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UNITED STATES


SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

(RULE 14a-101)

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT

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Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
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Definitive Proxy Statement

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BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATIONBloom Energy Corporation

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)


(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other thanOther Than the Registrant)

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Letter to Our Stockholders

Dear Stockholder,

It is my pleasure to invite you to our annual meeting of stockholders. The meeting is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday, May 12, 2021.

This year, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will again be conducting the annual meeting online for the safety of our stockholders, directors and employees.

The Annual Meeting live webcast can be found at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BE2021. See page 80 for more information on how to participate in the virtual annual meeting.

Strong 2020 Performance

2020 was a year of tremendous challenge for the world, our country and our company. Despite the challenges of 2020, we executed well on the annual goals laid out in our strategic plan, and implemented a framework that positions Bloom for future growth and to remain at the forefront of innovation in the energy sector. Among our accomplishments:

We delivered record revenue, increased our gross margins through reduced product and service costs, and strengthened our balance sheet by eliminating our short-term recourse debt, reducing our total recourse debt and increasing our cash balance.
We added four exceptional new members to our management team who bring proven track records of success, operating skill and excellence in leadership.
We completed the first installation of our fifth-generation Energy Server, the 7.5.
We achieved cost reductions in our product, install and service offerings that allow us to deliver 9 cents/kWh for power, competitively positioning our Energy Server offering in the majority of the 50 states.
Finally, leveraging our core technology, we established several strategic growth levers, which are the foundation for our future growth - hydrogen fuel cells, biogas fuel cells, electrolyzers, marine and carbon capture technology, and made developmental progress on these new applications for low and zero carbon energy.

Resilient People, Resilient Culture, Resilient Solutions

If I were to describe Bloom in one word, it would be resilient, which is reflected in our people, culture, employees, products and services.

Our People and Partners – As the world’s first stationary solid oxide fuel cell provider to reach commercial scale, our path has not always been easy. However, from our inception, our employees have always had an unwavering focus on our mission – and 2020 was no different. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, our resilient employees and partners navigated myriad local and global obstacles to continue to safely and effectively manufacture, install and service our Energy Servers so essential businesses would have power for their customers and communities.
 

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Filing Party:

At Bloom, we know success depends on our ability to attract and retain talented and engaged employees who believe in our mission and embrace our core values. This is why we are continuously investing to ensure Bloom is a rewarding place to work, where the safety, health and well-being of our employees comes first, and where individualism and diversity, equity and inclusion are promoted.

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Our Culture and Core Values – Resiliency, adaptability and a drive to make a difference is woven into the fabric of our unique culture, which is one of the reasons Bloom has achieved its current level of success. In 2020, our team was resilient in spirit, as demonstrated by the contributions made to our community in the face of great challenges. We are proud of the work we’ve done to help those in our community – from refurbishing ventilators, to providing emergency clean power to pop-up hospitals and hurricane victims, to co-hosting a COVID-19 testing lab for local companies, schools and underserved community members – and we look forward to continuing this support.


2021 PROXY STATEMENT3
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Letter to Our Stockholders

 

Dear Stockholder,

It

Our Product and Technology – 2020 brought into sharp focus the need for resilient, predictable, clean and always-on power, and the continued power outages and disruptions we have experienced thus far in 2021 indicate that finding a solution is my pleasure to invite you tothe most critical challenge facing our annual meeting of stockholders.nation’s energy infrastructure. The meeting is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on May 12, 2020 at the Hilton Santa Clara, 4949 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, California 95054.

I hope you will take the opportunity to vote the shares of stock you own for the election of the three Class II directors identified in the attached proxy statement and for the ratification of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

Since Bloom Energy was founded nearly 20 years ago, our mission has beenServer provides a resilient source of energy and is a compelling solution to make clean, reliable, and affordable energy for everyone in the world. We are pleased to say we have been successful this year in executing on our mission. growing global challenge.

The Board, our senior executive team and all of our employees have a strong sense of pride in this company and all that we have accomplished so far – and we believe that the best of Bloom Energy is ahead of us.

2019 wasServer delivers 24x7 baseload power with high availability, mission–critical reliability and grid–independent capabilities and can be configured as a strong yearmicrogrid, eliminating the need for traditional back up power by providing primary power to a facility when the grid fails. Since 2018, Bloom Energy as we saw an acceleration in global customer demand and interest in our platform. We delivered record revenue and acceptances, with growth of 24% and 48%, respectively, as compared to the prior year, and expanded our backlog by over 43% – a strong ending to the year. Key trendshas deployed more than 100 microgrids that play to our strengths include rising utility rates in domestic markets, momentum in international markets as countries adopt lower carbon energy solutions, an increased focus on the consequences of climate change, and growing demand for reliable, secure energy solutions.

This positive momentum across our business continues as tailwinds bolster our value proposition of reliability, resiliency, and cost effectiveness for global customers. It is becominghave protected customers from more and more clear that the world is moving in a direction that values what Bloom provides. While the issue of climate change is increasingly understood and many are already focused on carbon mitigation strategies, there is a second megatrend that is less understood but is beginning to receive more and more attention: how we cope with an already changed climate. Some damage has already been done, which is not reversible, and this carries significant consequences for the role of electricthan 1,700 power in our lives. A changing climate has forced us to fix our electric power infrastructure to create a more dependable, resilient, and cleaner power source that meets the challenges of today and of the future. This landscape presents a significant opportunity for Bloom to have a meaningful impact both in the United States and around the world.

disruptions.

 

Leading the Energy Industry Transformation

Bloom Energy is at the forefront of innovation in the energy sector, addressing the critical need for resiliency, predictability and sustainability today - on the pathway to low and zero carbon energy. The fuel flexibility of our currently available Energy Server platform provides customers with the ability to run our Energy Servers on natural gas, biogas and hydrogen blends today. Our platform also allows us to deliver on a near-term commitment to achieve scalable and cost-effective hydrogen solutions – both in front of and behind the meter – within the power generation and transportation industries.

The Year Ahead

As we look to the year ahead, our value proposition has never been more compelling. The impacts of climate change are being felt worldwide and are exposing the fragilities of the grid. Policymakers here at home and abroad are calling for actions that our American-made technology is well-suited to address.

As we are on the verge of emerging from the COVID-19 crisis, I truly believe we are a stronger and better company today than when the crisis started last winter. We have a strong leadership team, a strengthened balance sheet, new solutions, new markets and multiple pathways to low and zero carbon energy. And, our private-sector energy solution, combined with public policy imperatives have created a powerful moment of opportunity for which Bloom Energy is exceedingly well-positioned, moving us further along the road to achieving our mission to make clean, reliable and affordable energy for everyone in the world.

On behalf of the entire Bloom Energy Board of Directors, I thank you for your continued interest in and support of our company.

Sincerely,

KR Sridhar

Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

March 31, 2021

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As businesses increasingly move to safeguard their operations, protect against extreme events and leverage more resilient power, Bloom Energy is increasingly deploying AlwaysON Microgrid technology. Additionally, we continue to launch new programs, advance our technology solutions and invest to support the development of our next generation Energy Servers, as well as our new product applications for zero carbon solutions.

The Board remains confident in the company’s long-term strategy and the management team’s ability to execute it. We recognize that our business is complex and our path toward becoming the first profitable publicly-traded fuel cell company hasn’t always been linear, but we are incredibly focused on achieving our goals. The Bloom Energy Board of Directors remains committed to transparency and holds the management team accountable to the highest standards of conduct in all our stakeholder interactions. We have a core set of tenets that include doing the right thing – no matter what; a commitment to constant and continuous improvement in the way we operate; and a long-term view to executing our mission to make clean, reliable, and affordable energy for everyone in the world.

On behalf of the entire Bloom Energy Board of Directors, we thank you, our stockholders and all of our partners and customers, for your ongoing support.

I thank you for your continued interest in and support of Bloom Energy Corporation.

Sincerely,

KR Sridhar
Founder, Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer
April 2, 2020

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Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders

 

Date and Time

May 12, 20202021
9:00 a.m. Pacific Time

 

Location

Hilton Santa Clara
4949 Great America
Parkway Santa Clara,
CA 95054

Online Meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting. com/BE2021

 

Who Can Vote

Only stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 16, 20202021 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the meeting and any adjournments, continuations or postponements thereof.thereof

Voting Items

Proposals to be voted on at the 2021 Annual Meeting:

 How to VoteProposal 
Board Vote
Recommendation
 For Further Details
1.To elect the three Class III directors named in the Proxy Statement. FOR each director nomineePage 18
2.To approve, on an advisory basis, the frequency of stockholder advisory votes on the compensation of our named executive officers.ONE YEARPage 68
3.To approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers, as described in the Proxy Statement.FORPage 69
4.To ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021.FORPage 70

Stockholders will also transact any other business that may be properly brought before the 2021 Annual Meeting or any adjournment, continuation or postponement thereof.

To attend the meeting online, vote, view the stockholder list or submit questions, stockholders will need to go to the Annual Meeting website noted and log in using the control number provided on their proxy card, Notice of Internet Availability or voting instruction form. The foregoing proposals are more fully described in the Proxy Statement accompanying this Notice.

Your vote as a Bloom Energy stockholder is very important. Holders of Class A common stock are entitled to one vote per share. Holders of Class B common stock are entitled to ten votes per share. If you are a registered holder and have questions regarding your stock ownership, you may contact our transfer agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, through its website at www.astfinancial.com or by phone at 1-800-937-5449.

In the event of a technical malfunction or other situation that the meeting chair determines may affect the ability of the meeting to satisfy the requirements for a meeting of stockholders to be held by means of remote communication under the Delaware General Corporation Law, or that otherwise makes it advisable to adjourn the meeting, the chair of the meeting will convene the meeting at 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time on the date specified above and at our address at 4353 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95134 solely for the purpose of adjourning the meeting to reconvene at a date, time and physical or virtual location announced by the meeting chair. Under either of the foregoing circumstances, we will post information regarding the announcement on the investors page of our website at investor.bloomenergy.com.

By Order of the Board of Directors

Shawn M. Soderberg

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

March 31, 2021

How to Vote

Internet

Before the Annual Meeting: www.proxyvote.com

During the Annual Meeting: www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BE2021

 

Telephone

1-800-690-6903

 

Mail

Mark, sign, date and promptly mail the enclosed proxy card in the postage-paid envelope

All stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 16, 2021 may attend the 2021 Annual Meeting online. Whether or not you expect to attend the 2021 Annual Meeting online, we encourage you to read the Proxy Statement and vote through the internet or by telephone or request and submit your proxy card or voting instruction form as soon as possible so that your shares may be represented at the meeting.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting to be held on May 12, 2021.

The Notice and Proxy Statement and Annual Report on Form 10-K are available at www.proxyvote.com.

2021 PROXY STATEMENT5

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Certain statements in this Proxy Statement, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to our business plans, objectives and expected operating results, statements regarding our environmental and other sustainability plans and goals, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements may appear throughout this report. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Website references throughout this document are provided for convenience only, and the content on the referenced websites is not incorporated by reference into this document.

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Proxy Statement Summary

This proxy statement (the “Proxy Statement”) is being furnished to the stockholders of Bloom Energy Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Bloom”, “we”, “us” or “our”), in connection with the solicitation of proxies by our Board of Directors (the “Board”) for use at our 2021 annual meeting of stockholders (the “2021 Annual Meeting”). The record date for the Annual Meeting is March 16, 2021 (the “Record Date”). Only stockholders of record at the close of business on that date may vote at the 2021 Annual Meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof. On or about March 31, 2021, we will mail to most of our stockholders a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice”) containing instructions on how to access our proxy materials, including our Proxy Statement and Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 (the “Annual Report”).

The 2021 Annual Meeting will be held online via live webcast at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BE2021 on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time. This year’s question and answer session will include questions submitted in advance of, and questions submitted live during, the 2021 Annual Meeting. You may submit a question in advance of the 2021 Annual Meeting at www.proxyvote.com after logging in with your control number. You will also be able to vote your shares electronically at the annual meeting. Questions may be submitted during the 2021 Annual Meeting through www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BE2021.

We have adopted a virtual format for our 2021 Annual Meeting to make participation accessible for stockholders from any geographic location with internet connectivity. In addition, in light of continued concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe it is best to adhere to a virtual format for 2021 to protect the health and well-being of our stockholders and employees. We hope to resume holding in-person stockholder meetings next year.

For additional information on the 2021 Annual Meeting and your vote, please see the “User’s Guide” toward the back of this Proxy Statement.

Here are highlights of important information you will find in this Proxy Statement. As it is only a summary, please review the complete Proxy Statement before you vote.

Summary of Stockholder Voting Matters

Voting MattersBoard Vote RecommendationSee Page
Item 1 – Election of DirectorsFOR each nominee18
Item 2 Advisory Approval of Frequency of Say on Pay VoteONE YEAR68
Item 3 2020 Advisory Approval of Executive CompensationFOR69
Item 4 Ratification of the Appointment of Independent Registered Accounting FirmFOR70

2021 PROXY STATEMENT7

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Proxy Statement Summary

Our Board at a Glance

The Board has nominated Michael Boskin, John T. Chambers and L. John Doerr for election as Class III directors to hold office until the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. For detailed information about each director’s background, qualifications and skill sets, please see “Our Board” later in this Proxy Statement.

       DirectorCommitteesOther Current Public
     Name and Primary OccupationAgeSinceACCCN/GCCompany Boards
  Michael Boskin  IND 
Professor of Economics and
Hoover Institution Senior Fellow,
Stanford University
752019 1
  John T. Chambers  IND 
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
at JC2 Ventures and former Chairman and
CEO of Cisco
712018  0
  L. John Doerr  IND 
General Partner of Kleiner Perkins
692002  5
  General Colin L. Powell
Former U.S. Secretary of State
832009   1
  Scott Sandell  IND 
Managing General Partner at
New Enterprise Associates, Inc.
562003 3
  KR Sridhar
Founder, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Bloom Energy
602002   0
  Mary K. Bush  IND 
President of Bush International, LLC
722017  3
  Jeffrey Immelt  IND 
Venture Partner at New Enterprise
Associates, Inc. and former Chairman and
CEO of General Electric
652019  3
  Eddy Zervigon  IND 
CEO of Quantum Xchange
522007 1

AC – Audit CommitteeChair IND Independent
CC – Compensation and Organizational Development CommitteeMember
N/GC – Nominating, Governance and Public Policy CommitteeFinancial Expert    

Voting Items

Proposals to be voted on at the Meeting:

ProposalBoard Vote
Recommendation
For Further
Details
1.  To elect three Class II directors. FOR each
director nominee
 Page 21
2.  To ratify the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020. FOR Page 64

 

Stockholders will also transact any other business that may be properly brought before the 2020 Annual Meeting or any adjournment, continuation or postponement thereof.

The foregoing proposals are more fully described in the proxy statement accompanying this Notice.

Your vote as a Bloom Energy stockholder is very important. Holders of Class A common stock are entitled to one vote per share. Holders of Class B common stock are entitled to ten votes per share. If you are a registered holder and have questions regarding your stock ownership, you may contact our transfer agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, through their website at www.astfinancial.com or by phone at 1-800-937-5449.

By Order of the Board of Directors

Shawn M. Soderberg

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

San Jose, California
April 2, 2020

All stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 16, 2020 may attend the 2020 Annual Meeting in person. Whether or not you expect to attend the 2020 Annual Meeting, we encourage you to read the Proxy Statement and vote through the Internet or by telephone or request and submit your proxy card as soon as possible so that your shares may be represented at the meeting.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting to be held on May 12, 2020.

The Notice and Proxy Statement and Annual Report are available at www.proxyvote.com.

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  Proxy Statement Summary

 

Table of ContentsBoard Composition

 

LETTER TO OUR STOCKHOLDERS 1   
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS 3   
TABLE OF CONTENTS 4   
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS 5   
WHO WE ARE 6   
2019 Performance Highlights 6   
SUSTAINABILITY AT BLOOM 9   
Introduction 9   
SASB Standard 9   
GENERAL PROXY INFORMATION 14   
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THIS PROXY MATERIAL AND VOTING 15   
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 20 SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION IN 
Proposal 1 Election of Directors 21 THIS SECTION 
Board and Governance Highlights 22 Board Membership Criteria25
Board of Directors 25 Director Biographies27
Board Structure 36 Director Independence36
Board’s Role and Responsibilities 41 Board Leadership Structure36
Board Processes and Policies 43 Board Committees37
Related Party Transactions 45 Risk Oversight41
Director Compensation 46 Stockholder Engagement42
    Board Meetings and Annual Meeting Attendance43
    Related Party Transactions45
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS 50   
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION 54   
Executive Compensation Program Overview 54   
Executive Compensation Program Design 54 Certain statements in this proxy statement, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to our business plans, objectives and expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements may appear throughout this report. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Oversight of Executive Compensation Program 55 
Market Positioning 55 
Our Chief Executive Officer’s Compensation 56 
Other NEO Compensation 57 
Principal Elements of Compensation 57 
Additional Information 59 
2019 Summary Compensation Table 61 
2019 Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End 62 
AUDIT MATTERS 64 
Proposal 2 Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 64 
Principal Accountant Fees and Services 65 
Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures 65 
Restatement 66 
Report of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors 66 
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS 67 
Director and Executive Officers 69 
Voting Agreements 71 
Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports 71 
STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS AND NOMINATIONS 72 
Rule 14a-8 Stockholder Proposals 72 
Stockholder Nominations and Other Proposals 72 
ADJOURNMENT OF THE 2020 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS 72 
OTHER MATTERS 73 

 

Corporate Governance Highlights

Key Changes Since the Beginning of 2020
Expanded Corporate Governance Guidelines’ definition of diversity to include gender and ethnic diversity;
Strengthened Corporate Governance Guidelines to reflect Board’s role in risk oversight of sustainability, including environmental, social and human capital matters, and political contributions and lobbying;
Expanded Nominating Committee charter to include oversight of sustainability, including environmental, social and human capital matters;
Independent directors designated Mr. Immelt to succeed Mr. Doerr as lead independent director;
Adopted stock ownership guidelines for non-employee directors and executive vice presidents;
Determined that 30% of equity grants made to our executive officers in 2020 would be tied to corporate performance;
Determined that 40% of equity grants made to our executive officers in 2021 would be tied to corporate performance; and
Prepared our first Sustainability Report, which will be posted on our corporate website in April 2021.
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Governance Highlights
The Board consists of a diverse group of professionals who bring significant leadership, distinct qualities and skill sets relevant to our business and strategy. We believe the current composition of the Board is diverse, which provides a wide range of perspectives and viewpoints, enabling them to effectively represent the long-term interests of our stockholders;
The Board and its committees annually assess their performance through a self-evaluation by an independent third party, which includes a self-evaluation of each individual director’s performance;
A clawback policy applicable to our CEO and our executive vice presidents;
Anti-hedging and anti-pledging policy for employees and directors;
We have three standing committees of the Board – Audit, Compensation and Organizational Development, and Nominating, Governance and Public Policy. All committees are composed entirely of independent directors;
Executive sessions of independent directors are conducted regularly at Board and Board committee meetings;
Strong lead independent director with robust authority and responsibility that is disclosed to stockholders;
No restrictions on director access to officers and employees;
Responded to investor feedback to simplify our quarterly reporting and our operating metrics, to provide investor sessions on our business and technology and to produce a Sustainability Report; and
Members of our senior management team are responsible for implementation of our day-to-day risk management processes, while the Board, as a whole and through its committees, has responsibility for the oversight of overall risk management.

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Forward-Looking StatementsProxy Statement Summary

 

Transition from Emerging Growth Company Status to Large Accelerated Filer

Beginning on January 1, 2020, we transitioned from our status as an emerging growth company to a large accelerated filer. This Proxy Statement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements containedrequires us to make additional disclosure in this Proxy Statement, other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our future operating results and financial position, our business strategyincluding:

Expanded disclosure about our executive compensation practices in our Compensation Discussion and Analysis (beginning on page 47);
Additional compensation tables, including “Grant of Plan-based Awards Table” (beginning on page 60);
Conduct a vote every six years, on an advisory basis, on the frequency of our say-on-pay vote (specifically whether it will occur every one, two or three years); and
Allow stockholders to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers.

Executive Compensation Highlights

Our 2020 compensation plans and payouts for our objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” ”seek,” “intend,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan”named executive officers reflect our overarching philosophy of pay-for-performance. Highlights of our compensation program include:

Emphasis on Performance-Based Incentives: A majority of the target compensation opportunity provided to our named executive officers is awarded in the form of cash incentives and equity awards for which the realized value varies based on our financial and operating performance.
Challenging Performance Objectives: The Compensation and Organizational Development Committee (the “Compensation Committee”) sets rigorous goals for our annual bonus plan that will be achieved only if we perform at a high level. Based on our performance in 2020, our named executive officers earned a bonus between 130% and 137% of their targets for the year.
Performance-Based Approach to Long-Term Incentives: Performance-based stock units (“PSUs”) represent 50% of the target long-term incentive value granted to our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and 30% of the target value granted to our other named executive officers. The remaining long-term incentive value was granted in the form of time-based vesting restricted stock units (“RSUs”) (excluding Gregory Cameron, our Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), who was granted stock options as part of his new hire awards). No PSUs that were granted in 2020 would be earned if our revenue and adjusted EBITDA performance fell below our targets for the year. Based on our strong results in 2020, our named executive officers (excluding Mr. Cameron) earned 147% of the target number of shares granted in 2020.

As shown below, approximately 50% of the target total compensation awarded to our CEO and similar expressions are intended30% awarded to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statementsour other named executive officers (other than Mr. Cameron) was at-risk in this the form of our cash annual incentive and performance-based equity, both of which were eligible to be earned based on our level of achievement of rigorous financial goals.

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Proxy Statement include, butSummary

In addition, the Compensation Committee seeks to ensure that we maintain sound governance and compensation policies and practices. In designing and overseeing our executive compensation program, we strive to employ best practices and regularly assess our policies and practices.

WHAT WE DOWHAT WE DON’T DO

  A significant portion of our executive compensation program is dependent upon variable, at-risk pay components based on operational performance metrics

  Prior to making executive compensation decisions we review peer company compensation data

  We ensure management acts and thinks like stockholders through stock ownership guidelines

  We seek third-party executive compensation advice for the Compensation Committee from an in dependent consulting firm that does not perform any other services for Bloom

  A clawback policy for our CEO and our executive vice presidents

  No Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan

  No automatic single trigger equity award acceleration upon a change of control

  No golden parachute excise tax gross-ups

  Executive officers may not pledge our common stock as collateral for any obligation

  Executive officers may not engage in transactions intended to hedge or offset the market value of our common stock owned by them

  No perquisites to any of our executive officers

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Who We Are

2020 Highlights

Company Overview

With roots in NASA’s space program, we were born from innovation. We created the first large-scale, commercially viable solid oxide fuel-cell based power generation platform that delivers highly reliable, clean, resilient and cost-effective power to businesses, essential services and critical infrastructure. Our technology, invented in the United States and manufactured by American workers, is the most advanced on-site power generation technology on the market today. Our Energy Servers convert natural gas, biogas, or hydrogen into electricity at high efficiency and without combustion, significantly reducing environmental impacts.

Our enterprise customers are not limited to, our plans and expectations regarding future business strategies, our expectations regarding future financial condition and results of operations, and our expectations regarding general business and economic conditionsamong the largest multinational corporations who are leaders in our markets, including the effectsadopting new technologies. We also have strong relationships with some of the globallargest utility companies in the United States and around the world.

Driving Resilience

Catastrophic weather events in 2020 resulted in $95 billion in damages and widespread power outages that left hundreds of thousands in the dark for days, and even weeks. As overtaxed electric grids across the nation buckled under the strain, our Energy Servers delivered clean, resilient, uninterrupted energy to power our customers through these outages.

In 2020, our solutions were notably deployed at critical moments to power pop-up field hospitals in California amid the COVID-19 pandemic and market volatility.to support mission critical energy in the face of hurricanes in Louisiana with our partners.

 

You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictionsTime and time again, our microgrids – islands of future events. Weenergy resiliency – have basedhelped fortify critical infrastructure systems to ensure uninterrupted power, providing energy when the forward-looking statements contained in this Proxy Statement primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, operating results and prospects. The outcome of the events described in these forward looking statements is subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors including those discussed in ITEM 1A - Risk Factors and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time and itgrid is not possible for us to predict all risks and uncertainties or the extent to which any factor or combination of factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statementsavailable. In fact, we may make in this Proxy Statement. We cannot assure youhave deployed more than 100 microgrids that the results, events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. Actual results, events or circumstances could differ materially and adversely from those described or anticipated in the forward-looking statements.have supported our customers’ critical load through more than 1,700 power disruptions since 2018.

 

The forward-looking statements made in this Proxy Statement relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this Proxy Statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this Proxy Statement or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements.

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Who We Are

2019 PerformanceHighlights

In keeping with our mission to make clean, reliable, and affordable energy for everyone in the world, we accomplished the following during 2019:

Financial Highlights

 

Product and Installation Backlog Expands to Close to 2,000 Systems
Total Acceptances

11.1%

increase
year-over-year

Despite the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, we operated as an essential business and were able to grow acceptances to a record 1,326 systems, or 132.6 megawatts, in 2020. This represents an increase of 11.1% year-over-year, driven by new and existing customers, with the majority of the installations in the United States. An acceptance typically occurs when the system is turned on and producing full power. For orders where one of our partners performs the installation, our acceptance criteria are different. Those acceptances are generally achieved when the systems are shipped or delivered to our partner. Upon acceptance, the customer order is moved from product backlog and is recognized as revenue.

This performance represents a broad range of verticals including hospitals and healthcare, retail, utilities and energy, cloud services and data centers, education institutions, food and beverage, government, technology, construction and transportation.

RevenueOperating Margin

1.1%

increase

year-over-year

We achieved record revenue of $794.2 million in 2020 compared with $785.2 million in 2019, an increase of 1.1% year-over-year.

Increase of

19.4

percentage points

year-over-year

We achieved operating margin of (10.2)% in 2020 compared with (29.6)% in 2019, an increase of 19.4 percentage points year-over-year.
Gross MarginEPS

Increase of

8.5

percentage points

year-over-year

We achieved gross margin of 20.9% in 2020 compared with 12.4% in 2019, an increase of 8.5 percentage points year-over-year.

57.3%

improvement

year-over-year

Earnings per share on a GAAP basis was ($1.14) in 2020 compared with ($2.67) in 2019, an improvement of 57.3% year-over-year.

 

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2019 was a strong year for new bookings. We expanded our product and installation backlog to 1,983 systems at year-end, a 43.3% increase from the prior year. The majorityTable of our current backlog is domestic and includes U.S. commercial and industrial customers, utility scale projects, and international customers. Our goal is to maintain 9 to 12 months of product and install backlog at any point in time, and we are comfortably over that range as we enter the 2020 fiscal year.Contents

Total Acceptances

We grew acceptances to a record 1,194 systems in FY19, a 47.6% increase year-over-year, from new and existing customers, with the majority of the installations in the United States. This represents a broad range of verticals including healthcare, pharmaceutical, universities, utility scale projects, food and beverage retail, and even a sports venue.

Revenue

We achieved a record $785.2 million of revenue in FY19 compared to $632.6 million in FY18, an increase of 24.1% year-over-year.

EPS

EPS for FY19 on a GAAP basis was ($2.67) compared to ($5.14) in FY18, an improvement of 48.1% year-over-year.

Who We Are

 

Business Highlights

 

Diverse, International Customer Base Supports Strong AcceptancesIn 2020, we operated through myriad challenges and significantly advanced our business, better positioning us to achieve near- and long-term success. We added talent across the senior executive team, strengthened our financial position, unveiled our strategic growth plans, advanced our technology roadmap, and drove manufacturing and service improvements. As a result of these actions, we believe we are well-positioned to capitalize on our intellectual property, history of innovation, manufacturing prowess, and the strength and flexibility of our Bloom Energy Servers to drive long-term, sustainable value for all of our stakeholders including our customers, partners, employees, stockholders and the communities we serve.

 

ForUnderscoring our US commercialcommitment to growth and industrial (C&I) sector,success, the leadership and management team made a number of critically important decisions that delivered on our purpose, advanced our mission, and set a strategic pathway for a better energy future for the world. The following business highlights reflect some of the important progress we continued to experience momentum in the data center, healthcare, retail, and utility sectors across our marketsbelieve we have made during FY19. Throughout the year, existing customers increased their footprint and deployed our technology at multiple locations.2020:

 

Outside the US, the Asia Pacific region remains a major market opportunity for Bloom, and we’ve demonstrated the strength of our technology and deepened our market penetration. In Korea, our flagship 8.35 MW power tower project achieved its first year of commercial operations and greatly exceeded its contractual obligations. We also had a string of wins in the utility sector in Korea, which will be commissioned in 2020. Outside Korea, we are encouraged by the demand we’re seeing in Japan and India as we continue to expand into other international markets. In India, we signed several significant projects, including a first-of-its-kind commercial real estate development in Bangalore as well as Bloom’s first commercial scale on-site biogas to electricity project in the country. In Japan, our systems continued to operate during typhoon Hagibis, one of the largest storms in decades to hit the country.

Balance Sheet Improvement and Financial Strength: During the fourth quarter of 2020, we completed the retirement of the 10% Senior Secured Notes due July 2024 and the conversion of the remainder of our 10% Convertible Promissory Notes due December 2021. After the retirement and conversion of these notes, we reduced our recourse debt by approximately $144 million. These reductions, and the decrease in comparable interest rate in connection with the issuance in August 2020 of the $230 million aggregate principal amount of our 2.50% Green Convertible Senior Notes due 2025, resulted in reduced annual debt service costs of approximately $47 million. Our cash balances have increased since last year, with total cash increasing $39.3 million to $416.7 million, with the unrestricted component up slightly more, with total unrestricted at $246.9 million, up $44.1 million versus 2019. With reduced debt, more cash, strong operating discipline and substantial progress, we believe we are now well-positioned for future growth.
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Investing for the Future: Faced with an uncertain operating environment, our management team made the critical decision to delay a planned expansion of our manufacturing facility in early 2020, instead electing to focus on increasing production in our existing facilities and reducing the cost of our current product through manufacturing innovation and improvements. This action enabled us to defer market expansion-related expenses and further manage our cash position. As a result of these decisions, we have reached a point where we will be making investments to increase manufacturing capacity in 2021. We are planning to secure an additional 200 megawatt fuel cell manufacturing line as part of our Bloom 7.5 introduction. This combined capacity will provide 400 megawatts of fuel cell, or over 1 gigawatt of electrolyzer capacity, that we can allocate based upon market demand.
Unveiling the Growth Levers through Bloom’s Innovative Technology Roadmap: In December, we unveiled our technology roadmap that will accelerate growth by capitalizing on emerging market opportunities. We have introduced new applications that can serve an increasingly diverse and global customer base, which is focused on moving to a 100% zero-carbon future. The growth levers of our strategic plan build on the foundation of our fuel-flexible technology and include: hydrogen fuel cells and electrolyzers, biogas, carbon capture and marine power.
Installing the First Bloom 7.5 Server: We completed the installation of our first Bloom 7.5 Server with a customer in December. The unit is performing as expected and we intend to increase production and the manufacturing of Bloom 7.5 throughout 2021. In 2022, we expect Bloom 7.5 will represent the majority of the systems we manufacture.
Continuing History of Manufacturing Innovation: We have a long history of continuous improvement across all facets of our business. This year we made substantial progress on improving upon the ease and predictability of our installation process as part of our broader effort to simplify the business. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need to improve our processes, as it brought into focus a new set of impediments for our installation team along with those that we encounter in a world dealing with climate change. The first Bloom Energy Server pre-assembled for rapid installation on a skid, ready to deploy, was built at our factory in Delaware. By transferring a significant portion of the integration work and time from less predictable field conditions to a controlled factory environment, we expect to be able to reduce cost and time overruns. The ease of installing a skid in a customer location will enable us to offer simple standardized procedures to outsourced installation partners, thereby enabling us to scale up our operations—both geographically and in volume. It will also enable us to power customers on a short-term or emergency basis.

With a clear focus on our purpose, commitment to executing on the growth levers of our strategic plan and the financial resources to make prudent investments in our business, we believe we are on the pathway to growth. Our diverse and talented management team shares a history of innovation and leadership in technology that moves us closer to the promise of a clean energy future and nearer to achieving our mission of making reliable, resilient and lower cost power available to all.

2021 PROXY STATEMENT13
 

Strong Market Opportunity for Microgrids As Power Outages Continue to Rise

California’s Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), which are planned power outages with the objective of reducing wildfires and improving public safety, have become the “new normal” for local companies and communities. It has been projected that the state’s utilities will continue to de-energize their power lines for the next ten years, or longer. The duration of these outages is long, with the average of nearly two full days (from October 2017 to present day). Additionally, the service territories that are designated as “high fire threat areas” are expected to expand as fire risk worsens over time.

To help our customers on the West Coast prepare for future wildfire seasons, we launched a new Quick-Deploy Microgrid Program for PSPS Readiness, which provides permanent AlwaysON Microgrids for their facilities. This program will enable customers to deploy a resilient microgrid infrastructure prior to the anticipated start of the 2020 wildfire season, as well as receive clean electricity at a predictable cost to mitigate the impact of utility rate increases.

We are also increasingly deploying our AlwaysON Microgrid technology on the East Coast, where there has been an increase in grid events as well. For example, our microgrids helped keep Home Depot stores open during the heat wave and storm in July 2019 that led to numerous power outages and plunged hundreds of thousands of New York and New Jersey electricity customers into darkness. We also announced an agreement with II-VI Incorporated to install a new microgrid at its Warren, New Jersey manufacturing facility and recently announced that we will be powering 40 Stop & Shop grocery stores with our AlwaysON Microgrid configuration in Massachusetts and New York, ensuring that their stores can better serve their local communities when needed most, such as during severe weather or winter storms.

Building Ships Powered by Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Today, 80 percent of the world’s shipping fleet runs on heavy fuel oil, or bunker fuel. Replacing combustion-based power generation from bunker oil with electrochemical conversion of liquid natural gas (LNG) through fuel cells could have a profound impact on carbon emissions from marine transportation. As nations and ports develop their hydrogen infrastructure, fuel cell-powered ships could transition from natural gas fuel to hydrogen fuel and become zero-carbon and zero-smog emitters.

In September 2019, we announced a collaboration with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), a part of Samsung Group, to design and develop ships powered by Bloom Energy’s solid oxide fuel cell technology. Bloom Energy and SHI estimate that replacing oil-based power generation on large cargo ships, which require up to 100 megawatts of power per ship, could reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions from shipping by 45 percent. The modularity of Bloom Energy Servers makes them well suited to the space constraints of ships and SHI envisions Bloom Energy Servers displacing existing power generation sets, and therefore requiring no additional space, or even reducing the total space required for power generation.

New Collaboration to Turn Dairy Waste into Clean Energy in California

This year, we announced that we are working with California Bioenergy LLC (CalBio) to deploy a commercial solution for the conversion of dairy waste into renewable electricity. CalBio’s dairy digester technology combined with our solid oxide fuel cell technology will deliver an end-to-end solution for the capture of methane from cow manure to the generation of renewable electricity, which has been designed to power electric vehicles throughout the state.

Today, most California dairies are making plans to install digesters to capture biogas from their cow manure and are looking for a cleaner way to utilize this fuel. Biogas captured from cow manure contains approximately 65 percent methane, which has a 25 times greater impact on global warming than CO2 emissions, but is also a useful, renewable fuel.

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There is an estimated 320 MW of economically viable dairy biogas in California. With significant deployments of dairy digesters occurring throughout the California dairy industry, there is need for an on-site power generation solution that uses the captured biogas to generate renewable electricity without combustion.

Bloom Refurbishes Ventilators to Help Combat COVID-19

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and as the U.S. faced a critical shortage of ventilators, Bloom exercised its expertise and capabilities to begin refurbishing some of the thousands of out-of-service ventilators available in the U.S. Working with state agencies and customers – many of which are hospitals and medical device companies – to identify supplies of unused, out-of-service ventilators, Bloom repurposed some of its facilities in California and Delaware to refurbish the units to help COVID-19 patients experiencing critical respiratory failure.

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SustainabilityESG at Bloom

 

Introduction

 

Sustainability is a core valueThe health and well-being of our organization. It sits at the center ofpeople, our product’s value proposition,communities and extends into all aspects of our manufacturingplanet matter greatly to Bloom. While our commitment is firmly established, our formal processes, strategies and operations.governance concerning Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) matters are in their early stages. We are actively engaged in a dialogue with investors around their interest in corporate responsibility and sustainability, including discussions concerning ESG performance.

 

We seekcontinue to minimizereview and update our environmental footprint with research and development designed to extend system operating life, while reducing consumption of new material in our Energy Servers. We’ve built recycling programs, which recover components for re-use at end-of-life,governance practices and have, dedicated facilitiesfor example, updated our Corporate Governance Guidelines to reflect our interest in candidates who express diversity across demographics such as gender, race, ethnic and national background, geography, age and sexual orientation. Further, in April 2021, we plan to publish our manufacturing locations in Delaware and California to inspect and dismantle components removed during scheduled maintenance. We have an audit program to identify opportunities for improvement with suppliers and also work to reduce packaging and minimize landfilledfirst Sustainability Report, which will be available on our website at www.bloomenergy.com. Please note that our 2021 Sustainability Report is not a part of our proxy solicitation materials.

 

In operation, Bloom’s Energy Servers uniquely address both the causesESG Management and consequences of climate change. Our projects lower carbon emissions by displacing less efficient grid alternatives. We improve air quality, often in vulnerable communities, by generating electricity without combustion, and our microgrid deployments provide critical resilience from grid instability, driven increasingly by climate-related extreme weather events. Our products achieve this all while using no water during operation and at very high power density, which optimizes land use.

SASBStandardOversight

 

We striveare evolving both Board oversight and management processes to providemore fully and formally incorporate ESG data and analysis into our stockholdersstrategy development, risk management and operations. Our sustainability governance structure involves numerous participants engaging in information-sharing and decision-making, capitalizing on the depth and breadth of expertise throughout Bloom.

Board Oversight of ESG

The Board, as a whole and through its committees, oversees our strategy, ESG efforts and risk management processes. All Board committees have active oversight of one or more key ESG components. In 2020, the Board delegated to the Nominating, Governance & Public Policy Committee (the “Nominating Committee”) oversight of sustainability matters, including climate-related risks and opportunities, in recognition of the importance of ESG matters to our business. The Audit Committee, with importantits oversight of risk management processes and financial matters, and the Compensation Committee, which oversees human capital matters, shares relevant information aboutand analysis with the Nominating Committee. Information and analysis from each of the committees are taken into account by the full Board in considering and providing guidance on our sustainability-related governancestrategy and performance. In an effort to provide comparable information, we have begun using the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Sustainable Industry Classification System (SAIC) Standardobjectives for the Fuel Cell industryshort-, medium- and long-term, including on climate and other sustainability-related strategy and objectives. Management provides the Nominating Committee with background on emerging ESG trends, relevant disclosure standards, and the importance of ESG management to guidethe business.

