Exhibit 10.3
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Indemnification Agreement
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THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of August 1st, 2026, by and between WhiteFiber, Inc., incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”) and Justin Zhu (“Indemnitee”).
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RECITALS
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WHEREAS, the Company desires to employ Indemnitee as its Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”);
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WHEREAS, Indemnitee would not be willing to accept such employment in the absence of this Agreement;
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WHEREAS, the Company is willing to provide this Agreement in order to induce Indemnitee to accept such employment as the Company’s CFO and to enter into that certain Employment Agreement dated the date hereof between the Company and Indemnitee;
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WHEREAS, (i) the Articles of Association of the Company (as may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Articles”) require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company, (ii) Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to the laws of the Company’s state or country of incorporation and/or the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (as may be amended or restated from time to time, (the “Certificate of Incorporation”);
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WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles and Certificate of Incorporation (and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto) and any such laws, and such Articles, Certificate of Incorporation, resolutions and other laws shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;
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WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the protection available under the organizational documents of the Company and any insurance policies maintained by the Company as adequate in the present circumstances, and Indemnitee may not be willing to continue to serve in his capacity as a director or officer of the Company without the additional protections set forth in this Agreement;
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WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, on the basis of the foregoing, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company to obligate itself contractually to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that he will not be so indemnified; and
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WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the organizational documents of the Company and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;
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NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and agreements herein contained, and intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto agree as follows:
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AGREEMENT
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1. INDEMNIFICATION OF INDEMNITEE. The Company hereby agrees to hold harmless and indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, as such may be amended from time to time. In furtherance of the foregoing indemnification, and without limiting the generality thereof:
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**(a) **Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this Section 1(a) if, by reason of his Corporate Status (as defined in Section 14(a)), the Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding (as defined in Section 14(f)) other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company. Pursuant to this Section 1(a), Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses (as defined in Section 14(d)), judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him, or on his behalf, in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner the Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
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**(b) **Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this Section 1(b) if, by reason of his Corporate Status, the Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company. Pursuant to this Section 1(b), Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by the Indemnitee, or on the Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with such Proceeding if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner the Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company; provided, however, that if applicable law so provides, no indemnification against such Expenses shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter in such Proceeding as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Company unless and to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that such indemnification may be made.
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**(c) **Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a party to and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding, he shall be indemnified to the maximum extent permitted by law, as such may be amended from time to time, against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him, or on his behalf, in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him, or on his behalf, in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. For purposes of this Section 1(c) and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
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**(d) **For avoidance of doubt, the indemnification provided by this Agreement shall apply, without limitation, with respect to any Proceeding or matter that relates to a period prior to the date of this Agreement or arises with respect to acts, omissions, events or conditions that are alleged to have occurred prior to the date of this Agreement.
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2. ADDITIONAL INDEMNITY. In addition to, and without regard to any limitations on, the indemnification provided for in Section 1 of this Agreement, the Company shall and hereby does indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee against all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him, or on his behalf if, by reason of his Corporate Status, he is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company), including, without limitation, all liability arising out of the negligence or active or passive wrongdoing of Indemnitee. The only limitation that shall exist upon the Company’s obligations pursuant to this Agreement shall be that the Company shall not be obligated to make any payment to Indemnitee that is finally determined (under the procedures, and subject to the presumptions, set forth in Sections 6 and 7 hereof) to be unlawful.
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3. CONTRIBUTION.
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**(a) **Whether or not the indemnification provided in Sections 1 and 2 hereof is available, in respect of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), the Company shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount of any judgment or settlement of such Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have against Indemnitee. The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.
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**(b) **Without diminishing or impairing the obligations of the Company set forth in Section 3(a), if, for any reason, Indemnitee shall elect or be required to pay all or any portion of any judgment or settlement in any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), the Company shall contribute to the amount of Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred and paid or payable by Indemnitee in proportion to the relative benefits received by the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, from the transaction from which such Proceeding arose; provided, however, that the proportion determined on the basis of relative benefit may, to the extent necessary to conform to law, be further adjusted by reference to the relative fault of the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, in connection with the events that resulted in such expenses, judgments, fines or settlement amounts, as well as any other equitable considerations which the Law may require to be considered. The relative fault of the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, the degree to which their actions were motivated by intent to gain personal profit or advantage, the degree to which their liability is primary or secondary and the degree to which their conduct is active or passive.
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**(c) **The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify and hold Indemnitee harmless from any claims of contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.
