As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 25, 2025
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
WeRide Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Cayman Islands | Not Applicable | |
| (State or other jurisdiction of | (I.R.S. Employer | |
| incorporation or organization) | Identification Number) |
21st Floor, Tower A, Guanzhou Life Science Innovation Center,
No. 51, Luoxuan Road, Guangzhou International Biotech Island,
Guangzhou 510005
Peoples Republic of China
+86 (20) 2909-3388
(Address of Principal Executive Offices and Zip Code)
Amended and Restated 2018 Share Plan
(Full title of the plan)
Cogency Global Inc.
122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10168
(800) 221-0102
(Name, address, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, and emerging growth company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |||
| Non-accelerated filer | ☒ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ | |||
| Emerging growth company | ☒ | |||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
Copies to:
| Jennifer Xuan Li Chief Financial Officer WeRide Inc. 21st Floor, Tower A, Guanzhou Life Science Innovation Center, No. 51, Luoxuan Road, Guangzhou International Biotech Island, Guangzhou 510005 Peoples Republic of China +86 (20) 2909-3388 |
Haiping Li, Esq. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP c/o 42/F, Edinburgh Tower, The Landmark 15 Queens Road Central Hong Kong +852 3740-4700 |
PART I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
Item 1. Plan Information*
Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information*
* Information required by Part I to be contained in the Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this registration statement in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act and the Note to Part I of Form S-8. The documents containing information specified in this Part I will be separately provided to the participants covered by the Amended and Restated 2018 Share Plan, as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference
The following documents previously filed by WeRide Inc. (the Registrant) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) are incorporated by reference herein:
| (a) | the Registrants annual report on Form 20-F filed with the Commission on March 25, 2025; and |
| (b) | the description of the Registrants Class A ordinary shares incorporated by reference in the Registrants registration statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-42213) filed with the Commission on August 9, 2024, including any amendment and report subsequently filed for the purpose of updating that description. |
All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this registration statement which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement will be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained in this registration statement or in any other later filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to be a part of this registration statement.
Item 4. Description of Securities
Not applicable.
Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel
Not applicable.
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a companys articles of association may provide for indemnification of directors and officers, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. The Registrants eighth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that the Registrant shall indemnify its directors and officers against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by such directors or officers, other than by reason of such persons dishonesty, willful default or fraud, in or about the conduct of the Registrants business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of such persons duties, powers, authorities or discretions, including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by such persons in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning the Registrant or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere.
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Pursuant to the indemnification agreement, the form of which was filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrants registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-281054), the Registrant has agreed to indemnify its directors and officers against certain liabilities and expenses incurred by such persons in connection with claims made by reason of their being directors or officers of the Registrant.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
The Registrant also maintains a directors and officers liability insurance policy for its directors and officers.
Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed
Not applicable.
Item 8. Exhibits
See the Index to Exhibits attached hereto.
Item 9. Undertakings
| (a) | The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes: |
| (1) | To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
| (i) | to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; |
| (ii) | to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement; and |
| (iii) | to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to that information in the registration statement; |
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement;
| (2) | That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| (3) | To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
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| (b) | The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrants annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plans annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| (c) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
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EXHIBIT INDEX
| * | Filed herewith. |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Guangzhou, China, on March 25, 2025.
| WeRide Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Tony Xu Han | |
| Name: Tony Xu Han | ||
| Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | ||
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints, severally and not jointly, each of Tony Xu Han and Jennifer Xuan Li, with full power to act alone, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with the power of substitution, for and in such persons name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each said attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each said attorney-in-fact may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities on March 25, 2025.
| Signature |
Title | |
| /s/ Tony Xu Han Tony Xu Han |
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | |
| /s/ Yan Li Yan Li |
Director | |
| /s/ Takao Asami Takao Asami |
Director | |
| /s/ Huiping Yan Huiping Yan |
Director | |
| /s/ David Tong Zhang David Tong Zhang |
Director | |
| /s/ Jennifer Xuan Li Jennifer Xuan Li |
Chief Financial Officer and Head of International (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |
SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE IN THE UNITED STATES
Pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of WeRide Inc., has signed this registration statement or amendment thereto in New York, New York on March 25, 2025.
| Authorized U.S. Representative | ||
| Cogency Global Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Colleen A. De Vries | |
| Name: | Colleen A. De Vries | |
| Title: | Senior Vice President | |
Exhibit 5.1
Office: +852 2801 6066
Mobile: +852 9718 8740
Email: rthorp@tta.lawyer
WeRide Inc.