Executive Leadership, Management Governance Structure and ESG Strategy

Our CEO is responsible for approving our disclosure. Additionally, we’ve chosen to augmentESG goals and strategies based on the recommended reporting categoriesBoard’s guidance and directives, and for overseeing the execution of those strategies. Our senior-level executives are responsible for assisting the CEO in formulating our strategies and setting our priorities and objectives based on information and analysis from the Fuel Cell Industry Standard with disclosure across categoriesmanagement in each functional area. Our executive leadership team, which includes all of the SASB impact reporting framework. We have presented information regarding certainmembers of these categories below.

Environment

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions

999,309 Metric Tonnes of CO2e

Approximate 2019 Gross Global Scope 1 Emissions

Includes emissions from all Bloom Energy Servers in operation globally and from the company’s vehicles, plant, and test equipment

-379,664Metric Tonnes of CO2e 28% Reduction vs. Grid

Approximate 2019 Gross Global Emissions Impact

Based on Energy Server emissions displacement as compared to non-baseload emissions rates as a proxy for marginal emissions; this is the weighted average global reduction from the countries where we have systems deployed.

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We report our greenhouse gas emissions utilizing the operational control boundary per the World Resource Institute’s GHG Protocol. We sell equipment in the US under several deal structures, oftenESG Committee, meets weekly with the involvement of a third party investor, but in all instances Bloom maintains operational controlCEO to engage around various risk management areas of the Energy Servers in the field. Emissions from the operationsbusiness. Through these formal and informal processes of manufactured products would oftenexecutive interactions, risks and opportunities can be Scope 3 to the manufacturer, but we have chosen the operational control boundary as the most transparent GHG accounting method, which ensures emissions responsibility is not shifted to financial institutions that might be less familiar with emissions accounting from their investment portfolios.

We have reported absolute Scope 1 emissions above, but each Bloom deployment also generates an implied carbon reduction as well. Establishing Bloom’s climate impact requires a comparison between its absolute emissionscontinuously raised, evaluated and the emissions from displaced alternatives. When a new, efficient distributed energy resource, such as Bloom Energy Server, is brought online, it reduces the amount of power required from energy sources that generate “on the margin” – meaning those units that are operating to meet the last unit of energy demand. Since Bloom’s carbon intensity is typically lower than the displaced (generally fossil powered) alternatives, the net impact is measurable emissions reductions.factored into ongoing strategy development.

 

In response2020, we formalized senior executive involvement related to climate and environmental, health and safety matters with the interest in Bloom’s emission impact inestablishment of a carbon constrained world, we publishednew management-level ESG Committee, which is intended to be our central source for ESG risk identification, data analysis and policy, program and strategy formulation. The ESG Committee provides a technical note onplatform for our leadership to understand, staff, resource and manage ESG-related risks and opportunities. The ESG Committee is comprised of the topic in Q4 2019. The note, titled How Bloom Reduces Emissions, highlighted approximately 2.33 million metric tonnessenior-most leaders of CO2 reduction globally since we began scaled commercial deployment in 2011 through 2019, equivalent to 18,900 acreseach of forest preservation or taking nearly one half of one million cars off the road for a year since 2011.

Air Qualityour functional areas, and its initial responsibilities include:

 

5,938Lbs.
2019 Global Air Emissions of
NOx (excluding N2O)

-1,665,837Lbs.
99.7% Reduction vs. Grid
2019 Domestic NOx Reduction

Based on comparisonAssisting the CEO in developing our strategy with respect to EPA eGRID non-baseload emissions rates inclusive of line losses as a proxy for marginal emissions

ESG matters;
16.4Formulating and recommending policies and practices that align with our strategies, and advising on how ESG matters may impact other company policies and practices;
Lbs.
Overseeing reporting and disclosures regarding ESG matters; and
2019 Global Air EmissionsAdvising the CEO and the Board of SO2current and emerging ESG matters that may affect the business, operations, performance or public image or that may otherwise be significant to us and to our stakeholders.

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-435,329

Table of ContentsLbs.
100% Reduction vs. Grid
2019 Domestic SO2 Reduction

Based on comparison to EPA eGRID non-baseload emissions rates inclusive of line losses as a proxy for marginal emissions

ESG at Bloom

 

The California Air Resources Board has certified Bloom Energy Servers asBelow is a Distributed Generation Technology due to their air quality emissions profile. This distinction is given to only the cleanest electricity generation technologies in California. As a partgraphical illustration of Bloom’s certification process with the California Air Resources Board to become a Distributed Generation technology, Bloom went through third-party validated testing of its ES5 Systems to determine that its criteria pollutant emissions were below the certified limits.our ESG management and oversight structure.

 

Bloom creates air quality benefit in the same way we create emissions benefit, through the displacement of fossil combustion power generators on the margin. In the How Bloom Reduces Emissions technical note, we modeled substantial fleet level historical criteria pollutant reductions (since we began scaled commercial deployment in 2011), including 5.05 million pounds of sulfur oxides (SOx), and 8.9 million lbs. of nitrogen oxides (NOx), equivalent to preventing approximately 5,200 lost work days and more than 30,000 days of restricted activity due to illness.

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The health and environmental impacts of combustion related pollutants are both very significant and readily quantifiable. Calculations of the economic and health benefits associated with reducing particulate emissions have been found to exceed the economic and health benefits of reducing carbon emissions on a per ton basis.

Water & Wastewater Management

 

0.422021 PROXY gallons per MWh
2019 Domestic water withdrawn per MwhSTATEMENT

-18,77415gallons per MWh
100% Reduction vs. Grid
2019 Domestic water Impact per Mwh

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Compared to U.S. thermo-electric power generation (excluding hydro) citied by the U.S. Geological Survey

ESG at Bloom

 

Bloom systems withdraw water only during start-up and if the system trips and needs to restart. Otherwise Energy Servers require no water to be used during operation. Conversely, thermal power plants require significant amounts of water for cooling. In fact, the number one use of water in the U.S. is for cooling power plants. To produce one megawatt per hour for a year, thermoelectric power generation for the U.S. grid withdraws approximately 156 million gallons of water more than our platform. Since 2011, Bloom has saved 202 billion gallons of water, equal to more than 300,000 Olympic swimming pools.Our Employees

 

Approximately 60 percent of Bloom Energy Servers are deployed in California, where water stress is particularly acute. Increasingly lighter snowpack combined with California’s natural climate vulnerability will continue to stress water supply in a warming climate. Rising temperatures will increase demand for irrigation, placing a significant premium on reduced water consumption for industrial applications. Bloom’s Energy Servers avoid substantial water consumption from the industrial sectorPromoting Diversity, Equity and can benefit local watersheds and avoid thermal pollution into critical water sources.Inclusion

 

Business Model Innovation

62%
beginning of life efficiency for the 2019 fleet

2019 Average energy efficiency of fuel cells as thermal efficiency, by product applicationSince our inception, we have supported diversity, equity and technology type

Product Efficiency

Bloom’s Remote Monitoring and Control Center (RMCC) in San Jose monitorsinclusion. From our global installed fleet of Energy Servers and continuously gathers and analyzes operating data down to the individual stack level to evaluate health and optimize performance. For each Power Module (PM), we monitor 1,200 variables for a 300 kW Energy Server. We also have a mirror site in Mumbai, India, that provides both redundancy and resiliency of our RMCC operations as well as 24/7 hour coverage of our fleet.

Our fuel cells have a lifecycle similar to that of an aircraft engine. They start their lives as newly manufactured stacks in a Power Module and are installed at a customer site. They generate power for a certain period of time and, at some point, our RMCC determines that the PMs need to be removed and refurbished. Once removed, the PMs are sent to our Repair and Overhaul Center, where we harvest the majority of the materials to refurbish the unit and return it to the field for continued generation of power.

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We have published a more detailed technical note on stack life titled A Primer to Understanding Fuel Cell Power Module Life available on the Bloom website.

Product End of Life Management

>98%
2019 Percentage by weight of products sold that are recyclable or reusable
13.6MT
2019 Weight of end-of-life material recovered, percentage recycled in tonnes

Bloom Energy Servers are designed with full product life cycle sustainability in mind, and we maximize the reuse of components within our systems. End-of-life units are returnedvisionary CEO, KR Sridhar, to our manufacturing operation where components are refurbished and reused in the latest generationplant employees, a large percentage of our Energy Serverspopulation is from underrepresented communities. 44% of the Board is composed of ethnic minorities, including a female African-American member. 33% of our executive management team is composed of ethnic minorities and excess materials40% are recycled.women. We recognize that diverse leadership translates to a diversity of experiences, viewpoints and, ultimately, more informed decisions. Our mission of providing clean, reliable and affordable energy to everyone is achieved only when every voice is heard and valued.

 

As a function of an approximately 30,000 lb. Bloom Energy Server, the weight of components that go to the landfill without a recycling or refurbishment stream comprises approximately 510 lbs., or less than approximately 2 percent of the total server weight. Typical components that go directly to landfill without chance for refurbishment or recycling are sealants, adhesives, gaskets, filters, tape (electrical, ceramic), and certain plastics.

Materials Sourcing

Bloom is committed to the creation and maintenance of a responsible supply chain and, as a newly public company, plans to file its first conflict minerals report with the SEC in 2020. We are focused on preventing any irresponsible smelting or refining activity of 3TG materials (tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold) in our supply chain. Moving forward, we are committed to evolving our conflict minerals program beyond compliance.

Additionally, we expect the Bloom employees who interact with suppliers to adhere to the standards set out in the Global Business Partner Standards, which include specific guidance on supplier related anti-corruption practices, diligence, documentation, and legal circumvention.

Human and Social Capital

Employee Health & Safety

1.25
2019 Total recordable incident rate (TRIR)
0
2019 Fatality rate

Bloom’s management is fully committed to providing a safe working environment. We believe in the principle of ‘safety first’ and that all incidents are preventable. We foster an environment with ongoing integration of safety into all activities to eliminate illness and injuries. To achieve this, the Company has established well-defined safety, health and environmental policies and procedures and ongoing training. We focus on prevention programs and driving continuous improvement via Design for Safety initiatives during development, interactive training programs with all employees, hands-on audits, employee engagement through monthly team meetings, and relentless focus on deep dive investigations ensuring that we learn and improve from incidents.

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Employee Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion

The Company is focused on building an enduring, world-changing business, and is also committed to creating a world-class workforce. We are committed to full-spectrumcontinuing to foster the diversity inclusive of gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, age, ability, veteran status, religion, culture, background,our workforce, and experiences.

Bloom Energy maintains an affirmative action programare actively developing programs and strategies to support this commitment. We recently initiated a Talent Acquisition Strategy, the goal of which is to identify and attract a slate of candidates from underrepresented groups through increasing investments in accordanceadvertising and outreach. We have established a University Program in which we partner with applicable laws, regulations, executive orders,university diversity groups including the Society of Women Engineers, Society of Hispanic Engineers and government directives. Bloom isNational Society of Black Engineers, to name a few. Additionally, we are partnering with several historically Black colleges and universities to hire interns and employees. We are committed to being a military-friendly employer and we were recognizedhave partnered with several veteran organizations and agencies to identify and hire talent. Currently, our veteran population represents 9.3% of our total U.S. employee population. Further, in recognition of our military hiring efforts, in 2018 withwe received the Pro Patria Award byfrom the Employer Support of the Guarded and Reserve (ESGR)(“ESGR”). This award recognizes employers who have demonstrated the greatest support to Guard and Reserve employees through their leadership and practices, and is the highest-level award that may be bestowed by an ESGR State Committee.

 

Community RelationsSupporting Employee Well-Being

 

BloomCompensation and Benefits

We provide our employees with robust total compensation packages that include competitive salaries, bonuses and opportunities for equity ownership. We review and enhance the benefits portion of the package periodically, seeking to improve our competitiveness across health and income replacement programs. For example, we recently introduced a new program to facilitate access to mental health care, in terms of cost and ease of access.

Employee Health and COVID-19 Safety Measures

We have been going above and beyond to protect employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employee safety is our top priority. Among other things, we are providing daily temperature checks and health checks at entrances; cloth or surgical masks to all workers; modified work areas to ensure social distancing; regular COVID-19 testing; frequent cleaning and disinfecting of all areas; closed or modified breakrooms to reduce risk of transmission; and state of the art air filtration systems that have been FDA-verified to kill the COVID-19 virus. We have also established rigorous quarantine protocols. As evidence of these efforts, our workplace positivity rate is far lower than those of the counties in which we operate.

Employee Safety and Training

Our management seeks to provide a safe working environment. We believe in the principle ‘safety first’ and that most incidents are preventable. We strive to foster an environment that integrates safety throughout our operations to reduce or eliminate illness and injuries among our workforce.

To support this, we have established well-defined safety, health and environmental policies and procedures and offer ongoing training. We have focused on supportingprevention programs and driving continuous improvement via ‘Design for Safety’ initiatives during product development, interactive training programs with all employees, hands-on audits, employee engagement through monthly team meetings, and relentless focus on deep-dive investigations ensuring we learn and improve from incidents that occur.

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ESG at Bloom

Keeping Jobs Local - While Improving the vulnerable populations often impacted by centralized combustion power generation. Early collaborations with environmental justice groups are underway, and Bloom will continue to support community access to affordable, reliable, and resilient infrastructure.Communities in Which We Operate

 

Bloom’sOur technology has a global reach, but at our core, we are all about improving and expanding operations nationally and serving our local communities. In Delaware, where we have our Newark manufacturing facility, we invested $6.6 million last year alone to prepare for future growth. At the height of the pandemic, we added 57 new roles in Delaware, bringing the employee number to 397. We invested in the Newark community by building a training facility and entering into a partnership with the Delaware Office of Work-Based Learning at Delaware Tech to bolster workforce development.

Additionally, our products are providing clean energy solutions to the residents of Delaware and helping the state achieve new standards for clean energy. The Delaware Division of Energy Servers can formand Climate has put in place limits on the basisamount of resilient microgrids, whichharmful emissions generated by the local electricity industry. Utility companies like the Delmarva Power Plant, encouraged by the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards Act (”REPSA”), have had to increase their renewable and alternative energy sources to power local communities. Our Newark manufacturing facility’s collaboration with the capability to separate themselves fromDelmarva Power Plant helps power thousands of homes with clean energy produced by fuel cells made by Delawareans.

Our fuel cell technology is helping the gridDelmarva Power Plant achieve reduced emissions and carry critical load during an outage,meet the frequency, duration and severityrequired 25% of which increase every year.alternative energy sources mandated by REPSA. We have deployedsucceeded in decreasing CO2emissions by 50% and nearly eliminated smog-forming particulate emissions. More importantly, we are providing clean energy to more than 89 microgrids to date globally and our systems have powered our customers through 1,200 power outages since 2018. We have made community micogrids a priority, which will provide energy services to critical infrastructure during an emergency. They also prevent22,000 homes in the need for backup diesel generators, which emit both carbon and criteria pollutants into surrounding communities.state.

 

Access & AffordabilitySupporting Our Communities

 

Bloom’sOur mission is to make clean, reliable andpower affordable energy for everyone in the world. We are focused on scaling manufacturing capabilityworld because we know that allows our communities to be safe, prosperous, healthy and volumeresilient. Community impact is what motivates us every day to continuously lower our service costprovide the highest quality products and in turn, lower the delivered cost of electricity. Our hardware costs have dropped by approximately 27 percent each time our cumulative production volume has doubled, which compares favorably to other energy technologies such as wind and solar.solutions possible.

 

The latest generation Energy Server delivers five times the electricity outputAssisting Vulnerable Communities

2020 was a difficult year for many of the first generationcommunities we serve, but we responded by being adaptable, flexible and innovative in a constant footprint. The next generation now under development will deliver 50 percent more power than the latest generationcreating solutions in the same footprint,face of emergencies. Our rapid deployment of engineering and we expectmanufacturing resources has aided vulnerable communities in multiple ways during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as extreme weather events.

Ventilator Refurbishment. In March 2020, when the country came to continue this trend of power density improvementsa standstill in the future. Asfight against the spread of COVID-19, we voluntarily launched an initiative to refurbish ventilators at our power density increases, total land useSan Jose, California and relatedNewark, Delaware facilities. We knew that we could put our manufacturing, engineering and operational expertise to work and successfully refurbished more than 1,300 ventilators that were supplied to state emergency management departments and healthcare facilities in California, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

Rapid Deploy Microgrids. When a field hospital was set up in Sacramento, California to expand the state’s hospital capacity and house COVID-19 patients, we and our installation and material costs are reduced, thereby loweringutility project partners were able to deploy a microgrid in three days. The Bloom microgrid provided essential reliable, AlwaysON power to serve the costcritical medical needs of electricity.Californians. Similar microgrids were rapidly deployed to a hospital in Louisiana and a hospital system in Vallejo, California, providing vital power to a field hospital set up to accommodate patient overflow. Importantly, these facilities could not have utilized traditional temporary diesel power solutions due to the impact on patient respiratory health, reinforcing the importance of our products’ air quality impacts on vulnerable populations every day.

 

The fuel costs to produce power go down as the amount of fuel required to produce the power is reduced. The higher the efficiency of an Energy Server, the lower the fuel use and associated fuel cost. The beginning-of-life efficiency percentagesRedirecting Excess Power. On top of the Bloom Energy Servers have increasedchallenges with COVID-19, California continues to deal with grid instability from the high-40sclimate-driven extreme weather as well as wildfires. But 2020 saw blackouts due to record heat as well. Our fuel cell technology at approximately 500 sites has been generating 265 megawatts of clean and reliable power in the first generationstate. Our customers agreed to export the excess power generated at their sites to the 60sgrid to provide additional generation capacity. Thanks to their generosity, we managed to power nearly 15,000 homes in communities facing the current generation. We expectadverse effects of the efficiency to improve further in succeeding generations.pandemic.

 

Mobile COVID-19 Testing. To help keep our employees and neighbors safe, we partnered with El Camino Health to set up a mobile COVID-19 testing facility for Bay Area organizations, businesses and schools. Using the University of Illinois’ innovative Shield T3 COVID testing system, the mobile unit offers rapid, accurate and inexpensive testing, providing critically needed tests for area businesses, schools and disadvantaged communities. One in six tests purchased by us and participating organizations was used to help the Valley Medical Center Foundation purchase a mobile medical bus to vaccinate homebound seniors, people with disabilities, farmers and others who might not be easily served.

2021 PROXY STATEMENT17
13 

General Proxy Information

This proxy statement (the “Proxy Statement”) is being furnished to the stockholders of Bloom Energy Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”, “Bloom”, “we”, “us” or “our”), in connection with the solicitation of proxies by our Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”) for use at our 2020 annual meeting of stockholders (the “2020 Annual Meeting”) to be held at the Hilton Santa Clara, 4949 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, California 95054 on Thursday, May 12, 2020, at 9:00 a.m. PT, local time and at any and all adjournments, postponements or continuations of the meeting.

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Questions and Answers about this Proxy Material and Voting

Internet AvailabilityTable of Proxy Materials

This year, we will again be using the “Notice and Access” method of providing proxy materials to stockholders via the Internet. We believe that this process provides stockholders with a convenient and quick way to access the proxy materials and vote, while allowing us to conserve natural resources and reduce the costs of printing and distributing the proxy materials. On or about April 2, 2020, we will mail to most of our stockholders a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice”) containing instructions on how to access our proxy materials, including our Proxy Statement and Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. The Notice also provides instructions on how to vote using the Internet or by telephone and includes instructions on how to request a paper copy of the proxy materials by mail.

At the close of business on the Record Date, there were 90,231,067 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock and 34,872,888 shares of the Company’s Class B common stock outstanding and entitled to vote. The Class A common stock and the Class B common stock are collectively referred to as the Common Stock in this Proxy Statement. The Proxy Statement and Annual Report on Form 10-K are available at www.proxyvote.com. We will provide to any stockholder without charge, upon written or oral request, a copy of our Proxy Statement and Annual Report on Form 10-K (without exhibits). Requests should be directed to Bloom Energy Corporation, 4353 North First Street, San Jose, California 95134, Attention: Corporate Secretary, or by calling (408) 543-1500.

Who can vote at the 2020 Annual Meeting?

Only stockholders of record at the close of business on March 16, 2020 (the “Record Date”) will be entitled to vote at the 2020 Annual Meeting. A list of stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting will be available for inspection at 4353 North First Street, San Jose, California 95134 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. local time, for at least ten days prior to the meeting and will also be available for inspection at the meeting.

How do I attend the 2020 Annual Meeting and vote in person?

Only stockholders of record on the close of business on the Record Date may attend the 2020 Annual Meeting. In order to be admitted to the meeting, you should be prepared to present valid photo identification, such as a driver’s license or passport, and proof of stock ownership as of the Record Date. If you hold your shares through a broker, bank or other nominee, you will need to bring proof of beneficial ownership as of the Record Date, such as your most recent account statement reflecting your Common Stock ownership prior to the Record Date, a copy of the voting instruction card provided by your broker, bank, or other nominee, or similar evidence of ownership. If you wish to vote in person, we will provide you with a ballot to use to vote at the 2020 Annual Meeting. If you are a beneficial owner and hold shares of Common Stock through a broker, bank or other nominee, you may not vote your shares of Common Stock in person at the 2020 Annual Meeting unless you obtain a legal proxy from the broker, bank or other nominee that holds your shares of Common Stock giving you the right to vote the shares of Common Stock at the 2020 Annual Meeting.

Even if you plan to attend the 2020 Annual Meeting, we recommend that you submit your proxy or voting instructions as described in the Proxy Statement so that your vote will be counted if you later decide not to attend the 2020 Annual Meeting. You may still attend the meeting and vote in person even if you have already voted by proxy.

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How many votes do I have?

You have one vote for each share of Class A common stock and ten votes for each share of Class B common stock you owned as of the close of business on the Record Date. The holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock will vote together on each matter presented at the 2020 Annual Meeting.

How does the Company’s dual class structure affect me?

Because of the ten-to-one voting ratio between our Class B and Class A common stock, the holders of our Class B common stock collectively control a majority of the combined voting power of our Common Stock.

The Class B common stock is convertible into Class A common stock at any time at the option of the holder. In addition, the Class B common stock will automatically convert into Class A common stock immediately prior to the close of business on the fifth anniversary of our initial public offering (July 2023), and may automatically convert earlier than such date upon certain circumstances as described in our Certificate of Incorporation.

What am I voting on?

You are being asked to vote on the following:

·election of three Class II directors to serve until our 2023 annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified;
·the ratification of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020; and
·any other business as may properly come before the 2020 Annual Meeting or any adjournment, continuation or postponement thereof.

How does the Board of Directors recommend I vote on these proposals?

The Company’s Board recommends that you vote “FOR” the election of Mary K. Bush, Jeffrey Immelt and Eddy Zervigon as Class II directors and “FOR” the ratification of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020.

How do I vote my shares?

Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name

If on March 16, 2020 your shares were registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust, then you are considered the stockholder of record with respect to those shares. As a stockholder of record, you may vote in person at the 2020 Annual Meeting, or vote by proxy over the telephone, through the Internet, or by using a proxy card that you may request or that we may elect to deliver to you at a later time. The method you use to vote will not limit your right to vote at the 2020 Annual Meeting if you decide to attend in person. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we urge you to submit your proxy in advance. You may still attend the meeting and vote in person even if you have already voted by proxy.

To vote through the Internet: Go to www.proxyvote.com to complete an electronic proxy card. You will be asked to provide the control number from your Notice. Your Internet vote must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 11, 2020, to be counted.

To vote by telephone: Dial toll-free 1-800-690-6903 using a touch-tone phone and follow the recorded instructions. You will be asked to provide the control number from the Notice. Your telephone vote must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 11, 2020, to be counted.

To vote by mail: If you received your proxy materials via the U.S. mail, you may complete, sign and return the accompanying proxy card in the postage-paid envelope provided. If you return your signed proxy card to us and we receive it before the 2020 Annual Meeting, we will vote your shares as you direct.

To vote in person: Attend the 2020 Annual Meeting at the Hilton Santa Clara, 4949 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, California 95054, and we will give you a ballot when you arrive.

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Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of Broker or Bank

If on March 16, 2020 your shares were held in an account with a brokerage firm, bank or other nominee, then you are the beneficial owner of the shares held in street name. As a beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your nominee how to vote the shares held in your account. However, the organization that holds your shares is considered the stockholder of record for purposes of voting at the meeting. Because you are not the stockholder of record, you may not vote your shares at the meeting unless you request and obtain a valid proxy from the organization that holds your shares giving you the right to vote the shares at the meeting. You should have received a voting instruction card and voting instructions with these proxy materials from your brokerage firm, bank or other agent rather than from us. Simply complete and mail the voting instruction card to ensure that your vote is counted. Internet or telephonic voting may also be available; however, that will depend on the voting process of your broker, bank or other nominee. Please see your voting instruction card for further details.

How will my shares be voted if I return a blank proxy card?

If you return a signed and dated proxy card or otherwise submit a proxy without indicating voting selections, your shares will be voted, as applicable, “FOR” the election of each Class II director nominee and “FOR” the ratification of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020. If any other matter is properly presented at the meeting, your proxyholder (one of the individuals named on your proxy card) will vote your shares using his or her best judgment.

How will my shares be voted if I do not provide my broker or bank with voting instructions, and what is a “broker non-vote”?

If you are a beneficial owner of shares held in street name and you do not instruct your broker, bank, or other nominee how to vote your shares, your broker, bank, or other nominee may still be able to vote your shares in its discretion on certain matters. Brokers, banks, and other securities intermediaries may use their discretion to vote your “uninstructed” shares with respect to matters considered to be “routine,” but not with respect to “non-routine” matters. In this regard, Proposal 1 is considered to be “non-routine,” meaning that your broker may not vote your shares on that proposal in the absence of your voting instructions. Proposal 2 is considered to be a “routine” matter, meaning that if you do not return voting instructions to your broker by its deadline, your shares may be voted by your broker in its discretion on Proposal 2. If a broker, bank or other nominee exercises their discretionary voting authority on Proposal 2, such shares will be considered present at the annual meeting for quorum purposes, counted in the voting results for Proposal 2 and a broker non-vote will occur as to Proposal 1.

If you are a beneficial owner of shares held in street name, in order to ensure your shares are voted in the way you would prefer, you must provide voting instructions to your broker, bank, or other nominee by the deadline provided in the materials you receive from your broker, bank, or other nominee.

How many votes are needed to approve the proposal?

Proposal 1: The election of directors requires a plurality vote of the shares of our Common Stock present in person or by proxy at the 2020 Annual Meeting. “Plurality” means that the nominees who receive the largest number of votes cast “for” such nominee are elected as directors. As a result, with respect to the election of the three Class II directors, the three nominees receiving the most “FOR” votes (among votes properly cast in person or by proxy) will be elected. “Withhold” votes, abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect.

Proposal 2: The ratification of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2020, requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares of stock entitled to vote that are present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and are voted for or against the proposal. Abstentions will have no effect.

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Who is making this solicitation?

The Company’s Board is soliciting these proxies and the cost of such solicitation will be borne by the Company, including the charges and expenses of persons holding shares in their name as nominee incurred in connection with forwarding proxy materials to the beneficial owners of such shares. In addition to the use of the mail, proxies may be solicited by our officers, directors and employees in person, by telephone or by email. Those individuals will not be additionally compensated for the solicitation but may be reimbursed for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the solicitation.

What is the quorum requirement?

A quorum of stockholders is necessary to hold a valid 2020 Annual Meeting. Our Bylaws provide that a quorum will be present if a majority of the voting power of all shares outstanding on the Record Date are represented at the 2020 Annual Meeting, present in person or by proxy. Your shares will be counted toward the quorum only if you submit a valid proxy or vote at the 2020 Annual Meeting, or if you are a beneficial owner of shares held in street name, if you submit your voting instructions or if your bank, broker or other nominee exercise its voting discretion over such shares. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted as shares present for the purposes of determining the presence of a quorum.

What does it mean if I receive more than one proxy card?

If you receive more than one proxy card, your shares are registered in more than one name or are registered in different accounts. Please complete, sign and return each proxy card to ensure that all of your shares are voted.

Can I change my vote or revoke my proxy?

Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name

Yes. You can revoke your proxy at any time before the final vote at the 2020 Annual Meeting. You may revoke your proxy in any one of following ways:

·You may submit another properly completed proxy card with a later date but before the submission deadline for the Annual Meeting.
·You may grant a subsequent proxy by telephone or through the Internet.
·You may send a written notice that you are revoking your proxy to the Corporate Secretary of the Company at 4353 North First Street, San Jose, California 95134. The notice will be considered timely if it is received at the indicated address by the close of business on the business day immediately preceding the date of the 2020 Annual Meeting.
·You may attend the 2020 Annual Meeting and vote in person. However, simply attending the 2020 Annual Meeting will not, by itself, revoke your proxy.

Your most recently submitted proxy card or telephone or internet proxy is the one that is counted.

Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of Broker or Bank

If your shares are held by your broker, bank, or other nominee, you may change your vote by submitting new voting instructions to your bank, broker or other nominee. Please note that if your shares are held of record by a bank, broker or other nominee and you decide to attend and vote at our annual meeting, your vote in person at the meeting will not be effective unless you present a legal proxy issued in your name from the record holder (your bank, broker or other nominee).

How can I find out the results of the voting at the 2020 Annual Meeting?

We intend to announce preliminary voting results at the 2020 Annual Meeting and publish final results in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) within four business days of the 2020 Annual Meeting.

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What is “householding” and how does it affect me?

We have adopted a procedure approved by the SEC called “householding.” Under this procedure, we send only one proxy statement and one annual report to eligible stockholders who share a single address, unless we have received instructions to the contrary from any stockholder at that address. This practice is designed to reduce our printing and postage costs. Stockholders who participate in householding will continue to receive separate proxy cards. We do not use householding for any other stockholder mailings.

If you share an address with another stockholder and receive only one set of proxy materials but would like to request a separate copy of these materials, please contact our mailing agent, Broadridge, by calling 1-800-540-7095 or by writing to Broadridge, Householding Department, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, New York, 11717. Broadridge is acting as our mailing agent and vote tabulator and is not soliciting proxies on our behalf. Similarly, you may also contact Broadridge if you receive multiple copies of the proxy materials and would prefer to receive a single copy in the future. If you own shares through a bank, broker, or other nominee, you should contact the nominee concerning householding procedures.

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ContentsCorporate Governance

Changes to Our Corporate Governance

2019 Highlights

·  Reconstituted our Board committees with only independent directors;

·  Added two new, highly-qualified independent directors;

·  Implemented a standard director compensation program targeted at the 50th percentile of comparable peers;

·  Determined to base annual restricted stock unit grants to directors on fair market value rather than a set number of shares;

·  Determined that 30% of equity grants made to our executive officers in 2020 would be tied to performance;

·  Implemented a clawback policy for our Chief Executive Officer and our senior executive team;

·  Updated our Insider Trading Policy to clarify that hedging or pledging of company securities is not allowed;

·  Expanded our sustainability and social responsibility disclosures on our corporate website; and

·  Implemented an evaluation process for our Board, its committees and individual directors.

We continue to consider additional changes to our corporate governance, including how best to promote diversity on our Board and to enhance oversight of the company’s environmental, social and governance undertakings, and how to further align our directors’ interest with our stockholders’ interest, including consideration of stock ownership requirements and other means.

Transition from Emerging Growth Company Status

As a company with less than $1.07 billion in revenue during our last completed fiscal year, we continue to qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. We will remain an emerging growth company, or EGC, until the earliest to occur of: (1) the end of the first fiscal year in which our annual gross revenue is $1.07 billion or more; (2) the end of the first fiscal year in which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated filer,” as defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”); (3) the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; and (4) the end of our 2023 fiscal year, during which the fifth anniversary of our IPO occurs. We may choose to take advantage of some, but not all, of the available benefits under the JOBS Act. We currently intend to take advantage of the exemptions discussed above until we no longer qualify as an EGC. We plan to provide all disclosures required for non-EGCs as soon as we transition out of EGC status.

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Corporate Governance

Proposal
1

Election of Directors

Stockholders are being asked to elect Class IIIII directors Mary K. Bush, Jeffrey ImmeltMichael Boskin, John T. Chambers and Eddy Zervigon,L. John Doerr, each for a three-year term.

 

The Board of Directors unanimously recommends a vote FOR the election to the Board of Directors of each of the Class IIIII director nominees.

Our Restated Bylaws provide that our Board of Directors is divided into three classes with staggered three-year terms. As a result, only one class of directors is elected at each annual meeting of our stockholders, with the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms. Each director’s term will continue until the election and qualification of his or her successor, or his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.

The Board of Directors presently has ten members. The Board is currently comprised of three Class I directors, four Class II directors, and three Class III directors. The authorized number of directors may be changed by resolution of the Board of Directors. Class II directors Mary K. Bush, Jeffrey Immelt and Eddy Zervigon are standing for election to the Board at this meeting. Peter Teti, a current Class II director, will not be standing for re-election to the Board at this meeting. The nominees’ biographies are available beginning on page 27 of this Proxy Statement. Immediately following the Annual Meeting, the authorized number of directors on the Board will be reduced to nine, and each class will be comprised of three directors.

Each nominee has consented to be named a nominee in the Proxy Statement and to continue to serve as a director, if elected. If any nominee becomes unavailable to serve for any reason before the election, which is not anticipated, your proxy authorizes us to vote for another person nominated by the Board or the Board may reduce its size. There are no arrangements or understandings between any director and any other person pursuant to which he or she is or was to be selected as a director. There are no family relationships among directors or executive officers of the Company.

Vote Required

The election of directors will be made by a plurality of votes cast at the 2020 Annual Meeting. That means the three nominees receiving the highest number of votes will be elected. Because directors need only be elected by plurality of the vote in an uncontested election, abstentions, broker non-votes and withhold votes will not affect whether any particular nominee has received sufficient votes to be elected in such cases.

As described beginning on page 27 of this Proxy Statement, our nominees have considerable professional and business experience. The recommendation of our Board is based on its carefully considered judgment that the qualifications and experience of our nominees make them well qualified to serve on our Board and give the Board as a group the appropriate skills to exercise its oversight responsibilities.

 

 

Our Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”) provide that the Board is divided into three classes of directors with staggered three-year terms. As a result, only one class of directors is elected at each annual meeting of our stockholders, with the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms. Each director’s term will continue until the election and qualification of his or her successor, or his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.

The Board presently has nine members. The Board is currently comprised of three Class I directors, three Class II directors and three Class III directors. The authorized number of directors may be changed by resolution of the Board. Stockholders last elected the Class I directors, Messrs. Powell, Sandell, and Sridhar, at the 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and the Class II directors, Messrs. Immelt and Zervigon and Ms. Bush, at the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

Class III directors Dr. Boskin, Messrs. Chambers and Doerr are standing for election to the Board at this meeting. The Board appointed Dr. Boskin in November 2019, Mr. Chambers in August 2018 and Mr. Doerr in May 2002, and each was recommended to the Board by the Nominating Committee. The nominees’ and other directors’ biographies are available beginning on page 21 of this Proxy Statement.

Each nominee has consented to be named a nominee in the Proxy Statement and to continue to serve as a director, if elected. If any nominee becomes unavailable to serve for any reason before the election, which is not anticipated, your proxy authorizes us to vote for another person nominated by the Board or the Board may reduce its size. There are no arrangements or understandings between any director and any other person pursuant to which he or she is or was to be selected as a director. There are no family relationships among our directors or executive officers.

Vote Required

The election of directors will be made by a plurality of votes cast at the 2021 Annual Meeting. That means the three nominees receiving the highest number of votes will be elected. Because directors need only be elected by a plurality of the vote in an uncontested election, broker non-votes and withhold votes will not affect whether any particular nominee has received sufficient votes to be elected in such cases.

Our nominees have considerable professional and business experience. The recommendation of the Board is based on its carefully considered judgment that the qualifications and experience of our nominees make them well qualified to serve on the Board and give the Board as a group the appropriate skills to exercise its oversight responsibilities. For each of the three director nominees standing for election as well as for the remainder of the Board, the following pages sets forth certain biographical information, including a description of their principal occupation, business experience, and the primary qualifications, attributes and skills that the Nominating Committee considered in recommending the director nominees.

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21 

Table of Contents

Corporate Governance

 

Board and Governance Highlights

Board Key Facts

Director Skills and ExperienceMembership Criteria

 

Ensuring that the Board of Directors is composed of directors who possess highly relevant skills, professional experience and backgrounds, bring diverse viewpoints and perspectives and effectively represent the long-term interests of stockholders, is a top priority of the Board and the Nominating Corporate Governance and Public Policy Committee (which we refer to herein as the “Nominating Committee”).

Public Company Board Experience

9/9 Directors

Prior service on a public company provides diversity of perspectives and valuable and relevant governance experience, including with respect to the oversight responsibilities of the Board and its committees.

Senior Leadership

9/9 Directors

Experience serving in executive positions, including as CEO, provides members of our Board with a practical understanding of enterprise structure, operations and management, including in core areas such as human resources, financial planning, compliance, marketing and strategic vision that can be shared with executive management.

Global Business/International

4/9 Directors

As we expand our reach globally, experience in entering and operating in new markets, including emerging markets, is critical to our success.

Financial/Accounting/Capital Markets

4/9 Directors

Our capital structure and operations include the use of complex debt instruments and financing arrangements both for our company and customer purchases of our product. It is critical for our Board and our Audit Committee to have a sophisticated understanding of the capital markets, financing/refinancing strategies, and our related books and records from a strategic/business perspective as well as an oversight/accounting perspective.

Manufacturing/Operations

3/9 Directors

Because we develop and manufacture our Energy Servers, individuals with experience in manufacturing processes and operations, including supply chain management, are valuable additions to our Board.

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Sales and Marketing

3/9 Directors

As we seek to continue to grow our acceptances year over year and bring our Energy Servers to additional states, countries and markets, experience in the strategy and mechanics of sales and marketing enables our Board to effectively oversee the expansion of our business.

Human Capital Management

5/9 Directors

We operate in a highly competitive employment market, and experience in attracting, motivating, developing and retaining qualified personnel and succession planning is particularly important to our future success. In addition, as a newly public company, experience in evolving compensation practices from private to public company status is critical to attracting and retaining personnel.    

Government/Public Policy/Regulatory

7/9 Directors

The energy industry is heavily regulated, and Board members who have experience working within a regulatory framework bring valued experience and perspectives. Being able to anticipate changes in the regulatory scheme will enable us to execute our strategic plan effectively. As a new technology, government expertise at the federal and state level is critical as we attempt to develop enabling legislation and a regulatory framework to enable adoption of our technology.

Energy

4/9 Directors

Individuals with energy industry experience are able to share with us their insight and experience with respect to strategic and operational matters related to a complex and constantly changing energy industry. Knowledge of the competitive landscape, energy companies and companies affiliated with the energy space provides valuable perspective as we consider partnerships and alliances in our selling activities.

Business Development

5/9 Directors

Our development of relationships with strategic domestic and international partners is critical to growing and financing our business and undertaking new project development, and individuals with existing experience and relationships in business development give us a valuable advantage.

Emerging Technology/Business Model

5/9 Directors

As we have transitioned from a private company to a public company and developed and improved each generation of our Energy Server, experience with emerging technologies and companies early in their business life cycle has been, and continues to be, important for guiding our development.  Knowledge and experience with business models, strategies for leveraging our core expertise and selling and marketing a new technology in a changing market environment is valuable.

