UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549



FORM 10-K



(Mark One)

x
(Mark One)
xANNUAL REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 20142017

OR

¨
oTRANSITION REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from              to             

For the transition period from              to

Commission File Number 001-36216



IDEAL POWER INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



DELAWARE 14-1999058
DELAWARE14-1999058

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

4120 Freidrich Lane, Suite 100

Austin, Texas 78744

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)

(512) 264-1542

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)



Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class Name of each exchange on which each is registered
Common Stock, par value $0.001 NASDAQ Capital Market


Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.YesAct. YesoNox

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.YesAct. YesoNox

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports); and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.Yesdays. YesxNoo

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§229.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).Yes. Yesx Noo

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company.

Large accelerated fileroAccelerated filero
Non-accelerated fileroSmaller reporting companyx
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)Emerging growth companyx
  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark whether 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 13(a) of the Exchange Act.¨

Indicate by check mark whether the issuer is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).Yes. Yeso¨ Nox

State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter.

As of June 30, 2014,2017, the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the last sale price of the common equity was $42,387,538.

$27,880,463. As of March 23, 20152018 the issuer has 7,066,13713,996,121 shares of common stock, par value $0.001, issuedoutstanding. 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The information required by Part III of this Report, to the extent not set forth herein, is incorporated herein by reference from the Proxy Statement relating to the registrant’s 2018 annual meeting of stockholders, which shall be filed with the Securities and outstanding.Exchange Commission within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year to which this Report relates.

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND OTHER INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND OTHER INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT3
PART I.
 

ITEM 1:

BUSINESS

14
ITEM 1A: RISK FACTORS13
ITEM 1B: UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS24
ITEM 2: PROPERTIES24
ITEM 3: LEGAL PROCEEDINGS24
ITEM 4: MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES25
PART II. 

ITEM 1A:

RISK FACTORS

15

ITEM 1B:

UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

25

ITEM 2:

PROPERTIES

25

ITEM 3:

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

25

ITEM 4:

MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

25
PART II.

ITEM 5:

MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

25
ITEM 6: SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA.26

ITEM 6:

SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

28

ITEM 7:

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

2826

ITEM 7A:

QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

3530

ITEM 8:

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

3631

ITEM 9:

CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

5648
ITEM 9A: CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES48
ITEM 9B: OTHER INFORMATION49
PART III. 

ITEM 9A:

CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

56

ITEM 9B:

OTHER INFORMATION

56
PART III.

ITEM 10:

DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE

5749

ITEM 11:

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

6049

ITEM 12:

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS

6449

ITEM 13:

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

6649

ITEM 14:

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES

6749
PART IV.
 

ITEM 15:

EXHIBITS

6850
Signatures6951


i


TABLE OF CONTENTS

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND

OTHER INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT

This report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.amended, or the Exchange Act. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations or forecasts of future events. You can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. You can find many (but not all) of these statements by looking for words such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may,”"approximates," "believes," "hopes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "projects," "intends," "plans," "would," "should," "could," "may" or other similar expressions in this report. In particular, these include statements relating to future actions, prospective products, applications, customers, technologies, future performance or results of anticipated products, expenses, and financial results. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

our history of losses;

our ability to achieve profitability;

our limited operating history;
emerging competition and rapidly advancing technology in our industry that may outpace our technology;
customer demand for the products and services we develop;
the impact of competitive or alternative products, technologies and pricing;

our ability to successfully market and sell our products;

the size and growth of markets for our current and future products;

our expectations regarding the growth and expansion of our customer base;

regulatory developments that may affect our business;

our ability to successfully develop new technologies, including our bi-directional bipolar junction transistor, or B-TRAN™;

our expectations regarding the completion of testing of new products under development and the timing of the introduction of those new products;

the expected performance of new and existing products, including future products incorporating our B-TRAN™;

the performance of third-party manufacturers who supply and manufacture our products;

our expectations of the reliability of our products over the applicable warranty term and the future costs associated with warranty claims;

our ability to cost effectively manage product life cycles, inclusive of product launches and end of product life situations;

the rate and degree of market acceptance for our current and future products;

our ability to successfully obtain certification for our products, including in new markets, and the timing of the receipt of any products we develop;necessary certifications;

our ability to successfully license our technology;

our ability to obtain, maintain, defend and enforce intellectual property rights protecting our current and future products;

our expectations regarding the decline in prices of battery energy storage systems;

the success of our cost reduction plan;

general economic conditions and events and the impact they may have on us and our potential customers;

our ability to obtain adequate financing in the future, as and when we need it;

our success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing items; and

other factors discussed in this report.

The forward-looking statements are based upon management’s beliefs and assumptions and are made as of the date of this report. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this report. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires, the terms “Ideal Power,” “we,” “us,” “our” and the “Company” refer to Ideal Power Inc.


ii


PART I

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ITEM 1:BUSINESS

Our Company

Ideal Power Inc. was formed in Texas on May 17, 2007 and converted to a Delaware corporation on July 15, 2013. Unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires, the terms "Ideal Power," "we," "us," "our" and the "Company" refer to Ideal Power has developed an electronicInc.

We design, market and sell electrical power conversion products using our proprietary technology called Power Packet Switching Architecture (“PPSA”)Architecture™, or PPSA™. PPSAPPSA™ is a power conversion technology that improves upon existing power conversion technologies in key product metrics, such as size and weight cost,while providing built-in isolation and efficiency. PPSAbi-directional and multi-port capabilities. PPSA™ utilizes standardized hardware with application specific embedded software. Ideal Power has been granted 19 United States, one European, one ChineseOur products are designed to be used in both on-grid and two other foreign patents on PPSA and its applications, and continues to build its intellectual property portfolio around this core technology.

Electronic power conversion systems change electrical energy between direct current (“DC”) and alternating current (“AC”) to enable generation, distribution, consumption and storage of electricity. Additional features of electronic power conversion systems include current, voltage and frequency management, and balancing system resources to optimize generation and load profiles of the customer.

Evolving sources and uses of energy are driving the need for a new energy infrastructure and supporting technologies. In particular, the deployment of unpredictable sources of renewable energy such as wind and solar is driving a need for technological advancement to mitigate this variability. Placement of PV solar at the customer site, high current demands for electric vehicle (“EV”) charging, and renewable energy intermittency are driving demand for systems to counteract these emerging technologies and keep the electrical system in balance. Energy storage systems have recently evolved as a new resource in the toolkit to better manage sources and uses of energy whether at the utility substation or in the electrical room of a small business. Distributed power conversion systems are an integral element of this new infrastructure as they are the device that enables local power management and control. Power conversion systems managing distributed grid energy storage can improve the resiliency of the power grid and also create islanded micro-grids to bring power to a home or building when the grid fails. In short, today’s modern power conversion systems are a key component for managing power and ensuring continuity from generation through distribution and ultimately consumption.

Connecting power sources and uses together on the power grid requires keeping them electrically isolated to prevent power from flowing in the wrong direction and damaging components of the power system or creating potential safety hazards. Traditionally, power conversion systems use a transformer to isolate components. Transformer-based power conversion systems rely on one hundred year-old technology, which is big, heavy and expensive due to the large quantity of copper and magnetic material required. Thus, power conversion systems with transformers are costly to manufacture, ship and install, require a lot of space and generate a lot of heat due to their inefficient operation.

Ideal Power’s PPSA is the only transformerless power conversion system on the market that provides the necessary electrical isolation required to connect electrical devices together on the grid. Electrical isolation is at the core of Ideal Power’s PPSA technology. As a result, Ideal Power’s PPSA power conversion systems are lighter, smaller and more efficient than transformer-based power conversion systems. Consequently, PPSA has the potential to impact several fast-growing electric power conversion markets.

Ideal Power has developed and commercialized power conversion systems that take advantage of the inherent benefits of its PPSA technology and sells these systems in markets where the value of thisoff-grid applications. Our advanced technology is the greatest. The primary markets for Ideal Power’s technology today are commercialimportant to our business and industrial sites where there is a need for power conversion systems driven by one of several value streams. These value streams include managing consumption to reduce peak power demands, integrating new sources of generation such as distributed photovoltaic power, and adding new resources such as EV chargers to the facility. Ideal Power’s products provide advantages to the commercial or industrial customer over traditional power conversion systems due to their reduced weight, compact size, quiet operation, high efficiency and reliability, and advanced programmability features enabling the Company to optimize the system to specific customer needs.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Our Technology

PPSA technology uses in-direct power flow where power flows through input switches and is temporarily storedwe make significant investments in a proprietary AC link inductor. Fast switching algorithms, which enable the transfer of quantum packets of power, are at the heart of Ideal Power’s PPSA technology. As the AC link becomes charged, it disconnects from its input switches and reconnects to its output switches, providing true isolation without the need for a transformer.

Figure 1: Schematic of PPSA Process

Traditional power conversion system technology uses continuous power flow that relies on several magnetic components and bulk capacitors that are heavy and expensive, have custom hardware for fixed functions that are inflexible and costly, and have high electrical and thermal stresses that drive component failures and losses. Ideal Power’s PPSA technology eliminates the majority of the passive components of traditional power conversion systems including transformers, inductors and bulk capacitors. PPSA technology provides isolated power conversion in a single compact device, which provides clear advantages over traditional technologies. Among them are:

Size and Weight:  PPSA architecture reduces size and weight by eliminating passive components such as transformers, inductors and bulk capacitors. Our 30kW power conversion system weighs 97 pounds. By contrast, similar transformer-based 30kW power conversion systems weigh over 600 pounds.
Efficiency:  Efficiency is the measure of power out of the power conversion system as a percentage of the power into the system. Thus, high efficiency systems use less power in the conversion process and supply more power for use. In the California Energy Commission (“CEC”) weighted efficiency test, our 30kW power conversion system scored 96.5%. PPSA efficiency improvement can be even more significant when operating the system at relatively low rated power, which is more common in battery systems.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Figure 2: PPSA Size, Weight and Efficiency Comparison

Cost:  Reduced weight results in lower material and manufacturing, transportation and installation costs.
Safety:  Since PPSA provides isolation, it allows the systems in which it is used to be grounded. Non-grounded systems require additional safeguards to pass U.S. safety regulations, which increase system cost and reduce efficiency.
Scalability/Flexibility:  PPSA technology uses standardized hardware with application specific software, thus providing more scalability that enables rapid development cycles for new products and new applications. PPSA’s flexibility enables uses from small commercial-scale (below 10kW) to utility-scale (over 1MW).
Reliability:  PPSA technology enables a simplified product that eliminates several common failure modes. These design features are likely to increase overall system reliability.

Ideal Power is developing a next generation bi-directional insulated gate bipolar transistors (“BD-IGBT”) with funds from a $2.5 million ARPA-E grant from the U.S. Department of Energy as well as Company research and development spending. Forand protection of our intellectual property. Our PPSA™ and bi-directional switch technologies are protected by a discussionpatent portfolio of the economic terms66 US and conditions12 foreign issued patents as of the ARPA-E grant, please see the discussionDecember 31, 2017.

We sell our products primarily to systems integrators for inclusion in the section of this report titled “Management’s Discussionlarger turn-key systems which enable end users to manage their electricity consumption by reducing demand charges or fossil fuel consumption, integrating renewable energy sources and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition — Critical Accounting Policies — Revenue Recognition”. If successful in its development, Ideal Power believes these BD-IGBTs will further improve the competitive advantages of its core technology.

Business Strategy

The Company’s business strategy is to promote and expand the uses of its PPSA technology initially through product development and product sales, followed by licensing product designs to other OEMs all while continuing to innovate and expand the company’s intellectual property portfolio in the power conversion space. To bring its products to market, the Company will seek out best-in-class partners who will build Ideal Power’s innovative products into higher value products resulting in multiple strategic sales channels with Ideal Power’s core PPSA technology as a key aspect of a system.

Products:  The Company has developed products commercializing its PPSA technology and makes these products available for sale both directly to customers and through a distributor in the United States. The Company is currently selling six power conversion products utilizing its patented PPSA technology. Theseforming their own microgrid. Our products are described as follows:

A 30kW PV Inverter, which is available in the United States asmade by contract manufacturers to our specifications, enabling us to scale production to meet demand on a UL 1741 Certified product for commercialcost-effective basis without requiring significant expenditures on manufacturing facilities and industrial PV installations. This product was Ideal Power’s first product and was an important building block in validating the Company’s technology and provided valuable operating

TABLE OF CONTENTS

experience in conditions outside of the laboratory. This product shares the same hardware as the Company’s 30kW battery converter but uses embedded software specific to a PV application. While it is still available for sale it is not actively marketed and the company expects it to have little to no revenue going forward as the Company’s product focus has shifted to higher-value bi-directional applications.
A 30kW Battery Converter for the growing commercial and industrial grid-tied distributed energy storage market. Ideal Power’s second product, the 30kW battery converter received UL1741 certification, required for connection to the power grid in the United States, in January 2013. The 30kW bi-directional battery converter uses the same hardware design as the 30kW PV Inverter, but with more sophisticated embedded software for bi-directional power conversion and control. This product has significant performance advantages over other solutions in the market for Battery Energy Storage Systems (“BESS”) including its 96.5% CEC-weighted efficiency. Traditional, transformer-based power conversion systems typically have a 92 – 93% CEC-weighted efficiency. Ideal Power’s 4% improvement is effectively an 8% improvement due to the fact that the CEC weighting only counts efficiency in one conversion step but two are required (grid → battery & battery → grid) due to the bi-directional nature of BESS applications. As a result, a BESS using a transformer-based product requires 8% more input electricity and 4% more battery storage capacity to create the same electrical output as a BESS using Ideal Power’s product. Ideal Power’s product is approximately  1/5th the size and weight of transformer-based products, reducing the costs of materials, manufacturing, shipping, installation and maintenance. Ideal Power’s 30kW Battery Converter also has a significantly lower acoustic noise profile, which allows for installation in buildings without the need for acoustic isolation or insulation. This product is selling in volume today and it represented the majority of 2014 product revenue.
A 30kW grid-resilient AC-DC-DC multi-port power conversion system, formerly known as a “hybrid” power conversion system, which has two DC ports enabling both PV and a DC battery system to be installed with one simple connection. This product was introduced in summer 2014 and is capable of operating in both 50Hz and 60Hz environments making it Ideal Power’s first “world-product”. This product also has the ability to form and manage a “micro-grid”, effectively using energy storage with distributed generation resources to make its own power grid to support critical loads or simply allow a building to disconnect from the utility power grid. This product is used in both off-grid and grid-tied applications and received the “Electrical Energy Storage Award” for product innovation at InterSolar, Germany, the world’s largest solar exhibition. For grid-tied applications, this product is expected to receive its UL 1741 certification in Spring 2015.
A 125kW grid-resilient AC-DC power conversion system, which was introduced in October 2014, for higher power applications. This 125kW system has over four times the power of the 30kW product, is also a “world-product”, and also has the ability to form and manage a micro-grid. First articles of this new product will be delivered to customers in Spring 2015. This product is primarily for use in grid-tied applications and as such it is expected to receive its UL 1741 certification in late Summer 2015 and begin shipping in volume shortly thereafter.
A 125kW grid-resilient AC-DC-DC multi-port power conversion system, which was also introduced in October 2014, for higher power applications with multi-port capabilities. This 125kW system has over four times the power of the 30kW multi-port product, is also a “world-product,” and also has the ability to form and manage a micro-grid. First articles of this new product will be delivered to early customers in Spring 2015. This product is mostly for off-grid and micro-grid management applications and as such is not currently planned to receive a UL 1741 certification in 2015.
A new 30kW grid-resilient AC-DC power conversion system, which was introduced in February 2015 as the next generation of Ideal Power’s 30kW batter converter. This new product has all of the design features of Ideal Power’s new “world-products” including the ability to form and manage a microgrid as is targeted for those customers who want Ideal Power’s best-selling 30kW battery converter but need to use the product overseas or need the ability to form a micro-grid. This new product is not a replacement for the 30kW battery converter but rather it is a complimentary product with additional features that will open up new markets for Ideal Power.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Figure 3: Ideal Power Product Family

Licensing:  equipment. As itsour products establish a foothold in key power conversion markets, the Companywe may begin to focus on licensing itsour proprietary PPSA-basedPPSA™-based product designs to OEMs to reach more markets and customers. The CompanyWe may seek to build a portfolio of relationships that generate license fees and royalties from OEMs for sales of their products which integrate PPSA technology. The basis for this approach isPPSA™.

To date, operations have been funded primarily through the belief that OEMs may achieve higher product marginssale of common stock and, gain more market share by providing PPSA-based productsprior to their customers, which are differentiatedour initial public offering, the issuance of convertible debt. Total revenue generated from the balance of the product offerings from the industry. Ideal Power will first target OEMs in the power conversion space that serve markets and geographies that would be difficult or costly for Ideal Powerinception to pursue directly and which make complementary products but do not compete with the Company in its core markets or core product offerings. The Company believes such strategic relationships with key OEM licensees would enable it to reap the benefits of its PPSA technology and gain market share more quickly than by strictly manufacturing and distributing its own products.

Future Innovations:  Ideal Power continues to focus its long-term development efforts on next-generation power switches, including the Bi-Directional Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (“BD-IGBT”). Standard, single-direction IGBTs are widely used in power conversion systems today. In conventional power conversion systems, IGBT’s are used as power switches to conduct and block current in a single direction. Thanks to its unique, patented PPSA architecture, Ideal Power has successfully deployed these standard single-direction IGBTs in its PPSA systems and enabled bi-directional power flow with industry-leading efficiency.

Ideal Power’s technology can possibly be even more efficient. With new, bi-directional power switches conducting and blocking current in both directions, Ideal Power may be able to replace two traditional IGBT’s and two diodes with one new BD-IGBT in its systems, possibly enabling even higher efficiency and potentially further reducing material costs which may further enhance the market competitiveness of Ideal Power’s products and core PPSA technology.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Figure 4: Potential Benefits of BD-IGBT Power Switch Components

Our BD-IGBT development effort is being partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s $2.5 million ARPA-E grant. The grant funds were fully utilizeddate as of December 31, 20142017 amounted to $13.2 million with approximately 20% of that revenue coming from government grants. We may pursue additional research and development grants, if and when available, for the Company is self-fundingpurpose of developing new products and improving current development efforts.products.

The Company believes that the commercialization of these next generation power switches may further improve the Company’s advantages in efficiency, weight and cost across its entire range of products. Among other efforts in this area, Ideal Power is actively filing patents on this core technology, the semiconductor processing techniques involved, and the variety of applications for these new power switches. If the Company is successful in its efforts to commercialize these new power switches, it will extend the Company’s product performance advantages in efficiency, power density, reliability, and cost in its current market applications, as well as accelerate its ability to deliver disruptive solutions in larger mature markets.

Intellectual Property:  As a company focused on the development and commercialization of technology, we expect that our most valuable asset will be our intellectual property. This includes U.S. and foreign patents, patent applications, common-law trademarks, trade secrets and know-how. We are pursuing an aggressive intellectual property strategy.Industry Background

We have 19 issued U.S. patents and 4 issued foreign patents. We have filed numerous additional pending U.S., foreign and international patent applications. The pending foreign and international patent applications, barring unforeseen problems, are expected to provide patent protection in additional countries including the European Union, China, India, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Brazil. We expect to file a significant number of additional patent applications for both our core power conversion technology and other technological developments that broaden the scope of our technology platform. The issue date and expiration date of our issued U.S. and foreign patents is included in the table below:

TitleNumberIssuedExpires
(Estimate)
Universal Power Converter7,599,1966-Oct-096-Oct-2028
Universal Power Converter Methods7,778,04517-Aug-105-Jun-2029
Power Conversion with Added Pseudo-Phase8,295,06923-Oct-1217-Aug-2030
Converter For Enhanced Efficiency Power Conversion8,300,42630-Oct-1230-Mar-2028
Universal Power Converter with Bidirectional Switching Devices8,345,4521-Jan-136-Jun-2027
Power Transfer Devices, Methods, and Systems with Crowbar Switch Shunting Energy-Transfer Reactance8,391,0335-Mar-1329-Jun-2030
Buck-Boost Power Converter Circuits, Methods and Systems8,395,91012-Mar-136-Jun-2027
Universal Power Converter with Two Input Drive Operations During Each Half-Cycle8,400,80019-Mar-136-Jun-2027

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TitleNumberIssuedExpires
(Estimate)
Power Conversion with Added Pseudo-Phase8,406,02526-Mar-1317-Aug-2030
Power Transfer Devices, Methods, and Systems with Crowbar Switch Shunting Energy-Transfer Reactance8,432,71130-Apr-1329-Jun-2030
Power Transfer Devices, Methods, and Systems with Crowbar Switch Shunting Energy-Transfer Reactance8,441,81914-May-1329-Jun-2030
PV Array Systems, Methods, and Devices with Improved Diagnostics and Monitoring8,446,04221-May-1330-Nov-2031
PV Array Systems, Methods, and Devices with Improved Diagnostics and Monitoring8,446,04321-May-1330-Nov-2031
Power Transfer Devices, Methods, and Systems with Crowbar Switch Shunting Energy-Transfer Reactance8,446,70521-May-1329-Jun-2030
Power Transfer Devices, Methods, and Systems with Crowbar Switch Shunting Energy-Transfer Reactance8,451,63728-May-1329-Jun-2030
Photovoltaic Array Systems, Methods, and Devices with Bidirectional Converter8,461,71811-Jun-1330-Nov-2031
Photovoltaic Array Systems, Methods, and Devices with Bidirectional Converter8,471,40825-Jun-1330-Nov-2031
Power Conversion with Added Pseudo-Phase8,514,60120-Aug-1317-Aug-2030
Power Conversion with Current Sensing Coupled through Saturating Element8,531,85810-Sep-1330-Nov-2031
Universal Power ConverterCN101523710B5-Mar-146-Jun-2027
Photovoltaic Array Systems, Methods, and Devices with Bidirectional ConverterSG19040128-May-1430-Nov-2031
Universal Power ConverterEP202505131-Dec-146-Jun-2027
Power Converter with Added Pseudo-PhaseCA28084903-Feb-1517-Aug-2030

On October 4, 2013 we received a letter from a competitor alleging that the system architecture that appears on our website “appears” to infringe on patents licensed to or held by the competitor. The letter asks that we explain why we believe that our technology does not represent an infringement. We have investigated this claim and we have determined that the allegation is without merit. No resolution regarding this assertion has been reached. In early 2014, we met with the competitor to discuss the issue. No subsequent discussions have been held with, and no further correspondence has been received from, this competitor.

We rely on a combination of patent filings, laws that protect intellectual property, confidentiality procedures, and contractual restrictions with our employees and others, to establish and protect our intellectual property rights. In addition, the software that is shipped with our products is encrypted.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Target Markets

The global power conversion market was approximately $50 Billion in 2014 and is forecast to grow to over $70 Billion by 2020 as shown below in the graphic by Yole Development, a Lyon, France based global research firm specializing in the scientific and power electronics markets.

Figure 5: Inverter Market

Inverters market (M$)
including PV inverter, wind turbine, rail traction, EV/HEV, motor drives & UPS

(Source: Inverter market trends for 2013 – 2020 and major technology changes report, February 2013, Yole Development)

Of this nearly $70 billion of 2020 market potential, the vast majority of the growth will come from three segments of the industry as shown in the below graphic based on data from the same Yole Development study. Ideal Power has products both in production and in development that directly address the highest predicted growth segment (Battery & Microgrid).

Figure 6: Inverter Market Segmentation

Battery and Microgrid Power Conversion Market

Utility power grids are built using Alternating Current (“AC”)alternating current, or AC, generation, transmission, and distribution resources. This method of power transmission and distribution has been proven over time to be reliable and safe. The outlets in a typical home or business are AC but many electrical devices, such as computers,


TABLE OF CONTENTS

televisions, and other appliances operate on Direct Current (“DC”)direct current, or DC, power. Batteries and photovoltaic, or PV, solar panels produce DC power as well. In order to operateconnect DC devices onto an AC power grid, a power conversion device is necessary.

We believe that significant changes in the supply of and demand for electrical power are driving demand for new energy infrastructure products and supporting technologies. In thea traditional utility model, electrical power is generated from central stations and transmitted over long distance high-voltage transmission lines to substations where the voltage is reduced for distribution to consumers. Utility power grids are built to manage the flow of power in one direction, from generation to use, where sophisticated tools have been developed to constantly match the amount of power being generated with the amount being consumed. Utilities ramp power plants up or down to closely match generation with load.


The rapid growth in worldwide renewable energy generation, such as wind and solar power, has added a new level of complexity to the equation.task of matching power generation with consumption. These intermittent resources cannot be dispatched at will or relied upon to meet the peak power demands of the grid. RenewablesRenewable energy sources tend to ramp up and down quickly. AFor example, a single cloud over a PV farm can cause electrical output to be reduced from full power to nearly nothingchange dramatically in a mannermatter of seconds. These new challenges can make it increasingly difficult for utilities to accurately forecast and meet peak power demands.

Increased peak demand for power also has exposed weaknesses in the existing power grid. In high-cost, high-demand states, such as California, public utilities have instituted peak demand charges as a way to ration power during periods of peak demand and to incentivize commercial and industrial customers to shift their power consumption to off-peak times. At the same time, both the Federal and certain state governments have created incentive programs to encourage the development and implementation of alternative energy sources, such as solar and wind power, which has the adverse consequence of making peak demand more difficult to forecast and satisfy. Strains on the electric grid have resulted in significant brown-outs and black-outs that have heightened awareness of the vulnerabilities of the existing system. As a result, utilitiespower consumers are turning to new technologies to manage their energy consumption, lower costs and assure a reliable source of supply. We believe that distributed generation with advanced power conversion systems, such as our PPSA™ products, is becoming an increasingly important element of this new infrastructure.

In response to these changes in certainthe market for electrical power, a number of technologies have been developed to enable users to more effectively manage their consumption and, one of these technologies, energy storage systems, has emerged as an increasingly attractive way to mitigate the instabilities and market inefficiencies caused by these emerging power grid realities. For example, a commercial business can shift energy usage from peak to non-peak times by installing a battery energy storage system, or BESS. The commercial business can use electricity generated during off-peak hours to charge the BESS and then use the stored power to satisfy all or part of its demand during peak hours. Similarly, a commercial business can install a solar power system to generate power for use either immediately upon generation or for storage in a BESS for later use.

Battery energy storage systems and many alternative energy sources provide power on a DC basis. However, the electric power grid and most electrical equipment operates on an AC basis. Consequently, power conversion systems are required to convert power from DC to AC or from AC or DC as necessary to make the various components of the system function together. In addition to converting power, power conversion systems enable customers to regulate current, voltage and frequency while optimizing system resources such as batteries, PV and the utility power grid to reduce energy costs. Systems incorporating advanced power converters may also manage distributed grid energy storage and be used to create stand-alone microgrids to bring power to a business or residence if the main electrical grid, if one is present, is unavailable.

Our Technology

PPSA™ uses indirect power flow in which power flows through input switches and is temporarily stored in our proprietary AC link inductor. Our proprietary fast switching algorithms enable the transfer of quantum packets of power between ports in our system. As the AC link becomes charged, it disconnects from its input switches, resonates without being connected to either the input or output switches, and then reconnects to its output switches when it reaches the correct voltage and frequency for the application. PPSA™ is a power conversion technology that differentiates itself from traditional power conversion technology in key product metrics, such as size and weight while providing built-in isolation and bi-directional and multi-port capabilities. At December 31, 2017, we had been granted 38 US patents and five foreign patents related to PPSA™.


Figure 1: Schematic of PPSA™ Process

 

Traditional power conversion systems use continuous power flow that relies on relatively heavy and expensive magnetic components and bulk capacitors. Many of these traditional systems have custom hardware for specific applications By contrast, our conversion technology eliminates the majority of the passive components of traditional power conversion systems, including the separate isolation transformer and most of the inductors and bulk capacitors.

We believe PPSA™ offers several key advantages over traditional technologies, such as:

Bi-directional:  PPSA™ is inherently bi-directional enabling power flow in both directions. For example, one PPSA™-based power converter could be used to both charge and discharge batteries.

Built-in Isolation:  PPSA™-based power converters have built-in isolation and thus do not require an isolation transformer which adds cost, size and weight and reduces the efficiency of battery energy storage systems.

Multi-Port Capabilities: PPSA™ architecture enables multiple AC and/or DC sources and uses to be connected together in one power converter, minimizing total system cost for tying together, for example, DC solar PV and DC batteries to the AC grid.

Scalability/Flexibility:  PPSA™ is made from standard industry components, is battery agnostic and software driven, thus providing scalability that enables rapid development cycles for new products and new applications. This same functionality provides ultimate flexibility for customers globally as it is capable of power conversion in both 50Hz and 60Hz AC environments.

Size and Weight:   PPSA™ reduces size and weight by eliminating passive components such as isolation transformers, inductors and bulk capacitors. Reduced sized and weight result in lower transportation and installation costs. Our fully isolated 30kW power conversion systems weighs less than 150 pounds. By contrast, similar transformer-based 30kW power conversion systems typically weigh over 600 pounds.

Products

We currently sell several power conversion systems, or PCS, utilizing our patented PPSA™ technology. These products are described as follows:

The 30kW Stabiliti™ series has two product offerings, two-port (AC-DC) and multi-port (AC-DC-DC) models, which are both UL1741 Supplement A, or UL1741 SA, certified. These products are intended to be used in the stand-alone energy storage and microgrid markets. They are bi-directional and operate in both grid-tied and grid-forming modes with near seamless transfer between operating modes. Grid-forming mode provides customers the ability to form and manage a microgrid. The products operate in both 50Hz and 60Hz environments.

