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Laser Photonics Corp

For the period ended Dec 31, 2025. Filed Apr 20, 2026.

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FY2025 · Filed Apr 20, 2026

LASE$0.60+14.6%Stored close · as of Nov 9, 2026

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Contents

Item 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Compensation Philosophy

The following is a discussion and analysis of our underlying our policies and decisions with respect to the compensation of our executive officers and what we believe are the most important factors relevant to an analysis of these policies and decisions. We are currently considered a “smaller reporting company” for purposes of the SEC’s executive compensation disclosure rules. Our only “named executive officers” for 2024 and 2025 were Wayne Tupuola, Carlos Sardinas and . The compensation of our named executive officers and our other current executive officers is based on individual terms approved by our Board of Directors. This section highlights key aspects of our compensation program.

Our compensation committee will oversee these compensation policies and, together with our Board of Directors, will periodically evaluate the need for revisions to ensure our compensation program is competitive with the companies with which we compete for executive talent.

Objectives and Philosophy of Our Executive Compensation Program

The primary objectives of the Board of Directors in designing our executive compensation program are to:

●attract, retain and motivate experienced and talented executives;
●ensure executive compensation is aligned with our corporate strategies, research and development programs and business goals;
●recognize the individual contributions of executives while fostering a shared commitment among executives by aligning their individual goals with our corporate goals;
●promote the achievement of key strategic, development and operational performance measures by linking compensation to the achievement of measurable corporate and individual performance goals; and
●align the interests of our executives with our stockholders by rewarding performance that leads to the creation of stockholder value.

To achieve these objectives in the future, we expect that our Board of Directors and compensation committee will evaluate our executive compensation program with the goal of setting and maintaining compensation at levels that are justifiable based on each executive’s level of experience, performance and responsibility and that the board believes are competitive with those of other companies in our industry and our region that compete with us for executive talent. In addition, we expect that our executive compensation program will tie a substantial portion of each executive’s overall compensation to key strategic, financial and operational goals. We have provided, and expect to continue to provide, a portion of our executive compensation in the form of stock options and restricted stock that vest over time, which we believe helps to retain our executives and aligns their interests with those of our stockholders by allowing them to participate in the longer term success of our company as reflected in stock price appreciation.

Use of Compensation Consultants and Market Benchmarking

For purposes of determining total compensation and the primary components of compensation for our executive officers in 2024 and 2025, we did not retain the services of a compensation consultant or use survey information or compensation data to engage in benchmarking. In the future, we expect that our compensation committee will consider publicly available compensation data for national and regional companies in the laser cleaning industry to help guide its executive compensation decisions at the time of hiring and for subsequent adjustments in compensation. Even if we retain the services of an independent compensation consultant to provide additional comparative data on executive compensation practices in our industry and to advise on our executive compensation program generally, our Board of Directors and future compensation committee will ultimately make their own decisions about these matters.

Beginning in 2026, we expect that our annual cash bonus program will be based upon the achievement of specified annual corporate and individual goals that will be established in advance by our Board of Directors or compensation committee. We expect that our annual cash bonus program will emphasize pay-for-performance and will be intended to closely align executive compensation with achievement of specified operating results as the amount will be calculated on the basis of percentage of corporate goals achieved. The performance goals established by our compensation committee are based on our business strategy and the objective of building stockholder value. We expect that there will be three steps to determine if and the extent to which an annual cash bonus is payable to a named executive officer. First, at the beginning of the year, our compensation committee will determine the target annual cash incentive award for the named executive officer based on a percentage of the officer’s annual base salary for that year. Second, the compensation committee will establish the specific performance goals, including both corporate and individual objectives, that must be met for the officer to receive the award. Third, shortly after the end of the year, the compensation committee will determine the extent to which these performance goals were met and the amount of the award. Our compensation committee works with our chief executive officer to develop corporate and individual goals that they believe can be reasonably achieved with hard work over the course of the year and will target total cash compensation, consisting of base salaries and target annual cash bonuses.

