely decline. If any analyst who may cover the Company were to cease coverage of Graphjet Technology or fail to regularly publish reports on it, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause the stock price or trading volume of the Class A Ordinary Shares to decline,
We may be unable to obtain additional financing to fund the operations and growth of Graphjet Technology.
We may require additional financing to fund the operations or growth of Graphjet Technology. We expect from time to time need additional financing to fund operations and to expand our business. We may, from time to time, explore additional financing sources to lower our cost of capital, which could include equity, equity-linked and debt financing. In addition, from time to time, we may evaluate acquisitions and other strategic opportunities. If we elect to pursue any such investments, we may fund them with internally generated funds, bank financing, the issuance of other debt or equity or a combination thereof. There is no assurance that any such financing or funding would be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. Sales of securities registered under the registration statement to which this prospectus forms a part could lower the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares. We do not believe this would harm our chances of raising capital, but could affect the sale price and number of securities we need to issue.
The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of Graphjet Technology.
Our internal controls over financial reporting may not be effective and our independent registered public accounting firm may not be able to certify as to their effectiveness, which could have a significant and adverse effect on our business and reputation.
As a public company, we are required to comply with the SEC’s rules implementing Sections 302 and 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which require management to certify financial and other information in our quarterly and annual reports and provide an annual management report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. To comply with the requirements of being a public company, and we may need to undertake various actions, such as implementing additional internal controls and procedures and hiring additional accounting or internal audit staff. The standards required for a public company under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act are significantly more stringent than those required of Graphjet Technology as a privately-held company. Further, as an emerging growth company, our independent registered public accounting firm is not required to formally attest to the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 until the date we are no longer an emerging growth company. At such time, our independent registered public accounting firm may issue a report that is adverse in the event that it is not satisfied with the level at which the controls of Graphjet Technology are documented, designed or operating.
Testing and maintaining these controls can divert our management’s attention from other matters that are important to the operation of our business. If we identify material weaknesses in the internal control over financial reporting of Graphjet Technology or are unable to comply with the requirements of Section 404 or assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion as to the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting when we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the market price of our ordinary share could be negatively affected, and we could become subject to investigations by the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which could require additional financial and management resources.
There can be no assurance that we will be able to comply with the continued listing standards of any U.S. stock exchange.
The trading of our Class A ordinary shares on the Nasdaq Global Market was suspended on November 13, 2025, and is currently quoted on the OTC Pink Limited marketplace under the symbol “GTIJF”.
On May 30, 2024, Graphjet Technology received a notice (the “10-Q Notice”) from Nasdaq Listing Qualifications (“Nasdaq”) notifying the Company that as it has not yet filed its Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2024 (the “Form 10-Q”), and the Company no longer complies with Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) for continued listing on Nasdaq. The Company has 60 calendar to submit to Nasdaq a plan to regain compliance, and if such plan is accepted, Nasdaq may grant the Company an exception of up to 180 calendar days from the prescribed due date for filing the Form 10-Q, or until November 18, 2024, to regain compliance. If Nasdaq does not accept the Company’s plan, the Company will have the opportunity to appeal that decision to a Hearings Panel. The 10-Q Notice from Nasdaq has no immediate effect on the listing of the Company’s ordinary shares. The Company is working diligently with its independent registered public accounting firm to complete the Form 10-Q. There can be no assurance that the Company will regain compliance with the Nasdaq’s rules or maintain compliance with any of the other Nasdaq continued listing requirements.
On February 21, 2025, the Company received written notice (the “Minimum Bid Price Notice”) from Nasdaq indicating that the Company no longer complies with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) requiring that listed securities maintain a minimum bid price of $1 per share (the “Minimum Bid Price Rule”) based upon the Company’s closing bid price for the last 32 consecutive days. Additionally, the Minimum Bid Price Notice confirms that Rule 5550(a)(2) grants the Company 180 calendar days, or until August 20, 2025, to regain compliance. Further, the Minimum Bid Price Notice states that Nasdaq will provide confirmation of compliance and close the matter if the Company’s listed securities maintain the Minimum Bid Price for ten consecutive days at any time during the compliance period. The Minimum Bid Price Notice serves only as a notification of deficiency, not of imminent delisting, and has no current effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s securities. Though there can be no assurance that the Company will regain or maintain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Rule, the Company is exercising diligent efforts and intends to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Rule within the compliance period.
