View Inc., a Silicon Valley-based smart window company, and CF Finance Acquisition Corp. II, a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by Cantor Fitzgerald, entered into a definitive merger agreement. The combined company will be called View Inc. and will be publicly listed on the NASDAQ market following the close of the transaction.
The board of directors of each of View and CF Finance Acquisition Corp. II unanimously approved the transaction. The transaction will require the approval of the stockholders of CF Finance Acquisition Corp. II and View, and is subject to other customary closing conditions, including the receipt of certain regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2021.
Assuming no redemptions by CF II stockholders, the transaction is expected to deliver up to $800 million of gross proceeds including the contribution of up to $500 million of cash held in CFII's trust account from its initial public offering. The transaction is further supported by a $300 million private investment in public equity at $10.00 per share.
"Climate change and human health are two of the most important challenges and opportunities of our time, and View is well-positioned to use technology to drive change across the real estate industry,” says Dr. Rao Mulpuri , View chairman and CEO. “View has created groundbreaking products, covered by over 1,000 patents and built state of the art manufacturing operations in the United States. As we become a public company and continue on our growth strategy, we are very excited to partner with Howard Lutnick and the team at Newmark, which will enable us to leverage their deep commercial real estate expertise."
View is a manufacturer of smart windows that use artificial intelligence and machine learning which will tint the glass to optimize natural light while controlling heat and glare to enhance mental and physical well-being for occupants, creating smart connected buildings which reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, say officials.
Following the closing of the transaction, Mulpuri, as well as Vidul Prakash, chief financial officer, will continue to lead View, supported by a management team with substantial experience scaling high-growth businesses, say company officials.
"View's smart windows are a gamechanger that will revolutionize the real estate experience,” says Howard Lutnick, chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, CF Finance Acquisition Corp. II, and chairman of Newmark Group. “Buildings will no longer need blinds and shades, which will enhance the experience of building occupants, substantially reduce energy usage, and improve space utilization. We are excited to be working with Rao and the team at View to not only help deliver the capital needed to further build out View's capacity, but also leverage our real estate platforms to create awareness, scale and drive change across the real estate industry."