Technology/Science

5/9 Directors

Knowledge and experience in product development, materials science, chemistry and hardware development is crucial for our continuing development and innovation with respect to our products and to the evolution of our business plan and product roadmap.

Independence

7/9 Directors

NYSE listing and governance standards require that a majority of our board be comprised of independent directors. Our strong preference is to add directors to our Board who are independent and who will represent the interests of all stockholders.

Diversity

3/9 Directors

Candidates should represent a diversity of viewpoints, backgrounds, experiences, cultural backgrounds, and other demographics, including gender and racial diversity. Three of our directors are gender and racially diverse.

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Our Board at a Glance

 

Name and Primary Occupation

ClassAgeDirector
Since
CommitteesOther Current
Public Company
Boards
ACCCN/GC
         
Mary K. Bush  IND 
President of Bush International, LLC
II712017*  4(1)
         
         
Jeffrey Immelt  IND 
Venture Partner at New Enterprise
Associates, Inc.  
II642019*  1
         
         
Eddy Zervigon  IND 
Special Advisor at Riverside
Management Group
II512007* 1
         
         

Peter Teti(2)  IND 

Senior Vice President, Private
Equity at Alberta Investment
Management Corporation

II522015   0
         
         
John T. Chambers  IND 
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
at JC2 Ventures
III702018  0
         
         
L. John Doerr  IND 
General Partner of Kleiner Perkins
III682002  2
         
         
Michael Boskin  IND 
Professor of Economics and
Hoover Institution Senior Fellow,
Stanford University
III742019 1
         
         
General Colin L. Powell
Former U.S. Secretary of State
I822009   1
         
         
Scott Sandell  IND 
Managing General Partner at
New Enterprise Associates, Inc.
I552003 0
         
         
KR Sridhar
Founder, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer
of Bloom Energy
I592002   0
         

AC – Audit CommitteeChair
*Financial Expert Member
CC – Compensation Committee IND Independent
N/GC – Nominating/Governance Committee

(1)Ms. Bush has informed the Nominating Committee that she will be retiring from one of her other public company boards. As a result, after May 2020, Ms. Bush will only be serving on three other public company boards.
(2)Mr. Teti is not standing for re-election to the Board at the 2020 Annual Meeting and will leave the Board immediately following the Annual Meeting.

24

Board of Directors

Process of Selecting Directors

Selection Process

The Nominating Committee is responsible for identifying, evaluating and recommending candidates to the Board of Directors for Board membership. The Nominating Committee may use outside consultants to assist in identifying candidates. When formulating its Board membership recommendations, the Nominating Committee considers advice and recommendations from stockholders, management, and others as it deems appropriate. The Nominating Committee considers candidates for the Board recommended by stockholders using the same criteria in evaluating the candidate as it would any other Board nominee candidate.

The Nominating Committee also evaluates whether an incumbent director should be nominated for re-election to the Board upon expiration of such director’s term, based upon factors established for new director candidates as well as the incumbent director’s qualifications, performance as a Board member, and such other factors as the Nominating Committee deems appropriate.

Board Membership CriteriaCommittee.

 

Nominees for director are selected on the basis of, among other things, independence, integrity, ethnic and gender diversity, skills, financial and other expertise, breadth of experience, knowledge about our business or industry, willingness and ability to devote adequate time and effort to Board of Directors responsibilities in the context of the existing composition, other areas that are expected to contribute to the Board of Directors’Board’s overall effectiveness and the needs of the Board of Directors and its committees. Given our limited operating history, as we continue to grow and evolve our strategy, we continue to refresh the relevant skill sets and experience desired in our Board members.

 

In evaluating potential candidates for the Board, the Nominating Committee considers the following factors, which are set forth in our Corporate Governance Guidelines:

 

·a majority of directors on the Board should be independent directors, unless otherwise required by applicable law, rules, regulations, and NYSE listing standards;directors;
·candidates should be capable of working in a collegial manner with persons of different educational, business, and cultural backgrounds, and should possess skills and expertise that complement the attributes of the existing directors;
·candidates should represent a diversity of viewpoints, backgrounds, experiences, and other demographics;demographics, including diversity with respect to demographics such as gender, race, ethnic and national background, geography, age and sexual orientation;
·candidates should demonstrate notable or significant achievement and possess senior-level business experience that would benefit the Company; Bloom;
·candidates mustshould be individuals of the highest character and integrity;
·candidates mustshould be free from any conflict of interest that would interfere with their ability to properly discharge their duties as a director or would violate any applicable law or regulation;
·candidates for the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee should have the enhanced independence and financial literacy and expertise that may be required under law, rules, regulations and listing standards of the NYSE;New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”);
·candidates mustshould be capable of devoting the necessary time to discharge their duties, taking into account memberships on other boards and other responsibilities; and
·candidates must have the desireshould be able to represent the interests of all stockholders.

 

25

Director Tenure, Board Refreshment and Diversity

We believe it is in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders to maintain a mix of longer-tenured experienced directors and newer directors with fresh perspectives. In furtherance of this objective, the Board appointed Dr. Boskin and Mr. Immelt to the Board in November 2019.

We do not impose director tenure limits or a mandatory retirement age. The Board believes that our longer-tenured directors have a unique perspective on the challenges we face. Accordingly, while director tenure is taken into consideration when making nomination decisions, the Board believes that imposing limits on director tenure would deprive the Board of the valuable contributions of its most experienced members.

The Board and the Nominating Committee value diversity of backgrounds, experience, perspectives and leadership in different fields when identifying nominees. Presently, 30% of our Board members are women, come from a diverse background, or both, and as of December 31, 2019, we were in compliance with new California requirements regarding the number of women who serve on our Board.

Stockholder Nominations

 

Any stockholder may nominate a person for election as a director by complying with the procedures set forth in our Bylaws or may recommend a director pursuant to SEC Rule 14a-8.the Bylaws. See the section later in this Proxy Statement captioned “Stockholderentitled “Stockholder Proposals and Nominations.

 

Process of Selecting Directors

The Nominating Committee is responsible for identifying, evaluating and recommending candidates to the Board for Board membership. The Nominating Committee works very closely with the Chairman and other members of the Board in the identification and evaluation process. The Nominating Committee may also use outside consultants to assist in identifying candidates. The Bylaws provide that the size of the Board is set by the Board, reflecting the Board’s current view of its optimal size. When formulating its Board membership recommendations, the Nominating Committee considers advice and recommendations from stockholders, management, and others as it deems appropriate. The Nominating Committee considers candidates for the Board recommended by stockholders using the same criteria in evaluating the candidate as it would any other Board nominee candidate.

The Nominating Committee also evaluates whether an incumbent director should be nominated for re-election to the Board upon expiration of such director’s term, based upon factors established for new director candidates, as well as:

the extent to which the director’s judgment, skills, qualifications and experience (including that gained due to tenure on the Board) continue to contribute to the success of the Board;
feedback from the annual Board evaluation;
attendance and participation at, and preparation for, Board and committee meetings;
independence;
outside board and other affiliations, including any actual or perceived conflicts of interest; and
such other factors as the Nominating Committee deems appropriate.

2021 PROXY STATEMENT19
26 

Table of Contents

Corporate Governance

 

Director Tenure, Board Refreshment and Diversity

We believe it is in the best interests of Bloom and our stockholders to maintain a mix of longer-tenured, experienced directors and institutional knowledge and newer directors with fresh perspectives. In furtherance of this objective, the Board appointed two new directors to the Board as recently as November 2019, Dr. Boskin and Mr. Immelt.

We do not impose director tenure limits or a mandatory retirement age. The Board believes that our longer-tenured directors with their deep institutional knowledge have a unique perspective, bring critical skills to the Board and are well-positioned to guide us as we continue to grow and evolve. The Board believes that longer-tenured directors have a better understanding of Bloom and its evolution, and are better able to leverage those learnings so Bloom can continue to grow and evolve. Accordingly, while director tenure is taken into consideration when making nomination decisions, the Board believes that imposing limits on director tenure would deprive the Board of the valuable contributions of its most experienced members.

If each director nominee is elected to the Board after the 2021 Annual Meeting, our non-employee directors will have served an average of 8.4 years. Given that Bloom was the first solid oxide fuel cell company to reach commercial scale, given previous challenges we have had to overcome and given that the energy industry is rapidly evolving, we believe that at this stage of our growth, a longer tenure is in the best interests of our stockholders. The Board believes the current average tenure of 8.4 years for its non-employee directors reflects the balance the Board seeks between different perspectives brought by longer serving directors and new directors.

The Board and the Nominating Committee value diversity of backgrounds, age, education, experience, perspectives and leadership in different fields when identifying nominees, and we assess the effectiveness of our efforts in pursuing diversity in connection with our annual evaluations. In 2020, the Board expanded our Corporate Governance Guidelines’ definition of diversity to include gender and ethnicity. Representation of gender, ethnic, geographic, cultural or other diverse perspectives expands the Board’s understanding of our stakeholders. Presently, we have one woman director and four ethnically diverse directors.

The Board is focused on combining the right mix of skills, experience and perspectives to support our strategic growth levers, obtaining operational leverage for scale and international expansion. The Nominating Committee continues to focus on Board refreshment to align the Board’s long-term composition with its long-term strategy. During 2020, the Nominating Committee, through the Board evaluation process, undertook a review of the collective qualifications, skills, attributes and experiences it desires on the Board. The purpose of the review was to consider the qualifications, skills, attributes and experiences the Board believes are aligned with oversight of the short- and long-term strategies including the growth levers, operational scale and international expansion and related risks and opportunities.

Although we do not have a separate diversity policy, the Board and the Nominating Committee aim to further refresh Board membership in the coming year, with a particular focus on gender and diverse director candidates.

20

Table of Contents

Corporate Governance

 

Our Board

Class IIIII Directors Standing for Election at the 20202021 Annual Meeting

Mary K. BushINDEPENDENT

President of Bush International, LLC

Age: 71Michael Boskin  Director Since:
2017 IND 
  

Background

Ms. Bush has served asTully M. Friedman Professor of Economics and Wohlford Family Hoover Institution Senior Fellow, Stanford University, and CEO and President of Bush International, LLC, an advisor to U.S. corporations and foreign governments on international capital markets, strategic business, economic and governance matters since 1991. She has held several Presidential appointments including the U.S. Government’s representative on the International Monetary Fund Board and Director of Sallie Mae Bank. She also was head of the Federal Home Loan Bank System during the aftermath of the Savings and Loan crisis and was advisor to the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department. Earlier in her career, she managed global banking and corporate finance relationships at New York money center banks including Citibank, N.A.Boskin & Co., Banker’s Trust Company, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. In 2006, President Bush appointed her Chair of the congressionally-chartered HELP Commission on reforming foreign aid. In 2007, she was appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury to the U.S. Treasury Advisory Committee on the Auditing Profession. Ms. Bush also was a director of Briggs & Stratton, Inc. from 2004 to March 2009, of United Continental Holdings, Inc. from 2006 to 2010 and of the Pioneer Family of Mutual Funds from 1997 to 2012. She also serves on the Kennedy Center’s Community Advisory Board and is Chairman of the Capital Partners for Education, a not-for-profit organization that mentors young people through high school and college.

Director Qualifications

Ms. Bush’s senior executive roles; extensive experience in finance and accounting, particularly in areas of accounting principles, financial reporting rules and regulations and oversight of the financial reporting process at public companies; and wide-ranging experience with government and regulatory systems, provide important skills and qualifications to the Board, especially as Chair of the Audit Committee. In addition, Ms. Bush’s significant experience in global business and financial markets is extremely valuable to the Company as it looks to expand its customer financing options in tandem with its global expansion.

Age: 75Committee MembershipMembership: Audit Nominating/Governance
Director Since: November 2019Public Company BoardsBoards: Oracle Corporation

Background

Tully M. Friedman Professor of Economics and Wohlford Family Hoover Institution Senior Fellow at Stanford University, where he has been on the faculty since 1971
Audit (ChairCEO and President of Boskin & Financial Expert)

·  Discover Financial Services

·  ManTech International Corporation

·  Marriott International,Co., Inc.

·  T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.

Ms. Bush is retiring from one of her other public company boards. As a result, after May 2020, Ms. Bush will be serving on three other public company boards.

since 1980
Chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers from 1989 to 1993
Former director of ExxonMobil from 1996 to 2018

Director Qualifications:

Dr. Boskin is recognized internationally for his research on world economic growth, tax and budget theory and policy, U.S. saving and consumption patterns and the implications of changing technology and demography on capital, labor and product markets. In addition to his background in public policy, he brings to the Board significant economic, financial and energy expertise, including through his experience on the board of a publicly traded energy company and a publicly traded technology company. Dr. Boskin’s experience as CEO of his consultancy firm and as a director of another large, complex global organization also provides the Board with important perspectives in its evaluation of our governance practices and processes. In addition, his prior service on a public company audit committee supports the development of the Audit Committee function as we mature as a public company.

2021 PROXY STATEMENT21
 
27

Corporate Governance

 

Jeffrey ImmeltINDEPENDENT

Former Chairman and CEO of General Electric

Age: 64John T. ChambersDirector Since:
2019 IND 
  

Background

Mr. Immelt was appointed to the Board in November 2019. He has served as a venture partner at New Enterprise Associates since January 2018. Prior to that time, he served as chairman and CEO of General Electric for 16 years where he revamped the company’s strategy, global footprint, workforce and culture, transforming it into a simpler, stronger, and more focused digital industrial company. During his tenure, he led several innovative transformations which doubled industrial earnings, reshaped the portfolio, re-established market leadership, grew a strong share position in essential industries, and quadrupled emerging market revenue. Prior to being appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2000, he held several global leadership roles at GE in the Plastics, Appliances, and Healthcare businesses and became an Officer of the company in 1989. He has been named one of the “World’s Best CEOs” three times by Barron’s, and while he was CEO, GE was named “America’s Most Admired Company” by Fortune magazine and one of “The World’s Most Respected Companies” in polls by Barron’s and the Financial Times. He has received 15 honorary degrees and numerous awards for business leadership.

Mr. Immelt holds a Bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from Harvard University. He currently serves on the board of directors of Twilio and as a director of NEA portfolio companies Collective Health, Desktop Metal, FormLabs and Radiology Partners. Mr. Immelt is a member of The American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

Director Qualifications

Mr. Immelt brings to our Board more than 30 years of senior executive and boardroom experience, including nearly 20 years at the helm of a world-leading, technologically innovative global enterprise where he helped reshape and modernize the company’s global business and financing strategy. Mr. Immelt’s experience and insights in all aspects of running an innovative multinational business, including in diverse areas such as operations, sales and marketing, human capital management and product development, will be invaluable as we endeavor to expand our markets, both domestically and globally.

Committee MembershipPublic Company Boards
Audit (Financial Expert)·  Twilio

28

Eddy ZervigonINDEPENDENT

Special Advisor at Riverside Management Group

Age: 51Director Since:
2007

Background

Mr. Zervigon has been a Special Advisor at Riverside Management Group, a boutique merchant bank, since 2012. Previously, he was a Managing Director in the Principal Investments Group at Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, a global financial services firm, from 1997 to 2012. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Mr. Zervigon was a Certified Public Accountant at Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP), a public accounting firm. Since October 2019, he has served on the board of directors of Maxar Technologies (NYSE: MAXR), a space technology company, where he is a member of the audit and risk committees. He previously served as a director of DigitalGlobe, Inc., a builder and operator of satellites for digital imaging, where he served as a member of the audit and compensation committees from 2004 to 2017. In addition, he has previously served as a board member of MMCinemas, Impsat Fiber Networks, Inc., TVN Entertainment Corporation and Stadium Capital Management, LLC. Mr. Zervigon has a B.A. in accounting and a master’s degree in taxation from Florida International University and an M.B.A. from the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

Director Qualifications

Mr. Zervigon brings significant institutional knowledge regarding our Company given his early involvement with the Company at its early growth stages through his position with Morgan Stanley and later as a Company director. He has helped shepherd our transition from a private to a public company and contributed his significant international financial and transactional experience as an investment banker, including his experience with international financing and growth strategies. In addition, his accounting expertise as a CPA with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has provided critical experience, skills and qualifications to our Audit Committee and his public company board and governance experience contributes to his role as the Chair of our Nominating/Governance Committee.

Committee MembershipPublic Company Boards

Audit (Financial Expert)

Nominating/Governance (Chair)

·  Maxar Technologies

29

Class III Directors – Terms Expiring at the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

John T. ChambersINDEPENDENT

Founder and Chief Executive Officer at
JC2 Ventures

Age: 70Director Since:
2018
 
Age: 71Committee Membership: Compensation
Director Since: August 2018Public Company Boards: None

Background

Mr. Chambers is the founder
Founder and Chief Executive Officer at JC2 Ventures, a venture capital firm. Prior to founding JC2 Ventures LLC infirm, since March 2017 Mr. Chambers served as the
Executive Chairman of the board of Cisco Systems, Inc. (“Cisco”), a networking and information technology company, from July 2015 to December 2017 and as Chairman of the board of Cisco from November 2006 to July 2015. He also served as 2015
Cisco’s Chief Executive Officer from January 1995 until July 2015 and President from January 1995 to November 2006. Before joining Cisco in 1991, Mr. Chambers was employed2006
Employed by Wang Laboratories, Inc., a former computer-based office information processing systems company, from 1982 to 1990, where, in his last role, he was the Senior Vice President of U.S. Operations. Mr. Chambers is also the Operations
Chairman of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum and has been appointed
Appointed Global Ambassador of the French Tech by President Emmanuel Macron of France. Mr. Chambers holds a B.A. and B.S. in Business, a J.D. from West Virginia University and an M.B.A. from Indiana University.France

Director Qualifications:

Mr. Chambers’ experience in leading and scaling Cisco Systems as its CEO and Chairman for over 20 years, building and implementing strategic growth plans as well as his experience with early stage companies, provides valuable perspective to the Board in growing and scaling an organization, particularly in the areas of operations, sales, human capital management, recruitment and executive compensation. Mr. Chambers’ international experience and relationships and his skill in promoting innovative new products and technology are valuable to the Board as we continue to expand globally.

 

Director Qualifications

Mr. Chambers’ experience in leading and scaling Cisco Systems as its CEO and Chairman, as well as his experience with early stage companies and building and implementing strategic growth plans, provides valuable perspective to the Board in growing and scaling an organization, particularly in the areas of operations, sales, human capital management, recruitment and compensation. Mr. Chambers’ international experience and relationships and his skill in promoting technological innovation are valuable to the Board as the Company continues to expand globally.

Committee Membership

Compensation

Public Company Boards

None

30

 

L. John Doerr  INDEPENDENT IND 

General Partner of Kleiner Perkins

Lead Independent Director

Age: 68Director Since:
2002
  
General Partner of Kleiner Perkins
Age: 69Committee Membership: Compensation
Director Since: May 2002Public Company Boards: Alphabet, Inc.
  Amyris, Inc.
  Coursera, Inc.
  Doordash, Inc.
  QuantumScape Corporation

Background

Mr. Doerr has been a
General Partner of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, a venture capital firm (together with its affiliates, “Kleiner Perkins”), since August 1980. Mr. Doerr was previously a1980
Former director of Amazon.com, Inc., an e-commerce company, from June 1996 to 2010. Mr. Doerr holdsMay 2010, and Zynga, Inc., a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Scienceprovider of social game services, from Rice University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Director Qualifications

Mr. Doerr, through Kleiner Perkins, was the first investor in the Company, and he brings valuable institutional knowledgeApril 2013 to the Board given his long-standing history with the Company and extensive knowledge of the management team and the Company’s operations. His public company board experience has helped Bloom in its transition from a private to a public company, and his senior leadership and governance roles, deep technology expertise and experience in developing, scaling and managing technology companies and their management make him well-suited to serve on our Board and our Compensation and Organizational Development Committee.

Committee Membership

Compensation

Public Company Boards

·  Alphabet, Inc.

·  Amyris, Inc.

May 2017

 

Director Qualifications:

Mr. Doerr, through Kleiner Perkins, was the first investor in Bloom, and he brings valuable institutional knowledge to the Board given his long-standing history with Bloom and extensive knowledge of the management team and our operations. His public company board experience and understanding of governance practices has helped us in our transition from a private to a public company. His deep technology expertise and experience in developing, scaling and managing technology companies and their management make him well-suited to serve on the Board and the Compensation Committee.

22
31 

Michael Boskin INDEPENDENT

Tully M. Friedman Professor of Economics and Hoover Institution Senior Fellow, Stanford University, and CEO and President of Boskin & Co., Inc.

Age: 74Director Since:
2019

Background

Dr. Boskin was appointed to the Board in November 2019. He is the Tully M. Friedman Professor of Economics and Wohlford Family Hoover Institution Senior Fellow at Stanford University, where he has been on the faculty since 1971, and is CEO and president of consulting firm Boskin & Co., Inc. Dr. Boskin currently serves on the board of directors of Oracle Corporation where he also serves as the chair of the audit committee. He served as chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers from 1989 until 1993, and previously served as a director of ExxonMobil. Dr. Boskin received his B.A. with highest honors and the Chancellor’s award as outstanding undergraduate from the University of California, Berkeley, where he also received his M.A. and his Ph.D., all in economics.

Director Qualifications

Dr. Boskin is recognized internationally for his research on world economic growth, tax and budget theory and policy, U.S. saving and consumption patterns and the implications of changing technology and demography on capital, labor, and product markets. In addition to his background in public policy, he brings to the Board significant economic and financial expertise, including through his experience on the board of a publicly traded energy company and a publicly traded emerging technologies company. Dr. Boskin’s experience as CEO of his consultancy firm and as a director of another large, complex global organization provides the Board with important perspectives in its evaluation of Bloom’s practices and processes. In addition, his prior service on a public company audit committee supports the development of the Company’s Audit Committee function as we mature as a public company.

Committee Membership

Audit

Nominating/Governance

Public Company Boards

·  Oracle Corporation

32

Corporate Governance

Class I Directors – Terms Expiring at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

 

General Colin L. Powell

Former U.S. Secretary of State and Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the America’s Promise Alliance

Age: 82Director Since:
2009
 
Age: 83Committee Membership: None
Director Since: January 2009Public Company Boards: salesforce.com, inc.

Background

General Powell served
Served as the 65th 65th U.S. Secretary of State from January 2001 to January 2005. He served2005
Served 35 years in the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of Four-Star General and from 1989 to 1993 served as the 12th 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is Staff
Chairman of the Board of Visitors of the Colin Powell School at the City College of New York and the since 1994
Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the America’s Promise Alliance, a nonprofit organization advocating for the strength and well-being of America’s children and youth.

Director Qualifications

General Powell’s senior leadership positions at the highest levels of the U.S. government and philanthropic enterprises, as well as his extensive experience in building organizations and recruiting, developing, motivating and managing human capital, provides a valuable perspective to the Board, particularly in the areas of executive compensation, governance and strategic planning and operations. Additionally, his experience on the board of the global leader in customer relationship management gives him significant insight into business development strategies and technologies for the digital age.

Committee Membership

None

Public Company Boards

·  salesforce.com, inc.

youth

 

33

Director Qualifications:

 

General Powell’s senior leadership positions at the highest levels of the U.S. government and philanthropic enterprises, as well as his extensive experience in building organizations and recruiting, developing, motivating and managing human capital, provides a valuable perspective to the Board, particularly in the areas of leadership, human capital management, executive compensation, governance and strategic planning and operations. Additionally, his experience on the board of the global leader in customer relationship management gives him significant insight into business development strategies and branding for the digital age.

 

Scott Sandell  INDEPENDENT IND 

Managing General Partner at New Enterprise Associates, Inc.

Age: 5556Committee Membership: Compensation (Chair)
Director Since:
August 2003
Nominating/Governance
 Public Company Boards: Tuya Inc. 
Cloudflare, Inc.
Coursera, Inc.

Background

Currently serves as the Managing General Partner at global venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates, Inc. (“NEA”) since April 2017

Mr. Sandell is Managing General Partner at global venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates, Inc. (“NEA”). As
Joined NEA in January 1996 and as has been a General Partner since September 2000 and served as Co-Managing General Partner from March 2015 to April 2017 Mr. Sandell served
Served as head of the firm’s technology investing practice for 10 years and has led NEA’s China investing activities for over a decade. decade

Prior to joining NEA in 1996, Mr. Sandell worked as a Product Manager for Windows 95 at Microsoft Corporation. Mr. Sandell started hisCorporation
Started career at the Boston Consulting Group, a global management consulting firm, and later joined C-ATS Software, Inc., a software development company. Mr. Sandell currently serves on the boards of various private companies. He previouslycompany
Previously served on the boards of, among others, Data Domain, Inc., Fusion-io, Inc., Neoteris, Inc., NetIQ Corporation, Playdom, Inc., Spreadtrum Communications, Inc., Tableau Software Inc., WebEx Communications, Inc., and Workday, Inc. Mr. Sandell also currently
Currently serves on the Board of Advisors for the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth and is a former
Former Chairman of the Board of the National Venture Capital Association, a trade organization for venture capital and private equity firms. Mr. Sandell holds an A.B.firms, from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from Stanford University.2014 to 2015

Director Qualifications:

Mr. Sandell brings valuable institutional knowledge to the Board given his long-standing history with us and extensive knowledge of the management team and our operations. Mr. Sandell’s technical background, operations experience with a wide range of technology companies and international experience has been instrumental in helping us develop and implement our supply chain and manufacturing operations and expand customer relationships. Mr. Sandell’s service on a number of public and private company boards lends a valuable breadth and depth of expertise to the Board on all aspects of scaling an organization and business models for new technologies. In addition, his background provides an important perspective to the Board and the Compensation Committee and Nominating Committee on best practices in human capital management, executive compensation and governance. Mr. Sandell’s extensive network from his role in the venture capital industry and related organizations provides the Board a wealth of knowledge regarding emerging technologies and practices.

 

2021 PROXY STATEMENT23

Director Qualifications

Mr. Sandell has been instrumental in helping management develop the Company’s operations, market and customer growth and strategic partner relationships. Mr. Sandell’s international technical and operations experience with a wide range of technology companies, as well his service on a number of public and private company boards, lends a valuable breadth and depth of expertise to the Board on all aspects of scaling an organization and provides an important perspective to the Board on best practices and effective growth and governance strategies. In addition, Mr. Sandell’s extensive network from his role in the venture capital industry and related organizations provides the Board a wealth of industry knowledge.

Table of Contents

Corporate Governance

 

Committee MembershipPublic Company Boards

Compensation (Chair)

Nominating/Governance

None
KR Sridhar  

34

KR Sridhar

Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Bloom Energy

Age: 59Director Since:
2002
 
Age: 60Committee Membership: None
Director Since: March 2002Public Company Boards: None

Background

Mr. Sridhar is a founder
Founder of the CompanyBloom and has served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board since March 2002. Under his leadership, the Energy Server achieved commercial production and scaled to over 400 MW in deployment, serving 250 customers in four countries and with over $600 million in revenue, the Company completed a successful IPO in 2018. 2002
Prior to founding the Company, Mr. Sridhar wasBloom, served as director of the Space Technologies Laboratory at the University of Arizona where he was also a professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. Mr. Sridhar hasEngineering
Has served as an advisor to NASA and has led major consortia of industry, academia and national labs. Mr. Sridhar alsolabs
Currently serves as a strategic limited partner at Kleiner Perkins a venture capital firm. He has also served
Served on many technical committees, panels and advisory boards and has several publications and patents. Mr. Sridhar received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappali, India, as well as an M.S. in Nuclear Engineering and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

patents

Director Qualifications

As a founder of the Company who has guided the Company’s

Director Qualifications:

As a founder of Bloom who has guided our growth and development as both CEO and Chairman for almost 20 years, Mr. Sridhar has proven, unparalleled and in-depth knowledge of our technology, operations, markets, regulatory environment, customers, employees and competition. Mr. Sridhar’s depth and breadth of technological and scientific expertise and experience with technological innovation bring invaluable insight to the Board concerning our products and development strategies. In addition, his knowledge and strategic vision for the energy industry aids the Board in its strategic planning. Mr. Sridhar provides management’s perspective in Board discussions and brings important insight regarding our strategy and operations to the Board’s deliberations.

24

Table of Contents

Corporate Governance

Class lI Directors – Terms Expiring at the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

Mary K. Bush IND 
President of Bush International, LLC
Age: 72Committee Membership: Audit (Chair & Financial Expert)
Director Since: January 2017Public Company Boards: Discover Financial Services
ManTech International Corporation
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.

Background

President of Bush International, LLC, an advisor to U.S. corporations and foreign governments on international capital markets, strategic business, economic and governance matters since 1991
Held several Presidential appointments, including the U.S. Government’s representative on the International Monetary Fund Board and Director of Sallie Mae Bank
Former head of the Federal Home Loan Bank System during the aftermath of the Savings and Loan crisis and was advisor to the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department
Earlier in her career, managed global banking and corporate finance relationships at New York money center banks including Citibank, N.A., Banker’s Trust Company, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A
Appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury to the U.S. Treasury Advisory Committee on the Auditing Profession in 2007
Appointed by President George W. Bush as Chair of the congressionally-chartered HELP Commission on reforming foreign aid in 2006
Director of Briggs & Stratton, Inc. from 2004 to March 2009, of United Continental Holdings, Inc. from 2006 to 2010, of the Pioneer Family of Mutual Funds from 1997 to 2012 and of Marriott International, Inc. from 2008 to 2020
Member of Kennedy Center’s Community Advisory Board
Chairman of the Capital Partners for Education, a not-for-profit organization that mentors young people through high school and college

Director Qualifications:

Ms. Bush’s senior executive roles; extensive experience and knowledge in finance and accounting, particularly in areas of accounting principles, financial reporting rules and regulations and oversight of the financial reporting process at public companies; and wide-ranging experience with government and regulatory systems, provide important skills and qualifications to the Board, especially as Chair of the Audit Committee and with respect to risk management. Ms. Bush’s public company board experience provides governance expertise to the Board concerning current governance practices. In addition, Ms. Bush’s significant experience in global business and financial markets is extremely valuable to us as we look to expand our customer financing options in tandem with our global expansion.

2021 PROXY STATEMENT25

Table of Contents

Corporate Governance

Jeffrey Immelt IND 
Former Chairman and CEO of General Electric  Lead Independent Director
Age: 65Committee Membership: Audit (Financial Expert)
Director Since: November 2019Public Company Boards: Twilio Inc.
Desktop Metal, Inc.
Tuya Inc.

Background

Venture partner at NEA since January 2018
Former Chairman and CEO of General Electric (“GE”), a diversified industrial company, for 16 years from 2001 to 2017 where he revamped the company’s strategy, global footprint, workforce and culture
During his tenure, he led several innovative transformations that doubled industrial earnings, reshaped the portfolio, re-established market leadership, grew a strong share position in essential industries, and quadrupled emerging market revenue
Named one of the “World’s Best CEOs” three times by Barron’s
GE was named “America’s Most Admired Company” by Fortune magazine and one of “The World’s Most Respected Companies” in polls by Barron’s and the Financial Times during his tenure
Recipient of 15 honorary degrees and numerous awards for business leadership
Chaired the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness under the Obama Administration
Member of The American Academy of Arts & Sciences

Director Qualifications:

Mr. Immelt brings to the Board more than 30 years of senior executive and boardroom experience, including nearly 20 years at the helm of GE, a world-leading, technologically innovative global enterprise where he helped reshape and modernize its global business and financing strategy. Mr. Immelt’s experience and insights in all aspects of running a multinational business, including in diverse areas such as operations, sales and marketing, human capital management, executive compensation, and product and service management and business models, will be invaluable as we endeavor to scale our business and expand our markets, both in the United States and globally. Given GE’s energy businesses, Mr. Immelt provides valuable expertise regarding the energy sector, the regulatory landscape and the competitive landscape.

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Corporate Governance

Eddy Zervigon IND 
CEO of Quantum Xchange
Age: 52Committee Membership: Audit (Financial Expert)
Director Since: October 2007Nominating/Governance (Chair)
Public Company Boards: Maxar Technologies Inc.

Background

CEO of Quantum Xchange, a cybersecurity company, since September 2020
Special Advisor at Riverside Management Group, a boutique merchant bank, since 2012
Previously, he was a Managing Director in the Principal Investments Group at Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, a global financial services firm, from 1997 to 2012
Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Mr. Zervigon was a Certified Public Accountant at Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP), a public accounting firm
Served as a director of DigitalGlobe, Inc., a builder and operator of satellites for digital imaging, where he served as a member of the audit and compensation committees from 2004 to 2017
Previously served as a board member of MMCinemas, Impsat Fiber Networks, Inc., TVN Entertainment Corporation and Stadium Capital Management, LLC

Director Qualifications:

Mr. Zervigon brings significant institutional knowledge regarding Bloom given his early involvement with us at our early growth stages through his position with Morgan Stanley and later as a director. Given Mr. Zervigon’s international financial and transactional experience as an investment banker, Mr. Zervigon has helped shepherd our transition from a private to a public company and provided valuable insights regarding growth strategies and business models. In addition, his accounting expertise as a CPA with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has provided critical experience, skills and qualifications to the Audit Committee. His public company board and governance experience contributes to his role as the Chair of the Nominating Committee.

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Director Skills and Experience

As we discuss above under “Director Tenure, Board Refreshment and Diversity” and below under “Information Regarding the Board and its Committees,” the Nominating Committee is responsible for assessing with the Board the appropriate skills, experiences and background that we seek in Board members in light of our business strategy and our current Board composition to provide effective oversight and represent the long-term interests of our stockholders. The Board will then determine whether a nominee’s background, experience and skills will advance the Board’s goal of creating and sustaining a board with broad and diverse experience and perspectives who can oversee our business. Listed below are the skills and experience we consider important for our directors to facilitate oversight of our business strategy.

Public Company Board ExperienceService on a public company board provides valuable and relevant governance experience, including an understanding of the legal and regulatory landscape in which public companies operate and the importance of the oversight responsibilities of the Board and its committees, and helps us maintain good corporate governance practices by providing insight into current U.S. public company board practices.
Senior LeadershipExperience serving in executive positions, including as CEO, provides members of the Board with a practical understanding of enterprise structure, operations and management, including in core areas such as human resources, financial planning, risk management and compliance and the know how to identify and develop leadership in the management team, execute operationally and drive change and growth.
Global Business/InternationalAs we expand our reach globally, experience in entering and operating in new markets, including emerging markets, and the attendant business and cultural perspectives is critical to our success.
Financial/Accounting/
Capital Markets
Our capital structure and operations include the use of debt instruments and financing arrangements as well as project finance activities for our customer’s use of our Energy Servers and other project development. It is critical for the Board and the Audit Committee to have a sophisticated understanding of the capital markets, financing and funding operations relevant to Bloom, energy project finance structures, and accounting and financial reporting processes to advise on, and oversee, our project finance activities and other risk management.
Manufacturing/OperationsBecause we develop and manufacture our Energy Servers, individuals with experience in manufacturing processes and operations, including supply chain management, are valuable additions to the Board.
Sales and MarketingAs we seek to continue to grow our bookings and acceptances year over year and bring our Energy Servers to additional states, countries and markets, experience in the strategy and mechanics of sales and marketing enables the Board to effectively oversee the expansion of our business and development of our brand.
Human Capital ManagementWe operate in a highly competitive employment market, and experience in attracting, motivating, developing and retaining qualified personnel and succession planning is particularly important to our future success. In addition, as a relatively new public company, experience in evolving compensation practices from private to public company status is critical to attracting and retaining personnel.

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Government/Public Policy/RegulatoryThe energy industry is heavily regulated, and Board members who have experience working within a regulatory framework bring valued experience and perspectives and assist the Board with its oversight responsibilities regarding Bloom’s legal and regulatory compliance and its engagement with regulatory authorities. Being able to anticipate changes in the regulatory scheme will better enable us to execute our strategic plan effectively. As a relatively new technology, government expertise at the federal and state level and experience developing and implementing policy will help us work constructively with governments around the world, which is critical as we attempt to develop legislation and a regulatory framework to enable adoption of our technology both in the United States and in select international markets.
EnergyIndividuals with energy industry experience are able to share with us their insight and experience with respect to strategic and operational matters related to a complex and constantly changing energy industry. This includes experience in both the retail and wholesale energy markets as we expand both in the United States and in select international markets. Knowledge of the competitive landscape and energy companies provides valuable perspective as we consider partnerships and alliances in our selling activities.
Business DevelopmentWe continue to focus on growing our business in new states, new countries and new product markets as identified in our growth levers. Our development of relationships with strategic domestic and international partners is critical to growing and financing our business and undertaking both new project and product development, and individuals with existing experience and relationships in business development give us valuable insight into the challenges and risks of such collaborations and partnerships and overcoming the same.
Emerging Technology/Business ModelAs we have transitioned from a private company to a public company and developed and improved each generation of our Energy Server, and related solutions, operations, market, regulatory environment, customers, employeesnow enter a phase of product development for new product markets, experience with emerging technologies and competition. His depthcompanies early in their business life cycle has been, and breadth of technological and scientific expertisecontinues to be, important for guiding our development.
Technology/ScienceKnowledge and experience in product development, materials science, chemistry and hardware development is crucial for our continuing development and innovation with technological innovation, including through his extensive experiencerespect to our products and to the evolution of our strategy as set forth in our growth levers. As an innovator in the energyfuel cell industry, bring invaluable insight to our Boardsuccess depends on developing and investing in the Company’s productscontinued evolution of our Energy Server Platform and technology experience has become increasingly important as we expand our product development strategies. In addition, he provides management’s perspective in Board discussions and brings important insight regarding our strategy and operations to our Board’s deliberations.

product markets.
Committee MembershipIndependencePublic Company BoardsNYSE listing and governance standards require that a majority of the Board be comprised of independent directors. Our strong preference is to add directors to the Board who are independent and who will represent the interests of all stockholders.
NoneNone
DiversityCandidates should represent a diversity of viewpoints, backgrounds, experiences, and other demographics, including cultures, age, gender and ethnic diversity. Four of our directors are gender and ethnically diverse.

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Our Board Structure

Our Governance Philosophy

Our governance practices are designed to support our mission to make clean, resilient, reliable and affordable energy, and to support our ability to capitalize on the market opportunity arising from the global transition to resilient and clean energy and distributed generation. Our governance practices are designed to optimize success based on the nature of our technology and the market environment we face.

Our Bloom Energy Server is an innovative, new technology in a rapidly evolving area of the energy and utility industries, distributed generation. It takes time to integrate a new technology in a highly regulated industry. The energy industry has very long technology development and market adoption cycle times, which necessitates long-term planning and execution of a consistent strategy. In addition, the energy industry has many divergent companies involved in the ecosystem, exacerbating the length of the business cycle and pace of change. In addition, as a relatively newly public company with a disruptive product in an evolving industry that is subject to political and policy changes, we tend to experience short-term swings in our stock price that are unrelated to and do not necessarily reflect our long-term prospects and value.

The Board, after careful deliberations and in view of these business environment considerations, put in place our current governance structure to enable the management team to act with deliberation and to focus on delivering long-term value to stockholders and protect minority investors from the interests of potentially short-sighted investors who may seek to act opportunistically and not in the best interests of Bloom or stockholders generally or other stakeholders.

