Odysight.ai Inc. 10-K

item 1a. risk factors Risk Factor Summary Below is a summary of the principal factors that make an investment in the Company speculative or risky. This summary does not address all of the risks that we face. Additional discussion of the risks summarized in this risk factor summary, and other risks that we face, can be found below, after this summary, and should be carefully considered. Risks Related to Our Business, Operations and Financial Condition ● We have had a limited operating history and may not be able to successfully operate our business or execute our business plan. ● If we are unable to establish sales, marketing and distribution capabilities or enter into successful relationships with business targets and third parties to perform these services, we may not be successful in commercializing our products and technology. ● We may require substantial additional funding, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. ● We have a single customer that accounts for a substantial portion of our revenues, and our business would be harmed were we to lose this customer. ● If we fail to effectively manage growth, our business could be impaired. ● Our commercial success depends upon the degree of market acceptance by prospective markets and industries. ● Weakened global economic conditions may harm our industry, business and results of operations. 12 Risk Related to Third Parties ● Our reliance on third-party suppliers for most of the components of our products could harm our ability to meet demand for our products in a timely and cost-effective manner. ● We may not be able to manage our strategic partners effectively. ● We may not have sufficient manufacturing capabilities to satisfy any growing demand for our products. We may be unable to control the availability or cost of producing such products. Risks Related to Competition ● We expect to face competition in the future. If we cannot successfully compete with new or existing technologies or future developed products, our marketing and sales will suffer, and we may never be profitable. ● If we fail to comply with anti-bribery, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws, we could be subject to penalties and other adverse consequences. Risks Related to Intellectual Property ● We may not be able to obtain all possible patents or other intellectual property rights necessary to protect our proprietary technology and business. ● We may not be successful in enforcing our intellectual property rights against third parties. ● We may be subject to infringement claims and other litigation, which could adversely affect our business. ● Governmental regulation of non-practicing patent holders may adversely affect our business. General Risk Factors Related to Our Business ● Our business and operations may suffer in the event of computer system failures, cyber-attacks, or deficiencies in our cyber-security. ● We may be subject to product liability claims, product actions, including product recalls, and other field or regulatory actions that could be expensive, divert management’s attention, and harm our business. ● Testing of our technologies potential applications for our products will be required and there is no assurance of regulatory approval. ● We rely on highly skilled personnel, and, if we are unable to attract, retain, or motivate qualified personnel, we may not be able to operate our business effectively. ● Our data and information systems and network infrastructure may be subject to hacking or other cybersecurity threats. ● We incorporate artificial intelligence, or AI, into some of our products. This technology is new and developing and may present both compliance and reputational risks. Risks Related to Our Common Stock ● If the ownership of our Common Stock continues to be highly concentrated, it may prevent you and other minority stockholders from influencing significant corporate decisions and may result in conflicts of interest. ● Future resales of Common Stock may cause the market price of our Common Stock to drop significantly, even if our business is doing well. ● Trading on the OTC Markets is volatile, sporadic and often thin, which could depress the market price of our Common Stock and make it difficult for our stockholders to resell their Common Stock. ● Anti-takeover provisions contained in our articles and bylaws, as well as provisions of Nevada law, could impair a takeover attempt. ● The market price of our Common Stock may be highly volatile and such volatility could cause you to lose some or all of your investment. ● Our Common Stock is currently a “penny stock,” which imposes additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers that sell such securities. ● Compliance with the reporting requirements of federal securities laws can be expensive. ● Our investors’ ownership in the Company may be diluted in the future. ● Directors, executive officers, principal stockholders, and affiliated entities own a significant percentage of our capital stock, and they may make decisions that our stockholders do not consider to be in their best interests. ● We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. 13 Risks Related to our Operations in Israel ● We are subject to the risks of political, economic, health, and military instability in countries outside the United States in which we operate. ● Conditions in Israel, including the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas and other terrorist organizations and Israel’s war against them, if escalated, could negatively affect our operations. ● Other instances of political, economic, or military instability in Israel, if escalated, could impede our ability to operate and harm our financial results. ● It may be difficult for investors in the United States to enforce any judgments obtained against us or some of our directors or officers. ● Exchange rate fluctuations between foreign currencies and the U.S. Dollar may negatively affect our earnings. ● Certain technology developed and used by us received Israeli government grants for certain research and development activities. The terms of those grants require us to satisfy specified conditions in addition to repayment of the grants upon certain events. ● We may become subject to claims for remuneration or royalties for assigned service invention rights by our employees, which could result in litigation and adversely affect our business. Certain factors may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. You should carefully consider the following risks, together with all of the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the sections titled “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Any of the following risks could materially and adversely affect our business, strategies, prospects, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. In such case, the market price of our common stock could decline. Our business, prospects, financial condition, or results of operations could also be harmed by risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently do not believe are material. Risks Related to Our Business, Operations and Financial Condition We have had a limited operating history and may not be able to successfully operate our business or execute our business plan. Given our limited operating history, it is hard to evaluate our proposed business and prospects. Our proposed business operations will be subject to numerous risks, uncertainties, expenses, and difficulties associated with early-stage enterprises. Such risks include, but are not limited to, the following: ● the absence of a lengthy operating history; ● potential for ongoing operating losses; ● operating in multiple currencies; ● our ability to anticipate and adapt to a developing market(s); ● acceptance of our products by the medical and industrial (I4.0) markets and consumers; ● introducing innovation to conservative industries; ● development risks and implementation of new software and algorithm for AI and cloud utilization; ● insufficient capital to fully realize our operating plan; ● a competitive environment; ● the ability to identify, attract, and retain qualified personnel; and ● operating in an environment that is highly regulated by a number of agencies. 14 Because we are subject to these risks, evaluating our business may be difficult, our business strategy may be unsuccessful and we may be unable to address such risks in a cost-effective manner, if at all. We have not earned a profit in any full fiscal year since our inception, and we cannot be certain as to when or if we will achieve or maintain profitability. If we are unable to successfully address these risks our business could be harmed. If we are unable to establish sales, marketing and distribution capabilities or enter into successful relationships with business targets and third parties to perform these services, we may not be successful in commercializing our products and technology. Given that we are currently as a B2B company, our business is reliant on our ability to successfully attract potential business targets. Furthermore, we have a limited sales and marketing infrastructure and have limited experience in the sale, marketing, or distribution of our technologies beyond the B2B model. To achieve commercial success for our technologies or any future developed product, we will need to establish a sales and marketing infrastructure or to out-license such future products. In the future, we may consider building a focused sales and marketing infrastructure to market any developed products and potentially other products in the United States or elsewhere in the world. There are risks involved with establishing our own sales, marketing, and distribution capabilities. For example, recruiting, and training a sales force could be expensive and time consuming and could delay any product launch. This may be costly, and our investment would be lost if we cannot retain or reposition our sales and marketing personnel. Factors that may inhibit our efforts to commercialize any future products on our own include: ● we have not recruited adequate numbers of effective sales and marketing personnel; ● the challenge of sales personnel to obtain access