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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, anon-accelerated filer, or an emerging growth company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule of the Exchange Act.

).    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

The ongoing pandemic and related responsive measures (, travel bans, travel restrictions and orders) have negatively impacted Swvl’s business, financial condition, and operating results. The pandemic and these related responses continue to evolve and have caused, and may in the future cause, decreased demand for Swvl’s platform relative to levels and significant volatility and disruption of financial markets.

The pandemic has subjected Swvl’s business, financial condition, and operating results to several risks, including, but not limited to the following:

As the severity, magnitude, and duration of the pandemic, the resulting public health responses and its economic consequences remain uncertain and difficult to predict, the pandemic’s impact on Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results, as well as its impact on Swvl’s ability to successfully execute its business strategies and initiatives, also remains uncertain and difficult to predict. As the countries in which Swvl operates have reopened, the recovery of the economy and Swvl’s business have fluctuated and varied by geography. Further, the ultimate impact of the pandemic on the riders, drivers and other users of Swvl’s platform, as well as its employees, business, financial condition and operating results depends on many factors that are not within Swvl’s control, including, but not limited, to: governmental, business and individuals’ actions that have been and continue to be taken in response to the pandemic (including restrictions on travel and transport and modified workplace activities); the impact of the pandemic and actions taken in response thereto on local or regional economies, travel and economic activity; the speed and efficacy of vaccine distribution; the availability of government funding programs; evolving laws and regulations regarding including those related to disclosure and notification; general economic uncertainty in key markets and financial market volatility; volatility in global economic conditions and levels of economic growth; the duration of the pandemic; the extent of any virus mutations or new variants of and the pace of recovery when the pandemic subsides.

Prior to the mass transit ridesharing market was growing rapidly, but it is still relatively new, and it is uncertain to what extent market acceptance will continue to grow, if at all, particularly after the pandemic. Swvl’s success depends to a substantial extent on the willingness of people to widely adopt mass transit ridesharing. If the public does not perceive Swvl’s offerings as beneficial, or chooses not to adopt them as a result of concerns regarding public health or safety, affordability or for other reasons, then the market for Swvl’s offerings may not further develop, may develop more slowly than Swvl expects or may not achieve the growth potential Swvl expects. Any of the foregoing risks and challenges could adversely affect Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results.

To attract and retain qualified drivers to use its platform, Swvl has, among other things, offered bonus payments and other incentives to high-performing drivers, and temporarily provided financial assistance to support drivers during the pandemic. Government and private business actions in response to the pandemic, such as travel bans, travel restrictions, orders, increased reliance on work- from-home rather than working in offices, and people and businesses electing to move away from more densely populated cities, have decreased and may in the future decrease utilization of Swvl’s platform by riders. If Swvl does not continue to provide drivers with compelling opportunities to earn income and other incentive programs for using its platform, or if drivers become dissatisfied with Swvl’s requirements for drivers to use its platform, Swvl may fail to attract new drivers to use its platform, retain current drivers to use its platform or increase their utilization of its platform, or Swvl may experience complaints, negative publicity, or services disruptions that could adversely affect its users and its business.

operation and retention with respect to drivers providing services through the Swvl platform. Other factors outside of Swvl’s control, such as the pandemic or other concerns about personal health and safety, or concerns about the availability of government or other assistance programs if drivers continue to drive using Swvl’s platform, may also reduce the number of drivers available through Swvl’s platform or utilization of Swvl’s platform by drivers, or impact Swvl’s ability to attract new drivers to use its platform. If Swvl fails to attract qualified drivers to use its platform on favorable terms, fails to increase utilization of its platform by existing drivers or loses qualified drivers using its platform to competitors, Swvl may not be able to meet the demand of riders, including maintaining competitive prices for riders, and Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results could be adversely affected.

Swvl’s success depends in part on its ability to cost-effectively attract and retain new riders and increase utilization of Swvl’s platform by current riders. Riders have a wide variety of options for transportation, including public transportation, taxis and other ridesharing offerings. Rider preferences may also change from time to time with the advent of new mobility technologies, different behaviors and attitudes towards the environment and new urban planning practices (including increased focus on public transportation and public-private partnerships with respect to mobility). To expand its rider base, Swvl must appeal to new riders who have historically used other forms of transportation or other ridesharing platforms. Swvl believes that its paid marketing initiatives have been critical in promoting awareness of Swvl’s brand and offerings, which in turn leads to new riders using Swvl for the first time and drives rider Utilization (calculated as Total Bookings divided by Total Available Seats, over the period of measurement). Further, as Swvl continues to expand into new geographic areas, it will be relying in part on referrals from existing riders to attract new riders. However, Swvl’s brand and ability to build trust with existing and new riders may be adversely affected by complaints and negative publicity about Swvl, its offerings, its policies, including its pricing algorithms, drivers using its platform, or its competitors, even if factually incorrect or based on isolated incidents. Further, if existing and new riders do not perceive the transportation services provided by drivers using Swvl’s platform to be reliable, safe and affordable, or if Swvl fails to offer new and relevant offerings and features on its platform, Swvl may not be able to attract or retain riders or to increase their utilization of its platform. Further, government and private business actions in response to the pandemic, such as travel bans, travel restrictions, orders, increased reliance on work-from-home rather than working in offices, and people and businesses electing to move away from more densely populated cities, have decreased and may in the future decrease utilization of Swvl’s platform by riders including longer term.

Swvl’s success depends in part on the continued service of its and Chief Executive Officer, senior management team, key technical employees and other highly skilled personnel and on Swvl’s ability to identify, hire, develop, motivate, retain and integrate highly qualified personnel for all areas of its organization. Swvl may not be successful in attracting and retaining qualified personnel to fulfill its current or future needs, and actions Swvl takes in response to the impact of the pandemic on Swvl’s business may harm Swvl’s reputation or impact its ability to recruit qualified personnel in the future. Please see the section entitled “The pandemic and related responsive measures have disrupted and negatively impacted, and may in the future disrupt and negatively impact, Swvl’s business, financial condition, and operating results. Swvl cannot predict the extent to which the pandemic and related effects may in the future adversely impact its business, financial condition and operating results, and the execution of Swvl’s strategic objectives.” Swvl’s competitors may be successful in recruiting and hiring members of Swvl’s management team or other key employees, and it may be difficult to find suitable replacements on a timely basis, on competitive terms, or at all. If Swvl is unable to attract and retain the necessary personnel, particularly in critical areas of its business, Swvl may not achieve its strategic goals.

Swvl believes that building a strong reputation and brand as a safe, reliable and affordable platform and continuing to increase the strength of the network effects among the drivers and riders using Swvl’s platform (, the advantages that derive from having more drivers and riders using Swvl’s platform) are critical to its ability to attract and retain qualified drivers and riders. The successful development of Swvl’s reputation, brand and network effects depends on a number of factors, many of which are outside Swvl’s control. Negative perception of Swvl or its platform may harm Swvl’s reputation, brand and network effects, including as a result of:

Since its launch in 2017, Swvl has experienced rapid growth in its business, revenues and the number of users on its platform. Swvl expects this growth to continue following the recovery of the world economy from the pandemic. This growth has placed, and will continue to place, significant demands on Swvl’s management and Swvl’s operational and financial infrastructure. The steps Swvl takes to manage its business operations, including policies for employees, and to align Swvl’s operations with Swvl’s strategies for growth, may adversely affect Swvl’s reputation and brand and its ability to recruit, retain and motivate highly skilled personnel.