The following table highlights some of the key elements of our governance structure and explains how we believe they align with the long-term interests of our stockholders. As we value input from our stockholders, and recognizing that some of our stockholders may hold different views, we look forward to engaging on this topic as part of our robust and proactive stockholder engagement program (see “Stockholder Engagement” on page 37 for more information).

ProvisionWhat this refers toHow this aligns with stockholder interests
Dual class capital structureTwo classes of common stock, with Class A having 1 vote per share and Class B having 10 votes per shareProvides an environment for the first five years post-initial public offering (“IPO”), at which point the dual class sunsets automatically, in which our founder and CEO, Mr. Sridhar, can focus his and the management team’s attention on our long-term strategy and driving value for stockholders
Classified boardDirectors serve three-year terms, with one-third of the Board (instead of the entire Board) elected at each annual meetingProvides stability and continuity, permitting directors to develop and share institutional knowledge and focus on the long term. Encourages stockholders to engage directly with the Board and the management team regarding significant corporate transactions
Supermajority votingVoting standard for most items is majority of votes cast, but two-thirds of the outstanding shares are needed to approve a limited number of items in our Restated Certificate of IncorporationProtects against a small group of stockholders acting to amend our governing documents or to remove directors for reasons that may not be in the best interests of all stockholders  
Plurality voting to elect directorsDirectors are elected by a plurality of votes cast (instead of a majority of votes cast), meaning the nominees with the most votes are electedAvoids potential disruption to the Board and management team as a result of a “failed election” in which a nominee does not achieve the votes necessary to be elected  
Stockholders cannot call special meetings or act by written consentStockholders can propose business at each annual meeting (per our advance notice bylaws and Rule 14a-8), but cannot call a stockholder vote in between annual meetingsProtects against potential abuse by a limited number of stockholders who could act to further short-term special interests and avoids unnecessary diversion of Board and management time from executing on our long-term strategy  

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Director Independence

 

Under NYSE listing standards, a director will qualify as an “independent director” only if, the director does not have a disqualifying relationship and, in the opinion of that listed company’s board of directors, that director does not have a material relationship with the listed company, either directly or indirectly, that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director.

 

At least annually, the Nominating Committee receives a report on all commercial, consulting, legal, charitable or other business relationships that a director or the directors immediate family members have with Bloom and its subsidiaries. This report includes all ordinary course transactions with entities with which the directors are associated. In determining independence, the Nominating Committee considers transactions, if any, identified in the report discussed above that affect director independence, including any transactions in which the amounts reported may be above the threshold contained in the director independence requirements, and in which a director has a direct or indirect material interest. The Nominating Committee will make its assessment and discuss the report and its assessment with the full Board, which in turn makes its assessment.

In making its independence determination with respect to our non-employee directors other than General Powell, the Board considered the relationships that each non-employee director has with us and all other facts and circumstances the Board deemed relevant in determining their independence, including the beneficial ownership of our capital stock by each non-employee director as well as the long tenure of certain of the directors. The Board determined that Mr. Doerr and Mr. Sandell’s independence from management had not been diminished by their years of service and beneficial stock ownership.

With respect to the members of the Compensation Committee and Audit Committee, the Board considered the heightened independence requirements under the NYSE listing standards. With respect to Mr. Doerr, the Board considered his role as a General Partner of Kleiner Perkins, a venture capital firm that held shares in Bloom during 2020. As of December 31, 2020, Kleiner Perkins no longer holds any shares of our Class A or Class B common stock. With respect to Mr. Sandell, the Board considered his role as Managing General Partner at NEA, a global venture capital firm that controlled approximately 7.9% of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock on a combined basis as of December 31, 2020, and approximately 28.9% of the voting power as of December 31, 2020. Please see the section entitled “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters” below for more information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of the Record Date and to the section entitled “Related Party Transactions” below for more information regarding the notes that were held by Kleiner Perkins and NEA during 2020. The Board also considered Mr. Immelt’s role as a venture partner at NEA. Unlike Mr. Sandell, Mr. Immelt does not have beneficial ownership of the securities held directly or indirectly by NEA, nor is he a member of NEA’s management. With respect to Messrs. Doerr and Sandell, the Board also considered the voting agreements by and between Mr. Sridhar, certain affiliates of Kleiner Perkins, and Mr. Sridhar and certain affiliates of NEA. The Board noted that as the voting agreements are revocable by the affiliates of NEA and Kleiner Perkins at any time without the consent of Mr. Sridhar and will terminate automatically upon the conversion of such stockholders’ Class B Common Stock into Class A Common Stock, that the independence of Mr. Doerr and Mr. Sandell was not impacted. Please see the section entitled “Voting Agreements” below for more information.

In addition, the Board considered that two of its members sit on the board of companies with which we do business and determined that these relationships were not significant enough to affect their independence.

Based on the information provided by each director concerning his or her background, employment and affiliations, ourand the report discussed above, the Board of Directors has determined that none of our non-employee directors has a material relationship with the Company,us, either directly or indirectly, that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director and that, with the exception of General Powell, each of our non-employee directors is “independent” as that term is defined under the listing standards of the NYSE and the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC. In making its independence determination with respect to our non-employee directors other than General Powell, the Board of Directors considered the relationships that each non-employee director has with usSecurities and all other facts and circumstances our Board of Directors deemed relevant in determining their independence, including the beneficial ownership of our capital stock by each non-employee director. With respect to Mr. Doerr, the Board considered his role as a General Partner of Kleiner Perkins, a venture capital firm that controls 17.09% of our common stock. With respect to Mr. Sandell, the Board considered his role as Managing General Partner at NEA, a global venture capital firm that controls 20.19% of our common stock. Refer to “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters” below for more information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock and to “Related Party Transactions” below for more information regarding notes held by Kleiner Perkins and NEA.Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Board also considered Mr. Immelt’s role as a venture partner at NEA. Mr. Immelt does not have beneficial ownershipdetermined that all members of the securities held directly or indirectly by NEA, nor is he a member of NEA’s management. With respect to Messrs. DoerrAudit, Compensation and Sandell, the Board considered the voting agreements byNominating Committees are independent and among Mr. Sridhar, Mr. Doerr and certain affiliates of Kleiner Perkins, Mr. Sandell and certain affiliates of NEA, and others. The Board noted that the voting agreements are revocable by our stockholders atalso satisfy any time and will terminate automatically upon the conversion of such stockholders’ Class B Common Stock into Class A Common Stock. Refer to “Voting Agreements” below for more information. Finally, with respect to Dr. Boskin, the Board considered certain contributions made by the Company to Stanford University, where Mr. Boskin serves as the Tully M. Friedman Professor of Economics and Wohlford Family Hoover Institution Senior Fellow.committee specific independence requirements.

 

Mr. Sridhar is not independent due to his role as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer.our CEO. General Powell is not independent under NYSE listing rulesstandards given the compensation he received from us in 2018 under a consulting agreement. The Company hasWe have a long-standing consulting relationship with General Powell under which he assists the Companyus with our selling and marketing efforts. Since 2019, the amount General Powell receives under the consulting agreement has not exceeded $119,000.

 

Board Leadership Structure

 

Our Corporate Governance Guidelines and the Bylaws do not require the separation of the offices of the Chairperson and the Chief Executive Officer. However, when the positions of Chairperson and the Chief Executive Officer are held by the same person, the Board of Directorsindependent directors will designate a lead independent director. Thedirector to a term of at least one year. We believe that the position of an empowered lead independent director has been structured to serve as an effective balance to a combined Chief Executive Officer/Board chairperson role. The lead independent director has authority over Board governance and operations and presides over regular executive sessions held by the non-managementnon-employee directors.

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KR Sridhar, the Company’sour Founder and Chief Executive Officer,CEO, is also the Chairman of the BoardBoard. The Nominating Committee annually reviews and considers whether the Board’s leadership structure remains appropriate for us and makes recommendations regarding it to the Board. The Nominating Committee recommended Mr. Sridhar continue to serve as Chairman of Directors.the Board. The Board has carefully considered this recommendation and whether to separate the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,CEO, and has concluded that the Companywe and itsour stockholders are currently best served by having Mr. Sridhar perform both roles. As a founder of Bloom and our CEO for over 20 years, Mr. Sridhar is the director most familiar with our business and Mr. Sridhar’s direct involvement in our operations enables him to communicate knowledgeably, timely and openly with the rest of the Board regarding short- and long-term objectives, as

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well asidentification of strategic priorities and execution of ourthese strategies. This ensures thathelps the Board of Directors focusesfocus on important strategic objectives, yet also understands the challenges the Company faceswe face on a day-to-day basis. Combining the roles of Chief Executive OfficerCEO and Chairman of the Board also provides a clear chain of command and single point of accountability to execute the Company’sour strategy and a unified public face of the CompanyBloom in its interactions with suppliers, partners, customers, and others, all of which is particularly valuable to a newlyrelatively new public company such as Bloom.

 

Lead Independent Director

 

The Lead Independent Director’s rolelead independent director is to encourage direct dialogue between allelected annually by the independent directors (particularly those with dissenting views) and management. John Doerrof the Board. Mr. Immelt currently serves as our lead independent director.director, and the independent directors selected him to replace Mr. Doerr in May 2020. Mr. Immelt brings governance expertise and operational and leadership experience having served as Chairman and CEO of GE for over 20 years. In addition, we believe Mr. Immelt brings a fresh perspective as our lead independent director having joined the Board in November 2019.

 

As lead independent director, Mr. Doerr:Immelt:

 

·

presides over executive sessions of the Independent Directors;

·

approves the agenda and meeting schedules to assure there is sufficient time for discussion of all agenda items;

·

approves the information sent to the Board;
meets regularly with the Chairman;
serves as a liaison between the ChairpersonChairman and the Independent Directors;

·

consults with the ChairpersonChairman regarding information and approves information sent to the Board in connection with its meetings;

·

has the authority to call special meetings of the Board;

·

works with the Nominating Committee to guide the Board’s governance processes, including succession planning and the annual Board self–evaluation;
is available under appropriate circumstances for consultation and direct communication with major stockholders; and

·

performs such other functions and responsibilities as requested by the Board from time to time.

 

Information Regarding the Board and its Committees of Our Board

 

OurThe Board held ten meetings and acted two times by unanimous written consent during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. Additionally, from time to time between formal meetings, members of the Board may participate in update or status phone calls and briefings, which are not meetings of the Board and therefore not included in the total. Each director attended at least 75% of the aggregate number of Board meetings and meetings of committees on which he or she served during the portion of the last fiscal year for which he or she was a director or committee member. All members attended at least 90% of the aggregate number of Board and committee meetings.

It is our policy to encourage our directors to attend annual meetings of stockholders, and we expect that all directors will attend the 2021 Annual Meeting. In 2020, our meeting was held virtually due to heighted concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic. All of our directors attended our online virtual meeting in 2020.

The Board has three standing committees: the Audit Committee, the Compensation and Organizational Development Committee (“Compensation Committee”) and the Nominating Committee. Only independent directors serve on ourthe Board committees.

 

OurThe Board has adopted written charters for each of its committees, and copies of the charters are available on our website (www.bloomenergy.com) at www.bloomenergy.com in the corporate governanceCorporate Governance section of our investor relations webpage.Investors page. Each of the committee charters is reviewed annually by the respective committee, which may recommend appropriate changes for approval by ourthe Board. None of the material on our website is part of this proxy statement or is incorporated by reference herein.

 

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Audit Committee2020 Meetings: 9
2019 Meetings: 8

Members:

Mary K. Bush (Chair)

Members:

Michael Boskin

Jeffrey Immelt

Eddy Zervigon

 

The Audit Committee has adopted a written charter approved by ourthe Board of Directors that, among other things, specifies the scope of its rights and responsibilities and satisfies the applicable standards of the SEC and the NYSE.

Principal Responsibilities:

The duties of our Audit Committee include, among other things:

·

selecting, appointing and setting the compensation of a qualified firm to serve as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit our financial statements;

·   helping to ensure

reviewing the independence and performance of the independent registered public accounting firm;

·

discussing the scope and results of the audit with the independent registered public accounting firm, and review and discuss with management and the independent accountants,registered public accounting firm our interimannual audited and year-end operating results;

·   developingquarterly financial statements;

establishing and overseeing procedures for employees to submit concerns anonymously about fraud or questionable accounting or audit matters;

·

reviewing our policies on risk assessment and risk management;

·

reviewing and monitoring our internal controls and internal audit functions;
obtaining and reviewing a report by the independent registered public accounting firm at least annually, that describes our internal quality-control procedures, any material issues with such procedures, and any steps taken to deal with such issues;

·

approving (or, as permitted, pre-approving)in advance all audit and all permissible non-audit related services other than de minimis non-audit services, to be performedprovided by the independent registered public accounting firm;
establishing pre-approval policies and

· procedures for the engagement of the independent registered public accounting firm to render services to us; and

reviewing related partyrelated-party transactions and proposed waivers of our codeGlobal Code of conduct.Business Conduct and Ethics.
Key Highlights in 2020:

Early in 2020, the Audit Committee helped management navigate and remediate the restatement of certain financial statements. For more information, see the section entitled “Audit Matters Restatement and Remediation of Material Weakness.” During 2020, the Audit Committee oversaw the improvement of our capital structure as we reduced our outstanding debt and lowered the overall interest rate that applies to our outstanding debt. The Audit Committee also played a key oversight role in our first year of compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley.
The Audit Committee conducted an assessment of potential risks in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, including our overall cash management. In addition, the Audit Committee advised management on the successful transition from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC to Deloitte & Touche LLP in September 2021. The Audit Committee also oversaw the filing of our first conflict mineral’s report. The Audit Committee approved revisions to its charter as we transitioned from an emerging growth company to a large accelerated filer as part of its annual review of the charter.
Governance:
The Board of Directors has determined that each member of ourthe Audit Committee meets the definition of “independent director” for purposes of serving on an audit committee under Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the NYSE rules and regulations.listing standards of the NYSE. Each member of ourthe Audit Committee is financially literate as required by current NYSE listing standards. In addition, the Board of Directors has determined that each of Ms. Bush, Mr. Immelt and Mr. Zervigon is an audit committee financial expert within the meaning of Item 407(d) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, (the “Securities Act”).

as amended.

 

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Compensation and Organizational Development Committee
2019 Meetings: 4

Members:
2020 Meetings: 4

Scott Sandell (Chair)

Members:

John T. Chambers

L. John Doerr

 

The purpose of our Compensation Committee ishas adopted a written charter approved by the Board that, among other things, specifies the scope of its rights and responsibilities relating to discharge the responsibilities of our Board of Directors relating to compensation of our executive officers and evaluation of the performance of our senior leadership team.

 

Principal Responsibilities:

The duties of our Compensation Committee include, among other things:

 

·•   reviewing the overall compensation strategy and philosophy, and whether this establishes appropriate incentives for management and employees;

•   evaluating the performance of our executive officers, including the chief executive officer;

our CEO;

·•      periodically reviewing and making recommendations regarding the reporting structure within our executive officer team, and the effectiveness and efficiency of the team;

·determining or making recommendations to ourthe Board of Directors regarding the compensation of our executive officers;

CEO;

·•   administering our stock and equity incentive plans;

·•   reviewing with management and overseeing the assessment of our major compensation-related risk exposures;

•   making recommendations to ourthe Board of Directors regarding incentive compensation and equity plans; and

·•   overseeing succession planning; and

•   reviewing general policies relating to compensation and benefits of our employees.employees, including our clawback policy.

 

Key Highlights in 2020:

During 2020, the Compensation Committee focused on transitioning executive pay to align with a more pay-for-performance philosophy, as the Compensation Committee awarded more performance-based equity to our executive officers, and updated the executive compensation peer group. The Compensation Committee worked with the Nominating Committee to formally adopt a Stock Ownership Policy applicable to certain members of senior management and the non-employee directors. The Compensation Committee also reviewed succession planning of our senior management team.

The Compensation Committee reviewed the impact of COVID-19 on our employee population as well as workplace and safety issues related to the pandemic. In addition, the Compensation Committee oversaw the implementation of a broad-based equity and U.S. benefits strategy. The Compensation Committee also reviewed company-wide diversity statistics as part of our focus on an overall diversity and inclusion strategy. The Compensation Committee approved revisions to its charter as we transitioned from an emerging growth company to a large accelerated filer as part of its annual review of the charter.

Governance:

All members of the Compensation Committee are independent.independent under the listing standards of the NYSE. Each member of this committee is also a non-employee director, as defined pursuant to Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

 

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

 

None of the members of our Compensation Committee is or has been an officer or employee of Bloom. No member of the Company.Compensation Committee had any relationship with Bloom during 2020 requiring disclosure under Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act. None of our executive officers currently serves,has ever served as a member of the board or have served during the last fiscal year ended December 31, 2019,compensation committee of any other entity that has or has had one or more executive officers serving as a member of the Board of Directors, or as a member of the compensation or similar committee, of any entity that has one or more executive officers who served on our Board of Directors or compensation and organization development committee.Compensation Committee.

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Nominating, Governance and Public Policy Committee
2019 Meetings: 5

Members:
2020 Meetings: 4

Eddy Zervigon (Chair)

Members:


Michael Boskin

Scott Sandell

The Nominating Committee has adopted a written charter approved by the Board that, among other things, specifies the scope of its rights and responsibilities relating to our corporate governance policies and practices applicable.

 

Principal Responsibilities:

The duties of our Nominating Committee include, among other things:

 

·•   making recommendations to the Board concerning the size, structure, composition and functioning of the Board and its committees;

   considering•   identifying, evaluating and making recommendations of nominees to ourthe Board and evaluating the performance of Directors regarding the composition of our Board of Directors and its committees;

individual directors;

·•   reviewing developments in corporate governance practices;

·•   evaluating the adequacy of our corporate governance practices and reporting;

·•   overseeing the Company’sour stockholder engagement program; and

·•   reviewing the form and amount of director compensation;

•   assessing the appropriateness of our stock ownership guidelines;

•   developing and making recommendations to ourthe Board of Directors regarding corporate governance guidelines and matters.

In addition to its nominating and governance responsibilities, the Nominating Committee:

policies;

·•      monitors, evaluatesmonitoring, evaluating and providesproviding guidance on sustainability issues, social and political trends, issues, legislative proposals and regulatory developments, both domestic and international, which would affect the Company’sour business;

·•      reviews, assessesreviewing, assessing and providesproviding guidance to management and the Board on significant domestic and international legislation, regulation and trade, energy and environmental policy; and

·•      developsdeveloping general guidelines for political and charitable contributions made by the Companyus lobbying activities undertaken by us and annually reviewsreviewing and making recommendations to the Board regarding the political and charitable contributions made.made and lobbying activities undertaken.

 

Key Highlights in 2020:

During 2020, the Nominating Committee focused on improving our corporate governance structure, including working with the Compensation Committee to adopt a Stock Ownership Policy applicable to certain members of senior management and the non-employee directors. The Nominating Committee also oversaw the annual director evaluation process and updated the criteria for Board nominees. In addition, the Nominating Committee provided guidance in the preparation of our first Sustainability Report as we created a new oversight structure throughout Bloom for ESG-related matters. The Nominating Committee is now responsible for ESG oversight.

The Nominating Committee assessed and made recommendations to the Board on COVID-19-related matters and their potential effects on corporate governance. The Nominating Committee approved revisions to its charter and the Corporate Governance Guidelines as we transitioned from an emerging growth company to a large accelerated filer as part of its annual review of these documents.

Governance:

All members of the Nominating Committee are independent.independent under the listing standards of the NYSE.

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Board’s Role and Responsibilities

 

The Board’s Role in Risk Oversight

 

OurThe Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing our risk management and believes that evaluating our risk management practices and providing a thorough and strategic approach to risk oversight is critical. The Board of Directors exercises this oversight responsibility directly and through its committees. Any risk oversight that is not allocated to a committee remains with the Board. The charters of the committees define the areas of risk for which each committee is responsible. The oversight responsibility of the Board of Directors and its committees is informed by regular reports from our management team, including senior personnel who lead a variety of functions across the business, as well as input from external advisors, as appropriate. These reports are designed to provide timely visibility to the Board of Directors and its committees about the identification and assessment of key risks, our risk mitigation strategies and ongoing developments.

 

The full Board of Directors has primary responsibility for evaluating strategic and operational risk management. OurThe Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing our major financial legal, and regulatorylegal risk exposures, which span a variety of areas including litigation, legal and regulatory compliance, reputational and policy matters, financial reporting and controls, credit and liquidity, capital allocation, IT, tax, conflicts of interest and related party transactions, cybersecurity, and international operations. OurThe Audit Committee also oversees the steps our management has taken to address failures in compliance with established risk management policies and procedures, and to monitor and control these exposures, including policies and procedures for assessing and managing risk and related compliance efforts. OurThe Compensation Committee evaluates risks arising from compensation policies and practices and ensuresso they do not incentivize excessive risk taking, as well as risks related to human capital management such as workplace safety, recruiting, retention, attrition and succession planning. OurThe Nominating Committee evaluates risks arising from our corporate governance practices, leadership structure of the Board, of Directors, compensation of the Board, of Directorsstate and public policy developments.federal regulatory and legislative matters, stockholder activism and ESG-related matters. Each of our committees provides reports to the full Board on their oversight activities and elevates review of Directors regarding theserisk issues to the Board as appropriate.

Throughout 2020, the Board and other matters.its committees reviewed risks pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic and received frequent updates on its impact to our employees, operations, working capital, partners and customers. In addition, the Board reviewed with management the various measures being taken to protect health and safety of our employees as well as steps being taken to ensure the continuity of our business as an essential business for our customers and the community.

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Has the primary responsibility for evaluating strategic and operational risk management

 

AUDIT COMMITTEE

Oversees major financial, legal,

Financial statements and internal
controls and reporting

Compliance, regulatory risk exposuresand litigation

Oversees the steps our management has taken to monitor

Credit and control these exposuresliquidity and capital
allocations

Ethics, related parties and conflicts of
interest

COMPENSATION AND
ORGANIZATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Evaluates risks arising from compensation policies and practices and risks related to recruiting, retention, attrition and succession

Compensation

Succession planning

Human capital management

NOMINATING, GOVERNANCE
AND PUBLIC POLICY
COMMITTEE

Evaluates risks arising from our corporate governance practices, leadership structure of the Board of Directors, compensation of the Board of Directors

Governance

Environmental and publicsustainability

Public policy developments

Social responsibility

MANAGEMENT

MANAGEMENT

InformsMembers of our senior management team are responsible for implementation of our day-to-day risk management processes. This includes identifying risk and risk controls related to significant business activities and developing programs and recommendations to determine the sufficiency of risk identification and the appropriate manner in which to manage the risk. Management informs the oversight responsibility of the Board and committees through regular reports including senior personnel and external advisors

 

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Corporate Governance

 

Stockholder Engagement

 

Bloom management engagesWe believe actively engaging with, and understanding the concerns and views of our stockholders, onis an important factor in developing sound corporate practices that support our business. Members of our management team annually participate in a regular basis on a wide range of topics of interest to our stakeholders.stockholder outreach and engagement program. We hold regular quarterly earnings release conference calls open to all investors, which include a question and answer session with our institutional investors and analysts.session. These calls are announced to the public in advance, and we provide an opportunity for investors to participate byvia audio or webcast. A recording of the earnings call webcast and Q&A is available for 30 days following the call. We also participate in investor conferences on a periodic basis, and currently plan to hold an investor day in New York City in 2020, whichannual Investor Day that showcases the broader management team. Additionally, we expect will become an annual event. We alsowould host interested investors and potential investors at our headquarters and manufacturing facilities for meetings with members of executive management.

 

How we engaged with investors

·During 2019,2020, the vast majority of our investor engagements were conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the year, we participated in numerous investor conferences and participated in numerous non-deal roadshows wherein which we visitedmet virtually with investors directly, including during two roadshows inacross the United States and Europe. Additionally, weWe also hosted current and prospective investors at our headquarters for discussions with management, including a tour of our manufacturing facilities.

·Between October and December 2019, we engaged an external research firm to conduct a comprehensive investor perception studynumerous virtual meetings with current and prospective investors and other members of the investment community. The firm conducted telephone interviewsfor individual discussions with stockholders and other members of the investment community to discuss Bloom’s progress to date and future challenges with respect to engaging with the investment community. 

management.

We hosted our first annual Investor Day and launched a series of webinars focused on educating investors about our approach to opportunities in the various markets that we address. The first two of these webinars focused on the Marine and Hydrogen markets.
What we discussed with our investors and how we responded

·During our telephonic outreachdiscussions in late 2019,2020 with current and prospective investors, we discussed management’s efforts with respect to outreachmatters including our executive management succession plan, executive compensation program and received valuable feedback regarding ways in which we can better engage with investors, including having our CEO participate in additional investor conferences and roadshows, which we plan to implement in 2020.equity compensation strategy.

·

Among other things, the investment community asked us to simplify our guidance metrics.disclosure surrounding our quarterly earnings releases. We responded by updatingmoving to a single earnings release without the letter to stockholders. We also updated our guidanceoperating metrics in an effort to include only two metrics: total revenuesimplify our financial reporting.
We also discussed with investors, our future strategic plans, including the Bloom 7.5, hydrogen Energy Servers and adjusted EBITDA.carbon capture. We responded by hosting our first annual Investor Day and providing webinars on educating investors more about Bloom.

·

Our investors have expressed enthusiasm for more information regarding the ways in which our Energy Servers, and our companyBloom more broadly, work to promote sustainability. We have provided technical notes on certain environmental topics on our website and included an overview under “Sustainability at Bloom” above of certain ESG metrics that we track.

plan to post our initial Sustainability Report in April 2021.

 

Our investor relations website at http://investor.bloomenergy.com contains links to announcements regarding our earnings release conference calls and other investor resources, and our external communications team, in cooperation with our investor relations team, posts information of interest to our investors on social media sites such as LinkedIn (https:(https://www.linkedin.com/company/bloom-energy/) and Twitter (@Bloom_Energy). Information posted on our investor relations website or social media sites is not incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement or any of our public filings with the SEC.

 

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Board of Directors Meetings and Annual Meeting Attendance

The Board of Directors held four meetings and acted five times by unanimous written consent during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. Additionally, from time to time between formal meetings, members of the Board participate in update or status phone call and briefings, which are not meetings of the Board and therefore not included in the total. Each director other than Mr. Chambers attended at least 75% of the aggregate number of Board of Directors meetings and meetings of committees on which he or she served during the portion of the last fiscal year for which he or she was a director or committee member.

It is the Company’s policy to encourage our directors to attend annual meetings of stockholders, and we expect that all directors will attend the 2020 Annual Meeting. In 2019, all of our directors, other than Ms. Bush who had an unavoidable conflict, attended our annual meeting of stockholders in person.Corporate Governance

 

Board Processes and Policies

 

Corporate Governance Guidelines; Materials Available on Our Website

 

OurThe Board of Directors has adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines that provide the framework for our corporate governance, along with our Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, committee charters and other key governance practices and policies. Our Corporate Governance Guidelines cover a wide range of subjects, including the conduct of Board meetings, independence and selection of directors, Board membership criteria and Board committee composition.

 

The Corporate Governance Guidelines and the other corporate governance documents listed below are available in the Investor Relations section of our website at http://investor.bloomenergy.com by clicking on the “Corporate Governance/ Governance Documents���Documents” link thereunder.

 

·Restated Certificate of Incorporation
·Amended and Restated Bylaws
·Corporate Governance Guidelines
·Global Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
·Audit Committee Charter
·Compensation Committee Charter
·Nominating Committee Charter

The contents posted on our website are not incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement or any of our filings with the SEC.

 

Global Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

 

OurThe Board of Directors has adopted a Global Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (“Code of Conduct”) that applies to all of our employees, officers, directors and contractors. We require all employees to read and agree to adhere to the Code of Conduct. We provide mandatory web-based training with respect to the Code of Conduct and provide additional web-based training on specific aspects of the Code of Conduct from time to time. The Audit Committee, on behalf of the Board, of Directors, oversees compliance with the Global Code of Business Conduct, and Ethics, including the consideration of actual and potential conflicts of interest, the review and approval of related party transactions and the review and approval of procedures for handling complaints regarding accounting or auditing matters. Our

We have established several different reporting channels employees may use to seek guidance or submit reports concerning compliance and ethics matters, including those related to accounting, internal controls and auditing matters. These reporting channels include our Ethics HotlineHelpline which may be accessed 24 hours a day either over the phone or by way of a secure internet site and provides a vehicle for those subject to our Global Code of Business Conduct and Ethics to submit to us or to ourthe Audit Committee confidential, anonymous reports of concerns regarding, among other matters, fraud or questionable accounting or auditing matters. The Audit Committee receives a regular report from executive management that summarizes the number and types of issues submitted to us through our Ethics HotlineHelpline and management’s responses with respect thereto.

 

Our Global Code of Business Conduct is available on our website at http://investor.bloomenergy.com under the “Corporate Governance” tab. We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirement under Item 5.05 of Form 8-K regarding amendment to, or waiver from, a provision of our Global Code of Business Conduct by posting such information on our website at the address specified above.above within four days of any such amendment or waiver.

 

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Corporate Governance

 

Board and Committee Evaluations

 

The Board and its principal committees perform an annual self-assessment to (i) foster a culture of accountability for performance and continuous improvement and (ii) identify forward-looking needs for skills and experience of Board members so that the Board is able to meet its strategic objectives. The annual evaluation process provides the Board with valuable insight regarding areas where the Board believes it functions effectively, and where it can improve. The Chairman of the Nominating Committee together with the lead independent director lead the Board’s self–assessment process. In order for a robust process, the Board engages an independent third party to facilitate its annual self-evaluation. Topics reviewed during the 20192020 evaluation process included Board composition (skills, experience, diversity), information regularly provided to the Board (pre-reading materials, director orientation materials), agendas and meetings (quantity and quality of information presented), Board dynamics and relationship with management, Board processes (how the Board engages on strategy, risk oversight, CEO succession and evaluation), Committeecommittee effectiveness in meeting responsibilities outlined in the committee charters, and individual director performance (strengths, contributions, opportunities for improvement).

 

The Board and Committeecommittee evaluation process for 20192020 was conducted as follows:

 

1
1. Feedback from Directors

Outside

Independent outside counsel well known to the Board was engaged to speak with each of our directors regarding a list of topics of importance to the Board and its committees. Topics included Board composition; agendas and meetings; Board information; Board dynamics; Board processes; Committee effectiveness; and individual performanceperformance.

2
2. Meeting with Lead Independent Director and Chairmen/Chairman/CEO

Results of the conversations with individual directors were shared with our Lead Independent Directorlead independent director and our Chairman/CEO and follow-up action items were discussed.

3
3. Presentation Developed for Board and Committee Discussion

A presentation summarizing the results of the evaluation was then developed to facilitate Board and committee discussions.

4
4. Board and Committee Discussions Held

The Board and each committee then discussed the evaluation results and agreed upon action items and a timeline for implementation of any recommended changes to the Board, its membership, its processes and the operations of its committees.

5
5. Outcome of the Evaluation

Adjustments were made to

Based on feedback received from the directors in 2020, the Board continued to evolve its meeting agendas and committee meetings and processes as recommended by theprocess. In addition, input received regarding Board and each committee. Action items were shared with management to the extent required to improve the meeting process.

composition has informed future Board refreshment.

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Corporate Governance

Meetings of non-Management Independent Directors

Non-employee, independent directors meet in executive session without any members of our management present at almost every regularly scheduled Board meeting. The lead independent director chairs each of these executive sessions. These executive sessions promote an open discussion of matters in a manner that is independent of the Chairman and CEO.

 

Director Orientation

 

We provide an orientation process for new directors that includes background material, meetings with senior management, and visits to Bloom Energyour facilities. This process may include presentations by senior management to familiarize new directors with Bloom Energy’sour strategic plans, itsour significant accounting, financial and risk management issues, itsour compliance program and its Globalour Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.Conduct.

 

Director Education

 

The Board encourages all directors to stay abreast of developing trends for directors from the variety of sources available. OurThe Nominating Committee has established a policy regarding reimbursement of directors for reasonable costs associated with the directors’ participation in continuing education programs related to their service as directors. Director education is also integrated into ourthe Board and committee meeting calendars. Members of management and subject matter experts participate in director education sessions, which provide an opportunity for our directors to stay current with respect to our business, emerging corporate governance topics, or other issues pertaining to their service on ourthe Board.

44

 

Stockholder Communications with Our Board of Directors

 

Stockholders and other interested parties may communicate with the Board, of Directors, the lead independent director, the independent directors as a group or individual directors by sending a communication to:

 

Bloom Energy Corporation
Office of the Corporate Secretary
4353 North First Street, 4th Floor
San Jose, California 95134

 

Each communication should specify the intended recipient(s). The Office of the Corporate Secretary will initially process the communications and forward appropriate material to applicable members of the Board.

Stock Ownership Policy

The Board believes it is important to link the interests of Directors.our directors and management to those of our stockholders. Accordingly, the Board has adopted a Stock Ownership Policy for our non-employee directors and executive officers who are designated as reporting officers under Section 16 or report directly to our CEO. For additional information regarding our Stock Ownership Policy, please see the section entitled “Compensation Discussion and Analysis – Additional Information – Stock Ownership Policy.”

 

Related PartyRelated-Party Transactions

 

OurThe Board of Directors has adopted a related partywritten related-party transactions policy which, along with the charter of ourthe Audit Committee, requires that any transaction with a related party that must be reported under the applicable SEC rules must be reviewed and approved or ratified by ourthe Audit Committee, unless the related party is, or is associated with, a member of the Audit Committee, in which event the transaction must be reviewed and approved by ourthe Nominating Committee.

 

Our related partyrelated-party transactions policy applies to transactions, arrangements or relationships in which we are a participant, in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000, and in which a related party has or will have a direct or indirect material interest. A related party is:would include: (i) any of our directors, nominees for director or executive officers, (ii) any immediate family member of a director, nominee for director or executive officer, and (iii) any person, and his or her immediate family members, or entity that is known by us to be a beneficial owner of 5% or more of any of our outstanding equity securities at the time the transaction occurred or existed.

 

In determining whether to approve or reject a related partyrelated-party transaction, the Audit Committee considers the relevant and available facts, including the impact on a director’s independence if the related party is a director, immediate family member of a director or an entity with which a director is affiliated, the terms of the transaction and any other relevant information and considerations. The Audit Committee will approve only those transactions with related parties that, in light of known circumstances, are in or are not inconsistent with, the best interest of the CompanyBloom and its stockholders, as the Audit Committee determines in the good faith exercise of its discretion. The Audit Committee may impose such conditions as it deems appropriate on the CompanyBloom or the related party in connection with the approval of the proposed transactiontransaction.

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Corporate Governance

 

Related PartyRelated-Party Transactions

 

As of December 31, 2019, $299.0 million2020, none of the Company’sour debt was still held by investors considered to be related parties.

 

OverMr. Doerr currently serves as a board member of Bloom. Mr. Doerr also serves as the General Partner of Kleiner Perkins and is a Managing Member in Foris Ventures, LLC. Until September 2020, Kleiner Perkins was also considered a greater than 5% beneficial owner of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock on a combined basis. During 2020, Kleiner Perkins and Foris Ventures both held convertible notes of Bloom that have since been retired, as described below.

Mr. Sandell currently serves as a board member of Bloom. Mr. Sandell also serves as the Managing General Partner of NEA. NEA is considered a greater than 5% beneficial owner of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock on a combined basis. During 2020, NEA held convertible notes of Bloom that have since been retired, as described below.

On March 31, 2020, we entered into an Amendment Support Agreement (the “Amendment Support Agreement”) with the beneficial owners of our outstanding 6% Convertible Notes (the “6% Convertible Notes”) due December 1, 2020 pursuant to which the maturity date of the outstanding 6% Convertible Notes was extended to December 1, 2021, the interest rate increased from 6% to 10%, and the strike price on the conversion feature was reduced to $8.00 per share from $11.25. The Amendment Support Agreement required that we repay at least $70.0 million of these 10% Convertible Promissory Notes due December 2021 (the “10% Convertible Notes”) on or before September 1, 2020, which we satisfied through a cash payment of $70.0 million on May 1, 2020. Kleiner Perkins and NEA both held 6% Convertible Notes for $6.9 million and $13.9 million, respectively.

On March 31, 2020, we issued an additional $30.0 million of new 10% Convertible Notes to Foris Ventures, LLC (principal: $10 million) and NEA (principal: $20 million). In August 2020, NEA, Foris Ventures, LLC, and Kleiner Perkins converted their 10% Convertible Notes of $33.9 million, $10.0 million and $6.9 million, into 4.2 million, 1.25 million and 0.9 million shares of Class B common stock, respectively.

In May 2020, a 7.5% term loan noteholder ceased to be considered a related party, as Mr. Teti ceased to be a member of the Board in May 2020. We repaid $2.1 million and $2.2 million of the non-recourse 7.5% term loan principal balance in the years ended December 31, 20132020 and 2014,2019, respectively, and we obtained $40.8paid $0.7 million and $4.1$3.0 million respectively,of interest in term loans due September 2028 from Alberta Investment Management Corporation (“Alberta”) to fund the purchase and installation of Energy Servers related to PPA IIIa. Peter Teti, who serves on our Board of Directors, is Senior Vice President of Private Equity, Relationship Investing and Special Opportunities for Alberta. The loan bears a fixed interest rate of 7.5% and the total debt balance was $38.3 million as ofyears ended December 31, 2019.2020 and 2019, respectively.

 

In September 2015, we issued $12.5 million in principal amount of our 6% Notes to Kleiner Perkins and $12.5 million in principal amount of our 6% Notes to NEA pursuant to a note purchase agreement. Between December 2015 and September 2016, we issued $160.0 million in 6% Notes which are held byDuring 2020, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (“CPPIB”) as of December 31, 2019. In connection with this issuance, we agreed to issue upon the occurrence of certain conditions warrants to purchase up to a maximum of 312,888 shares of our Class B common stock. Upon completion of our IPO, the 312,888 warrants were net exercised for 312,575 shares of Class B Common stock.

45

Each of Kleiner Perkins, NEA and CPPIB iswas considered a stockholder of the CompanyBloom that beneficially ownsowned greater than 5% of our outstandingClass A common stock and Class B common stock on an as converteda combined basis. Such beneficial ownership includes, as applicable, shares issuable upon conversionAt the start of 2020, CPPIB held $239.9 million of 6% Convertible Notes that became the 10% Convertible Notes in March 2020. During 2020, CPPIB converted all their 10% Convertible Notes into (i) approximately 21.2 million shares of Class B common stock that were subsequently converted into our Class A common stock and shares issuable upon the exercise of warrants. Mr. Doerr is a general partner of Kleiner Perkins. Mr. Sandell is the managing general partner of NEA.