to potential customers; ● the lack of complementary products to be offered by sales personnel or lack of product-market fit, which may put us at a competitive disadvantage relative to companies with more extensive product lines; and ● unforeseen costs and expenses associated with creating an independent sales and marketing organization. If we are unable to establish our own sales, marketing, and distribution capabilities or enter into successful arrangements with third parties to perform these services, we will not be successful in commercializing our technologies or any future products we may develop, and our revenues and profitability may be materially adversely affected. We may require substantial additional funding, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. Our cash and short-term deposit balance as of December 31, 2023 was $17 million. We may require additional funding to fund and grow our operations and to develop certain products. There can be no assurance that financing will be available in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all. In the event we require additional capital, the inability to obtain such capital will restrict our ability to grow and may reduce our ability to continue to conduct business operations. If we require and are unable to obtain additional financing, we will likely be required to curtail our development plans. In that event, current stockholders would likely experience a loss of most or all of their investment. Additional funding may be dilutive to the interests of existing stockholders. 15 We have a single customer that accounts for a substantial portion of our revenues , and our business would be harmed were we to lose this customer. We currently have one major customer, a leading Fortune 500 multinational healthcare corporation, which accounted for approximately 98% and 81% of our revenues for 2023 and 2022, respectively, and is expected to generate most of our forecasted revenue in the near term. Were we to lose this customer, our revenues would decline significantly, and our business would be harmed. If we fail to effectively manage growth, our business could be impaired. Our business strategy contemplates a period of rapid growth which may put a strain on our administrative and operational resources, and our funding requirements. Our ability to effectively manage growth will require us to successfully expand the capabilities of our operational and management systems, and to attract, train, manage, and retain qualified personnel. There can be no assurance that we will be able to do so, particularly if losses continue and we are unable to obtain sufficient financing. If we are unable to appropriately manage growth, our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected. Our commercial success depends upon the degree of market acceptance by such prospective markets and industries as defense and aviation, as well as by the medical community. Our current business model is that of a B2B approach in which we seek to identify target businesses interested in integrating our technology or commissioning individual projects using our technology. Any product that we commission or that is brought to the market may or may not gain market acceptance by prospective customers. The commercial success of our technologies, current products, and any future product that we may develop depends in part on the medical community as well as other industries for various use cases, depending on the acceptance by such industries of our products as a useful and cost-effective solution compared to current technologies. During 2022, we commenced proactive market penetration into industries other than the biomedical sector, such as the defense and aviation industries. If our technology or any future product that we may develop does not achieve an adequate level of acceptance, or does not garner significant commercial appeal, we may not generate significant revenue and may not become profitable. The degree of market acceptance will depend on a number of factors, including: ● the cost, safety, efficacy/performance, perceived value and convenience of our technology and any current or future product that we may develop; ● the ability of third parties to enter into relationships with us; ● the effectiveness of our sales and marketing efforts; ● the strength of marketing and distribution support for, and timing of market introduction of, competing technology and products; and ● publicity concerning our technology or products or competing technology and products. Our efforts to penetrate industries and educate the marketplace on the benefits of our technology, and reasons to seek the commissioning of products based on our technology, may require significant resources and may never be successful. Such efforts to educate the marketplace may require more resources than are required by conventional technologies. Weakened global economic conditions may harm our industry, business and results of operations. Our overall performance depends in part on worldwide economic conditions. Global financial developments and downturns seemingly unrelated to us or may harm us. The United States and other key international economies have been affected from time to time by falling demand for a variety of goods and services, restricted credit, reduced liquidity, reduced corporate profitability, volatility in credit, equity and foreign exchange markets, bankruptcies, inflation and overall uncertainty with respect to the economy, including with respect to tariff and trade issues. Weak economic conditions or the perception thereof, or significant uncertainty regarding the stability of financial markets related to stock market volatility, inflation, recession, changes in tariffs, trade agreements, or governmental fiscal, monetary and tax policies, among others, could adversely impact our business, financial condition and operating results. 16 More recently, inflation rates in the U.S. have been higher than in previous years, which may result in decreased demand for our products and services, increases in our operating costs including our labor costs, constrained credit and liquidity, reduced government spending and volatility in financial markets. The Federal Reserve has raised, and may again raise, interest rates in response to concerns over inflation risk. Increases in interest rates on credit and debt that would increase the cost of any borrowing that we may make from time to time and could impact our ability to access the capital markets. Increases in interest rates, especially if coupled with reduced government spending and volatility in financial markets, may have the effect of further increasing economic uncertainty and heightening these risks. In an inflationary environment, we may be unable to raise the sales prices of our products at or above the rate at which our costs increase, which could reduce our profit margins and have a material adverse effect on our financial results and net income. We also may experience lower than expected sales and potential adverse impacts on our competitive position if there is a decrease in consumer spending or a negative reaction to our pricing. A reduction in our revenue would be detrimental to our profitability and financial condition and could also have an adverse impact on our future growth. Risk Related to Third Parties Our reliance on third-party suppliers for most of the components of our products could harm our ability to meet demand for our products in a timely and cost-effective manner. We rely on our third-party suppliers to obtain an adequate supply of quality components on a timely basis with favorable terms to manufacture our products. Some of those components that we sell are provided to us by a limited number of suppliers. We will be subject to disruptions in our operations if our sole or limited supply contract manufacturers decrease or stop production of components or do not produce components and products of sufficient quantity or quality. Alternative sources for our components will not always be available. Though we attempt to ensure the availability of more than one supplier for each important component in any product that we commission, the number of suppliers engaged in the provision of miniature video sensors which are suitable for our CMOS technology mainly in the medical domain is very limited, and therefore in some cases we engage with a single supplier, which may result in our dependency on such supplier. This is the case regarding sensors for the CMOS type technology that are produced by a single supplier in the United States. As we do not have a direct general contract in place with this supplier, there is no contractual commitment on the part of such supplier for any set quantity of such sensors. The loss of our sole supplier in providing us with miniature sensors for our CMOS technology products mainly in the medical domain, and our inability or delay in finding a suitable replacement supplier, could negatively affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and reputation. We are also subject to other risks inherent in the manufacturing of our products and their supply chain, including industrial accidents, natural disasters (including as a result of climate change), environmental events, strikes, and other labor disputes, capacity constraints, disruptions in material or packaging supplies, as well as global shortages, disruptions in supply chain or information technology, loss or impairment of key manufacturing sites or suppliers, product quality control, safety, increase in commodity prices and energy costs, licensing requirements and other regulatory issues, as well as other external factors over which we have no control. If such an event were to occur, it could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, if we cannot supply current products or future potentially developed products due to a lack of components or are unable to utilize other components in a timely manner, our business will be significantly harmed. If inventory shortages occur, they could be expected to have a material and adverse effect on our future revenues and ability to effectively project future sales and operating results. We may not be able to manage our strategic partners effectively. We have entered into, and we may continue to enter into, strategic alliances with third parties to gain access to new and innovative technologies and markets. These parties are often large, established companies. Negotiating and performing under these arrangements involves significant time and expense, and we may not have sufficient resources to devote to our strategic alliances, particularly those with companies that have significantly greater financial and other resources than we do. The anticipated benefits of these arrangements may never materialize and performing under these arrangements may adversely affect our results of operations. 