Furthermore, the economic sensitivity of drivers and riders using Swvl’s platform may vary by geographic location, and as Swvl expands into new markets, its pricing methodologies may not enable it to compete effectively in these locations. Local regulations may affect Swvl’s pricing in certain geographic locations, which could amplify these effects. For example, Swvl and other ridesharing companies have made commitments to the Egyptian Competition Authority not to set prices below certain profitability benchmarks with respect to their B2C ridesharing offerings in Egypt. Swvl has launched, and may in the future launch, new pricing strategies and initiatives, such as subscription packages and driver or rider loyalty programs. Swvl has also modified, and may in the future modify, existing pricing methodologies, such as its pricing policy. Any of the foregoing actions may not ultimately be successful in attracting and retaining qualified drivers and riders.

Swvl’s business involves the collection, storage, transmission and other processing of Swvl’s users’ personal and other sensitive data. An increasing number of organizations, including large online and merchants and businesses, other large Internet companies, financial institutions and government institutions, have disclosed breaches of their information security systems and other information security incidents, some of which have involved sophisticated and highly targeted attacks. Because techniques used to obtain unauthorized access to or to sabotage information systems change frequently and may not be known until launched, Swvl may be unable to anticipate, detect or prevent these attacks. Swvl has previously experienced a data breach. In July 2020, unauthorized parties gained access to a Swvl database containing identifiable information of its riders by exploiting a breach in certain third-party software used by Swvl. While such breach has not had a material impact on Swvl’s business or operations and Swvl has since implemented measures designed to restrict any similar data breach, unauthorized parties may in the future gain access to Swvl’s systems or facilities through various means, including gaining unauthorized access into Swvl’s systems or facilities or those of Swvl’s service providers, partners or users on Swvl’s platform, or attempting to fraudulently induce Swvl’s employees, service providers, partners, users or others into disclosing rider names, passwords, payment card information or other sensitive information, which may in turn be used to access Swvl’s information technology systems, or attempting to fraudulently induce Swvl’s employees, partners or others into manipulating payment information, resulting in the fraudulent transfer of funds to criminal actors. In addition, users on Swvl’s platform could have vulnerabilities on their own mobile devices that are entirely unrelated to Swvl’s systems and platform, but could mistakenly attribute their own vulnerabilities to Swvl. Further, breaches experienced by other companies may also be leveraged against Swvl. For example, credential stuffing and ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly common, and sophisticated actors can mask their attacks, making them increasingly difficult to identify and prevent. Certain efforts may be state-sponsored or supported by significant financial and technological resources, making them even more difficult to detect.

Swvl’s success depends in part on its relationships with third-party product and service providers. For example, Swvl relies on third-parties to fulfill various marketing, web hosting, payment, communications and data analytics services to support Swvl’s platform. If any of Swvl’s partners terminates its relationship with Swvl, including as a result of impacts to their business and operations or for competitive reasons, or refuses to renew its agreement on commercially reasonable terms, Swvl would need to find an alternate provider, and may not be able to secure similar terms or replace such providers in an acceptable time frame. While Swvl does not own or operate vehicles, in the event that vehicle manufacturers issue recalls or the supply of vehicles or automotive parts is interrupted, including as a result of public health crises, such as the pandemic, affecting the vehicles operating on Swvl’s platform, the availability of vehicles on Swvl’s platform could become constrained.

Swvl relies on its proprietary technology to predict and dynamically update routing in response to changes in demand, to optimize pricing in response to such demand and to maximize Utilization. If Swvl is unable to effectively predict and meet rider demand and to update its routing and pricing accordingly, Swvl may lose ridership and its revenues may decrease. In addition, riders’ price sensitivity varies by geographic location, among other factors, and if Swvl is unable to effectively account for such variability in its pricing methodologies, its ability to compete effectively in these locations could be adversely affected. Swvl’s success also depends, in part, on its ability to match route plans with the availability and preferences of the drivers using its platform. If Swvl is unable to determine and allocate routes in a manner consistent with the availability and preferences of such drivers, drivers may reduce or discontinue their participation on Swvl’s platform and may use competitors’ platforms. Any of the foregoing risks could adversely impact Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results.

In addition, developing and launching new offerings and enhancements to Swvl’s existing offerings may involve significant capital investments. Such investments may not generate a positive return on investment. Further, from time to time Swvl may reevaluate, discontinue and/or reduce these investments and decide to discontinue one or more of its offerings. Any of the foregoing risks and challenges could negatively impact Swvl’s ability to attract and retain qualified drivers and riders, its ability to increase utilization of its offerings and its visibility into expected operating results, and could adversely affect Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results. Additionally, Swvl’s near-term operating results may be impacted by long-term investments in the future.

On March 22, 2022, we entered into an equity line financing pursuant to a common stock purchase agreement with B. Riley Principal Capital, LLC (“B. Riley”) pursuant to which B. Riley committed to purchase up to $471.7 million of Ordinary Shares, subject to certain limitations and conditions set forth in the purchase agreement. The Ordinary Shares that may be issued under the purchase agreement may be sold by us to B. Riley at our discretion from time to time over an approximately period commencing on the date that a related resale registration statement is declared effective by the SEC. We may ultimately decide to sell all, some, or none of the Ordinary Shares that may be available for us to sell to B. Riley pursuant to the purchase agreement. The purchase price for the shares that we may sell to B. Riley will fluctuate based on the price of our Ordinary Shares. Depending on market liquidity at the time, sales of such shares may cause the trading price of our Ordinary Shares to fall.

If and when we do sell shares to B. Riley, after B. Riley has acquired the shares, B. Riley may resell all, some, or none of those shares at any time or from time to time in its discretion. Therefore, our sales to B. Riley could result in substantial dilution to the interests of other holders of our Ordinary Shares. Additionally, the sale of a substantial number of shares of our Ordinary Shares to B. Riley, or the anticipation of such sales, could make it more difficult for us to sell equity or equity-related securities in the future at a price that we might otherwise wish to effect sales. As consideration for B. Riley’s commitment under the purchase agreement to purchase our Ordinary Shares, we issued 386,971 Ordinary Shares to B. Riley and such Ordinary Shares are fully earned and even in the event we do not sell any Ordinary Shares to B. Riley under the purchase agreement.

Swvl’s ability to obtain financing in the future will depend upon, among other things, Swvl’s development efforts, business plans and operating performance and the condition of the capital markets at the time Swvl seeks such financing. Additionally, may impact Swvl’s access to capital and make raising additional capital more difficult or available only on less favorable terms. Swvl cannot be certain that additional financing will be available to it on favorable terms, or at all. If Swvl is unable to obtain adequate financing or financing on terms satisfactory to it or within the timeframe it requires, its ability to continue to support its business growth and to respond to business challenges could be significantly limited, and Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results could be adversely affected.

Promoting awareness of Swvl’s offerings is important to Swvl’s ability to grow its business and to attract new qualified drivers and riders and can be costly. Swvl believes that much of the growth in its rider base and the number of drivers using its platform is attributable to its paid marketing initiatives. Swvl’s marketing efforts currently include offline marketing (such as billboard advertisements and promotional events), online marketing (such as social media and Internet-driven advertising campaigns), and partnerships with other businesses, through which Swvl offers promotions and other incentives to the customers of such businesses. As Swvl expands its business into new markets, its marketing initiatives may become increasingly expensive, and generating a meaningful return on those initiatives may be difficult. Even if Swvl successfully increases revenue due to its paid marketing efforts, such an increase may not offset the additional marketing expenses Swvl incurs.