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**(d) **To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect: (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).
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4. INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a witness, or is made (or asked to) respond to discovery requests, in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him, or on his behalf, in connection therewith.
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5. ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall advance all Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status within thirty (30) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting such advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding. Such statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by a written undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against such Expenses. Any advances and undertakings to repay pursuant to this Section 5 shall be unsecured and interest free.
6. PROCEDURES AND PRESUMPTIONS FOR DETERMINING ENTITLEMENT TO INDEMNIFICATION. It is the intent of this Agreement to secure for Indemnitee rights of indemnification that are as favorable as may be permitted under applicable law. Accordingly, the parties agree that the following procedures and presumptions shall apply in the event of any question as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement:
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**(a) **To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any failure of Indemnitee to provide such a request to the Company, or to provide such a request in a timely fashion, shall not relieve the Company of any liability that it may have to Indemnitee unless, and to the extent that, such failure actually and materially prejudices the interests of the Company.
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**(b) **Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 6(a) hereof, a determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by one of the following four methods, which shall be at the election of the Board: (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors (as defined in Section 14(b)), even though less than a quorum; (ii) by a committee of those Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum; or (iii) if there are no Disinterested Directors or if the Disinterested Directors so direct, by Independent Counsel (as defined in Section 14(e)) in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to the Indemnitee; provided, however, that, if requested at any time by Indemnitee, notwithstanding the foregoing, any determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification hereunder shall be made solely by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered concurrently to the Indemnitee.
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**(c) **If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 6(c). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board, subject to written approval of Indemnitee. If, within twenty (20) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected with the written approval of the Indemnitee, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition a court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Indemnitee to the Company’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by such other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 6(b) hereof. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by such Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 6(c).
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**(d) **In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. Neither the failure of the Company (including by its directors or independent legal counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by its directors or independent legal counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
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**(e) **Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise (as defined in Section 14(c)), including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent, consultant or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(e) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.
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**(f) **If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under this Section 6 to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification absent a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such 60-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires.
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**(g) **Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any Independent Counsel or member of the Board shall act reasonably and in good faith in making a determination regarding the Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
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**(h) **The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such Proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such Proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.
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**(i) **The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
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7. REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE.
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**(a) **In the event that: (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement; (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 5 of this Agreement; (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification is made pursuant to Section 6(b) of this Agreement within ninety (90) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification; (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor; or (v) payment of indemnification is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or such determination is deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in any court of competent jurisdiction of Indemnitee’s entitlement to such indemnification. Indemnitee shall commence such proceeding seeking an adjudication within one hundred eighty (180) days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 7(a). The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication.
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**(b) **In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of the adverse determination under Section 6(b).
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**(c) **If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7, absent: (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s misstatement not materially misleading in connection with the application for indemnification; or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
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**(d) **In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 7, seeks a judicial adjudication of his rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, or to recover under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, the Company shall pay on his behalf, in advance, any and all expenses (of the types described in the definition of “Expenses” in Section 14(d) of this Agreement) actually and reasonably incurred by him in such judicial adjudication, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance recovery.
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**(e) **The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, such expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or advance of Expenses from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advancement of Expenses or insurance recovery, as the case may be.
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**(f) **Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding.
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**8. NON-EXCLUSIVITY, SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS, ETC. **
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**(a) **The rights of indemnification as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the organizational documents of the Company, any other agreement with the Company, a vote of the Company’s stockholders, a resolution of the Board or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in any applicable law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification than would be afforded currently under the Company’s organizational documents and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
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**(b) **To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents, consultants or fiduciaries of the Company or of any other Enterprise, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary under such policy or policies. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has directors’ and officers’ liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
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**(c) **In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
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**(d) **The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment of such amounts under any insurance policy, contract, other agreement or otherwise.
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**(e) **The Company’s obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent, consultant or fiduciary of any Enterprise other than the Company shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other Enterprise.
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9. EXCEPTION TO RIGHT OF INDEMNIFICATION. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to provide any indemnification in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee: (i) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, provided that the foregoing shall not affect the rights of Indemnitee; (ii) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or (iii) in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (A) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (B) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.
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10. DURATION OF AGREEMENT. All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue until the date that is ten (10) years after the date upon which Indemnitee’s Corporate Status terminates and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any Proceeding (or any proceeding commenced under Section 7 hereof) by reason of his Corporate Status, whether or not he is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives.