17 Failure to manage our current partners effectively or enter into new strategic alliances may affect our success in executing our business plan and may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operation. We may not realize the anticipated benefits of any or all partnerships or may not realize them in the time frame expected. We may not have sufficient manufacturing capabilities to satisfy any growing demand for our products. We may be unable to control the availability or cost of producing such products. Our current manufacturing capabilities may not reach the required production levels necessary in order to meet growing demands for any products we may commission or future products we may develop. There can be no assurance that our products can be manufactured at our desired commercial quantities, in compliance with our requirements, and at an acceptable cost. Any such failure could delay or prevent us from shipping said products and marketing our technologies in accordance with our target growth strategies. Risks Related to Competition We expect to face competition in the future. If we cannot successfully compete with new or existing technologies or future developed products, our marketing and sales will suffer, and we may never be profitable. We expect to compete against existing technologies and proven products in different industries. In addition, some of these competitors, either alone or together with their collaborative partners, operate larger research, and development programs than we do, and may have substantially greater financial resources than we do, as well as significantly greater experience in obtaining regulatory approvals applicable to the commercialization of relevant competitive technologies and future products. If we fail to comply with anti-bribery, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws, we could be subject to penalties and other adverse consequences. We are subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or the FCPA, Chapter 9 (sub-chapter 5) of the Israeli Penal Law, 5737-1977, and the Israeli Prohibition on Money Laundering Law, 5760-2000, collectively, the Israeli Anti-Corruption Laws, and the UK Bribery Act 2010, or UK Bribery Act, and other anticorruption, anti-bribery and anti-money laundering laws in the jurisdictions in which we do business, both domestic and abroad. These laws generally prohibit us and our employees from improperly influencing government officials or commercial parties in order to obtain or retain business, direct business to any person or gain any advantage. The FCPA, the Israeli Anti-Corruption Laws, the UK Bribery Act, and other applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws also may hold us liable for acts of corruption and bribery committed by our third-party business partners, representatives and agents. In addition, we leverage third parties to sell our products and conduct our business abroad. We and our third-party business partners, representatives and agents may have direct or indirect interactions with officials and employees of government agencies or state-owned or affiliated entities and we may be held liable for the corrupt or other illegal activities of these third-party business partners and intermediaries, our employees, representatives, contractors, channel partners and agents, even if we do not explicitly authorize such activities. These laws also require that we keep accurate books and records and maintain internal controls and compliance procedures designed to prevent any such actions. While we have policies and procedures to address compliance with such laws, we cannot provide complete assurance that our employees and agents will not take actions in violation of our policies or applicable law, for which we may be ultimately held responsible. Our potential exposure for violating these laws increases as our international presence expands and we increase sales and operations in foreign jurisdictions. Any violation of the FCPA, the Israeli Anti-Corruption Laws, the UK Bribery Act, or other applicable anti-bribery, anti-corruption laws and anti-money laundering laws could result in whistleblower complaints, adverse media coverage, investigations, imposition of significant legal fees, loss of export privileges, severe criminal or civil sanctions or suspension or debarment from U.S. government contracts, substantial diversion of management’s attention, a decline in the market price of our Common Stock or overall adverse consequences to our reputation and business, all of which may have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. 18 Risks Related to Intellectual Property We may not be able to obtain patents or other intellectual property rights necessary to protect our proprietary technology and business. We may seek to patent concepts, components, processes, designs and methods, and other inventions and technologies that we consider to have commercial value or that will likely give us a technological advantage. Despite devoting resources to the research and development of proprietary technology, we may not be able to develop technology that is patentable or protectable. Patents may not be issued in connection with pending patent applications, and claims allowed may not be sufficient to allow them to use the inventions that they create exclusively. Furthermore, any patents issued could be challenged, re-examined, held invalid or unenforceable, or circumvented and may not provide sufficient protection or a competitive advantage. In addition, despite efforts to protect and maintain patents, competitors and other third parties may be able to design around their patents or develop products similar to our work products that are not within the scope of their patents. Finally, patents provide certain statutory protection only for a limited period of time that varies depending on the jurisdiction and type of patent. Prosecution and protection of the rights sought in patent applications and patents can be costly, lengthy, and uncertain, often involve complex legal and factual issues, and consume significant time and resources. In addition, the breadth of claims allowed in our patents, their enforceability, and our ability to protect and maintain them cannot be predicted with any certainty. The laws of certain countries may not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States. Even if our patents are held to be valid and enforceable in a certain jurisdiction, any legal proceedings that we may initiate against third parties to enforce such patents will likely be expensive, take significant time, and divert management’s attention from other business matters. We cannot assure that any of our issued patents or pending patent applications provide any protectable, maintainable, or enforceable rights or competitive advantages to us. In addition to patents, we plan to rely on a combination of copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and other related laws and confidentiality procedures and contractual provisions to protect, maintain, and enforce our proprietary technology and intellectual property rights in the United States and other countries. However, our ability to protect our brands by registering certain trademarks may be limited. In addition, while we will generally enter into confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements with our employees, consultants, contract manufacturers, distributors and resellers, and with others to attempt to limit access to and distribution of our proprietary and confidential information, it is possible that: ● misappropriation of our proprietary and confidential information, including technology, will nevertheless occur; ● our confidentiality agreements will not be honored or may be rendered unenforceable; ● third parties will independently develop equivalent, superior, or competitive technology or products; ● disputes will arise with our current or future strategic licensees, customers, or others concerning the ownership, validity, enforceability, use, patentability, or registrability of intellectual property; or ● unauthorized disclosure of our know-how, trade secrets, or other proprietary or confidential information will occur. We may not be successful in enforcing our intellectual property rights against third parties. Unlicensed copying and use of our intellectual property or infringement of our intellectual property rights may result in the loss of revenue to us and cause us other harm. We seek diligently to enforce our intellectual property rights. Although we devote significant resources to developing and protecting our technologies and evaluating potential competitors of our technologies for infringement of our intellectual property rights, these infringements may nonetheless go undetected or may arise in the future. In the ordinary course of business, we encounter companies that we suspect are infringing on our intellectual property rights. When we encounter a company that we suspect is infringing our intellectual property rights, we may try to analyze their products and/or try to negotiate a license arrangement with such party. If we try and are unable to negotiate a license or secure the agreement of such alleged infringing party to cease its activities, we must make decisions as to how best to enforce our intellectual property rights. 