On February 28, 2025, the Company received a notification letter (the “Reports Notice”) from Nasdaq indicating that, as a result of (i) the Company’s delay in filing its Quarterly Report on Form 10-K for the period ended September 30, 2024 (the “Initial Delinquent Filing”) with the SEC and (ii) the Company’s delay in filing its Annual Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended December 31, 2024 (the “Second Delinquent Filing”), the Company is not in compliance with the requirements for continued listing under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1). The Reports Notice states that the Company has 60 calendar days, or until April 29, 2025, to submit a plan to regain compliance with Rule 5250(c)(1) with respect to the delinquent reports. If Nasdaq accepts the Company’s plan to regain compliance, then Nasdaq may grant the Company up to 180 calendar days from the prescribed due date of the Initial Delinquent Filing, or until July 14, 2025, to regain compliance. The Company continues to work diligently to complete the Form 10-K and the Form 10-Q. The Reports Notice has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s ordinary shares on the Nasdaq Global Market.
On March 5, 2025, the Company received a notification letter (the “MVLS Notice”) from Nasdaq which notified the Company that, for the 30 consecutive business days, the Company’s market value of listed securities (“MVLS”) closed below the $50,000,000 MVLS threshold required for continued listing on the Nasdaq Global Market under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(b)(2)(A) (the “MVLS Rule”). In accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(C), the Company has 180 calendar days, or until September 1, 2025 (the “MVLS Compliance Period”), to regain compliance with the MVLS Rule. The MVLS Notice notes that, to regain compliance, the Company’s MVLS must close at or above $50,000,000 for a minimum of ten consecutive business days during the MVLS Compliance Period. The MVLS Notice further notes that if the Company is unable to satisfy the MVLS requirement prior to such date, the Company may be eligible to transfer the listing of its securities to The Nasdaq Capital Market (provided that the Company then satisfies the requirements for continued listing on that market). If the Company does not regain compliance by the end of the MVLS Compliance Period, Nasdaq staff will provide written notice to the Company that its securities are subject to . At that time, the Company may appeal any such determination to a hearings panel. The MVLS Notice has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s ordinary shares on the Nasdaq Global Market. While the Company is exercising efforts to maintain the listing of its securities on Nasdaq, there can be no assurance that the Company will be to or maintain compliance with Nasdaq listing standards.
On April 25, 2025, the Company received a notification letter (the “MVPHS Notice”) from Nasdaq notifying the Company that, for the previous 30 consecutive business days, the Company’s market value of publicly held shares (“MVPHS”) closed below the $15,000,000 MVPHS threshold required for continued listing on the Nasdaq Global Market under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(b)(2) (the “MVPHS Rule”). In accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(D), the Company has 180 calendar days, or until October 22, 2025 (the “MVPHS Compliance Period”), to regain compliance with the MVPHS Rule. The MVPHS Notice notes that, to regain compliance, the Company’s MVPHS must close at or above $15,000,000 for a minimum of ten consecutive business days during the MVPHS Compliance Period. The MVPHS Notice further notes that if the Company is unable to satisfy the MVPHS requirement prior to such date, the Company may be eligible to transfer the listing of its securities to The Nasdaq Capital Market (provided that the Company then satisfies the requirements for continued listing on that market). If the Company does not regain compliance by the end of the MVPHS Compliance Period, Nasdaq staff will provide written notice to the Company that its securities are subject to . At that time, the Company may appeal any such determination to a hearings panel. The MVPHS Notice has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s ordinary shares on the Nasdaq Global Market. The notice does not affect the Company’s ongoing business operations or its reporting requirements with the SEC. The Company intends to actively monitor the Company’s MVPHS between now and October 22, 2025, and may, if appropriate, evaluate available options to the and compliance with the MVPHS Rule. While the Company is exercising efforts to maintain the listing of its securities on Nasdaq, there can be no assurance that the Company will be to or maintain compliance with Nasdaq listing standards.