Stock-Based Awards

Our equity award program is the primary vehicle for offering long-term incentives to our executives. While we do not have any equity ownership guidelines for our executives, we believe that equity grants provide our executives with a strong link to our long-term performance, create an ownership culture and help to align the interests of our executives and our stockholders. In addition, the vesting feature of our equity awards contributes to executive retention by providing an incentive for our executives to remain in our employment during the vesting period. Currently, our executives are eligible to participate in our 2019 Stock Incentive Plan, which we refer to as the 2019 Plan. Following the consummation of this offering, our employees and executives will be eligible to receive stock-based awards pursuant to our 2019 Plan. Under our 2019 Plan, executives will be eligible to receive grants of stock options, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards, stock appreciation rights and other stock-based equity awards at the discretion of our Board of Directors.

Our employee equity awards have typically been in the form of stock options. Because our executives profit from stock options only if our stock price increases relative to the stock option’s exercise price, we believe stock options provide meaningful incentives for our executives to achieve increases in the value of our stock over time. While we currently expect to continue to use stock options as the primary form of equity awards that we grant, we may in the future use alternative forms of equity awards, such as restricted stock and restricted stock units. To date, we have generally used equity awards to compensate our executive officers in the form of initial grants in connection with the commencement of employment. In the future, we also generally plan to grant equity awards on an annual basis to our executive officers. We may also make additional discretionary grants, typically in connection with the promotion of an employee, to reward an employee, for retention purposes or in other circumstances recommended by management.

We normally grant stock awards that will vest 25% of the shares on the first anniversary of the grant date and with respect to the remaining shares in approximately equal quarterly installments through the fourth anniversary of the grant date. Vesting cease upon termination of employment and exercise rights cease shortly after termination of employment. Prior to the exercise of a stock option, the holder has no rights as a stockholder with respect to the shares subject to such option, including voting rights or the right to receive dividends or dividend equivalents.

We have granted, and going forward expect to grant, stock options with exercise prices that are set at no less than the fair value of shares of our Common Stock on the date of grant as determined by our Board of Directors.

Benefits and Other Compensation

We believe that establishing competitive benefit packages for our employees is an important factor in attracting and retaining highly qualified personnel. We expect to maintain broad-based benefits that are provided to all employees, including health and dental insurance, life and disability insurance. All of our executives are eligible to participate in all of our employee benefit plans, in each case on the same basis as other employees.

In certain circumstances, we award cash signing bonuses or may reimburse relocation expenses when executives first join us. Whether a signing bonus is paid or relocation expenses are reimbursed, and the amount of either such benefit, is determined by our Board of Directors on a case-by-case basis based on the specific hiring circumstances and the recommendation of our chief executive officer.

Severance and Change in Control Benefits

Pursuant to agreements we expect to enter into with certain of our executives, these executives will be entitled to specified benefits in the event of the termination of their employment under specified circumstances, including termination following a change in control of our company.

We believe providing these benefits helps us compete for executive talent. Based on the substantial business experience of the members of our Board of Directors, we believe that our severance and change in control benefits are generally in line with severance packages offered to executives by companies at comparable stages of development in our industry and related industries.

Risk Considerations in Our Compensation Program

Our Board of Directors determines with the Company’s management the philosophy and standards on which our compensation plans are implemented across our Company. It is our belief that our compensation programs do not, and in the future will not, encourage inappropriate actions or risk taking by our executive officers. We do not believe that any risks arising from our employee compensation policies and practices are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on our company. In addition, we do not believe that the mix and design of the components of our executive compensation program will encourage management to assume excessive risks. We believe that our current business process and planning cycle fosters the behaviors and controls that would mitigate the potential for adverse risk caused by the action of our executives. We believe that the following aspects of our executive compensation program that we plan to implement will mitigate the potential for adverse risk caused by the action of our executives:

●annual establishment of corporate and individual objectives for our performance-based cash bonus programs for our executive officers, which we expect to be consistent with our annual operating and strategic plans, designed to achieve the proper risk/reward balance and not require excessive risk taking to achieve;
●the mix between fixed and variable, annual and long-term and cash and equity compensation, which we expect to be designed to encourage strategies and actions that balance our short-term and long-term best interests; and
●equity incentive awards that vest over a period of time, which we believe will encourage executives to take a long-term view of our business.

