EFTA01977559.pdf
dataset_10 PDF 426.3 KB • Feb 4, 2026 • 4 pages
CONFIDENTIAL
December , 2012
Mr. Boris Nikolie
RE: Letter of Understanding Regarding New Investment Entity
Dear Boris:
This letter sets forth certain general understandings by and between you ("BN") and bgC3 LLC
("bgC3"). BN has previously entered into an Employment Agreement with bgC3, the terms of
which are hereby ratified by BN. Except as may be explicitly set forth herein, this letter does not
intend to alter the terms of that Employment Agreement, including without limitation the "at will"
and "confidentiality" provisions of the Employment Agreement.
Company Formation The parties anticipate that bgC3 or an affiliate of bgC3 will form a separate
company (the "Company"), structured as a Washington limited liability
company of perpetual duration and wholly owned or controlled by William
H. Gates III (the "Owner"), the sole purpose of which will be to evaluate,
make, and manage investments in third-party entities as deemed appropriate
by Owner in his sole discretion.
BN Activities BN will be responsible for the following:
• Sourcing and presenting to the Company potential investment
opportunities in bioscience and health-related industries, which may
from time to time include investment opportunities in the technology
sector (collectively, "Opportunities"), at a target rate of (but not
limited to) three Opportunities per calendar year;
• Ensuring that all Opportunities presented to the Company involve
investments in bona fide third parties having no affiliation or conflict
of interest with bgC3, the Owner, or any of their respective affiliates
or existing investment relationships (including, without limitation,
"BGI," the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Cascade Investment,
L.L.C., Intellectual Ventures LLC, Gates Ventures, LLC, and
Microsoft Corporation); and
• Conducting appropriate scientific and operational due diligence on all
Opportunities.
Activities of bgC3 bgC3 (or another appropriate affiliate of Owner) will be responsible for the
following:
• Evaluating such Opportunities as the Owner determines, in his sole
discretion, to be appropriate;
• Maintaining the existence of the Company as a separate legal entity;
• Coordinating with BGI, Inc. to provide limited financial due diligence
on such Opportunities as the Owner determines to be appropriate in
SE251912 vl
EFTA_R1_00464116
EFTA01977559
• his sole discretion; and
• Coordinating with Larry Cohen to provide business management and
communication services for the Company.
No Obligation Notwithstanding anything in this letter to the contrary, neither Owner,
bgC3 or the Company will have any obligation to evaluate any
Opportunities, to make any investments, or to invest any particular amount
in any Opportunities, except as determined by the Owner in his sole
discretion.
Distribution and Distributions of any returns received by the Company on investments
Allocation of arising out of Opportunities sourced by BN ("Proceeds") will be deemed to
Proceeds occur upon any of the following events:
• Any liquidity events affecting the entity in which Company funds are
invested, including any IPO, acquisition, or other sale or divestiture; or
• An independent valuation of the Company, which may take place, at
the Owner's sole discretion, any time after the fourth anniversary of
the first investment in an Opportunity; or
• Upon BN's termination of employment without cause, an independent
valuation of the Company will take place.
All Proceeds will be allocated as follows:
• The first 5% of gross Proceeds will be allocated to Owner; and
• Thereafter, BN will be allocated 30% of the remaining Proceeds, and
the Owner will be allocated 70% of the remaining Proceeds.
Any payments of Proceeds to BN will be made in the form of a lump sum
bonus, payable by bgC3 in accordance with its standard payroll procedures,
and subject to ordinary withholdings and deductions, but in all events will
be due and payable within 60 days after the date of determination.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event will the payment be made later
than March I5'" of the year following the year in which the triggering event
occurs.
Termination The obligations under this letter will terminate immediately in the event that
BN ceases to be employed by bgC3 or, at the sole election of Owner,
another affiliate of Owner.
If BN's employment is terminated by either party without cause, then an
independent valuation of the Company shall occur and BN shall be paid a
bonus according to the distribution terms set forth above and after such
payment, no party will have any further obligation to the other under this
letter (except for such surviving obligations as may be expressly identified
herein or in the Employment Agreement).
if BN's employment is terminated with cause, then the terms of this letter
will immediately become null and void, all obligations of bgC3 and Owner
-2-
EFTA_Ri_00464117
EFTA01977560
under this letter will immediately cease and be of no further force or effect,
and no amounts will be payable to BN under this letter (whether or not
accrued as of the date of termination).
Section 409A This letter is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue
Code ("Section 409A") or an exemption under Section 409A and will be
construed and administered in accordance with Section 409A. Any
payments to be made under this letter upon a termination of employment
will only be made if such termination of employment constitutes a
"separation from service" under Section 409A. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, bgC3 makes no representations that the payments and benefits
provided under this letter comply with Section 409A and in no event will
bgC3 be liable for any portion of any taxes, penalties, interest, or other
expenses that may be incurred by BN as a result of non-compliance with
Section 409A.
Governing Law This letter will be governed, interpreted, and construed under the laws of
the State of Washington without regard to its conflicts of law provisions.
Expenses Each party will be responsible for its own costs and expenses (including any
fees and expenses of their representatives or advisors) incurred at any time
in connection with this letter or any definitive agreements entered into in
connection with the matters addressed by this letter.
Confidentiality Neither party will disclose the existence or terms of this letter (other than,
in the case of bgC3, to its employees, directors, advisors, or other agents or
representatives who are obligated to maintain such confidentiality) without
the prior consent of the other party, except as required by law.
Relationship of the This letter and any continuing actions between the panics or their
Parties respective affiliates (whether before or after the date of this letter) create no
relationship of agency, joint venture, or partnership, and give rise to no
fiduciary or similar obligations or other expectancy between the parties or
their respective affiliates. The parties' relationship remains that of
employer and employee.
Expiration Please advise Larry Cohen in person or by e-mail to
Larty.Cohen®bgc3.com of your response by to this letter by 5:00 p.m. on
December , 2012, after which time it will expire.
-3-
EFTA_R1_00464118
EFTA01977561
We look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
bgC3 LLC
By:
Larry Cohen, Manager — Business Operations
AGREED AND ACCEPTED TO THIS day of December, 2012
Boris Nikolic
-4-
EFTA_R1_00464119
EFTA01977562
Entities
0 total entities mentioned
No entities found in this document
Document Metadata
- Document ID
- cd098f5c-1e9f-47db-9d62-23f75aadc077
- Storage Key
- dataset_10/0e02/EFTA01977559.pdf
- Content Hash
- 0e0285bdd3a6acb18e9d09f4d992ef9a
- Created
- Feb 4, 2026