19 The process of negotiating a license with a third party can be lengthy and may take months or even years in some circumstances. Even if we are successful in securing a license agreement, there can be no assurance that our technologies will be used in a product that is ultimately brought to market, achieves commercial acceptance or results in significant royalties to us. We generally incur expense prior to entering into our license agreements, generating a license fee, and establishing a royalty stream from each customer. We may incur costs in any particular period before any associated revenue stream begins, if at all. Further, it is possible that third parties who we believe are infringing our intellectual property rights are unwilling to license our intellectual property from us on terms we can accept, or at all. If we cannot persuade a third party who we believe is infringing our technology to enter into a license with us, we may be required to consider other alternatives to enforce our rights, including commencing litigation. The decision to commence litigation over infringement of a patent is complex and may lead to several risks to us, including the following, among others: ● the time, significant expense and distraction to management of managing such litigation; ● the uncertainty of litigation and its potential outcomes; ● the possibility that in the course of such litigation, the defendant may challenge the validity of our patents, which could result in a re-examination or post grant review of our patents and the possibility that our patents may be limited in scope or invalidated altogether; ● the potential that the defendant may successfully persuade a court that their technology or products do not infringe our intellectual property rights; ● the impact of such litigation on other licensing relationships we have or seek to establish, including the timing of renewing or entering into such relationships, as applicable, as well as the terms of such relationships; and ● adverse publicity to us or harm to relationships we have with customers or others. Also, enforcement of patent protection throughout the world is generally established on a country-by-country basis and we may not have as much success enforcing our patents in foreign jurisdictions as in the United States. Further, in some instances, certain foreign governmental entities that might infringe our intellectual property rights may enjoy sovereign immunity from such claims. Consequently, effective protection of our intellectual property rights may be unavailable or limited. Defendants in any litigation we consider commencing may have substantially greater financial and management resources necessary to manage litigation than we have. Further, such potential defendants may also have their own substantial patent portfolio. Patent litigation can endure for years and result in millions of dollars of expenses. If our counterparties in such litigation have substantially greater resources than we have, we may not be able to withstand the time, expense, or distraction of the litigation, even though we may have a better litigation position than such counterparties. In such instances we may not recover the expenses of litigation, and we may be required to enter into settlement agreements that would be adverse to us or our intellectual property portfolio. The foregoing and other factors may cause us not to file or continue litigation against alleged infringers of our intellectual property rights, or may cause us not to file for, or pursue, patent protection for our inventive technology, in certain jurisdictions. Our failure to seek to enforce our intellectual property rights may weaken our ability to enforce our intellectual property in the future or make our efforts to license our intellectual property rights more difficult. If we fail to protect our intellectual property rights adequately, if there are adverse changes in applicable laws, or if we become involved in litigation relating to our intellectual property rights or the intellectual property rights of others, our business could be seriously harmed. In such cases, the value ascribed to our intellectual property could diminish, we may incur significant legal expenses that could harm our results of operations, and our patents or other intellectual property rights may be limited or invalidated. Any of the foregoing could have a negative effect on the value of our Common Stock. 20 We may be subject to infringement claims and other litigation, which could adversely affect our business. As more companies engage in business activities relating to predictive maintenance solutions, and develop corresponding intellectual property rights, it is increasingly likely that claims may arise which assert that some of our products or services infringe upon other parties’ intellectual property rights. These claims could subject us to costly litigation and divert management resources. These claims may require us to pay significant damages, cease production of infringing products, terminate our use of infringing technology, or develop non-infringing technologies. In these circumstances, continued use of our technology may require that we acquire licenses to the intellectual property that is the subject of the alleged infringement, and we might not be able to obtain these licenses on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Our use of protected technology may result in liability that could threaten our continued operation. Some of the contracts with our customers include indemnity and similar provisions regarding our non-infringement of third-party intellectual property rights. As deployment of our technology increases, and more companies enter our markets, the likelihood of a third-party lawsuit resulting from these provisions increases. If an infringement arose in a context governed by such a contract, we may have to refund to our customer amounts already paid to us or pay significant damages, or we may be sued by the party whose intellectual property has allegedly been infringed upon. Governmental regulation of non-practicing patent holders may adversely affect our business. Governmental policymakers and commercial participants have proposed reforming U.S. patent laws and regulations in a manner that may limit a patent-holder’s ability to enforce its patents against others to the extent that the holder is not practicing the subject matter of the patent at issue. The U.S. International Trade Commission has also recently taken certain actions that have been viewed as unfavorable to patentees seeking recourse in this forum. While we cannot predict what form any new patent reform laws or regulations may ultimately take, or what impact they may have on our business, any laws or regulations that restrict our ability to enforce our patent rights against third parties could have a material adverse effect on our business. General Risk Factors Related to Our Business Our business and operations may suffer in the event of computer system failures, cyber-attacks, or deficiencies in our cyber-security. Security incidents involving our information technology systems and those of third parties on which we rely have occurred in the past, such as phishing attacks, although none of these incidents have been material to our business. Such security incidents may occur in the future. Despite the implementation of security measures, our internal computer systems, and those of third parties on which we rely, are vulnerable to damage from computer viruses, malware, natural disasters, terrorism, war, telecommunication and electrical failures, cyber-attacks or cyber-intrusions over the Internet, attachments to emails, persons inside our organization, or persons with access to systems inside our organization. The risk of a security breach or disruption, particularly through cyber-attacks or cyber intrusion, including by computer hackers, foreign governments, and cyber terrorists, has generally increased as the number, intensity and sophistication of attempted attacks and intrusions from around the world have increased. If such an event were to occur and cause interruptions in our operations, it could result in a material disruption of our product development programs. To the extent that any disruption or security breach was to result in a loss of or damage to our data or applications, or inappropriate disclosure of confidential or proprietary information, we could incur material legal claims and liability, and damage to our reputation, and the further development of our product candidates could be delayed. We face an increasingly difficult challenge to attract and retain highly qualified security personnel to assist us in combatting these security threats. 21 We may be subject to product liability claims, product actions, including product recalls, and other field or regulatory actions that could be expensive, divert management’s attention, and harm our business. Our business exposes us to potential liability risks, product actions, and other field or regulatory actions that are inherent in the manufacturing, marketing and sale of medical devices, or any other products that we may develop for a target business. We may be held liable if such products cause injury or death or are found otherwise unsuitable or defective during usage. Our products incorporate mechanical and electrical parts, complex computer software, and other sophisticated components, any of which can contain errors or failures. Complex computer software is particularly vulnerable to errors and failures, especially when first introduced. In addition, new products or enhancements to our existing products may contain undetected errors or performance problems that, despite testing, are discovered only after installation. If any of our products are defective, whether due to design or manufacturing defects, improper use of the product, or other reasons, we may voluntarily or involuntarily undertake an action to remove, repair, or replace the product at our expense. In some circumstances we will be required to notify regulatory authorities of an action pursuant to a product failure. We cannot ensure that provisions in our customer contracts will be legally sufficient to protect us if we are subjected to legal action. In addition, our errors and omissions and product liability insurance coverage may not be completely adequate, may not continue to be