Since inception of the 6% Notes, we have recorded $2.0sold and (ii) received $70 million in accrued interest for 6% Notes held by KPCB, $1.7 million in accrued interest for 6% Notes held by NEA, $26.9 million in accrued interest for 6% Notes held by CPPIB, and $3.0 million in accrued interest for PPA IIIa, held by Alberta. In 2019, we paid the following amounts of principal and interest, as noted, to our related party debt holders: Kleiner Perkins 6% Notes: $6,933,524 (principal); $832,020 (interest); NEA 6% Notes: $0 (principal); $901,355 (interest); CPPIB 6% Notes: $0 (principal); $11,985,545 (interest); and Alberta PPA IIIa: $2,200,220 (principal); $3,003,899 (interest).

As the company makes cash payments for the interest accrued on a monthly basis, as of December 31, 2019, we had no accrued interest due to 6% Note holders. As of December 31, 2019, the total debt balance outstanding under the 6% Notes was $6.9 million for Kleiner Perkins and $13.9 million for NEA. As of December 31, 2019, the total debt balance outstanding under the 6% Notes held by CPPIB was $239.9 million and the total debt balance outstanding under PPA IIIa was $38.3 million.cash.

 

Director Compensation

 

Non-Employee Director Compensation Program

 

Our directors play a critical role in guiding our strategic direction and overseeing the management of Bloom, which requires considerable time commitments and responsibilities. The Board believes it is in our best interest and in the best interests of the Company and itsour stockholders to adopt a compensation program for directors who are not Company employees or directors of Bloom designated to serve on the Board by investors pursuant to contractual rights (our “Qualifying Directors”). All of our directors, other than Peter Teti, whose initial appointment to the Board was pursuant to an arrangement with AIMCo, and KR Sridhar, our CEO and Chairman, are Qualifying Directors. Mr. Teti who did not stand for re-election in May 2020 was also not considered a Qualifying Director.

 

Role of Compensation Consultant

 

OurThe Compensation Committee has retained the services of Compensia, Inc. (“Compensia”), an independent compensation consultant, to assist the Compensation Committee in evaluating and refining our Board of Directors’ compensation program. Compensia provided advice regarding, among other things, peer group composition, a competitive market analysis and equity strategy. Compensia also provides advice on our executive compensation program. The Compensation Committee has assessed the independence of Compensia pursuant to the NYSE rules and the Companywe have concluded that the work performed by Compensia for the Compensation Committee did not raise any conflicts of interest.

 

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Corporate Governance

 

Annual Cash Compensation

 

The following is a summary of the cash compensation that we provide to our Qualifying Directors on an annual basis. Such cash compensation is paid in quarterly installments. In addition, all of our directors are reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in attending Board and committee meetings, including reasonable expenses for travel, meals and lodging.

 

General Board Service

   
Board service $60,000
Lead independent director  20,000
Committee Service   
Audit Committee   
Chair*  30,000
Member  15,000
Compensation and Organizational Development Committee   
Chair  20,000
Member  10,000
Nominating, Governance and Public Policy Committee   
Chair  15,000
Member  5,000
General Board Service
Board service$60,000
Lead independent director20,000
Committee Service
Audit Committee
Chair*30,000
Member15,000
Compensation and Organizational Development Committee
Chair20,000
Member10,000
Nominating, Governance and Public Policy Committee
Chair15,000
Member5,000

*Ms. Bush receives $40,000 for her service as the Chair of the Audit Committee. This amount was established before we adopted our non-employee director compensation policy, and the Board determined that her compensation as Audit Committee Chair should remain at the previously established amount for as long as she serves in that capacity or until the Board determines otherwise.

 

InThe Board last reviewed director compensation in May 2019,2019. At that time, upon the recommendation of Compensia, the Board of Directors reviewed the cash compensation that we paid to our Qualifying Directors and determined that no changes were advisable to the cash compensation program other than that Messrs. Doerr and Sandell, who had not previously received cash compensation, would move to the standard cash compensation arrangement beginning in the third quarter of 2019.program.

 

Equity Compensation

When the Company’s Class A common stock began trading in the public market in July 2018, each Qualifying Director appointed to the Board following the IPO was entitled to receive 13,333 RSUs, which vested annually over three years (the “Initial Awards”). On the date of each annual meeting thereafter, each Qualifying Director who had been serving on the Board and continued to serve on the Board after the annual meeting would be entitled to receive 5,000 RSUs, all of which would vest on the one-year anniversary of the grant date (the “Annual Award”); provided, that any Qualifying Director who received an initial award would not be eligible for an Annual Award until the Qualifying Director’s Initial Award was fully vested.

 

In May 2019, following a review of market data and on the recommendation of Compensia, our compensation consultant, the Compensation Committee recommended and the Board of Directors approved a change to the equity compensation program for its Qualifying Directors, determining that instead of the Annual Award described above, our Qualifying Directors would receive an annual grant of RSUs with a fair market value of $170,000 as of the date of grant.grant (the “Annual Award”). The RSU grantsAnnual Award would vest on the date of the next annual meeting of stockholders. Qualifying Directors who were appointed to the Board after May 2019the date of an annual meeting of stockholders would be entitled to receive a pro-rated grant of RSUs based on their start date as a director. There were no changes to the value of the Annual Award in 2020.

 

On May 15, 2019,12, 2020, each Qualifying Director who had been serving on the Board as of May 8, 2019,12, 2020, the date of the 20192020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and who continued to serve on the Board following the 20192020 Annual Meeting was granted 12,73419,813 RSUs, which will vest as to 100% of the shares on the date of the 20202021 Annual Meeting, subject to the Qualifying Director’s continued service on the Board as of that date. Both Dr. Boskin and Mr. Immelt were appointed to the Board in November 2019, and each received a grant of 15,245 RSUs at that time, which was an amount based on $170,000 in fair market value of the Company’s Class A common stock as pro-rated based on their start dates.

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2019 Director Equity Compensation Grants

Equity Awards Granted
Qualifying DirectorAnnual Grant
(# of Restricted Stock Units)
Pro-Rated Grant on 11/12/2019
(# of Restricted Stock Units)
Michael Boskin15,245
Mary K. Bush12,734
John T. Chambers12,734
L. John Doerr12,734
Jeffrey Immelt15,245
Colin L. Powell12,734
Scott Sandell12,734
Eddy Zervigon12,734

 

Non-Employee Director Deferred Compensation Plan

 

In November 2019, the Board of Directors adopted a deferred compensation plan, which allows our non-employee directors to defer all or a portion of their Board compensation, including cash retainer fees and RSU grants, for distribution at a later date. All deferred compensation is paid in deferred RSUs that settle on the terms and conditions elected by the non-employee director. A copy

Ms. Bush and Mr. Zervigon both elected to defer the vesting of their RSU awards granted in 2020 that are expected to vest on the date of the Non-Employee Director Deferred Compensation Plan2021 Annual Meeting, such that each award will vest on the January 1st after his or her service on the Board terminates for any reason other than death. Mr. Sandell also elected to defer the vesting of his RSU award granted in 2020 that is filed as an exhibitexpected to ourvest on the date of the 2021 Annual ReportMeeting, such that the award will vest on Form 10-K forthe January 1st after the year ended December 31, 2019.in which the award is scheduled to vest.

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20192020 Director Compensation

 

The following table provides information for all compensation awarded to or earned by our Qualifying Directors for the year ending December 31, 2019.2020. Neither Mr. Teti nor Mr. Sridhar is a Qualifying Director and neither received compensation for his service as a director in 2019.2020. Mr. Teti did not stand for re-election at the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and resigned as director as of May 12, 2020. Please see the 20192020 Summary Compensation Table for information regarding Mr. Sridhar’s 20192020 compensation as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer.our CEO.

 

 

Name

 Fees Earned
or Paid in
Cash
($)
 Stock Awards
($)(1)
 All Other
Compensation
($)
 Total
($)
Kelly A. Ayotte(2) 37,500   37,500
Michael Boskin(5) 20,000 84,762  104,762
Mary K. Bush 100,000 169,999  269,999
John T. Chambers(3)  204,996  207,996
L. John Doerr(7) 35,000 169,999  204,999
Jeffrey Immelt(5) 18,750 84,762  103,512
Colin L. Powell(4) 75,000 169,999 119,000     363,999
Scott Sandell(7) 50,000 169,999  219,999
Eddy Zervigon 82,500 169,999  252,499
Name 

Fees

Earned

or Paid in

Cash

($)

 

Stock Awards

($)(1)

 

All Other

Compensation

($)

 

Total

($)

Michael Boskin 80,000 169,995  249,995
Mary K. Bush 100,000 169,995  269,995
John T. Chambers 70,000 169,995  239,995
L. John Doerr 77,253 169,995  247,248
Jeffrey Immelt 87,747 169,995  257,742
Colin L. Powell(2) 75,000 169,995 119,000 363,995
Scott Sandell(3) 85,000 169,995  254,995
Eddy Zervigon 90,000 169,995  259,995
(1)The amounts reported represent the aggregate grant date fair value of restricted stock units (RSUs)RSUs granted during 2019 for Board service in 2019to each of our qualifying directors as computed in accordance with ASC 718. See NoteNotes 2 and 10 of the notes to our 2019 consolidated financial statements includedcontained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 for a discussion of theall assumptions made by us in determining the grant date fair valueASC 718 values of our equity awards. The amounts reported in this column reflect the accounting cost for these RSUs and do not purport to reflect the value that will be recognized by our directors.

As of December 31, 2019,As of December 31, 2020, the following non-employee directors who served on the Board during 2019 had the following outstanding equity awards: Dr. Boskin, 15,245 RSUs; Ms. Bush, 44,344 RSUs and 50,000 stock options; Mr. Chambers, 21,622 RSUs; Mr. Doerr, 12,734 RSUs; Mr. Immelt, 15,245 RSUs; General Powell, 64,384 RSUs and 83,333 stock options; Mr. Sandell, 12,734 RSUs; and Mr. Zervigon, 12,734 RSUs.

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(2)Ms. Ayotte left the Board effective May 10, 2019.

(3)Mr. Chambers’ cash compensation for his service on the Board during 2020 had the following outstanding equity awards: Dr. Boskin, 19,813 RSUs; Ms. Bush, 19,813 RSUs and the Compensation Committee is payable as fully vested shares of our Class A common50,000 stock for each of his first two years of service and is payable in cash thereafter.options; Mr. Chambers, joined the Board in August 2018. In 2019, in lieu of his cash fee, he received a grant of 11,075 shares of Class A common24,257 RSUs; Mr. Doerr, 19,813 RSUs; Mr. Immelt, 19,813 RSUs; General Powell, 19,813 RSUs and 83,333 stock which reflects payment for a half year’s service. Overpayment in 2018 was adjusted in 2019.options; Mr. Sandell, 27,752 RSUs; and Mr. Zervigon, 19,813 RSUs.

(4)(2)For the year ended December 31, 2019,2020, General Colin Powell received $119,000 of compensation pursuant to a consulting agreement with the Company. A copy ofBloom. General Powell’s consulting agreement is filedPowell also received $10,000 as an exhibit to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

(5)Dr. Boskin and Mr. Immelt were appointedadvisor to the BoardCompensation Committee and $5,000 as an advisor to the Nominating Committee.
(3)Mr. Sandell elected to defer 100% of Directors on November 12, 2019 and theirhis cash compensation is pro-rated based on their start dates.

(6)Messrs. Doerr and Sandell were not eligiblein 2020 in order to receive cash compensation for their Board service until the third quartera distribution of 2019. Mr. Sandell’s board compensation is paid to NEA. See “Board Compensation” section of this proxy statement for more information.deferred stock units on or about January 1, 2021.

 

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Information about Our Executive Officers

 

Information about ourThere are no arrangements or understandings between any executive officersofficer and any other person pursuant to which he or she is set forth below:

KR Sridhar
Founder, Chairman, Chief Executive OfficerAge: 59

Background

Please see page 35 of this Proxy Statement for Mr. Sridhar’s biography.

Gregory Cameron
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial OfficerAge: 51

Background

Gregory Cameron was appointed to serve as our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer effective April 1, 2020. He succeeds Randy Furr who retired on March 31, 2020. Prior to joining Bloom Energy, Greg was a General Electric (GE) Companyor was to be selected as an officer. Over his 26-year career there, Greg had a strong history of driving change, fostering positive transitions, and conquering challenges through sound fiscal and business direction. From 2018 through 2019, Greg served as President & CEO of Global Operations for GE Company and from 2016 through 2018 as President & CEO of GE Capital’s Global Legacy Solutions. Prior to 2016, Greg was the CFO of several GE Capital Business segments, including GE Capital Americas from 2009 through 2016, where he led the finance function for a business providing financing, fleet services, M&A, buyout, and restructuring capital to companies in more than 40 industries. In the earlier stages of his career with GE, Greg held CFO roles in GE Capital Solutions, Corporate Financial Services, and Healthcare Financial Services. He also held multiple roles in FP&A, served on the Corporate Audit Staff, and was an associate of the Financial Services Training Program. Greg holds a B.A. in Economics from St. Lawrence University.

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Susan Brennan
Executive Vice President, Chief Operations OfficerAge: 57

Background 

Susan Brennan has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Officer since November 2013. Prior to joining Bloom Energy, Ms. Brennan served as Vice President of Manufacturing – Smyrna and Decherd at Nissan North America, Inc., an automobile company, from October 2008 to November 2013. She also previously served as Director of Global Manufacturing at Ford Motor Company, an automobile company, and in other corporate and manufacturing management roles at Ford Motor Company, Visteon Corporation, a global automotive electronics supplier, and Douglas & Lomason Company, an automotive parts supplier. Ms. Brennan has served as a member of the board of directors of Senior PLC since January 2016. Ms. Brennan holds a B.S. in Microbiology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and an M.B.A. from the University of Nebraska, Omaha.

Ramakrishna (Hari) Pillai
Executive Vice President, Customer Installations GroupAge: 59

Background 

Hari Pillai has served as our Executive Vice President, Customer Installations Group, since December 2018. In that role, he leads a team of professionals across field applications engineering, design, permits, utility interconnections, program management, and supply chain management to ensure the smooth high-quality installation of Bloom Energy’s solutions. Hari has more than 20 years of operating experience at senior management levels in fast growing technology and service companies. Hari most recently served as Chief Executive Officer and President at Contec Holdings LLC from 2013 where he oversaw all aspects of Contec’s business. Prior to that, Hari spent 17 years at Sanmina, most recently as Chief Operating Officer and President of the company. His earlier career included a variety of Operations, Product Development, and General Management roles at Digital Equipment Corporation - now Hewlett-Packard - and at Solectron Corporation - now Flextronics. Hari is a graduate of Trinity College at the University of Dublin in Ireland where he received his B.Sc. in Management and of the Smurfit School of Business at University College Dublin where he received his Master in Business (MBS) with First Class Honors.

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Shawn Soderberg
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and SecretaryAge: 59

Background 

Shawn Soderberg has served as our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary since January 2016. Before joining us, Ms. Soderberg was the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Bio-Rad Laboratories, a global medical technology provider for the life science and clinical diagnostics industries from 2013 to 2016. Prior to that, Ms. Soderberg was the Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Aricent Group, a global design and software engineering services and product company, from 2006 to 2013; Managing Director and General Counsel of H&Q Asia Pacific, a private equity firm, from 2000 to 2006; Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Oak Technology, a semiconductor and embedded solutions provider for the optical storage and the digital home entertainment market, from 1996 to 2000; and General Counsel of Microtec Research, Inc., a software provider for embedded systems, from 1994 to 1996. Prior to Ms. Soderberg’s General Counsel experience, she practiced in a law firm environment. Ms. Soderberg holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Santa Clara, a J.D. from Seattle University School of Law and an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University.

Swaminathan (Venkat) Venkataraman
Executive Vice President, Engineering and Chief Technology OfficerAge: 59

Background 

Venkat Venkataraman has served as our Executive Vice President of Engineering and Chief Technology Officer since December 2003. He has authored or co-authored several patents in the areas of solid oxide fuel cell technology, fuel processing and heat integration and control systems. Prior to joining Bloom Energy, Mr. Venkataraman was a Principal Technologist at Aspen Technology, Inc., a provider of supply chain management software and professional services, from 1987 to 2003, where he led the commercial development of high end design, simulation and optimization software for the chemical and petrochemical industries. Mr. Venkataraman holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappali and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University.

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Chris White
Executive Vice President, Global SalesAge: 57

Background 

Chris White joined Bloom Energy as Executive Vice President and Chief Sales Officer in June of 2019. Chris has more than 25 years of experience managing industries and market transformations. Chris most recently served as CEO of the Americas at Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), where he established an industry leadership position, and inspired innovation and growth throughout the region. Before joining Signify, Chris held several transformational executive roles including a 20-year tenure at Cisco. As Global Senior Vice President of Internet of Things (IoT) Sales, Strategy and Go-to-Market, he spearheaded Cisco’s market leadership and grew a $1B business in three years. He previously grew Cisco’s Sports and Entertainment group from a $20 million start-up to a $500 million business in less than five years. Before Cisco, he served on the leadership teams of two start-ups, one IPO and two successful acquisitions by Microsoft and Cisco respectively. Chris is a graduate of Kingston College at the University of London where he received his B.A. in Business with Honors. Chris also serves on the Advisory Boards for Ingram Micro, Big Data Partners, and the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine.

There are no family relationships between any of our executive officers or directors.

 

Information about our executive officers as of the Record Date is set forth below:

KR Sridhar

Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

Age: 60
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Background

Please see page 24 of this Proxy Statement for Mr. Sridhar’s biography.

Gregory Cameron

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Age: 52

Background

Gregory Cameron has served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since April 2020. Prior to joining Bloom, Mr. Cameron was an officer at General Electric, a diversified industrial company. Over his 26-year career there, Mr. Cameron had a strong history of driving change, fostering positive transitions, and conquering challenges through sound fiscal and business direction. Mr. Cameron served as President and Chief Executive Officer, Global Operations-GE Company from 2018 through 2019 and as President and Chief Executive Officer, Global Legacy Solutions-GE Capital from 2016 through 2018. Prior to 2016, he served in various senior roles with General Electric, including as Chief Financial Officer, Americas-GE Capital from 2009 through 2016. Mr. Cameron holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from St. Lawrence University.

Swaminathan (Venkat) Venkataraman

Executive Vice President of Engineering and Chief Technology Officer

Age: 60

Background

Venkat Venkataraman has served as our Executive Vice President of Engineering and Chief Technology Officer since December 2003. He has authored or co-authored several patents in the areas of solid oxide fuel cell technology, fuel processing and heat integration and control systems. His recent focus is on decarbonization using carbon capture and low cost electrolyzers for hydrogen production. Prior to joining Bloom, Mr. Venkataraman was a Principal Technologist at Aspen Technology, Inc., a provider of supply chain management software and professional services, from 1987 to 2003, where he led the commercial development of high end design, simulation and optimization software for the chemical and petrochemical industries. Mr. Venkataraman holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University.

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INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

Susan Brennan

Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Officer

Age: 58

 

Executive CompensationBackground

 

The following isSusan Brennan has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Officer since November 2013. Prior to joining Bloom, Ms. Brennan served as Vice President of Manufacturing – Smyrna and Decherd at Nissan North America, Inc., an automobile company, from October 2008 to November 2013. She also previously served as Director of Global Manufacturing at Ford Motor Company, an automobile company, and in other corporate and manufacturing management roles at Ford Motor Company, Visteon Corporation, a discussionglobal automotive electronics supplier, and Douglas & Lomason Company, an automotive parts supplier. Ms. Brennan has served as a board member with Senior PLC since January 2016 and Romeo Power, Inc. since December 2020. Ms. Brennan holds a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and an M.B.A. from the University of Nebraska, Omaha.

Shawn M. Soderberg

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Age: 60

Background

Shawn M. Soderberg has served as our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary since January 2016. Prior to joining Bloom, Ms. Soderberg was the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Bio-Rad Laboratories, a global medical technology provider for the life science and clinical diagnostics industries from 2013 to 2016. Prior to that, Ms. Soderberg was the Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Aricent Group, a global design and software engineering services and product company, from 2006 to 2013; Managing Director and General Counsel of H&Q Asia Pacific, a private equity firm, from 2000 to 2006; Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Oak Technology, a semiconductor and embedded solutions provider for the optical storage and the digital home entertainment market, from 1996 to 2000; and General Counsel of Microtec Research, Inc., a software provider for embedded systems, from 1994 to 1996. Ms. Soderberg holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Santa Clara, a J.D. from Seattle University School of Law and an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University.

Chris White

Former Executive Vice President, Global Sales

Age: 58

Background

Chris White served as Executive Vice President and Chief Sales Officer from June 2019 to March 2021. Mr. White has more than 25 years of experience managing industries and market transformations. Prior to joining Bloom, Mr. White served as CEO of the compensation arrangementsAmericas at Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), a leader in connected LED lighting systems. Before joining Signify, Chris held several transformational executive roles including a 20-year tenure at Cisco Systems, multinational technology company. As Global Senior Vice President of our named executive officers. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that are basedInternet of Things (IoT) Sales, Strategy and Go-to-Market, he spearheaded Cisco’s market leadership and grew a $1 billion business in three years. He previously grew Cisco’s Sports and Entertainment group from a $20 million start-up to a $500 million business in less than five years. Mr. White holds a bachelor’s degree in Business (with Honors) from Kingston College at the University of London. Mr. White also serves on our current plans, considerations, expectationsthe Advisory Boards for Ingram Micro, Big Data Partners and determinations regarding future compensation programs. Actual compensation programs that we adopt may differ materially from currently planned programs as summarized in this discussion.the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine.

 

As an “emerging growth company”of March 5, 2021, Mr. White no longer serves as definedour Executive Vice President, Global Sales.

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Additional Key Executives

We have a diverse senior management team that brings proven track records of success in business, operating skill and excellence in leadership. As we continue to grow our business, we recognize that diverse leadership translates to a variety of experiences, viewpoints and, ultimately, more informed decisions. We believe the various skill sets and experiences of our senior management team will be invaluable as we endeavor to scale our business and expand our markets, both in the JOBS Act, we are not requiredUnited States and globally. The following individuals, in addition to includethe executive officers discussed above, complete our senior management team:

Glen Griffiths has served as Executive Vice President, Services, Quality, Reliability and EH&S since December 2014. Prior to joining Bloom, Mr. Griffiths served as the Chief Quality Officer of Hewlett Packard (“HP”), a global technology company, where he led HP’s Customer Experience and Quality Office. Mr. Griffiths developed and implemented a strategy that revitalized HP’s focus on customers and engaged HP employees to transform product and service quality across the entire company.

Carl Guardino has served as Executive Vice President, Government Affairs and Policy since August 2020. Prior to joining Bloom, Mr. Guardino was the longtime President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a prominent public policy trade association that represents more than 350 of Silicon Valley’s most respected companies. Mr. Guardino has championed public policy at the local, state, and federal level for more than three decades.

Azeez Mohammed has served as Executive Vice President, International Business Development since November 2020. During a 21-year career at GE, Azeez served as a corporate officer and CEO and President of GE’s Power Conversion, Power Services and Energy Services business units, while conducting business across the Americas, Europe and the Middle East. In his last role at GE, he led a multi-billion dollar global electrification business with more than 8,000 employees and operations across 110 countries.

Sharelynn Moore has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer since August 2020. Prior to joining Bloom, Ms. Moore served as Senior Vice President of Networked Solutions at Itron, a leader in the Industrial Internet of Things (“IIoT”), where she had responsibility for Itron’s largest business segment, as well as Itron’s IIoT technology and smart city strategy. During an 18-year career at Itron, Ms. Moore held leadership roles with increasing levels of responsibility across marketing, communications, public affairs and product management functions.

Sonja Wilkerson has served as Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer since January 2019. Ms. Wilkerson has more than 30 years of Human Resources leadership experience and most recently served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Infinera Corporation, an optical networking company, where she successfully developed talent strategies to drive organizational effectiveness through the integration of people, technologies, processes and cultures. Prior to joining Infinera, Ms. Wilkerson worked at HP as VP of Human Resources.

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Executive Compensation

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis sectiondescribes our executive compensation program for our named executive officers, including our executive compensation policies and have elected to complypractices, how and why the Compensation Committee arrived at the compensation decisions for our named executive officers, and the key factors the Compensation Committee considered in making those decisions.

Our named executive officers for 2020 were:

KR Sridhar, Founder, CEO and Chairman
Gregory Cameron, Executive Vice President and CFO
Swaminathan Venkataraman, Executive Vice President of Engineering and Chief Technology Officer
Susan Brennan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Shawn M. Soderberg, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Randy Furr, Former Chief Financial Officer

2020 Management Changes. Mr. Furr resigned as CFO from Bloom effective as of March 31, 2020 and was replaced by Mr. Cameron effective as of April 1, 2020.

Executive Summary

2020 Business Highlights

2020 was a year unlike any other in modern history as we dealt with the scaled disclosure requirements availabledual challenges of the COVID-19 global pandemic and an uncertain economy. Against this backdrop, 2020 was a pivotal year for Bloom during which our management team and employees executed our business plan and delivered strong financial performance, solid operating results and a significantly improved balance sheet. Notably, our share price increased from a closing price of $7.47 on December 31, 2019 to emerging$28.66 as of the close on December 31, 2020. We believe we are well-positioned for growth companies.as we implement our technology road map and build applications for the Bloom Energy Server that address critical energy issues like resiliency, reducing carbon emissions and costs.

 

Executive Compensation Program OverviewFor a more detailed description of Bloom and other financial and business highlights, please see the section above entitled “Who We Are”.

 

2020 Compensation Highlights

Our 2020 compensation plans and payouts for our named executive officers reflect our overarching philosophy of pay-for-performance. Highlights of our compensation program include:

Emphasis on Performance-Based Incentives: A majority of the target compensation opportunity provided to our named executive officers is awarded in the form of cash incentives and equity awards for which the realized value varies based on the achievement of certain operating and financial metrics.
Challenging Performance Objectives: The Compensation Committee sets rigorous goals for our annual bonus plan that will be achieved only if we perform at a high level. Based on our performance in 2020, our named executive officers each earned a bonus of between 130% and 137% of their targets for the year.
Performance-Based Approach to Long-Term Incentives: PSUs represent 50% of the target long-term incentive value granted to our CEO and 30% of the target value granted to our other named executive officers. The remaining long-term incentive value was granted in the form of time-based vesting RSUs (excluding Mr. Cameron, who was granted stock options as part of his new hire awards). No PSUs granted in 2020 would be earned if our revenue and adjusted EBITDA performance fell below our targets for the year. Based on our strong results in 2020, our named executive officers (excluding Mr. Cameron) earned 147% of the target number of shares granted in 2020.

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Compensation Philosophy and Objectives

Our mission is to make clean, reliable and affordable energy for everyone in the world. Our compensation philosophy and programs are designed to attract, retain and motivate talented employees who will help us realize this vision, contributing at a high level for a long-term time horizon. Compensation objectives include:

attracting and retaining the talent needed to grow our business;
providing a strong incentive for executives and key employees to work toward the achievement of our goals, including sustained stockholder value creation; and
ensuring that the interests of management and our stockholders are aligned.

We seek to achieve these objectives by providing compensation that is competitive with the practices within our market for talent and by linking compensation to both our overall performance and individual performance.

In addition, the Compensation Committee seeks to ensure that we maintain sound governance and compensation policies and practices. In designing and overseeing our executive compensation program, we strive to employ best practices and regularly assess our policies and practices.

WHAT WE DOWHAT WE DON’T DO

   A significant portion of our executive compensation program is dependent upon stock price appreciation and other variable, at-risk pay components

   Prior to making executive compensation decisions we review peer company compensation data

   We ensure management acts and thinks like stockholders through stock ownership guidelines

   We seek third-party executive compensation advice for the Compensation Committee from an independent consulting firm that does not perform any other services for Bloom

   A clawback policy for our CEO and our executive vice presidents

   No Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan

   No automatic single trigger equity award acceleration upon a change of control

   No golden parachute excise tax gross-ups

   Executive officers may not pledge our common stock as collateral for any obligation

   Executive officers may not engage in transactions intended to hedge or offset the market value of our common stock owned by them

   No perquisites to any of our executive officers

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Pay-for-Performance Philosophy

Consistent with our philosophy of aligning executive pay with our short-term and long-term performance, and to align the interests of management and stockholders, our compensation program is designed to provide the majority of executive compensation in the form of at-risk cash and equity incentives and long-term vesting stock awards. This section provides a discussionapproach ensures that the compensation opportunity for our named executive officers is aligned with the interests of our stockholders and focused on sustained stockholder value creation. As shown below, approximately 50% of the target total compensation awarded to our CEO and 30% awarded to other named executive officers was at-risk in the form of our cash annual incentive and performance-based equity, both of which were eligible to be earned by Chief Executive Officerbased on our level of achievement of rigorous financial goals.

COVID-19 Considerations

The Compensation Committee typically meets in the first quarter of the fiscal year to determine key elements of compensation for our named executive officers, including any cash compensation adjustments, equity awards, and Chairmanthe performance goals of any cash- and/ or equity-based incentive plan. In February 2020, the Compensation Committee approved threshold, target and maximum revenue and non-GAAP operating income goals that would be used to determine the cash incentive payout for our two other most highly compensatednamed executive officers for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. We referfirst quarter.

Following this decision, we began to these individualsclosely monitor the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business as well our “named executive officers.” For 2019,compensation programs. Due to uncertainty of the economic conditions both inside and outside of Bloom, and taking into consideration the recommendation of our CEO, the Compensation Committee determined to postpone any salary increases and equity grant decisions, including for our named executive officers, were:that would otherwise have been approved in early 2020. In addition, we suspended payment of the first quarter bonus, which would have been earned at 124% of target based on our actual financial results.

In June 2020, following discussions regarding our approach to compensation during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Compensation Committee approved the following:

 

·No salary increases for executives, including our named executive officers, until fiscal 2021
KR Sridhar, Founder, Chief Executive Officer
Annual equity awards for our named executive officers in a mix of RSUs and Chairman;PSUs
·
Chris White, Executive Vice President, Global Sales; and
·Hari Pillai, Executive Vice President, Customer Installations Group.An annual equity refresh program for the other eligible employees

 

In August 2020, the Board also approved the following decisions regarding our 2020 cash incentive plan:

Payment of the first and second quarter bonus at 125% of target
A framework for the third quarter of 2020 cash incentive plan that would evaluate achievement based on a qualitative review of executive officer and company performance

Taking into consideration the ongoing nature of the pandemic as well as our strong performance despite global macro uncertainty, the Compensation Committee believed that moving forward with the 2020 cash incentive plan, including payments for the first half of the year and the approval of annual equity awards, was appropriate and in the best interest of Bloom and its stockholders. This approach recognized the strong contributions of our employees, including our senior leadership, in navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. In evaluating the challenges facing our employees and the desire to maintain competitive compensation programs that adequately reward strong

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

performance and contributions, the Compensation Committee considered that 40% of our workforce was designated essential workers in 2020. In addition, we prioritized the safety and wellness of employees during a period of high stress both locally and globally. We provided our employees regular COVID-19 testing beginning in the summer and enforced safety protocols above and beyond CDC and local guidelines.

In October 2020, the Compensation Committee approved a 100% payout under the 2020 cash incentive plan for the third quarter of 2020. This decision was based on a broad evaluation of our financial and operational performance. At the same time, based on the increasing stability in our business despite the ongoing pandemic, the Compensation Committee approved revenue and operating goals that would be used to determine the 2020 cash incentive plan payouts for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year performance periods.

During a period of extraordinary volatility and uncertainty, the Compensation Committee maintained an ongoing focus on ensuring that our compensation programs continued to support our objectives. Although our 2020 compensation programs deviated from our historical approach and plan at the outset of the year, the Compensation Committee believes that the decisions made during 2020, including the use of discretion to reward the strong contributions of our employees and our positive financial performance despite the ongoing pandemic, the introduction of PSUs based on our financial performance, and the return to more quantitative performance measurements in the fourth quarter of 2020, were successful in supporting our performance during the year and rewarding our leadership team’s ability to navigate Bloom through a challenging year.

Executive Compensation Program Design

 

Our current executive compensation program is intended to align executive compensation with our business objectives and to enable us to attract, retain and reward executive officers who contribute to our long-term success and, by extension, that of our stockholders. For 2019, theThe material elements of our executive compensation program were:for 2020 are described below.

 

Compensation ElementDesigned to RewardRelationship to Business Objectives
Base SalaryKnowledge and experience, as well as past and present scope of responsibilitiesAttracts and retains an effective management team
Non-Equity Incentive
Plan (i.e., performanceperformance-
based cash bonus)
Success in achieving quarterly and annual performance results

Helps create a “pay for performance” culture

 

Motivates and rewards our executives for achieving performance goals that contribute to our long-term success and that of our stockholders

Equity AwardsSuccess in achieving long-term, sustainable results

Aligns executive goals and objectives with the interests of our stockholders

 

Focuses our executives on our long-term performance

Periodic Bonuses
(Cash and/or Equity)
Exceptional contribution to our business, outside of the performance targets set in the non-equity incentive plan programEncourages goingexecutives to go “above and beyond” when executing on our business objectives and when managing their teams

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The Compensation Committee does not have a set formula by which it determines how much of the executive’s compensation is fixed (i.e., base salary) rather than variable or “at risk” (i.e., performance basedperformance-based equity and non-equity incentives, periodic or “spot” bonuses). The Compensation Committee generally targets compensation levels at approximately the 50th 50th percentile of our executive compensation peer group, but also takes into account the scope and extent of each executive’s past and present role and responsibilities, his or her skills, knowledge and experience, and any additional relevant factors, including retention and performance incentives.

 

Bloom doesWe do not provide fringe benefits such as a car allowance or other perquisites to itsour executive officers. The executive officers participate in Bloom’sour standard health and welfare programs, including group health and life insurance, dental and vision insurance.insurance that all other employees participate in. They are also eligible to participate in a 401(k) retirement savings plan and, other than Mr. Sridhar who is not currently eligible, are offered an opportunity to participate in ourthe Bloom Energy Corporation 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.Plan (the “2018 ESPP”). We do not match employee contributions to our 401(k) retirement savings plan but have the discretion to do so in the future.

 

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OversightTable of Executive Compensation ProgramContents

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

Executive officerCompensation Decision-Making Process

Determination of Compensation Awards

The Compensation Committee’s goal is generally to target elements of compensation decisions are made bywithin a competitive range, using a balanced approach that does not use rigid percentiles to target pay levels for each compensation element. For 2020, the Compensation Committee reviewed each element of compensation described below and set the target total direct compensation opportunities of our executive officers after taking into consideration the following factors:

a compensation analysis of competitive market data performed by Compensia;
each executive officer’s scope of responsibilities;
each executive officer’s skill set;
each executive officer’s prior experience;
each executive officer’s individual performance and contribution;
each executive’s time in his or her position;
the recommendations of our CEO; and
general market conditions.

The Compensation Committee. OurCommittee does not assign relative weights or rankings to any of these factors and does not solely use any quantitative formula, target percentile or multiple for establishing compensation among the executive officers or in relation to the competitive market data.

Role of the Committee

The Compensation Committee is responsible for establishingoverseeing our generalexecutive compensation philosophyprogram and settingall related policies and practices. The Compensation Committee operates pursuant to a formal written charter approved by the Board, which is available on our website at https://investor.bloomenergy.com/.

At least annually, the Compensation Committee reviews our executive compensation program and formulates recommendations for the consideration and approval by the Board of the various elements of our named executive officers’ compensation, as well as any employment arrangements with our named executive officers. The Compensation Committee is responsible for taking action with respect to compensation that will attract and retain the highest quality executives that will clearly articulate the relationship of corporate performance to executive compensation and that will reward executives for our progress.

The Compensation Committee meets regularly during the fiscal year both with and without the presence of our CEO and other named executive officers. The Compensation Committee also discusses compensation issues with our CEO (except with respect to his own compensation) and other members of the Board between its formal meetings.

Role of Management

The compensation of all of our named executive officers is determined by the Compensation Committee. In discharging its responsibilities, the Compensation Committee also works with members of our management, including our CEO. Our management assists the compensation levelscommittee by providing information on corporate and individual performance, competitive market data, and management’s perspective and recommendations on compensation matters.

Our CEO attends the Compensation Committee meetings and discusses with the Compensation Committee the compensation and performance of eachall executive officers, other than himself. Our CEO bases his recommendations in part upon his review of the performance of our executive officers. OurThe Compensation Committee has retainedmay exercise its discretion in modifying any recommended compensation adjustments or awards to such named executive officers. The Compensation Committee reviews and discusses these recommendations and proposals with our CEO and uses them as one factor in determining and approving the servicescompensation for our executive officers.

Role of Compensia, anthe Consultant

The Compensation Committee relies on its independent compensation consultant to assistprovide advice on matters relating to the compensation of our executives and non-employee directors. Compensia, a national compensation consulting firm, served in this capacity during 2020.

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A representative of Compensia attended Compensation Committee meetings in 2020 and provided the following assistance to the Compensation Committee:

Assisted in the review and updating of our compensation peer group
Reviewed the competitiveness of compensation of our named executive officers including base salary, annual cash awards and long-term incentive awards
Provided advice with respect to compensation best practices and market trends for our named executive officers and directors
Reviewed and provided input on the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of our Proxy Statement
Assisted with the design of the short-term and long-term incentive compensation plans with appropriate performance goals and targets for our named executive officers and other executives
Provided ad hoc advice and support throughout the year

Compensia reports directly to the Compensation Committee in evaluating and refining our executive compensation program. In 2019, Compensia provided advice regarding, amongno services to us other things, peer group composition, a competitive market analysis, and equity strategy. Compensia also provides advice on our director compensation program.than the consulting services to the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee has assessedreviews the objectivity and independence of Compensia pursuant to NYSE rulesthe advice provided by Compensia. In 2020, the Compensation Committee considered the specific independence factors adopted by the SEC and the Company concludedNYSE and determined that theCompensia is independent and that its work performed by Compensia for the Compensation Committee did not raise any conflicts of interest.

 

Role of Competitive Market PositioningData

 

As part of its annual compensation review process, the Compensation Committee generally reviews an analysis prepared by Compensia of market pay practices for positions similar to the positions of our named executive officers and other key executives, adjusted to take into account differences, if any, in the scope of the executive officers’ responsibilities compared to their counterparts in positions with similar titles in comparable companies. The list of the fifteen companies used for comparison purposes (our “peer group”) for 2019 is as follows:

 

·Advanced Energy Industries

·Cognex

·Coherent

·Finisar

·First Solar

·Hexcel

·Infinera

·Integrated Device Technology

·IPG Photonics

·Itron

·Lumentum Holdings

·Monolithic Power Systems

·Ormat Technologies

·Power Integrations

·Pure Storage

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TheIn September 2019, the Compensation Committee, with the assistance of Compensia, reviewed our executive compensation peer group. The executive compensation peer group approved by the Compensation Committee to support 2020 pay decisions was comprised of technology sector companies focusing on energy/alternative energy business, and companies with complex product and manufacturing operations. The peer group companies generally had revenue between $200M and $2B, a market capitalization between $1.5B and $12B, and are headquarteredAdditional factors that were considered in identifying peers included:

revenue between $200 million and $3.5 billion;
a market capitalization between $250 million and $2 billion; and
headquarters in the United States, with consideration given to San Francisco Bay Area companies in the overall peer group.