Tax and Accounting Considerations

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, generally disallows a tax deduction for compensation in excess of $1,000,000 per person paid to a publicly traded company’s chief executive officer and three other most highly paid officers, other than the chief financial officer.

We account for equity compensation paid to our employees in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”), Accounting Standard Codification (“ASC”) Topic 718,Compensation-Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”), which requires us to measure and recognize compensation expense in our financial statements for all share-based payments based on an estimate of their fair value over the service period of the award. We record cash compensation as an expense at the time the obligation is accrued.

Name and Principal OccupationYearSalary ($)Bonus ($)Stock Awards ($)Option Awards ($)All Other Compensation ($)Total ($)
Wayne Tupuola,2025225,879-250,000--475,879
Chief Executive Officer2024200,000----200,000
Carlos Sardinas2025215,887-125,000--340,887
Chief Financial Officer12024180,000----180,000
John Armstrong,2025114,571----114,571
Executive Vice President2024170,000----170,000
(1)Carlos Sardinas entered into an Offer Letter Agreement with the Company on April 8, 2024, and resigned as Chief Financial Officer on January 8, 2026.
(2)John Armstrong resigned as Executive Vice President of the Company on July 25, 2025.

Summary Compensation Table

The following table reflects compensation paid or awarded to our named executive officers during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025.

Name and Principal Occupation · Year · Salary ($) · Bonus ($) · Stock Awards ($) · Option Awards ($) · All Other Compensation ($) · Total ($)
Wayne Tupuola,2025225,879250,000475,879
Chief Executive Officer2024200,000200,000
Carlos Sardinas2025215,887125,000340,887
Chief Financial Officer12024180,000180,000
John Armstrong,2025114,571114,571
Executive Vice President2024170,000170,000
(1)Carlos Sardinas entered into an Offer Letter Agreement with the Company on April 8, 2024, and resigned as Chief Financial Officer on January 8, 2026.
(2)John Armstrong resigned as Executive Vice President of the Company on July 25, 2025.

Grants of Plan-Based Awards

Jade Barnwell, our former CFO who resigned on December 20, 2023, received on February 27, 2024, 17,008 shares of our Common Stock under a compensation agreement.

Outstanding Equity Awards

There were no outstanding equity awards held by our named executive officers as of December 31, 2023, December 31, 2024, and December 31, 2025.

Clawback Policy

In November 2023, our Board of Directors adopted a policy regarding the recovery of erroneously awarded compensation (“Clawback Policy”) in accordance with the applicable rules of Nasdaq and Section 10D and Rule 10D-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In the event we are required to prepare an accounting restatement due to material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirements under U.S. securities laws or otherwise erroneous data or if we determine there has been a significant misconduct that causes material financial, operational or reputational harm, we shall be entitled to recover a portion or all of any incentive-based compensation, if any, provided to certain executives who, during a three-year period preceding the date on which an accounting restatement is required, received incentive compensation based on the erroneous financial data that exceeds the amount of incentive-based compensation the executive would have received based on the restatement.

Our Clawback Policy is administered by our Compensation Committee, and the Compensation Committee has the authority, in accordance with the applicable laws, rules and regulations, to interpret and make determinations necessary for the administration of the Clawback Policy, and may forego recovery in certain instances, including if it determines that recovery would be impracticable.

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

We do not maintain any nonqualified deferred compensation plans.

Defined Contribution Plan

We do not currently have a defined contribution plan.

Stock Option and Other Employee Benefit Plans

The purpose of the 2019 Plan is to advance the interests of our stockholders by enhancing our ability to attract, retain and motivate persons who are expected to make important contributions and by providing such persons with equity ownership opportunities and performance-based incentives that are intended to better align the interests of such persons with those of our stockholders.