available on reasonable terms or in sufficient amounts to cover one or more large claims, or the insurer may disclaim coverage as to some types of future claims. The successful assertion of any large claim against us could seriously harm our business. Even if not successful, these claims may result in significant legal and other costs, be a distraction to our management and harm our reputation. Testing of our technologies potential applications for our products will be required and there is no assurance of regulatory approval. The effect of government regulation and the need for compliance may delay marketing of our technologies and future potentially developed products for a considerable period of time, impose costly procedures upon our activities, and provide an advantage to larger companies that compete with us. There can be no assurance that we will be able to achieve regulatory compliance for any of our products. Any such delay in achieving such regulatory compliance would materially and adversely affect the marketing of any contemplated products and the ability to earn product revenue. Further, regulation of manufacturing facilities by state, local, and other authorities is subject to change. Any additional regulation could result in limitations or restrictions on our ability to utilize any of our technologies, thereby adversely affecting our operations. Various federal and foreign statutes and regulations also govern or influence the manufacturing, safety, labeling, storage, record keeping, and marketing of our products. The process of compliance with relevant U.S. and foreign statutes and regulations are time-consuming and require the expenditure of substantial resources. In addition, these requirements and processes vary widely from country to country. We rely on highly skilled personnel, and if we are unable to attract, retain, or motivate qualified personnel, we may not be able to operate our business effectively. Our success depends in large part on continued employment of senior management and key personnel who can effectively operate our business, as well as our ability to attract and retain skilled employees. Competition for highly skilled management, technical, research and development, and other employees is intense, and we may not be able to attract or retain highly qualified personnel in the future. Our long-term incentive programs may not be attractive enough or perform sufficiently to attract or retain qualified personnel. If a significant portion of our employees leaves us, we might fail to effectively manage a transition to new personnel, or if we fail to attract and retain qualified and experienced professionals on acceptable terms, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected. Our success also depends on our having highly trained financial, technical, R&D, sales, and marketing personnel. We will need to continue to hire additional personnel as our business grows. A shortage in the number of people with these skills or our failure to attract them to our Company could impede our ability to increase revenues from our existing technology and services, ensure full compliance with international and federal regulations, or launch new product offerings and would have an adverse effect on our business and financial results. Further, the volatility of our stock price may make our equity compensation less attractive to current and potential employees. 22 We may be unable to keep pace with changes in technology as our business and market strategy evolves. We will need to respond to technological advances in a cost-effective and timely manner in order to remain competitive. The need to respond to technological changes may require us to make substantial, unanticipated expenditures. There can be no assurance that we will be able to respond successfully to technological change. Our data and information systems and network infrastructure may be subject to hacking or other cybersecurity threats. If our security measures are breached and an unauthorized party obtains access to our proprietary business information, our information systems may be perceived as being insecure, which could harm our business and reputation and our proprietary business information could be misappropriated, which could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Our Company stores and transmits its proprietary information on its computer systems. Despite our security measures, our information systems and network infrastructure may be vulnerable to cyber-attacks or could be breached due to an employee error or other disruption that could result in unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information that has the potential to significantly interfere with our business operations. Breaches of our security measures could expose us to a risk of loss or misuse of this information, litigation and potential liability. Since techniques used to obtain unauthorized access or to sabotage information systems change frequently and generally are not recognized until launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventive measures in advance of such an attack on our systems. In addition, we use third party vendors to store our proprietary information who use cyber or “cloud” storage of information as part of their service or product offerings, and despite our attempts to validate the security of such services, our proprietary information may be misappropriated by other parties. In the event of an actual or perceived breach of our security, or the security of one of our vendors, the market perception of the effectiveness of our security measures could be harmed and we could suffer damage to our reputation or our business. Additionally, misappropriation of our proprietary business information could prove competitively harmful to our business. For a description of our cybersecurity risk management and strategy, see Item 1C. Cybersecurity. We incorporate artificial intelligence, or AI, into some of our products. This technology is new and developing and may present both compliance and reputational risks. Because we develop our own algorithms and learning capabilities in the artificial intelligence (“AI”) capabilities that we incorporate into some of our products, and because the software solutions we create, implement, and maintain are often critical to some of our potential customers’ platforms, we may experience some system and service failures, schedule or delivery delays and other problems in connection with our AI work. If we experience these problems, we may lose revenue due to adverse customer reactions, including postponement, cancellation or failure to renew contracts; be required to provide additional services to a customer at no charge; receive negative publicity, which could damage our reputation and adversely affect our ability to attract or retain customers; and suffer legal action for substantial damages. Risks Related to Our Common Stock If the ownership of our Common Stock continues to be highly concentrated, it may prevent you and other minority stockholders from influencing significant corporate decisions and may result in conflicts of interest. Mr. Arkin, who beneficially owns approximately 55.60% of our Common Stock, holds approximately 44.57% of the current voting power in our Company and may exercise warrants and options which could increase his voting power to 55.60%. As a result, Mr. Arkin will likely control any action requiring a stockholder vote, including: the election of directors; mergers, consolidations and acquisitions; the sale of all or substantially all of our assets and other decisions affecting our capital structure; the amendment of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws; and our winding up and dissolution. This concentration of ownership may delay, deter or prevent acts that would be favored by our other stockholders. The interests of Mr. Arkin may not always coincide with our interests or the interests of our other stockholders. This concentration of ownership may also have the effect of delaying, preventing or deterring a change in control of our Company. Also, Mr. Arkin may seek to cause us to take courses of action that, in his judgment, could enhance his investment in our Company, but which might involve risks to our other stockholders or adversely affect us or our other stockholders. As a result, the market price of our Common Stock could decline or stockholders might not receive a premium over the then-current market price of our Common Stock upon a change in control. In addition, this concentration of share ownership may adversely affect the trading price of our Common Stock because investors may perceive disadvantages in owning shares in a company with significant stockholders. If we ever list on Nasdaq, we may be considered a “controlled company” within the meaning of Nasdaq rules and, as a result, may rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to stockholders of other companies. As a result of the concentration of voting power described above, we may be considered a “controlled company”, for example by Nasdaq if we ever list on The Nasdaq Stock Market, which we do not expect to be able to do, if ever, until after we file our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 in March or April 2024, at the earliest. Under these rules, a listed company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a “controlled company” and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including: the requirement that a majority of our board of directors consist of “independent directors” as defined under the rules of Nasdaq; the requirement that we have a compensation committee that is composed entirely of directors who meet the Nasdaq independence standards for compensation committee members; and the requirement that our director nominations be made, or recommended to our full board of directors, by our independent directors or by a nominations committee that consists entirely of independent directors. Although no decision has been made about whether or not to rely on such exemptions, if we do rely on any or all of these exemptions, you may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of Nasdaq. 