Swvl’s ability to attract and retain drivers, riders and corporate customers to use its platform depends partly on the ease and reliability of its offerings, including its ability to provide high-quality support. Riders, drivers and other users of Swvl’s platform depend on Swvl’s support services to resolve any issues relating to its offerings, such as issues relating to payments or reporting a safety incident. Swvl’s ability to provide adequate and timely support is dependent on its ability to automate support services for simple issues (such as route inquiries) and, for other issues, to retain and deploy third-party service providers who are qualified to support users and sufficiently knowledgeable regarding Swvl’s offerings. As Swvl continues to grow its business and improve and expand its offerings, it will face challenges in providing quality support services at scale. As Swvl expands its offerings into new territories, it will be required to provide support services specific to its offerings and the needs of users in the applicable market. Furthermore, the pandemic may impact Swvl’s ability to provide adequate and timely support (such as a decrease in the availability of service providers and an increase in response time). Any failure to provide high-quality user support, or a market perception that Swvl does not offer high-quality support, could adversely affect Swvl’s reputation, brand, business, financial condition and operating results.

Swvl’s systems, or those of the third parties upon which Swvl relies, may experience service interruptions or degradation because of hardware and software defects or malfunctions, distributed and other cyberattacks, human error, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fires, natural disasters, power losses, disruptions in telecommunications services, fraud, military or political conflicts, terrorist attacks, computer viruses, ransomware, malware or other events. Swvl’s systems may also be subject to sabotage, theft and intentional acts of vandalism, including by Swvl’s employees. Some of Swvl’s systems are not fully redundant, and Swvl’s disaster recovery planning may not be sufficient for all eventualities. Any business interruption insurance that Swvl obtains in the future may not be adequate to cover all of Swvl’s losses that may result from interruptions in Swvl’s service due to systems failures and similar events.

Acquisitions involve numerous risks, any of which could harm Swvl’s business and negatively affect Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results, including:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition, Swvl may divest businesses or assets or enter into joint ventures, strategic partnerships or other strategic transactions. These types of transactions also present certain risks. For example, Swvl may not achieve the desired strategic, operational, and financial benefits of a divestiture, partnership, joint venture, or other strategic transaction. Further, during the pendency of a divestiture or the integration or separation process of any strategic transaction, Swvl may be subject to risks related to a decline in business or a loss of employees, customers, or suppliers.

If Swvl fails to address the foregoing risks or other problems encountered in connection with past or future acquisitions of businesses, new technologies, services and other assets, strategic investments or other transactions, or if Swvl fails to integrate such acquisitions or investments successfully, or if it is unable to successfully complete other transactions or such transactions do not meet its strategic objectives, its business, financial condition and operating results could be adversely affected.

 

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on-demand

On November 16, 2021, Swvl announced a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Viapool Inc., a mass transit platform currently operating in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Santiago, Chile. The transaction closed on January 14, 2022.

On March 24, 2022, Swvl announced a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling interest in door2door, a high-growth mobility operations platform that partners with municipalities, public transit operators, corporations, and automotive companies to optimize shared mobility solutions across Europe. The closing of the door2door transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed in Q2 2022.

Integration of the Shotl, Viapool and door2door businesses and operations with Swvl’s existing business and operations will be a complex, time-consuming and costly process, particularly given that the acquisition will significantly diversify the geographic areas in which Swvl operates. Failure to successfully integrate the Shotl, Viapool and door2door businesses and operations with Swvl’s existing business and operations in a timely manner may have a material adverse effect on Swvl’s business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Similarly, Swvl’s ongoing acquisition program exposes it to integration risks as well. The difficulties of combining the acquired operations include, among other things:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COVID-19

non-contractual

 

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respectively. While the counterparties have performed under such arrangements without any material disputes, in the event of a dispute, the lack of a written contract could make it particularly difficult for Swvl to enforce its rights under the arrangement, if at all. Swvl is in the process of entering into definitive documentation to govern its relationships with such corporate customers and is setting up internal procedures to ensure that future relationships are governed by written contractual arrangements at the outset. As a result, Swvl expects to be able to reduce the percentage of revenue attributable to TaaS customers without contractual arrangements over time. However, there is no guarantee that existing TaaS customers will agree to enter into definitive documentation, and there are no assurances entry into such definitive documentation would allow Swvl to enforce claims against such counterparties for actions taken prior to entry into such agreements.

A natural disaster, such as an earthquake, fire, hurricane, tornado or flood, or significant power outage, could disrupt Swvl’s operations, mobile networks, the Internet or the operations of Swvl’s third-party technology providers. In addition, any public health crises, other epidemics, political crises, such as terrorist attacks, war and other political or social instability, or other catastrophic events could adversely affect Swvl’s operations or the economy as a whole. Moreover, the likelihood of such events may increase as a result of climate change or other systemic impacts. The impact of such events or other disruption to Swvl or its third-party providers’ abilities could result in decreased demand for Swvl’s offerings or a disruption in the provision of Swvl’s offerings, which could adversely affect Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results.

Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results are also subject to general economic conditions in the markets in which it operates. Any deterioration of economic conditions in such markets could lead to, among other things, increased unemployment and decreased consumer spending and commercial activity. As a result, demand for Swvl’s platform by riders and drivers may decline. Swvl cannot predict the timing or duration of any economic slowdown or subsequent economic recovery in the markets in which it operates or intends to operate. An economic downturn resulting in a prolonged recessionary period may adversely affect Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results.

The U.S. dollar is Swvl’s presentation currency as a group. Swvl also derives revenues and incurs expenses in other currencies relevant to each country of operations, including Egyptian pounds, Pakistani rupees, and Kenyan shillings. Swvl is therefore subject to foreign currency exchange fluctuations through both translation risk and transaction risk. As a result, Swvl is exposed to the risk that these currencies may appreciate relative to the U.S. dollar or, if such currencies devalue relative to the dollar, that inflation rates may exceed the speed of devaluation, or that the timing of such depreciation may lag behind inflation. The dollar cost of Swvl’s operations would increase in any such event, and Swvl’s dollar-denominated operating results would be adversely affected.

Prior to the Business Combination, Swvl operated as a private company with the size of accounting and financial reporting personnel, and other resources with which to address its internal controls over financial reporting, being in line with early-stage private companies. In connection with the preparation of its financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2021, Swvl and its independent registered public accounting firm identified material weaknesses in Swvl’s internal control over financial reporting related to (1) the sufficiency of resources with an appropriate level of technical accounting and SEC reporting experience, (2) a lack of sufficient financial reporting policies and procedures that are commensurate with IFRS and SEC reporting requirements, and (3) the design and operating effectiveness of IT general controls for information systems that are relevant to the preparation of Swvl’s consolidated financial statements.

 

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The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board has defined a material weakness as a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of Swvl’s financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

Swvl has developed and is in the process of implementing a remediation plan to address these control deficiencies, which will address the underlying causes of Swvl’s material weaknesses. As part of Swvl’s remediation plan, Swvl has hired additional qualified personnel within its finance and accounting functions who are experienced in IFRS and SEC reporting, in addition to starting to conduct training for Swvl personnel with respect to IFRS and SEC financial reporting. Swvl is establishing more robust processes to support its internal control over financial reporting, including sufficient financial reporting policies and procedures that are commensurate with IFRS and SEC reporting requirements. Furthermore, with respect to the effectiveness of Swvl’s IT general controls, Swvl is establishing formal processes and controls for information systems that are key to the preparation of its consolidated financial statements, including access and change controls. If these measures are ineffective, Swvl may be unable to remediate these issues in the anticipated timeframe, which may have an adverse effect on Swvl’s operating results, Swvl’s ability to operate its business or investors’ views of Swvl.

While Swvl performed a preliminary evaluation of its internal control over financial reporting, Swvl was not required to perform an evaluation of internal control over financial reporting in accordance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act because Swvl was a private company during the applicable evaluation period ending December 31, 2021. Had such an evaluation been performed, additional control deficiencies may have been identified by Swvl, and those control deficiencies may have also represented one or more material weaknesses.

