Correspondence 0001213900-23-064209 from reAlpha Tech Corp. (AIRE)
reAlpha Tech Corp.
Date: Aug. 7, 2023 · CIK: 0001859199 · Accession: 0001213900-23-064209
AI Filing Summary & Sentiment
File numbers found in text: 333-271307
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CORRESP
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filename1.htm
Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp llp
A Law Partnership Including Professional
Corporations
August 7, 2023
VIA EDGAR
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Corporation Finance
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Attn:
Benjamin Holt
Jeffrey Gabor
Division of Corporation Finance
Office of Real Estate & Construction
Re:
reAlpha Tech Corp.
Registration Statement on Form S-1
Filed June 29, 2023
File No. 333-271307
Ladies and Gentlemen:
On behalf of our client,
reAlpha Tech Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and pursuant to the applicable provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder, please find enclosed for filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a complete copy of Amendment No. 3 on Form S-11 (“Amendment No. 3”)
to the above-captioned Registration Statement on Form S-1 of the Company, originally filed with the Commission on April 18, 2023
(as amended, the “Registration Statement”).
Amendment No. 3 reflects
certain revisions to the Registration Statement in response to the comment letter to Mr. Devanur, the Company’s Chief Executive
Officer, dated July 17, 2023, from the staff of the Commission (the “Staff”) and other updated information.
The numbered paragraphs in
bold below set forth the Staff’s comments together with the Company’s responses. Disclosure changes made in response to the
Staff’s comments have been made in Amendment No. 3, which is being filed with the Commission contemporaneously with the submission
of this letter. Unless otherwise indicated, capitalized terms used herein have the meanings assigned to them in Amendment No. 3.
Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed June
29, 2023
Cover Page
1. We note your response to comment 1 and reissue the comment.
Please tell us the listing standard you intend to rely upon in listing your common stock and specifically confirm whether and how you
meet this standard.
Although we note your statement that
“the Company meets two of the three quantitative standards for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market,” it is unclear how you
meet any one of the Equity Standard, the Market Value of Listed Securities Standard, or the Net Income Standard under Nasdaq Rule 5505(b)
because:
● your stockholders’ equity is not at least $5 million (in
the case of the Equity Standard) or $4 million (in the case of the Market Value of Listed Securities Standard or the Net Income Standard),
and
● your net income from continuing operations is not $750,000
in the most recently completed fiscal year or in two of the three most recently completed fiscal years (in the case of the Net Income
Standard).
Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp llp
A Law Partnership Including Professional
Corporations
Additionally, please tell us whether
you have discussed your ability to meet the quantitative requirements of Rule 5505(a) and Rule 5505(b) with Nasdaq and the outcome of
those discussions. If such discussions occurred, please supplementally provide us with the name of the Nasdaq representative.
Response: The Company respectfully
acknowledges the Staff’s comment, and notes that it is proposing to list on the Nasdaq Capital Market LLC (“Nasdaq”)
pursuant to section IM-5505-1(a)(2) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules, which requires that the Company has: (i) a valuation that meets the
requirements of Nasdaq’s Listing Rules IM-5315-1(e) and (f) evidencing a price and (ii) market value of listed securities and market
value of unrestricted publicly held shares that exceeds 200% of the otherwise applicable requirement. The Company is relying on the “Equity
Standard” set forth in 5505(b)(1) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules. As of April 30, 2023, the Company has: (a) stockholders’ equity
of approximately $13.2 million; (b) market value of unrestricted publicly held shares of approximately $50.07 million; (c) an operating
history of more than two years; (d) 5,007,506 unrestricted publicly held shares; (e) 3,094 unrestricted round lot shareholders; (f) 3
market makers; and (g) a valuation-based bid price of $10 per share.
Risk Factors, page 11
2. Please tell us what consideration you have given to including
a risk factor discussing the differences the tracing requirement could pose to securities liability challenges brought under Section
11 for a direct listing versus a traditional IPO and the impact that it would have on the company and potential investors.
Response: The Company respectfully
acknowledges the Staff’s comment and has revised the disclosure on page 42 of Amendment No. 3 to add a corresponding risk factor.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis
of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Results of Operations, page 48
3. We note the increase in depreciation and amortization costs
for the nine months ended January 31, 2023 as compared to January 31, 2022. Please disclose the reasons why depreciation and amortization
costs increased when a large number of properties were disposed of during the period.