2019 Stock Incentive Plan

History. On December 2, 2019, the Board of Directors approved and on December 3, 2019, the stockholders approved the 2019 stock incentive plan (the “2019 Plan”) under which employees, officers, directors and consultants are eligible to receive grants of stock options, stock appreciation rights (“SAR”), restricted or unrestricted stock awards, restricted stock units, performance awards, other stock-based awards, or any combination of the foregoing. The Plan authorizes up to 10,000,000 shares of our Common Stock for stock-based awards.

Administration. The 2019 Plan is administered by the Board of Directors or the committee or committees as may be appointed by the Board of Directors from time to time (the “Administrator”). The Administrator determines the persons who are to receive awards, the types of awards to be granted, the number of shares subject to each such award and the terms and conditions of such awards. The Administrator also has the authority to interpret the provisions of the 2019 Plan and of any awards granted there under and to modify awards granted under the 2019 Plan. The Administrator may not, however, reduce the price of options or stock appreciation rights issued under the 2019 Plan without prior approval of the Company’s shareholders.

Eligibility. The 2019 Plan provides that awards may be granted to employees, officers, directors and consultants of the Company or of any parent, subsidiary or other affiliate of the Company as the Administrator may determine. A person may be granted more than one award under the 2019 Plan.

Shares that are subject to issuance upon exercise of an option under the 2019 Plan but cease to be subject to such option for any reason (other than exercise of such option), and shares that are subject to an award granted under the 2019 Plan but are forfeited or repurchased by the Company at the original issue price, or that are subject to an award that terminates without shares being issued, will again be available for grant and issuance under the 2019 Plan.

Terms of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. The Administrator determines many of the terms and conditions of each option and SAR granted under the 2019 Plan, including whether the option is to be an incentive stock option or a non-qualified stock option, whether the SAR is a related SAR or a freestanding SAR, the number of shares subject to each option or SAR, and the exercise price of the option and the periods during which the option or SAR may be exercised. Each option and SAR is evidenced by a grant agreement in such form as the Administrator approves and is subject to the following conditions (as described in further detail in the 2019 Plan):

Vesting and Exercisability. Options, restricted shares and SARs become vested and exercisable, as applicable, within such periods, or upon such events, as determined by the Administrator in its discretion and as set forth in the related grant agreement. The term of each option is also set by the Administrator. However, a related SAR will be exercisable at the time or times, and only to the extent, that the option is exercisable and will not be transferable except to the extent that the option is transferable. A freestanding SAR will be exercisable as determined by the Administrator but in no event after 10 years from the date of grant.

Exercise Price. Each grant agreement states the related option exercise price, which, in the case of SARs, may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the Company’s shares of Common Stock on the date of the grant. The exercise price of an incentive stock option granted to a 10% stockholder may not be less than 110% of the fair market value of shares of the Company’s Common Stock on the date of grant.

Method of Exercise. The option exercise price is typically payable in cash, Common Stock or a combination of cash of Common Stock, as determined by the Administrator, but may also be payable, at the discretion of the Administrator, in a number of other forms of consideration.

*Recapitalization; Change of Control.*The number of shares subject to any award, and the number of shares issuable under the 2019 Plan, are subject to proportionate adjustment in the event of a stock dividend, spin-off, split-up, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, business combination or exchange of shares and the like. Except as otherwise provided in any written agreement between the participant and the Company in effect when a change in control occurs, in the event an acquiring company does not assume plan awards (i) all outstanding options and SARs shall become fully vested and exercisable; (ii) for performance-based awards, all performance goals or performance criteria shall be deemed achieved at target levels and all other terms and conditions met, with award payout prorated for the portion of the performance period completed as of the change in control and payment to occur within 45 days of the change in control; (iii) all restrictions and conditional applicable to any restricted stock award shall lapse; (iv) all restrictions and conditions applicable to any restricted stock units shall lapse and payment shall be made within 45 days of the change in control; and (v) all other awards shall be delivered or paid within 45 days of the change in control.

Other Provisions. The option grant and exercise agreements authorized under the 2019 Plan, which may be different for each option, may contain such other provisions as the Administrator deems advisable, including without limitation, (i) restrictions upon the exercise of the option and (ii) a right of repurchase in favor of the Company to repurchase unvested shares held by an optionee upon termination of the optionee’s employment at the original purchase price.

Amendment and Termination. The Administrator, to the extent permitted by law, and with respect to any shares at the time not subject to awards, may suspend or discontinue the 2019 Plan or amend the 2019 Plan in any respect; provided that the Administrator may not, without approval of the stockholders, amend the 2019 Plan in a manner that requires stockholder approval.

Recapitalization; Change of Control. The number of shares subject to any award, and the number of shares issuable under the 2019 Plan, are subject to proportionate adjustment in the event of a stock dividend, spin-off, split-up, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, business combination or exchange of shares and the like. Except as otherwise provided in any written agreement between the participant and us in effect when a change in control occurs, in the event an acquiring company does not assume plan awards (i) all outstanding options and SARs shall become fully vested and exercisable; (ii) for performance-based awards, all performance goals or performance criteria shall be deemed achieved at target levels and all other terms and conditions met, with award payout prorated for the portion of the performance period completed as of the change in control and payment to occur within 45 days of the change in control; (iii) all restrictions and conditional applicable to any restricted stock award shall lapse; (iv) all restrictions and conditions applicable to any restricted stock units shall lapse and payment shall be made within 45 days of the change in control; and (v) all other awards shall be delivered or paid within 45 days of the change in control.

Other Provisions. The option grant and exercise agreements authorized under the 2019 Plan, which may be different for each option, may contain such other provisions as the Administrator deems advisable, including without limitation, (i) restrictions upon the exercise of the option and (ii) a right of repurchase in favor of us to repurchase unvested shares held by an optionee upon termination of the optionee’s employment at the original purchase price.

Amendment and Termination of the 2019 Plan. The Administrator, to the extent permitted by law, and with respect to any shares at the time not subject to awards, may suspend or discontinue the 2019 Plan or amend the 2019 Plan in any respect; provided that the Administrator may not, without approval of the stockholders, amend the 2019 Plan in a manner that requires stockholder approval.

Director Compensation

Under our non-employee director compensation policy adopted in November 2023, our independent directors in 2024 and 2025 were paid $30,000 in each year in cash compensation, 20,000 shares of Common Stock in 2025 and will receive in 2026 a yet to be determined number shares of restricted stock. Additionally, the Company will reimburse them for their reasonable expenses incurred in connection with attending our board of directors and committee meetings. In the future, we may also grant stock options to our independent directors.

Limitation of Liability and Indemnification

Our certificate of incorporation provides that we are authorized to provide indemnification and advancement of expenses to our directors, officers and other agents to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware General Corporation Law.

In addition, our certificate of incorporation limits the personal liability of directors for breach of fiduciary duty to the maximum extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law and provides that no director will have personal liability to us or to our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty or other duty as a director. However, these provisions do not eliminate or limit the liability of any of our directors for:

●any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders;
●any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
●unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions; or
●any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

Any amendment to or repeal of these provisions will not eliminate or reduce the effect of these provisions in respect of any act, omission or claim that occurred or arose prior to such amendment or repeal. If the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended to provide for further limitations on the personal liability of directors of corporations, then the personal liability of our directors will be further limited to the greatest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

Our certificate of incorporation also provides that we must indemnify our directors and officers and we must advance expenses, including attorneys’ fees, to our directors and officers in connection with legal proceedings, subject to very limited exceptions.

We maintain a general liability insurance policy that covers certain liabilities of our directors and officers arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers.

Certain of our non-employee directors may, through their relationships with their employers, be insured or indemnified against certain liabilities incurred in their capacity as members of our Board of Directors.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

None of our officers currently serves, or has served during the last completed fiscal year, on the compensation committee or Board of Directors of any other entity that has one or more officers serving as a member of our Board of Directors.

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