Nuburu, Inc.

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), which statements involve substantial risk and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “continue” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans, or intentions. Forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K include, but are not limited to, statements about:

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our ability to obtain required financing;

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our ability to maintain the listing of our common stock, par value of $0.0001 per share (the "Common Stock") on a securities exchange;

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our ability to successfully implement key acquisitions;

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our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees, or directors, including the transition to a new management team in the first half of 2025;

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our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading;

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our ability to implement our announced business plan, including diversifying our assets;

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the fact that we have not achieved commercialization and our ability to achieve commercialization in the future;

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the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against us related to the Business Combination;

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our plans and ability to obtain, maintain, enforce, or protect intellectual property rights;

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our business, operations and financial performance, including:

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expectations with respect to financial and business performance, including financial projections and business metrics and any underlying assumptions thereunder;

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expectations regarding future acquisitions, partnerships, or other relationships with third parties;

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future business plans and growth opportunities;

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expectations regarding product development and pipeline;

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expectations regarding research and development efforts;

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expectations regarding market size;

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expectations regarding the competitive landscape;

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future capital requirements and sources and uses of cash, including the ability to obtain additional capital in the future; and

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other statements detailed under the section entitled “Risk Factors” and in other sections of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. You should not put undue reliance on these statements which speak only as of the date hereof. You should understand that the following important factors, in addition to those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, could affect our future results, and could cause those results or other outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K:

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our ability to obtain financing;

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our ability to meet NYSE American’s continued listing standards;

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our ability to protect our intellectual property;

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whether the market embraces our products and investments;

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whether we achieve commercialization in a timely manner;

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our ability to retain or recruit key employees;

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costs related to being a public company;

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changes in applicable laws or regulations;

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the possibility that we may be adversely affected by economic, business, or competitive factors;

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volatility in the markets caused by geopolitical and economic factors; and

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other risks and uncertainties set forth in the section titled “Risk Factors” and in other sections of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

These and other factors that could cause actual results to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are more fully described under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The risks described under the heading “Risk Factors” are not exhaustive. Other sections of this Annual Report on Form 10-K describe additional factors that could adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible to predict all such risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all such risk factors on our business, or the extent to which any factor or combination of factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. We undertake no obligations to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

In addition, statements of belief and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions, as applicable, on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us, as applicable, as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and you are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.

Frequently Used Terms

Unless otherwise stated in the Financial Statements and accompanying footnotes, or the context otherwise requires, references in this Annual Report to:

“Business Combination” are to the business combination of Legacy Nuburu with a subsidiary of Tailwind, with Legacy Nuburu surviving such business combination as a wholly owned subsidiary of Tailwind;

“Business Combination Agreement” are to that certain Business Combination Agreement, dated as of August 5, 2022, by and among Tailwind, Nuburu, and Merger Sub, Inc., as the same has been or may be amended, modified, supplemented, or waived from time to time;

“Closing” are to the consummation of the Transactions;

“Closing Date” are to January 31, 2023, the date on which the Transactions were consummated;

"Common Stock" are to the Company's common stock, par value of $0.0001 per share, listed on the New York Stock Exchange after the Business Combination;

“Exchange Ratios” are to the quotients as defined in, and calculated in accordance with, the Business Combination Agreement, which was included as an exhibit to our Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-39489) filed with the SEC on February 6, 2023;

“Legacy Nuburu” are to Nuburu Subsidiary, Inc., a Delaware corporation (f/k/a Nuburu, Inc. before the Closing Date);

“Public Warrants” are to the 16,710,785 whole warrants of the Company sold to public investors in the Tailwind IPO (defined below);

“SEC” is the Securities and Exchange Commission;

“Tailwind” are to Tailwind Acquisition Corp, a Delaware corporation and our predecessor company prior to the consummation of the Transactions, which changed its name to Nuburu, Inc. following the consummation of the Transactions, and its consolidated subsidiaries;

“Tailwind IPO” are to the initial public offering by Tailwind which closed on September 9, 2020; and

“Transactions” are to the Business Combination, together with the other transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement and the related agreements.

Unless the context otherwise requires, all references in this section to “Nuburu,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our,” and other similar terms refer to: (i) Legacy Nuburu and its subsidiaries prior to the Closing, and (ii) Nuburu, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiary, Nuburu Subsidiary, Inc., after the Closing.