In November 2019, the Compensation Committee, with the assistance of Compensia, reviewed our executive compensation peer group and made certain changes designed to better align our peer group with our current business size and scope. The Committee decided to remove seven of the 2019 peer group companies, including Integrated Device Technology (acquired in March 2019), Cognex, Hexcel, IPG Photonics, Lumentum Holdings, PureStorage and Monolithic Power Systems, and added seven new peer companies (noted with an asterisk below), such that the Company’s peer group is comprised of the following fifteen companies:

·Advanced Energy Industries

·Alpha and Omega Semiconductor*

·Coherent

·Extreme Networks*

·Finisar

·First Solar

·FormFactor*

·Infinera

·Itron

·Omat Technologies

·Power Integrations

·SunPower*

·Sunrun*

·Synaptics*

·Ultra Clean Holdings*

 

The companies used for comparison purposes (our “peer group”) for 2020 executive compensation peer group is focused on alternative energy, infrastructure or power generation companies, and technology sector companies in the comparable energy/alternative energy sector, with complex product and manufacturing operations and a strong research and development focus. The peer group companies generally have revenue between $400M and $3.5B, a market capitalization between $250M and $2.0B, and are headquartered in the United States.were as follows:

 

Our Chief Executive Officer’s Compensation

Mr. Sridhar’s total compensation for 2019 was mostly comprised of variable elements. In addition to his fixed base salary, Mr. Sridhar participated into the Non-Equity Incentive Plan, which payouts were based on our quarterly and annual Operating Income and Revenue results. Mr. Sridhar received the third payout on a 2018 Cash Bonus award linked to the achievement of 2018 and 2019 milestones. In addition, he received equity grants which value was delivered half through RSUs and half through Stock Options. Below is a representation of the predominance of equity over cash as well as the large percentage of the total compensation delivered through variable elements of the package.

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Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.Itron, Inc.
Alpha and Omega Semiconductor LimitedOrmat Technologies, Inc.
Coherent, Inc.Power Integrations, Inc.
Extreme Networks, Inc.SunPower Corporation
Finisar CorporationSunrun Inc.
First Solar, Inc.Synaptics Incorporated
FormFactor, Inc.Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc.
Infinera Corporation
 

 

Other NEO Compensation

Mr. Pillai, our Executive Vice President, Customer Installations Group, and Mr. White, our Executive Vice President, Global Sales, were recently hired by Bloom to perform mission critical functions.

When determining Mr. Pillai’s compensation, the Compensation Committee looked at comparable market data from our executive compensation peer companies and took into consideration the unique and expansive nature of Mr. Pillai’s role at Bloom. Following that review, the Committee approved an annual base salary of $400,000 with a 60% target bonus opportunity under the Company’s non-equity incentive plan. As an additional incentive to join the Company, Mr. Pillai was also granted 100,000 stock options and 150,000 restricted stock units. In addition, the Compensation Committee offered Mr. Pillai certain change in control severance benefits as more fully described in this Proxy Statement under the heading “Change in Control Arrangements.” A copy of Mr. Pillai’s offer letter is filed as an exhibit to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. Please see the Summary Compensation Table for information regarding Mr. Pillai’s compensation for 2019.

When determining Mr. White’s compensation, the Compensation Committee reviewed comparable market data from our executive compensation peer companies and took into consideration the critical role that an experienced leader in global sales would serve in the Company. In order to induce Mr. White to join Bloom and relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area, the Committee approved an annual base salary of $400,000 and an annual cash bonus incentive under the Company’s Sales Incentive Plan. The Committee determined that Bloom would guarantee the remainder of Mr. White’s 2019 incentive compensation but that Mr. White would participate fully in the 2020 Sales Incentive Program with no guaranteed payout. Mr. White was also offered a relocation allowance of $250,000 and a grant of 225,000 stock options and 275,000 restricted stock units. In addition, the Compensation Committee offered Mr. White certain change in control severance benefits as more fully described in this Proxy Statement under the heading “Change in Control Arrangements.” A copy of Mr. White’s offer letter is filed as an exhibit to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. Please see the Summary Compensation Table for information regarding Mr. White’s compensation for 2019.

Principal Elements of Compensation

 

Base Salary

 

Base salaries for our executive officers are intended to provide a level of compensation sufficient to attract and retain an effective management team, when considered in combination with the other components of our executive compensation program.

The relative levelsCompensation Committee reviews and reassesses the base salaries of our named executive officers following the completion of each fiscal year. In determining base salarysalaries for our named executive officers are designed to reflect each executive officer’s scope of responsibilityfor 2020, the Compensation Committee reviewed our peer group and accountability with us.

In April 2019, after a review of comparable marketconsidered data provided by Compensia, as well as the tenure, performance and takingcontribution in the prior fiscal year.

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Taking into consideration his significant role and responsibilities as Chief Executive Officer and Chairmanthe impact of the Board,COVID-19 in early 2020, the Compensation Committee approved a 4% increasedetermined to delay approving any salary increases. The Compensation Committee revisited this decision in Mr. Sridhar’s baseJune 2020, when it was determined that there would be no salary from $615,000 to $646,000. Mr. Pillai’s and Mr. White’s base salaries remained unchanged during 2019 since they had been recently hired and their salaries had been set at their time of hire, in December 2018 and June 2019, respectively.increases for our named executive officers until 2021.

NameFiscal 2019 Salary RateFiscal 2020 Salary Rate% Change
KR Sridhar$646,000$646,0000%
Gregory Cameronn/a(1)$550,000n/a(1)
Randy Furr$429,000$429,0000%
Swaminathan Venkataraman$426,400$426,4000%
Susan Brennan$393,300$393,3000%
Shawn M. Soderberg$390,000$390,0000%
(1)Mr. Cameron was not an employee during fiscal 2019.

 

Non-Equity Incentive Plan

 

Historically, we have providedWe provide our senior leadership team with short-term incentive compensation through our short-term cash incentive plan. This incentive plan holds executives accountable for their performance against Companyour financial and other goals, rewards the executives based on actual business results and helps create a “pay for performance”pay-for-performance culture. Our short-term incentive plan provides cash incentive award opportunities based on a quantitative assessment by the Compensation Committee of the Company’sour performance and an additional, qualitative assessment by the Company’s Chief Executive Officerour CEO of the individual executive officer’s performance. The Compensation Committee assesses our performance against certain financial metrics during 2020 with payouts measured on a scale of zero to 150% of target. In 2020, our executives were eligible for the following annual cash incentives.

 

NameFiscal 2020 Base Salary RateBonus Target (% of Salary)Bonus at Target ($)
KR Sridhar$646,000120%$775,200
Gregory Cameron$550,000100%$550,000(1)
Randy Furr$429,000n/a(2)n/a(2)
Swaminathan Venkataraman$426,40060%$255,840
Susan Brennan$393,30060%$235,980
Shawn M. Soderberg$390,00060%$234,000
(1)As part of his offer letter, Mr. Cameron’s 2020 bonus opportunity was guaranteed at a minimum of 100% of target and pro-rated based on his hire date of April 1, 2020, which was $412,500. Mr. Cameron was eligible to earn up to 1.5 times his prorated target bonus.
(2)Mr. Furr resigned as CFO effective as of March 31, 2020 and was not eligible for an annual incentive payment in 2020.

For 2019, this

Our 2020 cash incentive plan providedwas designed to measure performance in 2020 as well as separately for four quarterly and one annual payout based on a pre-established percentage of a participant’s base salary. Target bonus percentagesperformance periods during the year. Performance goals were intended to be established for each fiscal quarter at the beginning of the quarter and, for the full annual performance period, at the beginning of the fiscal year. The cash incentives for our named executive officers were based on achievement of revenue and non-GAAP operating income goals, which would be equally weighted in determining the payout applicable to our named executive officers. The plan also allows for 2019 were as follows: KR Sridhar, 120%;an individual performance modifier that would be applied to the corporate performance factor for each performance period.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, in April 2020, the Compensation Committee evaluated our performance for the first fiscal quarter and Hari Pillai, 60%. Mr. White is not eligibledetermined that our financial performance resulted in funding the bonus at 124% of target for our named executive officers. However, taking into consideration the uncertainty facing Bloom and the broader global economy, the Compensation Committee determined to participatesuspend payment of the first quarter bonus and to revisit the 2020 cash incentive plan periodically in the non-equity incentive plan since, as the EVP of Global Sales, he participates in the Company’s Sales Incentive Plan. As part of his new hire compensation package, Mr. White’s variable portion (50%) of his total cash compensation was paid at target, irrespectivecontext of the actual sales results,pandemic and our overall financial performance. No financial goals were established for the remainder of 2019.

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Payouts under the 2019 short-term incentive plan were based on Companyfor our second and third fiscal quarters.

Taking into consideration our strong performance against financial goals which were established and measured on a quarterly and annual basis. For 2019,in the performance goals relatedfirst half of 2020 as well as our management team’s success in navigating the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Compensation Committee determined to revenue and operating income. The determination offund the payout percentage under this short-term incentive plan is applied to payoutspayments for both executives, including our named executive officers and employees who participate in this incentive plan. While payouts were made at varying levels in each125% of the four fiscal quarters based on each quarter’s specific objectives, no payout was madetarget for the annual portionfirst half of 2020 and at 100% of target for the 2019 bonus plan sincethird fiscal quarter of 2020. In arriving at this decision, the Compensation Committee determined thatconsidered our improving financial performance during the Company did not meet its full-yearthird quarter of 2020 as compared to the same quarter of the prior year.

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For the fourth quarter of 2020, our Compensation Committee approved threshold, target and maximum revenue and non-GAAP operating targets.income goals that were used to determine the fourth quarter of 2020 short-term incentive payout for our named executive officers. For a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP operating income (loss), please see Appendix A to this Proxy Statement.

 

Our actual achievement exceeded the maximum performance goals approved by the Compensation Committee. As a result, the Company’s business environment gains clarityfourth quarter of 2020 short-term incentive for our named executive officers was funded at 150% of target.

For the full year 2020, the Compensation Committee approved threshold, target and stability,maximum revenue and non-GAAP operating income goals that were used to further aligndetermine the compensation ofannual short-term incentive payout for our executives with the long term performance of the Company, the non-equity incentive plan for all executives will transition over time to an annual target, assessment and payout. The Company’s executives will benamed executive officers.

Our actual achievement on a semi-annual plan in 2021combined basis of performance targets for revenue and an annual plan in 2022.non-GAAP operating income (loss) exceeded the goals approved by the Compensation Committe. As a result, the full year 2020 incentive for our named executive officers was funded at 150 % of target.

 

Please see the “Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation” column in the 2019 Summary Compensation Table for the amount of short-term incentive compensationThe cash incentives earned by each named executive officer in 2019.

Equity Compensation

To further align the interests of our executive officers with the interests of our stockholders and to further focus our executive officers on our long-term performance, during 2019, we granted equity compensation in the form of stock options and RSUs relating to our Class A common stock pursuant to our 2018 Equity Incentive Plan. We believe that both of these elements help support a “pay for performance” culture since stock options only have value if the stock price appreciates from the date of grant and RSUs constitute at-risk compensation since the overall value of the award fluctuates based on our stock price performance. In addition, we granted our executive officers performance-based stock options with a combination of target stock prices and time-based vesting (see description below). We encourage our executive officers to own our stock so that they are motivated to maximize our long-term performance and stock value.

During 2019, each of the named executive officers received stock option and RSU grants with vesting subjectalso included the following individual performance modifiers:

Mr. Cameron: 109% and 107% applicable to the first half of 2020 and third quarter of 2020 bonus payouts
Mr. Venkataraman: 102% applicable to the first half of 2020 bonus payout
Ms. Brennan: 106% applicable to the first half of 2020 bonus payout
Ms. Soderberg: 107% applicable to the third quarter of 2020 bonus payout

These individual performance modifiers were approved by the Compensation Committee based on the recommendation of our CEO.

Based on our achievement during the year, our named executive officer’s continued service overofficers earned the applicable vesting periods, which ranged from three to four years following the grant date, dependingcash incentive bonuses based on the award. The grants made to Messrs. Pillaicompany and White were madeindividual performance in connection with their initial hire compensation package and, as such, were significantly larger than grants made to other executive officers as part of the Company’s annual compensation review.2020.

 

Performance Based Stock Option Grant. In November 2019, the compensation committee granted to our executive officers performance-based, nonqualified stock options which provided for both a price target ranging from $8.00 to $14.00 per share calculated on a 30-day trading average, and a time-based requirement, subject to the executive’s continued service with the Company on each applicable vesting date. The exercise price per share of the performance-based stock options is $5.50, which was the fair market value of the Company’s Class A common stock on the date of grant.

2019 NEO Equity Compensation Grants

  Type of Equity Granted
Named Executive Officer RSUs Stock
Options
 Performance-based
Stock Options
KR Sridhar 221,043 420,151 
Chris White 275,000 225,000 56,000
Hari Pillai 150,000 100,000 56,000

Please see the Outstanding Equity Awards at 2019 Fiscal Year-End table for a summary of outstanding equity awards held by each named executive officer as of December 31, 2019.

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  Bonus Earned as a Percent of Target   
        Annual Full Year Full Year 
Named Executive Officer H1 Bonus Q3 Bonus Q4 Bonus Bonus Payout Payout ($) 
KR Sridhar  132%  100%  150%  150%  133% $1,027,915 
Gregory Cameron  136%  114%  150%  150%  137% $564,381(1) 
Swaminathan Venkataraman  127%  100%  150%  150%  130% $334,672 
Susan Brennan  132%  100%  150%  150%  130% $313,784 
Shawn M. Soderberg  125%  107%  150%  150%  131% $307,476 
(1)As part of his offer letter, Mr. Cameron’s 2020 bonus opportunity was guaranteed at a minimum of 100% of target and pro-rated based on his hire date of April 1, 2020, which was $412,500. Mr. Cameron was eligible to earn up to 1.5 times his prorated target bonus.

The Compensation Committee evaluated the final result of the 2020 cash incentive plan described above in the context of our performance during the year, our management team and company’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and our strong stockholder return during the year. With these considerations in mind, the Compensation Committee believes that results of our cash annual incentive plan are strongly aligned with our performance during the year and reinforce a strong pay-for-performance culture.

 

Cash Bonus Program

 

The Compensation Committee may award spot or other bonuses to reward extraordinary performance, the achievement of corporate goals, for retention purposes or for other reasons. In 2018, Mr. Sridhar was awarded a cash and equity bonus that was payable upon the achievement of certain corporate initiatives, specifically the consummation of the IPO and related subsequent milestones. He2020, Ms. Soderberg received $2,000,000 of the $3,000,000 cash bonus opportunity as a result of having completed two of the milestonessuch an award in 2018 and received the remaining $1,000,000 of this cash bonus program as a result of completing the additional milestone in 2019.

As part of his new-hire compensation package, Mr. White was guaranteed $225,275, corresponding to the variable portion of his cash compensation. In 2020, Mr. White will participate in the Company’s Sales Incentive Program, with no guaranteed payout. Please see the “Bonus” column in the Summary Compensation Table for the amount of bonuses earned by$50,000.

Equity Compensation

In 2020, we granted our named executive officers in 2019.a mix of RSU and PSU awards (excluding Mr. Cameron who received a mix of PSUs and stock options as part of his new hire awards). The annual equity awards granted to our named executive officers were determined by the Compensation Committee after reviewing data from a competitive market analysis prepared Compensia. In addition, the Compensation Committee considers the input of our CEO regarding the individual performance and pay levels for his direct reports.

 

Taking into consideration the impact of COVID-19, the Compensation Committee delayed the granting of equity in 2020 from our usual timeline of finalizing grants in the first quarter. In June 2020, with the benefit of greater visibility into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and our desire to provide competitive compensation for our named executive officers, the Compensation Committee approved grants in a mix of RSUs and PSUs to our named executive officers.

The combination of RSU and PSU awards set forth in the table below reflect a 50% and 30% weighting on performance-based equity for our CEO and other named executive officers, respectively, excluding Mr. Cameron, whose new hire equity compensation is described separately below.

In October 2020, in addition to an annual refresh grant of 33,000 PSUs and 77,000 RSUs, Ms. Soderberg was granted 30,000 RSUs as a special performance grant. This award, which was based on the recommendation of our CEO, and was the result of her extra work helping us raise additional capital through the issuance of new convertible notes and the extinguishment of existing notes.

  # of Stock Options        Total Value of Equity 
  Granted  # of RSUs Granted  # of PSUs Granted  Granted 
KR Sridhar     250,000   250,000  $5,175,000 
Gregory Cameron(1)  200,000      200,000  $2,624,000 
Swaminathan Venkataraman     105,000   45,000  $1,318,500 
Susan Brennan     70,000   30,000  $879,000 
Shawn M. Soderberg     107,000   33,000  $1,624,500 
(1)As part of his offer letter, Mr. Cameron’s new hire grants consisted of 200,000 PSUs (described below) and 200,000 stock options.

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Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Grants

In June 2020, the Compensation Committee approved the grant of PSUs to our named executive officers (excluding Mr. Cameron). These shares are eligible to vest based on our achievement of revenue and adjusted EBITDA goals, which are both weighted equally at 50% of target. For a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP operating income (loss) and Adjusted EBITDA, please see Appendix A to this Proxy Statement.

Earned PSUs will vest in equal one-third installments approximately one-, two- and three-years after the grant date. Specifically, one-third of the total number of earned PSUs vested on February 15, 2021 after approval by the Compensation Committee. The remaining two-thirds of earned PSUs will vest in equal installments on the first and second anniversary date of the first vesting date, subject to the employee’s continued service through each applicable vesting date.

Chief Financial Officer Performance-Based Equity

In April 2020, the Compensation Committee approved a grant of PSUs in connection with the appointment of Mr. Cameron as our Chief Financial Officer. The CFO new hire PSUs had a target opportunity equal to 200,000 shares and a maximum payout equal to 200% of target. The number of shares earned was based on our performance against two objectives in 2020. The first objective measured our success in refinancing convertible notes due in 2021. The measurement of this goal, which was weighted at 50% of target award opportunity, included objective, measurable goals that considered both the time horizon and interest of new financing. The second objective, also weighted at 50% of the target award, measured our unrestricted cash balance at the end of 2020.

One-third of the total number of earned PSUs vested on March 15, 2021. The remaining two-thirds of earned PSUs will vest in equal installments on the first and second anniversary date of the first vesting date, subject to the employee’s continued service through each applicable vesting date.

Former Chief Financial Officer Consulting Arrangement

Upon Mr. Furr’s separation from Bloom on March 31, 2020, we entered into a consulting arrangement with him to provide support during the transition to the new CFO and to be available when needed. As part of this agreement, we agreed to continue vesting Mr. Furr’s outstanding unvested equity awards through March 31, 2021.

Additional Information

 

Policy Prohibiting Insider Trading, Hedging and Use of Shares as Collateral

 

To prevent unlawful activity and avoid even the appearance of impropriety, we have adopted a strict Insider Trading Policy that applies to our executive officers, as well as our directors, employees and consultants. This policy requires that our executive officers, directors and other designated insiders only transact in our securities during an open trading window and only after obtaining pre-clearance from our General Counsel or pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Further, this policy prohibits engaging in certain short-term or speculative transactions in our securities such as put, calls and short sales. This policy also prohibits hedging, trading in a margin account or pledging our securities.

 

Offer Letters and Employment Arrangements

 

All of our named executive officers are employed on an at-will basis, with no fixed term of employment. The initial terms and conditions of employment for each of our named executive officers, other than Mr. Sridhar who was a founder of the Company,Bloom, are set forth in written offer letters, each of which has been filed as an exhibit to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.letters. Each of our named executive officers has also executed our standard form of confidential information, arbitration and invention assignment agreement.

 

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Change in Control Arrangements

 

Mr. Sridhar, has been granted awards under our 2002 Equity Incentive Plan, which provides for certain accelerated vesting in connection withMr. Venkataraman, Ms. Brennan and Ms. Soderberg have not entered into a change of control.in control and severance agreement with us.

 

Concurrently with execution of his offer letter, we entered into a Change in Control and Severance agreementAgreement (the “CiC and Severance Agreement”) with Mr. PillaiCameron pursuant to which, if his employment is terminated by the Companyus for any reason other than for “Cause” (as defined therein), he will be paid a lump sum of (i) nine months’ worth of his monthly base salary, (ii) the prorated portion of his then-current target bonus opportunity, and (iii) the full amount of his COBRA premiums for the same period he is paid severance benefits or until he is eligible to be covered by another substantially equivalent medical plan. If his termination of employment is as a result of a Change in Control or he resigns for “Good Reason” (each as defined therein) which occurs within three months prior or within twelve12 months after the Change in Control, he will be paid a lump sum amount equal to (i) his annual base salary plus (ii) his then-current annual target bonus opportunity, and (iii) the COBRA benefits described above; in addition, his outstanding equity awards shall accelerate and vest in full. A copy of Mr. Pillai’sCameron’s Change in Control and Severance Agreement is filed as an exhibit as part of his offer letter to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

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Concurrently with execution of his offer letter, we entered into a Change in Control and Severance Agreement with Mr. White pursuant to which, if his employment is terminated by the Company other than for “Cause” (as defined therein) prior to June 1, 2020, he will be paid a lump sum amount equal to the sum of (i) nine months of his monthly base salary plus (ii) the prorated portion of his then-current target bonus opportunity for the portion of the year served prior to the separation. If his termination of employment is as a result of a Change in Control or he resigns for “Good Reason” (each as defined therein) which occurs within three months prior or within twelve months after the Change in Control, he will be paid a lump sum amount equal to (i) his annual base salary plus (ii) his then-current annual target bonus opportunity, and his outstanding equity awards shall accelerate and vest in full. A copy of Mr. White’s Change in Control and Severance Agreement is filed as an exhibit to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.2020.

 

401(k) Plan

 

We maintain a qualified 401(k) retirement savings plan that allows eligible participants to defer up to 60% of eligible compensation, subject to applicable annual limits in the Internal Revenue Code, limits.as amended (the “Code”). We do not match any contributions made by our employees, including executives, but have the discretion to do so.

Stock Ownership Policy

To help ensure a strong alignment between executives and stockholder interests, we have adopted an equity ownership policy. We require the executive management team to have an equity ownership interest in accordance with the following schedule by the fifth anniversary of becoming subject to these guidelines:

PositionTarget Dollar Value (as a multiple of base salary)
CEO4x annual base salary
CFO1.5x annual base salary
Other Executive Officers Reporting to CEO1.5x annual base salary
Non-employee directors4x annual cash retainer for Board service

Shares that count towards satisfaction of this policy include: (i) shares of Class A Common Stock that are owned outright by him or her or his or her immediate family members residing in the same household; (ii) shares held in trust for the benefit of the executive officer or non-employee director or his or her family; (iii) for non-employee directors, RSUs that have vested but been deferred under the Deferred Compensation Plan; and (iv) shares of Class B common stock that are owned outright and that are convertible into our Class A common stock.

Prior to the compliance date or until the target dollar value is achieved, (i) each executive officer subject to the guidelines must retain 85% of all net settled shares received from the vesting, delivery or exercise of equity awards granted under our equity award plans or programs and (ii) each non-employee director must retain 100% of all net settled shares received from the vesting, delivery or exercise of equity awards granted under our equity award plans or programs. For purposes of the guidelines, net settled shares means all shares remaining after the sale of shares by the executive officer or non-employee director to pay any taxes due with respect to the shares received and, in the case of options, the exercise price, and all applicable transaction costs.

 

Equity Awards and Grant Administration

 

The Board has designated the Compensation Committee as the administrator of the 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (“2018 Plan”). The Compensation Committee, among other things, selects award recipients under the 2018 Plan, approves the form of grant agreements, determines the terms and restrictions applicable to the equity awards and adopts sub-plans for particular locations, if and as required. The exercise price of all stock options granted under our equity plans is the closing price of the Company’sour Class A common stock on the date of grant.

 

In accordance with the 2018 Plan, the Compensation Committee has delegated to our Chief Executive OfficerCEO and Chief Financial Officer,CFO, acting separately, the authority to approve a capped number of routine equity grants such as new hire grants, retention and promotion grants. Equity awards approved by Mr. Sridhar or Mr. Furr (replaced by Mr. Cameron in April 2020) are granted on the 15th (or15th (or first trading day thereafter) of each month.

 

Because we believe equity awards are an important part of our compensation program, we also grant equity awards on an annual basis to key employees, including our executive officers. The Compensation Committee generally approves these annual equity grants in April of each year. In addition, the Compensation Committee may consider additional grants to key employees for retention purposes on an ad hoc basis.

 

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Policy on Recoupment and Forfeiture of Incentive Compensation

 

In August 2019, theThe Board of Directorshas adopted oura Policy on Recoupment and Forfeiture of Incentive Compensation (“Clawback Policy”), which provides for the Board, of Directors, in its sole discretion, to require the return, repayment or forfeiture of any cash or equity-based incentive compensation, whether vested or unvested, to the Company’sour current or former principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or any Executive Vice President during the three completed fiscal years immediately preceding the date on which the Company restates itswe restate our financial statements, if:

 

·the payment or award was made or granted based wholly or in part upon the attainment of a Companycompany financial reporting measure that is the subject of the restatement;
·
the Board determines that the individual participated in fraud, intentional misconduct or gross negligence that caused or contributed to the material error that led to the restatement; and
·
the Board determines that a lower payment or award would have been made or granted to the individual based upon the corrected financial results.

 

In addition to the above, the Board may, in its sole discretion, require the forfeiture of any unpaid cash or equity-based incentive compensation award made or granted, whether vested (but unexercised) or unvested, to the above-listed individuals if they are terminated from their employment for “cause” or have engaged in any conduct that results in material harm to Bloom’s business or reputation or that of any of its affiliates.

 

When the SEC adopts final clawback policy rules under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, we will review our Clawback Policy and conform provisions, if and as necessary, to comply with such rules.

 

Tax Considerations

Following the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, compensation in excess of $1 million earned by our executive officers who are subject to Section 162(m) of the Code is not deductible. The Compensation Committee has the discretion to approve, and we will continue to pay, compensation that will not be deductible for federal income tax purposes. Consistent with our compensation philosophy, we currently expect that we will continue to structure our executive compensation program so that a significant portion of total executive compensation is linked to the performance of Bloom.

Compensation Committee Report

The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis with management. Based on its review and discussions with management, the Compensation Committee has recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this Proxy Statement.

Compensation Committee

Scott Sandell (Chair)
John T. Chambers
L. John Doerr

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20192020 Summary Compensation Table

 

The following table presents summary information regarding the total compensation earned by our Chief Executive OfficerCEO, CFO and the twothree additional most highly compensated executive officers (together, our “named executive officers”) for service to us during fiscal year 20192020 and, to the extent required by SEC executive compensation disclosure rules, 20182019 and 2017:2018.

 

Name and Principal
Position
 Fiscal
Year
 Salary
($)(1)
 Bonus
($)(2)
 Stock Awards
($)(3)
 Option
Awards
($)(4)
 Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)
 All Other
Compensation
($)
 Total
($)
KR Sridhar
Founder and Chief
Executive Officer
 2019 637,654 1,000,000 2,499,996 2,169,962 626,153  6,933,765
 2018 607,500 2,000,000 44,259,315 3,451,400 495,936  50,814,151
 2017 524,039  13,138,908 16,099,208 429,220  30,191,374
Chris White
EVP Global Sales(5)(6)
 2019 223,077 225,275 3,201,000 1,317,128  250,000(7) 5,216,480
Hari Pillai
EVP Customer
Installations Group(5)
 2019 395,385  1,696,500 595,010 189,480  2,876,375

Name and Principal
Position
 Fiscal
Year
 Salary
($)
 Bonus
($)
 Stock
Awards
($)(1)
 Option
Awards
($)(2)
 Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)(3)
 All Other
Compensation
($)
 Total
($)
KR Sridhar 2020 646,000  5,175,000  1,027,915  6,848,915
Founder and Chief
Executive Officer
 2019 637,654 1,000,000(4) 2,499,996 2,169,962 626,153  6,933,765
 2018 607,500 2,000,000(5) 44,259,315 3,451,400 495,936  50,814,151
Gregory Cameron(6) 2020 397,692 200,000 (7) 1,680,000 944,000 564,381(8) 25,000(7) 3,811,073
EVP and Chief                
Financial Officer                
Randy Furr(9) 2020 135,793      135,793
Former Chief
Financial Officer
 2019 424,057  806,991 818,370 242,888  2,292,306
 2018 404,154  11,276,283  204,445  11,887,882
Swaminathan Venkataraman 2020 426,400  1,318,500  334,672  2,079,572
EVP of Engineering and 2019 421,985 200,000(10) 599,996 809,952 242,888  2,239,104
Chief Technology Officer 2018 383,923  11,646,585 1,890,932 166,136  14,087,576
Susan Brennan 2020 393,300  879,000  313,784  1,586,084
EVP and Chief Operating                
Officer(11)                
Shawn M. Soderberg 2020 390,000 50,000 1,624,500  307,476  2,371,976
EVP, General                
Counsel and Secretary(11)                
(1)Current base salaries for eachThe amounts reported represent the aggregate grant date fair value of RSUs and PSUs (at target) granted to our named executive officers, areif applicable, as follows: KR Sridhar, $646,000; Chris White, $400,000;computed in accordance with ASC 718. See Notes 2 and Hari Pillai, $400,000.10 of the notes to our consolidated financial statements contained in our 2020 Annual Report for a discussion of all assumptions made by us in determining the ASC 718 values of equity awards.

(2)The amount shown for Mr. Sridhar for 2018 reflects a $1,000,000 cash bonus paid uponamounts reported represent the pricing of our IPO and a $1,000,000 cash bonus paid upon the completionaggregate grant date fair value of the Company’s third quarter 2018 earnings call. stock options granted to our named executive officers, if applicable, as computed in accordance with ASC 718. See Notes 2 and 10 of the notes to our consolidated financial statements contained in our 2020 Annual Report for a discussion of all assumptions made by us in determining the ASC 718 values of equity awards.
(3)All amounts paid pursuant to our non-equity incentive plan in the year earned.
(4)The amount shown for Mr. Sridhar for 2019 reflects a $1,000,000 cash bonus paid upon the filing with the SEC in March 2019 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.
(5)The amount shown for Mr. White representsSridhar for 2018 reflects a $1,000,000 cash bonus paid upon the pricing of our IPO and a $1,000,000 cash bonus paid upon the completion of our third quarter 2018 earnings call.
(6)Mr. Cameron was appointed EVP and Chief Financial Officer as of April 1, 2020. Mr. Cameron’s annual base salary was set at $550,000.
(7)Mr. Cameron received a sign-on bonus of $200,000 and a travel expense allowance of $25,000.
(8)For 2020, Mr. Cameron’s prorated annual target bonus opportunity was fully guaranteed portionat 100% and he was eligible to receive up to 1.5 times target for overachievement.
(9)Mr. Furr resigned as CFO effective as of his salesMarch 31, 2020.
(10)The amount shown for Mr. Venkataraman for 2019 reflects a $200,000 cash bonus paid upon the achievement of certain operational metrics, which were fully achieved.
(11)Ms. Brennan and Ms. Soderberg were not named executive officers in 2019 or 2018, so earlier period compensation for 2019, as set forth in his offer letter.each has not been included.

 

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2020 Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table

The following table presents, for each of our named executive officers, information regarding 2020 annual cash incentive compensation and equity awards granted to our named executive officers during 2020.

    Estimated Future Payouts Estimated Future Payouts All Other All Other    
    Under Non-Equity Under Equity Stock Option Exercise  
    Incentive Plan Awards Incentive Plan Awards Awards: Awards: or Grant Date
                Number of Number Base Fair Value
                Shares of of Securities Price of of Stock
                Stock or Underlying Option and Option
  Grant Threshold Target Maximum Threshold Target Maximum Units Options Awards Awards
Name Date ($) ($) ($) (#) (#) (#) (#) (#) ($/Sh) ($)(1)(2)
KR Sridhar 7/2/2020       250,000(3)   2,587,500
  7/2/2020     250,000(4) 375,000(4)    2,587,500
  1/14/2020   775,200(5) 1,162,800       
Gregory Cameron 4/14/2020        200,000(6) 7.30 944,000
  6/9/2020     200,000(7) 400,000(7)    1,680,000
  4/1/2020 412,500(8) 412,500(8) 618,750       
Randy Furr(9)           
Swaminathan Venkataraman 6/12/2020       105,000(3)   922,950
  6/12/2020     45,000(4) 67,500(4)    395,550
  1/14/20  255,840(5) 383,760       
Susan Brennan 6/12/2020       70,000(3)   615,300
  6/12/2020     30,000(4) 45,000(4)    263,700
  1/14/20  235,890(5) 353,835       
Shawn M. Soderberg 6/12/2020       77,000(3)   676,830
  6/12/2020     33,000(4) 49,500(4)    290,070
  1/14/20  234,000(5) 351,000       
  10/12/2020       30,000(10)   657,600
(3)(1)The amounts reported represent the aggregate grant date fair value of stock options, RSUs and PSUs (at target) granted to the named executive officers,our NEOs, if applicable, as computed in accordance with ASC 718. See NoteNotes 2 and 10 of the notes to our 2019 consolidated financial statements includedcontained in ourthe 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 for a discussion of theall assumptions made by us in determining the grant date fair valueASC 718 values of our equity awards. The amounts reported in this column reflect the accounting cost for these RSUs and do not purport to reflect the value that will be recognized by our named executive officers.

(4)(2)The amounts reported represent the aggregate grant date fair value of the stock options granted to our named executive officers, if applicable, as computed in accordance with ASC 718. See NoteNotes 2 and 10 of the notes to our 2019 consolidated financial statements includedcontained in ourthe 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 for a discussion of theall assumptions made by us in determining the grant date fair valueASC 718 values of equity awards.
(3)One-third of the total RSUs will vest on June 15, 2021, and the remaining will vest in equal quarterly installments thereafter for two years, subject to the employee’s continued service through each applicable vesting date.
(4)This award of PSUs can be earned based on the performance of our equity awards. The amounts reported in this column reflectachievement of a revenue target and adjusted EBITDA. Each person is eligible to earn up to a maximum of 1.5 times the accounting cost fortarget number of shares. For additional information regarding these stock options and do not purportPSUs granted to reflect the value that will be recognized by our named executive officers.officers in 2020, please see the section entitled “Principal Elements of Compensation—Equity Compensation” in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis above.
(5)The non-equity incentive plan payout is based on achievement of certain financial metrics and individual performance. Each participant was eligible to earn up to 1.5 times his or her target bonus. The plan is measured and administered every quarter with an annual component at the end of each year (5 eligible payouts per year). For additional information regarding the annual bonus program in 2020, please see the section entitled “Principal Elements of Compensation—Non-Equity Incentive Plan” in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis above.

 

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(5)(6)Messrs. WhiteOne-fourth of the total shares underlying the option will vest on April 1, 2021, and Pillai were notthe remainder will vest as to 1/48th of the remaining shares monthly thereafter, subject to the employee’s continued service through each applicable vesting date.
(7)This award of PSUs can be earned based on the performance of our achievement of certain financial targets related to the refinancing of certain outstanding convertible notes and our cash balances. Mr. Cameron was eligible to earn up to a maximum of two times the target number of shares. For additional information regarding these PSUs granted to our named executive officers priorin 2020, please see the section entitled “Principal Elements of Compensation—Equity Compensation” in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis above.
(8)For 2020 only, Mr. Cameron’s prorated annual target bonus opportunity was fully guaranteed at 100%. Mr. Cameron was eligible to 2019earn up to 1.5 times his prorated target bonus.
(9)Mr. Furr resigned as CFO effective as of March 31, 2020 and accordingly, compensationdid not receive any equity awards in 2020 nor was he eligible to participate in the non-equity incentive plan for prior years has not been included.2020. Mr. Furr entered into an agreement with us in which he continued to provide services to us. For additional information, please see the section entitled “Principal Elements of Compensation—Former Chief Financial Officer Consulting Arrangement” in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis above.
(10)This RSU was fully vested on the date of grant.

 

2021 PROXY STATEMENT(6)Mr. White joined the Company on June 3, 2019 and his salary is pro-rated based on his start date.61

(7)Mr. White received a relocation allowance of $250,000 as part of his new-hire compensation package.

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20192020 Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

 

The following table presents, for each of our named executive officers, information regarding outstanding equity awards held as of December 31, 2019.2020.