23 Future resales of Common Stock may cause the market price of our Common Stock to drop significantly, even if our business is doing well. Sales of a substantial number of shares of our Common Stock in the public market could occur at any time, including by Mr. Moshe Arkin, our largest shareholder, and other significant shareholders. These sales, or the perception in the market that such sales can occur, could reduce the market price of our Common Stock and increase the volatility in the market price of our Common Stock. Further, the sale of a substantial portion of shares of our Common Stock could result in a change of control, which could impact the market price and liquidity of our Common Stock. Trading on the OTC Markets is volatile, sporadic and often thin, which could depress the market price of our Common Stock and make it difficult for our stockholders to resell their Common Stock. Our Common Stock is currently quoted on the OTCQB tier of the OTC Markets. Trading in securities quoted on the OTC Markets is often thin and characterized by wide fluctuations in trading prices due to many factors, some of which may have little to do with our operations or business prospects. This volatility could depress the market price of our Common Stock for reasons unrelated to operating performance. Moreover, the OTC Markets is not a stock exchange, and trading of securities on the OTC Markets is often more sporadic than the trading of securities listed on a stock exchange like NASDAQ or the NYSE. Although in June 2021 we filed an application with The Nasdaq Stock Market to list our Common Stock, we did not complete the process and do not expect to be able to do so, if ever, until after we file our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 in March or April 2024, at the earliest. Our Common Stock has a history of thin trading. During the 52-week period ended February 29, 2024, trades were only reported on 78 trading days. These factors may result in investors having difficulty reselling any shares of our Common Stock . Anti-takeover provisions contained in our articles and bylaws, as well as provisions of Nevada law, could impair a takeover attempt. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws currently contain provisions that, together with Nevada law, could have the effect of rendering more difficult or discouraging an acquisition deemed undesirable by our board of directors. Our corporate governance documents presently include provisions such as providing for a “staggered” board of directors in which only one-third (1/3) of the directors can be elected in any year, and limiting the liability of, and providing indemnifications to, our directors and officers. These provisions, alone or together, could delay hostile takeovers and changes in control of our Company or changes in our management. As a Nevada corporation, we may also become subject to the provisions of Nevada Revised Statutes Sections 78.378 through 78.3793, which prohibit an acquirer, under certain circumstances, from voting shares of a corporation’s stock after crossing specific threshold ownership percentages, unless the acquirer obtains the approval of the stockholders of the issuer corporation. The first such threshold is the acquisition of at least one-fifth, but less than one-third of the outstanding voting power of the issuer. We may become subject to the above referenced Statutes if we have 200 or more stockholders of record, at least 100 of whom are residents of the State of Nevada and do business in the State of Nevada directly or through an affiliated corporation. Any provision of our amended and restated articles of incorporation, our bylaws or Nevada law that has the effect of delaying or deterring a change in control of our Company could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of our Common Stock and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our Common Stock. 24 The market price of our Common Stock may be highly volatile and such volatility could cause you to lose some or all of your investment. The market price of our Common Stock may fluctuate significantly in response to numerous factors, some of which are beyond our control, such as: ● the announcement of new products or product enhancements by us or our competitors; ● developments concerning intellectual property rights; ● changes in legal, regulatory, and enforcement frameworks impacting our technology or the application of our technology; ● variations in our and our competitors’ results of operations; ● fluctuations in earnings estimates or recommendations by securities analysts, if our Common Stock is covered by analysts; ● the results of product liability or intellectual property lawsuits; ● future issuances of Common Stock or other securities; ● the addition or departure of key personnel; ● announcements by us or our competitors of acquisitions, investments or strategic alliances; ● current or anticipated impact of military conflict, including the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Israel’s war or conflicts with Hamas or Lebanon, terrorism or other geopolitical events; ● sanctions imposed by the United States and other countries in response to such conflicts, including the one in Ukraine, may also adversely impact the financial markets and the global economy, and any economic countermeasures by affected countries and others could exacerbate market and economic instability; and ● general market conditions and other events or factors, many of which are beyond our control. In addition, the stock market has experienced significant volatility, particularly with respect to pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other life sciences company stocks. The volatility of pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other life sciences company stocks often does not relate to the operating performance of the companies represented by the stock. In the past, securities class action litigation has often been initiated against companies following periods of volatility in their stock price. This type of litigation could result in substantial costs and divert our management’s attention and resources and could also require us to make substantial payments to satisfy judgments or to settle litigation. Our Common Stock is currently a “penny stock,” which imposes additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers that sell such securities. The SEC has adopted regulations which generally define so-called “penny stocks” to be an equity security that has a market price less than $5.00 per share or an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exemptions. Our Common Stock is currently a “penny stock” and is subject to Rule 15g-9 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Penny Stock Rule. This rule imposes additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers that sell such securities to persons other than established customers and “accredited investors” (generally, individuals with a net worth in excess of $1,000,000 or annual incomes exceeding $200,000, or $300,000 together with their spouses). For transactions covered by Rule 15g-9, a broker-dealer must make a special suitability determination for the purchaser and have received the purchaser’s written consent to the transaction prior to sale. As a result, this rule may affect the ability of broker-dealers to sell our securities and may affect the ability of purchasers to sell any of our securities in the secondary market, thus possibly making it more difficult for us to raise additional capital. For any transaction involving a penny stock, unless exempt, the rules require delivery, prior to any transaction in penny stock, of a disclosure schedule required by the SEC relating to the penny stock market. Disclosure is also required to be made about sales commissions payable to both the broker-dealer and the registered representative and current quotations for the securities. Finally, monthly statements are required to be sent disclosing recent price information for the penny stock held in the account and information on the limited market in penny stock. 25 There can be no assurance that our Common Stock will qualify for exemption from the Penny Stock Rule. Even if our Common Stock were exempt from the Penny Stock Rule, we would remain subject to Section 15(b)(6) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act, which gives the SEC the authority to restrict any person from participating in a distribution of penny stock, if the SEC finds that such a restriction would be in the public interest. The penny stock rules may make it difficult for stockholders to sell their shares of our Common Stock. Because of the rules and restrictions applicable to a penny stock, there is less trading in penny stocks and the market price of our Common Stock may be adversely affected. Also, many brokers choose not to participate in penny stock transactions. Accordingly, stockholders may not always be able to resell their shares of our Common Stock publicly at times and prices that they feel are appropriate. Compliance with the reporting requirements of federal securities laws can be expensive. We are a public reporting company in the United States, and accordingly, subject to the information and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and other federal securities laws. The costs of preparing and filing annual and quarterly reports and other information with the SEC and furnishing audited reports to stockholders are substantial. Failure to comply with the applicable securities laws could result in private or governmental legal action against us or our officers and directors, which could have a detrimental impact on our business and financials, the value of our stock, and the ability of stockholders to resell their stock. Our investors’ ownership in the Company may be diluted in the future. In the future, we may issue additional authorized but previously unissued equity securities, resulting in the dilution of ownership interests of our present stockholders. We have in the past and may continue to issue a substantial number of shares of Common Stock or other securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock in connection with capital raising activity, hiring, or