At present, Swvl conducts the majority of its operations in Egypt, Pakistan and Kenya, but it currently operates in seven countries (not including the countries of operation of Shotl and Viapool, two companies which Swvl acquired controlling interests in November 2021 and January 2022, respectively, or door2door, a company which Swvl announced a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling interest in March 2022 and that is expected to be completed in Q2 2022), and intends to operate in 20 countries by 2025. There are, and will likely continue to be, substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of laws and regulations in the jurisdictions in which Swvl operates, including the laws and regulations governing Swvl’s business, the enforcement and performance of contractual arrangements and the protection of intellectual property rights. The legal systems in the countries in which Swvl operates may not be as predictable or developed as that of the United States, and in particular, may not have developed laws and regulations relating to the ridesharing industry. As a result, existing laws and regulations may be applied inconsistently and, in certain circumstances, it may be difficult to determine what actions or omissions may be deemed to violate applicable laws and regulations. There can be no assurance that Swvl’s business will not be found to violate applicable laws or regulations in these jurisdictions in the future.

In addition, the jurisdictions in which Swvl has business operations may in the future enact new laws and regulations relating to the Internet, emissions and other environmental matters associated with ridesharing operations, the ridesharing industry generally and the operation of Swvl’s business, and the interpretation and enforcement of such laws may involve significant uncertainties. New laws and regulations that affect Swvl’s existing and proposed future businesses may also be applied retroactively.

Swvl is, and may in the future be, required to hold registrations, licenses, permits and approvals in connection with its business operations. New laws and regulations may be adopted from time to time that require Swvl to obtain registrations, licenses, permits and approvals in addition to those Swvl already holds. Swvl does not hold all of the required licenses and registrations for certain jurisdictions where Swvl operates.

In Egypt, Swvl is subject to Law No. 87 of 2018 and the Executive Regulation by Presidential Decree No. 2180 of 2019 (collectively, “Egyptian Ridesharing Laws”). Pursuant to such Egyptian Ridesharing Laws, Swvl

 

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pre-license

non-compliance

In addition, governments in the jurisdictions Swvl operates or intends to operate may restrict or control to varying degrees the ability of foreign investors to invest in businesses located or operating in such jurisdictions. Because Swvl is incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, Swvl may be deemed to be foreign investors and therefore be subject to such restrictions or controls. As a result, there may be a risk of loss due to, among other things, expropriation, nationalization or confiscation of assets or the imposition of restrictions on repatriation of capital invested, in each case by the governmental or regulatory agencies empowered in such jurisdictions. While, in some cases, the British Virgin Islands has entered into international investment treaties or agreements designed to encourage and protect investment by BVI persons in foreign jurisdictions, there can be no guarantee that such treaties or agreements will cover the jurisdictions in which Swvl operates in or that such treaties or agreements will be fully implemented or effective. In other cases, Swvl is not able to take advantage of certain treaties because it is a British Virgin Islands company and is therefore exposed to additional risk of such loss.

non-Jordanian

 

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organizational documents such that Swvl will be permitted to acquire and hold all of the equity thereof. In addition, in the United Arab Emirates, foreign investors are required to operate via an onshore licensed entity or an onshore branch of a foreign or free zone entity. Swvl has established such an onshore branch and has obtained the requisite licenses and approvals for such branch’s operations. Swvl may become subject to additional limitations and regulations as it expands its operations in the jurisdictions in which it operates and into new jurisdictions, and such limitations and regulations may impair Swvl’s ability to operate effectively in such jurisdictions.

Any of the foregoing or similar occurrences or developments could significantly disrupt Swvl’s business operations and restrict Swvl from conducting a substantial portion of its business operations in these jurisdictions, which could adversely affect Swvl’s business, financial condition or operating results.

As Swvl continues to expand its offerings and user base, it may become subject to additional laws and regulations, which may differ or conflict from one jurisdiction to another. Many of these laws and regulations were adopted prior to the advent of Swvl’s industry and related technologies and, as a result, do not contemplate or address the unique issues faced by Swvl’s industry.

Despite Swvl’s efforts to comply with applicable laws, regulations and other obligations relating to its offerings, it is possible that Swvl’s practices, offerings or platform could be inconsistent with, or fail or be alleged to fail to meet all requirements of, such laws, regulations or obligations. Swvl’s failure to comply with such laws, regulations or obligations may result in Swvl being blocked from or limited in providing or operating its products and offerings in such jurisdictions, or it may be required to modify its business model in those or other jurisdictions as a result. Moreover, Swvl’s failure, or the failure by Swvl’s third-party service providers, to comply with applicable laws or regulations or any other obligations relating to Swvl’s offerings, could harm Swvl’s reputation and brand, discourage new and existing drivers and riders from using Swvl’s platform, lead to refunds of rider fares or result in fines or proceedings by governmental agencies or private claims and litigation, any of which could adversely affect Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results.

Swvl is subject to anti-corruption, anti-bribery, and anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism laws in the jurisdictions in which Swvl does business. Swvl will be subject to such laws in other jurisdictions in the future, including, for example, the FCPA. These laws generally prohibit Swvl, its employees and agents from improperly influencing government officials or commercial parties to, among other things, obtain or retain business, direct business to any person, or gain any improper advantage. Under applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws, Swvl could be held liable for acts of corruption and bribery committed by third-party business partners and service providers, representatives, and agents who acted on Swvl’s behalf.

Swvl has operations in, and has business relationships with, entities in countries known to experience high levels of corruption. Swvl and its 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. Swvl is subject to the risk that it could be held liable for the corrupt or other illegal activities of these third-party business partners and intermediaries and its and their respective employees, representatives, contractors, and agents, even if Swvl does not authorize such activities. Swvl’s employees from time to time consult or engage in discussions with government officials in the jurisdictions where it operates with respect to potential changes in government policies or laws relating to the mass transit ridesharing industry, which may heighten such anti-corruption-related risks.

In addition, Swvl’s activities in certain countries with high levels of corruption enhance the risk of unauthorized payments or offers of payments by business partners and service providers, employees, or consultants

 

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anti-corruption-related

Any violation of applicable anti-bribery, anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, and countering the financing of terrorism laws could result in whistleblower complaints, adverse media coverage, harm to Swvl’s reputation and brand, investigations, imposition of significant legal fees, severe criminal or civil sanctions and disgorgement of profits, suspension or loss of required licenses and permits, exit from an important market, substantial diversion of management’s attention, a drop in Swvl’s share price, or other adverse consequences, any or all of which could have a material and adverse effect on Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results.

Swvl has been subject to claims, lawsuits, government investigations and other legal and regulatory proceedings in the ordinary course of business, including those involving labor and employment, commercial disputes and tax matters. Swvl expects to continue to be subject to claims, lawsuits, government investigations and other legal or regulatory proceedings in the ordinary course of business, which may involve any of the foregoing matters as well as licensing and permits, pricing practices, competition, consumer complaints, personal injury, anti-discrimination, intellectual property disputes and other matters, and Swvl may become subject to additional types of claims, lawsuits, government investigations and other legal or regulatory proceedings as Swvl’s business grows and as Swvl deploys new offerings. Moreover, certain liabilities may be imposed by jurisdictions where Swvl operates, including tax liability, which may subject it to regulatory enforcement procedures if it does not or cannot comply.