Response:
The Company respectfully acknowledges the Staff’s comment and has revised the disclosure on page 51 of Amendment No. 3 to add the
reasons why depreciation and amortization costs increased for the year ended April 30, 2023 compared to the year ended April 30, 2022.
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Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp llp
A Law Partnership Including Professional
Corporations
Business, page 56
4. We note your response to prior comment 7. Please clarify
if you intend to account for the acquisition of a minority stake of 25% in each of Naamche Inc. and Carthagos, Inc. under the equity
method or by another method. Please also tell us how you are currently accounting for the investments in Naamche and Carthagos, as the
disclosure on page 69 indicates that you acquired interests in these companies in 2021.
Response:
The Company respectfully acknowledges the Staff’s comment and notes that, even though the Company owns 25% of each of Naamche Inc.
and Carthagos, Inc., they have accounted for them under the “cost method” and not the “equity method” because
the Company does not have any significant control or influence over the financial and operating policies of these entities. The Company
further notes that they do not intend to account for them under the “equity method” in the foreseeable future, unless they
obtain significant control or influence over the financial and operating policies of such entities.
Our Platform and Technologies,
page 60
5. We note your response to comment 9 and partially reissue
the comment. Please provide us with your analysis of why the financial metrics and additional information available only to Syndicate
Members who use the app are not material and should not be made available to investors who may not want to use the app.
Response: The Company respectfully
acknowledges the Staff’s comment and has revised the disclosure on page 61 of Amendment No. 3 to disclose that the Company intends
to make available the financial metrics, including occupancy rates, average daily rental rates and other periodical information regarding
the syndicated properties, to regular investors who may not want to use the app contemporaneously to those who do use the app, at the
time the Company releases its quarterly consolidated results. The Company also notes that these financial metrics will be available to
the general public via the Company’s website as well on a quarterly basis.
6. We note your response to comment 10, including that the
financial metrics available only to Syndicate Members who use the app will not meet the same requirements as SEC filings. Please tell
us how your disclosure of financial metrics and additional information to Syndicate Members who use the app, but not investors generally,
is consistent with the requirements of Regulation FD.
Response: The Company respectfully
acknowledges the Staff’s comment and notes that, as referenced in the answer above, the Company intends to make this information
available to investors generally in accordance with Regulation FD.
Principal Stockholders, page 88
7. Please revise to disclose in the beneficial ownership table
the 368,499 shares held by Mr. Aldecoa.
Response: The Company respectfully
acknowledges the Staff’s comment and has revised the beneficial ownership table on page 97 to include the 368,499 shares held by
Mr. Aldecoa.
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Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp llp
A Law Partnership Including Professional
Corporations
Financial Statements, page F-1
8. Please update your financial statements in accordance with
Rule 8-08 of Regulation S-X.
Response: The Company respectfully
acknowledges the Staff’s comment and has revised the financial statements starting on page F-3 to be in accordance with Rule 8-08
of Regulation S-X.
Note 3 - Summary of Significant
Accounting Policies, page F-8
9. Your disclosure, in response to prior comment 16, on page
64 indicates that you expect Syndicate Members to collectively own 100% of the Syndication LLCs and that you will account for the Syndication
LLCs in accordance with applicable U.S. GAAP. Please explain how you will account for the Syndication LLCs under U.S. GAAP.
Response: The Company respectfully
acknowledges the Staff’s comment and notes that, if the Syndication LLC sells 100% of its membership interests to investors, the
accounting treatment would be as follows: (i) the proceeds received from the sale of membership interests would be recognized as equity
on the balance sheet of the Syndication LLC, reflecting the capital contributed by the investors; (ii) Rhove would no longer hold any
ownership interest in the Syndication LLC, and the investors would collectively own 100% of the LLC, and, accordingly, the LLC would not
form part of consolidated financial statements of the Company; and (iii) the revenue generated and expenses incurred by the Syndication
LLCs would only be part of financial statements of that Syndication LLC; however, any fees charged by Rhove to such Syndication LLCs would
be expensed in the Syndication LLCs’ financial statements and treated as income for Rhove.