retaining employees, future acquisitions, raising additional capital in the future to fund our operations, and other business purposes. We expect to authorize in the future a substantial number of shares of our Common Stock for issuance under a stock option or similar plan, and may issue equity awards to management, employees, and other eligible persons. Additional shares of Common Stock issued by us in the future will dilute an investor’s investment in the Company. In addition, we may seek stockholder approval to increase the amount of the Company’s authorized stock, which would create the potential for further dilution of current investors. Directors, executive officers, principal stockholders, and affiliated entities own a significant percentage of our capital stock, and they may make decisions that our stockholders do not consider to be in their best interests. As of March 26, 2024, our directors, executive officers, principal stockholders, and affiliated entities may be deemed to beneficially own, in the aggregate, approximately 84.11% of our outstanding voting securities. As a result, if some or all of such parties acted together, they would have the ability to exert substantial influence over the election of our board of directors and the outcome of issues requiring approval by our stockholders. This concentration of ownership may also have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of the Company that may be favored by other stockholders. This could prevent transactions in which stockholders might otherwise recover a premium for their shares over current market prices. This concentration of ownership and influence in management and board decision-making could also harm the price of our capital stock by, among other things, discouraging a potential acquirer from seeking to acquire shares of our capital stock (whether by making a tender offer or otherwise) or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our Company. We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. We have never declared or paid cash dividends, and we do not anticipate paying cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Therefore, you should not rely on an investment in our Common Stock as a source for any future dividend income. Our board of directors has complete discretion as to whether to distribute dividends. Even if our board of directors decides to declare and pay dividends, the timing, amount, and form of future dividends, if any, will depend on our future results of operations and cash flow, our capital requirements and surplus, the amount of distributions, if any, received by us from our wholly-owned subsidiary Odysight.ai Ltd., our financial condition, contractual restrictions, and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors. 26 Risks Related to our Operations in Israel We are subject to the risks of political, economic, health, and military instability in countries outside the United States in which we operate. Some of our products are produced in Israel, India, China, and other countries which are particularly subject to risks of political, economic, health, and military instability. This instability could result in wars, riots, nationalization of industry, currency fluctuations, and labor unrest or unavailability. These conditions could have an adverse impact on our ability to manufacture, ship, and operate in these regions and, depending on the extent and severity of these conditions, could result in a reduction in customer orders and sales to certain regions and end-markets and materially and adversely affect our overall financial condition and operating results. We have principal manufacturing facilities and operations located in Israel. Accordingly, our business will be directly influenced by the political, economic, and military conditions affecting Israel at any given time. Conditions in Israel, including the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas and other terrorist organizations and Israel’s war against them, if escalated, could negatively affect our operations. Our offices and management team are located in Israel. Accordingly, our business and operations may be affected by economic, political, geopolitical and military conditions in Israel. Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, a number of armed conflicts have occurred between Israel and its neighboring countries and Muslim based terrorist organizations active in the region. These conflicts have involved missile strikes, hostile infiltrations and terrorism against civilian targets in various parts of Israel, which from time to time have negatively affected business conditions in Israel. On October 7, 2023, the Hamas organization launched a series of deadly terror attacks on civilian and military targets skirting the Gaza Strip in the southern part of Israel and fired rockets on many of the communities in southern and central Israel. Following the attack, Israel’s security cabinet declared war and commenced a military campaign in Gaza against Hamas. Since the outbreak of the war, the Hezbollah terrorist organization has regularly fired rockets into northern Israel, other terrorist organizations have done so from western Iraq and the Houthis terrorist organization operating out of Yemen has fired various projectiles and drones against commercial shipping vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea. Moreover, these conditions may escalate in the future into a greater regional conflict. The war has led to consequences and restrictions with respect to the Israeli economy, including a significant call-up of military reservists, most of whom have been released from such service as of the date of this Annual Report. However, to date the war has not had a material adverse effect on our business. While our executive offices are located in Omer and Ramat Gan, Israel, neither of our sites is located near Israel’s relevant borders where the main impact of the war has been felt. Nevertheless, we have experienced some minor disruptions to our routine work, including some difficulties in traveling outside of Israel in the first month of the war and occasional rocket fire on municipalities where our offices are located, requiring our employees to take temporarily shelter for a few minutes at a time in on-site safe rooms. In addition, several of our employees, including company officers such as our CEO Yehu Ofer, were called up to military reserve duty, with many such call-ups having since lapsed. As of the date of this Annual Report, Mr. Ofer is subject to military reserve duty a few days a month. We have taken various measures to mitigate the effects of the war, including adopting work-from-home measures, increased employee overtime and third-party outsourcing where needed, and reviewing our business continuity plan. In case of material escalation of current conditions or the outbreak of a greater regional conflict, it is possible that there will be further military reserve duty call-ups, which may negatively affect our business due to a shortage of skilled labor and loss of institutional knowledge. Were such an escalation to occur, the steps we have taken to mitigate the effects of the war may not be sufficient to prevent material adverse impacts our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, although the intensive flight hours flown by all Israeli Air Force platforms as a result of the war has caused an increase of interest in our technology from Israeli government agencies and R&D programs, we may not be successful in turning these expressions of interest into orders for our products. 27 It is currently not possible to predict the duration or severity of the ongoing war or its effects on our business, operations and financial conditions. The ongoing conflict is rapidly evolving and developing, and could disrupt our business and operations, interrupt our sources and availability of supply and hamper our ability to raise additional funds or sell our securities, among other possible negative effects. Other instances of political, economic or military instability in Israel, if escalated, could impede our ability to operate and harm our financial results. In addition to the ongoing war with Hamas, other political, economic, and military conditions in Israel and the surrounding region may directly affect our business and operations. Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, a number of armed conflicts have occurred between Israel and its neighboring countries. We have never experienced any material interruption in our operations attributable to these factors, in spite of several Middle East crises. A change in the security and political situation in Israel and in the economy could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition. In recent years, Israel has been subject to certain political instability and an increased number of elections were held. Actual or perceived political instability in Israel or any negative changes in the political environment, may individually or in the aggregate adversely affect the Israeli economy and, in turn, our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Changes in the Israeli economy could make it more difficult for us to operate our business and could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operation and cash flow. In the beginning of 2023, the newly formed government commenced a legislative process to effect changes in the Israeli legal system. Certain financial, legal, and commercial organizations and entities have claimed that such changes will weaken the Israeli legal system and, as a result, could lead to negative impact on the economic and financial conditions of the State of Israel. At this stage, where most of the proposed legislation has not become effective and its scope is not fully determined, we cannot assess the likelihood of the legislation going into effect or the possible impact of these changes. In addition to Hamas, Israel is engaged in sporadic armed conflicts with Hezbollah, an Islamist terrorist group that controls large portions of southern Lebanon, and with Iranian-backed military forces in Syria. In addition, Iran has threatened to attack Israel and may be developing nuclear