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11. SECURITY. If requested by Indemnitee, the Company shall from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder, in such sums as Indemnitee shall reasonably require to secure all possible obligations under this Agreement, through an irrevocable bank line of credit, letter(s) of credit, surety bond, funded trust or other collateral or retainer to counsel of Indemnitee’s choosing. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee. The Company shall provide the security required under this Section 11 within sixty (60) days after a request for such security is made by Indemnitee.
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12. ENFORCEMENT. The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumes the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as an officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as an officer of the Company. The Company shall not seek from a court, or agree to, a “bar order” that would have the effect of prohibiting or limiting Indemnitee’s rights to receive advancement of Expenses under this Agreement.
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13. INTENTIONALLY OMITTED.
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14. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement:
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**(a) **“Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was at any time (including, without limitation, any time prior to the date of this Agreement) a director, officer, employee, agent, consultant or fiduciary of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person is or was serving at the express written request of the Company or pursuant to agreement with the Company, including without limitation as a shareholder, member, officer, employee, consultant or independent contractor of Wellington.
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**(b) **“Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
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**(c) **“Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that Indemnitee is or was serving at the express written request of the Company or pursuant to agreement with the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent, consultant or fiduciary (including without limitation as a shareholder, member, officer, employee, consultant or independent contractor of Wellington).
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**(d) **“Expenses” shall include all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, participating, or being or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding, or responding to, or objecting to, a request to provide discovery in any Proceeding. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding and any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on the Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersede as bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
10**(e) **“Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
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**(f) **“Proceeding” includes any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding (including one pending on or before the date of this Agreement but excluding one initiated by an Indemnitee pursuant to Section 7 of this Agreement to enforce his rights under this Agreement), whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party or otherwise, by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was an officer or director of, or a consultant to, the Company (including without limitation as a shareholder, member, officer, employee, consultant or independent contractor of Wellington), by reason of any action taken by him or of any inaction on his part while acting as an officer or director of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he is or was serving at the request of the Company or pursuant to agreement with the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent, consultant or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other Enterprise (including without limitation as a shareholder, member, officer, employee, consultant or independent contractor of Wellington), in each case whether or not he is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement.
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15. SEVERABILITY. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision hereof shall in no way affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Agreement is intended to confer upon Indemnitee indemnification rights to the fullest extent permitted by applicable laws. In the event any provision hereof conflicts with any applicable law, such provision shall be deemed modified, consistent with the aforementioned intent, to the extent necessary to resolve such conflict.
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16. MODIFICATION AND WAIVER. No supplement, modification, termination or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
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17. NOTICE BY INDEMNITEE. Indemnitee agrees to promptly notify the Company in writing upon being served with or otherwise receiving any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification covered hereunder. The failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise unless and only to the extent that such failure or delay materially prejudices the Company.
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18. NOTICES. All notices and other communications given or made pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed effectively given: (i) upon personal delivery to the party to be notified; (ii) when sent by confirmed electronic mail or facsimile if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and if not so confirmed, then on the next business day; (iii) five (5) business days after having been sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid; or (iv) one business (1) day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight courier, specifying next day delivery, with written verification of receipt. All notices and other communications shall be sent:
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**(a) **To Indemnitee at the address set forth below Indemnitee’s signature hereto.
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**(b) **To the Company at:
WhiteFiber, Inc.
31 Hudson Yards, 11th Floor, Suite 30
New York, New York 10001
Attention: Sam Tabar, CEO
or to such other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.
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19. HEADINGS. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
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20. APPLICABLE LAW AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules that would require the application of any other laws. The Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware and any state appellate court therefrom within the State of Delaware (unless the Chancery Court declines to accept jurisdiction over a particular matter, in which case, in any Delaware state or federal court within the State of Delaware) (the “Chosen Courts”), and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Chosen Courts for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Chosen Courts, and (iv) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Chosen Courts has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.
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21. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
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22. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in two (2) or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. This Agreement may also be executed and delivered by facsimile signature (or other similar electronic means) and in two (2) or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the date and year first above written.
| WHITEFIBER, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Sam Tabar | |
| Name: | Sam Tabar | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| INDEMNITEE | ||
| By: | /s/ Justin Zhu | |
| Name: | Justin Zhu | |
| Address: | ||
[Signature page to Justin Zhu Indemnification Agreement]