If, instead, the Syndication
LLC does not sell 100% of its membership interests, and the managing member of the Syndication LLC, whether Rhove or another entity, retains
any percentage of the unsold membership interests, the accounting treatment would be as follows: (i) the portion of membership interests
purchased by investors would be recognized as equity on the balance sheet of Syndication LLC, reflecting the capital contributed by the
investors along with the remaining membership interests held by the managing member; (ii) the interest held by the managing member would
be reported as a separate component of equity on the balance sheet of the Syndication LLC, which will typically be presented on the Company’s
shareholders’ equity; (iii) the financial statements of the managing member would consolidate the results of operations and the
financial position of the Syndication LLC, reflecting the membership interests of both the investors and the managing member; and (iv)
the revenue generated and expenses incurred by the Syndication LLCs would be part of the such Syndication LLCs’ financial statements,
and consolidated into the managing member; provided, however, that any fees charged by the managing member to such Syndication LLCs would
be expensed in the Syndication LLCs and treated as income for the managing member.
General
10. We note your response to comment 18 and reissue the comment.
Please file your next amendment on Form S-11 as required by General Instruction A to Form S-11 and provide the disclosure required by
the form.
Although the company considers its
primary business lines to relate to the development of technology platforms that allow users to invest in short-term rental properties,
the financial statements show that the company’s only sources of revenue are rental income and gain on sale of properties; and the company’s
primary assets—in excess of 90% on average for the periods presented—are cash and investments in real estate. Accordingly,
it appears that the company’s business is primarily that of acquiring and holding for investment real estate or interests in real estate,
or interests in other issuers whose business is primarily that of acquiring and holding real estate or interest in real estate for investment.
Therefore, we continue to be of the view that the company is required to use Form S-11 pursuant to General Instruction A.
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Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp llp
A Law Partnership Including Professional
Corporations
Additionally, we note that currently
it appears that you and your subsidiaries, as opposed to any Syndicate Members, own 100% of the five properties in your portfolio; and
that you and your subsidiaries have generated no revenues through the use and subscription of your technologies.
Response: The Company respectfully
acknowledges the Staff’s comment and has filed Amendment No. 3 on Form S-11 as required by General Instruction A to Form S-11.
11. We note your response to comment 19 and reissue the comment.
Please provide the disclosure required by Industry Guide 5 or advise. For example, revise your compensation disclosure to comply with
Item 4 and provide the disclosure required by Item 8, including prior performance tables. For guidance, refer to Release No. 33- 6900
(June 17, 1991), Item 7(c) of Part II of Form 1-A, and CF Disclosure Guidance Topic No. 6.
Response: The Company respectfully
acknowledges that while Industry Guide 5, by its terms, applies to real estate limited partnerships, Release No. 33-6900 states that its
requirements should also be considered for the preparation of registration statements of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”).
In practice, the Commission has requested Industry Guide 5 disclosure for initial public offerings by newly formed REITs if more than
25% of the offering proceeds are not specified for particular assets in the use of proceeds disclosure. Additionally, CF Disclosure Guidance:
Topic No. 6 indicates that if a registrant lacks real estate assets, has no operating history, and has not identified any specific assets
to acquire with the offering proceeds, then certain Industry Guide 5 disclosure requirements would apply. Based on the foregoing, the
Company respectfully submits that Industry Guide 5 disclosure is not necessary or appropriate for its offering for the following reasons:
(i) it is not a real estate limited partnership, (ii) it is not a REIT, and (iii) even if applicable, the Company possesses real estate
assets, has an operating history, and sufficiently specifies the types of real estate assets it intends to acquire in the Registration
Statement and Amendment No. 3.
12. We note your response to comment 22. To the extent the
July 29, 2022 offering was unregistered, please revise Item 15 of Part II to disclose all of the information required by Item 701 of
Regulation S-K.
Response: The Company respectfully
acknowledges the Staff’s comment and has revised the disclosure on page II-1 of Amendment No. 3 to disclose that there was no July
29, 2022 offering. Rather, on July 29, 2022, the Company filed a post-effective amendment on Form 1-A to re-qualify its Regulation A offering,
which was re-qualified by the SEC on August 3, 2022.
* * *
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Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp llp
A Law Partnership Including Professional
Corporations
We thank the Staff for its
review of the foregoing and Amendment No. 3. If you have further comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at bjb@msk.com or
by telephone at (917) 546-7709.
Sincerely,
/s/ Blake Baron
Name: Blake Baron
cc:
Giri Devanur, reAlpha Tech Corp.
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