 

   Option Awards Stock Awards
                 Equity
               Equity Incentive Plan
               Incentive Plan Awards:
               Awards: Market or
               Number of Payout Value
             Market or Unearned or Unearned
   Number of Number of     Number of Payout Shares, Units Shares, Units
   Securities Securities     Unearned Value or Other or Other
   Underlying Underlying Option   Shares of Unearned Rights Rights
   Unexercised Unexercised Exercise Option That Have Shares That That Have Not That Have Not
  Option Awards Stock Awards Grant Options (#) Options (#) Price Expiration Not Vested Have Not Vested Vested
NameGrant
Date(1)
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Exercisable
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Unexercisable
Option
Exercise
Price
($)(2)
Option
Expiration
Date
 Number of
Unearned
Shares
That Have
Not Vested
(#)
Market or
Payout Value
of Unearned
Shares That
Have Not
Vested ($)(3)
 Date(1) Exercisable Unexercisable ($)(2) Date (#) Vested ($)(3) (#) ($)(3)
KR Sridhar6/2/2011 233,33420.556/1/2021  6/2/2011(4) 233,334  20.55 6/1/2021    
8/2/2012 733,33330.358/1/2022  8/2/2012(4) 733,333  30.35 8/1/2022    
9/11/2015 266,66730.899/1/2025  9/11/2015(4) 266,667  30.89 9/10/2025    
5/5/2016(4) 142,0001,060,740 5/5/2016(5)     71,000 2,034,860  
5/11/2017(5) 212,1911,585,067 5/11/2017(4) 884,509  30.96 5/10/2027    
5/11/2017(6)847,65336,85630.965/10/2027  7/24/2018(6) 133,360 266,640 15.00 7/23/2028    
7/24/2018(7) 1,241,9769,277,561 2/15/2019(7) 96,705 124,338 11.31 2/14/2029    
7/24/2018(8) 166,6671,245,002 2/15/2019(8)     124,338 3,563,527  
7/24/2018(9)400,00015.007/23/2028  8/8/2019(7) 87,113 112,005 8.92 8/7/2029    
2/15/2019(10)221,04311.312/14/2029  7/2/2020(9)     250,000 7,165,000  
2/15/2019(11) 221,0431,651,191 7/2/2020(10)       250,000 7,165,000
Gregory Cameron 4/14/2020(11)  200,000 7.30 4/13/2030    
8/8/2019(12)199,1188.928/7/2029  6/9/2020(12)       200,000 5,732,000
Chris White6/27/2019(13)225,00011.646/26/2029 
Randy Furr(13) 5/14/2015(4) 233,334  30.89 5/13/2025    
6/27/2019(14) 275,0002,054,250 9/11/2015(4) 33,333  30.89 9/10/2025    
11/11/2019(15)56,0005.511/10/2029  5/5/2016(14)     6,375 182,708  
Hari Pillai2/15/2019(16)100,00011.312/14/2029 
2/15/2019(17) 112,500840,375 10/3/2016(4) 46,667  30.96 10/3/2026    
11/11/2019(18)56,0005.511/20/2029  10/3/2016(14)     6,666 191,048  
 2/15/2019(7)  40,136 11.31 2/14/2029    
 2/15/2019(8)     40,136 1,150,298  
 7/16/2019(7)  38,361 12.00 7/15/2029    

 

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    Option Awards Stock Awards
                  Equity
                Equity Incentive Plan
                Incentive Plan Awards:
                Awards: Market or
                Number of Payout Value
              Market or Unearned or Unearned
    Number of Number of     Number of Payout Shares, Units Shares, Units
    Securities Securities     Unearned Value or Other or Other
    Underlying Underlying Option   Shares of Unearned Rights Rights
    Unexercised Unexercised Exercise Option That Have Shares That That Have Not That Have Not
  Grant Options (#) Options (#) Price Expiration Not Vested Have Not Vested Vested
Name Date(1) Exercisable Unexercisable ($)(2) Date (#) Vested ($)(3) (#) ($)(3)
Swaminathan Venkataraman 12/1/2011(4) 40,000  24.00 11/30/2021    
  12/15/2011(4) 126,667  30.29 12/14/2021    
  2/6/2014(4) 50,000  30.81 2/5/2024    
  9/11/2015(4) 46,667  30.89 9/10/2025    
  5/05/2016(14)     14,538 416,659  
  10/03/2016(4) 46,667  30.96 10/02/2026    
  10/03/2016(14)     8,888 254,730  
  7/24/2018(6) 44,454 88,880 15.00 7/23/2028    
  10/16/2018(15) 20,000 30,000 27.18 10/15/2028    
  10/16/2018(16)     30,000 859,800  
  2/15/2019(7) 23,209 29,841 11.31 2/14/2029    
  2/15/2019(8)     29,841 855,243  
  7/16/2019(7) 22,182 28,251 12.00 7/15/2029    
  11/11/2019(17) 20,666 41,334 5.50 11/10/2029    
  6/12/2020(18)     105,000 3,009,300  
  6/12/2020(10)       45,000 1,289,700
Susan Brennan 11/7/2013(4) 133,334  30.81 11/6/2023    
  9/11/2015(4) 13,334  30.89 9/10/2025    
  9/11/2015(14)     3,333 95,524  
  5/5/2016(14)     9,777 280,209  
  7/21/2017(19) 19,584 416 30.96 7/20/2027    
  7/24/2018(4) 20,000  15.00 7/23/2028    
  7/24/2018(6) 33,340 66,660 15.00 7/23/2028    
  2/15/2019(7) 14,795 19,024 11.31 2/14/2029    
  2/15/2019(8)     19,024 545,228  
  7/16/2019(7) 14,141 18,183 12.00 7/15/2029    
  11/11/2019(17) 18,666 37,334 5.50 11/10/2029    
  6/12/2020(18)     70,000 2,006,200  
  6/12/2020(10)       30,000 859,800

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    Option Awards Stock Awards
                  Equity
                Equity Incentive Plan
                Incentive Plan Awards:
                Awards: Market or
                Number of Payout Value
              Market or Unearned or Unearned
    Number of Number of     Number of Payout Shares, Units Shares, Units
    Securities Securities     Unearned Value or Other or Other
    Underlying Underlying Option   Shares of Unearned Rights Rights
    Unexercised Unexercised Exercise Option That Have Shares That That Have Not That Have Not
  Grant Options (#) Options (#) Price Expiration Not Vested Have Not Vested Vested
Name Date(1) Exercisable Unexercisable ($)(2) Date (#) Vested ($)(3) (#) ($)(3)
Shawn M. Soderberg 1/14/2016(20) 104,888 1,778 30.89 1/13/2026    
  10/3/2016(4) 20,000  30.96 10/2/2026    
  10/3/2016(14)     6,666 191,048  
  7/24/2018(4) 20,000  15.00 7/23/2028    
  8/10/2018(21) 33,340 66,660 27.65 8/9/2028    
  2/15/2019(7) 17,019 21,884 11.31 2/14/2029    
  2/15/2019(8)     21,884 627,195  
  7/16/2019(7) 16,267 20,916 12.00 7/15/2029    
  11/11/2019(17) 18,666 37,334 5.50 11/10/2029    
  6/12/2020(18)     77,000 2,206,820  
  6/12/2020(10)       33,000 945,780
(1)All of the outstanding equity awards described in the footnotes below are granted under ourthe 2002 Stock Plan (“2002 Plan”), 2012 StockEquity Incentive Plan (“2012 Plan”) and 2018 Equity Incentive Plan.

(2)This column represents the fair market value of a share of Class A or Class B common stock on the date of grant.

(3)Represents the fair market value of the shares underlying the RSUs and PSUs as of December 31, 2019,2020, based on the closing price of our Class A common stock of $ 7.47$28.66 per share as reported on the NYSE. This value assumes that the fair market value of the Class B common stock underlying the RSUs, which is not listed or approved for trading on or with any securities exchange or association, is equal to the fair market value of the Class A common stock.

(4)These stock options are fully vested.
(5)These RSUs vest as follows: 50%in three equal installments commencing on the first, second and third anniversaries of January 25, 20202018 with a deferred settlement date of August 24, 2020April 5, 2021 for the third and 50%final vesting on January 25, 2021.2021, subject to the employee remaining a service provider on each applicable vesting date.

(5)These RSUs vest on July 25, 2020 with a deferred settlement date of November 17, 2020.

(6)These stock options vest over a two-year period with 1/24th of the total shares vesting per month starting on January 1, 2018 and 1/24th per month thereafter.

(7)These RSUs vest as follows: 50% on January 25, 2020 with a deferred settlement date of August 24, 2020 and 50% on July 25, 2020 with a deferred settlement date of November 17, 2020.

(8)These RSUs vest on January 25, 2020 with a deferred settlement date of August 24, 2020.

(9)These stock options vest in three equal annual installments commencing on the second, third and fourth anniversaries of July 25, 2018, so that the entire grant is fully vested on the fourth-year anniversary of July 25, 2018.2018, subject to the employee remaining a service provider on each applicable vesting date.

(10)(7)These stock options vest 25%one-fourth on the firstone-year anniversary of February 15, 2019 and the remaining shares vest in equal quarterly installments thereafter over the next three years, subject to the employee remaining a service provider on each applicable vesting date.
(8)These RSUs vest one-fourth on the one-year anniversary of February 15, 2019 and the remaining shares vest in equal quarterly installments thereafter over the next three years, subject to the employee remaining a service provider on each applicable vesting date.
(9)These RSUs vest one-third on the one-year anniversary of the date of grant and the remaining shares vest in equal quarterly installments thereafter over the next three years.two years subject to the employee remaining a service provider on each applicable vesting date.

(10)These PSUs can be earned based on the performance of our achievement of a revenue target and adjusted EBITDA. Each person is eligible to earn up to a maximum of 1.5 times the target number of shares. For additional information regarding these PSUs granted to our named executive officers in 2020, please see the section entitled “Principal Elements of Compensation—Equity Compensation” in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis above. The performance criteria were fully met and each person was issued 1.47 times the target number of shares.
(11)These stock options vest 25%one-fourth on the one-year anniversary of the grant date and the remaining shares shall vest in equal quarterly increments from the one-year anniversary over the next three years.

(12)These stock options vest 25% on the one-year anniversary of February 15,April 1, 2020 and the remaining shares shall vest in equal quarterly increments from the one-year anniversary over the next three years.

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(13)These stock options vest 25% on the one-year anniversary of June 17, 2019 and the remaining options vest 1/36th 48th per month for the next three years.years subject to the employee remaining a service provider on each applicable vesting date.
(12)These PSUs can be earned based on the performance of our achievement of certain financial targets related to the refinancing of certain outstanding convertible notes and cash balances. Mr. Cameron was eligible to earn up to a maximum of two times the target number of shares. For additional information regarding these PSUs granted to our named executive officers in 2020, please see the section entitled “Principal Elements of Compensation—Equity Compensation” in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis above. This performance criteria were fully met and Mr. Cameron was issued two times the target number of shares.

 

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(13)Mr. Furr resigned effective as of March 31, 2020. As part of his separation from Bloom, Mr. Furr entered into a consulting arrangement with Bloom and as consideration for him continuing to provide services he will continue to vest in his outstanding equity awards through the term of the arrangement, which ended on March 31, 2021.
(14)These RSUs vest 25% of the shareswill be fully vested on the one-year anniversary of June 17, 2019 and theJanuary 25, 2021, subject to each employee remaining shares shall vest in equal quarterly increments from the one-year anniversary over the next three years.a service provider on each applicable vesting date.

(15)These stock options vest annually over five years commencing October 16, 2018.
(16)These RSUs vest annually over five years commencing October 16, 2018.
(17)These stock options will vest as follows: If the Company’sour stock price reaches $8 (calculated based on a 30-day average) on or before 11/22/20,November 22, 2020, 1/3 of the options vest on 11/11/20.November 11, 2020. If the stock price reaches $8 after 11/11/20November 11, 2020 but before 11/11/24,November 11, 2024, 1/3 of the Optionsoptions vest on the date the share price reaches $8. If the stock price reaches $11 on or before 11/11/21,November 11, 2021, 1/3 of the options vest on 11/11/21.November 11, 2021. If the stock price reaches $11 after 11/11/21November 11, 2021 but before 11/11/24,November 11, 2024, 1/3 of the options vest on the date the share price reaches $11. If the stock price reaches $14 on or before 11/11/22,November 11, 2022, 1/3 of the options vest on 11/11/November 11, 2022. If the stock price reaches $14 by 11/11/22November 11, 2022 but before 11/11/24,November 11, 2024, 1/3 of the options vest on the date the price reaches $14. If the stock price does not reach $14 by 11/11/24,November 11, 2024, 1/3 of the options shall be canceled. Any stock options that have not vested by 11/11/24November 11, 2024 shall be canceled.

(18)These RSUs vest one-third on the one-year anniversary of June 15, 2020 and the remaining shares vest in equal quarterly installments thereafter over the next two years, subject to each employee remaining a service provider on each applicable vesting date.
(16)(19)These stock options vest 25%monthly over four years from the vesting commencement date of January 1, 2017, subject to the employee remaining a service provider on each applicable vesting date.
(20)These stock options vest one-fourth on the one-year anniversary of December 27, 2018January 14, 2016 and the remaining options vest 1/36th of the remaining shares 48th per month for the next three years.years subject to the employee remaining a service provider on each applicable vesting date.
(21)These stock options vest in three equal annual installments commencing on the second, third and fourth anniversaries of August 10, 2018, so that the entire grant is fully vested on the fourth-year anniversary of August 10, 2018, subject to the employee remaining a service provider on each applicable vesting date.

 

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Compensation Committee Report

2020 Option Exercises and Stock Vested Table

The following table presents, for each of our named executive officers, the number of shares acquired and the value realized upon the exercise of stock options and the vesting of RSU awards and PSU awards during 2020 by each of our named executive officers.

NameNumber of Shares
Acquired on
Exercise
(#)
Value Realized
on Exercise
($)(1)
Number of Shares
Acquired on Vesting
(#)
Value Realized
on Vesting
($)(2)
KR Sridhar1,788,53931,746,898
Gregory Cameron
Randy Furr61,051286,656281,6243,728,831
Swaminathan Venkataraman273,3913,622,760
Susan Brennan155,8742,048,229
Shawn M. Soderberg166,8042,167,789
These RSUs shall vest 25%
(1)The value realized on eachthe exercise date is based on the difference in the fair market value of our common stock on the one-year anniversariesexercise date and the exercise price, and does not necessarily reflect the proceeds actually received by the named executive officer.
(2)The value realized on the vesting date is based on the fair market value of our common stock on the vesting date and does not necessarily reflect the proceeds actually received by the named executive officer.

Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation

We did not maintain any non-qualified deferred compensation plans or arrangements under which our named executive officers were entitled to participate in 2020. The Compensation Committee recently approved a deferred compensation plan that applies to certain executives for parts of 2021.

Pension Benefits

Aside from our 401(k) retirement savings plan, we do not maintain any pension plan or arrangement under which our named executive officers are entitled to participate or receive post-retirement benefits.

Potential Payments on Termination or Change in Control

Currently none of our named executive officers, other than Mr. Cameron, are eligible to receive any severance payments upon a termination by Bloom for any reason other than for “cause” (a “Qualifying Termination”) or any payments upon a Qualifying Termination in connection with a change in control. Mr. Furr resigned as of March 31, 2020 and would not be eligible to receive anything further upon his termination other than as described in above in the section entitled “Principal Elements of Compensation—Equity Compensation” in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis above. The value of the outstanding equity award vesting acceleration was calculated based on the assumption that the termination event occurred on December 31, 2020, the last day of 2020. The closing price of our common stock as of the last trading day of 2020 (December 31, 2020) was $28.66 per share, which was used as the value of our Class A common stock in the calculations below. The value of the vesting acceleration was calculated by (i) multiplying the number of accelerated shares of common stock underlying unvested, in-the-money equity awards by $28.66 and (ii) subtracting the exercise price for the unvested stock options.

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  Potential Payments in Connection With:
NameType of BenefitQualifying
Termination
($)
Qualifying Termination
After a Change of Control
($)
Gregory CameronCash Severance495,000550,000
 Bonus495,000550,000
 Vesting Acceleration(1)10,004,000
 Continued Coverage of Employee Benefits18,50324,671
 Total Benefits1,008,50311,128,671
(1)The vesting of 200,000 shares of common stock would accelerate upon a Qualifying Termination in connection with a change of control as of December 27, 2018.31, 2020. Also includes the value of stock options exercisable upon a Qualifying Termination in connection with a change of control as of December 31, 2020.

 

2021 PROXY STATEMENT(18)These stock options will vest as follows: If the Company’s stock price reaches $8 (calculated based on a 30-day average) on or before 11/22/20, 1/3 of the options vest on 11/11/20. If the stock price reaches $8 after 11/11/20 but before 11/11/24, 1/3 of the Options vest on the date the share price reaches $8. If the stock price reaches $11 on or before 11/11/21, 1/3 of the options vest on 11/11/21. If the stock price reaches $11 after 11/11/21 but before 11/11/24, 1/3 of the options vest on the date the share price reaches $11. If the stock price reaches $14 on or before 11/11/22, 1/3 of the options vest on 11/11/2022. If the stock price reaches $14 by 11/11/22 but before 11/11/24, 1/3 of the options vest on the date the price reaches $14. If the stock price does not reach $14 by 11/11/24, 1/3 of the options shall be canceled. Any stock options that have not vested by 11/11/24 shall be canceled.67

 
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Proposal
2
Advisory Approval of the Frequency of Stockholder Advisory Votes on Named Executive Officer Compensation
The Board unanimously recommends a vote FOR “1 YEAR” as the frequency with which stockholders are provided an advisory vote on executive compensation, as disclosed pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the SEC.

In accordance with the requirements of Section 14A of the Exchange Act and the related rules of the SEC, our stockholders have the opportunity to cast an advisory vote to approve the compensation of our named executive officers as described in the section entitled “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” above. Proposal 2 affords stockholders the opportunity to cast an advisory vote on how often we should include a say-on-pay proposal in our proxy materials in the future (a “say-on-pay frequency proposal”). Under Proposal 2, stockholders may vote to have the say-on-pay vote every year, every two years, or every three years.

Stockholders may also abstain from voting on Proposal 2. In considering your vote, you may wish to review the information presented in connection with Proposal 3 in this Proxy Statement, together with the Compensation Discussion and Analysis and the tabular disclosures of this Proxy Statement, which provide more detailed discussion of our executive compensation policies and programs.

After careful consideration of Proposal 2, the Board has determined that an annual advisory vote on executive compensation is the most appropriate alternative for us and, therefore, the Board recommends that you vote for a one-year interval for the advisory vote on executive compensation.

The Board believes that an advisory say-on-pay vote should be conducted every year so that stockholders may annually express their views on the effectiveness of our executive compensation policies and programs.

As an advisory vote, Proposal 2 is not binding upon us or the Board. The Board may determine that it is in the best interests of our stockholders and Bloom to hold an advisory vote on executive compensation more or less frequently than the option approved by our stockholders. It is expected that the next vote on a say-on-pay frequency proposal will occur at the 2027 annual meeting of stockholders.

Vote Required

The option of “1 YEAR,” “2 YEARS” or “3 YEARS” that receives the highest number of votes cast by stockholders will be considered the frequency for the advisory vote on executive compensation that has been selected by our stockholders.

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Proposal
3
Advisory Approval of Named ExecutiveOfficer Compensation
The Board unanimously recommends a vote FOR the approval of the compensation of our named executive officers, as disclosed in this Proxy Statement pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the SEC.

 

Audit MattersIn accordance with the requirements of Section 14A of the Exchange Act and the related rules of the SEC, our stockholders have the opportunity to vote to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers as disclosed in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis and the tabular disclosures of this Proxy Statement. This proposal, commonly known as a “say-on-pay” proposal, provides our stockholders with the opportunity to express their views on the compensation of our named executive officers.

As described in the section entitled “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” we believe that the skill, talent, judgment and dedication of our executive officers are critical factors affecting our long-term value. The goals of our executive compensation programs are to fairly compensate our executives, attract and retain highly-qualified executives able to contribute to our long-term success, encourage performance consistent with clearly defined corporate goals and align our executives’ long-term interests with those of our stockholders. The specific goals that our current executive compensation programs reward are focused on financial and operational objectives, including specific revenue and non-GAAP operating income targets as well as operational goals important to our short-term and long-term growth. Please read the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section of this Proxy Statement beginning on page 47 for additional details about our executive compensation programs, including information about the 2020 compensation of our named executive officers.

The Board is asking our stockholders to indicate their support for the compensation of our named executive officers as described in this Proxy Statement. This vote is not intended to address any specific item of compensation, but rather the overall compensation of our named executive officers and the philosophy, policies, practices and objectives described in this Proxy Statement. Accordingly, the Board recommends that our stockholders vote “FOR” the following resolution at the 2021 Annual Meeting:

RESOLVED: That the stockholders approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the named executive officers, as disclosed in the Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the compensation tables, and the accompanying footnotes and narrative disclosures.”

As an advisory vote, this say-on-pay proposal is not binding upon us, the Board or the Compensation Committee. However, we, the Board and the Compensation Committee, which are responsible for overseeing, reviewing and administering our executive compensation programs, value the opinions expressed by our stockholders and will continue to consider our stockholders’ concerns in evaluating future compensation options for our named executive officers.

Depending on the voting outcome of Proposal 2, it is expected that the next say-on-pay vote will occur at the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders.

Vote Required

Approval of Proposal 3 requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast for or against this proposal. Abstentions and broker non-votes are not deemed to be votes cast and, therefore, are not included in the tabulation of the voting results on this proposal and will not affect the outcome of the vote.

 

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Audit Matters
Proposal 2


4

Ratification of Appointment ofIndependentRegistered Public Accounting Firm

Stockholders are being asked to ratify the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopersDeloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2020.

2021.
The Board of Directors unanimously recommends a vote FOR the ratification of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopersDeloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2020.2021.

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors has appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit our consolidated financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2020. During the year ended December 31, 2019, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP served as our independent registered public accounting firm and also provided certain tax and other audit-related services as set forth under the caption “Principal Accountant Fees and Services” below. Representatives of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP will be at the 2020 Annual Meeting to respond to appropriate questions and will have the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so.

Stockholders are not required to ratify the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm. However, we are submitting the appointment for ratification as a matter of good corporate practice. If stockholders fail to ratify the appointment, the Audit Committee will consider whether or not to retain PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Even if the appointment is ratified, the Audit Committee may direct the appointment of a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if it determines that such a change would be in our stockholders’ best interests.

Vote Required

The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of Common Stock present or represented and entitled to vote at the 2020 Annual Meeting is required to approve the proposal. Abstentions have the effect of a vote against the proposal, and broker “non-votes” have no effect on the outcome of the proposal. 

 

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Change in Our Certifying Accountant in 2020

 

Principal Accountant Fees and ServicesOn September 3, 2020, the Audit Committee of the Board engaged Deloitte & Touche LLP (“Deloitte”) as our independent registered public accounting firm for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. Deloitte replaced PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”), our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. PwC was notified of the dismissal on September 3, 2020.

 

The following table provides information regardingaudit reports of PwC on our consolidated financial statements as of and for the fees paid to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP during thefiscal years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.

 2019 2018
Audit Fees(1)$     2,451,000 $     3,017,900
Audit-Related Fees(2) 140,520  15,000
Total Audit and Audit-Related Fees 2,591,520  3,032,900
Tax Fees(3) 5,918  44,696
All Other Fees(4) 111,929  900
Total Fees$2,709,367 $3,078,496

(1)Audit fees consist of fees for professional services rendered in connection with the audit of our annual consolidated financial statements, the review of our quarterly consolidated financial statements, and audit services that are normally provided by independent registered public accounting firms in connection with regulatory filings. For 2018, this category also includes fees for professional services provided in connection with our IPO, including comfort letters, consents and review of documents filed with the SEC.

(2)Audit-related fees for 2019 include a statutory audit of the Company’s India subsidiary and advice with respect to the adoption of ASC 606. Audit-related fees for 2018 include services performed with respect to due diligence support provided to one of the Company’s prospective power purchase agreement partners.

(3)Tax fees include a variety of permissible tax services related to preparation and/or review of statutory tax filings within U.S., foreign and state jurisdictions, general tax advisory services (including research and discussions related to tax compliance matters), tax planning and assistance with transfer pricing documentation and dispositions.

(4)For 2019, all other fees relate to California Consumer Privacy Act compliance assistance and the purchase of accounting-related research software. For 2018, all other fees relate to the purchase of accounting-related research software and property and equipment purchase credit research.

All services described above2018 did not contain any adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were pre-approved by the Audit Committee. In connection with thethey qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit of our fiscal year 2019 financial statements, the Company entered into an engagement agreement with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP that sets forth the terms by which PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP will perform audit services for the Company.scope or accounting principles.

 

The Audit Committee has determined thatDuring our fiscal years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, and through September 3, 2020, (i) there were no disagreements with PwC on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedures, which disagreements, if not resolved to the renderingsatisfaction of services other than audit services by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is compatiblePwC, would have caused PwC to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement in its report on our consolidated financial statements for such periods, and (ii) there were no reportable events of the type described in Item 304(a)(1) (v) of Regulation S-K, except for the material weakness identified in our internal control over financial reporting related to not designing and maintaining an effective control environment with maintaininga sufficient complement of resources with an appropriate level of accounting knowledge, expertise and training to evaluate the principal accountant’s independence.accounting implications of complex or non-routine transactions commensurate with its financial reporting requirements, which was disclosed in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting in Item 9A of the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and in Item 4 of the Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020.

 

Pre-Approval PoliciesRestatement and ProceduresRemediation of Material Weakness

 

The Audit Committee follows certain procedures for the pre-approval of audit and non-audit services rendered by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. The Committee generally pre-approves specified services in the defined categories of audit services, audit-related services, and tax services. Pre-approval may also be given as part of the Audit Committee’s approval of the scope of the engagement of the independent auditor orAs previously disclosed, on an individual, explicit, case-by-case basis before the independent auditor is engaged to provide each service.

65

Restatement

On February 11, 2020, our management, in consultation with the Audit Committee, of our Board of Directors, determined that Bloom’sour previously issued consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018, as well as the unaudited interim financial statements for the three-month period ended March 31, 2019, the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2019 and 2018 and the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, should no longer be relied upon due to misstatements related to our Managed Services Agreements and similar arrangements, and we would restate and make certain revisions to such financial statements to make the necessary accounting corrections. In addition, another error was identified related to stock-based compensation costs associated with manufacturing employees that were previously expensed but should have been capitalized and it was noted that the Company failed to identify embedded derivatives in certain revenue agreements for an escalator price protection feature given to its customers. Please see the Explanatory Note and Footnote 1 (Nature of Business, Liquidity, Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) to the consolidated financial statements contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 as filed with the SEC for information regarding the restatement and revision.

 

During the year ended December 31, 2020, our management, with the oversight of the Audit Committee, engaged in efforts to remediate the material weakness identified and previously disclosed. We completed these remediation measures in the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2020, including testing of the design and concluding on the effectiveness of all impacted controls. The remediation measures included implementing, under the direction of our CFO, enhanced review procedures and documentation standards to monitor and review all complex and non-routine transactions. Our management took further action by completing a robust review of all internal controls to strengthen documentation, validate processes and communicate accountability for performance of internal control responsibilities. Further, we engaged outside service providers to assist in evaluating and documenting our complex and non-routine transactions.

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Audit Matters

Decision to Engage Deloitte & Touche LLP

In reaching the decision to select and appoint Deloitte, the Audit Committee performed an extensive review process, including consideration of the firm’s extensive energy industry experience, expansive global network and understanding of our business and ability to enable a seamless transition.

During our fiscal years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, and through September 3, 2020, other than the consultations discussed in the paragraph immediately below, neither we nor anyone acting on its behalf consulted with Deloitte regarding either: (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed; or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on our financial statements, and neither a written report nor oral advice was provided to us that Deloitte concluded was an important factor considered by us in reaching a decision as to the accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue; or (ii) any matter that was either the subject of a disagreement or a reportable event.

In December 2019, we engaged Deloitte to provide advisory services regarding the accounting treatment for the Managed Services Agreements and similar arrangements. Deloitte provided oral advice and recommendations, including written comments on our memorandums, for management’s consideration on our policies and procedures, transaction documentation, restatement disclosures, and the proposed accounting treatment of planned transactions. In March 2020, we engaged Deloitte to provide advisory services regarding the adoption of the new lease accounting standards pertaining to the Managed Services Agreements. Deloitte provided oral advice and recommendations, including written comments on our memorandums, on our draft accounting policies and procedures related to the adoption of the new accounting standard.

Appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP

The Audit Committee has appointed Deloitte as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit our consolidated financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2021. During the year ended December 31, 2020, Deloitte served as our independent registered public accounting firm and also provided certain tax and other audit-related services as set forth under the section entitled “Principal Accountant Fees and Services” below. Representatives of Deloitte are expected to be available at the 2021 Annual Meeting to respond to appropriate questions from stockholders and will have the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so.

Stockholders are not required to ratify the appointment of Deloitte as our independent registered public accounting firm. However, we are submitting the appointment for ratification as a matter of good corporate practice. If stockholders fail to ratify the appointment, the Audit Committee will consider whether or not to appoint Deloitte. Even if the appointment is ratified, the Audit Committee may direct the appointment of a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if it determines that such a change would be in our stockholders’ best interests.

Vote Required

The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast for or against is required to approve the proposal. Brokers have the discretion to vote shares held in brokerage accounts on the ratification of the appointment of the independent registered public accounting firm, without specific voting instructions from the beneficial owner. Abstentions have no effect on the outcome of the proposal.

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Audit Matters

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

The following table provides information regarding the fees paid to Deloitte and PwC during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

 20202019
Audit Fees(1)$4,485,763$2,451,000
Audit-Related Fees(2)100,000
Total Audit and Audit-Related Fees4,485,7632,551,000
Tax Fees(3)96,524246,004
All Other Fees(4)49,000111,929
Total Fees$4,631,287$2,908,933
(1)Audit fees consist of fees for professional services rendered in connection with the audit of our annual consolidated financial statements, the review of our quarterly consolidated financial statements, and audit services that are normally provided by independent registered public accounting firms in connection with regulatory filings.
(2)Audit-related fees for 2019 include a statutory audit of our India subsidiary and advice with respect to the adoption of ASC 606.
(3)Tax fees include a variety of permissible tax services related to preparation and/or review of statutory tax filings within U.S., foreign and state jurisdictions, general tax advisory services (including research and discussions related to tax compliance matters), tax planning and assistance with transfer pricing.
(4)For 2020, fees include permissible advisory services provided prior to Deloitte’s appointment as auditor. For 2019, all other fees relate to California Consumer Privacy Act compliance assistance and the purchase of accounting-related research software.

All services described above were pre-approved by the Audit Committee in accordance with the policies and procedures described below. In connection with the audit of our fiscal year 2020 financial statements, we entered into an engagement agreement with Deloitte that sets forth the terms by which Deloitte will perform audit services for us.

The Audit Committee has determined that the rendering of services other than audit services by Deloitte in 2020 and PwC in 2019 were compatible with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence.

Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures

The Audit Committee follows certain procedures for the pre-approval of audit and non-audit services rendered by our independent registered public accounting firms, Deloitte and PwC. The Audit Committee generally pre-approves specified services in the defined categories of audit services, audit-related services, and tax services. Pre-approval may also be given as part of the Audit Committee’s approval of the scope of the engagement of the independent auditor or on an individual, explicit, case-by-case basis before the independent auditor is engaged to provide each service.

Report of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors

 

The principal purpose of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board of Directors in its oversight responsibilities pertaining to the Company’sour accounting practices, system of internal controls, audit processes and financial reporting processes. OurThe Audit Committee is responsible for appointing and retaining our independent auditor and approving the audit and non-audit services to be provided by the independent auditor. The Audit Committee’s authority and responsibility are more fully described in its charter, which is available on the Company’sour website at www.bloomenergy.com by clicking on the links entitled “Investors” and then the “Corporate Governance” tab, under the “Committee Composition” heading..

 

Our management is responsible for preparingestablishing and maintaining adequate internal financial controls, the preparation and presentation of our consolidated financial statements and ensuringthat they are complete and accurate and prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Company’s

Deloitte, our independent registered public accounting firm, is responsible for expressing an opinion on the conformity of those consolidated financial statements with generally accepted accounting principles. It is the roleprinciples and on management’s assessment of the our internal control over financial reporting.

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Audit Committee to oversee these activities.Matters

 

In fulfilling its oversight responsibilities, the Audit Committee has:

 

·reviewed and discussed with management and Deloitte the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 20192020;
discussed with management and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP;Deloitte significant accounting policies applied in our consolidated financial statements, as well as, when applicable, alternative accounting treatments, the reasonableness of significant estimates and judgments, the clarity of disclosures in our consolidated financial statements and critical audit matters addressed during the audit;
·
discussed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLPDeloitte such matters as are required to be discussed with the Audit Committee under generally accepted auditing standards, including the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) and the SEC; and
·
received the written disclosures and the letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLPDeloitte required by applicable requirements of the PCAOB (Communication with Audit Committees Concerning Independence) and has discussed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLPDeloitte their independence.independence and the Audit Committee has concluded that Deloitte’s provision of audit and non-audit services to our and our affiliates is compatible with Deloitte’s independence; and
reviewed and discussed with management, our management’s assessment of and report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020 and reviewed and discussed with Deloitte its review and report on our internal control over financial reporting.

 

Based on these reviews and discussions, the Audit Committee has recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited consolidated financial statements be included in the Company’sour Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20192020 for filing with the SEC. The Audit Committee has selected, and the Board has ratified, the selection of Deloitte as our independent registered public accounting firm for 2021.

 

Submitted by the following members of the Audit Committee:

 

Mary K. Bush (Chair)
Michael Boskin(since November 2019)
Jeffrey Immelt(since November 2019)
Eddy Zervigon

 

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Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

 

We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC. Except as indicated by the footnotes below, to our knowledge, based on the information furnished to us, the persons and entities named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of Common StockClass A and Class B common stock that they beneficially own, subject to applicable community property laws. We have deemed shares of our Common StockClass A and Class B common stock subject to options, warrants, rights or conversion privileges that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 20202021 to be outstanding and to be beneficially owned by the person holding the options, warrants, rights or conversion privileges for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership and voting power of that person but have not treated them as outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership or voting power of any other person. Voting power under our Restated Certificate of Incorporation is calculated based on shares of Class A and Class B common stock actually outstanding as of the applicable record date. Percentage of total voting power represents voting power with respect to all shares of our Class A and Class B common stock, as a single class. The holders of our Class B common stock are entitled to ten votes per share and holders of our Class A common stock are entitled to one vote per share.

 

We have based percentage ownership and voting power of our Common Stock on 90,231,067144,152,659 shares of Class A common stock and 34,872,88827,784,284 shares of Class B common stock outstanding as of March 16, 2020.

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2021.

 

The following table presents information regarding those stockholders known to us to beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding shares of Class A or Class B common stock.

 

5% Stockholders

  Class A
Common Stock
 Class B
Common Stock(1)
 % of Total
Voting
Power(2)
  Shares % Shares % 
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board(3)   21,633,675(4) 38.28% 33.01%
One Queen Street East, Suite 2500, Toronto, Ontario M5C 2W5 Canada          
New Enterprise Associates 10, Limited Partnership(5) 1,333,333 1.48% 8,981,938(6) 24.88% 20.19%
1954 Greenspring Drive, Suite 600, Timonium, MD 21093          
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers IX-A, L.P.(7)   7,609,958(8) 21.44% 17.09%
2750 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025          
Ameriprise Financial, Inc.(9) 8,915,787 9.88%   
100 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore MD 21202          
The Vanguard Group(10) 4,686,533 5.19%   
100 Vanguard Blvd. Malvern, PA 19355          
Kuwait Investment Authority and the Government of the State of Kuwait(11)     9,544,371 27.37% 21.74%
Ministries Complex, Block 3 Safat, Kuwait 13001          
            

 Class A
Common Stock
 Class B
Common Stock(1)
 % of Total
Voting
Power(2)
5% StockholdersShares % Shares % 
New Enterprise Associates 10, Limited Partnership(3)1,333,333 * 11,982,692 43.13% 28.71%
1954 Greenspring Drive, Suite 600, Timonium, MD 21093         
Kuwait Investment Authority and the Government of the State of Kuwait(4)  9,544,371 34.35% 22.62%
Ministries Complex, Block 3 Safat, Kuwait 13001         
Ameriprise Financial, Inc.(5)12,889,076 8.94%   3.05%
145 Ameriprise Financial Center, Minneapolis, MN 55474         
The Vanguard Group(6)10,884,099 7.55%   2.58%
100 Vanguard Blvd., Malvern, PA 19355         
FMR LLC(7)10,499,407 7.28%   2.49%
245 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210         
*Less than one percent.

(1)Each share of Class B common stock will automatically convert into shares of our Class A common stock upon the occurrence of certain events. In addition, Class B common stock may be converted into shares of Class A common stock at any time at the election of the holder. For purposes of this table, we have not included shares of Class A common stock that may be issued upon conversion of outstanding Class B common stock.

(2)Percentage of total voting power represents voting power with respect to all shares of our Class A and Class B common stock, as a single class. The holders of our Class B common stock are entitled to ten votes per share and holders of our Class A common stock are entitled to one vote per share. We have deemed shares of our Common Stockcommon stock subject to options, warrants, rights or conversion privileges that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 20202021 to be outstanding and to be beneficially owned by the person holding the options, warrants, rights or conversion privileges for the purpose of computing the percentage voting power of that person but have not treated them as outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage voting power of any other person.

(3)Information provided is based solely on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on April 10, 2019 in which Canada Pension Plan Investment Board reported that it has sole voting and dispositive power with respect to an aggregate of 21,633,675 shares.

(4)Includes 21,321,100 shares of Class B common stock that are issuable upon conversion of 6% Convertible Senior Secured PIK Notes due 2020 and 312,575 shares of Class B common stock that were issued pursuant to the automatic cashless exercise of a warrant.

(5)Information provided is based on information provided by NEA and on a Schedule 13G/A13D filed with the SEC on February 13,August 24, 2020 in which New Enterprise Associates 10, Limited Partnership (“NEA 10”) and certain affiliated entities and individualsNEA Partners 10, Limited Partnership reported that they have shared voting and dispositive power with respect to an aggregate of 10,295,59913,296,353 shares of Common Stock.Stock and sole voting and dispositive power over no shares. Scott D. Sandell reported sole voting and dispositive power over 32,547 shares of Common Stock (related to options to purchase 32,547 shares of Class A common stock) and shared voting and dispositive power over 13,265,353 shares. Mr. Sandell is the general partner of NEA Partners 10, the sole general partner of NEA 10, and NEA Partners 10 is the sole general partner of NEA 10, and Mr. Sandell and NEA Partners 10 may be deemed to beneficially own the NEA 10 shares as a result. NEA 10 is the record owner of 1,333,333 shares of Class A common stock 7,729,639 shares of Class B common stock and a promissory note that can be converted any time into 1,232,62711,963,020 shares of Class B common stock. Additionally, NEA Ventures 2003 LP, an affiliate of NEA, is the holder of 19,672 shares of Class B common stock. NEA 10 and certain affiliates have entered into a voting agreement with Mr. Sridhar. Please see the section entitled “Voting Agreements below.

 

74(6)Includes 1,232,627 shares of Class B common stock issuable upon the conversion of a promissory note with a face amount of $12,500,000 which is convertible at any time at a rate of $11.25 per share.

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(4)(7)Information provided is based on information obtained from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers IX-A, L.P.our records and certain affiliated entities have entered intothat of the transfer agent. As of March 16, 2021, Kuwait Investment Authority holds 7,473,979 shares of our Class B common stock and the Government of the State of Kuwait holds 2,070,392 shares of our Class B common stock. The shares are subject to a voting agreement with Mr. Sridhar. Please see KR Sridhar as described in the section entitled “Voting Agreements below.” in this Proxy Statement.

(8)Includes 616,314 shares of Class B common stock issuable upon the conversion of a promissory note with a face amount of $6,933,535 which is convertible at any time at a rate of $11.25 per share.

(9)(5)Information provided is based solely on a Schedule 13G13G/A filed with the SEC on January 10, 2020February 12, 2021 on behalf of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (“AFI”), Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (“CMIA”), and Columbia Seligman Communications &and Information Fund (the “Fund”). CMIA and AFI do not directly own any shares. As the investment adviser to the Fund and various other unregistered and registered investment companies and other managed accounts, CMIA may be deemed to beneficially own the Fund’s shares. As the parent holding company of CMIA, AFI may be deemed to beneficially own CMIA’s shares. AFI reported shared voting power over 8,540,79412,570,099 shares, and shared dispositive power over 8,915,78712,889,076 shares and sole voting and dispositive power over no shares. CMIA reported shared voting power over 8,540,54412,570,099 shares, and shared dispositive power over 8,867,08312,876,675 shares, and sole voting and dispositive power over no shares. The Fund reported sole voting power over 4,511,3007,475,098 shares, andsole dispositive power over no shares, shared dispositive power over 4,511,3007,475,098 shares, and shared voting power over no shares.

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(10)(6)Information provided is based solely on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 12, 2020.10, 2021. The Vanguard Group reported sole voting power over 45,298no shares, shared voting power over 4,049208,473 shares, sole dispositive power over 4,643,32610,592,595 shares, and shared dispositive power over 43,207291,504 shares.

(11)(7)Information provided is based solely on a Schedule 13G filed with the Company’s recordsSEC on February 8, 2021 on behalf of FMR LLC (“FMR”) and Abigail P. Johnson (FMR’s Director, Chairman and CEO). The form states that of its transfer agent. As of March 16, 2020. Kuwait Investment Authority holds 7,473,979(a) FMR has sole voting power over 7,706,662 shares, of the Company’s Class B common stockshared voting power over no shares, sole dispositive power over 10,499,407 shares, and the Government of the State of Kuwait holds 2,070,392shared dispositive power over no shares; and (b) Ms. Johnson has neither sole nor shared voting power over any shares, of the Company’s Class B common stock. Thesole dispositive power over 10,499,407 shares, are subject to a voting agreement with KR Sridhar as described in the section entitled “Voting Agreements” in this Proxy Statement.and shared dispositive power over no shares.