21st Floor, Tower A, Guanzhou Life Science Innovation Center, No. 51, Luoxuan Road, Guangzhou International Biotech Island, Guangzhou 510005
Peoples Republic of China
25 March 2025
Dear Sirs
WeRide Inc.
We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-8 to be filed by WeRide Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company incorporated with limited liability (the Registrant), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Registration Statement), relating to the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of an amount of Class A Ordinary Shares of the Registrant (the Shares) for issuance pursuant to the Amended and Restated 2018 Share Plan (the Plan).
As Cayman Islands counsel to the Registrant, we have examined the corporate authorisations of the Registrant in connection with the Plan and the issue of the Shares by the Registrant and have assumed that the Shares will be issued in accordance with the Plan and the resolutions authorizing the issue.
It is our opinion that the Shares to be issued by the Registrant have been duly and validly authorised, and when issued, sold and paid for in the manner described in the Plan and in accordance with the relevant resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Registrant (or any committee to whom the Board of Directors have delegated their powers with respect to administration of the Plan) and when appropriate entries have been made in the Register of Members of the Registrant, will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and further consent to all references to us in the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto.
Yours faithfully
| /s/ TRAVERS THORP ALBERGA |
| TRAVERS THORP ALBERGA |
Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the use of our report dated March 25, 2025, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of WeRide Inc., incorporated herein by reference.
| /s/ KPMG Huazhen LLP |
| Beijing, China |
| March 25, 2025 |
Exhibit 107
CALCULATION OF FILING FEE TABLE
Form S-8
(Form Type)
WeRide Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Newly Registered Securities
| Security Type | Security Class Title(1) |
Fee Calculation Rule |
Amount Registered(2) |
Proposed Maximum Offering Price per Share |
Maximum Aggregate Offering Price |
Fee Rate | Amount of Registration Fee | |||||||
| Equity | Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.00001 per share |
Other(3) | 120,438,099(3) | US$ 1.17(3) | US$140,912,575.83 | US$0.00015310 | US$ 21,573.72 | |||||||
| Equity | Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.00001 per share |
Other(4) | 10,000,000(4) | US$5.64(4) | US$56,400,000.00 | US$0.00015310 | US$8,634.84 | |||||||
| Total Offering Amounts | US$ 197,312,575.83 | US$ 30,208.56 | ||||||||||||
| Total Fee Offsets | | |||||||||||||
| Net Fee Due | US$ 30,208.56 | |||||||||||||
| (1) | These shares may be represented by the Registrants American depositary shares (ADSs), each representing three (3) Class A ordinary shares of the Registrant. The Registrants ADSs issuable upon deposit of the Class A ordinary shares registered hereby have been registered under a separate registration statement on Form F-6 (File No. 333-281421). |
| (2) | Represents Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of awards granted under the Amended and Restated 2018 Share Plan (the Plan) as well as the Class A ordinary shares reserved for future awards under the Plan. Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), this registration statement also covers an indeterminate number of additional shares which may be offered and issued to prevent dilution from share splits, share dividends or similar transactions as provided in the Plan. Any Class A ordinary shares covered by an award granted under the Plan (or portion of an award) that terminates, expires or lapses for any reason will be deemed not to have been issued for purposes of determining the maximum aggregate number of Class A ordinary shares that may be issued under the Plan. |
| (3) | The amount to be registered represents Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding options granted under the Plan and the corresponding proposed maximum offering price per share represents the weighted average exercise price of these outstanding options, which is estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the registration fee under Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act. |
| (4) | These Class A ordinary shares are reserved for future award grants under the Plan. The number of Class A ordinary shares available for issuance under the Plan has been estimated for the purposes of calculating the amount of the registration fee. The proposed maximum offering price per share, which is estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the registration fee under Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act, is based on the average of the high and low prices for the Registrants ADSs as quoted on the Nasdaq Stock Market on March 19, 2025, adjusted for ADS to Class A ordinary share ratio. |