The results of any such claims, lawsuits, government investigations or other legal or regulatory proceedings cannot be predicted. Any claims against Swvl, whether meritorious or not, could be time-consuming, result in costly litigation, harm Swvl’s reputation, require significant management attention and divert substantial resources. It is possible that a resolution of such proceedings could result in substantial damages, settlement costs, fines and penalties that could adversely affect Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results. These proceedings could also result in harm to Swvl’s reputation and brand, sanctions, injunctions or other orders requiring a change in Swvl’s business practices. Any of these consequences could adversely affect Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results. Furthermore, under certain circumstances, Swvl has contractual and other legal obligations to indemnify and to incur legal expenses on behalf of Swvl’s business and commercial partners.

A determination in, or settlement of, any legal proceeding, whether Swvl is a party to such legal proceeding or not, that involves Swvl’s industry could harm Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results. For example, a determination that classifies a driver of a ridesharing platform as an employee, whether Swvl is a party to such determination or not, could cause Swvl to incur significant expenses or require substantial changes to its business model.

In addition, Swvl regularly includes arbitration provisions in Swvl’s Terms of Service with drivers and riders using Swvl’s platform. These provisions are intended to streamline the dispute resolution process for all parties involved, as arbitration can, in some cases, be faster and less costly than litigating disputes in court. However, arbitration may become more expensive, or the volume of arbitration may increase and become burdensome. The use of arbitration provisions may subject Swvl to certain risks to its reputation and brand, as these provisions have been the subject of increasing public scrutiny in certain jurisdictions.

Further, with the potential for conflicting rules regarding the scope and enforceability of arbitration across the jurisdictions in which Swvl operates and may operate in the future, there is a risk that some or all of Swvl’s

 

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arbitration provisions could be subject to challenge or may need to be revised to exempt certain categories of protection. If Swvl’s arbitration agreements were found to be unenforceable, in whole or in part, or particular claims are required to be exempted from arbitration, Swvl could experience an increase in its costs to litigate disputes and the time involved in resolving such disputes, and Swvl could face increased exposure to potentially costly lawsuits, each of which could adversely affect Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results.

know-how

Even if Swvl does detect violations, Swvl may need to engage in litigation to enforce its rights. Any enforcement efforts Swvl undertakes, including litigation, could be time-consuming and expensive and could divert the attention of management. While Swvl takes precautions designed to protect its intellectual property, it may still be possible for competitors and other unauthorized third parties to copy Swvl’s technology, reverse engineer its data and use its proprietary information to create or enhance competing solutions and services, which could adversely affect Swvl’s position in the rapidly evolving and increasingly competitive mass-transit ridesharing industry.

Swvl has not registered any of its intellectual property outside of Egypt. Swvl’s failure to register its brand names or logos in jurisdictions in which it operates could allow competitors to register the same or similar names or logos that confuse potential consumers and/or prevent Swvl from subsequently protecting its names and logos. Some license provisions that protect against unauthorized use, copying, transfer and disclosure of Swvl’s technology may be unenforceable under the laws of certain countries. The laws of some countries do not provide the same level of protection of intellectual property as the laws of the United States, and adequate intellectual property protection may not be available or may be limited in such countries. Swvl’s intellectual property protection and enforcement strategy is influenced by many considerations, including costs, where Swvl has business operations, where Swvl might have business operations in the future, legal protections available in a specific jurisdiction and/or other strategic considerations. As such, Swvl does not have identical or analogous intellectual property protection in all jurisdictions, which could limit Swvl’s freedom to operate as it expands into new jurisdictions. As Swvl expands its offerings into new jurisdictions, its exposure to unauthorized use, copying, transfer and disclosure of proprietary information will likely increase. Swvl may need to expend additional resources to protect, enforce or defend its intellectual property, which could harm Swvl’s business, financial condition or operating results. Swvl may also need to expend additional resources to understand and analyze the varying protections available in different jurisdictions and whether formal protection for intellectual property, such as rights in software, is available, commercially advisable and/or enforceable.

Swvl enters into confidentiality and intellectual property assignment agreements with employees and contractors and enters into confidentiality agreements with third-party providers and corporate customers. There can be no assurance that these agreements will effectively control access to, and use and distribution of, Swvl’s platform and proprietary information. Further, these agreements do not prevent Swvl’s competitors from independently developing technologies that are substantially equivalent or superior to Swvl’s offerings. Competitors and other third parties may also attempt to reverse engineer Swvl’s data, which would compromise Swvl’s trade secrets and other rights.

Swvl may be required to spend significant resources monitoring and protecting its intellectual property rights, and some violations may be difficult or nearly impossible to detect. Litigation to defend and enforce Swvl’s intellectual property rights could be costly, time-consuming and distracting to management and could result in the impairment or loss of portions of Swvl’s intellectual property. Swvl’s efforts to enforce its intellectual property rights may be met with defenses, counterclaims and countersuits attacking the validity and enforceability of Swvl’s intellectual property rights. Swvl’s inability to protect its intellectual property and proprietary technology against unauthorized copying or use, as well as any costly litigation or diversion of Swvl’s management’s attention and

 

28

resources, could impair the functionality of Swvl’s platform, delay introductions of enhancements to Swvl’s platform, result in Swvl substituting inferior or more costly technologies into its platform or harm Swvl’s reputation or brand. In addition, Swvl may be required to license additional technology from third parties to develop and market new offerings or platform features, which may not be on commercially reasonable terms and could adversely affect Swvl’s ability to compete.

The ridesharing industry has also been subject to attempts to steal intellectual property. Although Swvl takes measures to protect its property, if it is unable to prevent the theft of its intellectual property or its exploitation, the value of Swvl’s investments may be undermined and Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results may be negatively impacted.

Companies in the Internet and technology industries are frequently subject to litigation based on allegations of infringement or other violations of intellectual property rights. In addition, certain companies and rights holders seek to enforce and monetize patents or other intellectual property rights they own or otherwise obtained. As Swvl’s public profile grows and the number of competitors in Swvl’s markets increases, and as Swvl continues to develop new technologies and intellectual property, the possibility of intellectual property rights claims against Swvl may grow. From time to time, third parties may assert claims of infringement of intellectual property rights against Swvl. Swvl does not hold any patents. Competitors of Swvl and others may now and in the future have significantly larger and more mature patent portfolios than Swvl has. In addition, future litigation may involve patent holding companies or other adverse patent owners who have no relevant product or service revenue and against whom Swvl’s own patents (if and when acquired) may therefore provide little or no deterrence or protection. Many potential litigants, including some of Swvl’s competitors and patent-holding companies, have the ability to dedicate substantial resources to assert their intellectual property rights. Any claim of infringement by a third-party, even those without merit, could cause Swvl to incur substantial costs defending against such claim, could distract management’s attention from the operation of Swvl’s business and could require Swvl to cease its use of certain intellectual property. Furthermore, because intellectual property litigation may involve a substantial amount of discovery, Swvl may risk compromising its own confidential information in the course of any such litigation. Swvl may be required to pay substantial damages, royalties or other fees in connection with a claimant securing a judgment against Swvl, Swvl may be subject to an injunction or other restrictions that prevent Swvl from using or distributing its intellectual property, or Swvl may agree to a settlement that prevents it from distributing its offerings or a portion thereof, which could adversely affect Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results.

non-exclusive,

non-infringing

Swvl receives, transmits and stores a large volume of personally identifiable information and other data relating to the users of Swvl’s platform. Numerous national and international laws, rules and regulations applicable to the jurisdictions in which Swvl operates relate to privacy, data protection and the collection, storing, sharing, use, disclosure and protection of certain types of data. These laws, rules and regulations evolve frequently and their scope may continually change, through new legislation, amendments to existing legislation and changes in enforcement, and may be inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another and may conflict with each other. For

 

29

example, changes in laws or regulations relating to privacy, data protection and information security, particularly any new or modified laws or regulations that require enhanced protection of certain types of data or new obligations with regard to data retention, transfer or disclosure, could greatly increase the cost of providing Swvl’s offerings, require significant changes to Swvl’s operations or even prevent Swvl from providing certain offerings in jurisdictions in which it currently operates and in which it may operate in the future. Further, as Swvl continues to expand its platform offerings and user base, Swvl may become subject to additional privacy-related laws and regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679), which Swvl recently became subject to (please see the section entitled “Item 3D. Risks Related to Regulatory, Legal and Tax Factors Affecting Swvl”). Additionally, Swvl has incurred, and expects to continue to incur, expenses in an effort to comply with privacy, data protection and information security standards and protocols imposed by law, regulation, industry standards or contractual obligations.