weapons. Some of these hostilities have been accompanied by missiles being fired from Lebanon against civilian targets in various parts of Israel, including areas in which some of our employees and consultants may be located, and negatively affected business conditions in Israel. The global shipping industry is also experiencing disruptions due attacks by Houthi militants from Yemen on commercial shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea, which has caused the rerouting of shipping away from the Suez Canal. Any hostilities involving Israel or the interruption or curtailment of trade between Israel and its trading partners could adversely affect our operations and results of operations. Our commercial insurance does not cover losses that may occur as a result of events associated with war and terrorism. Although the Israeli government currently covers the reinstatement value of direct damages that are caused by terrorist attacks or acts of war, we cannot assure you that this government coverage will be maintained or that it will sufficiently cover our potential damages. Any losses or damages incurred by us could have a material adverse effect on our business. Any armed conflict or political instability in the region would likely negatively affect business conditions and could harm our results of operations. Further, in the past, the State of Israel and Israeli companies have been subjected to economic boycotts. Several countries still restrict business with the State of Israel and with Israeli companies and may do so in the future as a result of the war with Hamas or for other reasons. These restrictive laws and policies may have an adverse impact on our operating results, financial condition, or the expansion of our business. A campaign of boycotts, divestment and sanctions has been undertaken against Israel, which could also adversely impact our business. 28 Many Israeli citizens are also obligated to perform several days, and in some cases more, of annual military reserve duty each year until they reach the age of 40 (or older, for reservists who are military officers or who have certain occupations) and, in the event of a military conflict, may be called to active duty. As has been the case with the ongoing war with Hamas, in response to increases in terrorist activity, there have been periods of significant call-ups of military reservists. It is possible that there will be additional military reserve duty call-ups in the future. Our operations could be disrupted by such call-ups, which may include the call-up of members of our management. Such disruption could materially adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations. It may be difficult for investors in the United States to enforce any judgments obtained against us or some of our directors or officers. It may be difficult to acquire jurisdiction and enforce liabilities against any of our officers and directors who are based in Israel. It may not be possible for United States investors to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of United States courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties of our directors and officers under federal securities laws. Moreover, we have been advised that Israel does not have treaties providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments of courts with the United States. Further, it is unclear if extradition treaties now in effect between the United States and Israel would permit effective enforcement of criminal penalties of the federal securities laws. Even if an Israeli court agrees to hear a claim, it may determine that the Israeli law, and not U.S. law, is applicable to the claim. Further, if U.S. law is found to be applicable, certain content of applicable U.S. law must be proved as a fact, which can be a time-consuming and costly process, and certain matters of procedure would still be governed by the Israeli law. Consequently, you may be effectively prevented from pursuing remedies under U.S. federal and state securities laws against us or any of our non-U.S. directors or officers. Exchange rate fluctuations between foreign currencies and the U.S. Dollar may negatively affect our earnings. Our reporting and functional currency is the U.S. dollar. Our revenues are currently primarily payable in U.S. dollars and we expect our future revenues to be denominated primarily in U.S. dollars. However, some of our expenses are in New Israeli Shekels (NIS) and as a result, we are exposed to the currency fluctuation risks relating to the recording of our expenses in U.S. dollars. We may, in the future, decide to enter into currency hedging transactions. These measures, however, may not adequately protect us from material adverse effects. Exchange rate movements have impacted and may continue to impact our consolidated revenues and operating results. It is particularly difficult to forecast exchange rate movements and unanticipated currency fluctuations have affected and could continue to affect our financial results and cause our results to differ from investor expectations or our own guidance in any future periods. Volatility in exchange rates and global financial markets is expected to continue due to the ongoing global political and economic uncertainty. Certain technology developed and used by us received Israeli government grants for certain research and development activities. The terms of those grants require us to satisfy specified conditions in addition to repayment of the grants upon certain events. The research and development efforts that contributed to certain technology used by us was financed in part through grants from the Israel Innovation Authority (“IIA”) to Medigus, which was subsequently transferred to Odysight.ai (for more information about such agreements, refer to – “CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS” below). The terms of such grants require Odysight.ai to comply with the requirements of the Innovation Law. When a company develops know-how, technology or products using IIA grants, the terms of these grants and the Innovation Law restrict the transfer outside of Israel of such know-how, and the manufacturing or manufacturing rights of such products, technologies or know-how, without the prior approval of the IIA. Therefore, if aspects of our technologies are deemed to have been developed with IIA funding, the discretionary approval of an IIA committee would be required for any transfer to third parties outside of Israel of know-how or manufacturing or manufacturing rights related to those aspects of such technologies. We may not receive those approvals. Furthermore, the IIA may impose certain conditions on any arrangement under which it permits us to transfer technology or development out of Israel. 29 The transfer of IIA-supported technology or know-how or manufacturing or manufacturing rights related to aspects of such technologies outside of Israel may involve the payment of significant penalties and other amounts, depending upon the value of the transferred technology or know-how, the amount of IIA support, the time of completion of the IIA-supported research project and other factors. These restrictions and requirements for payment may impair our ability to sell our technology assets outside of Israel or to outsource or transfer development or manufacturing activities with respect to any product or technology outside of Israel. Furthermore, the consideration available to our shareholders in a transaction involving the transfer outside of Israel of technology or know-how developed with IIA funding (such as a merger or similar transaction) may be reduced by any amounts that we are required to pay to the IIA. The Company has applied for and been awarded an additional IIA-funded grant, to support and enhance the Company’s production capabilities. Subject to successfully achieving certain predetermined milestones, the Company will receive a maximum grant amount of NIS 1 million. The grant shall subject the Company to certain restrictions on transfer of manufacturing rights and know-how outside of Israel and will require royalty payments on revenues derived from sales of the products developed from the IIA funding. We may become subject to claims for remuneration or royalties for assigned service invention rights by our employees, which could result in litigation and adversely affect our business. A significant portion of our intellectual property has been developed by our employees in the course of their employment for us. Under the Israeli Patent Law, 5727-1967, or the Patent Law, inventions conceived by an employee in the course and as a result of or arising from his or her employment with a company are regarded as “service inventions,” which belong to the employer, absent a specific agreement between the employee and employer giving the employee service invention rights. The Patent Law also provides that if there is no such agreement between an employer and an employee, the Israeli Compensation and Royalties Committee, or the Committee, a body constituted under the Patent Law, will determine whether the employee is entitled to remuneration for his inventions. Recent case law clarifies that the right to receive consideration for “service inventions” can be waived by the employee and that in certain circumstances, such waiver does not necessarily have to be explicit. The Committee will examine, on a case-by-case basis, the general contractual framework between the parties, using interpretation rules of the general Israeli contract laws. Further, the Committee has not yet determined one specific formula for calculating this remuneration (but rather uses the criteria specified in the Patent Law). Although we generally enter into assignment-of-invention agreements with our employees pursuant to which such individuals assign to us all rights to any inventions created in the scope of their employment or engagement with us, we may face claims demanding remuneration in consideration for assigned inventions. As a consequence of such claims, we could be required to pay additional remuneration or royalties to our current and/or former employees, or be forced to litigate such claims, which could negatively affect our business.