In connection with the Reports Notice received on February 28, 2025, on June 4, 2025, the Company received a determination letter (the “Determination”) from Nasdaq stating that Nasdaq had determined that the Company did not provide a definitive plan evidencing its ability to achieve compliance with the Listing Rule before July 15, 2025, or 180 days following the due date of the Initial Delinquent Filing. The Determination stated that, as a result, the Company’s request for continued listing on Nasdaq was denied and that trading of the Company’s ordinary shares will be suspended at the opening of business on June 13, 2025 and that a Form 25-NSE will be filed with the SEC, which will remove the Company’s securities from listing and registration on Nasdaq. The Determination also stated that the Company is not in compliance with Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) due to the Company’s delay in filing its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2025. The Determination informed the Company that it may appeal the decision to a Hearings Panel (the “Panel”).
On June 11, 2025, the Company submitted an appeal to Nasdaq requesting a hearing before the Panel pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Nasdaq Listing Rule 5800 Series. The Company intends to present to the Panel its plan to regain and thereafter maintain compliance with the Listing Rule. The hearing request stays the suspension of the Company’s securities and the filing of the Form 25-NSE for a period of 15 days from the date of the request. In connection with the hearing request, the Company also requested a stay of the suspension pending the hearing (the “Additional Stay”). The Company submitted the payment of a hearing fee in the amount of $20,000.00 payable to Nasdaq.
On June 12, 2025, the Company received a letter that the Staff’s determination has been stayed, pending a final written decision by the Panel. The hearing will be held on July 17, 2025. Thus, the Company’s Class A Ordinary Shares will continue to trade at least until the Company receives the written response to hearing.
On June 18, 2025, the Company received a written notice from Nasdaq indicating that the Company no longer complied with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1) (“Rule 5450(a)(1)”) requiring that listed securities maintain a minimum bid price of $0.10 per share based upon the Company’s closing bid price for the last 10 consecutive trading days prior to the notice. The notice also stated that the noncompliance with Rule 5450(a)(1) serves as an additional basis for delisting the Company’s securities from Nasdaq, and that the matter will be considered at the hearing to be held on July 17, 2025. This notice served only as a notification of deficiency, not of imminent delisting, and has no current effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s securities. The suspension of the Company’s securities due to its noncompliance with Rule 5450(a)(1) has been stayed pending the July 17, 2025 hearing.
On July 17, 2025, Chris Lai, the Company’s CEO/CFO attended the hearing with the Nasdaq Hearing Panel (the “Hearing Panel”) and, together with the Company’s attorney, presented the Company’s case to the Hearing Panel. During the hearing, Chris Lai made a commitment to the Hearing Panel that the Company’s Forms 10-Q for the three months ended December 31, 2024, March 31, 2025, and June 30, 2025 would be filed by the middle of September 2025.
On July 25, 2025, the Company received a decision letter from the Nasdaq Hearings Panel granting the Company’s request to continue its listing on The Nasdaq Stock. The decision is conditioned on the Company (i) demonstrating compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1) (the “Bid Price Rule”) on or before August 29, 2025, (ii) demonstrating compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(c)(1) (the “Periodic Filing Rule”) on or before September 15, 2025, and (iii) providing the Panel with an update regarding the Company’s fundraising plans on or before September 30, 2025.
On August 7, 2025, the Company held an extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders of the Company to vote and approve 1) The Share Capital Reorganization Proposal 2) The Share Consolidation Proposal 3) The Charter Amendment Proposal and 4) The Adjournment Proposal. On the same day, the Board approved the implementation of the share consolidation at a ratio of 1-for-60 (the “Share Consolidation”).
On August 25, 2025, the Share Consolidation became effective, causing every 60 ordinary shares of $0.0001 issued and outstanding to automatically be combined into one ordinary share of $0.006. The Share Consolidation did not affect any shareholder’s percentage ownership, except for adjustments that resulted from the treatment of fractional shares, which were rounded up to the nearest whole share. Further, the par value of the ordinary shares was increased from $0.0001 per share to $0.006 per share.
On September 2, 2025, the Company received a written notice from Nasdaq indicating that because the Company did not regain compliance with the MVLS Rule, requiring that the Company maintain a minimum market value of its listed securities of $50,000,000 for 30 consecutive trading days, by September 1, 2025, Nasdaq will consider this deficiency in their decision regarding the Company’s continued listing on The Nasdaq Global Market. The notice has no immediate effect on the listing of the Company’s ordinary shares on The Nasdaq Global Market. However, Nasdaq has requested the Company to present its views with respect to this notice to Nasdaq in writing no later than September 9, 2025. The Company has previously agreed with Nasdaq that it would provide Nasdaq with an update regarding the Company’s fundraising plans on or before September 30, 2025. On September 26, 2025, the Company provided Nasdaq with an update regarding its fundraising plans.