Despite Swvl’s efforts to comply with applicable laws, regulations and other obligations relating to privacy, data protection and information security, it is possible that Swvl’s practices, offerings or platform could be inconsistent with, or fail or be alleged to fail to meet all requirements of, such laws, regulations or obligations. Swvl’s failure, or the failure by Swvl’s third-party providers or partners, to comply with applicable laws or regulations or any other obligations relating to privacy, data protection or information security, or any compromise of security that results in unauthorized access to, or use or release of personally identifiable information or other driver or rider data, or the perception that any of the foregoing types of failure or compromise has occurred, could damage Swvl’s reputation, discourage new and existing drivers and riders from using Swvl’s platform or result in fines or proceedings by governmental agencies and private claims and litigation, any of which could adversely affect Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results. Even if not subject to legal challenge, the perception of privacy concerns, whether or not valid, may harm Swvl’s reputation and brand and adversely affect Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results.

Upon the consummation of Swvl’s acquisition of a controlling interest in Shotl, Swvl began operating in certain European Union (“EU”) member states and the United Kingdom. Expansion into the EU and the United Kingdom or marketing directed to those jurisdictions subjects Swvl and certain personal data it processes to the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) (“GDPR”), supplemented by national laws and further implemented through binding guidance from the European Data Protection Board, which regulates the collection, control, sharing, disclosure, use and other processing of personal data and imposes stringent data protection requirements with significant penalties, and the risk of civil litigation, for noncompliance.

As of January 2021 (when the transitional period following Brexit expired), there are two parallel regimes with potentially divergent interpretations and enforcement actions for certain violations. The European Commission adopted an adequacy decision for the U.K., which means that certain aspects of data protection law between the U.K. and EU will remain the same. However, because the U.K.’s Information Commissioner’s Office remains the independent supervisory body regarding the U.K. GDPR but will not be the regulator for any activities under the GDPR, there may be increasing divergence in application, interpretation and enforcement of the data protection law as between the U.K. and the European Economic Area.

As of the date of this Report, Swvl is in the process of bringing all of its operations (legacy and post-Shotl acquisition) into compliance with the GDPR. However, Swvl’s efforts to bring all of its practices (or those of its collaborators, service providers, and contractors) into compliance with the GDPR may not succeed for a variety of

 

30

non-compliant

The classification status of drivers that operate on ridesharing platforms is the subject of ongoing litigation and debate in multiple countries. Certain global ridesharing businesses are currently involved in legal proceedings in multiple jurisdictions, including putative class and collective action lawsuits, charges and claims before administrative agencies, and investigations or audits by labor, social security, and tax authorities, that claim that drivers using their platforms should be treated as employees (or as workers or quasi-employees where those statuses exist) of such companies, rather than as independent contractors.

Swvl classifies the drivers that use its platform as independent contractors or as employees of third parties in certain of the jurisdictions in which Swvl currently operates. However, in certain of the jurisdictions that Swvl operates, such classifications are based on an interpretation of applicable law, and Swvl’s interpretation may be subject to challenge. In particular, in Egypt, as the Egyptian Ridesharing Laws do not require drivers to be classified as employees, any challenge to Swvl’s determination that drivers are not employees would need to be based on principles of Egyptian labor laws. Under such laws, a person is classified as an employee if he or she works in exchange for a salary for an employer and under the employer’s control and supervision. Thus, in assessing whether drivers should be classified as employees in Egypt, Swvl considers, among other things, the level of direct administration and supervision it has over drivers using its platform.

While Swvl believes its classification of drivers as independent contractors in each of the jurisdictions it operates, including in Egypt and Pakistan, is correct, Swvl may in the future be subject to proceedings relating to the classification of drivers using its platform as laws and regulations governing the ridesharing industry, labor and employment develop further (or if interpretations of existing laws and regulations change) and as Swvl expands its business operations in new jurisdictions. Swvl may incur substantial expenses in defending such proceedings. If Swvl is not successful in defending such proceedings, it may be required to pay significant damages to drivers or incur other fines, penalties or sanctions. In addition, if, as a result of legislation or judicial decisions in jurisdictions where the employee-contractor distinction is applicable, Swvl is required to classify drivers as employees in such jurisdictions, Swvl may incur significant additional expenses for compensating drivers or making payments on their behalf, including expenses associated with the application of, as applicable, wage and hour laws (including minimum wage, overtime, and meal and rest period requirements), employee benefits, social security contributions, taxes (direct and indirect), and potential penalties. In such event, Swvl may be required to increase its pricing to offset these additional expenses or to discontinue lower-margin offerings or routes, abandon its efforts to expand into new markets or forego other expenditures, such as marketing or hiring key personnel. As a result, Swvl’s ability to attract new riders and to retain existing riders could be adversely affected and utilization of Swvl’s platform may decrease. Any of the foregoing risks would have an adverse effect on Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results.

 

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COVID-19

Swvl is subject to rules and regulations by various governing bodies, including, for example, the SEC, which are charged with the protection of investors and the oversight of companies whose securities are publicly traded, and to new and evolving regulatory measures under applicable law, including the laws of the BVI and the various countries and cities in which it operates. Swvl’s efforts to comply with new and changing laws and regulations in the jurisdictions in which it operates have resulted in and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities.

Moreover, because these laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations and changes due to the emerging nature of the markets in which Swvl operates, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance becomes available. This evolution may result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and additional costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to Swvl’s disclosure and governance practices. If Swvl fails to address and comply with these regulations and any subsequent changes, they may be subject to penalty and the business may be harmed.

Because Swvl has significant expansion plans, Swvl’s effective tax rate may fluctuate or increase in the future. Future effective tax rates could be affected, possibly materially, by changes in tax laws or the regulatory environment, the recognition of operating losses in jurisdictions where no tax benefit can be recorded under the applicable method of accounting, changes in the composition of operating income across tax jurisdictions, changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities, or changes in accounting and tax standards or practices.

after-tax

 

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after-tax

SPAC, with the consent of Swvl, initially filed an application with the CCP on January 17, 2022 (the “Application”) for approval to consummate the Business Combination. Approval of the Application by the CCP was a closing condition in the Business Combination Agreement. However, approval of the Application by the CCP was not obtained prior to the vote of the SPAC shareholders. Accordingly, because the SPAC and Swvl did not believe that the Business Combination raised substantive competition considerations in Pakistan, nor did they believe that waiving the related closing condition was likely to result in material adverse consequences, Swvl and SPAC waived this closing condition and, following the satisfaction of all other closing conditions, proceeded with the consummation of the Business Combination.

Swvl continues to believe that the Business Combination does not raise substantive competition considerations in Pakistan, nor does it believe that waiving this closing condition and proceeding with consummation of the Business Combination is likely to result in material adverse consequences. However, there can be no assurance that the CCP will not choose to challenge the Business Combination and/or seek financial penalties or behavioral or other remedies, any of which could result in a material adverse effect on Swvl’s business.