The 30kW SunDial™ and the 30kW SunDial Plus™, which are also UL1741 SA certified, are intended to be used for the commercial and industrial grid-tied solar and solar plus storage markets. The SunDial™ is a PV string inverter which is field upgradable through the addition of a drop-in second DC port to connect batteries to a solar PV array. The SunDial Plus™ includes the PV inverter and the second DC battery port in one package. These products both include a built-in 6 string PV combiner and DC disconnects and are grid-tied, AC export only.


Future Innovations

Bi-Directional Switches

Our existing products incorporate multiple insulated gate bipolar transistors (“IGBTs”), which are power switches used in the process to convert power from one current form to another. IGBTs switch power in only one direction (DC to AC or AC to DC) and require the use of a blocking diode to prevent power from flowing back through the system. To enable our existing products to perform bi-directional power conversion, for each IGBT and diode used in our products, we must include a second IGBT and diode. These additional components have slight voltage drops that affect the electrical efficiency of our products and generate heat that must be dissipated. We have patented and are developing a new, highly efficient power switch called a bi-directional bipolar transistor, or B-TRAN™, that we believe will allow us to substitute one B-TRAN™ for two pairs of IGBTs and diodes used in our current products and is also a potential replacement for conventional power switches in the broader power semiconductor market.

Based on third party device software simulations and initial prototype testing, we believe that the B-TRANs™ can significantly improve electrical efficiency in our power converters. The higher efficiency would substantially reduce the heat generated by the operation of our products. As a result, products incorporating B-TRANs™ will require less space for heat dissipation which would allow us to increase power density, or power per pound, and reduce material costs.

In 2016, one of our semiconductor fabricators successfully tested single-sided B-TRAN™ silicon dies and the results were consistent with third party simulations that predict significant performance and efficiency improvements over conventional power switches such as SCRs, IGBTs and MOSFETs. In the second half of 2017, we shifted our focus to de-risking the proof of concept phase of the B-TRAN™ development timeline, as this phase of development was taking longer than anticipated due to the complexity of manufacturing complicated, two-sided power semiconductor devices. To facilitate this, we engaged a second semiconductor fabricator, on a parallel path, to produce a less complex to manufacture B-TRAN™ on an accelerated schedule for proof of concept and initial testing. In the first quarter of 2018, we successfully completed proof of concept testing of double-sided B-TRAN™ prototypes, validating the ability to make B-TRAN™ semiconductor power switches using conventional silicon semiconductor fabrication equipment and processes. Test results on the standard double-sided prototypes measured B-TRAN™ electrical losses at less than 40% that of conventional power switches such as silicon IGBTs. The results of this testing will be incorporated into the B-TRAN™ design and their manufacturing process. With the double-sided transistor behavior and low conduction losses confirmed, the next step is to incorporate planned corrections and improvements in the manufacturing process followed by the fabrication of prototype engineering samples for potential customers and partners.

We plan to first utilize the B-TRAN™ in our own power conversion products and then introduce it into the multi-billion dollar power semiconductor market utilizing a licensing model. We believe our new B-TRAN™ technology can potentially address a significant portion of the power semiconductor market that currently relies on power semiconductor devices such as IGBTs. Potential addressable markets for B-TRAN™-based products include solar photovoltaic inverters, microgrid power conversion systems, electric vehicle drivetrains, bi-directional energy storage, solid-state DC and AC contactors and breakers, variable frequency drives and other power conversion and control applications that could benefit from B-TRAN™’s enhanced switching performance. At December 31, 2017, we have 28 US and seven foreign issued patents covering the operation, control and manufacturing of the B-TRAN™ device.


Business Strategy

Our business strategy is to promote and expand the uses of PPSA™ initially through product development and product sales. To bring our products to market, we will seek out best-in-class partners who will distribute, white-label or integrate our innovative products into higher value systems resulting in multiple strategic sales channels for our PPSA™-based products and product designs. Although our primary market is the United States, have begun chargingwe will increasingly target markets outside the United States as early as 2018. As our products gain broader acceptance in the power conversion market, we intend to license our proprietary PPSA™-based product designs to OEMs within our target markets, as well as license our technologies for other markets which we do not plan to enter directly. The basis for this approach is the belief that OEMs may achieve higher product margins and gain more for peak powermarket share by providing PPSA™-based products, which are differentiated from the traditional product offerings in the industry, to their customers. TheseWe believe such strategic relationships with key OEM licensees would enable us to reap the benefits of PPSA™ and gain market share more quickly than by strictly manufacturing and distributing our products.

Target Markets

Currently, our primary markets are knownsolar + storage and, to a lesser extent, microgrids. We also intend to be opportunistic with regard to the stand-alone energy storage market. Prior to 2017, our primary market was the stand-alone energy storage market but we shifted our strategic focus in early 2017 to solar + storage as “peak demand charges”that market leverages the mature and offerglobal solar market while the nascent stand-alone energy storage market has been slow to develop.

Solar + Storage and Microgrid Markets

Solar PV has one of the lowest levelized costs of energy for new electrical generation capacity and we expect this to remain true in the near term. We expect distributed PV to continue to be a high growth business as system costs have fallen dramatically over the past several years. Accordingly, we expect the economics of generating PV for local consumption to remain strong for several more years, especially given the investment tax credit, or ITC, extension passed by Congress and signed into law in 2015 for solar energy production. Our SunDial™ products were launched to directly address this market. One shortcoming of distributed, behind-the-meter PV systems is that they require connection to the utility power grid in order to operate. For example, a business with PV on its roof will not, in most cases, benefit from the ability to generate power should the utility power grid go down. Another shortcoming of distributed PV systems is the instability they cause on the local power lines. Utility power grids were not designed to manage power inflow from the end of the lines. Asa result, distributed generation sources can lead to wide swings in line voltages when clouds pass and power output falls off, requiring the utility to ramp up its power generation to make up for the shortfall in solar. We believe the proliferation of PV, its intermittency and the elimination of net metering in many states may drive growth in the solar + storage market.

Whether for emergency backup power or for baseload generation in remote locations with weak or no electric grids, microgrids are an incentiveemerging business case for customerssolar paired with energy storage. A distributed PV system connected to cut peaka BESS that includes one of our Stabiliti™ multi-port PCS enable a business to benefit from the ability to form and manage a local microgrid powered by the PV system and BESS even when the utility power usage.grid is down. This capability is attractive to electricity consumers who need to power critical loads even in a blackout. Our Stabiliti™ PCS are also equipped to meet evolving utility requirements for low voltage ride-through and other key operating parameters, which may enable the PV and BESS it connects to the grid to help stabilize the utility power grid when voltage or frequency fluctuates due to imbalances in load and supply. In remote locations where there is no reliable electric grid or a dependence on diesel generators, which may be as diverse as a military battlefield or remote tropical island resort, or in locations where local electric rates are high due to aging and inefficient generation technology, a trend towards self-generation microgrids is developing. These sites can use solar, batteries and other forms of generation all brought together by one or more of our Stabiliti™ PCS to form and manage a microgrid using maximum solar generation for lowest cost. As such, we believe our products may become increasingly attractive to co-locate BESS with distributed PV.


According to their research, IHS believes that systems will be deployed in two principal configurations. One configuration is likely to continuehave separate BESS and PV systems tied together through the AC wiring, which is supported by our current and legacy products. A second, emerging configuration is to place the BESS and the PV system behind a single PCS with two DC inputs. Our Stabiliti™ and SunDial™ Plus were designed specifically to enable this configuration which we believe is the lower cost and more efficient configuration. By tying the solar and batteries together as a DC-coupled system, the batteries become eligible for the Federal Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, and accelerated depreciation further enhancing the project economics. A key unique feature of the SunDial™’s patented technology is its ability to be deployed first as a standard commercial PV inverter and later be upgraded in the U.S. and elsewhere asfield to bring energy storage into the utility grid entersPV system using the information agesame inverter. We believe this is the only product in the market today to have this unique field-upgrade capability for pairing solar with smart meters and demand-side management tools available to electricity consumers.energy storage in one inverter.

Battery

Stand-Alone Energy Storage Systems (“BESS”)Market

The stand-alone energy storage market is served by BESS. BESS are blocksracks of batteries coupled with a system controller and a power conversion system, such as those manufactured by Ideal Powerus, to enable electric power to be captured, stored, and used onin conjunction with electric power grids. These systems can be large, megawatt-scale systems operated by utilities to better manage their system resources, or small,smaller kilowatt-scale systems in homesused by businesses and businesses designed to enable consumersthese businesses to manage their power use and mitigate utility imposed "peak demand charges. Incharges", which are charges utilities levy on their business customers for delivery of power at peak usage times of the day, such as mid-afternoons in the summer. The growth of peak demand charges has been substantial over the past decade and now can make up 50% or more of a commercial utility bill in certain U.S. markets today, notably California, New York,markets. This is a trend that is likely to continue as more intermittent resources are added to the utility power grid causing grid instability. Utilities and Massachusetts, thereaggregators of distributed generation resources are also expected to adopt BESS due to the proliferation of renewables and to take advantage of additional value streams such as energy arbitrage, frequency regulation and ancillary services, infrastructure upgrade deferral and locational capacity.

There are strong economic incentives available to commercial and industrial consumers in major US markets such as California and New York in the form of reduced time-of-use and/or demand charges for installing a BESS and managing when power is drawn from the grid or reducing peak consumption. There is also strong regulatory support for such systems. For example, California has issued a mandate for over 1,0001,800 megawatts of new energy storage to be installed by 2020. Ideal Power’s 30kWOther states, including New York and 125kW AC-DC power conversion systems enable these BESS systems to connect to the utility grid and offer these customers substantial cost savings opportunities. This market is still in its infancy, but Ideal Power has established a strong brand and position in this market with the Company’s customers having many systems installed and operating today. This market is forecast to grow 40% annually over the next six years and offers the highest value proposition todayMassachusetts, have also recently issued mandates for the Company’s power conversion systems.

Distributed PV solar installations are a stable growth business for power conversion systems. The economics of generating PV solar for local consumption remain strong. One shortcoming of these rooftop PV systems is that they require the utility power grid to be connected in order for them to operate. A home or business with PV on the roof will not, in most cases, benefit from the ability to generate power should the utility power grid go down. Ideal Power’s grid-resilient multi-port power conversion systems remove this constraint. When a distributed solar PV system is connected with a BESS to one of Ideal Power’s multi-port power conversion systems, the home or business will benefit from the product’s ability to form and manage a local microgrid powered by the PV system and batteries even when the utility grid is down. This capability is attractive to electricity consumers who need to power critical loads even in a blackout. This capability is not limited to PV systems. Ideal Power products have been proven to connect and manage a diesel generator with batteries to form and operate a microgrid using far less fuel, emitting far fewer pollutants, and providing better power quality than a diesel generator alone.

The Commercial and Industrial Battery Energy Storage System (“BESS”) Market

The commercial and industrial battery energy storage system (“BESS”) market is the primary vertical power conversion market for the company’s 30kW Battery Converter, Grid-Resilient 30kW Power Conversion System, and Grid-Resilient 125kW Power Conversion System. These products are currently being soldwe expect this trend to commercial BESS integrators such as industry leaders Sharp Electronics, Green Charge Networks, EOS Energy, and Coda Energy. As these product gain traction in the market with these and other customers, the Company believes that it is well positioned to emerge as the market-leader in power conversion solutions to the commercial and industrial segment of the BESS vertical and will benefit from this market’s rapid growth.


TABLE OF CONTENTScontinue.

With approximately 10 Megawatts of orders booked in the past two quarters, the Company believes this market is at an inflection point as it matures from pilot installations to higher volume installations driven by the underlying economics of the BESS product to the commercial or industrial customer. The primary value proposition for commercial or industrial BESS is to reduce monthly utility demand charges. For example, the cost of installing commercial BESS in California may be recovered over a period of three to five years when combined with high demand charges and the State’s Self Generation Incentive Program. Increasing demand charges and lower system costs should also make commercial BESS solutions financially attractive to commercial businesses in New York, where systems are already being installed, and in many other states. As the market matures, third-party financing has increasingly become available to reduce upfront capital requirements. For example, one of our customers, Green Charge Networks, received $56 million in private funding that will be primarily devoted to financing its BESS solutions in order to eliminate upfront capital requirements.

The company expectsWe expect the cost of commercial and industrial BESS systems to continue to decline due primarily to lower battery costs. Many larger BESS installations had traditionally used several of our 30kW battery converters. With direct customer feedback,costs and, as a result, expect significant expansion in the Company developed its new 125kW products to help reduce installation and system costsaddressable market for these larger installations. The company believessystems. We also believe the combination of lower BESS costs, third-party financing, continued increases in utility demand charges, and the continued entrance of large, established companies to the BESS space will allmay contribute to accelerating market growth.

Commercial BESS with PV Systems

Commercial and industrial BESS systems are able to generate value far beyond peak demand reduction. The Company believes it will become increasingly attractive to co-locate BESS systems with distributed PV. IHS, a global research firm with a strong renewable industry focus, forecasts that global installations of grid-tied commercial BESS systems coupled with PV, a subset of the battery and microgrid market, will grow 111% annually from near obscurity in 2014 to over 600 MW of BESS systems by 2018.growth for stand-alone energy storage.

Grid-Tied Commercial BESS Installations with PV

According to their research, IHS believes that systems will be deployed in two principle configurations. The present configuration is to have separate BESS and PV systems tied together through the AC wiring, which is supported with by all of the Company’s products. A second, emerging configuration will be to place the BESS and the PV system behind a single power conversion system with two DC inputs. This


TABLE OF CONTENTS

configuration is forecast to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and allow PV harvesting when operating without a power grid present in microgrid mode. Ideal Power’s Grid-Resilient 30kW and 125kW Multi-Port Power Conversion Systems were designed specifically to enable this lower cost and more efficient second configuration.

Also according to IHS, the global PV industry is projected to grow from 45GW of annual installations in 2014 to 71GW in 2018. The growth rate of the industry during the next few years is projected to slow to 11% CAGR from a 21% CAGR between 2012 and 2014. Providing a new generation of solutions with integrated energy storage will enable the PV industry to address new markets with high growth potential. These new PV+BESS markets include providing backup power during blackouts, improving grid stability in high penetration PV areas and reducing diesel fuel consumption in remote off-grid microgrids. In the event of a grid failure, grid-tied PV installations are not capable of operating independently. For example, during Superstorm Sandy many PV system owners were displeased to learn that their grid-tied PV installations. Systems incorporating Ideal Power’s mulit-port power conversion systems along with PV and a BESS will be capable of providing backup power during grid blackouts. The Company expects its multi-port products to be attractive to existing customers as a low-cost system upgrade to improve integration of PV. The Company further expects its products to provide competitive solutions for these market requirements.

Microgrid Applications

PV has one of the lowest levelized costs of energy for new electrical generation capacity and this is expected to remain true in the near term. Over the next decade the greatest demand for new power generation capacity is likely to occur in regions such as Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Central and South America. Remote communities and infrastructure in these regions are more likely to depend on expensive diesel generation for their primary fuel supply and may not have a utility power grid to access for high quality, reliable power.

In contrast to grid-tied BESS and PV applications that are likely to be North American installations, the Company believes off-grid BESS and PV opportunities to develop rapidly across Central and South America, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East. IHS recently forecasted the off grid and microgrid BESS installations with PV market to reach 400MW by 2018 with the majority of this growth coming from regions with less developed electricity infrastructure. The Company believes that its Grid-Resilient 30kW and 125kW Multi-Port Power Conversion Systems offer superior solutions for these applications.

Off Grid Commercial BESS Installations with PV


TABLE OF CONTENTS

In September 2014, Ideal Power announced a strategic partnership with EnerDel, who is developing a new line of Mobile Hybrid Power Systems (“MHPS”) that integrate Ideal Power’s Grid-Resilient 30kW Multi-Port Power Conversion System, a diesel genset, and their own lithium-ion batteries and proprietary control system. This new MHPS is designed for both remote and grid-tied microgrid applications that depend on diesel generators as the primary power source. According to EnerDel, this MHPS will offer up to a 70% reduction in diesel fuel consumption compared to stand-alone generators, and is being tested by the United States Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center. EnerDel expects its MHPS to reduce diesel consumption and operating costs, while offering a suite of benefits to commercial, industrial, utility and government customers alike. The new MHPS will be a family of modular products with both trailer and skid mounting options that EnerDel expects to sell worldwide.

The Company believes that its award-winning multi-port power conversion architecture is a highly attractive solutions for integrating BESS, PV and diesel generators for both grid-tied and off grid markets. Customer and industry forecasts indicate that these markets will grow dramatically in the coming years, and the Company expects to benefit from this growth.

Other Markets

Although our technology may be suitable for VFD and additionalother vertical markets within the global power conversion market landscape, Ideal Power doeswe do not currently offer products for sale directly to other power conversion markets such as the VFD,variable-frequency drive (“VFD”), uninterruptible power supply, rail, wind or EVelectric vehicle (“EV”) traction drive markets. Ideal Power products are suitable for use as PV inverters but this market is saturated with incumbents offering devices that are single-direction and suitable only for this application. As such, while Ideal Power does have a number of PV inverters in field service today, the stand-alone PV inverter market is not a primary growth market for the Company. As discussed above, the Company is instead focused on PV integrated BESS applications for its multi-port products where the fullest potential of its technology can be utilized.

In addition to the markets discussed above, the Company haswe may also have opportunities for market expansion into fast electric vehicle chargers in certain applications where its productsour products’ compact size and multi-port capabilities can unlock value for the system integrator particularly in locations where battery storage is coupled with the charging system to eliminate demand charges or expand the charging systems response capabilities. The Company has provided power conversion systems to NRG Energy for a CPUC-approved technology demonstration program to reduce the installation and operational costs of EV DC charging infrastructure. In September 2014, NRG purchased two 30kW battery converters from Ideal Power for installation at a demonstration site at the University of California San Diego.

The Company also sees future potential in the commercial wind turbine market where we announced our first order on September 23, 2014. The customer plans to use Ideal Power products in a new 100kW turbine to serve agricultural load requirements.

Ideal Power plansWe plan to continue to monitor all power conversion markets for opportunities to create solutions for customers in whichand unlock the broader value of the Company’sour patented technology

Development Relationships

PPSA has gained early validation from licensing and development arrangements with organizations in both the private and public sectors.technology.

Department of Energy:We have been awarded two significant grants from the U.S. Department of Energy. We have received approximately $2.7 million in revenue from these grants and do not expect to receive additional revenue from these grants. These grants provided funding for long-term research and next generation product development. We expect to apply for additional government grants in the future.

Intellectual Property

We received an awardrely on a combination of $2.5 million from ARPA-E.patents, laws that protect intellectual property, confidentiality procedures, and contractual restrictions with our employees and others, to establish and protect our intellectual property rights. In addition, the software that is shipped with our products is encrypted. As of December 31, 20142017, we recognized revenue of $2.5 million as the award amount has been fully funded.have 66 US and 12 foreign issued patents. We used this award to develop advanced power switch technology. While we currently successfully use commodity silicon IGBTalso had approximately 60 additional pending U.S. and diode components in our products, we are developing advanced power switch components that we believe could significantly improve the efficiency, weight, and manufacturing costs of our products. Research universities and commercial vendors worked under our direction and received the majority of the ARPA-E program funding. This funding was


TABLE OF CONTENTS

sufficient to develop and demonstrate advanced power switches in simulations and start the initial fabrication of the devices.international patent applications. We expect to demonstrate these advanced power switches in prototypes in 2015.

Our second Department of Energy award was a $150,000 Phase I SBIR grant. We used this grantcontinue to develop early prototypes of a 3-port hybrid converter which we commercialized as the grid-resilient 30kW multi-portbuild our patent estate for both our core power conversion system in 2014. We completed this project in May 2013technology, our bi-directional switch technology and we do not expect to receive further awards fromother technological developments that broaden the Departmentscope of Energy for this project.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory:On May 13, 2013 we announced a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement to use our technology to develop and test next generation electric vehicle DC charging infrastructure solutions. The goal of this effort is to create standard reference designs using our patented technology in the 3-port hybrid converter that can readily be adopted by commercial and municipal EV fleets, military installations, and public infrastructure. These reference designs seek to improve the cost, efficiency and reliability of power conversion between EVs, solar panels, storage batteries and electric grid, as well as provide grid energy storage and emergency backup power capabilities. This project was completed in mid-2014 except for final reporting which is expected to be completed in the near term.platform.

Customers

Although the Company expects to expand its customer base and channels to market in the future,

While we have historically been reliant on a small number of revenue producing customers. Onecustomers, our customer the Departmentbased expanded in 2017 and only one customer represented greater than 10% of Energy, from which the Company received $579,079 in grant revenues in 2014, accounted for 32% ofour net revenue forrevenues. For the year ended December 31, 2014 while our three largest customers for product sales, from whom we received $789,000 in product revenues in 2014,2017, Sharp Corporation accounted for 20%, 13% and 11%15% of net revenues in 2014. One customer, the Department of Energy, from which we received $1,229,036 in net revenues in 2013, accounted for 65% of net revenue forrevenues. For the year ended December 31, 2013. No2016, Sonnen Inc. and Gexpro accounted for 44% of net revenues.

Sales and Marketing

We sell our products primarily to systems integrators for installation as part of a larger turn-key system providing end users with a complete solution for managing their energy consumption. Before a system integrator agrees to specify our products in their systems, the integrator engages in a lengthy and time-consuming process of testing and evaluating our equipment for use, which typically takes from a few months to as long as a year. Our products have also historically been sold through distribution channel partners and, although we do not currently have any active distribution partners, we may utilize distribution partners in the future.

For certain geographic markets and applications, we may seek to enter into licensing agreements that would enable licensees to build our products for sale in local markets or we may license product designs to global brands for specific applications. In 2016, we entered into our first licensing agreement for our SunDial™ with Flex Ltd. (Nasdaq: Flex). NEXTracker Inc., a Flex company, will sell the SunDial™ as part of its NX Flow solar plus storage tracker.

Manufacturing and Supply

We use contract manufacturers to manufacture our products to our specifications. We have an agreement with our contract manufacturer pursuant to which they manufacture our products pursuant to issued purchase orders. This agreement provides us with a moderate degree of rescheduling and cancellation flexibility. The agreement, executed in 2017, has a three-year term and renews annually thereafter unless terminated. We believe there are many contract manufacturers that are qualified to manufacture our products to our specifications.

Our contract manufacturer is responsible for the sourcing of components and materials. We qualify sources for our components and materials. Our strategy is to have multiple suppliers for all of our components and materials. Currently, we have multiple sources for most of our components. A very limited number of components are single-sourced and the process of identifying and qualifying alternative sources for these components is underway.

Backlog

Our backlog was approximately $0.2 million at December 31, 2017. The Company defines backlog as consisting of accepted orders from customers for which a product sales represented 10%delivery schedule has been specified. The purchased orders comprising backlog are not cancelable in most cases and such orders do not typically provide price protection. Nevertheless, deliveries against received purchase orders may be rescheduled within negotiated parameters and our backlog may therefore not be indicative of the level of future sales. As our initial target markets are new or, in the case of the stand-alone energy storage market, did not grow as expected over the last two years, we have seen a trend where customers are not placing orders covering extended time periods such as six months or a year but are instead placing orders by project or by quarter. This trend results in lower backlog for us until such time that the market starts to mature and market growth is more of our net revenues in 2013.stable and/or predictable.


Competition

The Company competes

We will compete against well-established incumbent power conversion technology providers. The Company believesproviders, including PV inverter companies that foralready operate at a large scale in the PV market, as these competitors enter our target markets identified, its patented Power Packet Switching Architecture (“PPSA”) technology provides significant competitive advantages compared to incumbent players. However,and, specifically, the Company does not currently enjoy a significant market share in any vertical marketcommercial and industrial segment of the globalthese target markets. We expect that these power conversion industry.technology providers will base their products on current technologies, described below, although we continue to monitor the competitive landscape for offerings or potential offerings based on new technologies. To date, we are not aware of any offerings or potential offerings based on new methods of power conversion other than our PPSA™ products.

Transformer Based:Traditional Power Conversion:  Transformer-basedTraditional power conversion systems are the conservative choice, as they are proven and have been commercially available longer than any other type of power conversion system. They provide isolation, but are big, heavy, and relatively inefficient. There have been improvements in the efficiency of transformer-based power conversion systems over the years, but the Company believeswe believe further improvements are limited due to the physical characteristics of transformers themselves. Major suppliers in this market include ABB, Eaton and Schneider Electric.

Transformerless PV Inverters:Transformerless photovoltaic (PV)PV solar inverters are a special class of power conversion system applicable only to PV arrays. They have become a popular choice in the market for distributed PV applications, as they are lighter and more efficient than transformer based inverters. These transformerless inverters are one-way (DC to AC) inverters, and provide no electrical isolation. PV systems are not required to be electrically isolated in most electrical code jurisdictions. These PV inverters have no applicabilityare not directly applicable to markets that require electrical isolation, which includes every application in the electrical power conversion industry in which the Company competes.isolation. Key providers of transformerless PV inverters include companies such as SMA Solar Technology AG, or SMA, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., or Huawei, and Kaco New Energy.SolarEdge Technologies Inc.

Research and Development Costs

During

Research and development costs are presented as a line item under operating expenses and are expensed as incurred. Total research and development costs incurred during the years ended December 31, 20142017 and December 31, 2013, we incurred $2,901,8902016 amounted to $4.2 million and $2,643,096, respectively, in research and development costs, of which $643,421 and $1,430,798, respectively, were included in cost of revenues and $2,258,469 and $1,212,298, respectively, were included in operating expenses.$5.2 million, respectively.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Manufacturing

We currently use subcontractors to assemble and test our product from our designs using primarily commodity materials and components.Employees

Employees

As of February 28, 2015,2018, we had 22have 19 employees, all of whom are full-time employees. None of these employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, and we believe our relationship with our employees is good.


Industry Certifications

Industry certifications are generally required for our products. The main certification requirement is conformance to UL1741 Supplement A, or UL1741 SA, which tests and guaranteesspecifies standards for grid safety and product safety for distributedgrid-connected generation sourcesequipment, including PV inverters, battery converters, and bi-directional EV chargers.the power conversion systems made by us. A National Recognized Testing Laboratory, (“NRTL”)or NRTL, must complete the certificationcertify our products for conformance to UL1741 SA before our customers may install and use our products in mostgrid-tied applications in the United States. We utilize Underwriters Laboratories, or UL, for our certification requirements.

We have worked with Intertek, an NRTL, for these certifications

The European Union, or EU, Japan and have completed testing and received authorization to use their ETL mark on our 30kW battery converter and 30kW PV inverters. While we have been able to rapidly and timely complete these certifications, which we believe is indicative of our commitment to the development of our technology, we may not be as successful in completing certification in a timely manner on future products, such as our grid-resilient 30kW and 125kW power conversion systems (“PCS”) and our grid resilient 30kW and 125kW multi-port PCS, which could limit our ability to bring such products to market.

Europe and Japancertain other major jurisdictions have different certification test procedures, but generally test for similar safety and performance capabilities. We do not have familiarity with these other grid safety certifications; however, suchLocal certifications are likely to be required to sell our products in these regions. Geographic regions outside of North America, Europe and Japan generallythe United States for many applications. To date, we have not received any international certifications on our products but have deployed products in a few instances in foreign countries as demonstrations, test projects in laboratories or microgrid applications which may be exempt from the certification requirements. We currently do not have specificplans to start the certification requirements, but may require one or more of the other regional certifications before products are approved for sale.process in any international market in 2018.

Government Regulation

Government approval is not required for us to sell our products. However, government support for renewable energy, grid storage, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and improved grid resiliency, including incentives and mandates, may impact growing markets that we service.the size and growth rate of our target markets. Utility regulations and support may also impact these end markets. GovernmentIn the near term, government and utility support for many of these markets is generally required near term for these markets to grow and therefore changes in policy by governments or utilities may limit the near-term market opportunities for our products.

Available Information

Our Internet address iswww.idealpower.com and our investor relations website is located atir.idealpower.com. ir.idealpower.com. We make available free of charge on our investor relations website under the heading “SEC Filings” our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such materials are electronically filed with (or furnished to) the SEC. We also make available on our website, our corporate governance documents, including our code of conduct and ethics. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition, the public may read and copy materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, the SEC maintains an Internet site,www.sec.gov,, that includes filings of and information about issuers that file electronically with the SEC.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

ITEM 1A:RISK FACTORS

We are subject to various risks that may materially harm our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations. An investment in our common stock is speculative and involves a high degree of risk. In evaluating an investment in shares of our common stock, you should carefully consider the risks described below, together with the other information included in this report.

The risks described below are not the only risks we face. If any of the events described in the following risk factors actually occurs, or if additional risks and uncertainties later materialize, that are not presentlycurrently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial, then our business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment in our shares. The risks discussed below include forward-looking statements, and our actual results may differ substantially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements.

Risks Related to Our Business

the Company

We lack an established operating history on which to evaluate our business and determine if we will be able to execute our business plan,plan. We have also incurred losses in prior periods, expect to incur losses in the future and we can give no assurance that our operations will result in profits.

We were formed in Texas on May 17, 2007 and converted to a Delaware corporation on July 15, 2013. We have a limited operating history that makes it difficult to evaluate our business. Historical sales of our products have been in low volume, and we cannot say with certainty when we will begin to achieve profitability. No assurance can be made that we will ever become profitable.profitability, if ever.

We have incurred losses in prior periods and expect to incur losses in the future. We may never be profitable.

Since our inception, on May 17, 2007 through December 31, 2014, we have sustained $23,652,431approximately $56 million in net losses and we had a net lossesloss for the yearsyear ended December 31, 2014 and 20132017 of $6,900,219 and $9,551,698, respectively.approximately $10 million. We expect to have operating losses at least until such time as we have developed a substantial and stable revenue base. We cannot assure you that we can develop a substantial and stable revenue base or achieve or sustain profitability on a quarterly or annual basis in the future.

As sales of our products have generated minimallimited operating revenues, we have relied on borrowings under convertible promissory notes, governmental grantsbeen funding operations primarily through the sale of common stock and, recently, proceeds fromprior to our initial public offering, to continue our operations.the issuance of convertible debt. If we are unable implementto execute our business plan, generate sustainable revenue and achieve profitable operations with our existing capital we would need to raise funds through equity or debt offerings and there can be no assurance that we will be able to do so.

Our future success is difficult to predict because we operate in emerging and evolving markets, and the industries in which we compete are subject to volatile and unpredictable cycles.

The stand-alone energy storage, solar + storage, microgrid and related industries are emerging and evolving markets which may make it difficult to evaluate our future prospects and which may lead to period to period variability in our operating results. Our products are based on unique technology which we believe offers significant advantages to our customers, but the markets we serve are in a relatively early stage of development and it is uncertain how rapidly they will develop. It is also uncertain whether our products will achieve high levels of demand and acceptance as these markets grow. If companies in the industries we serve do not perceive or value the benefits of our technologies and products, or if they are unwilling to adopt our products as alternatives to traditional power conversion solutions, the market for our products may not develop or may develop more slowly than we expect, which could significantly and adversely impact our operating results.

We may also be subject to business cycles. The timing, length, and volatility of these business cycles may be difficult to predict. These markets may be cyclical because of sudden changes in customers’ manufacturing capacity requirements and spending, which depend in part on capacity utilization, demand for customers’ products, the availability and amount of government incentive programs, inventory levels relative to demand, and access to affordable capital. These changes may affect the timing and amounts of customers’ purchases and investments in technology, and materially affect our orders, net sales, operating expenses, and net income. For example, during 2016, we experienced a significant decline in revenues compared to 2015 as a result of delays in awards under California’s Self-Generation Incentive Program, or SGIP, which provides economic incentives for energy storage projects. The California Public Utility Commission, or CPUC, delayed announcing the 2016 awards as it examined and ultimately revised the award solicitation process and other aspects of the SGIP. The revised SGIP was not finalized until July 1, 2016, which delayed the determination of project winners and the processing of the related awards. These delays not only caused a temporary disruption in the market, as awarded projects are typically not commissioned and installed until many months after the award is granted, but also contributed to an overall stagnation in the California market for stand-alone energy storage that continued throughout 2017. If delays occur in the future under the SGIP or other governmental incentives or these programs prove ineffective or burdensome, our revenues may be delayed or reduced.


To meet rapidly changing demand in each of the markets we serve, we must effectively manage our resources and production capacity. During periods of decreasing demand for our products, we must be able to appropriately align our cost structure with prevailing market conditions, effectively manage our supply chain, and motivate and retain key employees. During periods of increasing demand, we must have sufficient manufacturing capacity and inventory to fulfill customer orders, effectively manage our supply chain, and attract, retain, and motivate a sufficient number of qualified individuals. If we are not able to timely and appropriately adapt to changes in our business environment or to accurately assess where we are positioned within a business cycle, our business, financial condition, or results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

Obsolete inventory as a result of changes in demand for our products, changes in life cycle of our products or regulatory changes could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition.

The life cycles of our products depend upon the rapidly evolving industries for which our products are designed. Products with short life cycles require us to closely manage our production and inventory levels. Inventory may also become obsolete because of adverse changes in market demand. We may in the future be adversely affected by obsolete or excess inventories, which may result from unanticipated changes in the estimated total demand for our products or shorter than anticipated product life cycles due to changes in product designs necessitated by market factors or changes to regulatory standards and/or requirements. In addition, certain customers in early markets may change their strategy, exit our target markets and/or go out of business; therefore, some of our product inventory may become obsolete and, thus, adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition. As an example, we recorded charges of $334,889 and $673,102 in 2016 and 2017, respectively, for excess and obsolete inventory in connection with the end-of-life, or EOL, of our IBC-30 battery converter and first generation 125kW product. In addition, although we did not record a charge for excess and obsolete inventory in connection with the EOL of our second generation 30kW product, we did discontinue this product in 2017. Challenges in managing EOL situations or lower than expected sales prior to the EOL of our products could result in material charges related to excess and obsolete inventory and our business, financial condition, or results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

To date we have had a limited number of customers. We cannot assure you that our customer base will increase.

One

We had revenue from one customer the Department of Energy, from which we received $579,079 in grant revenues in 2014,that accounted for 32%15% of net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2014 while our2017. The Company had an accounts receivable balance from three largest customers for product sales, from whom we received $789,000 in product revenues in 2014,that accounted for 20%, 13% and 11%60% of net revenues in 2014. One customer, the Department of Energy, from which we received $1,229,036 in net revenues in 2013, accounted for 65% of net revenue for the year endedtrade receivables at December 31, 2013. No customers for product sales represented 10% or more of2017. As we sell our net revenues in 2013. As a significant portion of our 2013 and 2014 net revenue was from a single customer under grant programs that have been fully funded, we cannot assure you that we will have significant grant revenue in the future. Also, as the Company has sold its products to a limited number of customers, in 2013 and 2014, we cannot assure you that our customer base will expand or that any decline in net revenue attributable to customer losses will be able to be replaced in a timely manner.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

We

Product development is an inherently uncertain process, and we may encounter unanticipated development challenges and may not be able to meet our product development and commercialization milestones.

Product development and testing aremay be subject to unanticipated and significant delays, expenses and technical or other problems. We cannot guarantee that we will successfully achieve our milestones within our planned timeframe or ever. Our plansWe commonly develop prototypes of planned products prior to the full commercialization of these products. We cannot predict whether prototypes of future products will achieve results consistent with our expectations. A prototype could cost significantly more than expected or the prototype design and ability to achieve profitability depend on acceptanceconstruction process could uncover problems that are not consistent with our expectations. Prototypes of emerging products are a material part of our technologybusiness plan, and if they are not proven to be successful, our products by key market participants, such as customers, vendorsbusiness and marketing partners, and potential end-users of our products. We continue to educate potential partners about our PPSA technology and current and planned product offerings. prospects could be harmed.


More generally, the commercialization of our products may also be adversely affected by many factors not within our control, including:

the willingness of market participants to try a new productproducts and the perceptions of these market participants of the safety, reliability, functionality and cost effectiveness of our products;

policy changes and the availability of governmental incentives at both the state and federal level for our target markets;

the emergence of newer, possibly more effective technologies;

the future cost and availability of the raw materials and components needed to manufacture and use our products; and

the adoption of new regulatory or industry standards that may adversely affect the use or cost of our products.

Accordingly, we cannot predict that our products will be accepted on a scale sufficient to support development of mass markets for them.

We must achieve design wins to retain our existing customers and to obtain new customers, although design wins achieved do not necessarily result in substantial sales.

The constantly changing nature of technology in the markets we serve causes equipment manufacturers to continually design new systems.

Our products are typically integrated into systems by our customers. We must work with these manufacturers early in their design cycles to modify our equipment or design new equipment to meet the requirements of their new systems. Manufacturers typically choose one or two vendors to provide the components for use with early system shipments.in their systems. Selection as one of these vendors is called a design win. It is critical that we achieve these design wins in order to retain existing customers and to obtain new customers.

We believe that equipment manufacturers often select their suppliers based on factors including long-term relationships and end user demand. Accordingly, we may have difficulty achieving design wins from equipment manufacturers who are not currently our customers. In addition, we must compete for design wins for new systems and products of our existing customers, including those with whom we have had long-term relationships. Our efforts to achieve design wins are time consuming and expensive and may not be successful. If we are not successful in achieving design wins, or if we do achieve design wins but our customers’ systems that utilize our products are not successful, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially and adversely impacted.

Once a manufacturer chooses a component for use in a particular product,system, it is likely to retain that component for the life of that product.system. Our sales and growth could experience material and prolonged adverse effects if we fail to achieve design wins. However, design wins do not always result in substantial sales, as sales of our products are dependent upon our customers’ sales of their products.

We will be subject to applicable third-party certification to ensure compliance with applicable codes and standards of the countries in which we sell products, which are costly and may prevent or delay us from marketing our products in those countries.

In addition to third-party certification to ensure compliance with applicable codes and standards in the United States, we are subject to the third-party certification of our products to ensure compliance with applicable codes and standards for each foreign country to which we export our products. For example, in the EU, third-party certification requires compliance with Conformité Européene, or CE, standards and is evidenced by a CE mark. The prototypeCE mark is the manufacturer’s declaration that the product complies with the essential requirements of the relevant European health, safety and environmental protection legislation. Additionally, to sell a product in any plannedspecific country in the EU, the product must meet the International Electrotechnical Commission, or IEC, codes specified for products in the specific country. The applicable codes vary from country to country. It generally takes several months to obtain the relevant CE and IEC certifications. Any changes in codes and standards and related third-party compliance testing and listing may cause us to incur additional costs. We may not provide the results we expect,be able to obtain US or foreign third-party certification on a timely basis, if at all, and any failure to do so may provecause us to be too expensive to produce and market,incur additional costs or prevent us from marketing or selling our products in US or foreign countries, which may uncover problems of which we are currently not aware, any of which could harmhave a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and prospects.

We commonly develop prototypesresults of planned products prior to the full commercialization of these products. As an example, we developed a 3-port hybrid converter, which is an integrated solar PV inverter and battery charger/inverter and which we now refer to as a grid-resilient 30kW multi-port power conversion system, during 2013 and 2014 and shipped a prototype of this product to a customer in July 2014. Although this prototype produced positive results consistent with our expectations, we cannot predict whether prototypes of future products will achieve results consistent with our expectations. A prototype could cost significantly more than expected or the prototype design and construction process could uncover problems that are notoperations.

15 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

consistent with our expectations. Prototypes of emerging products are a material part of our business plan, and if they are not proven to be successful, our business and prospects could be harmed.

We have received grant funds from the United States for the development of a bidirectional insulated gate bipolar transistor (“BD-IGBT”).bi-directional switch. In certain instances, the United States may obtain title to inventions related to this effort. If we were to lose title to those inventions, we may have to pay to license them from the United States in order to manufacture the BD-IGBT.inventions. If we were unable to license those inventions from the United States, it could slow down our product development.

In conjunction with the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, (“ARPA-E”)or ARPA-E, grant we received from the Department of Energy, we granted to the United States a non-exclusive, nontransferable, irrevocable, paid-up license to practice or have practiced for or on behalf of the United States inventions related to the BD-IGBTbi-directional switch and made within the scope of the grant. If we fail to disclose to the Department of Energy an invention made with grant funds that we disclose to patent counsel or for publication, or if we elect not to retain title to the invention, the United States may request that title to the subject invention be transferred to it.

We also granted “march-in-rights” to the United States in connection with any BD-IGBTbi-directional switch inventions in which we choose not to retain title, if those inventions are made under the ARPA-E grant. Pursuant to the march-in-rights, the United States has the right to require us, any person to whom we have assigned our rights, or any exclusive licensee to grant a non-exclusive, partially exclusive, or exclusive license in any field of use to a responsible applicant upon terms that are reasonable. If the license is not granted as requested, the United States has the right to grant the license if it determines that we have not achieved practical application of the invention in the field of use, the action is necessary to alleviate health or safety needs, the action is necessary to meet requirements for public use specified by Federal regulations and such requirements have not been satisfied, or the action is necessary because an agreement to manufacture the invention in the United States has not been obtained or waived or because any such agreement has been breached.

If we lost title to the United States as a result of any of these events, we would have to pay to license the inventions, if needed, from the United States to manufacture the BD-IGBT from the United States.bi-directional switch. If we were unable to license those inventions from the United States, it could slow down our product development.

We have entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the National Renewable Energy Lab (“NREL”). Under that agreement, the United States Government and NREL will have licenses to inventions made under that contract.

We entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (“CRADA”) with NREL in May 2013. The CRADA provides that NREL and the Company will jointly develop and demonstrate a hybrid power converter system which includes bi-directional electric vehicle charging, photovoltaic generation, and stationary battery storage using our 3-port hybrid converter. Together with NREL, we will also jointly investigate synergies in tightly integrating these separate power conversion systems. This project was completed in mid-2014 except for final reporting which is expected to be completed in the near term.

The United States retains a nonexclusive, nontransferable, irrevocable, paid-up license to practice or to have practiced for or on behalf of the United States every invention made under this CRADA. The same licensing terms may apply to NREL’s operator, the Alliance for Sustainable Energy LLC.

This agreement also grants “march-in-rights” to the United States in connection with any inventions made under this contract in which we choose not to retain title, if those inventions are made under the CRADA contract. Pursuant to the march-in-rights, the United States has the right to require us, any person to whom we have assigned our rights, or any exclusive licensee to grant a non-exclusive, partially exclusive, or exclusive license in any field of use to a responsible applicant upon terms that are reasonable. If the license is not granted as requested, the United States has the right to grant the license if it determines that we have not achieved practical application of the invention in the field of use, the action is necessary to alleviate health or safety needs, the action is necessary to meet requirements for public use specified by Federal regulations and such requirements have not been satisfied, or the action is necessary because an agreement to manufacture the invention in the United States has not been obtained or waived or because any such agreement has been breached.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

There were no inventions under the CRADA.

As we continue to grow and to develop our intellectual property, we could attract threats from patent monetization firms or competitors alleging infringement. We may incur substantial costs as a result of litigation or other proceedings relating to patent and other intellectual property rights.

As we continue to grow and to develop our intellectual property, we could attract threats from patent monetization firms or competitors alleging infringement of intellectual property rights. For example, on October 4, 2013 we received a letter from a competitor alleging that the system architecture that appears on our website “appears” to infringe on patents licensed to or held by the competitor. We have investigated this claim and we have determined that the allegation is without merit. No resolution regarding this assertion has been reached. In early 2014, we met with the competitor to discuss the issue. No subsequent discussions have been held with, and no further correspondence has been received from this competitor. If we cannot resolve this matter, the cost to us of any litigation or other proceeding relating to intellectual property rights, even if resolved in our favor, could be substantial, and the litigation would divert management’s attention from our day-to-day operations.

In addition, some of our competitors may be able to sustain the costs of complex patent litigation more effectively than we can because they have substantially greater resources. If we do not prevail in this type of litigation, we may be required to: pay monetary damages; stop commercial activities relating to our product; obtain one or more licenses in order to secure the rights to continue manufacturing or marketing certain products; or attempt to compete in the market with substantially similar products. Uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of any litigation could limit our ability to continue some of our operations.

We expect to license our technology in the future; however the terms of these agreements may not prove to be advantageous to us. If the license agreements we enter into do not prove to be advantageous to us, our business and results of operations will be adversely affected.

We

During 2016, we entered into our first licensing agreement and we expect to license the manufacture of our product designs for certain markets as well as license our technology for certain potential applications which we choose not to pursue directly through the sale of products.products in the future. However, we may not be able to secure license agreements with customers on terms that are advantageous to us. Furthermore, the timing and volume of revenue earned from license agreements is and will be outside of our control. If the license agreements we have, or enter into in the future, do not prove to be advantageous to us, our business and results of operations will be adversely affected.


Until recently, we have not devoted significant resources towards the marketing and sale of our products and we continue to rely on the marketing and sales efforts of third parties whom we do not control.

To date, we have sold low volumes of our battery converter and power conversion system products.

We expect that the marketing and sale of theseour products to end user customers will continue to be conducted primarily by a combination of independent manufacturers’ representatives,system integrators, third-party strategic partners, distributors, orand original equipment manufacturers, (“OEMs”).or OEMs. Consequently, commercial success of our products will depend, to a great extent, on the efforts of others. We intend to enter into strategic marketing and distribution agreements or other collaborative relationships to market and sell our products. However, we have entered into only a limited number of strategic marketing or material distribution agreements at this time. We have recently entered into one distribution agreement with a large electrical equipment distributor and obtained initial orders from this distributor but have not shipped any products through that distributor thus far. We may not be able to identify, maintain or establish additional and/or appropriate relationships in the near term or in the future. We can give no assurance that these distributors or OEMsthird parties will focus adequate resources on selling our products or will be successful in selling them. In addition, third-party distributors or OEMsthese third-parties have or may require us to provide volume price discounts and other allowances, customize our products or provide other concessions that could reduce the potential profitability of these relationships. Failure to develop sufficient customer, distribution and marketing relationships in our target markets will adversely affect our commercialization schedule and to the extent we have entered or enter into such relationships, the failure of our distributors and other third parties to assist us with the marketing and distribution of our products, or to meet their monetary obligations to us, may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

A material part of our success depends on our ability to manage our suppliers and contract manufacturers. Our failure to manage our suppliers and contract manufacturers could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and relations with our customers.

We rely upon suppliers to provide the components necessary to build our products and on contract manufacturers to produceprocure components and assemble our products. There can be no assurance that key suppliers and contract manufacturers will provide components or products in a timely and cost efficientcost-efficient manner, provide quality components or manufacturing and assembly services or otherwise meet our needs and expectations. Our ability to manage such relationships and timely replace suppliers and contract manufacturers, if necessary, is critical to our success. Our failure to timely replace our contract manufacturers and suppliers, should that become necessary, could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and relations with our customers.

Our business

We are currently in arbitration with our former contract manufacturer due, in part, to workmanship quality issues we have identified in the assembly of our legacy products by this contract manufacturer. The failure of our contract manufacturers to provide quality manufacturing and assembly services, as well as the resources that may be dependent uponrequired to address any such issues on products shipped to customers with any such quality issues, could materially and adversely affect our abilityreputation, results of operations and relations with our customers.

We may need additional financing to execute our business plan and fund operations, which additional financing may not be available on commercially reasonable terms or not at all.

We believe that our current cash and working capital resources will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next twelve months. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow from our operations to fund our future working capital needs, we will be required to obtain financing. If we do not obtain such financing, we may have to cease our activities.

There is no assurance that we will operate profitably or generate positive cash flows in the future. In the future, we may require additional financing in order to sell our then current products and to continue the researchour operations and development required to produceexecute our next generation of products. At that time, webusiness plan. We may not be able to obtain such financing on commercially reasonable terms or at all. If we do notare unable to obtain such financing when needed, our business could fail.

The macro-economic environment in the United States and abroad has adversely affected, and may in the future adversely affect, our ability to raise capital, which may potentially impact our ability to continue our operations.

As a company with limited revenues to date, we may need to relyhave relied on raising funds from investors to support our future research and development activities and our operations. Macro-economic conditions in the United States and abroad may result in a tightening of the credit markets and/or less capital available for small public companies, which may make it more difficult to raise capital. If we are unable to raise funds as and when we need them, we may be forced to curtail our operations or even cease operating altogether.


We are subject to credit risks.

Some of our customers may experience financial difficulties and/or may fail to meet their financial obligations to us. As a result, we may incur charges for bad debt provisions related to some trade receivables. In addition, in connection with the growth of the renewable energy market and other markets for our products, we are gaining new customers, some of which have relatively short histories of operations, are located outside the United States or are newly formed companies. As a result, it is difficult to ascertain financial information in order to appropriately extend credit to these customers. Further, the volatility in the renewable energy market may put additional pressure on our customers’ financial positions, as they may be required to respond to large swings in revenue. The renewable energy industry has also, from time to time, seen an increasing amount of bankruptcies and reorganizations as the availability of financing has diminished. Although none of our customers filed for bankruptcy in 2017, one customer filed for bankruptcy in 2016 and another customer filed for bankruptcy in 2015. In addition, we are currently pursuing legal action against KACO new energy, Inc. for its failure to pay us for product shipped in December 2016. On March 23, 2018, we received a judgment of garnishment to recover funds from KACO new energy, Inc. held by Chase Bank in the amount of $203,121.

If customers fail to meet their financial obligations to us, or if the assumptions underlying our recorded bad debt provisions with respect to receivables obligations do not accurately reflect our customers’ financial conditionscondition and payment levels, we could incur write-offs of receivables in excess of our provisions, which could have a material adverse effect on our cash flow and operating results.

We

If our products have component malfunctions or design defects, we may be exposed to lawsuits and/or other claims and we may not be able to control our warranty exposure, which could increase our expenses.

expenses, harm our reputation and prevent us from growing our business.

We currently offer, and expect to continue to offer, a warranty with respect to our products and we expect to offer a design warranty with each of our future product applications.respect to licensing agreements. Due to our limited long-term history of operating data, our warranty reserve is estimated based on engineering judgment and a third party assessmentthird-party assessments of our product reliability. If our products have component malfunctions or design defects, the accumulated cost of warranty claims could be significant. If the cost of warranty claims exceeds any reserves we may establish for such claims, our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

We may be exposed In 2017, we recorded incremental charges of $283,457 to lawsuits and other claims if our products malfunction, which could increase our expenses, harm our reputationreserves for warranty claims and prevent us from growing our business.

may have other potentially material incremental charges in the future.

Any liability for damages resulting from malfunctions of our products could be substantial, increase our expenses and prevent us from growing or continuing our business. Potential

In addition, potential customers may rely on our products for critical needs such as backup power. Aand a malfunction of our products could result in warranty claims or other product liability. In addition, aA well-publicized actual or perceived problem could adversely affect the market’s perception of our products. This could result in a decline in demand for our products, which would reduce revenue and harm our business. Further, since our products are used in devicessystems that are made by other manufacturers, we may be subject to product liability claims or negative market perception of our products even if our products do not malfunction.

We are highly dependent on the services of R. Daniel Brdar and William Alexander, as well as other key members of our executive management team. Our inability to retain these individuals could impede our business plan and growth strategies, which could have a negative impact on our business and the value of your investment.

Our ability to implement our business plan depends, to a critical extent, on the continued efforts and services of R. Daniel Brdar, our Chief Executive Officer and President, William Alexander, our founder and Chief Technology Officer, and otherkey members of our executive management team. If we lose the services of any of these persons during this important time in our development, the loss may result in a delay in the implementation of our business plan and plan of operations. We can give no assurance that we could find satisfactory replacements for these individuals on terms that would not be unduly expensive or burdensome to us. We do not currently carry a key-man life insurance policy that would assist us in recouping our costs in the event of the death or disability of any of these persons.


Any failure by management to properly manage our expected rapid growth could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.

If our business develops as expected, we anticipate that we willmay grow rapidly in the near future. Our failure to properly manage our expectedany such rapid growth could have a material adverse effect on our ability to retain key personnel. Our expansion could also place significant demands on our management, supply chain, operations, systems, accounting, internal controls and financial resources. If we experience difficulties in any of these areas, we may not be able to expand our business successfully or effectively manage our growth. Any failure by management to manage growth and to respond to changes in our business could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Backlog may not result in revenue.

We define backlog as consisting of accepted orders from customers for which an expected product delivery schedule has been specified. The purchase orders comprising backlog are not cancelable in most cases and such orders generally do not provide price protection. Nevertheless, deliveries against received purchase orders may be rescheduled within negotiated parameters or canceled in certain limited instances and our backlog may, therefore, not be indicative of revenues in any given period. From time to time, our backlog is highly concentrated with a limited number of customers. If any of these customers change their strategy, exit our target markets and/or go out of business, our backlog would be materially adversely impacted.

In particular, there is significant uncertainty around the pace and timing of growth in both the solar + storage market and the stand-alone energy storage market. For the solar + storage market, a new market, companies are beginning to install their first systems or developing their product offerings. For the stand-alone energy storage market, the customer representing a majority of our backlog in 2015 and 2016 exited the system integration business for commercial and industrial stand-alone energy storage. This customer exit had a material adverse impact on our backlog and we are currently evaluating whether to pursue legal action against this customer for unfulfilled orders.

Risks Relating to the Industry

The electric power conversion industry is competitive, and has a number of well-financed incumbents. The Companyincumbents and may see a significant number of new market entrants. We cannot guarantee that itwe can compete successfully.

Ideal Power competes

We may compete against providers of power conversion systemsPCS that are well established and have substantially greater assets, including manufacturing, marketing, and financial assets. These incumbents also have strong market share and name brand recognition in the industry. CompetitorsPotential competitors include ABB, Ltd., Eaton Corporation plc, Huawei , SMA , and Schneider Electric.Electric SE. Pricing financing,and servicing, as well as the general quality, efficiency and reliability of products, are significant competitive criteria in this industry. The Company’sNew market entrants may offer competitive new technologies and products, and will contribute to significant price competition.

Our ability to successfully compete on each of these criteria is material to the acceptance of itsour products and itstheir future profitability. In addition, the industry may resist new technology and products from suppliers that are not well capitalized with long track records of performance. Our competitors use their balance sheet and brand recognition to their competitive advantage. Should Ideal Power’sour products become commercially successful, competitors may seek to drive their own innovation and adopt or copy ideas, designs and features to regain their competitive positions. CompetitorsIncumbent or new competitors may develop or offer technologies and products that may be more effective or popular than the Company’sour products and theythese competitors may be more successful in marketing their products than Ideal Power iswe are in marketing its ownour products.


Our ability to achieve our cost reduction goals now and in the future and maintain pricing at or near the level of our competitors is critical to our long-term success and the viability of our business as, over the long-term, price is a key competitive criteria in the power electronics industry. Additionally, price competition may result in lower than expected margins for our products.


TABLE OF CONTENTSproducts which would adversely affect our business prospects, financial condition and operating results.

Ideal Power expects

We expect to compete on the basis of itsour products’ lower cost,technological innovation, flexibility, features and smaller footprint higher efficiency, and technological innovation.at a market competitive price. Unrelated technological advances in alternative energy products or other power conversion technologies may negatively impact the development of the Company’sour products or make the Company’sour products uncompetitive or obsolete at any time. Ideal PowerWe cannot guarantyguarantee that itwe will be able to compete successfully in the electric power conversion industry.

Our business is and we expect will continue to be substantially dependent on utility rate structures and government incentive programs that encourage the use of alternative energy sources. The reduction or elimination of government subsidies and economic incentives for energy-related technologies couldwould harm our business.

We

The current market for, and we believe that near-term growth of, energy-related technologies, including power conversion technology, relies partlyand will continue to rely on the availability and size of government and economic incentives and grants (including, but not limited to, the U.S. Investment Tax CreditITC and various state and local incentive programs). These incentive programs could be challenged by utility companies, or for other reasons found to be unconstitutional, and/or could be reduced or discontinued for other reasons. The reduction, elimination, or expiration of government subsidies and economic incentives could delay the development of our technology andwould harm our business.

A combination of utility rate structures and government subsidies that encourage the use of alternative energy sources is a primary driver of demand for our products. For example, public utilities are often allowed to collect demand charges on commercial and industrial customers in addition to traditional usage charges. In addition, the federal government and many states encourage the use of alternative energy sources through a combination of direct subsidies and tariff incentives such as net metering for users that use alternative energy sources such as solar power. California also encourages alternative energy technology through its SGIP which offers rebates for businesses and consumers who adopt certain new technologies. As a result of these incentives, we believe that a substantial portion of the products we have sold have been for use by end customers in California. Other states have similar incentives and mandates which encourage the adoption of alternative energy sources. Notwithstanding the adoption of other incentive programs, we expect that California will be the most significant market for the sale of our products in the near term for stand-alone energy storage applications. Should California or another state in which we derive a substantial portion of our product revenues in the future change its utility rate structure or delay, eliminate or significantly reduce its incentive programs, demand for our products could be substantially affected, which would adversely affect our business prospects, financial condition and operating results.

For example, in 2016, we experienced a material decline in revenues compared to 2015 as a result of delays in awards under California’s SGIP, which provides economic incentives for energy storage projects. Awards under the SGIP were delayed as the California Public Utility Commission, or CPUC, examined and ultimately revised the award solicitation process and other aspects of the SGIP. The revised SGIP was not finalized until July 2016, which delayed the determination of project winners and the processing of the related awards. These delays not only caused a temporary disruption in the market, as awarded projects are typically not commissioned and installed until many months after the award is granted, but also contributed to an overall stagnation in the California market for stand-alone storage that continued throughout 2017. Political changes, disruptions or gridlock, or reviews or revisions of previously announced incentive programs or procedures for making awards or administering such programs could have a material adverse impact on our financial results and future prospects.

Changes to the National Electrical Codes (“NEC”) could adversely affect our technology and products.

Our products are installed by system integrators that must meet the National Electrical Codes, or NEC, standards, including using equipment that meets industry standards such as UL1741.UL1741 SA. The NEC standards address the safety of these systems. The NEC standards, along with the UL1741 SA and IEEE1547 requirements, continue to evolve and are subject to change. If we respond to these changing standards and requirements more slowly than our competitors, or if we are unable to meet new standards and requirements, our products will be less competitive.


Some of the components of energy storage products pose potential safety risks which could create negative public perception regarding the energy storage markets.

Many energy storage products make use of lithium-ion batteries, which have been observed in certain applications, such as automotive applications, to catch fire or vent smoke and flame. Such events have raised concerns, and future events may lead to additional concerns, about the safety of lithium-ion batteries. Negative public perceptions regarding the suitability of lithium-ion batteries for energy storage applications or any future incident involving lithium-ion batteries, even if such incident does not involve our power conversion systems or relates to an application other than energy storage, could negatively impact the continued adoption of energy storage products and have a material adverse impact on our sales and our business.

Growth in our target markets largely depends on the continued decline in battery prices.

Our initial target markets of solar + storage and stand-alone energy storage and are early stage markets. Growth in these markets is highly dependent on a continued decline in battery prices as batteries represent the largest component of system cost. Any disruption in the supply of batteries resulting in higher than expected battery pricing or stagnation in the level of price declines for batteries could result in slower than expected growth in our target markets and, as a result, could have a material adverse effect on our sales and our business.

New technologies in the alternative energy industry may supplant our current products and technology in this market, which would harm our business and operations.

The alternative energy industry is subject to rapid technological change. Our future success will depend on the cutting edgecutting-edge relevance of our technology, and thereafter on our ability to appropriately respond to changing technologies and changes in function of products and quality. If new technologies supplant our power conversion technology, our business would be adversely affected and we will have to revise our plan of operation.

Businesses, consumers, and utilities might not adopt alternative energy solutions as a means for providing or obtaining their electricity and power needs.

On-site distributed power generation solutions that utilize our products provide an alternative means for obtaining electricity and are relatively new methods of obtaining electrical power. There is a risk that businesses, consumers, and utilities may not adopt these new methods at levels sufficient to grow our business. Traditional electricity distribution is based on the regulated industry model whereby businesses and consumers obtain their electricity from a government regulated utility. For alternative methods of distributed power to succeed, businesses, consumers and utilities must adopt new purchasing practices and must be willing to rely upon less traditional means of providing and purchasing electricity. As larger solar projects come online, utilities are becoming increasingly concerned with grid stability, power management and the predictable loading of such power onto the grid.

We cannot be certain that businesses, consumers, and utilities will choose to utilize on-site distributed power at levels sufficient to sustain our business. The development of a mass market for our products may be impacted by many factors which are out of our control, including:

market acceptance of systems that incorporate our products;

the cost competitiveness of these systems;

regulatory requirements;requirements and government incentives; and

the emergence of newer, more competitive technologies and products.


If a mass market fails to develop or develops more slowly than we anticipate, we may be unable to recover the costs we will have incurred to develop these products.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Our sales cycle is lengthy and variable, which makes it difficult for us to accurately forecast revenue and which may affect our quarterly results.

The industries in which we compete are subject to volatilesales cycle for our products is typically lengthy and unpredictable, cycles.

which makes it difficult for us to accurately forecast revenues in a given period, and may cause revenue and operating results to vary significantly from period to period. We currently sell our products primarily to system integrators that integrate our products into larger “turn-key” solutions for their customers. Before system integrators agree to specify our products in their systems, the integrators engage in a lengthy and time-consuming process of testing and evaluating our equipment. This process can take from a few months to as long as a year. Even if our products are approved for use by a system integrator, the system integrator may not place an order for our equipment until the system integrator has entered into a contract with the end user for the design and installation of the system. In many cases, the system integrator is required to respond to a detailed request for proposal or to submit a proposal before a contract for the system is executed. As a supplierresult, there may be a significant period of time between the time our products are approved for use by a particular system integrator and the time we record revenue from the sale of our products. As a result of potentially lengthy sales cycles, we may have difficulty in accurately predicting our operating results for any given period, and may experience significant unanticipated fluctuations in our revenues from period to period. Any failure to achieve anticipated revenues for a period could adversely affect our operating results and the grid energy storage, solar combined with storage, microgrid, EV charging infrastructure, wind, electric motormarket price of our common stock.

Our revenue and related industries, we are subject to business cycles. The timing, length, and volatility of these business cycles can be difficult to predict. These industries historically have been cyclical due to sudden changes in customers’ manufacturing capacity requirements and spending, which depend in partoperating results for any quarterly reporting period may fluctuate significantly depending on capacity utilization, demand for customers’ products, inventory levels relative to demand, and access to affordable capital. These changes have affected the timing of the delivery of our products.

Our revenue from product sales has resulted from the sale of a relatively low volume of units to a limited number of customers. As a result, a change in the expected delivery date for a particular customer order could have a significant impact on our quarterly revenues and amountsoperating results. Although we maintain a small finished goods inventory, in most cases products are produced for us by our contract manufacturer in response to a particular customer order. Because of customers’ purchasesour varying sales cycles, our manufacturing lead times and investmentsthe limited to moderate flexibility in technology, and affectrescheduling delivery dates we provide to our orders, net sales, operating expenses, and net income. In addition,customers, we may not be able to respond adequately or quicklyaccurately predict the timing of the delivery of a particular order. Significant unanticipated fluctuations in our revenues from period to period could adversely affect our operating results and the declines in demand by reducing our costs. We may be required to record significant reserves for excess and obsolete inventory as demandmarket price for our products changes.common stock.

To meet rapidly changing demand in each of the industries we serve, we must effectively manage our resources and production capacity. During periods of decreasing demand for our products, we must be able to appropriately align our cost structure with prevailing market conditions, effectively manage our supply chain, and motivate and retain key employees. During periods of increasing demand, we must have sufficient manufacturing capacity and inventory to fulfill customer orders, effectively manage our supply chain, and attract, retain, and motivate a sufficient number of qualified individuals. If we are not able to timely and appropriately adapt to changes in our business environment or to accurately assess where we are positioned within a business cycle, our business, financial condition, or results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

Risks Related to Owning Our Common Stock

We are an “emerging growth company” under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (“JOBS Act”) and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies will make our common stock less attractive to investors.

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. At present, we intend to take advantage of the exemption from the requirement of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation but do not intend to take advantage of any of the other exemptions, other than as they apply to all other “smaller reporting companies,” though we may do so at some point in the future. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile.

We will remain an “emerging growth company” for up to five years, although we will lose that status sooner if our revenues exceed $1 billion, if we issue more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt in a three year period, or if the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any June 30.

Our status as an “emerging growth company” under the JOBS Act may make it more difficult to raise capital as and when we need it.

Because of the exemptions from various reporting requirements provided to us as an “emerging growth company,” we may be less attractive to investors and it may be difficult for us to raise additional capital as and when we need it. Investors may be unable to compare our business with other companies in our industry if they believe that our reporting is not as transparent as other companies in our industry. If we are unable to raise additional capital as and when we need it, our financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

The public market for our common stock may be volatile. This may affect the ability of our investors to sell their shares as well as the price at which they sell their shares.

The market price for the shares may be significantly affected by factors such as variations in the volume of trading activity, quarterly and yearly operating results, general trends in the alternative energy industry or other markets we serve, and changes in state or federal regulations affecting us and our industry. Furthermore, in recent years the stock market has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that are unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of the affected companies. Such broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

We have the right to issue, and have in the past issued, shares of preferred stock. If we were to issue additional preferred stock, it is likely tomay have rights, preferences and privileges that may adversely affect the common stock.

We are authorized to issue 10,000,000 shares of “blank check” preferred stock, with such rights, preferences and privileges as may be determined from time-to-time by our board of directors. Our board of directors is empowered, without stockholder approval, to issue preferred stock in one or more series, and to fix for any series the dividend rights, dissolution or liquidation preferences, redemption prices, conversion rights, voting rights, and other rights, preferences and privileges for the preferred stock. No shares of preferred stock are presently issued and outstanding and we have no plans to issue shares of preferred stock. The issuance of shares of preferred stock, depending on the rights, preferences and privileges attributable to the preferred stock, could reduce the voting rights and powers of the common stock and the portion of the Company’sour assets allocated for distribution to common stockholders in a liquidation event, and could also result in dilution in the book value per share of the common stock we are offering. The preferred stock could also be utilized, under certain circumstances, as a method for raising additional capital or discouraging, delaying or preventing a change in control of the Company, to the detriment of the investors in the common stock offered hereby. We cannot assure you that we will not, under certain circumstances, issue shares of our preferred stock. At December 31, 2017, we had 1,518,430 shares of non-voting preferred stock outstanding inclusive of 708,430 non-voting shares of preferred stock sold to certain investors pursuant to a private placement of common stock, preferred stock and warrants to purchase common stock completed in March 2017.


We have not paid dividends in the past and have no immediate plans to pay dividends.

We plan to reinvest all of our earnings, to the extent we have earnings, in order to market our products and to cover operating costs and to otherwise become and remain competitive. We do not plan to pay any cash dividends with respect to our securities in the foreseeable future. We cannot assure you that we would, at any time, generate sufficient surplus cash that would be available for distribution to the holders of our common stock as a dividend. Therefore, you should not expect to receive cash dividends on our common stock.

Management of our Company is within the control of the board of directors and the officers. You should not purchase our common stock unless you are willing to entrust management of our Company to these individuals.

All decisions with respect to the management of the Company will be made by our board of directors and our officers, who beneficially own 11.8% of our common stock, as calculated in accordance with Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). Therefore, management will retain significant influence in electing a majority of the board of directors who shall, in turn, have the power to appoint the officers of the Company and to determine, in accordance with their fiduciary duties and the business judgment rule, the direction, objectives and policies of the Company including, without limitation, the purchase of businesses or assets; the sale of all or a substantial portion of the assets of the Company; the merger or consolidation of the Company with another corporation; raising additional capital through financing and/or equity sources; the retention of cash reserves for future product development, expansion of our business and/or acquisitions; the filing of registration statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission for offerings of our capital stock; and transactions that may cause or prevent a change in control of the Company or its winding up and dissolution. Accordingly, no investor should purchase our common stock unless such investor is willing to entrust all aspects of the management of the Company to such individuals.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

We have incurredincur significant increased costs as a result of becomingbeing a public company that reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission and our management is required to devote substantial time to meet compliance obligations.

As a public company reporting to the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC. we incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company.expenses. We are subject to reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, as well as rules subsequently implemented by the Securities and Exchange CommissionSEC that impose significant requirements on public companies, including requiring establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and changes in corporate governance practices. In addition, there are significant corporate governance and executive compensation-related provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act that are expected to increase our legal and financial compliance costs, make some activities more difficult, time-consuming or costly and may also place undue strain on our personnel, systems and resources. Our management and other personnel are required to devote a substantial amount of time to these and other new compliance initiatives. In addition, we believe these rules and regulations may make it more difficult and have made it more expensivecostly for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage in the future. As a result, it may be more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified people to serve on our board of directors, on our board committees or as executive officers.

Failure to build our finance infrastructure and improve our accounting systems and controls could impair our ability to comply with the financial reporting and internal controls requirements for publicly traded companies.

As a public company, we operate in an increasingly demanding regulatory environment, which requires us to comply with applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the related rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, expanded disclosure requirements, accelerated reporting requirements and more complex accounting rules. Company responsibilities required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act include establishing corporate oversight and adequate internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures. Effective internal controls are necessary for us to produce reliable financial reports and are important to help prevent financial fraud. We will need to hire or outsource additional finance personnel and further build our financial infrastructure as a public company, including complying with the applicable requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We may be unable to do so on a timely basis. Until we are able to expand our finance and administrative capabilities and establish additional financial reporting infrastructure, we may not be able to prepare and disclose, in a timely manner, our financial statements and other required disclosures or comply with the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act or existing or new reporting requirements. If we cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, our business and results of operations could be harmed and investors could lose confidence in our reported financial information.

Shares eligible for future sale may adversely affect the market for our common stock.

Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline. These sales could also make it more difficult for us to sell equity or equity-related securities in the future at a time and price that we deem appropriate.

As of

At December 31, 2014,2017, we had 7,048,23513,996,121 shares of common stock outstanding and 1,518,430 shares of preferred stock outstanding. Shares beneficially owned by our affiliates and employees are subject to volume and other restrictions under Rules 144 and 701 under the Securities Act, of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, various vesting agreements, our insider trading policy andand/or any applicable 10b5-1 trading plan. Shares that are not beneficially owned by our affiliates and employees generally can be freely sold in the public market, subject in some cases to restrictions under Rule 144.

As of

At December 31, 2014,2017, we also had outstanding options and warrants for the purchase of 1,368,0478,837,315 potentially dilutive shares and 1,564,108 shares, respectively, of our common stockoutstanding and we may grant additional options, stock-based awards and/or warrants in the future. If our stock price rises, the holders of vested options, stock-based awards or warrants may


TABLE OF CONTENTS

exercise their options, stock-based awards and/or warrants and sell a large number of shares. Any sale of a substantial number of shares of our common stock may have a material adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.


Our charter documents and Delaware law may inhibit a takeover that stockholders consider favorable.

Our Certificate of Incorporation, (“Certificate”)or Certificate, and bylaws and applicable provisions of Delaware law may delay or discourage transactions involving an actual or potential change in control or change in our management, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares, or transactions that our stockholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interests. The provisions in our Certificate and bylaws:

authorize our board of directors to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval and to designate the rights, preferences and privileges of each class; if issued, such preferred stock would increase the number of outstanding shares of our capital stock and could include terms that may deter an acquisition of us;

limit who may call stockholder meetings;

do not permit stockholders to act by written consent;

do not provide for cumulative voting rights; and

provide that all vacancies may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum.

In addition, Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law may limit our ability to engage in any business combination with a person who beneficially owns 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock unless certain conditions are satisfied. This restriction lasts for a period of three years following the share acquisition. These provisions may have the effect of entrenching our management team and may deprive you of the opportunity to sell your shares to potential acquirers at a premium over prevailing prices. This potential inability to obtain a control premium could reduce the price of our common stock. See “Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of Delaware Law and Our Charter Documents” for additional information.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish or do not continue to publish research or reports about our business, or if they issue an adverse or misleading opinion regarding our stock, our stock price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock is influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us or our business. Presently, twoCurrently, a number of securities analysts publish reports on us on a regular basis. If any of the analysts who cover us now or in the future issue an adverse opinion regarding our stock, our stock price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of our company or fail to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.

ITEM 1B:UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

ITEM 2:PROPERTIES

Our principal office is located at 4120 Freidrich Lane, Suite 100, Austin, Texas 78744. We lease 14,782 square feet of office and laboratory space under a triple net lease. The lease commenced on June 1, 2014 and has a term of 48 months.

ITEM 3:LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

We are not

On May 17, 2017, the Company provided Libra Industries, Inc. (Libra), its prior contract manufacturer, notice that it was in breach of the Master Supply Agreement (MSA) between the parties. On May 19, 2017, the Company received notice from Libra that the Company was allegedly in breach of the MSA. On June 23, 2017, the Company received a partyNotice of Arbitration from Libra alleging claims against the Company and demanding recovery for alleged damages. On July 13, 2017, the Company responded to Libra with a Notice of Defense and Counterclaim. The arbitration is governed in accordance with the CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution Rules for Non-Administered Arbitration by a sole arbitrator, and the parties agreed on an arbitrator in August 2017. On January 11, 2018, the Company deposed representatives of Libra. On March 7, 2018 and March 8, 2018, Libra deposed representatives of the Company. The arbitration hearing is scheduled for April 23, 2018 to April 25, 2018 in Travis County, Texas. At this time, the Company is unable to estimate the possible loss, if any, pending legal proceedings.associated with this proceeding. At December 31,2017, the Company recorded a $100,000 accrual based on a settlement offer made by the Company to Libra. This charge is reflected within the general and administrative line item of the statement of operations.


ITEM 4:MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART II

ITEM 5:MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’SREGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Our common stock is quoted under the symbol IPWR on the NASDAQ Capital Market. Our common stock began trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market on November 22, 2013. The table below presents the range of high and low sales prices of our common stock since November 22, 2013.for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.

  
High and low sales prices
 High Low High  Low 
Fiscal year ended December 31, 2014
          
Fiscal year ended December 31, 2017        
First quarter $12.59  $5.25  $3.86  $2.00 
Second quarter $9.60  $7.00  $3.25  $2.03 
Third quarter $9.40  $6.51  $3.29  $1.91 
Fourth quarter $8.00  $5.82  $2.85  $1.10 
Fiscal year ended December 31, 2013
          
Fiscal year ended December 31, 2016        
First quarter $N/A  $N/A  $8.13  $3.90 
Second quarter $N/A  $N/A  $6.63  $3.73 
Third quarter $N/A  $N/A  $5.60  $4.48 
Fourth quarter $7.77  $5.15  $5.60  $2.97 

As of March 23, 20152018 we had approximately 50157 shareholders of record. The name, address and telephone number of our stock transfer agent is Corporate Stock Transfer, Inc., 3200 Cherry Creek South Drive, Suite 430, Denver, Colorado 80209, (303) 282-4800.

Dividends

We have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock since our inception and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. We plan to retain our earnings, if any, to provide funds for the expansion of our business.

Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans

The table below provides information, as of December 31, 2014, regarding our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) under which our equity securities are authorized for issuance to officers, directors, employees, consultants, independent contractors and advisors.

2013 Equity Incentive Plan

   
Plan category Number of securities to
be issued upon exercise
of outstanding options,
warrants and rights
(a)
 Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights
(b)
 Number of securities
remaining available for
future issuance under
equity compensation
plans (excluding
securities reflected in
column (a))
(c)
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders  627,800  $6.28   173,280(1) 

(1)This amount will not be subject to future increases, absent shareholder approval of an increase in the securities authorized for issuance under the Plan, as the maximum number of securities that may be issued under our equity compensation plan will be reached upon the future issuance of 173,280 securities under the Plan.

Recent Issuances of Unregistered Securities

On August 6, 2013 we filed a registration statement, number 333-190414, with the Securities and Exchange Commission to register an offeringUse of 3,000,000 shares of our common stock, with an option granted to the underwriter to sell an additional 450,000 shares of our common stock (the “overallotment”). MDB Capital Group LLC served as Managing Underwriter and Northland Capital Markets served as the Co-Managing Underwriter. The registration statement was declared effective on November 21, 2013.


TABLE OF CONTENTSProceeds

The offering closed on November 27, 2013 and the offering of the overallotment closed on December 5, 2013. The common stock was offered to the public at a price of $5 per share. All of the shares of common stock, including the overallotment, were sold. We raised a total of $17,250,000 in gross proceeds in the offering and received $15,015,985 in net cash proceeds after expenses.

Through December 31, 2014, we used approximately $7.2 million of the net cash proceeds from the offering. These funds were used as follows: $516,000 for protection of our intellectual property, $350,000 for purchase of equipment and software and the remainder for our operations, including research and development and general and working capital purposes. None of the proceeds were used for construction of plant, building and facilities, the purchase of real estate or the acquisition of any business.

On January 2, 2014, the Company27, 2017, we issued 36,09226,743 shares of common stock to the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texasan option holder in connection with the cashless exercise of a warrant for the purchase of 36,098 shares of the Company’s common stock.stock options. The per share exercise price was $0.0009524. The Company relied on Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933 to issue the common stock.

For information concerning the Non-Qualified Stock Option Award Agreement issued to R. Daniel Brdar, our Chief Executive Officer, please see the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 8, 2014.

On January 10, 2014, the Company issued a total of 25,333 shares of common stock to its three independent Board members as compensation for the services they rendered from November 29, 2012 through December 31, 2013 as to two directors and from August 20, 2013 through December 31, 2013 as to the remaining director. The value of the stock at the date of grant was determined to be $5.00 per share. The Company relied on Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 to issue the common stock inasmuch as the as members of the Board are in the possession of the information registration would otherwise provide and there was no form of general solicitation or general advertising relating to the offer.

On January 16, 2014, the Company issued 10,374 shares of common stock to a consultant in connection with the cashless exercise of an option to purchase 10,500 shares of common stock. The per share exercise price was $0.09524. The Company relied on Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933 to issue the common stock.

On March 21, 2014, the Company issued 7,192 shares of common stock to a former Board member as compensation for his service prior to his resignation in August 2013. The value of the stock at the date of grant was determined to be $3.47626 per share. The Company$0.416675. We relied on the exemption provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 to issue the common stock inasmuch as the former director was an accredited investor and there was no form of general solicitation or general advertising relating to the offer.stock.

On May 29, 2014, the Company issued 1,438March 3, 2017, we closed on a definitive securities purchase agreement to sell to certain accredited investors our common stock and preferred stock together with warrants to purchase shares of common stock, toor the Private Placement. In the Private Placement, each share of common stock or preferred stock was sold together with a warrant holderto purchase one share of common stock at a collective price of $2.535. Investors purchased an aggregate of 5,220,826 shares of common stock and 708,430 shares of preferred stock together with warrants to purchase 5,929,256 shares of common stock in connectionthe Private Placement for aggregate gross proceeds of $15.0 million. The warrants have an exercise price of $2.41 per share, are non-exercisable for the first six months and will expire three years from the date of issuance. We filed a Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering the resale of the registrable securities on March 31, 2017 with the exercise of a warrant. The per share exercise priceSEC which was $3.47626 and the Company received $5,000. The Companydeclared effective on April 21, 2017. We relied on the exemption provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and the safe harbor under Rule 506(b) of 1933the Securities Act.


Net cash proceeds were $13.7 million after offering fees and expenses, including the placement agent fee of $1.1 million. The placement agent also received 237,170 warrants to issue the common stock inasmuch as the warrant holder was an accredited investor and there was no form of general solicitation or general advertising relating to the offer.

On July 8, 2014, the Company issued 2,946purchase shares of common stock to aas part of its placement agent fee. The placement agent warrant holder in connection with thehas an exercise price of a warrant. The$2.89 per share, exercise price was $3.47626is non-exercisable for 12 months and has a three-year term. We have been utilizing, and expect to continue to utilize, the warrant was exercised on a cashless basis. The Company relied onnet proceeds from the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933 to issue the common stock.offering for working capital and general corporate purposes.

On September 29, 2014, the Company issued 6,378 shares of its common stock to a consultant. The Company relied on the exemption provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 to issue the common stock inasmuch as the warrant holder was an accredited investor and there was no form of general solicitation or general advertising relating to the offer.

On October 24, 2014, the Company issued 26,514 shares of common stock to a warrant holder in connection with the exercise of warrants. The per share exercise price was $3.47626 as to warrants to purchase 41,634 shares and $4.34533 as to warrants to purchase 11,634 shares and the warrants were


TABLE OF CONTENTS

exercised on a cashless basis. The Company relied on the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933 to issue the common stock.

ITEM 6:SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA.DATA

As a smaller reporting company we are not required to provide this information.

ITEM 7:MANAGEMENT’SMANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition to historical information, this discussion and analysis here and throughout this Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements.

Overview

Ideal Power is located in Austin, Texas. Ideal Power was formed to developWe design, market and commercialize its patentedsell electrical power conversion products using our proprietary technology called Power Packet Switching Architecture (“PPSA”)Architecture™, or PPSA™. PPSA™ is a power conversion technology which isthat improves upon existing power conversion technologies in key product metrics, such as size and weight while providing built-in isolation and bi-directional and multi-port capabilities. PPSA™ utilizes standardized hardware with application specific embedded software. Our products are designed to improve the performance, size, weight, reliability, flexibilitybe used in both on-grid and costoff-grid applications. Our advanced technology is important to our business and we make significant investments in research and development and protection of electronic power conversion systems. The electronic power conversion industry’s vertical marketsour intellectual property. Our PPSA™ and bi-directional switch technologies are largeprotected by a patent portfolio of 66 US and include power conversion12 foreign issued patents at December 31, 2017.

We sell our products primarily to systems for residential, commercial, and utility-scale renewable energy systems, battery energy storage systems (“BESS”), microgrids, electric vehicle chargers, variable frequency drives (“VFDs”) for motors, and on-board power converters for electric vehicles. The Company believes it can, dueintegrators as part of a larger turn-key system which enable end users to the design advantages inherent in its PPSA technology, provide solutions that are both efficient and economically advantageous to many of these markets.

Ideal Power’s initial product focus provides solutions for high-growth markets such as battery energy storage systems, integrated renewable energy and storage, and microgrid applications. The Company has designed its products to target commercial and industrial applications, which it believes have the highest economic value and fastest growth potential in these vertical markets. Within its product family, the company offers value-enhancing solutions formanage their electricity consumption, by reducing demand charges or fossil fuel consumption, integrating renewable energy with storage systems as well as microgrid capabilities for grid resiliencysources and off-grid power.

Currently, the Company’sforming their own microgrid. Our products are designed by Ideal Power, manufacturedmade by contract manufacturers to our specifications, enabling us to scale production to meet demand on a cost-effective basis without requiring significant expenditures on manufacturing facilities and sold by Ideal Power both directlyequipment. As our products establish a foothold in key power conversion markets, we may begin to its customersfocus on licensing our proprietary PPSA™-based product designs to OEMs to reach more markets and through a distribution channel partner. The Companycustomers. We may consider additional go-to-market strategies in the future including but not limited to product licensing arrangements with leading global electronics companies. Such agreements could allow for regional manufacturersseek to build the Company’sa portfolio of relationships that generate license fees and royalties from OEMs for sales of their products under license for specific markets or specific applications.which integrate PPSA™.

The Company was

We were founded on May 17, 2007. To date, operations have been funded primarily through the sale of common stock and, prior to our initial public offering, the issuance of convertible debt, as well as through U.S. Department of Energy grants.debt. Total revenue generated from inception to date as of December 31, 2014 is $6,077,196,2017 amounted to $13.2 million with the majorityapproximately 20% of that revenue coming from government grants and product sales. The Company has applied these revenues to research and product development, thereby reducing its capital requirements. The Company willgrants. We may continue to pursue research and development grants, if and when available, for the purpose of developing new products and improving current products. The Company can make no assurances that additional grants will be available in the future.

Plan of Operation

Ideal Power has completed development, UL Certification, and commercialization for its first two products and has launched four additional products that are actively being developed with plans to obtain UL Certification for three of these products in 2015. All four of these new products have firm customer orders behind them. The Company’s 30kW battery converter is being ordered and deployed by market-leading customers at increasing volumes for commercial and industrial applications. The Company expects to continue to build order backlog for its products and begin realizing increasing revenues in the first quarter of 2015 as we begin to fulfill volume orders.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

With the introduction of our new grid-resilient 30kW 2-port and multi-port conversion systems as well as our grid-resilient 125kW 2-port and multi-port power conversion systems, the Company now offers a family of fully compatible products for broad and rapidly growing power conversion markets. Ideal Power products are well suited for commercial and industrial scale energy storage systems, systems combining PV and storage, and for on-grid and off-grid microgrid applications integrating the Company’s power conversion systems with batteries, photovoltaics, diesel, wind and other types of distributed generation in a flexible, modular approach. By using multiple 125kW products in parallel, customers can cost effectively deploy systems to up to many megawatts in scale.

Ideal Power is further developing its technology to allow it to launch additional products, enhance its competitive advantages and enter other large vertical markets. The Company’s goal is to establish PPSA as the leading technology for electronic power conversion for several large markets through both product sales and potentially licensing in selected geographies and markets. The Company’s objectives are to continue to commercialize its technology through the development of a variety of power conversion products, expand its channels to target markets, and may eventually license the manufacture of its products to original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) and, in certain markets, directly to large customers.

We expect to continue to use the net proceeds received from the initial public offering of our common stock for new product research, new product and existing product development, the commercialization of our products, protection of our intellectual property, purchases of property and equipment and for working capital and other general corporate purposes. The net cash proceeds from the initial public offering of our common stock totaled approximately $15 million. Our actual and anticipated costs include employee salaries and benefits, compensation paid to consultants, capital costs for research and development lab and other equipment, costs associated with development activities including travel and administration, legal expenses, sales and marketing costs, general and administrative expenses, and other costs associated with an early stage, publicly-traded technology company. We added ten employees from our initial public offering through December 31, 2014 and anticipate increasing the number of employees of the Company by approximately 5 – 10 employees by the end of December 2015. However, this increase is highly dependent on the nature of our development efforts. We have added and anticipate adding employees in the areas of research and development and product engineering and, to a lesser extent, sales and marketing and general and administrative functions as required to support our efforts. We have and expect to incur consulting expenses related to technology development and other efforts as well as legal and related expenses to protect our intellectual property. We also have incurred and expect to incur capital expenditures for the purchase of testing and other lab equipment and leasehold improvements.

The amounts that we actually spend for any specific purpose may vary significantly and will depend on a number of factors including, but not limited to, the pace of progress of our commercialization and development efforts, actual needs with respect to product testing, development and research, market conditions and changes in or revisions to our marketing strategies. In addition, although we do not have any plans for acquisitions at this time, we may use a portion of the net proceeds to acquire complementary products, technologies or businesses.

We received an award of $2.5 million from ARPA-E. Through December 31, 2014, we have recognized revenue of $2.5 million, the full amount of the award under this grant. This award was used in the development of our BD-IGBT power switches and other related power semi-conductor technology. While we currently successfully use commodity silicon IGBT and diode components in our products, we are developing BD-IGBT devices that we believe could significantly improve the efficiency, weight and manufacturing costs of our products as well as have broader potential applications. We have run successful simulations on the BD-IGBT power switches and have begun initial runs of prototype switches at our semiconductor fabrication subcontractor.

Critical Accounting Policies

The following discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is based upon our financial statements, which have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Certain accounting policies and estimates are particularly important to the understanding of our financial position and results of operations and require the application of significant


TABLE OF CONTENTS

judgment by our management or can be materially affected by changes from period to period in economic factors or conditions that are outside of our control. As a result, they are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty. In applying these policies, we use our management uses their judgment to determine the appropriate assumptions to be used in the determination of certain estimates. Those estimates are based on our historical operations, our future business plans and projected financial results, the terms of existing contracts, our observance of trends in the industry, information provided by our customers and information available from other outside sources, as appropriate. Please see NoteFootnote 2 to our financial statements for a more complete description of our significantcritical accounting policies.

Revenue Recognition.  Revenue from product sales is recognized when the risks of loss and title pass to the customer, as specified in (1) the respective sales agreements and (2) other revenue recognition criteria as prescribed by Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) No. 101, “Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements”, as amended by SAB No. 104, “Revenue Recognition”. We generally sell our products free-on-board shipping and recognize revenue when products are shipped. Revenue from service contracts is recognized using the completed-performance or proportional-performance method depending on the terms of the service agreement. When there are acceptance provisions based on customer-specified subjective criteria, the completed-performance method is used. For contracts where the services performed in the last series of acts is very significant, in relation to the entire contract, performance is not deemed to have occurred until the final act is completed. Once customer acceptance has been received, or the last significant act is performed, revenue is recognized. We use the proportional-performance method when a service contract specifies a number of acts to be performed and we have the ability to determine the pattern and value in which service is provided to the customer.

The Company was awarded a grant from ARPA-E on January 30, 2012. The purpose of the grant is to perform research and development on components that may improve the efficiency of the Company’s technology. ARPA-E’s share of the research and development project is $2.5 million. We currently expect to exceed the originally estimated cost of the project of $2.8 million by approximately $0.5 to $1.0 million and the program has been extended to May 29, 2015. The incremental cost will be fully funded by the Company. The Company works with ARPA-E’s program manager to agree upon the specifications and work plans for the grant. The Company then directs all the work to be performed by ARPA-E approved subcontractors, which historically have been universities but are now commercial subcontractors. Upon completion of the work, the Company submits to ARPA-E for payment of 90% of the costs incurred by the Company. Historically, this has been done on a quarterly basis, but it may be as frequently as monthly. The Company bears responsibility for the remaining 10% of the total costs incurred by the Company under the agreed work plans, which amount is included (less any costs that the applicable subcontractor has agreed to share) in our cost of revenues. The Company is also responsible for any costs incurred under the program in excess of the program amount. Any such costs would be recorded in research and development costs rather than cost of revenues. All invoices are supported with copies of expenses and invoices that the Company has received from ARPA-E approved subcontractors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company is the primary obligor of all the costs incurred under the work plans for the grant, except for any costs that the applicable subcontractor has agreed to share. The agreement with ARPA-E establishes “Go/No Go” milestones and deliverables. For each “Go/No Go” milestone and deliverable, the ARPA-E program director must review the Company’s work under the previously agreed work plan, confirm in writing that the Company has achieved the “Go/No Go” milestone and deliverable, and authorize the Company to commence work on the next milestone and deliverable under a corresponding next work plan. If the project were to stop due to an ARPA-E determination that a milestone or deliverable had not been met, then the Company would not submit to ARPA-E for payment any further invoices (except for costs incurred under the previously agreed work plan). As of December 31, 2014, the Company had fully utilized ARPA-E’s share of the research and development project.

The payment conditions of the $150,000 Phase I SBIR grant that we received were substantially similar to those of the ARPA-E grant, except that in the case of the SBIR grant, the Company receives payment from SBIR of one hundred percent of the costs incurred by the Company under the agreed work plans. Nevertheless, the Company is the primary obligor of all the costs incurred under the agreed work plans for the SBIR grant. The work related to the SBIR grant was completed in 2013.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Revenues from government grants are recognized in accordance with the provisions of SAB No. 104 in the period during which the related costs are incurred, provided that the Company has incurred the costs in accordance with the specifications and work plans for the applicable grant. Expenses included in cost of revenues are directly related to research and development activities performed by our subcontractors in order to fulfill the specifications and work plans for the applicable grant. There are no contingencies or ongoing obligations of the Company related to these grant arrangements, other than the obligation of the Company to submit to the applicable government entity invoices for costs incurred by the Company under the agreed work plans for the applicable grant. Under no circumstances is the Company required to repay monies that it receives under any of its government grants, provided that the Company receives no more than the government’s agreed share of the total cost of the project and, with respect to the ARPA-E grant, provided that the Company meets its obligation to cover its share of costs as described above. Costs incurred related to the grants are recorded as grant research and development costs within cost of revenues. Costs incurred in excess of grant award amounts are recorded as research and development costs in operating expenses.

The Company believes that recognizing the government grants as revenues is a better reflection of the economics of the arrangements as (i) there are no contingencies or ongoing obligations of the Company associated with its receipt of or right to retain the funds that it receives under its grants, (ii) the Company is the primary obligor of all the costs incurred under the work plans for the grants, and (iii) the Company has full discretion on the use of the monies that it receives under the grants. In addition, the Company earns the grant funding through the performance of research and development activities, which is one of the Company’s primary business activities. The Company also believes that this presentation provides transparency to users of the Company’s financial statements of the business activities associated with these grants, specifically, grant revenues and grant costs.

Royalty income is recognized as earned based on the terms of the contractual agreements, and has no direct costs.

Research and Development.  Grant research and development are costs incurred solely related to grant revenues, and are classified as a line item under cost of revenues. Other researchResearch and development costs are presented as a line item under operating expenses and are expensed as incurred.

PatentsIntangible Assets..  The Company capitalizes  Our intangible assets are primarily related to patents. We capitalize legal costs and filing fees, if any, associated with obtaining patents on itsour new inventions.inventions or other intangible assets. Once the patents haveasset has been issued the Company amortizesor placed in service, we amortize these costs over the shorter of the legal life of the patent (generally a maximum of 20 years) or its estimated economic life using the straight-line method.

Income Taxes.  We account for income taxes using an asset and liability approach that allows for the recognition and measurement of deferred tax assets based upon the likelihood of realization of tax benefits in future years. Under the asset and liability approach, deferred taxes are provided for the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. A valuation allowance is provided for deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not these items will either expire before we are able to realize their benefits, or that future deductibility is uncertain. Tax benefits from an uncertain tax position are recognized only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position.

Stock-Based Compensation.  The Company appliesWe apply Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 718, “Stock Compensation,” when recording stock based compensation. The fair value of each stock option award is estimated on the date of grant using the commonly used Black-Scholes option valuation model. The assumptions used in the Black-Scholes model are as follows:

Grant Price — The grant price of the issuances areis determined based on the estimated fair value of the shares at the date of grant prior to the Company’s IPO and the closing share price on the date of grant subsequent to the Company’s IPO.grant.

Risk-free interest rate — The risk freerisk-free interest rate for periods within the contractual life of the option is based on the U.S. treasuryimplied yield in effectavailable on US Treasury securities at the time of grant.grant with an equivalent term of the expected life of the award.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Expected lives — As permitted by SAB No. 107, due to the Company’sour insufficient history of option activity, the management utilizeswe utilize the simplified approach to estimate the optionsoptions’ expected term, which representscalculated as the midpoint between the vesting period and the contractual life of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding.the award.

Expected volatility — Volatility is determinedestimated based on management’s estimate orthe historical volatilities of comparable companies.


Expected dividend yield — Dividend yield is based on current yield at the grant date or the average dividend yield over the historical period. The Company hasWe have never declared or paid dividends and hashave no plans to do so in the foreseeable future.

We use a Monte Carlo simulation pricing model to determine the fair value of performance stock units (“PSUs”). A typical Monte Carlo exercise simulates a distribution of stock prices to yield an expected distribution of stock prices during and at the end of the performance period. The Company accountssimulations are repeated many times in order to derive a probabilistic assessment of stock performance. The stock-paths are simulated using assumptions which include expected stock price volatility and risk-free interest rate.

We account for stock issued to non-employees in accordance with the provisions of FASB ASC 505-50 “Equity Based Payments to Non-Employees.” FASB ASC 505-50 states that equity instruments that are issued in exchange for the receipt of goods or services should be measured at the fair value of the consideration received or the fair value of the equity instruments issued, whichever is more reliably measurable. The measurement date occurs as of the earlier of (a) the date at which a performance commitment is reached or (b) absent a performance commitment, the date at which the performance necessary to earn the equity instruments is complete (that is, the vesting date).

Results of Operations

Comparison of the year ended December 31, 20142017 to the year ended December 31, 2013

2016

Revenues.   Revenues for the year ended December 31, 20142017 of $1,794,094$1,212,270 were $98,330,$416,470, or 5%26%, lower than the $1,892,424$1,628,740 we earned in revenues for the year ended December 31, 2013.2016. The decrease was the result of lower sales into our initial target market of stand-alone energy storage. We have shifted our focus primarily to solar + storage as we believe this market is beginning to transact and meaningful revenue growth may be achievable for us in revenue was due to a $795,877 decreasethis market in grant revenues and a $100,000 decrease in royalty revenues partially offset by a $797,547 increase in product revenues.the future

Total grant revenues for the year ended December 31, 2014 were $579,079, all from the ARPA-E grant, compared to grant revenues for the year ended December 31, 2013 of $1,374,956, including $1,229,036 from the ARPA-E grant and $145,920 from a Department of Energy SBIR grant. Revenues related to the ARPA-E grant decreased due to the timing of spending and as the ARPA-E grant was fully funded by the end of 2014. Royalty revenue decreased from $100,000 to $0 as the royalty agreement with Lockheed Martin Corporation ended December 31, 2013.

In the year ended December 31, 2014, revenue from the sale of our products was $1,215,015, a 191% increase compared to the year ended December 31, 2013, and related to our 30kW battery converter and, to a much lesser extent, our new grid-resilient 30kW multi-port power conversion system. In the year ended December 31, 2013, revenue from the sale of products was $417,468 with approximately half of our product revenue from each of our 30kW battery converter and 30kW PV inverter. We elected not to sell our 30kW PV inverter in 2014 as the 30kW battery converter, based on the same hardware platform, provided a higher selling price and thus enhanced margins.

Cost of Revenues.   Cost of revenues increased by $301,970, or 16%, to $2,241,682 for the year ended December 31, 2014 of $2,270,850 were $123,877, or 6%, higher than the $2,146,973 cost of revenues2017 compared to $1,939,712 for the year ended December 31, 2013 as2016. The increase was due to $338,213 higher excess and obsolete, or E&O, charges, including inventory impairments, and $167,009 higher adjustments to the result of an $911,254 increase in product cost of revenueCompany's warranty accrual, both related to legacy products, partially offset by a $787,377 decrease in grant research and development costs.lower sales volumes.

In the year ended December 31, 2014, cost of revenues from the sale of products was $1,627,429. In the year ended December 31, 2013, the cost of revenues from the sale of products was $716,175. The increase in cost of revenues from the sale of products was due to higher unit sales, overhead, including personnel costs, and testing costs for our 30kW battery converter.

The decrease in grant research and development costs was due to the timing of spending under the ARPA-E grant, the full utilization of the ARPA-E grant funds prior to the end of 2014 and the completion of the SBIR grant in May 2013. During the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, we recognized $579,079 and $1,229,036, respectively, in grant revenue and $643,421 and $1,284,878, respectively, in grant research and development costs from our ARPA-E grant. We had a cost-sharing arrangement with ARPA-E whereby we contributed ten percent of the total costs of the project (less any costs that our subcontractors have agreed to


TABLE OF CONTENTS

share), which resulted in our costs exceeding our revenue. During the year ended December 31, 2013, we also recognized $145,920 in grant revenues and $145,920 in grant research and development costs from our SBIR grant.

As the ARPA-E grant was fully utilized in 2014, we do not expect any grant revenue or grant research and development costs for this program in 2015. Any spending in 2015 related to the ARPA-E grant or related technology development will be fully funded by us and recorded as research and development expenses within operating expenses.

Gross Loss.(Loss).  Gross loss for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 was $476,756 and $254,549, respectively.   Gross loss for the year ended December 31, 20142017 was $222,207$1,029,412 compared to a gross loss of $310,972 for the year ended December 31, 2016 due to lower revenues and higher thanE&O charges and warranty accrual adjustments .

Research and Development Expenses.   Research and development expenses decreased by $1,040,087, or 20%, to $4,184,905 in the year ended December 31, 2013 primarily due to increased engineering personnel costs, as we added resources to support our existing products, and higher testing costs related to our 30kW battery converter. We recognized $151,229 in higher personnel costs and $134,266 in higher testing costs within cost of revenues2017 from $5,224,992 in the year ended December 31, 2014 as compared2016. The decrease was due primarily to the year ended December 31, 2013. In addition, royalty revenue was $100,000 lower in the year ended December 31, 2014 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2013. Higher contributions from increased unit sales of our 30kW battery converter partially offset the higher personnel and testing costs associated with bi-directional power switch development and lower royalty revenue.personnel costs in connection with a cost reduction plan initiated in April 2017.

The decreases in grant revenue and grant research and development costs had an insignificant impact on gross loss in comparing the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 as grant costs exceeded revenues by $64,342 in the year ended December 31, 2014 compared to $55,842 for the year ended December 31, 2013.

General and Administrative Expenses.    General and administrative expenses increased by $854,095,$45,912, or 40%1%, to $2,993,131$3,789,852 in the year ended December 31, 20142017 from $2,139,036$3,743,940 in the year ended December 31, 2013.2016. The increase was due primarily to higher stock compensation expense of $291,379, inclusive of $143,037 in higher stock compensation paid to consultants, D&O insurance costs of $166,621, personnel costs of $158,622, legalpatent impairments and a litigation accrual partially offset by lower executive bonuses and professional fees of $121,816 and board fees of $112,500 as the Board elected not to receive cash compensation until we completed our initial public offering in the fourth quarter of 2013.fees.

Research and Development Expenses.  Research and development expenses increased by $1,046,171, or 86%, to $2,258,469 in the year ended December 31, 2014 from $1,212,298 in the year ended December 31, 2013. The increase was due primarily to higher personnel costs of $521,821 and contract labor costs of $321,028 as we added both firmware and hardware engineering resources, and costs related to advanced power switch development of $73,198 as we funded these efforts after fully utilizing the ARPA-E grant program funding.

Sales and Marketing Expenses.    Sales and marketing expenses increaseddecreased by $742,286,$288,716, or 162%17%, to $1,199,578$1,448,517 in the year ended December 31, 20142017 from $457,292$1,737,233 in the year ended December 31, 2013.2016. The increasedecrease was due primarily to higher personnel costs of $405,214,lower stock compensation expense of $154,731, travel costs of $40,796 and marketing costs of $40,059.legal expenses, partially offset by higher bad debt expense.

Loss from Operations.   Due to the increasedecrease in our operating expenses, and gross loss, our loss from operations for the year ended December 31, 20142017 was $6,927,934$10,452,686 or 71% higher5% lower than the $4,063,175$11,017,137 loss from operations for year ended December 31, 2013.2016.


Interest (Income) Expense, Net.Income.  Interest (income) expense, net improved from expense of $5,488,523income decreased to $17,588 for the year ended December 31, 20132017 compared to income of $27,715$36,046 for the year ended December 31, 2014, an improvement of $5,516,238. For the year ended December 31, 2014, interest income related to interest earned on our money market account. For the year ended December 31, 2013, interest expense was due to the amortization of debt discount relating to the fair value of warrants and beneficial conversion feature in promissory notes issued in 2010 through 2013 as well as the write-off of the remaining unamortized debt discount upon conversion of these notes into common stock at the time of our initial public offering.2016.

Net Loss.Loss  As a result of the decrease in interest expense, partly offset by the increase in our loss from operations, our net loss for the year ended December 31, 2014,2017, was $6,900,219$10,435,098 as compared to a net loss of $9,551,698$10,981,091 for the year ended December 31, 2013, a decrease of $2,651,479.2016.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Liquidity and Capital Resources

We currently do not generate enough revenue to sustain our operations. Our revenues are derived from sales of our products and, to a lesser extent beginning in the year ended December 31, 2014, from grants we have received for the development of our technology. We have funded our operations through the sale of our common stock including proceeds fromand, prior to our initial public offering, preferred stock (later converted to common stock) and debt securities.the issuance of convertible debt.

As of December 31, 20142017 and 2013,2016, we had cash and cash equivalents of $7,912,011$10,022,247 and $14,137,097,$4,204,916, respectively. Our net working capital decreased to $7,658,720 as ofand long-term debt at December 31, 2014 from $14,140,317 as of December 31, 2013 due primarily to the cash outflow to fund our operations.2017 were $9,247,272 and $0, respectively.

Operating activities in the year ended December 31, 20142017 resulted in cash outflows of $5,469,550,$7,415,539, which were primarily due to the net loss for the period of $6,900,219,$10,435,098 offset by stock-based compensation of $944,102, stock compensation paid for services$1,108,359, inventory impairment charges of $180,183,$760,785, depreciation and amortization of $451,547 and other non-cash items of $526,936 as well as favorable balance sheet timing of $150,965 and other non-cash items of $155,419.$171,932. Operating activities in the year ended December 31, 20132016 resulted in cash outflows of $3,240,792,$10,098,653, which were due primarily to the net loss for the period of $9,551,698,$10,981,091 and unfavorable balance sheet timing of $1,364,473, offset by amortization of debt discount of $5,318,257, stock-based compensation of $458,983$1,517,545, depreciation and amortization of $406,639 and other non-cash items of $527,871.$322,727.

Investing activities in the year ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 resulted in cash outflows of $434,030 and $750,992, respectively, for the acquisition of fixed assets and intangible assets.

In the second quarter of 2017, we implemented a cost reduction plan with the goal of reducing our cash outflows for operating and investing activities. This plan included the simplification of our product roadmap for the balance of 2017 to focus on our 30kW SunDial™ and Stabiliti™ products for the solar + storage and microgrid markets and the elimination of activities that did not present significant near-term revenue opportunities. In addition, we discontinued our legacy products, including our 125kW product, and postponed our development and certification efforts related to international markets and electric vehicle fast charging. These changes have resulted, and we believe will continue to result, in a reduced cash burn in advance of our expected revenue growth.

Financing activities in the year ended December 31, 2017 resulted in cash inflows of $13,666,900 related primarily to our Private Placement net proceeds of $13,657,331. In the Private Placement, each share of common stock or preferred stock was sold together with a warrant to purchase one share of common stock at a collective price of $2.535. Investors purchased an aggregate of 5,220,826 shares of common stock and 708,430 shares of preferred stock together with warrants to purchase 5,929,256 shares of common stock in the Private Placement for aggregate gross proceeds of $15.0 million. Net cash proceeds were $13.7 million after offering fees and expenses, including the placement agent fee of $1.1 million. Other financing activities in the years ended December 31, 20142017 and 20132016 resulted in cash outflowsinflows of $760,502$9,569 and $221,649, respectively. Cash outflows for the development of patents in the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 were $418,255 and $142,708,$32,275, respectively, and cash outflows for the acquisition of fixed assets in the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 were $342,247 and $78,941, respectively. Cash outflows for the development of patents increased as we expanded and broadened our patent portfolio while cash outflows for the acquisition of fixed assets increased as we purchased equipment for our development labrelating primarily to support current and future products.

In the year ended December 31, 2014, we received $4,966 in net proceeds from the exercise of stock options and warrants. In the year ended December 31, 2013, we raised $17,250,000 in gross proceeds ($15,015,985 net of costs) from our initial public offering and $750,000 in gross proceeds ($611,256 net of costs) from the sale of convertible promissory notes, later converted into common stock at the completion of our initial public offering.

Our long-term debt balance, including current portion, was $0 at December 31, 2014 and 2013 due to the conversion of our convertible promissory notes to shares of our common stock following the closing of our initial public offering and the cancellation of our promissory note with the State of Texas in December 2013 upon its exercise of its rights under the Investment Unit issued on October 1, 2010, as amended.

On December 1, 2014, the Companywe filed a Form S-3 shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission.SEC. The registration statement became effective on April 27, 2015 and expires on April 27, 2018. The shelf registration statement allows the Companyus to offer up to an aggregate $75 million of common stock, preferred stock, warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock or any combination thereof and provides the Companyus with the flexibility over three years to potentially raise additional equity in a public or private offering on commercial terms. At December 31, 2017, our availability under this registration statement was $58 million.


Inflation

We do not believe that inflation has had a material impact on our business and operating results during the periods presented, and we do not expect it to have a material impact in the near future, although there can be no assurances that our business will not be affected by inflation in the future.

Off-Balance Sheet Transactions

We do not have any off-balance sheet transactions.

Trends, Events and Uncertainties

Research and development of new technologies is, by its nature, unpredictable. Although we will undertake development efforts with commercially reasonable diligence, there can be no assurance that the net proceeds from the initial public offeringour working capital of our common stock$9,247,272 as of December 31, 2017 will be sufficient to enable us to develop our technology to the extent needed to create future sales to sustain operations as contemplated herein. If the net proceeds from the initial public offering of our common stock areworking capital is insufficient for this purpose, we will consider other options to continue our path to commercialization, including, but not limited to, additional financing through follow-on stock offerings, debt financing, co-development agreements, curtailment of operations, suspension of operations, sale or licensing of developed intellectual or other property, or other alternatives.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

We cannot assure you that our technology will be adopted, that we will ever earn revenues sufficient to support our operations, or that we will ever be profitable. Furthermore, since we have no committed source of financing, we cannot assure you that we will be able to raise money as and when we need it to continue our operations. If we cannot raise funds as and when we need them, we may be required to severely curtail, or even to cease, our operations.

Other than as discussed above and elsewhere in this report, we are not aware of any trends, events or uncertainties that are likely to have a material effect on our financial condition.

ITEM 7A:QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

As a smaller reporting company we are not required to provide this information.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

ITEM 8:FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders
of Ideal Power Inc.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of Ideal Power, Inc. (the “Company”"Company") as of December 31, 20142017 and 2013,2016, and the related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows, for each of the two years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2014. The Company’s management is responsible2017, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for theseeach of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2017, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements.statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on thesethe Company's financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement.misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. OurAs part of our audits, included considerationwe are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence supportingregarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessingstatements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statement presentation.statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of

Liquidity

Since its inception, the Company as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, andhas generated limited revenues from the resultssale of its products and has incurred significant losses from its operations. The Company has financed its operations andprimarily through the sale of its cash flows for eachcommon stock. The Company’s continued operations are dependent upon its ability to obtain adequate sources of funding through future sales, follow-on stock offerings, debt financing, co-development agreements, sale or licensing of developed intellectual property or alternatives. There can be no assurances that the yearsCompany will be successful in the two-year period ended December 31, 2014, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.achieving its long-term plans.

/s/ Gumbiner Savett Inc.

We have served as the Company's auditor since 2013.

March 25, 2015
30, 2018

Santa Monica, California


TABLE OF CONTENTS

IDEAL POWER INC.

Balance Sheets

  
 December 31, December 31, 
 2014 2013 2017  2016 
ASSETS
               
Current assets:
                  
Cash and cash equivalents $7,912,011  $14,137,097  $10,022,247  $4,204,916 
Accounts receivable, net  446,521   252,406   221,084   378,658 
Inventories, net  251,338   519,657   251,363   1,245,147 
Prepayments and other current assets  263,605   231,495   283,208   312,593 
Total current assets  8,873,475   15,140,655   10,777,902   6,141,314 
        
Property and equipment, net  374,376   85,718   669,571   936,486 
Patents, net  1,012,964   608,913 
Intangible assets, net  2,082,014   1,905,556 
Other assets  17,920      37,500   17,920 
Total Assets $10,278,735  $15,835,286 
Total assets $13,566,987  $9,001,276 
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
                  
Current liabilities:
                  
Accounts payable $441,636  $539,145  $449,475  $346,767 
Accrued expenses  773,119   461,193   1,081,155   1,149,129 
Total current liabilities  1,214,755   1,000,338   1,530,630   1,495,896 
Commitments
          
        
Long-term liabilities  456,234   265,418 
Total liabilities  1,986,864   1,761,314 
        
Commitments and contingencies        
        
Stockholders’ equity:
                  
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized; 7,048,235 and 6,931,968 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively  7,048   6,932 
Common stock to be issued     151,665 
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; 1,518,430 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2017  1,518   -- 
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized; 13,998,465 shares issued and 13,996,121 shares outstanding at December 31, 2017 and 9,560,896 shares issued and 9,559,213 shares outstanding at December 31, 2016, respectively  13,998   9,561 
Additional paid-in capital  32,712,020   31,431,220   67,081,359   52,310,481 
Treasury stock  (2,657  (2,657
Treasury stock, at cost; 2,344 shares at December 31, 2017 and 1,683 shares at December 31, 2016, respectively  (7,489)  (5,915)
Accumulated deficit  (23,652,431  (16,752,212  (55,509,263)  (45,074,165)
Total stockholders’ equity  9,063,980   14,834,948   11,580,123   7,239,962 
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity $10,278,735  $15,835,286 
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $13,566,987  $9,001,276 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

IDEAL POWER INC.

Statements of Operations

   For the Year Ended
December 31,
 
 For the Year Ended
December 31,
 2017  2016 
 2014 2013     
Revenues:
          
Products $1,215,015  $417,468 
Royalties     100,000 
Grants  579,079   1,374,956 
Total revenue  1,794,094   1,892,424 
Cost of revenues:
          
Products  1,627,429   716,175 
Grant research and development costs  643,421   1,430,798 
Total cost of revenue  2,270,850   2,146,973 
Product revenue $1,212,270  $1,628,740 
Cost of product revenue  2,241,682   1,939,712 
Gross loss  (476,756  (254,549  (1,029,412)  (310,972)
        
Operating expenses:
                  
Research and development  4,184,905   5,224,992 
General and administrative  2,993,131   2,139,036   3,789,852   3,743,940 
Research and development  2,258,469   1,212,298 
Sales and marketing  1,199,578   457,292   1,448,517   1,737,233 
Total operating expenses  6,451,178   3,808,626   9,423,274   10,706,165 
Loss from operations  (6,927,934  (4,063,175  (10,452,686)  (11,017,137)
Interest (income) expense, net (including amortization of debt discount of $5,318,257 for the year ended December 31, 2013)  (27,715  5,488,523 
Interest income  17,588   36,046 
Net loss $(6,900,219 $(9,551,698 $(10,435,098) $(10,981,091)
        
Net loss per share – basic and fully diluted $(0.98 $(4.90 $(0.79) $(1.15)
        
Weighted average number of shares outstanding – basic and fully diluted  7,016,872   1,950,171   13,223,229   9,548,381 

  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

IDEAL POWER INC.

Statement of Stockholders’ Equity

For the Years Ended December 31, 20142017 and 2013

2016

        
        
 Common Stock Common Stock Issuable Additional
Paid-In
Capital
 Treasury
Stock
 Accumulated
Deficit
 Total
Stockholders’
Equity
(Deficit)
   Shares Amount Shares Amount
Balances at December 31, 2012  1,480,262  $1,480     $  $7,100,297  $(2,657 $(7,200,514 $(101,394
Shares issued in initial public offering  3,450,000   3,450         17,246,550         17,250,000 
Issuance costs of initial public offering              (3,916,892        (3,916,892
Fair value of warrants issued in connection with initial public offering              1,682,877         1,682,877 
Conversion of promissory notes  1,700,493   1,701         6,266,668         6,268,369 
Contribution on cancellation of promissory note              1,205,096         1,205,096 
Fair value of warrants issued in connection with promissory
notes
              655,800         655,800 
Beneficial conversion feature – convertible promissory notes              674,066         674,066 
Common stock issuable for
services
        32,525   151,665            151,665 
Warrants issued for consulting services              37,145         37,145 
Modification of warrants issued in connection with promissory
notes
              20,935         20,935 
Cashless exercise of warrants  301,213   301         (305        (4
Stock-based compensation              458,983         458,983 
Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2013                    (9,551,698  (9,551,698
Balances at December 31, 2013  6,931,968   6,932   32,525   151,665   31,431,220   (2,657  (16,752,212  14,834,948 
Common stock issued for services  38,903   39   (32,525  (151,665  201,630         50,004 
Warrants issued for consulting services              130,179         130,179 
Exercise of options and warrants  77,364   77         4,889         4,966 
Stock-based compensation              944,102         944,102 
Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2014                    (6,900,219  (6,900,219
Balances at December 31, 2014  7,048,235  $7,048     $  $32,712,020  $(2,657 $(23,652,431 $9,063,980 
  Common Stock  Preferred
Stock
  Additional Paid-In
Capital
  Treasury Stock  Accumulated
Deficit
  Total Stockholders’
Equity
 
  Shares  Amount  Shares  Amount     Shares  Amount       
Balances at December 31, 2015  9,550,544  $9,550     $—   $50,757,414   1,000  $(2,657) $(34,093,074) $16,671,233 
Exercise of options and warrants  10,352   11      —    35,522            35,533 
Common stock tendered to pay taxes on restricted stock vesting         —   —       683   (3,258)     (3,258)
Stock-based compensation         —   —    1,517,545            1,517,545 
Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2016         —   —             (10,981,091)  (10,981,091)
Balances at December 31, 2016  9,560,896  $9,561    —   $—   $52,310,481   1,683  $(5,915) $(45,074,165) $7,239,962 
Shares issued in offering, net of issuance costs  5,220,826   5,221   708,430   708   13,651,402            13,657,331 
Exercise of options and warrants  26,743   26           11,117            11,143 
Common stock to preferred stock exchange  (810,000)  (810)  810,000   810   —    —    —    —    —  
Common stock tendered to pay taxes on restricted stock vesting         —   —       661   (1,574)     (1,574)
Stock-based compensation         —   —    1,108,359            1,108,359 
Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2017         —   —             (10,435,098)  (10,435,098)
Balances at December 31, 2017  13,998,465  $13,998   1,518,430  $1,518  $67,081,359   2,344  $(7,489) $(55,509,263) $11,580,123 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

IDEAL POWER INC.

Statements of Cash Flows

  
 For the Year Ended
December 31,
 For the Year Ended December 31, 
 2014 2013 2017  2016 
Cash flows from operating activities:
                  
Net loss $(6,900,219 $(9,551,698 $(10,435,098) $(10,981,091)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
                  
Allowance for doubtful accounts  192,693   85,375 
Write-down of inventory  760,785   72,823 
Depreciation and amortization  67,793   29,711   451,547   406,639 
Write-down of inventory  62,851   23,651 
Allowance for doubtful accounts  24,775    
Write-off of fixed assets  54,261   47,560 
Write-off of capitalized patents  279,982   116,969 
Stock-based compensation  944,102   458,983   1,108,359   1,517,545 
Common stock issued and to be issued for services  50,004   151,665 
Amortization of debt discount     5,318,257 
Issuance of note payable in connection with services     213,293 
Fair value of warrants issued for consulting services  130,179   37,145 
Accrued interest – promissory note     72,406 
Decrease (increase) in operating assets:
                  
Accounts receivable  (218,890  233,268   (35,119)  408,841 
Inventories  205,468   (325,441  232,999   (679,993)
Prepaid expenses and other assets  (50,030  (203,027  9,805   (16,238)
Increase (decrease) in operating liabilities:
                  
Accounts payable  (97,509  (145,413  102,708   (992,061)
Accrued expenses  311,926   446,408   (138,461)  (85,022)
Net cash used in operating activities  (5,469,550  (3,240,792  (7,415,539)  (10,098,653)
Cash flows from investing activities:
                  
Purchase of property and equipment  (342,247  (78,941  (155,613)  (391,088)
Acquisition of patents  (418,255  (142,708
Acquisition of intangible assets  (278,417)  (359,904)
Net cash used in investing activities  (760,502  (221,649  (434,030)  (750,992)
Cash flows from financing activities:
                  
Borrowings on notes payable, net of debt raising costs     611,256 
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock     15,015,985   13,657,331    
Exercise of options and warrants  4,966   (4  11,143   35,533 
Payment of taxes related to restricted stock vesting  (1,574)  (3,258)
Net cash provided by financing activities  4,966   15,627,237   13,666,900   32,275 
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents  (6,225,086  12,164,796 
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents  5,817,331   (10,817,370)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year  14,137,097   1,972,301   4,204,916   15,022,286 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year $7,912,011  $14,137,097  $10,022,247  $4,204,916 
       (Continued) 

  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

IDEAL POWER INC.

Statements of Cash Flows (Continued)

Non cash activities for the year ended December 31, 2013:

The Company issued 256,849 warrants valued at $251,800 in connection with notes payable.

The Company recorded $404,000 for a change in estimate related to warrants issued in connection with a promissory note.

The Company recorded a debt discount of $674,066 for the intrinsic value of the embedded conversion feature associated with notes payable.

The Company recorded a contribution of capital of $1,205,096 in connection with the cancellation of a promissory note.

The Company recorded $1,701 of common stock and $6,266,668 of additional paid-in capital in connection with the conversion of notes payable to equity.

The Company recorded $1,682,877 for the fair value of warrants issued in connection with its initial public offering and for issuance costs of its initial public offering as offsetting amounts within additional paid-in capital.



The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ideal Power Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

Note 1 — Organization and Description of Business

Ideal Power Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated in Texas on May 17, 2007 under the name Ideal Power Converters, Inc. The Company changed its name to Ideal Power Inc. on July 8, 2013 and re-incorporated in Delaware on July 15, 2013. With headquarters in Austin, Texas, it develops power conversion solutions with an initiala focus on solar + storage, microgrid and stand-alone commercial and industrial gridenergy storage combined solar and storage, and microgrid applications. The principal products of the Company are 30-kilowatt power conversion systems, including dual-port2-port and multi-port battery converters.products.

Since its inception, the Company has generated limited revenues from the sale of products and has financed its research and development efforts and operations primarily through the sale of common stock and, prior to its initial public offering, the issuance of convertible debt. The Company’s continued operations are dependent upon its ability to obtain adequate sources of funding through future revenues, follow-on stock offerings, debt governmental grants and proceeds from its initial public offering.financing, co-development agreements, sale or licensing of developed intellectual property or other alternatives.

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

On November 21, 2013, the Company effected a 1-for-2.381 reverse stock split of its issued common stock. All applicable share data, per share amounts and related information in the financial statements and notes thereto have been adjusted retroactively to give effect to the 1-for-2.381 reverse stock split.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Accounts Receivable

Trade accounts receivable are stated net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition and generally requires no collateral from its customers.condition. In limited instances, the Company may require an upfront deposit and, in most cases, the Company does chargecharges interest on past due amounts. Management estimates the allowance for doubtful accounts based on review and analysis of specific customer balances that may not be collectible, customer payment history and how recently payments have been received.any other customer-specific information that may impact the evaluation of the specific customer’s credit. Accounts are considered for write-off when they become past due and when it is determined that the probability of collection is remote. The allowance for doubtful accounts was $24,775$178,399 and $85,375 at December 31, 2014. There was no allowance for doubtful accounts at December 31, 2013.2017 and 2016, respectively.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (first in, first out method) or market value. Inventory quantities on hand are reviewed regularly and a write-down for excess and obsolete inventory is recorded based primarily on an estimated forecast of product demand, market conditions and anticipated production requirements in the near future. There was a $40,703$120,443 and $59,969 reserve for excess and obsolete inventory at December 31, 20142017 and 2016, respectively, related to component parts not anticipated to be used in production. There was no reserve for excess and obsolete inventory at December 31, 2013.have a future use.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ideal Power Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies – (continued)

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at historical cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Major additions and improvements are capitalized while maintenance and repairs that do not improve or extend the useful life of the respective asset are expensed. Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment is computed using the straight-line method over thetheir estimated useful lives. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the life of the asset or the related leases. Estimated useful lives of the principal classes of assets are as follows:

Leasehold improvements     4 yearsShorter of lease term or useful life
Machinery and equipment 5 years
Furniture, fixtures and computers 3 – 5 years

PatentsIntangible Assets

Patents

The Company’s intangible assets are primarily composed of patents, which are recorded at cost. The Company capitalizes third party legal costs and filing fees, if any, associated with obtaining patents on its new discoveries.or other intangible assets. Once the patents haveintangible asset has been issued,placed in service, the Company amortizes these costs over the shorter of the asset’s legal life, of the patentgenerally 20 years, or its estimated economic life generally 20 years, using the straight-line method.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The long-lived assets, consisting of property and equipment and intangible assets, held and used by the Company are reviewed for impairment no less frequently than annually or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. In the event that facts and circumstances indicate that the cost of any long-lived assets may be impaired, an evaluation of recoverability is performed. Management has determined that there was noan impairment in the value of long-lived assets in the amount of $334,243 and $164,529 during the years ended December 31, 20142017 and 2013.2016, respectively.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Assets and liabilities measured at fair value are categorized based on whether or not the inputs are observable in the market and the degree that the inputs are observable. The categorization of financial assets and liabilities within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The three levels of inputs used to establish fair value are the following:

Level 1 — Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;
Level 2 — Inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities; and
Level 3 — Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities

The Company’s financial instruments primarily consist of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accounts payable.long-term liabilities. As of the balance sheet dates, the estimated fair values of the financial instruments were not materially different from their carrying values as presented on the balance sheets. This is primarily attributed to the short maturitiesshort-term nature of these instruments.

In 2016, the Company recorded a long-term liability for the estimated present value of future payments under a licensing agreement. In 2017, the Company recorded an adjustment to increase the long-term liability due to an increase in the future payments due under this licensing agreement. The Company determined the discount rate to estimate the present value of the future payments based on the applicable treasury rates. The Company's long-term liability is classified within Level 3. See Footnote 7 and Footnote 13 for more details regarding the licensing agreement. The Company did not identify any other non-recurring assets and liabilities that are required to be presented in the balance sheets at fair value.


Revenue Recognition

Revenue from product sales is recognized when the risks of loss and title pass to the customer, as specified in (1) the respective sales agreements and (2) other revenue recognition criteria as prescribed by Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) No. 101 (SAB 101), “Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements,” as amended by SAB No. 104, “Revenue Recognition”. The Company generally sells its products FOB shipping and recognizes revenue when products are shipped. Revenue from service contracts is recognized using the completed-performance or proportional-performance method depending on the terms of the service agreement. When there are acceptance provisions based on customer-specified subjective criteria, the completed-performance method is used. For contracts where the services performed in the last series of acts is very significant, in relation to the entire contract, performance is not deemed to have occurred until the final act is completed. Once customer acceptance has been received, or the last significant act is performed, revenue is recognized. The Company uses the proportional-performance method when a service contract


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ideal Power Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies – (continued)

specifies a number of acts to be performed and the Company has the ability to determine the pattern and related value in which service is provided to the customer.

The Company receives payments from government entities in the form of government grants. Government grants are agreements that generally provide the Company with cost reimbursement for certain type of research and development activities over a contractually defined period. Revenues from government grants are recognized in the period during which the Company incurs the related costs, provided that the Company has incurred the cost in accordance with the specifications and work plans determined between the Company and the government entity. Costs incurred related to the grants are recorded as grant research and development costs. Government grant revenue amounted to $579,079 and $1,374,956 for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. At December 31, 2014 and 2013, grants receivable amounted to $132,227 and $211,063, respectively, and were included in accounts receivable.

Royalty income is recognized as earned based on the terms of the contractual agreements and has no direct costs.

Product Warranties

The Company generally provides a ten year manufacturer’sten-year limited warranty coveringon its products except for its product defects.for the solar + storage market for which the Company provides a five-year limited warranty. Accruals for product warranties are estimated based upon limited historical warranty experience, engineering experience and judgment, and a third party assessmentthird-party assessments of the reliability of the Company’s 30kW products. Accruals for product warranties are recorded in cost of revenuesproduct revenue at the time revenue is recognized in order to match revenues with related expenses. The Company assesses the adequacy of its estimated warranty liability quarterly and adjusts the reserve, included in accrued expenses, as necessary. Although any suchThe Company recorded warranty accrual adjustments were not material inof $283,457 and $116,448 for the years ended December 31, 20142017 and 2013, any such2016, respectively. Warranty adjustments could be material in the future if estimates differ significantly from longer termactual warranty experience.

Research and Development

Grant research and development are costs incurred solely related to grant revenues, and are classified as a line item under cost of revenues.

Other research

Research and development costs are presented as a line item under operating expenses and are expensed as incurred. Total research and development costs incurred during the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 amounted to $2,901,890 and $2,643,096, respectively, of which $643,421 and $1,430,798, respectively, was included in cost of revenues.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes using an asset and liability approach which allows for the recognition and measurement of deferred tax assets based upon the likelihood of realization of tax benefits in future years. Under the asset and liability approach, deferred taxes are provided for the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. A valuation allowance is provided for deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not these items will either expire before the Company is able to realize their benefits, or that future deductibility is uncertain. At December 31, 20142017 and 2013,2016, the Company has established a full reserve against all deferred tax assets.

Tax benefits from an uncertain tax position are recognized only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate resolution.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ideal Power Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies – (continued)

Net Loss Per Share

The Company applies FASB ASCFinancial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 260, “Earnings per Share.” Basic earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing earnings (loss) available to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted earnings (loss) per share is computed similar to basic earnings (loss) per share except that the denominator is increased to include additional common shares available upon exercise of stock optionsequity awards and warrants using the treasury stock method, except formethod. In periods for whichwith a net loss, no common share equivalents are included because their effect would be anti-dilutive. At December 31, 20142017 and 2013,2016, potentially dilutive shares outstanding amounted to 2,932,1558,837,315 and 2,145,495,3,006,357, respectively.


Stock Based Compensation

The Company applies FASB ASC 718, “Stock Compensation,” when recording stock based compensation. The fair value of each stock option award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option valuation model.

The assumptions used inCompany uses a Monte Carlo simulation pricing model to determine the Black-Scholes valuation model are as follows:

Grant Price — The grant price of the issuances are determined based on the estimated fair value of the sharesperformance stock units (“PSUs”). A typical Monte Carlo exercise simulates a distribution of stock prices to yield an expected distribution of stock prices during and at the date of grant prior to the Company’s IPO and the closing share price on the date of grant subsequent to the Company’s IPO.

Risk-free interest rate — The risk free interest rate for periods within the contractual lifeend of the option is based on the U.S. treasury yield in effect at the time of grant.

Expected lives — As permitted by SAB 107, due to the Company’s insufficient history of option activity, the management utilizes the simplified approach to estimate the options expected term, which represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding.

Expected volatility — is determined based on management’s estimate or historical volatilities of comparable companies.

Expected dividend yield — is based on current yield at the grant date or the average dividend yield over the historicalperformance period. The Company has never declared or paid dividendssimulations are repeated many times in order to derive a probabilistic assessment of stock performance. The stock-paths are simulated using assumptions which include expected stock price volatility and has no plans to do so in the foreseeable future.risk-free interest rate.

The Company accounts for stock issued to non-employees in accordance with the provisions of FASB ASC 505-50 “Equity Based Payments to Non-Employees.” FASB ASC 505-50 states that equity instruments that are issued in exchange for the receipt of goods or services should be measured at the fair value of the consideration received or the fair value of the equity instruments issued, whichever is more reliably measurable. The measurement date occurs as of the earlier of (a) the date at which a performance commitment is reached or (b) absent a performance commitment, the date at which the performance necessary to earn the equity instruments is complete (that is, the vesting date).

The Company issues common stock upon exercise of equity awards and warrants.

Presentation of Sales Taxes

Certain states impose a sales tax on the Company’s sales to nonexempt customers. The Company collects that sales tax from customers and remits the entire amount to the states. The Company’s accounting policy is to exclude the tax collected and remitted to the states from revenues and cost of revenues.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash accounts receivableand cash equivalents and accounts payable.receivable. The Company maintains its cash with a major financial institution located in the United States. Balances are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to $250,000. The Company maintains balances in excess of federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced losses in such accounts and believes it is not exposed to any significant credit risk onregarding its cash and cash equivalents.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ideal Power Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies – (continued)

The Company encounters a certain amount of risk as a result of a concentration of revenue from a few significant customers. Credit is extended to customers based on an evaluation of their financial condition. The Company generally does not require collateral or other security to support accounts receivable. In limited instances, the Company may require an upfront deposit and, in most cases, the Company does charge interest on past due amounts.deposit. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and records an allowance for potential bad debts based on available information.

The Company had revenue from a government entity and three customersone customer that accounted for 76%15% of netproduct revenue for the year ended December 31, 2014,2017, and revenue from a government entitytwo customers that accounted for 65%44% of netproduct revenue for the year ended December 31, 2013.2016. The Company had an accounts receivable balance from a government entity, twothree customers and a vendor that accounted for 80%60% and two customers that accounted for 78% of total accounts receivabletrade receivables at December 31, 2014,2017 and from2016, respectively.

Recently Adopted Standard

In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-11, Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Down Round Features and Replacement of the Indefinite Deferral for Mandatorily Redeemable Financial Instruments of Certain Nonpublic Entities and Certain Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests with a government entity thatScope Exception. Part I of this ASU addresses the complexity of accounting for certain financial instruments with down round features. Per the ASU, a freestanding equity-linked financial instrument (or embedded conversion option) no longer would be accounted for 84%as a derivative liability at fair value as a result of total accounts receivable atthe existence of a down round feature. The ASU is effective for public entities for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2013.

Reclassifications

Certain items in prior financial statements have been reclassified15, 2018 and early adoption is permitted. The Company has elected to conform to current year presentation.early adopt the ASU and will recognize the value of the effect of the down round provision, if and/or when triggered. The provision is associated with stock warrants issued as part of the Company's 2017 definitive securities purchase agreement, or the Private Placement. For more details regarding the 2017 Private Placement, see Notes 9 and 11.


Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), requiring an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. The FASB issued several amendments to the standard, including clarification on accounting for licenses of intellectual property and identifying performance obligations. The standard replaced most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP when it became effective on January 1,2018 and permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. The Company believes the standard will not have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements, nor require an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings at January 1, 2018, the date of initial adoption.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by requiring the recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. Most prominent among the amendments is the recognition of assets and liabilities by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases under previous U.S. GAAP. Under the new standard, disclosures are required to meet the objective of enabling users of financial statements to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The new standard will be effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. While the Company is continuing to assess the potential impact of this standard, it expects its lease commitment will be subject to the updated standard and recognized as a lease liability and right-of-use asset upon adoption.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), in order to address eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice. The updated standard is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those fiscal years with early adoption permitted. The adoption of the standard will not have a significant effect on the Company’s financial statements.

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting. This ASU provides clarity and reduces both (1) diversity in practice and (2) cost and complexity when applying the guidance in Topic 718 to a change to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award. The amendments in this ASU are effective for public entities for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. The ASU should be applied prospectively on and after the effective date. The standard is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.

Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if adopted, willwould have a material effectimpact on the Company’s financial statements.


Note 3 — Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable, net consisted of the following:

  
 December 31,
   2014 2013
Trade receivables $231,412  $24,643 
Grant receivables  132,227   211,063 
Other receivables  107,657   16,700 
    471,296   252,406 
Allowance for doubtful accounts  (24,775   
   $446,521  $252,406 

  December 31, 
  2017  2016 
Trade receivables $378,894  $430,278 
Other receivables  20,589   33,755 
   399,483   464,033 
Allowance for doubtful accounts  (178,399)  (85,375)
  $221,084  $378,658 

At December 31, 2017, the allowance for doubtful accounts represents trade receivables from two customers as it was determined that the probability of collection of the receivables is remote. During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company collected $15,475 of its previously reserved receivables and wrote-off $98,850 of its allowance for doubtful accounts. Except for the write-off of previously reserved receivables, the changes in the allowance for doubtful accounts are reflected within the sales and marketing line item of the statement of operations.

Note 4 — Inventories

Inventories, net consisted of the following:

  
 December 31,
   2014 2013
Raw materials $143,289  $102,652 
Finished goods  148,752   417,005 
    292,041   519,657 
Reserve for obsolescence  (40,703   
   $251,338  $519,657 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ideal Power Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

  December 31, 
  2017  2016 
Raw materials $222,436  $363,195 
Finished goods  149,370   941,921 
   371,806   1,305,116 
Reserve for obsolescence  (120,443)  (59,969)
  $251,363  $1,245,147 

In 2017, the Company recorded a net charge of $673,102 for excess and obsolete inventory in connection with the end-of-life of the Company’s legacy products. The excess and obsolete inventory charge was net of a cash recovery of $12,891 for inventory that was reserved in the year ended December 31, 2016. The net charge is reflected within the cost of product revenue line item of the statement of operations. In 2017, the Company also recorded a non-cash charge of $74,792 in connection with the write-down of component inventory utilized in research and development activities. This charge is reflected within the research and development line item of the statement of operations.

Note 5 — Prepayments and Other Current Assets

Prepayments and other current assets consisted of the following:

  December 31, 
  2017  2016 
Prepaid insurance $160,926  $172,163 
Prepaid software  61,689   68,682 
Other  60,593   71,748 
  $283,208  $312,593 

  
 December 31,
   2014 2013
Prepaid insurance $158,400  $207,254 
Prepaid payroll  27,219    
Other  77,986   24,241 
   $263,605  $231,495 

Note 6 — Property and Equipment

Property and equipment, net consisted of the following:

  
 December 31,
   2014 2013
Machinery and equipment $263,142  $46,733 
Building leasehold improvements  48,280   46,850 
Furniture, fixtures, software and computers  183,237   107,769 
    494,659   201,352 
Accumulated depreciation and amortization  (120,283  (115,634
   $374,376  $85,718 

  December 31, 
  2017  2016 
Machinery and equipment $1,013,133  $894,228 
Building leasehold improvements  395,335   395,335 
Furniture, fixtures, software and computers  218,571   228,011 
   1,627,039   1,517,574 
Accumulated depreciation and amortization  (957,468)  (581,088)
  $669,571  $936,486 

Note 7 — Patents

Intangible Assets

Patents

Intangible assets, net consisted of the following:

  
 December 31,
   2014 2013
Patents $1,040,219  $621,964 
Accumulated amortization  (27,255  (13,051
   $1,012,964  $608,913 

Amortization expense

  December 31, 
  2017  2016 
Patents $1,554,268  $1,556,204 
Other intangible assets  732,175   470,870 
   2,286,443   2,027,074 
Accumulated amortization  (204,429)  (121,518)
  $2,082,014  $1,905,556 

At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company had capitalized approximately $472,928 and $678,410, respectively, for costs related to patents awardedthat have not been awarded. During the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company wrote-off $279,982 and $116,969, respectively, in previously capitalized patent costs. In 2017, the Company rationalized its pending patent portfolio to focus exclusively on the highest value opportunities to extend the duration or expand the scope of patent protection for its technology.

In 2017, a U.S. patent was issued associated with licensing agreements and the Company recorded an intangible asset and corresponding long-term liability for the estimated present value of future payments of $261,303. The Company is amortizing the capitalized costs over the remaining term of the agreements. For further discussion of the licensing agreements, see Note 13.

Amortization expense amounted to $14,204$83,280 and $8,585$63,666 for the years ended December 31, 20142017 and 2013,2016, respectively. Amortization expense for the succeeding five years and thereafter is $14,727 (2015); $14,727 (2016); $14,727 (2017); $14,727 (2018); $14,727 (2019);$96,485 (2018-2022) and $193,650$1,126,659 (thereafter).

At December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company had capitalized approximately $746,000 and $381,000, respectively, for costs related to patents that have not been awarded.

Note 8 — Accrued Expenses

Accrued expenses consisted of the following:

  
 December 31,
   2014 2013
Accrued compensation $548,953  $249,160 
Warranty reserve  143,364   113,078 
Other  80,802   98,955 
   $773,119  $461,193 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ideal Power Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

Note 8 — Accrued Expenses  – (continued)

  December 31, 
  2017  2016 
Accrued compensation $247,343  $519,485 
Warranty reserve  426,115   335,893 
Other  407,697   293,751 
  $1,081,155  $1,149,129 

The changes in warranty reserve were as follows:

  2017  2016 
Balance, beginning of the year $335,893  $358,296 
Provisions for warranty  364,335   222,408 
Warranty payments  (274,113)  (244,811)
Balance, end of the year $426,115  $335,893 

  
 2014 2013
Balance, beginning of the year $113,078  $103,129 
Provisions for warranty and beta replacements  76,671   32,991 
Warranty payments or beta replacements  (46,385  (23,042
Balance, end of the year $143,364  $113,078 

42 

Note 9 — Common Stock

Equity

All shares of common stock have a par value of $0.001. Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote per share outstanding.

Common

In February 2017, the Company's Board of Directors authorized Series A Convertible Preferred Stock

During consisting of 3,000,000 shares. Each share of the year ended December 31, 2014,preferred stock has a par value of $0.001 and a stated value of $2.535 and is convertible at any time at the option of the holder into one share of common stock. The holder cannot convert the preferred stock to the extent its beneficial ownership would exceed 4.99% of the Company's common stock activity consistedoutstanding, subject to adjustment as provided in the Certificate of the exerciseDesignation of optionsPreferences, Rights and warrants forLimitations of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock. The shares have no voting power, no liquidation preference or additional dividend entitlements. In February 2017, an aggregate 77,364investor exchanged 810,000 shares of common stock for 810,000 shares of preferred stock.

On March 3, 2017, the Company closed on a definitive securities purchase agreement, or the Private Placement, to sell the Company’s common stock for proceedsand preferred stock together with warrants to purchase shares of $4,966 andcommon stock. In the issuancePrivate Placement, each share of common stock or preferred stock was sold together with a warrant to purchase one share of common stock at a collective price of $2.535. Investors purchased an aggregate 38,903 shares of the Company’s common stock with a fair value of $201,669 for services, of which 32,525 shares of the Company’s common stock with a fair value of $151,665 were issuable at December 31, 2013. During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company also recorded expense of $130,719 relating to the vesting of 46,000 warrants issued in 2013 for services.

During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company recognized an award of 32,525 shares of its common stock for services performed by directors and recorded $151,665 in expense for compensation for the shares to be issued. The shares to be issued included 25,333 shares at an estimated fair value of $5.00 per share, the Company’s best estimate of the expected share price for its initial public offering, for the Company’s current directors and 7,192 shares at an estimated fair value of $3.48 per share, the Company’s best estimate of the its share price in November 2012, for a former director of the Company who was appointed in November 2012, had shares vest through May 2013 and resigned in August 2013. The shares had not been issued as of December 31, 2013 and were excluded from the weighted average total shares outstanding for the year ended December 31, 2013.

In November and December 2013, the Company completed an initial public offering whereby 3,450,0005,220,826 shares of common stock were issued at $5.00 per share, which included the exercise of the overallotment allowance by the underwriters, MDB Capital Group LLC (MDB), the Managing Underwriter, and Northland Capital Markets, the Co-Managing Underwriter. Gross proceeds from the IPO totaled $17.25 million and net cash proceeds approximated $15 million. Expenses of the offering approximated $2.2 million, including underwriters’ fees of approximately $1.5 million paid to MDB, underwriter expenses of $187,500, issuer legal fees of $440,736 and other expenses of $148,154.

Immediately following the IPO, convertible promissory notes in the principal amount of $6.1 million and $163,218 in accrued interest were converted into 1,700,493708,430 shares of the Company’s common stock.

On December 31, 2013, the State of Texas exercised, on a cashless basis, itspreferred stock together with warrants to purchase 301,2735,929,256 shares of common stock in the Company’s common stock. The StatePrivate Placement for aggregate gross proceeds of Texas received 301,213 shares$15 million. Net cash proceeds were $13,657,331 after offering fees and 60 shares were used to coverexpenses, including the exercise price. The Company recorded $404,000 in interest expense related to the warrants as the estimated numberplacement agent fee of warrants was adjusted based on the IPO price.approximately $1.1 million.

During the year ended December 31, 2013, stockholders’ equity activity also consisted

As a result of the following transactions: (1) the issuance of 345,000 underwriter warrants with a fair value of $1,682,877 in connection with the IPOexchange and (2) the issuance of 84,000 warrants with a fair value of $237,719 in connection with consulting services to be rendered for a period of 24 months effective November 1, 2013. The Company expensed $22,640 related to this warrantPrivate Placement, in the year ended December 31, 2013.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ideal Power Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

Note 9 — Common Stock  – (continued)

On December 1, 2014,2017, the Company filed a Form S-3 shelf registration statement withissued 1,518,430 shares of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The registration statement allows the Company to offer up to an aggregate $75 million of common stock, preferred stock, warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock or any combination thereof.Company's Series A Convertible Preferred Stock.

Note 10 — Stock OptionEquity Incentive Plan

On May 17, 2013, the Company adopted the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and reserved 487,932 shares of common stock for issuance under the Plan, including stock options, stock awards and stock bonuses. The maximum number of shares that may be granted under the Plan will be increased effective the first day of each of the Company’s fiscal quarters provided that the number of shares that may be granted under the Plan does not exceed 839,983 shares.Plan. The Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s boardBoard of directors. The persons eligible to participate in the Plan are employees, non-employee members of the board of directors, consultants and other independent advisors who provide services to the Company. Options issued under the Plan may have a term of up to ten years and may have variable vesting.Directors.

On July 19, 2013, the Company granted 346,813 stock options to various employees to purchase

At December 31, 2017, there were 877,352 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $5.00 per share. The options vest in equal installments on December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015. During November and December 2013,available for issuance under the Company granted 40,500 stock options to newly hired employees. The exercise price of the stock options issued to new employees was the closing price of the Company’s stock on the date of grant and the options vest in equal annual installments over 4 years. The options granted in 2013 were valued at $1,414,330 using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The compensation expense associated with these grants recognized during the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 amounted to $345,858 and $337,908, respectively.Plan.

During the year ended December 31, 2014,2017, the Company granted 598,400 and 51,12683,625 stock options to purchase shares of commonBoard members and 84,100 stock options to employees and non-employee directors, respectively.under the Plan. The exercise priceestimated fair value of thethese stock options, issued to both employees and directors was the closing price of the Company’s stock on the date of grant. The options granted to employees vest in equal annual installments over 4 years while the options granted to directors vested in equal quarterly installments in 2014. Of the 598,400 stock options granted to employees in 2014, 320,000 of those options (the “contingent grants”) are contingent upon shareholder approval of an increase in the shares reserved for issuance under the Plan at either the 2015 or 2016 Annual Shareholder Meeting. The options granted in 2014, inclusive of the contingent grants, were valued at $2,839,275calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The compensation expense associated with these grantsvaluation model, was $296,107, of which $172,962 was recognized during the year ended December 31, 2014 amounted to $340,538.2017.

At

During the year ended December 31, 20142017, 96,000 performance stock units (“PSUs”) were forfeited by an employee as the continued service conditions were not achieved at the time of the employee's termination. The PSUs were initially granted in 2015 and, without consideringdue to the contingent grants, 173,280 sharesforfeiture, the Company reversed $174,804 of common stock were available for issuance understock-based compensation expense in 2017.

During the Plan and, once granted, no additional shares may be granted under the Plan without shareholder approvalyear ended December 31, 2017, 26,743 options to increase the shares reserved for issuance under the Plan.

Awards Granted Outside the Plan

The Company issued a non-qualified stock option to its Chief Executive Officer (the “Inducement Option”) to purchase 250,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at a per share exercise pricewere exercised resulting in net cash proceeds of $7.14, equal to$11,143. These options were not granted under the closing price of the Company’s common stock on January 8, 2014, the date of grant. The right to purchase the shares subject to the Inducement Option vest in equal increments over a period of four years, beginning on December 31, 2014 and continuing thereafter on each subsequent December 31st through the end of the vesting period. The Inducement Option has a term of 10 years and is not subject to the terms of the Company’s 2013 Equity Incentive Plan. The estimated fair value of the Inducement Option, calculated utilizing the Black-Scholes option pricing model, was $1,030,825. The compensation expense associated with this grant recognized during the year ended December 31, 2014 amounted to $257,706.

The Company issued non-qualified stock options to two former executives in connection with separation and release agreements entered into by and between the executives and the Company in the fourth quarter of


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ideal Power Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

Note 10 — Stock Option Plan  – (continued)

2013. The separation and release agreement for one executive included a stock option agreement whereby the executive was granted an option to purchase 36,116 shares of common stock exercisable for a period of 12 months beginning on November 27, 2014. Of the 36,116 shares of common stock covered by the option agreement, 29,399 may be purchased at a per-share price of $5.00 and 6,717 may be purchased at a per share price of $6.3276. The separation and release agreement for the other former executive included a stock option agreement whereby the executive was granted an option to purchase 33,743 shares of common stock. Of the 33,743 shares covered by the option agreement, 26,743 shares have an exercise price of $0.416675 per share and are exercisable through January 31, 2022 and 7,000 shares have an exercise price of $5.00 per share and are exercisable through November 26, 2015. The option grants were treated as a modifications of prior grants and the Company recorded a charge of $94,503 for these modifications.

As permitted by SAB 107, due to the Company’s insufficient history of option activity, management utilizes the simplified approach to estimate the expected term of stock options, which represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding. The risk freeriskfree interest rate for periods within the contractual life of the option is based on the U.S. treasury yield in effect at the time of grant. The volatility is determinedestimated based on management’s estimate orthe historical volatilities of comparable companies. The Company has never declared or paid dividends and has no plans to do so in the foreseeable future.


The assumptions used in the Black-Scholes model are as follows:

   For the year ended December 31, 
 For the year ended December 31, 2017  2016 
 2014 2013
Risk-free interest rate  1.78 to 2.19%   1.46 to 1.86% 
Average risk-free interest rate  2.16%  1.55%
Expected dividend yield  0%   0%   %  %
Expected lives  5.31 to 6.25 years   5.58 to 6.25 years 
Expected life  5.31 to 6.25 years   5.31 to 6.25 years 
Expected volatility  60%   90%   65%  55%

A summary of the Company’s stock option activity and related information is as follows:

      
 2014 2013 2017  2016 
 Stock
Options
 Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
 Weighted
Average
Remaining
Life
(in years)
 Stock
Options
 Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
 Weighted
Average
Remaining
Life
(in years)
 Stock Options  Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
  Weighted
Average
Remaining
Life
(in years)
  Stock Options  Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
  Weighted
Average
Remaining
Life
(in years)
 
Outstanding at January 1  485,573  $4.240   8.2   158,108  $2.716   7.8   1,385,204  $6.89   7.5   1,332,323  $6.94   8.4 
Granted  899,526  $7.491        457,172  $4.769        167,725  $2.99       96,138  $5.95     
Exercised  (10,500 $0.095                   (26,743) $0.42       (4,607) $5.00     
Forfeited/Expired/Exchanged  (6,552 $4.532      (129,707 $4.249      (293,950) $7.14       (38,650) $6.68     
Outstanding at December 31  1,368,047  $6.408   8.7   485,573  $4.240   8.2   1,232,236  $6.44   6.8   1,385,204  $6.89   7.5 
Exercisable at December 31  467,204  $4.654   7.3   202,718  $3.699   8.0   910,436  $6.52   6.6   862,354  $6.56   7.2 

During the year ended December 31, 2014, an option holder exercised 10,500 options on a cashless basis and received 10,374 shares of common stock and 126 shares were used to cover the exercise price. The Company paid the option holder $6 for a fractional share in connection with the exercise of the options.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ideal Power Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

Note 10 — Stock Option Plan  – (continued)

The following table sets forth additional information about stock options outstanding at December 31, 2014:2017:

    
Range of Exercise Prices Options
Outstanding
 Weighted
Average
Remaining
Life
(in years)
 Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
 Options
Exercisable
$0.41 – $4.99  127,131   6.0  $2.391   127,131 
$5.00 – $6.99  388,516   7.8  $5.087   276,573 
$7.00 – $11.00  852,400   9.5  $7.609   63,500 
    1,368,047         467,204 
Range of Exercise Prices Options
Outstanding
  Weighted Average
Remaining Life
(in years)
  Weighted Average
Exercise Price
  Options
Exercisable
 
$2.23 – $5.00  318,170   7.2  $3.65   226,495 
$5.01 – $7.50  453,528   6.5  $6.96   340,078 
$7.51 – $8.27  460,538   6.9  $7.86   343,863 
   1,232,236           910,436 

The estimated aggregate pretax intrinsic value (the difference between the Company’s stock price on the last day of the year ended December 31, 20142017 and the exercises price, multiplied by the number of vested in-the-money options) is approximately $1,218,000.$0. This amount changes based on the fair value of the Company’s stock.

As of December 31, 2014,2017, there was $3,686,355$933,492 of unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based compensation arrangements. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 3.30.9 years.


Note 11 — Warrants

During the year ended December 31, 2014, warrant holders exercised 94,376 warrants on a cashless basis and received 65,552 shares of common stock and 28,824 shares were used to cover the exercise price. In addition, a warrant holder exercised 1,438 warrants and paid the exercise price in cash. The Company received $4,972 in net cash proceeds for the exercise of warrants during 2014.

During the year ended December 31, 2013,2017 and in connection with the Company issued 107,875Private Placement, investors received warrants to purchase 5,929,256 shares of common stock. The warrants have an exercise price of $2.41 per share and expire three years from the date of issuance. The placement agent also received 237,170 warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock to various promissory note holders withas part of its placement agent fee. The placement agent warrant has an exercise price of $3.47626.$2.89 per share, is non-exercisable for 12 months and has a three-year term from the date of issuance. The warrants became exercisable uponcontain a provision to protect investors from potential future dilutive events, or a down-round provision. The Company elected to early adopt ASU 2017-11 and will recognize the closingvalue of the Company’s IPO. effect of the down-round provision, if and/or when triggered.

The warrants were sold with shares of common stock for $2.535 per unit. The unit price was allocated to the warrants and common stock based upon the pro rata fair market value of the securities, with the warrants valued at approximately $379,000 using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and the Company recorded a debt discount of $251,800 upon issuancemodel. The allocated fair value of the warrants basedwas estimated to be $4.7 million on their relative fair value in accordance with ASC 470-20-25-2.

During the year ended December 31, 2013,date of issuance. In addition, the Company issued a warrant for the purchase of 84,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for consulting services, with an exercise price of $6.25. The warrant shares vest in increments of 4,000 warrant shares at the end of each month beginning with November 2013 and ending with October 2014 with the remainder vesting in increments of 3,000 warrant shares at the end of each month beginning with November 2014 and ending with October 2015. Upon termination of the consulting agreement by either party, all unvested warrant shares are terminated. Theplacement agent warrant was valued at approximately $237,719 using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. For the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company recorded $130,179 and $22,640, respectively, in expense related to vested warrant shares.

During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company issued a warrant for the purchase of 345,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to MDB Capital Group LLC, for its services as Managing Underwriter of the Company’s IPO, with an exercise price of $6.25. The warrants became exercisable 180 days after November 21, 2013. The warrant was valued at $1,682,877 using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ideal Power Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

Note 11 — Warrants  – (continued)

During the year ended December 31, 2013, the State of Texas exercised its right to purchase 301,273 shares of the Company’s common stock via a cashless exercise at an exercise price of $0.001 whereby it received 301,213 shares and a cash payment of $3.59 for a fractional share. The Company recorded a charge of $404,000 to interest expense upon the cashless exercise of the right to purchase in accordance with ASC 470-20-25-2 as the final number of shares was calculated based$249,440 on the IPO price. These shares are shown in the Summarydate of Warrant Activity as “Change in Estimate”.issuance.

The shares underlying the warrants have not been registered.

The assumptions used in the Black-Scholes model for these warrants are as follows:

For the year ended December 31, 2013
Risk-freeAverage risk-free interest rate  0.83% – 1.35%1.59%
Expected dividend yield  0%%
Expected liveslife  3.6 – 53 years 
Expected volatility  90%65%

A summary of the Company’s warrant activity and related information is as follows:

    
 2014 2013 2017  2016 
 Warrants Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
 Warrants Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
 Warrants  Weighted
Average Exercise
Price
  Warrants  Weighted
Average Exercise
Price
 
Outstanding at January 1  1,659,922  $4.3552   1,179,956  $3.5367   1,398,653  $4.57   1,408,002  $4.57 
Granted        536,875  $5.6927   6,166,426  $2.43     $ 
Change in Estimate        244,364  $0.0010 
Exercised  (95,814 $2.2725   (301,273 $0.0010     $   (9,349) $3.48 
Forfeited/Expired              (84,000) $6.25     $ 
Outstanding at December 31  1,564,108  $4.4828   1,659,922  $4.3552   7,481,079  $2.79   1,398,653  $4.57 

Warrants to purchase 30,000 shares

The placement agent warrant was not exercisable until March 3, 2018. Otherwise, no warrants were unvested at December 31, 2014.2017. The weighted average remaining life is 2.1 years.

Note 12 — Income Taxes

Income taxes are disproportionate to income due to net operating loss carryforwards, which are fully reserved. As of December 31, 2014,2017, the Company has federal net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $14$43 million which will begin to expire in 2031. Management has concluded that it is more likely than not that the Company will not have sufficient foreseeable taxable income within the carryforward period permitted by current law to allow for the utilization of certain of the deductible amounts generating the deferred tax assets; therefore, a full valuation allowance has been established to reduce the net deferred tax assets to zero at December 31, 20142017 and 2013.2016.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ideal Power Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

Note 12 — Income Taxes  – (continued)

The following is a summary of the significant components of the Company’s net deferred income tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 20142017 and 2013:2016:

  
 Year ended December 31, For the Year Ended December 31, 
 2014 2013 2017  2016 
Current deferred income tax assets:
                  
Inventory – uniform capitalization $13,000  $41,000  $11,000  $104,000 
Accrued compensation and other  151,000   18,000   93,000   136,000 
Less valuation allowance  (164,000  (59,000
Less: valuation allowance  (104,000)  (240,000)
 $  $  $  $ 
Non-current deferred income tax assets and (liabilities):
                  
Net operating loss $4,886,000  $3,048,000  $8,995,000  $11,319,000 
Research and development credit  18,000   18,000   18,000   18,000 
Warranty reserve  49,000   38,000   89,000   114,000 
Warrants issued for services  44,000      45,000   73,000 
Depreciation and amortization  (54,000     47,000   17,000 
Exercise of options and warrants  (33,000)  (50,000)
Stock based compensation  191,000      680,000   830,000 
Other  (330,000  (188,000
Less valuation allowance  (4,804,000  (2,916,000
Intangibles and other  (466,000)  (666,000)
Less: valuation allowance  (9,375,000)  (11,655,000)
Net non-current deferred tax assets $  $  $  $ 

The Company has applied the provisions of FASB ASC 740, “Income Tax”Income Tax, which clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in tax positions. FASB ASC 740 requires the recognition of the impact of a tax position in the financial statements if that position is more likely than not of being sustained on a tax return upon examination by the relevant taxing authority, based on the technical merits of the position. At December 31, 20142017 and 2013,2016, the Company had no unrecognized tax benefits.

The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to income tax matters in interest expense and operating expenses, respectively. As of December 31, 20142017, and 2013,2016, the Company has no accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions.

The Company is subject to tax in the United States (“U.S.”) and files tax returns in the U.S. federal and certain state jurisdictions. The Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local income tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2010.2013. The Company currently is not under examination by any tax authority.

The reconciliation between the statutory income tax rate and the effective tax rate is as follows:

  
 For the year ended
December 31,
   2014 2013
Statutory federal income tax rate  (34)%   (34)% 
Debt discount     20 
Other  5   2 
Valuation allowance  29   12 
      
  For the Year Ended
December 31,
 
  2017  2016 
Statutory federal income tax rate  (34)%  (34)%
Stock based compensation  1   2 
Tax Reform  56    
Valuation allowance  (23)  32 
   %  %

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) was signed into law. The Tax Act contains significant changes to corporate taxation, including (i) the reduction of the corporate income tax rate to 21%, (ii) the acceleration of expensing for certain business assets, (iii) the one-time transition tax related to the transition of U.S. international tax from a worldwide tax system to a territorial tax system, (iv) the repeal of the domestic production deduction, (v) additional limitations on the deductibility of interest expense and (vi) expanded limitations on executive compensation.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ideal Power Inc.

NotesThe key impact of the Tax Act on the Company’s financial statement for the year ended December 31, 2017, was the re-measurement of deferred tax balances to Financial Statements

the new corporate tax rate. In order to calculate the effects of the new corporate tax rate on the Company’s deferred tax balances, ASC 740 “Income Taxes” (“ASC 740”) required the re-measurement of the Company’s deferred tax balances as of the enactment date of the Tax Act, based on the rates at which the balances are expected to reverse in the future. The re-measurement of deferred tax balances resulted in a net reduction in deferred tax assets of $5.9 million offset with a corresponding adjustment to the valuation allowance.

Note 13 — Commitments

and Contingencies

Lease

On March 24, 2014, the

The Company entered into a lease for 14,782 square feet of office and laboratory space located at 4120 Freidrich Lane, Suite 100,in Austin, Texas 78744.Texas. The triple net lease has a term of 48 months and commenced on June 1, 2014. The annual base rent in the first year of the lease iswas $154,324 and increases by $3,548 in each succeeding year of the lease. In addition, the Company is required to pay its proportionate share of operating costs for the building. The Company has a one-time option to terminate the lease on May 31, 2017 with a termination payment of approximately $99,000 if it elects to exercise this option.

The Company leased its former facility in Spicewood, Texas under a non-cancelable operating lease that expired on June 26, 2014.

At December 31, 2014,2017, the remaining annual base rent commitments under the lease assuming no early termination, areis as follows:

 
For the year ended December 31, Amount
2015 $156,394 
2016  159,941 
2017  163,489 
2018  68,736 
Total $548,560 

For the year ended December 31, Amount 
2018 $68,736 

Rent expense incurred for the years ended December 31, 20142017 and 20132016 amounted to $137,559$234,160 and $37,930,$224,308 respectively.

Employment AgreementsLicense Agreement

On January 8, 2014,

In 2015, the Company entered into an employment agreement with its Chief Executive Officer. The employment agreement has a term of three years. The agreement provides for severance payments upon termination without cause. Consequently, iflicensing agreements which expire on February 7, 2033. Per the agreements, the Company releaseshas an exclusive royalty-free license associated with semiconductor power switches which enhances its intellectual property portfolio. The agreements include both fixed and variable payments. The variable payments are a function of the executive without cause or duenumber of associated patent filings pending and patents issued under the agreements. The Company will pay $10,000 for each patent filing pending and $20,000 for each patent issued within 20 days of December 21st of each year of the agreement, up to a changemaximum of $100,000 per year (i.e. five issued patents).

Through December 31, 2017, two patents associated with the agreements were issued. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the corresponding long-term liability for the estimated present value of future payments under the licensing agreement was $456,234 and $265,418, respectively.  The Company is accruing interest for future payments related to the issued patents associated with the agreement. This long-term liability incurred in control, as defined in the employment agreement, the severance due would beconnection with these patent issuances is a minimum one year’s salary of $300,000, plus any pro-rated bonus and vacations days earned but unused. The executive will be entitlednon-cash investing activity with regard to continue to participate in employee benefit plans, at the Company’s sole expense, for a periodstatements of one year following the termination of his employment.cash flows.

Legal Proceedings

On August 11, 2014 and September 16, 2014,May 17, 2017, the Company entered into employment agreementsprovided Libra Industries, Inc. (Libra), its prior contract manufacturer, notice that it was in breach of the Master Supply Agreement (MSA) between the parties. On May 19, 2017, the Company received notice from Libra that the Company was allegedly in breach of the MSA. On June 23, 2017, the Company received a Notice of Arbitration from Libra alleging claims against the Company and demanding recovery for alleged damages. On July 13, 2017, the Company responded to Libra with executive management personnel that providea Notice of Defense and Counterclaim. The arbitration is governed in accordance with the CPR International Institute for severance payments upon termination without cause.Conflict Prevention and Resolution Rules for Non-Administered Arbitration by a sole arbitrator and the parties agreed on an arbitrator in August 2017. On January 11, 2018, the Company deposed representatives of Libra. On March 7, 2018 and March 8, 2018, Libra deposed representatives of the Company. The severance payment due would be six months’ salary, plusarbitration hearing is scheduled for April 23, 2018 to April 25, 2018 in Travis County, Texas. At this time, the Company is unable to estimate the possible loss, if any, pro-rated bonusassociated with this proceeding. At December 31,2017, the Company recorded a $100,000 accrual based on a settlement offer made by the Company to Libra. This charge is reflected within the general and vacation days earned but unused. The executives will be entitled to continue to participate in employee benefit plans, atadministrative line item of the Company’s sole expense, for a periodstatement of six months following the termination of employment.operations.

Note 14 — Retirement Plan

The Company has adopted a defined contribution retirement plan covering all of its employees. Under the plan, the Company contributions are discretionary. No discretionary contributions were made by the Company in the years ended December 31, 20142017 and 2013.2016.

Note 15 — Consulting Services

During the year ended December 31, 2013 the Company incurred $92,857 in consulting services and fixed asset purchases from a company which is owned by an individual who was a major shareholder of the Company until the completion of the Company’s initial public offering.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ideal Power Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

Note 16 — Subsequent Events

Resignation Agreement

On January 9, 2015, the Company entered into a Resignation and Release Agreement (the “Resignation Agreement”) with Paul Bundschuh, the Company’s former Chief Marketing Officer. Under the terms of the Resignation Agreement, Mr. Bundschuh is to receive the full severance benefits to which he would have been entitled under his employment agreement if he had been terminated without cause. In addition, 10,000 stock options previously issued to Mr. Bundschuh and scheduled to vest on December 31, 2015 were immediately vested upon execution of the Resignation Agreement. The Company recorded an estimated accrual of $140,000 in January 2015 related to the Resignation Agreement.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

ITEM 9:CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

Not applicable.

ITEM 9A:CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by an issuer in the reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Act”) is accumulated and communicated to the issuer’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Report on Controls and Procedures

We carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer (principal(“CEO”), our principal executive officer)officer, and our Chief Financial Officer (principal(“CFO”), our principal financial and accounting officer),officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report. The evaluation was undertaken in consultation with our accounting personnel. Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive OfficerCEO and our Chief Financial OfficerCFO concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’sSEC’s rules and forms.

Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, our CEO and CFO and effected by our board of directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Our management, under the supervision and with the participation of our CEO and CFO, conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO). Based on such evaluation, management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2017.

This annual reportAnnual Report does not include aan attestation report of management’s assessmentour independent registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting or anreporting. Management’s report was not subject to attestation report of the company’srequirements by our independent registered public accounting firm duepursuant to a transition period established by rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission for newly public companies.SEC that permit us to provide only management’s report in this Annual Report.

Changes in Internal Control Overover Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting identified in management’s evaluation pursuant to Rule 13a-15(d) or 15d-15(d) of the Act during the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-Kthree months ended December 31, 2017 that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Inherent Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls

Our management, including our CEO and CFO, do not expect that our disclosure controls or our internal control over financial reporting will prevent or detect all errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system’s objectives will be met. The design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Further, because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that misstatements due to error or fraud will not occur or that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because of a simple error or mistake. Controls can also be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override of the controls. The design of any system of controls is based in part on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions. Projections of any evaluation of control effectiveness to future periods are subject to risks. Over time, controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or deterioration in the degree of compliance with policies or procedures.


ITEM 9B:OTHER INFORMATION

Not applicable.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART III

ITEM 10:DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

The following table sets forth the names and ages of all of our directors and executive officers. Our officers are appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the board of directors.

Name Age Position
R. Daniel Brdar 5558 Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the BoardDirector
Timothy W. Burns, CPA 4043 Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer
William C. Alexander59Chief Technology Officer and Director
Ryan O’Keefe47Senior Vice President, Business Development
Mark L. Baum, J.D.42Director
Lon E. Bell, Ph.D. 7477 DirectorChairman of the Board
David B. Eisenhaure 6972Director
Michael C. Turmelle58 Director

Biographical

The remaining information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference from our Definitive Proxy Statement, involving the election of directors, to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A with respect to our executive officers and directors is provided below. There are no family relationships between any of our executive officers or directors.

R. Daniel Brdar, Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairmanthe SEC not later than 120 days after the end of the Board of Directors

Mr. Brdar joined Ideal Power on January 8, 2014. He has over 25 years of experience in the power systems and energy industries and has held a variety of leadership positions during his career. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Brdar was Chief Operating Officer of Petra Solar Inc. from March 2011 to May 2013. From January 2006 to February 2011, Mr. Brdar was Chief Executive Officer of FuelCell Energy, Inc., a publicly traded company. Mr. Brdar also served as President of Fuel Cell Energy, Inc. from August 2005 to February 2011 and Chairman of the Board of Directors from January 2007 until April 7, 2011. Prior to his employment with FuelCell Energy, Inc., which began in 2000, Mr. Brdar held management positions at General Electric Power Systems from 1997 to 2000 where he focused on new product introduction programs and was product manager for its gas turbine technology. Mr. Brdar was Associate Director, Office of Power Systems Product Management at the U.S. Department of Energy where he held a variety of positions from 1988 to 1997 including directing the research, development and demonstration of advanced power systems including gas turbines, gasification systems and fuel cells. Mr. Brdar received a B.S. in Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 1981. Mr. Brdar brings to our board of directors experience as an executive officer of a publicly traded company, knowledge of the innovative renewable energy market and experience and familiarity with our business as our Chief Executive Officer.

Timothy W. Burns, CPA, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer

On October 21, 2013, Timothy W. Burns joined Ideal Power as our Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and on November 18, 2013 he was appointed as our Secretary. Prior to acceptingfiscal year covered by this position, Mr. Burns was employed by Rainmaker Systems, Inc., a publicly traded company, from November 2010 until February 2013, first as the company’s Controller and, beginning in April 2011, as its Chief Financial Officer. Prior to his employment with Rainmaker Systems, Inc., Mr. Burns was employed by Dean Foods Company, a publicly traded company, from 2001 until November 2010 where he held various positions in finance and accounting including Director of Corporate Accounting from 2008 to November 2010. From 1998 to 2001, Mr. Burns was employed by Deloitte & Touche, LLP as an auditor. Mr. Burns has a Master’s Degree in Professional Accounting from the University of Texas and a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Southern California. He is a public accountant certified in Texas.

William C. Alexander, P.E., Chief Technology Officer, Founder and Director

Mr. Alexander founded Ideal Power in 2007 and joined us full time in January 2010 as the Chief Technology Officer. Mr. Alexander oversees the technology development of all of our products and inventions. Mr. Alexander is also the lead engineer working with clients to collaboratively develop solutions based on our technology. Mr. Alexander was a director of Ideal Power from 2007 through 2012 and re-joined our board as a director on January 8, 2014. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Alexander was a Principal Engineer II for BAE Systems in Austin, Texas from June 1999 through January 2010. Mr. Alexander was the lead engineer


TABLE OF CONTENTSForm 10-K (or Definitive Proxy Statement).

developing various weapons systems including LIDAR seekers for air-to-air and air-to-ground applications. Before BAE, Mr. Alexander held various technology and engineering roles with Symtx, Inc., Tracor Aerospace, Inc. and Croft and Company. Mr. Alexander has 27 patents granted with over 50 patents pending. He has a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Mr. Alexander brings to our board of directors technological experience, a demonstrated ability to commercialize inventions experience and familiarity with our business as our founder and Chief Technology Officer.

Ryan O’Keefe, Senior Vice President, Business Development

Mr. O’Keefe joined Ideal Power on September 8, 2014. Prior to joining Ideal Power, Ryan O’Keefe was Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer at energy-storage start-up Younicos (formerly Xtreme Power) from April 2014 to September 2014 and Senior Vice President, Business Development, from May 2012 until April 2014, where he led top line growth including sales, product development, product marketing, and regulatory affairs, and transformed the business from demonstration projects to well-defined products with economic value. Xtreme Power filed for bankruptcy in January 2014 and was acquired out of bankruptcy by Younicos. Prior to Xtreme Power, Mr. O’Keefe spent eight years in leadership positions with NextEra Energy from May 2004 until May 2012, including Vice President of Solar Development. During his tenure at NextEra, Mr. O’Keefe successfully started and led several new ventures including the company’s entry into Canada, solar and the energy storage markets. He served on the Board of Directors of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) as well as the Energy Storage Association’s Advocacy Council. Mr. O’Keefe earlier spent 14 years with GE in the Power, Capital, and International business units in the US and Mexico. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from Columbia University.

Mark L. Baum, J.D., Director

Mark L. Baum joined our board of directors in November 2012. Mr. Baum is also director, since December 2011, of Imprimis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly traded company, where he has also served as Chief Executive Officer since April 1, 2012. Mr. Baum has served as the principal of The Baum Law Firm, P.C. (now TBLF, LLC) since 1998, and has more than 15 years of experience in financing, operating and advising small capitalization publicly traded enterprises, with a particular focus on restructured or reorganized businesses. As a manager of capital, he has completed more than 125 rounds of financing for more than 40 publicly traded companies. As a securities attorney, Mr. Baum has focused his practice on U.S. securities laws, reporting requirements and public company finance-related issues that affect small capitalization public companies. Mr. Baum has actively participated in numerous public company spin-offs, restructurings/recapitalizations, venture financings, private-to-public mergers, asset acquisitions and divestitures. In addition to his fund management and legal experience, Mr. Baum has operational experience in the following industries: life science and diagnostics, closed door pharmacies, cleaner and renewable energy and retail home furnishings. Mr. Baum has served on numerous boards of directors of publicly traded companies, including Chembio Diagnostic Systems, Inc., Applied Natural Gas Fuels, Inc. (formerly AGAS), Shrink Nanotechnologies, Inc., You on Demand, Inc. and CoConnect, Inc., as well as boards of advisors for domestic and international private and public companies. Mr. Baum founded and capitalized the Mark L. Baum Scholarship, which has funded tuition grants to college students in Texas. Mr. Baum is a published inventor and a licensed attorney in California and Texas. Mr. Baum brings to our board of directors years of public company executive experience, including knowledge of securities laws, reporting requirements and public company finance-related issues.

Lon E. Bell, Ph.D., Director

Dr. Bell joined our Board of Directors in November 2012. He founded Amerigon Inc., now Gentherm (THRM) in 1991. Dr. Bell has served many roles in Amerigon, Inc., including Chief Technology Officer until December 2010, Director of Technology until 2000, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until 1999, and President until 1997. Dr. Bell served as the Chief Executive Officer and President of BSST LLC, a subsidiary of Amerigon from September 2000 to December 2010. He served as a Director of Amerigon from 1991 to 2012. Previously, Dr. Bell co-founded Technar Incorporated, which developed and manufactured automotive components, and served as Technar’s Chairman and President until selling majority ownership to TRW Inc. in


TABLE OF CONTENTS

1986. Dr. Bell continued managing Technar, then known as TRW Technar, as its President until 1991. He co-founded Mahindra REVA Electric Vehicle Co Ltd.. in 1994 and serves on its Board of Directors and Chairman of its Intellectual Property Committee. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of ClearSign Combustion Corporation (CLIR) and CDTi (CDTI). Since April, 2014, he has been Chairman of the External Advisory Board at the California Institute of Technology Mechanical and Civil Engineering Department and has served as a board member since 2008. Between 2010 and 2014 he served as an Advisory Board member at Michigan State University and University of Santa Barbra Energy Frontiers Research Centers. Dr. Bell is a leading expert in the design and mass production of thermoelectric products. He has authored more than 30 publications in the areas of thermodynamics of thermoelectric systems, automotive crash sensors, and other electronic and electromechanical devices. Five of his inventions have gone into mass production and dominated their target markets. Dr. Bell received a BSc. in Mathematics, an MSc. in Rocket Propulsion, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology. Dr. Bell brings to our board of directors the demonstrated ability to commercialize inventions.

David B. Eisenhaure, Director

Mr. Eisenhaure joined our board of directors in August 2013. From February 1985 until May 2008, Mr. Eisenhaure served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of SatCon Technology Corporation, a public corporation, which he founded. He was also a director of that company from February 1985 until his resignation in July 2009. After his resignation as an executive officer from SatCon Technology Corporation, Mr. Eisenhaure assisted that company with the transition to a new management team. He retired from active employment in March 2009. SatCon Technology Corporation developed products that contributed to the advancement of the utility, hybrid vehicle, ship building, industrial automation, semiconductor processing, and defense markets. Prior to founding SatCon Technology Corporation, Mr. Eisenhaure was the Technical Director of the Energy Systems Division at Draper Laboratory, where the research of his group included magnetic bearings, flywheels, energy storage, advanced solid state power converters, advanced motors and generators, and adaptive control systems for highly dynamic and otherwise unstable systems. Prior to his employment with Draper Laboratory, Mr. Eisenhaure worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Instrumentation Laboratory, first as a graduate student research assistant and then as a staff engineer, designing and developing electromagnetic and thermal control systems to support the national space and defense programs. From 1985 to 1997 he held the position of Lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he collaborated with faculty and students on research, especially thesis-related research at both the Master’s and Ph.D. levels. He has been awarded over 20 patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office covering inventions in magnetic suspensions, motor drives and controls, flywheel systems, automotive components, energy storage, and solid state power converters. Mr. Eisenhaure holds a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master of Science degree, and an Engineer’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mr. Eisenhaure brings to our board of directors years of public company executive experience, extensive experience in the field of electrical technology and a relevant educational background.

To the best of our knowledge, none of our directors or executive officers has, during the past ten years, been involved in any legal proceedings described in subparagraph (f) of Item 401 of Regulation S-K.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

To the Company’s knowledge, based solely on review of the copies of such reports furnished to the Company and written representation that no other reports were required, all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to its executive officers, directors and greater than ten percent shareholders were timely filed.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

The Board of Directors has adopted a code of business conduct and ethics (the Code) designed to deter wrongdoing and to promote honest and ethical conduct. The Code applies to all of our directors, executive officers and employees. The Code may be found on our website atwww.idealpower.com-Investors/Corporate Governance/Governance Documents.

Procedures by which Security Holders may Recommend Nominees to the Board of Directors

There have been no material changes to the procedures by which security holders may recommend nominees to our board of directors.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Information on the Company’s Audit Committee

The Company’s board of directors has a standing Audit Committee. Our three independent directors, Lon E. Bell, Mark Baum and David B. Eisenhaure, are the members of the Audit Committee. The determination of independence is made in accordance with the rules of The NASDAQ Stock Market and SEC rules and regulations as they apply to audit committee members. We believe that both Mark Baum and David Eisenhaure are audit committee financial experts, within the meaning of Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K and the rules of The NASDAQ Stock Market.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

During 2014, Dr. Lon Bell, Mr. Mark Baum and Mr. David Eisenhaure, all of whom were determined to be independent using the criteria set forth in Rule 5605(a)(2) of the rules of The NASDAQ Stock Market and SEC rules and regulations as they apply to compensation committee members, served on the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors. None of our executive officers served on the Compensation Committee during the 2014 year and there were no relationships during the 2014 year that are required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 407(d)(4)(iii) of Regulation S-K.

ITEM 11:EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The following summary compensation table covers all compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to our principal executive officer, each of the other two highest paid executive officers, if any, whose total compensation exceeded $100,000 during the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 and up to two additional individuals for whom disclosure would have been provided but for the fact that the individual was not serving as an executive officer of Company at the end of the last completed fiscal year. These individuals are sometimes referred to in this report as the “Named Executive Officers”.

Summary Compensation Table

      
Name and Principal Position  Salary Bonus(1) Option Awards(2),(3) All Other Compensation(4) Total
R. Daniel Brdar
Chief Executive Officer and President
  2014  $286,154  $173,250  $1,933,925  $60,686  $2,454,015 
                              
Timothy Burns
Chief Financial Officer,
Secretary and Treasurer
  2014  $200,000  $100,000  $564,438  $6,153  $870,591 
  2013   27,885   2,099   113,124   0   143,108 
                              
William Alexander
Chief Technology Officer
  2014  $223,267  $47,000  $338,663  $36,761  $645,691 
  2013   223,267   51,932   151,953   0   427,152 
Paul Bundschuh
Former President, Chief
Executive Officer, Chief
Commercial Officer, and
Chief Marketing Officer
  2014  $200,000  $0  $0  $21,305  $221,305 
  2013   186,154   105,336   379,883   0   671,373 
                              
                              

(1)Bonus in 2014 represents annual performance bonus. Bonus in 2013 includes annual performance bonus of $100,000 and $50,000 for Mr. Bundschuh and Mr. Alexander, respectively. Other amounts shown in 2013 relate to bonus paid to executives for deferring base salary payments in advance of the Company’s initial public offering.
(2)The amounts included in this column are the aggregate grant date fair value of stock awards granted in 2014 and 2013. The option awards in 2014 for Mr. Burns and Mr. Alexander and a portion of the option awards in 2014 for Mr. Brdar, with a grant date fair value of $903,100, are 80% contingent upon shareholder approval of an increase in shares authorized under the Company’s 2013 Equity Incentive Plan at either the 2015 or 2016 Annual Shareholder Meeting. The full grant date fair value of these awards are included in the table above.
(3)This amount reflects the aggregate grant date fair value for this award and does not correspond to the actual value that may be recognized by the individual upon option exercise. For information on the

TABLE OF CONTENTS

valuation assumptions used to determine the grant date fair value of stock options, see Notes 2 and 10 to our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this report.
(4)Other compensation for Mr. Brdar includes relocation and temporary living expenses of $40,000, earned but unused vacation of $6,923, and Company paid health insurance benefits of $13,763. Other compensation for Mr. Burns includes earned but unused vacation. Other compensation for Mr. Alexander includes earned but unused vacation of $15,456 and Company paid health insurance benefits of $21,305. Other compensation for Mr. Bundschuh includes Company paid health insurance benefits.

Current and Future Compensation Practices

Currently, compensation for our employees consists of base salary, cash bonuses and awards of stock options through the Company’s 2013 Equity Incentive Plan. We believe that a combination of cash and options for the purchase of common stock will allow us to attract and retain the services of individuals who will help us achieve our business objectives, thereby increasing value for our stockholders. We believe that share ownership by our employees is an effective method to deliver superior stockholder returns by increasing the alignment between the interests of our employees and our stockholders. No employee is required to own common stock in our Company.

In setting the compensation for our officers, we look primarily at the person’s responsibilities, at the person’s experience and education, at our ability to replace the individual, and at market benchmarking data for public companies with similar characteristics to us. We expect the base salaries of our executive officers to remain relatively constant unless the person’s responsibilities are materially changed. We also expect that we may pay bonuses to reward exceptional performance or the achievement by the Company or an individual of targets to be agreed upon. During 2013, because we had limited cash resources, we periodically accrued salaries for our executive officers.

Employment Agreements

On January 8, 2014, R. Daniel Brdar entered into an employment agreement with us that was subsequently amended on September 16, 2014. The term of Mr. Brdar’s employment under the agreement is three years. Before the expiration of the second year, the Compensation Committee will review his performance and, assuming that his performance is satisfactory, the term will be extended for an additional year. During the third year and each subsequent year of his employment, the Compensation Committee will review Mr. Brdar’s performance and, assuming it is satisfactory, extend his employment for an additional year.

As compensation for his services, Mr. Brdar will receive an annual salary of $300,000 per year. Each year, Mr. Brdar and the Compensation Committee will meet to discuss performance objectives and targets for him, personally, and for the Company for the year (the “Performance Goals”). If the Performance Goals are satisfactorily achieved during the period or periods designated, as determined by the Compensation Committee, Mr. Brdar will be eligible to receive a target performance bonus in the amount of 75% of his annual salary. For the first year of his employment, he will receive a bonus that is no less than 25% of his annual salary.

The Company has issued a non-qualified stock option to Mr. Brdar (the “Inducement Option”) to purchase 250,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at a per share exercise price of $7.14, equal to the closing price of the Company’s common stock on January 8, 2014, the date of grant. The right to purchase the shares subject to the Inducement Option will vest in equal increments over a period of four years, beginning on the first anniversary of the date of grant and continuing thereafter on each subsequent anniversary date. The Inducement Option will have a term of 10 years and will not be subject to the terms of the Company’s 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.

If Mr. Brdar’s services are terminated at the election of the Company he will be entitled to receive (i) his accrued but unpaid annual salary and the value of unused paid time off through the effective date of the termination; (ii) his accrued but unpaid bonus, if any; (iii) business expenses incurred prior to the effective date of termination; and (iv) severance (the “Severance Payment”) consisting of one year of his annual salary, less legal deductions. The Company may elect in its sole discretion whether to pay the Severance Payment in one lump sum or on regular pay days for the one year period following termination of Mr. Brdar’s employment. Mr. Brdar will be entitled to continue to participate in employee benefit plans, at the Company’s sole expense, for a period of one year following the termination of his employment.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

If Mr. Brdar’s services are terminated as a result of a change in control, he will be entitled to receive (i) his accrued but unpaid annual salary and the value of unused paid time off through the effective date of the termination; (ii) his accrued but unpaid bonus, if any; (iii) business expenses incurred prior to the effective date of termination; and (iv) an amount equal to his annual salary for one year. In addition, any equity award that was scheduled to vest following the termination of his employment will vest immediately.

Mr. Brdar will be entitled to receive the same benefits and opportunities to participate in any of the Company’s employee benefit plans which may now or hereafter be in effect on a general basis for executive officers or employees. During his employment, the Company will provide, at the Company’s sole expense, health insurance benefits for Mr. Brdar, his spouse and his children under the same policy or policies generally available to other executive officers of the Company. Additional benefits, such as life insurance coverage, may be provided to him, if approvedinformation required by the Compensation Committee.

On September 16, 2014, we entered into new employment agreements with Timothy Burns,this item is incorporated by reference from our Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer, William Alexander, our Chief Technology Officer, and Paul Bundschuh, our Chief Marketing Officer. Pursuant to the terms of their employment agreements, Mr. Burns receives a salary of $200,000 per year, Mr. Alexander receives a salary of $223,267 per year, and Mr. Bundschuh receives a salary of $200,000 per year. With the exception of the annual compensation, the material terms of the employment agreements of these three executives are substantially the same.Definitive Proxy Statement.

Under the employment agreements, each executive is eligible for an annual bonus with a target performance bonus equal to 50% of the executive’s annual salary. The actual performance bonus percentage for a given year is to be determined by the Compensation Committee, based upon standards and goals agreed to by the Compensation Committee and the executive. Each executive may receive awards of stock grants or stock options at the discretion of the Compensation Committee.

Under the terms of their employment agreements, the executives may receive an annual cost of living increase and are entitled to participate in any of our employee benefit plans which may now be, or in the future will be, in effect on a general basis for our executive officers or employees. Additionally, we will provide, at the Company’s sole expense, healthcare benefits for the executive, his spouse and his children as well as receive four weeks paid-time-off each year. Mr. Burns elected to waive his Company paid benefits in 2014.

The employment agreements will be terminated if the executive is disabled or voluntarily resigns from his employment. We may terminate the executive’s employment for cause or on 30 days written notice. If his employment is terminated by us without cause, the executive will receive his accrued but unpaid salary and the value of unused paid time off through the effective date of the termination, any accrued but unpaid bonus, business expenses incurred prior to the effective date of the termination, and severance (the “Severance Payment”) consisting of six months’ salary, less legal deductions. We may elect, in our sole discretion, whether to pay the Severance Payment in one lump sum or on regular pay days for the six months following termination of the executive’s employment. The executive will also be entitled to continue to participate in employee benefit plans, at the Company’s sole expense, for six months following the termination of his employment.

If the executive’s employment is terminated as a result of a change in control, as defined in his employment agreement, the executive will be entitled to receive his accrued but unpaid salary and the value of unused paid time off through the effective date of the termination, any accrued but unpaid bonus, business expenses incurred prior to the effective date of the termination, and an amount equal to one-half of his salary. In addition, any equity award that was scheduled to vest following the termination of his employment will vest immediately upon the termination of the executive’s employment as a result of a change in control. The executive’s employment will be deemed to have been terminated as a result of a change in control if the termination occurs during the period that begins when negotiations for the change in control begin and ends on the six month anniversary of the closing of the change in control transaction and such termination is not a termination for cause or a termination as a result of his death, disability or election.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

On January 9, 2015, the Company entered into a Resignation and Release Agreement (the “Resignation Agreement”) with Paul Bundschuh, the Company’s former Chief Marketing Officer. Under the terms of the Resignation Agreement, Mr. Bundschuh is to receive the full severance benefits to which he would have been entitled under his employment agreement if he had been terminated without cause. In addition, 10,000 stock options previously issued to Mr. Bundschuh and scheduled to vest on December 31, 2015 were immediately vested upon execution of the Resignation Agreement.

2013 Equity Incentive Plan

On May 17, 2013, the Company adopted the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and reserved 487,932 shares of common stock for issuance under the Plan, including stock options, stock awards and stock bonuses. The maximum number of shares that may be granted under the Plan will be increased effective the first day of each of the Company’s fiscal quarters provided that the number of shares that may be granted under the Plan does not exceed 839,983 shares. The Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s board of directors. The persons eligible to participate in the Plan are employees, non-employee members of the board of directors, consultants and other independent advisors who provide services to the Company. Options issued under the Plan may have a term of up to ten years and may have variable vesting.

Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2014

The following table sets forth certain information concerning outstanding equity awards for our Named Executive Officers at December 31, 2014. No options were exercised by our Named Executive Officers during the last two fiscal years.

    
 Option Awards
Name Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
options (#)
Exercisable
 Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
options (#)
Unexercisable
 Option
exercise price
($)
 Option
expiration date
R. Daniel Brdar  62,500   187,500  $7.1400   1/8/2024 
R. Daniel Brdar     200,000  $7.8400   9/16/2024 
Timothy Burns  7,500   22,500  $5.0000   11/21/2023 
Timothy Burns     125,000  $7.8400   9/16/2024 
William Alexander  27,999   14,000  $5.0000   7/19/2023 
William Alexander     75,000  $7.8400   9/16/2024 
Paul Bundschuh  1,229     $0.8133   5/12/2022 
Paul Bundschuh  1,281     $0.7953   8/25/2022 
Paul Bundschuh  11,781     $2.9715   6/30/2020 
Paul Bundschuh  5,890     $2.9715   9/30/2020 
Paul Bundschuh  5,890     $2.9715   12/31/2022 
Paul Bundschuh  69,999   34,999  $5.0000   7/19/2023 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Director Compensation

On January 3, 2014, our board of directors approved annual compensation to be paid to the independent directors, effective January 1, 2014, as follows: each of the independent directors will receive cash compensation of $50,000 and an option to purchase shares of our common stock having a value of $50,000. All directors are reimbursed ordinary and reasonable expenses incurred in exercising their responsibilities. The following table illustrates the compensation paid to members of our board of directors as of December 31, 2014:

   
Name Fees
Earned
or Paid
in Cash
($)
 Option
Awards
($)
 Total
($)
Mark Baum $50,000  $50,000  $100,000 
Lon E. Bell $50,000  $50,000  $100,000 
David B. Eisenhaure $50,000  $50,000  $100,000 

 

ITEM 12:SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS

We have set forth in the following

Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans

The table certainbelow provides information, regarding our common stock beneficially owned by (i) each stockholder we know to be the beneficial owner of 5% or more of our outstanding common stock, (ii) each of our directors and named executive officers, and (iii) all executive officers and directors as a group. Generally, a person is deemed to be a “beneficial owner” of a security if that person has or shares the power to dispose or to direct the disposition of such security. A person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any securities of which the person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days pursuant to options, warrants, conversion privileges or similar rights. Unless otherwise indicated, ownership information is as of March 23, 2015, and is based on 7,066,137 shares of common stock outstanding on that date.

  
Names and Address of Beneficial Owner(1) Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned(2)
 % of Shares
Owned
Directors and Officers:
          
R. Daniel Brdar, Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board  62,500(3)   0.9
Timothy Burns, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer  17,500(4)   0.2
William Alexander, Chief Technology Officer and Director  482,995(5)   6.8
Mark Baum, Director  118,657(6)   1.7
Lon E. Bell, Director  152,453(7)   2.2
David B. Eisenhaure, Director  23,861(8)   0.3
All Directors and Officers as a Group  858,466   11.8
5% Owners          
Peter A. Appel(9)  882,826(10)   12.5
AWM Investment Company, Inc.(11)  1,146,935   16.2

(1)The address of each officer and director is 4120 Freidrich Lane, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78744.
(2)Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, as amended, and is generally determined by voting powers and/or investment powers with respect to securities. Unless otherwise noted, the shares of common stock listed above are owned as of March 23, 2015, and are owned of record by each individual named as beneficial owner and such individual has sole voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares of common stock owned by each of them.
(3)Includes shares subject to vested options to purchase common stock.
(4)Includes 10,000 shares of common stock and 7,500 shares subject to a vested option to purchase common stock.
(5)Includes 454,996 shares of common stock and 27,999 shares subject to a vested option to purchase common stock.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(6)Includes 54,961 shares of common stock held in Mr. Baum’s name, 29,063 shares of common stock held by Series E-1 of Larrem Smitty, LLC, of which Mr. Baum is the beneficial owner, 17,042 shares subject to a vested option to purchase common stock, 3,208 shares subject to an option to purchase common stock exercisable within 60 days of March 23, 2015 and 14,383 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants held by Series E-1 of Larrem Smitty, LLC.
(7)Includes 30,861 shares of common stock held in Dr. Bell’s name, 58,192 shares of common stock held by the Bell Family Trust, of which Dr. Bell is the trustee and has sole voting and investment control with respect to the shares of common stock, 17,042 shares subject to a vested option to purchase common stock, 3,208 shares subject to an option to purchase common stock exercisable within 60 days of March 23, 2015 and 43,150 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants held by the Bell Family Trust.
(8)Includes 3,611 shares held in Mr. Eisenhaure’s name, 17,042 shares subject to a vested option to purchase common stock and 3,208 shares subject to an option to purchase common stock exercisable within 60 days of March 23, 2015.
(9)Mr. Appel’s address is 77 Oregon Road, Bedford Corners, New York 10549.
(10)Includes 580,777 shares of common stock and 302,049 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants.
(11)The address for AWM Investment Company, Inc. is 527 Madison Avenue, Suite 2600, New York, New York, 10022.

EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION

We currently maintainDecember 31, 2017, regarding the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, (the “Plan”)or the Plan, under which has been approved by our stockholders. For a description of equity compensation plans that were not approved by our stockholders, see Note 10securities are authorized for issuance to our Financial Statements in Item 8 “Financial Statementsofficers, directors, employees, consultants, independent contractors and Supplementary Date”. The following table sets forth information regarding outstanding options and shares reserved for future issuance under the foregoing plans as of December 31, 2014:advisors.

   
Plan category Number of
shares to be
issued upon
exercise of
outstanding
options
(a)
 Weighted-average exercise price
of outstanding options
(b)
 Number of shares
remaining available for
future issuance under
equity compensation
plans (excluding shares
reflected in column (a))
(c)
Equity compensation plans approved by stock holders  627,800  $6.28   173,280(1) 
Equity compensation plans not approved by stockholders  420,247  $5.51    
Total(2)  1,048,047  $5.97   173,280(1) 
Plan category 

Number of securities to

be issued upon exercise

of outstanding options,

warrants and rights

(a)

  

Weighted-average exercise

price of outstanding options,

warrants and rights

(b) 

  

Number of securities remaining

available for future issuance

under equity compensation plans

(excluding securities reflected in

column (a))

(c) 

 
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders  1,055,341(1) $6.42   877,352(2)

(1)This amount includes performance stock units, or PSUs, granted to employees.
(2)The aggregate number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan will not be subject to future increases, absent shareholder approval of an increase in the sharessecurities authorized for issuance under the Plan, as the maximum number of shares that may be issued under our equity compensation plan will be reached upon the future issuance of 173,280 securities under the Plan.
(2)Excludes 320,000 shares to be issued upon exercise of options that are contingent upon shareholder approval of an increase in the shares reserved for issuance under the Plan at either the 2015 or 2016 Annual Shareholder Meeting. The weighted-average exercise price of these options is $7.84.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The rest of the information required by this item is incorporated by reference from our Definitive Proxy Statement.

ITEM 13:CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

Our common stock

The information required by this item is listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market, therefore,incorporated by reference from our determination of the independence of directors is made using the definition of “independent” contained in the listing standards of the NASDAQ Stock Market. On the basis of information solicited from each director, the board has determined that each of Mr. Baum, Mr. Eisenhaure and Dr. Bell has no material relationship with the Company and is independent within the meaning of such rules.Definitive Proxy Statement.

SEC regulations define the related person transactions that require disclosure to include any transaction, arrangement or relationship in which the amount involved exceeds the lesser of $120,000 or one percent of the average of our total assets at year end for the last two completed fiscal years in which we were or are to be a participant and in which a related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest. A related person is: (i) an executive officer, director or director nominee, (ii) a beneficial owner of more than 5% of our common stock, (iii) an immediate family member of an executive officer, director or director nominee or beneficial owner of more than 5% of our common stock, or (iv) any entity that is owned or controlled by any of the foregoing persons or in which any of the foregoing persons has a substantial ownership interest or control.

For the period from January 1, 2013, through the date of this report (the “Reporting Period”), described below are certain transactions or series of transactions between us and certain related persons.

On July 29, 2013, we closed an offering of $750,000 in aggregate principal amount of senior secured convertible promissory notes (the “Notes”) together with warrants for the purchase of our common stock. The Notes accrued interest at the higher of (i) 1% per annum or (ii) or the lowest rate that may accrue without causing the imputation of interest under the Internal Revenue Code. The principal amount of the Notes, together with accrued interest, were due and payable on the earlier to occur of (i) July 29, 2014, (ii) an Event of Default (as defined in the Notes) or (iii) the closing of an IPO Financing (as defined in the Notes). The notes were converted into shares of the Company’s common stock immediately upon completion of the Company’s initial public offering. No payments were made toward the principal amount or accrued interest of either note prior to conversion. The warrants issued in conjunction with the Notes have a term of seven years and an exercise price of $3.47626. The number of shares of common stock covered by the warrants for the Notes is equal to one-half the original principal amount of the Notes divided by $3.47626. Peter Appel, a beneficial owner of more than 5% of our common stock, invested $275,000 in these Notes.

Our executive officers have executed employment agreements with us and have received shares of common stock or options to purchase common stock as compensation. Our independent directors also receive compensation for their services to us. See the section of this report titled “Executive Compensation” for a discussion of these transactions.

On November 6, 2013 we entered into a Separation and Release Agreement with Christopher Cobb, whereby he resigned as our President, Chief Operating Officer and director. Mr. Cobb’s separation package included the following: (i) a severance payment in the amount of $87,500, accrued but unpaid wages in the amount of $58,835 and paid-time-off in the amount of $9,019, all of which was paid within six days from the date the agreement becomes irrevocable; (ii) grant of an option covering 36,116 shares of common stock which may be exercised for a period of 12 months beginning on November 27, 2014; (iii) an agreement to provide consulting services as requested through December 31, 2013; and (iv) a mutual release of all claims and covenant not to sue. Of the 36,116 shares of common stock covered by the option agreement, 29,399 shares may be purchased at a per-share price of $5.00 and 6,717 shares may be purchased at a per-share price of $6.3276.

On November 27, 2013 we entered into a Separation and Release Agreement with Charles De Tarr whereby he resigned as our Vice-President, Finance. Mr. De Tarr’s separation package included the following: (i) grant of an option covering the purchase of an aggregate 33,743 shares of our common stock which may be exercised beginning on November 27, 2014; (ii) an agreement to provide consulting services on a full-time basis for a period of up to six months; and (iii) a mutual release of all claims and covenant not to sue. We agreed to pay Mr. De Tarr $14,583 per month for the consulting services. We could terminate the consulting arrangement upon 60 days’ notice to Mr. De Tarr. If we terminated the consulting arrangement, during the


TABLE OF CONTENTS

notice period Mr. De Tarr would not be required to provide consulting services for more than 15 hours per week. We provided 60 days’ notice of termination of the consulting arrangement to Mr. De Tarr on December 20, 2013 and his consulting services under the agreement ceased on February 18, 2014. Of the 33,743 shares covered by the option agreement, 26,743 shares have an exercise price of $0.416675 per share and 7,000 shares have an exercise price of $5.00 per share.

On January 9, 2015, we entered into a Resignation and Release Agreement (the “Resignation Agreement”) with Paul Bundschuh, the Company’s former Chief Marketing Officer. Under the terms of the Resignation Agreement, Mr. Bundschuh is to receive the full severance benefits to which he would have been entitled under his employment agreement if he had been terminated without cause. In addition, 10,000 stock options previously issued to Mr. Bundschuh and scheduled to vest on December 31, 2015 were immediately vested upon execution of the Resignation Agreement.

On August 1, 2014, the audit committee of our board of directors approved the Ideal Power Inc. Related Party Transaction Policy. This policy established, amongst other items, that pre-approval of related party transactions, as defined in the policy, requires a majority vote of the disinterested members of the audit committee with a de minimus exception for transactions less than $2,500. De minimus transactions may be approved by either our Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer, if disinterested. Further, the policy requires timely disclosure to the board of directors of all related party transactions requiring disclosure under SEC regulations.

ITEM 14:PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

  
 2014 2013
Gumbiner Savett Inc.
          
Audit Fees  55,500   148,000 
Audit Related Fees      
Tax Fees  8,570   7,950 
All Other Fees     53,649 

In 2013, Gumbiner Savett Inc. provided customary procedures in connection withThe information required by this item is incorporated by reference from our initial public offering. These fees are shown as “All Other Fees” in the above table.Definitive Proxy Statement.

PART IV


TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART IV

ITEM 15.15:EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

Exhibits

(a) Documents Filed with Report

(1)Financial Statements.

Report of Independent Registered Accounting Firm31
Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2017 and 201632
Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 201633
Statement of Stockholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 201634
Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 201635

(2)Exhibits.

The exhibits filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K are listed in the Exhibit Index immediately preceding the exhibits. We have identified in the Exhibit Index each management contract and compensation plan filed as an exhibit to this Annual Report on Form 10-K in response to Item 15(a) (3) of Form 10-K.

ITEM 16:FORM 10-K SUMMARY

None.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Austin, State of Texas, on this 2530th day of March, 2015.2018.

IDEAL POWER INC.

IDEAL POWER INC.
By:/s/ R. Daniel Brdar

R. Daniel Brdar,
Chief Executive Officer
By:/s/ Timothy Burns

Timothy Burns,
Chief Financial Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Dated: March 25, 2015

/s/ R. Daniel Brdar

R. Daniel Brdar,
Chief Executive Officer
(principal executive officer) and director

Dated: March 25, 2015

/s/ Timothy Burns

Timothy Burns,
Chief Financial Officer
(principal financial and accounting officer),
Secretary and Treasurer

Dated: March 25, 2015

/s/ William C. Alexander

William C. Alexander,
Chief Technology Officer and director

Dated: March 25, 2015

/s/ Lon E. Bell

Lon E. Bell, Ph.D., director

Dated: March 25, 2015

/s/ Mark Baum

Mark Baum, director

Dated: March 25, 2015

/s/ David B. Eisenhaure

David B. Eisenhaure, director


TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXHIBIT INDEX

Dated: March 30, 2018/s/ R. Daniel Brdar
R. Daniel Brdar,
Chief Executive Officer
(principal executive officer),
President and Director
 
Dated: March 30, 2018/s/ Timothy Burns
Timothy Burns,
Chief Financial Officer
(principal financial and accounting officer),
Secretary and Treasurer
Dated: March 30, 2018/s/ Lon Bell
Lon E. Bell, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board
Dated: March 30, 2018/s/ David Eisenhaure
David B. Eisenhaure, Director
Dated: March 30, 2018/s/ Michael Turmelle
Michael C. Turmelle, Director


EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No. Description of Document
 1.13.1 Form of Underwriting Agreement(1)
 3.1Delaware Certificate of Conversion including Certificate of Incorporation(1)
3.2 Bylaws of Ideal Power Inc.(1)
 4.13.3 Underwriter’s Warrant(1)Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (6)
10.14.1 Underwriter’s Warrant(1)
4.2Registration Rights Agreement by and among Company and the Investors party thereto, dated February 24, 2017 (6)
4.2Form of Investor Warrant (6)
10.1Form of Lock-Up Agreement(1)
10.2 Form of Warrant issued by the registrant to investors in the offering completed on July 17, 2012(1)
10.3 Form of Warrant issued by the registrant to investors in the offering completed on August 31, 2012(1)
10.4 Form of Replacement Warrant issued by the registrant to investors in the offering completed on August 31, 2012(1)
10.5 Form of Warrant issued by the registrant to investors in the offering completed on November 21, 2012(1)
10.6 Warrant issued to MDB Capital Group, LLC (MDB-1) dated November 21, 2012(1)
10.7 Warrant issued to MDB Capital Group, LLC (MDB-2) dated November 21, 2012(1)
10.8 Lease Agreement between the Company and Texas Public Employees Association dated May 7, 2013(1)
10.9Employment Agreement between the Company and Christopher Cobb dated May 8, 2013(1)+
10.10Form of Securities Purchase Agreement between the registrant and investors for an offering completed on July 29, 2013(1)
10.11Form of Registration Rights Agreement between the registrant and investors for an offering completed on July 29, 2013(1)
10.12Form of Senior Secured Convertible Promissory Note issued by the registrant to investors in the offering completed on July 29, 2013(1)
10.13Form of Security Agreement between the registrant and investors for the offering completed on July 29, 2013(1)
10.14Form of Warrant issued by the registrant to investors in the offering completed on July 29, 2013(1)
10.1510.9 Ideal Power Converters, Inc. 2013 Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan(1)(5)
10.1610.10 Addendum to Warrant issued to MDB Capital Group, LLC (MDB-1) dated July 10, 2013(1)
10.1710.11 Addendum to Warrant issued to MDB Capital Group, LLC (MDB-2) dated July 10, 2013(1)
10.1810.12 Amendment to Promissory Note(1)
10.19Form of Addendum to Stock Purchase Warrant (Series A)(1)
10.2010.13 Form of Addendum to Stock Purchase Warrant (Series B)(1)
10.2110.14 Separation and Release Agreement between the registrant and Christopher Cobb(1)+
10.22Separation and Release Agreement (including amendment) between the registrant and Charles De Tarr(2)+
10.23Employment Agreement between the registrant and R. Daniel Brdar(3)(2)+
10.23.110.14.1 Amendment No. 1 to Employment Agreement between the registrant and R. Daniel Brdar dated September 16, 2014(5)(4)+
10.2410.15 Non-Qualified Stock Option Award Agreement issued to R. Daniel Brdar(3)(2)  +
10.2510.16 Lease Agreement between the Company and Agellan Commercial REIT U.S. L.P. dated March 24, 2014(4)(3)


TABLE OF CONTENTS

10.17 
Exhibit No.Description of Document
10.26Employment Agreement between the Company and William Alexander dated September 16, 2014(5)(4)+
10.2710.18 Employment Agreement between the Company and Paul Bundschuh dated September 16, 2014(5)+
10.28Employment Agreement between the registrant and Timothy W. Burns dated September 16, 2014(5)(4)+
31.110.19 Purchase Agreement by and among Company and the Investors thereto dated February 24, 2017(6)
10.20Exchange Agreement by and among the Company and the common stockholders listed in Schedule 1 thereto dated February 24, 2017(6)
10.21Separation Agreement and General Release of All Claims between the Company and Ryan O’Keefe dated June 2, 2017(7)+
31.1Certification of Principal Executive Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002*
31.2 Certification of Principal Financial and Accounting Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002*
32.1 Certification of Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002*
101.INS XBRL Instance Document*
101.SCH XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema*
101.CAL XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase*
101.DEF XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase*
101.LAB XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase*
101.PRE XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase*

*Included herein.
+Indicates a contract with management.

(1)Incorporated by reference to the registrant’s registration statement on Form S-1, file no. 333-190414, originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 6, 2013, as amended.
(2)Incorporated by reference to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 10, 2013.
(3)Incorporated by reference to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 8, 2014.
(4)(3)Incorporated by reference to the registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2014.
(5)(4)Incorporated by reference to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 19, 2014.
(5)Incorporated by reference to the registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 13, 2015.
(6)Incorporated by reference to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 27, 2017.
(7)Incorporated by reference to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 6, 2017.