On September 24, 2025, the Company received a written notice from Nasdaq indicating the Company has regained compliance with the Period Filing Rule, which requires all listed companies to timely file all required period financial reports with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Bid Price Rule, which requires listed companies to maintain a minimum bid price of at least $1.00 per share for their primary equity security to remain listed, as required by the July 25, 2025 decision in this matter determined by the Panel. The notice further stated that the Company will be subject to a Mandatory Panel Monitor for a period of one year from the date of the notice, which means that if within that one-year monitoring period, Nasdaq finds that the Company is out of compliance with the Periodic Filing Rule, the Company will not be permitted to provide Nasdaq with a plan of compliance with respect to that deficiency and Nasdaq will not be permitted to grant additional time for the Company to regain compliance with respect to that deficiency. Instead, Nasdaq will issue a Delist Determination Letter, and the Company will then have an opportunity to request a new hearing with the Panel or a newly convened Hearings Panel, if the Panel is . The Company’s securities may be from Nasdaq at that time.
On October 29, 2025, the Company received a written notice from Nasdaq indicating that because the Company did not regain compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(b)(2)(C), requiring that the Company maintain a minimum market value of its publicly held shares of $15,000,000 for 30 consecutive trading days (the “MVPHS Requirement”), by October 22, 2025, Nasdaq will consider this deficiency in their decision regarding the Company’s continued listing on the Nasdaq Global Market. The Notice further stated that the Company also does not currently satisfy the continued listing requirements under the Nasdaq Global Market’s Maintenance Standard 2, which includes the MVPHS Requirement described above. Further, the Company, at the request of Nasdaq, has been providing updates to Nasdaq’s Hearings Panel regarding its fundraising plans and also plans to regain compliance with its continued listing requirements. The Notice has no immediate effect on the listing of the Company’s ordinary shares on The Nasdaq Global Market. However, Nasdaq has requested the Company to present its views with respect to this Notice to Nasdaq in writing no later than November 5, 2025.
On November 11, 2025, the Company received a written notice from a Hearings Advisor from the Office of the General Counsel of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC indicating that the Nasdaq Hearings Panel (the “Panel”) determined to delist Graphjet’s securities from The Nasdaq Global Market. The Panel’s determination was based on Graphjet’s failure to regain compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rules 5450(b)(2&3)(C) and 5450(b)(2)(A), the market value of publicly held shares and market value of listed securities, respectively. Accordingly, Graphjet’s securities were suspended from trading on November 13, 2025. Effective on November 13, 2025, Graphjet’s Class A ordinary shares commenced trading on the OTC Markets under the ticker symbol “GTIJF”.
Our Class A ordinary shares now trade on the OTC Pink Limited, which may limit liquidity and make it difficult for shareholders to sell shares at a favorable price.
Following the decision to delist our securities from Nasdaq on November 11, 2025, our Class A ordinary shares now trade on the OTC Pink Limited marketplace under the symbol “GTIJF”. Trading on OTC Pink may result in lower trading volumes and reduced liquidity compared to our prior listing, which could make it more difficult for shareholders to sell their shares at a favorable price or at all.
Trading on OTC Pink Limited may result in greater price volatility than when our stock was listed on a national exchange.
Securities quoted on OTC Pink are often subject to greater price volatility than securities on national exchanges. The limited liquidity and market depth may result in wide bid-ask spreads and significant fluctuations in the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares.
The delisting of our Class A ordinary shares could negatively affect investor perception and reduce demand of our shares.
Certain investors may view a delisting as a negative signal regarding our performance or prospects. Additionally, some institutional investors or funds are restricted from investing in OTC Pink securities, which could reduce demand and adversely affect the market price.
Our ability to raise additional capital may limited due to trading on OTC Pink Limited.
Trading on OTC Pink may reduce the attractiveness of our securities in public offerings. The perceived higher risk of OTC Pink securities and potential limitations on institutional investment could reduce demand for our securities in equity offerings.