Swvl Securities are listed on Nasdaq. If Swvl violates Nasdaq listing requirements, Swvl Securities may be delisted. If Swvl fails to meet any of Nasdaq’s listing standards, Swvl Securities may be delisted. In addition, the board of directors of Swvl may determine that the cost of maintaining the listing on a national securities exchange outweighs the benefits of such listing. A delisting of Swvl Securities ordinary shares may materially impair shareholders’ ability to buy and sell our ordinary shares and could have an adverse effect on the market price of, and the efficiency of the trading market for, Swvl Securities. The delisting of Swvl Securities could significantly impair Swvl’s ability to raise capital and the value of your investment.

The market price of Swvl Securities is affected by the supply and demand for such shares, which may be influenced by numerous factors, many of which are beyond Swvl’s control, including:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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As a result, the market price of Swvl Securities may be subject to substantial fluctuation.

In addition, general market conditions and fluctuation of share prices and trading volumes could lead to pressure on the market price of Swvl Securities, even if there may not be a reason for this based on Swvl’s business performance or earnings outlook. Furthermore, investors in the secondary market may view Swvl’s business more critically than prior or current investors, which could adversely affect the market price of Swvl Securities in the secondary market.

If the market price of Swvl Securities declines as a result of the realization of any of these or other risks, investors could lose part or all of their investment in Swvl Securities.

Additionally, in the past, when the market price of a stock has been volatile, holders of that stock have sometimes instituted securities class action litigation against the company that issued the shares. If any of Swvl’s shareholders brought a lawsuit against Swvl, Swvl could incur substantial costs defending the lawsuit. Such a lawsuit could also divert the time and attention of management from the business, which could significantly harm Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results.

lock-up

lock-up

lock-up

Further, we have agreed to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the resale of certain Ordinary Shares issued in connection with the Business Combination, including shares issued pursuant to the private offering of Swvl Securities (the “PIPE Financing”) to certain investors (the “PIPE Investors”). We have also agreed to file a registration statement covering the resale of shares that may be issued to B. Riley pursuant to our equity line financing. Any of these resales, or the perception in the market that the holders of a large number of shares intend to resell shares, could cause the market price of our securities to decline or increase the volatility in the market price of our securities.

Investing in securities of issuers operating in developing countries generally involves a higher degree of risk than investing in securities of issuers from more developed countries. Economic crises in one or more such

 

34

countries may reduce overall investor appetite for securities of issuers operating in developing countries generally, even for such issuers that operate outside the regions directly affected by the crises. Past economic crises in developing countries, including in Egypt, have often resulted in significant outflows of international capital and caused issuers operating in developing countries to face higher costs for raising funds, and in some cases have effectively impeded access to international capital markets for extended periods.

Thus, even if the economies of the countries in which Swvl operates remain relatively stable, financial turmoil in any developing market country could have an adverse effect on Swvl’s business, financial condition and operating results.

The trading market for Swvl Securities depends in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about Swvl or its business. If securities or industry analyst coverage results in downgrades of Swvl Securities or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about Swvl’s business, the share price of Swvl Securities would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of Swvl or fail to publish reports on Swvl regularly, Swvl could lose visibility in the financial markets and demand for Swvl Securities could decrease, which, in turn, could cause the market price or trading volume for Swvl Securities to decline significantly.

In addition, organizations that provide information to investors on corporate governance and related matters have developed ratings processes for evaluating companies on their approach to ESG matters. Such ratings are used by some investors to inform their investment and voting decisions. Inaccurate or unfavorable ESG ratings could lead to negative investor sentiment towards Swvl, which could have a negative impact on the market price and demand for Swvl Securities, as well as Swvl’s access to and cost of capital.

The exercise price for our Warrants is $11.50 per Ordinary Share. There is no guarantee that the Warrants will be in the money following the time they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, and as such, the Warrants may expire worthless.

We may amend the terms of the Warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders with the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then-outstanding Warrants. As a result, the exercise price of your Warrants could be increased, the exercise period could be shortened and the number of Ordinary Shares purchasable upon exercise of a Warrant could be decreased, all without your approval.

30-trading

In addition, we have the ability to redeem the outstanding Warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.10 per Warrant upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption provided that the last reported sales price per Ordinary Share equals or exceeds $10.00 per

 

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If Swvl is a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) in which a U.S. Holder (as defined below in the section of this Report entitled “Item 10.E. Taxation”), holds Ordinary Shares, such U.S. Holder may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences and certain information reporting requirements. U.S. Holders are strongly encouraged to consult with their own tax advisors to determine the application of the PFIC rules to them in their particular circumstances and any resulting tax consequences. Please see the section of this Report entitled “Item 10.E. Taxation” for a more detailed discussion with respect to the PFIC status of Swvl and the resulting tax consequences to U.S. Holders.

As a public company, Swvl incurs significant legal, accounting and other expenses that it did not incur as a private company. For example, Swvl is subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and is required to comply with the applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, as well as rules and regulations of the SEC and Nasdaq.

Swvl expects that compliance with these requirements will increase its legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly. In addition, Swvl’s management and other personnel may be required to divert their attention from operational and other business matters to devote substantial time to these public company requirements. In particular, Swvl is incurring significant expenses and devoting substantial management effort toward ensuring compliance with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which will increase further when Swvl is no longer an “emerging growth company” as defined under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) (Please see the section entitled “Swvl is an “emerging growth company”, and the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies may make Swvl Securities less attractive to investors”). As a public company, Swvl has been hiring and is continuing to hire additional accounting and financial staff with appropriate public company experience and technical accounting knowledge and may need to establish an internal audit function.

 

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Pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, subject to accommodations available to newly public companies and emerging growth companies, a report by management on internal control over financial reporting and an attestation of our independent registered public accounting firm is required. As a newly public company, Swvl has not previously been required to conduct an internal control evaluation and assessment. The rules governing the standards that must be met for management to assess internal control over financial reporting are complex and require significant documentation, testing and possible remediation. To comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the requirements of being a reporting company under the Exchange Act and any complex accounting rules in the future, Swvl is in the process of upgrading its information technology systems, implementing additional financial and management controls, reporting systems and procedures, and hiring additional accounting and finance staff. If Swvl is unable to hire the additional accounting and finance staff necessary to comply with these requirements, it may need to retain additional outside consultants. Swvl may not be able to effectively and timely implement controls and procedures that adequately respond to the increased regulatory compliance and reporting requirements. If Swvl is not able to comply with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, including if Swvl is unable to maintain proper and effective internal controls, Swvl may not be able to produce timely and accurate financial statements. If Swvl cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, Swvl’s business and results of operations could be harmed, investors could lose confidence in our reported financial information and Swvl could be subject to sanctions or investigations by Nasdaq, the SEC or other regulatory authorities.

In addition, Swvl has identified material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting and there can be no assurances that there will not be material weaknesses in Swvl’s internal control over financial reporting in the future. Any failure to maintain internal control over financial reporting could severely inhibit Swvl’s ability to accurately report its financial condition, operating results or cash flows. If Swvl is unable to comply with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act or conclude that its internal control over financial reporting is effective, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of its financial reports, the market price of its securities could decline, and Swvl could be subject to sanctions or investigations by Nasdaq, the SEC or other regulatory authorities. Failure to remedy any material weakness in Swvl’s internal control over financial reporting, or to implement or maintain other effective control systems required of public companies, could also restrict Swvl’s future access to the capital markets. In addition, failure to implement adequate internal controls or ensure that books and records accurately reflect transactions could result in criminal and civil fines and penalties under the FCPA, as well as related reputational harm and legal fees in defense of such investigations. Any of the foregoing risks could have an adverse effect on Swvl’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

non-affiliates

20-F).

