" What happened to the original $30m financing deal that was signed last year? Nobody knows."
We kinda do. The latest Agreement rendered that deal inoperable for 90 days according to this:
"(f) Restriction on Sales of Capital Stock. The Company, on behalf of itself and any successor entity, agrees that it will not, for a period of 90 days after the date of this Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; (ii) file or cause to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company, other than the filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 or a registration statement registering the resale of securities outstanding as of the date hereof and disclosed as outstanding in the SEC Documents; (iii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of capital stock of the Company, whether any such transaction described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of capital stock of the Company or such other securities, in cash or otherwise; or (iv) publicly announce an intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i), (ii) or (iii). The restrictions contained in this Section 4(f) shall not apply to (x) the Securities to be sold hereunder, (y) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of a stock option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and disclosed as outstanding in the SEC Documents, or (z) the grant by the Company of stock options or other stock-based awards, or the issuance of shares of capital stock of the Company under any equity compensation plan of the Company as such plans are in existence on the date hereof and described in the SEC Documents."
(reproduced in its entirety for context...highlights mine)
No sales to Aspire under that 2017 Agreement or anyone else under ANY agreement for 90 days.