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

  Class A
Common Stock
 Class B
Common Stock(1)
 % of Total
Voting
Power(2)
Beneficial Owner Shares % Shares % 
Michael Boskin(3) 15,245    —% *
Mary K. Bush(4) 67,134 * 50,000 * *
John Chambers(5) 391,231 *  —% *
L. John Doerr(6) 2,485,857 2.75% 8,190,118 25.55% 18.95%
Jeffrey Immelt(7) 20,245 *  —% *
Colin Powell(8) 500,208 * 83,333 * *
Scott Sandell(9) 1,346,067       2.61% 8,981,938 25.75% 20.20%
Eddy Zervigon(10) 106,947 *  —% *
K.R. Sridhar(11) 139,298 * 4,356,982      12.49%     9.95%(12)
Shares subject to voting proxy(12)  —% 24,867,486 71.59% 56.65%
Total 139,298 * 29,224,468 83.80% 66.60%
Chris White  —%  —% —%
Hari Pillai(13) 25,160 *  —% *
All Executive Officers and
Directors as a Group (15 persons)
 6,361,556(14)7.05% 22,579,488(15) 61.48% 50.75%

 Class A
Common Stock
 Class B
Common Stock(1)
% of Total
Voting
Power(2)
Beneficial OwnerShares% Shares%
Michael Boskin(3)35,058*  *
Mary K. Bush(4)102,747* 50,000**
John T. Chambers(5)415,488* *
L. John Doerr(6)3,445,5432.39% 1,989,2757.16%5.53%
Jeffrey Immelt(7)110,058* *
Colin L. Powell(8)545,846* 83,333**
Scott Sandell(9)1,346,067* 11,982,69243.13%28.71%
Eddy Zervigon(10)126,760* *
KR Sridhar(11)371,515* 5,364,09617.82%12.12%
Shares subject to voting proxy(12) 21,677,86378.02%51.37%
Total371,515* 27,413,47481.78%65.43%
Gregory Cameron(13)125,056* *
Randy Furr(14)35,676* *
Swaminathan Venkataraman(15)58,503* 143,334**
Susan Brennan(16)192,299* 220,008**
Shawn M. Soderberg(17)350,777* 146,666**
Chris White(18)63,593* *
All Current Executive Officers and Directors as a Group (14 persons)7,289,310(19)5.03% 19,979,404(20)64.97%45.78%
*Less than one percent.

(1)Each share of Class B common stock will automatically convert into shares of our Class A common stock upon the occurrence of certain events. In addition, Class B common stock may be converted into shares of Class A common stock at any time at the election of the holder. For purposes of this table, we have not included shares of Class A common stock that may be issued upon conversion of outstanding Class B common stock.

(2)Percentage of total voting power represents voting power with respect to all shares of our Class A and Class B common stock, as a single class. The holders of our Class B common stock are entitled to ten votes per share and holders of our Class A common stock are entitled to one vote per share. We have deemed shares of our Common Stockcommon stock subject to options, warrants, rights or conversion privileges that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 20192021 to be outstanding and to be beneficially owned by the person holding the options, warrants, rights or conversion privileges for the purpose of computing the percentage voting power of that person but have not treated them as outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage voting power of any other person.

 

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(3)Includes 15,24519,813 Class A restricted stock units that vest within 60 days of March 16, 2020.2021.

(4)Includes 12,73419,813 Class A restricted stock units that vest within 60 days of March 16, 20202021 and 50,000 shares of Class B common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 2020.2021.

(5)Includes 12,73419,813 Class A restricted stock units that vest within 60 days of March 16, 2022021 and 333,333 shares of Class BA common stock held by JCEP Investments, LLC of which Mr. Chambers in the managing member.

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(6)Includes (i) 2,110,8393,040,213 shares of Class A common stock held by Vallejo Ventures Trust of which Mr. Doerr is a trustee, (ii) 12,80417,534 shares of Class A common stock held by the LJD Trust IXKPTV, LLC, of which Mr. DoerrVallejo Ventures Trust is the sole member, (iii) 8,769 shares of Class A common stock held by 2750 Sand Hill Associates, LLC, of which KPTV, LLC is a trustee, (iii)member, (iv) 12,734 shares of Class A common stock held directly, (v) 32,052 shares of Class A common stock held by the LJD II Ventures Partnership of which Mr. Doerr is a general partner, (iv)(vi) 275,918 shares of Class A common stock held by the 1999 Portico Trust of which Mr. Doerr is a trustee, (v)(vii) 19,255 shares of Class A common stock held by The Hampton 1999 Trust of which Mr. Doerr is a trustee, (vi)(viii) 19,255 shares of Class A common stock held by The Austin 1999 Trust of which Mr. Doerr is a trustee, (vii) 12,734(ix) 19,813 Class A restricted stock units that vest within 60 days of March 16, 2020, (viii) 580,1602021, (x) 739,275 shares of Class B common stock held by Vallejo Ventures Trust of which Mr. Doerr is a trustee, (ix) 7,609,958and (xi) 1,250,000 shares of Class B common stock held by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers IX-A, L.P. and certain affiliated entities which includes 616,314 sharesForis Ventures LLC. Certain of Class B common stock issuable upon the conversion of a promissory note. 7,573,804 shares of Class B common stock are subject toof a voting agreement in favor of Mr. Sridhar referred to in footnote (12) below.Sridhar.

(7)Includes 15,24519,813 Class A restricted stock units, which vest within 60 days of March 15, 2020.16, 2021.

(8)Includes (i) 484,474526,033 shares of Class A common stock held by the Colin L Powell Revocable Trust dtd 01/26/2006, (ii) 12,73419,813 Class A restricted stock units that vest within 60 days of March 16, 2020,2021, and (iii) 83,333 shares of Class B common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 2020.2021.

(9)Mr. Sandell is managing general partner of New Enterprise Associates. New Enterprise AssociatesNEA. NEA 10 Limited Partnership (“NEA 10”) and certain affiliated entities and individuals reported that they have shared voting and dispositive power with respect to an aggregate of (i) 1,333,333 shares of Class A common stock and (ii) 7,729,639 shares of Class B common stock and (iii) a promissory note that can be converted any time into 1,232,62711,982,692 shares of Class B common stock. NEA is nominee for the accounts of such individuals and entities who each exercise their own voting and dispositive control over such shares. According to the Company’sour records, NEA Ventures 2003 LP holds an additional 19,672 shares of Class B common stock. 7,749,11111,982,692 shares of Class B common stock are subject to a voting agreement in favor of Mr. Sridhar referred to in footnote (12) below.

(10)Includes (i) 6,000 shares of Class A common stock held by Mr. Zervigon’s IRA and (ii) 12,73419,813 Class A restricted stock units, which vest within 60 days of March 16, 2020.2021.

(11)Includes (i) 131,298236,339 shares of Class A common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 2020,2021, (ii) 1,336,08727,631 Class A restricted stock units which vest within 60 days of March 16, 2021, (iii) 1,462,633 shares of Class B common stock held directly, (iii)(iv) 325,520 shares of Class B common stock held by The KR Sridhar and Sudha Sarma 2012 Irrevocable Trust, (iv)(v) 133,334 shares of Class B common stock held by the KR Sridhar and Sudha Sarma 2020 Four Year GRAT, (vi) 133,333 shares of Class B common stock held by the KR Sridhar and Sudhar Sarma 2020 Three Year GRAT, (vii) 133,333 shares of Class B common stock held by the KR Sridhar and Sudha Sarma 2020 Two Year GRAT, (viii) 128,082 shares of Class B common stock held by the KR Sridhar and Sudha Sarma 2019-1 Four Year GRAT, (ix) 125,689 shares of Class B common stock held by the KR Sridhar and Sudhar Sarma 2019-1 Three Year GRAT, (x) 120,842 shares of Class B common stock held by the KR Sridhar and Sudha Sarma 2019-1 Two Year GRAT, (xi) 112,889 shares of Class B common stock held by the KR Sridhar and Sudha Sarma 2019 Four Year GRAT, (v) 133,333(xii) 103,676 shares of Class B common stock held by the KR Sridhar and Sudhar Sarma 2019 Three Year GRAT, (vi) 133,333(xiii) 85,030 shares of Class B common stock held by the KR Sridhar and Sudha Sarma 2019 Two Year GRAT, (vii)(xiv) 55,630 shares of Class B common stock by KR Sridhar, as Trustee of the KR Sridhar 2010 Annuity Trust AS dated April 27, 2010, (viii)(xv) 55,630 shares of Class B common stock held by KR Sridhar, as Trustee of the KR Sridhar 2010 Annuity Trust KS dated April 27, 2010, (ix)(xvi) 33,136 shares of Class B common stock held by KR Sridhar, as Trustee of the KR Sridhar 2008 Annuity Trust AS dated December 18, 2008, (x)(xvii) 33,136 shares of Class B common stock held by KR Sridhar, as Trustee of the KR Sridhar 2008 Annuity Trust KS dated December 18, 2008, and (xi) 2,117,843(xviii) 2,251,203 shares of Class B common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 2020.2021, and (xix) 71,000 Class B restricted stock units which vest within 60 days of March 16, 2021. By virtue of the relationship Mr. Sridhar has with each Trust above in this footnote, Mr. Sridhar is deemed to have voting and dispositive power of these shares.

(12)Mr. Sridhar holds an irrevocable proxy to vote an additional 24,867,48621,677,863 shares of Class B common stock pursuant to voting agreements between Mr. Sridhar and certain stockholders, including certain of our directors and holders of more than 5% of our capital stock. We do not believe that the parties to these voting agreements constitute a “group” under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act, of 1934, as amended, as Mr. Sridhar exercises voting control over these shares. However, the holders of the underlying shares have the right to convert their shares into Class A common stock at their option, and when converted, such Class A common shares are not subject to the voting agreement. Please see the section entitled “Voting Agreements below.

(13)Includes 22,95054,166 shares of Class A common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 2020.2021.

(14)Includes 284,72035,676 Class A restricted stock units, which vest within 60 days of March 16, 2021.
(15)Includes (i) 26,485 shares of Class A common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 2021, (ii) 3,316 Class A restricted stock units, which vest within 60 days of March 16, 2021, and (iii) 143,334 shares of Class B common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 2021.
(16)Includes (i) 55,870 shares of Class A common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 2021, (ii) 2,113 Class A restricted stock units, which vest within 60 days of March 16, 2021, and (iii) 220,008 shares of Class B common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 2021.
(17)Includes (i) 94,803 shares of Class A common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 2021, (ii) 2,431 Class A restricted stock units, which vest within 60 days of March 16, 2021, and (iii) 146,666 shares of Class B common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 2021.
(18)Includes (i) 23,438 shares of Class A common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 2021 and (ii) 17,187 Class A restricted stock units, which vest within 60 days of March 16, 2021.
(19)Includes (i) 491,101 shares of Class A common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 2020 and 116,781(ii) 191,369 Class A restricted stock units, which vest within 60 days of March 16, 2020.2021.

(15)(20)Includes 3,168,293(i) 2,894,544 shares of Class B common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of March 16, 2020 and 1,849,941 shares of(ii) 71,000 Class B commonrestricted stock issuable upon conversionunits, which vest within 60 days of certain promissory notes as described in footnotes (6) and (9) above.March 16, 2021.

 

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Voting Agreements

 

Our Chief Executive OfficerCEO entered into voting agreements with certain of our stockholders. These voting agreements cover 24,867,48627,413,474 shares of Class B common stock (inclusive of Mr. Sridhar’s shares), which represents approximately 56.65%65.43% of the outstanding voting power of our capital stock as of the Record Date. Under the voting agreement, stockholders agreed to vote all of their shares as directed by, and granted an irrevocable proxy to, Mr. Sridhar at his discretion on all matters to be voted upon by stockholders. The following directors and their affiliated entities and 5% stockholders have entered into a voting agreement: L. JohnMr. Doerr, and entities affiliated with KPCB Holdings, Inc., as nominee, ScottMr. Sandell and entities affiliated with New Enterprise AssociatesNEA, and entities affiliated with Kuwait Investment Authority. Each of the voting agreements will automatically terminate:

 

·upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our business operations;

·
upon the execution by us of a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or the appointment of a receiver or trustee to take possession of our property and assets;

·
from and after the third anniversary of closing of our IPO, at any time upon such resolution by our Board of Directors;the Board;

·
upon the fifth anniversary of the closing of our IPO;

·
as to any shares of Class B common stock that are converted to Class A common stock pursuant to our certificateRestated Certificate of incorporationIncorporation and the Class A common stock resulting from such conversion (but such voting agreement shall remain effective as to any Class B common stock not so converted);

·
upon the date that is 60 days following the date on which KR Sridhar, or his successor under the voting agreement, ceases to provide services to us as one of our officers, unless a majority of the holders of our capital stock who are parties to the voting agreements designates such a successor on or before such date;

·
upon such date as of which none of the parties, other than KR Sridhar or his successor, to the then-outstanding voting agreements, was one of the five largest holders of our capital stock (which entered into a voting agreement) as of the closing of our IPO; or

·
at such time following the closing of this offering when there is no Class B common stock outstanding.

 

Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports

 

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act and SEC rules require our directors and executive officers and any persons who beneficially own more than 10% of our common stock (collectively “Reporting Persons”) to file reports of their ownership and changes in beneficial ownership of common stock with the SEC. As a matter of practice, we assist our executive officers and a majority of our non-employee directors in preparing their initial ownership reports and reporting ownership changes, and we typically file these reports on their behalf.

 

Based upon a review of such filings with the SEC, we believe that all of our Reporting Persons complied with the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act during 2019, except that athree Forms 4 each reporting one transaction were filed late for Mr. Sandell and one Form 34 reporting one transaction was filed late for Chris White due to administrative difficulties in obtaining his SEC EDGAR filing codes in a timely manner.Mr. Doerr.

 

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Equity Compensation Plan Information

Plan CategoryNumber of
Securities
to Be Issued
Upon Exercise
of Outstanding
Options, Warrants
 and Rights
Weighted Average
Exercise Price
of Outstanding
Options, Warrants
 and Rights(1)
Number of Securities
Remaining Available for
Future Issuance Under
Equity Compensation
 Plans(2)
Equity compensation plans approved by stockholders(3)22,254,54721.4822,821,155(4)
Equity compensation plans not approved by stockholders
Totals22,254,547 22,821,155
(1)The weighted average exercise price does not take into account outstanding RSUs and PSUs since those units vest without any cash consideration or other payment required for such shares.
(2)Included in this amount are 2,587,401 shares available for future issuance under the 2018 ESPP.
(3)Includes our 2002 Plan, 2012 Plan, 2018 Plan and the 2018 ESPP.
(4)The number of shares of Class A common stock available for grant and issuance under the 2018 Plan shall be increased on January 1, of each of 2019 through 2028, by the lesser of (a) four percent (4%) of the number of our Class A common stock, our Class B common stock and common stock equivalents (including stock options, RSUs, PSUs and warrants on an as-converted basis) issued and outstanding on each December 31 immediately prior to the date of increase and (b) such number Class A common shares determined by the Board. On each January 1 of each calendar year, the aggregate number of shares of Class A common stock reserved for issuance under the 2018 ESPP shall be increased automatically by the number of shares equal to one percent (1%) of the total number of outstanding shares of our Class A common stock, our Class B common stock, and common stock equivalents (including stock options, RSUs, PSUs and warrants on an as converted basis) outstanding on the immediately preceding December 31 (rounded down to the nearest whole share); provided, that the Board or the Compensation Committee may in its sole discretion reduce the amount of the increase in any particular year.

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Stockholder Proposals and Nominations

 

Rule 14a-8 Stockholder Proposals

 

To be considered for inclusion in the proxy materials for the 20212022 annual meeting of stockholders, stockholder proposals pursuant to Rule 14a-8 must be submitted in writing by December 3, 2020,addressed to our Corporate Secretary and received at 4353 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95134 andby the close of business (5:00 p.m. Pacific Time) on December 1, 2021. These proposals must comply with allthe applicable requirements of Rule 14a-8 promulgated under the Exchange Act and our Bylaws.Act. Submission of a proposal pursuant to Rule 14a-8 does not guarantee that it will be included in the proxy materials for or presented at the annual meeting.

 

Stockholder Nominations and Other Proposals

 

OurThe Bylaws provide that, in order for a stockholder to propose any matter (includingother business, including nominations for directors)directors, for consideration at the annual meeting that is(and not for inclusion in our proxy materials), such stockholder’s notice must be delivered to, be included in the Company’s proxy materials, such stockholder must deliver written notice toor mailed and received by, our Corporate Secretary at the address described above no later than the close of business on the 90th 90th day prior to the first anniversary of last annual meeting of stockholders, norand no earlier than the close of business on the 120th 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the last annual meeting of stockholders, with certain exceptions. Such notice must include all ofthe information, and otherwise satisfy the requirements set forth in, ourthe Bylaws. For the 20212022 annual meeting of stockholders, such nominations or proposalproposals must be received no earlier than January 12, 20212022 and no later than February 11, 2021.2022.

 

Adjournment of the 20202021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

 

In the event there are not sufficient votes to approve any proposal contained in this Proxy Statement at the time of the 2021 Annual Meeting, the 2021 Annual Meeting may be adjourned in order to permit further solicitation of proxies from holders of our Class A and Class B common stock. Proxies solicited by ourthe Board grant discretionary authority to vote for any adjournment, if necessary. If it is necessary to adjourn the 2021 Annual Meeting, and the adjournment is for a period of no more than 30 days and no new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, no notice of the time and place of the adjourned meeting is required to be given to the stockholders other than an announcement of the time and place at the Annual Meeting. The chairman of the 2021 Annual Meeting or a majority of the shares represented and voting at the 2021 Annual Meeting is required to approve the adjournment, regardless of whether there is a quorum present at that meeting.

 

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User’s Guide

 

Other MattersQuestions and Answers about These Proxy Materials, the Annual Meeting and Voting

Why am I being provided these proxy materials?

We are providing you these proxy materials in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board for use at the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time, online via live webcast at our virtual meeting site, www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BE2021.

What is the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials?

This year, we will again be using the “Notice and Access” method of providing proxy materials to stockholders via the internet. We believe that this process provides stockholders with a convenient and quick way to access the proxy materials and vote, while allowing us to conserve natural resources and reduce the costs of printing and distributing the proxy materials. On or about March 31, 2021, we will mail to most of our stockholders a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice”) containing instructions on how to access our proxy materials, including our Proxy Statement and Annual Report. The Notice also provides instructions on how to vote using the internet or by telephone and includes instructions on how to request a paper copy of the proxy materials by mail.

At the close of business on the Record Date, there were 144,152,659 shares of Class A common stock and 27,784,284 shares of Class B common stock outstanding and entitled to vote. The Proxy Statement and Annual Report on Form 10-K are available at www.proxyvote.com. We will provide to any stockholder without charge, upon written or oral request, a copy of our Proxy Statement and Annual Report on Form 10-K (without exhibits). Requests should be directed to Bloom Energy Corporation, 4353 North First Street, San Jose, California 95134, Attention: Corporate Secretary, or by calling (408) 543-1500.

Who can vote at the 2021 Annual Meeting?

Only stockholders holding Class A or Class B common stock at the close of business on the Record Date, which is March 16, 2021, or their proxy holders, will be entitled to vote at the 2021 Annual Meeting. Stockholders of record will be able to participate in, vote their shares electronically, view the list of registered stockholders as of the Record Date and submit their questions during the 2021 Annual Meeting by visiting www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BE2021. Stockholders may also submit questions before the meeting at www.proxyvote.com, as described below. To be admitted to and to vote at the 2021 Annual Meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BE2021, stockholders of record must enter the control number found in the box marked by the arrow for postal mail recipients of the Notice or proxy card, or within the body of the email for electronic delivery recipients.

If your shares are held in street name and your voting instruction form or Notice indicates that you may vote those shares through the http://www.proxyvote.com website, then you will be able to participate in, vote your shares electronically, view the list of registered stockholders as of the Record Date and submit your questions during the 2021 Annual Meeting with the control number indicated on that voting instruction form or Notice. Otherwise, stockholders who hold their shares in street name should contact their bank, broker or other nominee (preferably at least five (5) days before the 2021 Annual Meeting) and obtain a “legal proxy” in order to be able to participate in the 2021 Annual Meeting.

How can I participate in the 2021 Annual Meeting?

This year’s annual meeting will be accessible through the internet. We have adopted a virtual format for the 2021 Annual Meeting to make participation accessible for stockholders from any geographic location with internet connectivity. We have worked to offer the same participation opportunities as were provided at the in-person portion of our past meetings while further enhancing the online experience available to all stockholders regardless of their location. These proxy materials include instructions on how to participate in the 2021 Annual Meeting and how you may vote your shares.

To participate in, submit questions and vote at the 2021 Annual Meeting, stockholders or their proxy holders may log in with the control number found in the box marked by the arrow for postal mail recipients of the Notice or proxy card, or within the body of the email for electronic delivery recipients, at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BE2021.

Whether or not you participate in the 2021 Annual Meeting, it is important that your shares be part of the voting process. Prior to the 2021 Annual Meeting, you may vote your proxy via the internet, telephone, or if you received a printed copy of your proxy materials, by mail – in each case the deadline for voting is 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. To vote your shares via the internet in advance of the 2021 Annual Meeting, go to the voting website, www.proxyvote.com and enter your control number.

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User’s Guide

This year’s question and answer session will include questions submitted in advance of, and questions submitted live during, the 2021 Annual Meeting. You may submit a question in advance of the 2021 Annual Meeting at www.proxyvote.com after logging in with your control number. Questions may be submitted during the 2021 Annual Meeting through www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BE2021. We plan to answer questions pertinent to company matters as time allows during the meeting. Questions that are substantially similar may be grouped and answered once to avoid repetition. Stockholder questions related to personal or customer-related matters, that are not pertinent to annual meeting matters, or that contain derogatory references to individuals, use offensive language, or are otherwise out of order or not suitable for the conduct of the annual meeting will not be addressed during the meeting.

We encourage you to access the 2021 Annual Meeting before it begins. The 2021 Annual Meeting will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on May 12, 2021, and online check-in will start approximately 15 minutes before. Technicians will be ready to assist if any technical difficulties arise when trying to access or during the 2021 Annual Meeting. We will make a replay of the 2021 Annual Meeting available on our Investor Relations website until the next annual meeting.

More information regarding the agenda and rules of conduct for the 2021 Annual Meeting will be provided in advance and during the meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BE2021. The rules of conduct will contain more information regarding the question and answer process, including the number and types of questions permitted, the time allotted for questions, and how questions will be recognized, answered and disclosed.

How many votes do I have?

You have one vote for each share of Class A common stock and ten votes for each share of Class B common stock you owned as of the close of business on the Record Date. The holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock will vote together on each matter presented at the 2021 Annual Meeting.

How does our dual class structure affect me?

Because of the ten-to-one voting ratio between our Class B and Class A common stock, the holders of our Class B common stock collectively control a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock.

The Class B common stock is convertible into Class A common stock at any time at the option of the holder. In addition, the Class B common stock will automatically convert into Class A common stock immediately prior to the close of business on the fifth anniversary of our IPO (July 2023), and may automatically convert earlier than such date upon certain circumstances as described in our Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

What am I voting on?

You are being asked to vote on the following:

election of three Class III directors to serve until our 2024 annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified;
the approval, on an advisory basis, of the frequency of stockholder advisory votes on the compensation of our named executive officers;
the approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of our named executive officers, as described in the Proxy Statement;
the ratification of the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021; and
any other business as may properly come before the 2021 Annual Meeting or any adjournment, continuation or postponement thereof.

How does the Board of Directors recommend I vote on these proposals?

 

The Board recommends that you vote “FOR” the election of DirectorsMichael Boskin, John T. Chambers and L. John Doerr as Class III directors, “ONE YEAR” for Proposal 2 and “FOR” for each of Proposal 3 and Proposal 4.

How do I vote my shares?

Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name

If on the Record Date your shares were registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust, then you are considered the stockholder of record with respect to those shares. As a stockholder of record, you may vote during the 2021 Annual Meeting, or vote by proxy over the telephone, through the internet, or by using a proxy card that you may request or that we may elect to deliver to you at a later time. The method you use to vote will not limit your right to vote at the 2021 Annual Meeting if you decide to vote at the 2021 Annual Meeting. Whether or not you plan to attend the 2021 Annual Meeting online, we urge you to submit your proxy in advance. You may still attend the meeting online and vote during the meeting even if you have already voted by proxy.

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Before the 2021 Annual Meeting:

To vote through the internet: Go to www.proxyvote.com to complete an electronic proxy card. You will be asked to provide the control number from your Notice. Your internet vote must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 11, 2021, to be counted.

To vote by telephone: Dial toll-free 1-800-690-6903 using a touch-tone phone and follow the recorded instructions. You will be asked to provide the control number from the Notice. Your telephone vote must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 11, 2021, to be counted.

To vote by mail: If you received your proxy materials via the U.S. mail, you may complete, sign and return the accompanying proxy card in the postage-paid envelope provided. If you return your signed proxy card to us and we receive it before the 2021 Annual Meeting, we will vote your shares as you direct.

During the 2021 Annual Meeting:

To vote through the internet at the meeting: To be admitted to and vote at the 2021 Annual Meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/ BE2021, you must enter the control number found in the box marked by the arrow for postal mail recipients of the Notice or proxy card, or within the body of the email for electronic delivery recipients. Otherwise, stockholders who hold their shares in street name should contact their bank, broker or other nominee (preferably at least five (5) days before the 2021 Annual Meeting) and obtain a “legal proxy” in order to be able to attend participate in or vote at the 2021 Annual Meeting.

Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of Broker or Bank

If on the Record Date your shares were held in an account with a brokerage firm, bank or other nominee, then you are the beneficial owner of the shares held in street name. As a beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your nominee how to vote the shares held in your account. However, the organization that holds your shares is considered the stockholder of record for purposes of voting at the 2021 Annual Meeting. Because you are not the stockholder of record, you may not vote your shares at the 2021 Annual Meeting unless (i) your voting instruction form or Notice indicates that you may vote those shares through the www.proxyvote.com website (in which case, you may access, participate in, and vote at the 2021 Annual Meeting with the access code indicated on that voting instruction form or Notice) or (ii) you request (preferably at least five (5) days before the 2021 Annual Meeting) and obtain a “legal proxy” from the organization that holds your shares giving you the right to vote the shares at the meeting. You should have received a voting instruction card and voting instructions with these proxy materials from your brokerage firm, bank or other agent rather than from us. Simply complete and mail the voting instruction card to ensure that your vote is counted. Internet or telephonic voting may also be available; however, that will depend on the voting process of your broker, bank or other nominee. Please see your voting instruction card for further details.

How will my shares be voted if I return a blank proxy card?

If you return a signed and dated proxy card or otherwise submit a proxy without indicating voting selections, your shares will be voted, as applicable, “FOR” the election of each Class III director nominee, “ONE YEAR” for Proposal 2 and “FOR” each of Proposal 3 and Proposal 4. If any other matter is properly presented at the meeting, your proxyholder (one of the individuals named on your proxy card) will vote your shares using in his or her discretion at the 2021 Annual Meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof.

How will my shares be voted if I do not provide my broker or bank with voting instructions, and what is a “broker non-vote”?

If you are a beneficial owner of shares held in street name and you do not instruct your broker, bank or other nominee how to vote your shares, your broker, bank or other nominee may still be able to vote your shares in its discretion on certain matters. Brokers, banks, and other securities intermediaries may use their discretion to vote your “uninstructed” shares with respect to matters considered to be “routine,” but not with respect to “non-routine” matters. In this regard, Proposals 1 through 3 are considered to be “non-routine,” meaning that your broker may not vote your shares on each of those proposals in the absence of your voting instructions. Proposal 4 is considered to be a “routine” matter, meaning that if you do not return voting instructions to your broker by its deadline, your shares may be voted by your broker in its discretion on Proposal 4. If a broker, bank or other nominee exercises their discretionary voting authority on Proposal 4, such shares will be considered present at the annual meeting for quorum purposes, counted in the voting results for Proposal 4 and a broker non-vote will occur as to Proposals 1 through 3.

If you are a beneficial owner of shares held in street name, in order to ensure your shares are voted in the way you would prefer, you must provide voting instructions to your broker, bank or other nominee by the deadline provided in the materials you receive from your broker, bank or other nominee.

How many votes are needed to approve the proposal?

Proposal 1: The election of directors requires a plurality of the votes cast at the 2021 Annual Meeting. “Plurality” means that the nominees who receive the largest number of votes cast “for” such nominee are elected as directors. As a result, with respect to the election of the three Class III directors, the three nominees receiving the most “FOR” votes (among votes properly cast, including by proxy) will be elected. “Withhold” votes and broker non-votes will have no effect. The Board unanimously recommends that you vote your shares “FOR” each of the nominees listed in Proposal 1.

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Proposal 2: The approval, on an advisory basis, of the frequency of stockholder advisory votes on the compensation of our named executive officers will be determined by a plurality vote, which means the option that receives the highest number of votes cast by stockholders will be approved. You may vote for “1 YEAR,” “2 YEARS” or “3 YEARS” on this proposal. Abstentions and broker non-votes are not deemed to be votes cast and, therefore, are not included in the tabulation of the voting results on this proposal and will not affect the outcome of the vote. The Board unanimously recommends that you vote your shares for “1 YEAR” for Proposal 2.

Proposal 3: The approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of our named executive officers, as described in the Proxy Statement, requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast for or against the proposal. You may vote “FOR,” “AGAINST” or “ABSTAIN” on this proposal. Abstentions and broker non-votes are not deemed to be votes cast and, therefore, are not included in the tabulation of the voting results on this proposal and will not affect the outcome of the vote. The Board unanimously recommends that you vote your shares “FOR” Proposal 3.

Proposal 4: The ratification of the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2021, requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast for or against the proposal. You may vote “FOR,” “AGAINST” or “ABSTAIN” on this proposal. Abstentions will have no effect. Brokers have the discretion to vote shares held in brokerage accounts on the ratification of the appointment of the independent registered public accounting firm, in the event they do not receive specific voting instructions from the beneficial owner. The Board unanimously recommends that you vote your shares “FOR” Proposal 4.

Who is making this solicitation?

The Board is soliciting these proxies and the cost of such solicitation will be borne by Bloom, including the charges and expenses of persons holding shares in their name as nominee incurred in connection with forwarding proxy materials to the beneficial owners of such shares. In addition to the use of the mail, proxies may be solicited by our officers, directors and employees in person, by telephone or by email. Those individuals will not be additionally compensated for the solicitation but may be reimbursed for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the solicitation.

What is the quorum requirement?

A quorum of stockholders is necessary to hold a valid 2021 Annual Meeting. The Bylaws provide that a majority of the voting power of all shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the 2021 Annual Meeting, including by proxy, will constitute a quorum. Your shares will be counted toward the quorum only if you submit a valid proxy or vote at the 2021 Annual Meeting, or if you are a beneficial owner of shares held in street name, if you submit your voting instructions or if your bank, broker or other nominee exercise its voting discretion over such shares. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted as shares present for the purposes of determining the presence of a quorum.

What does it mean if I receive more than one proxy card?

If you receive more than one proxy card, your shares are registered in more than one name or are registered in different accounts. Please complete, sign and return each proxy card to ensure that all of your shares are voted.

Can I change my vote or revoke my proxy?

Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name

Yes. You can revoke your proxy at any time before the closing of the polls at the 2021 Annual Meeting. You may revoke your proxy in any one of following ways:

You may submit another properly completed proxy card with a later date but before the submission deadline for the 2021 Annual Meeting.
You may grant a subsequent proxy by telephone or through the internet.
You may send a written notice that you are revoking your proxy to the Corporate Secretary of Bloom at 4353 North First Street, San Jose, California 95134. The notice will be considered timely if it is received at the indicated address by the close of business on the business day immediately preceding the date of the 2021 Annual Meeting.
You may attend the virtual meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BE2021 and vote electronically. However, simply attending the 2021 Annual Meeting will not, by itself, revoke your proxy.

Your most recently submitted proxy card or telephone or internet proxy is the one that is counted.

Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of Broker or Bank

If your shares are held by your broker, bank or other nominee, you may change your vote by submitting new voting instructions to your bank, broker or other nominee.

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How can I find out the results of the voting at the 2021 Annual Meeting?

We intend to announce preliminary voting results at the 2021 Annual Meeting and publish final results in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed with the SEC within four business days of the 2021 Annual Meeting.

What is “householding” and how does it affect me?

We have adopted a procedure approved by the SEC called “householding.” Under this procedure, we send only one proxy statement and one annual report to eligible stockholders who share a single address, unless we have received instructions to the contrary from any stockholder at that address. This practice is designed to reduce our printing and postage costs and benefits the environment. Stockholders who participate in householding will continue to receive separate proxy cards. We do not use householding for any other stockholder mailings.

If you share an address with another stockholder and receive only one set of proxy materials but would like to request a separate copy of these materials now or in the future, please contact our mailing agent, Broadridge, by calling 1-800-540-7095 or by writing to Broadridge, Householding Department, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, New York, 11717, and we will deliver these materials promptly. Broadridge is acting as our mailing agent and vote tabulator and is not soliciting proxies on our behalf. Similarly, you may also contact Broadridge using these methods if you receive multiple copies of the proxy materials and would prefer to receive a single copy in the future. If you own shares through a bank, broker or other nominee, you should contact the nominee concerning householding procedures.

Are votes confidential? Who counts the votes?

Proxy instructions, ballots and voting tabulations that identify individual stockholders are handled in a manner that protects your voting privacy. We will not disclose the proxy instructions or ballots of individual stockholders, except:

as necessary to meet applicable legal requirements and to assert or defend claims for or against Bloom;
to facilitate a successful proxy solicitation;
if a stockholder makes a written comment on the proxy card or otherwise communicates his or her vote to management; or
to allow the independent inspector of election to certify the results of the vote.

A representative from Broadridge will serve as the inspector of election.

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Other Matters

The Board does not intend to bring any other matters before the 20202021 Annual Meeting and has no reason to believe any other matters will be presented. If other matters properly do come before the 20202021 Annual Meeting, however, it is the intention of the persons named as proxy agents in the enclosed proxy card to vote on such matters as recommended by the Board of Directors.they deem appropriate.

 

By Order of the Board of DirectorDirectors

 

 

Shawn M. Soderberg

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
April 2, 2020

March 31, 2021

 

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Appendix A – Unaudited Reconciliations from GAAP to Non-GAAP

Bloom Energy Corporation Unaudited Reconciliations from GAAP to Non-GAAP (In Thousands)

Operating Loss to Operating Income (Loss) Excluding Stock-Based Compensation

Operating income (loss) excluding stock-based compensation (“SBC”) is a supplemental measure of operating performance that does not represent and should not be considered an alternative to operating loss, as determined under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). This measure removes the impact of SBC. We believe that operating income (loss) excluding SBC supplements the GAAP measure and enables us to more effectively evaluate our performance period-over-period. A reconciliation of operating income (loss) excluding SBC to operating loss, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, and the computation of operating income (loss) excluding SBC are as follows:

  Q420  FY20 
Operating loss $(4,518)  $(80,785) 
Stock-based compensation  16,508   73,893 
Non-GAAP operating income (loss) excluding SBC $11,990  $(6,892) 

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Appendix A – Unaudited Reconciliations from GAAP to Non-GAAP

Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP supplemental measure of operating performance that does not represent and should not be considered an alternative to operating loss or cash flow from operations, as determined by GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income (loss) before interest expense, income tax expense, non-controlling interest, revaluations, SBC and depreciation and amortization expense. We use Adjusted EBITDA to measure the operating performance of our business, excluding specifically identified items that we do not believe directly reflect our core operations and may not be indicative of our recurring operations. Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures provided by other companies due to potential differences in methods of calculations. A reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net loss is as follows:

  Q420  FY20 
Net loss to common stockholders $(27,138)  $(157,553) 
Deemed dividend to noncontrolling interest      
Loss (gain) on extinguishment of debt     12,878 
Loss for non-controlling interests(1)  (4,453)   (21,534) 
Loss (gain) on derivatives liabilities(2)  1,737   (464) 
Loss (gain) on the fair value adjustments for certain PPA derivatives(3)  140   110 
Stock-based compensation  16,508   73,893 
Depreciation & amortization  13,391   52,279 
Provision (benefit) for income tax  (16)   256 
Interest expense (income), other expense (income), net  25,352   85,632 
Adjusted EBITDA $25,521  $45,497 
(1)Represents the profits and losses allocated to the non-controlling interests under the hypothetical liquidation at book value method.
(2)Represents the adjustments to the fair value of the embedded derivatives associated with the convertible notes and other derivatives.
(3)Represents the adjustments to the fair value of the derivative forward contract for one PPA entity (our first PPA company).

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BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
4353 NORTH FIRST STREET
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95134

VOTE BY INTERNET
Before The Meeting - Go to www.proxyvote.com

Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information. Vote by 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on May 11, 2021. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form.

During The Meeting - Go to www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BE2021

You may attend the meeting via the Internet and vote during the meeting. Have the information that is printed in the box marked by the arrow available and follow the instructions.

VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903
Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions. Vote by 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on May 11, 2021. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions.

VOTE BY MAIL
Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717.








TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS:
D40068-P50483KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS
DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY
THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED.
BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATIONForWithholdFor All
AllAllExcept
The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR each of the nominees listed below:
1.Election of Class III Directors
Nominees:
01)    Michael Boskin
02)John T. Chambers
03)L. John Doerr
                
To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), mark "For All Except" and write the number(s) of the nominee(s) on the line below.


The Board of Directors recommends you vote 1 YEAR on the following proposal:1 Year2 Years3 YearsAbstain
2.To approve, on an advisory basis, the frequency of stockholders' advisory votes on the compensation of our named executive officers.
The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposals 3 and 4:ForAgainstAbstain
3.To approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers.
4.To ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2021.
NOTE: Such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment, continuation or postponement thereof.





Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer.


Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX]Date
Signature (Joint Owners)Date



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Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting:
The Annual Report and Notice and Proxy Statement are available at www.proxyvote.com.

 


D40069-P50483



BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
Annual Meeting of Stockholders
May 12, 2021 9:00 a.m. PT
This proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors

The undersigned hereby appoints KR Sridhar and Shawn M. Soderberg, and each of them, as proxy holders with full power of substitution and authority to act in the absence of the other, each to vote with respect to shares of the Class A common stock and Class B common stock for which proxies will be solicited for use in connection with the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be held on May 12, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. PT, via the internet at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BE2021, and at any adjournments, continuations or postponements thereof.

This proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner directed herein. If the proxy is executed, but no direction is made, this proxy will be voted in accordance with the Board of Directors' recommendations. In the event that any of the nominees named on the reverse side of this proxy card are unavailable for election or unable to serve, this proxy may be voted for a substitute nominee selected by the Board of Directors. The proxies are authorized to vote in their discretion upon other matters that may properly come before the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.






Continued and to be signed on reverse side