Swvl cannot predict if investors will find Swvl Securities less attractive if it relies on these exemptions. If some investors find Swvl Securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for the Swvl Securities and its share price may be more volatile.

 

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non-U.S.

10-Q

20-F

10-K

10-K

Swvl is subject to Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards. However, Nasdaq rules permit a foreign private issuer such as Swvl to follow the corporate governance practices of its home country. Certain corporate governance practices in the British Virgin Islands, which is Swvl’s home country, may differ significantly from Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards. For instance, Swvl may choose to follow home country practice in lieu of Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards such as:

 

 

 

 

 

Swvl follows home country practice and is exempt from requirements to obtain shareholder approval for the issuance of 20% or more of its outstanding shares under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d). If, in the future, Swvl chooses to follow other home country practices in lieu of Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards (such as the ones listed above), Swvl’s shareholders may be afforded less protection than they otherwise would have under corporate governance listing standards applicable to U.S. domestic issuers. For more information about Swvl’s corporate governance practices, please see the subsection of this Report entitled “Item 16.G. Board Practices—Foreign Private Issuer Status.”

Swvl’s corporate affairs are governed by its amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (the “Swvl Public Company Articles”), the BVI Companies Act and the common law of the BVI. The rights of shareholders to take legal action against Swvl’s directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary

 

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non-penal

The Swvl Public Company Articles and the shareholders agreement by and among Swvl and certain of its shareholders (the “Swvl Shareholders Agreement”) contain provisions that could have the effect of rendering more difficult, delaying, or preventing an acquisition that shareholders may consider favorable, including transactions in which shareholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. These provisions could also limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for Swvl Securities, and therefore depress the trading price. These provisions could also make it difficult for shareholders to take certain actions, including electing directors who are not nominated by the incumbent members of the Swvl Board or taking other corporate actions, including effecting changes in Swvl’s management, and may inhibit the ability of an acquiror to effect an unsolicited takeover attempt. Such provisions include, among other things:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Swvl is a British Virgin Islands company and substantially all of its assets and operations are located outside of the U.S. In addition, most of Swvl’ directors and officers reside outside the U.S. and the substantial majority of their assets are located outside of the U.S. As a result, it may be difficult to effect service of process within the U.S. or elsewhere upon these persons. It may also be difficult to enforce judgments in the jurisdictions in which Swvl operates or British Virgin Islands courts against Swvl and its officers and directors. It may be difficult or impossible to bring an action against Swvl in the British Virgin Islands if you believe your rights under the U.S. securities laws have been infringed. In addition, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the British Virgin Islands or jurisdictions in which Swvl operates would recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts against Swvl or such persons predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the U.S. or any state and it is uncertain whether such British Virgin Islands courts or courts in jurisdictions in which Swvl operates would hear original actions brought in the British Virgin Islands or jurisdictions in which Swvl operates against Swvl or such persons predicated upon the securities laws of the U.S. or any state.

Mail addressed to Swvl and received at its registered office is forwarded unopened to the forwarding address supplied by Swvl. None of Swvl, its directors, officers, advisors or service providers (including the organization which provides registered office services in the BVI) bears any responsibility for any delay howsoever caused in mail reaching the forwarding address. As a result, shareholder communications sent by mail to Swvl may be delayed.

There is no statutory enforcement in the British Virgin Islands of judgments obtained in the U.S., however, the courts of the British Virgin Islands will in certain circumstances recognize such a foreign judgment and treat it as a cause of action in itself which may be sued upon as a debt at common law so that no retrial of the issues would be necessary, provided that:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The British Virgin Islands courts are unlikely:

 

 

 

Swvl Holdings Corp is a British Virgins Islands business company incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. Swvl was incorporated on July 23, 2021 for the purpose of effecting the Business Combination and on March 31, 2022, the Business Combination was consummated and Swvl completed its listing on Nasdaq. See “Explanatory Note” for further details regarding the Business Combination. Since April 1, 2022, Swvl Ordinary Shares and Warrants have traded on the Nasdaq under the symbols “SWVL” and “SWVLW,” respectively.

https://www.swvl.com

www.sec.gov

Our capital expenditures amounted to approximately $0.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, approximately $0.2 million in FY 2020 and approximately $0.4 million in FY 2019. Our historical capital expenditures are primarily related to additions and purchases of property and equipment, which included the purchase of fixtures and furniture, leasehold improvements and employee laptops. While we are an asset-light business, we expect to moderately increase our capital expenditures to meet the expected growth in scale of our business and as we expand geographically and bolster our existing offerings. We expect that cash received in connection with the Business Combination and cash from operating activities and financing activities will be used to meet our capital expenditure and marketing spend needs in the foreseeable future.

on-demand

On November 16, 2021, we announced a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Viapool Inc., a mass transit platform currently operating in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Santiago, Chile. The Viapool transaction is expected to create a strong foothold for Swvl in Latin America, a key geography for our expansion plan and an attractive entry point ahead of planned wider expansions in Brazil and Mexico. The transaction closed on January 14, 2022.

 

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On March 24, 2022, we announced a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Door2DoorGmbH, a high-growth mobility operations platform that partners with municipalities, public transit operators, corporations, and automotive companies to optimize shared mobility solutions across Europe. The closing of the door2door transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed in Q2 2022.

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With our Swvl Travel offering, riders can book rides on long-distance intercity routes on either vehicles available exclusively through the Swvl platform or through third-party services marketed through Swvl.

Leveraging the technology that we use for our Retail and Travel offerings, we also offer “transport as a service” (“TaaS”) enterprise products (marketed as Swvl Business) for businesses, schools, municipal transit agencies and other customers that operate their own transportation programs. These products include, among other things, access to our Swvl Business platform, use of our proprietary technologies, consulting and reporting services and use of the vehicles and drivers on our network to operate such transportation programs. We package our TaaS products to meet the specific needs of each customer. As of December 31, 2021, more than 250 companies across diverse industries, including technology, finance, food and beverage, consulting and healthcare, use our TaaS products. We also announced plans to expand our Swvl Business offering by introducing “software as a service” (“SaaS”) products in 2022, which will allow customers with their own vehicle fleets to utilize the benefits of our platform and technologies.

Our business was founded on February 8, 2017 by Mostafa Kandil, our Chief Executive Officer, Mahmoud Nouh and Ahmed Sabbah. We launched our first commuter services in Cairo, Egypt in March 2017, before expanding to Alexandria, Egypt the same year. As of December 31, 2021, we have expanded our operations to multiple cities across seven countries, with our core Retail offering available in select cities in Egypt, Kenya, Pakistan and Jordan. In January 2019, we commenced operations in Nairobi, Kenya. Namely, in the second half of 2019, we commenced operations in major cities in Pakistan, including Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi, and relocated our headquarters from Cairo, Egypt to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In 2020 and 2021, we also launched TaaS offerings in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

We believe that traditional modes of public transportation represent a rigid and outdated approach to the needs of the modern world. Particularly in developing countries, existing mass-transit infrastructure often suffers from a combination of being inaccessible, unreliable and unsafe. Urban populations in such countries are often unserved or underserved by public transportation networks. Where access to public transportation is available, many commuters must endure long wait times and inconsistent or delayed service. In turn, commuters and society at large

 

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Alternatives to public transportation are also inaccessible for many commuters. In the markets we serve, such as Egypt and Pakistan, taxi companies and other ridesharing companies generally cater to wealthier customers. While more convenient and safer than public transportation, high prices (even with discounts and promotions) may put these services out of reach for many commuters.

Swvl’s B2C retail strategy is to create new options for mass-transit by occupying the space between traditional public transportation and expensive private options to attract ridership to our platform: