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HeartBeam Inc

For the period ended Dec 31, 2023. Filed Mar 20, 2024.

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FY2023 · Filed Mar 20, 2024

BEAT$0.41+0.9%Stored close · as of Nov 9, 2026

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Item 11. Executive Compensation

Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth information concerning all cash and non-cash compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to our Named Executive Officers (“NEOs”) for services rendered in all capacities during the noted periods. The fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 are indicated below:

Name and PrincipalPositionYearSalary($)Bonus($)(1,2)StockAwards($)(3)OptionAwards($)(3)All OtherCompensation($)Total($)
Branislav Vajdic, PhD (1)2023$428,000$192,600$—$2,630,143$—$3,250,743
Chief Executive Officer (2)2022$428,000$203,642$—$387,720$—$1,019,362
Robert Eno(1)2023$345,000$102,970$—$2,086,639$—$2,534,609
President and Chief Business Officer2022$—$—$—$—$—$—
Kenneth Persen(1)2023$300,000$78,780$—$1,033,930$—$1,412,710
Chief Technology Officer(2)2022$125,000$32,413$—$152,800$—$310,213
  1. Cash bonuses awarded to the Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Business Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Technology Officer in 2023 were paid early 2024.

  2. In 2022 the Board of Directors ratified the Compensation Committee approval of cash bonuses to its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Technology Officer based on the Company’s achievements of the performance metrics as defined in the bonus plan. The Bonuses were paid in the second quarter of 2023.

  3. Represents the full grant date fair value of the stock award or option grant, as applicable, calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. Our policy and assumptions made in the valuation of share-based payments are contained in Note 5 to our December 31, 2023 financial statements. The value of stock awards presented in the Summary Compensation Table reflects the grant date fair value of the awards and does not correspond to the actual value that will be recognized by the named executive officers.

Employment Agreements

We have entered into employment agreements, with Branislav Vajdic, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Robert Eno, the Company’s President and Kenneth Persen, the Company’s Chief Technology Officer .

Branislav Vajdic Employment Agreement

On September 10, 2021 we entered into an employment agreement with Dr. Vajdic as its Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors (“2021 Vajdic Agreement”), Dr. Vajdic will receive an annual salary of $325,000, commencing on September 15, 2021. During 2022 the Board of Directors approved an amendment to the 2021 Vajdic Agreement, whereby effective January 1, 2022 Dr. Vajdic’s annual salary increased to $428,000 and he was awarded 359,000 stock options. The stock option will vest as to 25% on the 1-year anniversary of the vesting commencement date, and the remainder will vest monthly thereafter on the same day of the month as the vesting commencement date until fully vested. During 2023 Dr. Vajdic was awarded a total of 1,194,000 options, these stock options vest as follows: Sixty percent (60%) are milestone based vesting on FDA clearance for marketing of HeartBeam’s synthesized 12L product and the remaining forty percent (40%) are time based vesting monthly over 48 months. Pursuant to the amended 2021 Vajdic Agreement, Dr. Vajdic will be eligible to receive an annual bonus up to 60% of his annual compensation, subject to adjustment on an annual basis, based on his performance and overall progress of the Company.

Robert Eno Employment Agreement

On January 18, 2023 we entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Eno as its President, Mr. Eno will receive an annual salary of $360,000, commencing on January 18, 2023 and was awarded 240,000 stock options. The stock option will vest as to 25% on the 1-year anniversary of the vesting commencement date, and the remainder will vest monthly thereafter on the same day of the month as the vesting commencement date until fully vested. Additionally, during 2023 Mr. Eno was awarded a total of 536,000 options, these stock options vest as follows: Sixty percent (60%) are milestone based vesting on FDA clearance for marketing of HeartBeam’s synthesized 12L product and the remaining forty percent (40%) are time based vesting monthly over 48 months. Mr. Eno will be eligible to receive an annual bonus up to 40% of his annual compensation, subject to adjustment on an annual basis, based upon his performance and overall progress of the Company.

Kenneth Persen Employment Agreement

On August 2, 2022 we entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Persen as its Chief Technology Officer (“2022 Persen Agreement”), Mr. Persen will receive an annual salary of $300,000, commencing on August 2, 2022 and was awarded 80,000 stock options. The stock option will vest as to 25% on the 1-year anniversary of the vesting commencement date, and the remainder will vest monthly thereafter on the same day of the month as the vesting commencement date until fully vested. During 2023 Mr. Persen was awarded a total of 481,000 options, of these stock options, 421,000 will vest as follows: Sixty percent (60%) are milestone based vesting on FDA clearance for marketing of HeartBeam’s synthesized 12L product and the remaining forty percent (40%) are time based vesting monthly over 48 months, and the remaining 60,000 will vest as to 25% on the 1-year anniversary of the vesting commencement date, and the remainder will vest monthly thereafter on the same day of the month as the vesting commencement date until fully vested. Mr. Persen will be eligible to receive an annual bonus up to 30% of his annual compensation, subject to adjustment on an annual basis, based upon his performance and overall progress of the Company. Pursuant to the 2022 Persen Agreement, at the Board of Directors meeting held on August 21, 2023, Mr. Persen’s annual eligible bonus was increased to 35% effective January 1, 2023.

2023 Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the value of all equity awards that were outstanding at December 31, 2023:

NameNumber of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options Exercisable (#)Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options Unexercisable (#)Option Exercise Price ($)Option Expiration DateEquity: Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights That Have Not Vested (#)Plan Awards: Market or Payout Value of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights That Have Not Vested ($)
Branislav Vajdic, PhD(1)26,532769,468$2.9008/02/2033—$—
(2)23,219374,781$2.0805/14/2033—$—
(3)172,019186,981$1.3006/14/2032—$—
Robert Eno(4)11,900345,100$2.9008/02/2033—$—
(5)10,444168,556$2.0805/14/2033—$—
(6)—240,000$4.4701/18/2033—$—
(7)4,6994,301$4.2511/12/2031—$—
(8)36,363—$0.2811/01/2030—$—
Kenneth Persen(9)8,400243,600$2.9008/02/2033—$—
(10)9,856159,144$2.0805/14/2033—$—
(11)—60,000$2.5003/21/2033—$—
(12)26,66853,332$1.9109/17/2032—$—
  1. Dr. Vajdic was awarded 796,000 options on August 2, 2023, these options are scheduled to vest sixty percent (60%) upon FDA Clearance for marketing of HeartBeam’s synthesized 12L product and remainder forty percent (40%) one forty-eighth (1/48th) shall vest on each one-month anniversary of the vesting commencement date.

  2. Dr. Vajdic was awarded 398,000 options on May 14, 2023, these options are scheduled to vest sixty percent (60%) upon FDA Clearance for marketing of HeartBeam’s synthesized 12L product and remainder forty percent (40%) one forty-eighth (1/48th) shall vest on each one-month anniversary of the vesting commencement date.

  3. Dr. Vajdic was awarded 359,000 options on June 15, 2022, these options are scheduled to vest over 4 years with 25% vesting on January 1, 2023 and the remainder vesting and exercisable monthly thereafter.

  4. Mr. Eno was awarded 357,000 options on August 2, 2023, these options are scheduled to vest sixty percent (60%) upon FDA Clearance for marketing of HeartBeam’s synthesized 12L product and remainder forty percent (40%) one forty-eighth (1/48th) shall vest on each one-month anniversary of the vesting commencement date.

  5. Mr. Eno was awarded 179,000 options on May 14, 2023, these options are scheduled to vest sixty percent (60%) upon FDA Clearance for marketing of HeartBeam’s synthesized 12L product and remainder forty percent (40%) one forty-eighth (1/48th) shall vest on each one-month anniversary of the vesting commencement date.

  6. Mr. Eno was awarded 240,000 options on January 18, 2023, these options are scheduled to vest over 4 years with 25% vesting on January 18, 2024 and the remainder vesting and exercisable monthly thereafter

  7. Mr. Eno was awarded 9,000 options on November 12, 2021, these options are scheduled to vest monthly over 4 years from the vesting commencement date.

  8. Mr. Eno was awarded 36,363 options on November 1, 2020, these options are scheduled to vest monthly over 4 years from the vesting commencement date.

  9. Mr. Persen was awarded 252,000 options on August 2, 2023, these options are scheduled to vest sixty percent (60%) upon FDA Clearance for marketing of HeartBeam’s synthesized 12L product and remainder forty percent (40%) one forty-eighth (1/48th) shall vest on each one-month anniversary of the vesting commencement date.

  10. Mr. Persen was awarded 169,000 options on May 14, 2023, these options are scheduled to vest sixty percent (60%) upon FDA Clearance for marketing of HeartBeam’s synthesized 12L product and remainder forty percent (40%) one forty-eighth (1/48th) shall vest on each one-month anniversary of the vesting commencement date.

  11. Mr. Persen was awarded 60,000 options on March 21, 2023, these options are scheduled to vest over 4 years with 25% vesting on January 18, 2024 and the remainder vesting and exercisable monthly thereafter.

  12. Mr. Persen was awarded 80,000 options on September 17, 2022, these options are scheduled to vest over 4 years with 25% vesting on January 18, 2024 and the remainder vesting and exercisable monthly thereafter.

Options Exercised and Stock Vested

The following table summarizes, with respect to our named executive officers, all options that were exercised on stock that was vested during fiscal 2023:

NameOption Awards
Number of Shares Acquired on Vesting (#)Value Realized on Exercise ($)(1)
Branislav Vajdic, PhD—$—
Robert Eno—$—
Kenneth Persen—$—
  1. Based on the closing market price of our Common Stock as reported on the NASDAQ Capital Market on December 31, 2023.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Directors who are also employees of the Company do not receive any separate compensation in connection with their Board service, and we pay cash fees to our non-employee directors. Prior to 2022, our non-employee directors received a non-qualified initial stock option award upon joining the Board, which vest monthly over a four-year period, beginning on the date of the director’s election to the Board.

On June 15, 2022, the Board of Directors approved a plan for the annual cash compensation of directors effective January 1, 2022:

BoardAudit CommitteeOther Committees
Chair$120,000$25,000$15,000
Member$40,000$10,000$10,000

The following table presents the total compensation for each person who served as a non-employee member of our board of directors and received compensation for such service during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. Other than as set forth in the table and described more fully below:

Name · Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($)(1) · Option Awards ($) · Stock Awards($)(2)(3) · Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation ($) · All Other Compensation · Total ($)
Richard Ferrari$138,587$—$100,000$—$—$238,587
George de Urioste$77,500$—$75,000$—$—$152,500
Marga Ortigas-Wedekind$65,000$—$75,000$—$—$140,000
Willem Elfrink$65,639$—$75,000$—$—$140,639
Mark Strome$29,722$75,000$—$—$104,722
Kenneth Nelson$27,595$75,000$—$—$102,595
Michael Jaff(3)$18,651$130,000$—$—$148,651
  1. Represents director fees paid for nine months period to each of Messrs Ferrari, de Urioste, Elfrink, Strome, Nelson, Jaff and Mmes Ortigas-Wedekind. Fees for three months ended December 31, 2023 is accrued and paid early 2024.

  2. The annual RSU grants to Messrs Ferrari, de Urioste, Elfrink, Strome, Nelson and Mmes Ortigas-Wedekind occur at each Annual Stockholder Meeting, vesting in full at the following annual meeting. The dollars convert to shares based on the FMV at the date of grant.

  3. The RSU awarded to Dr. Jaff will vest in equal annual installments over three years on the day following the annual shareholders’ meeting in 2024, 2025 and 2026. The dollars convert to shares based on the FMV at the date of grant.

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