ATRC AtriCure Inc

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 26, 2023

Registration No. 333-            

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

ATRICURE, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

7555 Innovation Way

Mason, Ohio 45040

(513) 755-4100

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant’s principal executive offices)

ATRICURE, INC.

2018 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

(Amended and Restated Effective May 25, 2023)

(Full title of the Plan)

Angela L. Wirick

Chief Financial Officer

AtriCure, Inc.

7555 Innovation Way

Mason, Ohio 45040

(513) 755-4100

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copy to:

F. Mark Reuter

Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL

One East Fourth Street, Suite 1400

Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

(513) 579-6469

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. Check one:

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

This registration statement on Form S-8 (“Registration Statement”) is filed by AtriCure, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Registrant” or the “Company”), for the purpose of registering an additional 750,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $.001 per share (the “Shares”), to be issued to eligible participants pursuant to the Registrant’s 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Amended and Restated Effective May 25, 2023) (“ESPP”). The ESPP authorizes the issuance of up to 1,250,000 Shares, including reserved Shares not issued under the ESPP, for which the Registrant has previously filed registration statement(s) on Form S-8.

The document(s) containing the information required by Item 1 of Form S-8 and the statement of availability of registrant information and any other information required by Item 2 of Form S-8 shall be sent or given to participants as specified by Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). In accordance with Rule 428 and the requirements of Part I of Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act. The Registrant will maintain a file of such documents in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428. Upon request, the Registrant shall furnish the Commission or its staff a copy or copies of all of the documents included in such file.

Pursuant to Rule 429(a) of the Securities Act, the prospectus that will be used in connection with the offer and sale of the securities covered by this Registration Statement and issued pursuant to the ESPP will also be used in connection with the sale of securities covered by prior registration statement(s) related to the ESPP.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Commission are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof:

All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities registered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents, except as to any portion of any future statement, report or document that is not deemed filed under such provisions. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be a part of this registration statement from the date of filing of such document with the SEC until the information contained therein is superseded or updated by any subsequently filed document that is incorporated by reference herein. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement. Under no circumstances will any information filed under Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K be deemed incorporated herein by reference unless such Form 8-K expressly provides to the contrary.

Not Applicable.

The legality of the Common Stock offered hereby will be passed upon for the Registrant by Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL, One East Fourth Street, Suite 1400, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. Attorneys of Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL participating in matters relating to this Form S-8 own no shares of the Registrant’s Common Stock.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a corporation may indemnify directors and officers as well as other employees and individuals against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any threatened, pending or completed actions, suits or proceedings in which such person is made a party by reason of such person being or having been a director, officer, employee or agent to the Registrant. The Delaware General Corporation Law provides that Section 145 is not exclusive of other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. Article VII of the Registrant’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides for indemnification by the Registrant of its directors, officers and employees to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law. In addition, the Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its current directors and executive officers to provide these directors and executive officers additional contractual assurances regarding the scope of the indemnification set forth in the Registrant’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and to provide additional procedural protections. There is no pending litigation or proceeding involving a director or executive officer of the Registrant for which indemnification is sought.

Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits a corporation to provide in its Certificate of Incorporation that a director of the corporation shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. The Registrant’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides for such limitation of liability.

The Registrant maintains standard policies of insurance under which coverage is provided (a) to its directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act, and (b) to the Registrant with respect to payments which may be made by the Registrant to such officers and directors pursuant to the above indemnification provisions or otherwise as a matter of law.

Article IX of the Registrant’s Fourth Amended and Restated Bylaws provides as follows:

ARTICLE IX - INDEMNIFICATION

The corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any current or former director or officer of the corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans (an “indemnitee”), against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, the corporation shall be required to indemnify an indemnitee in connection with a Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if the Proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board, except as provided in Section 9.4 of this Article IX with respect to proceedings to enforce rights to advancement or indemnification.

The corporation shall have the power to indemnify and hold harmless, to the extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any employee or agent of the corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was an employee or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding.

The corporation shall pay the expenses incurred by an indemnitee, and may pay the expenses incurred by any current or former employee or agent of the corporation, in defending any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that the payment of expenses incurred by a person in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by the person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right of appeal that the person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article IX or otherwise.

If a claim for indemnification or payment of expenses under this Article IX is not paid to an indemnitee in full within sixty (60) days after a written claim therefor has been received by the corporation, the indemnitee may file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim. To the fullest extent permitted by law, if successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the indemnitee shall also be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit. In any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that the indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the DGCL. In any suit brought by the corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final adjudication that the indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the DGCL. Neither the failure of the corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors,

independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the indemnitee, be a defense to such suit. In any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or brought by the corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article IX or otherwise shall be on the corporation.

The rights conferred on any person by this Article IX shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the certificate of incorporation, these bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

The corporation may purchase and maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.

The corporation’s obligation, if any, to indemnify any person who is or was serving at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity shall be reduced by any amount such person may collect as indemnification from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit enterprise.

The provisions of this Article IX shall constitute a contract between the corporation, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, each individual who serves or has served as a director or officer of the corporation (whether before or after the adoption of these bylaws), in consideration of such person’s performance of such services, and pursuant to this Article IX the corporation intends to be legally bound to each such current or former director or officer of the corporation. With respect to current and former directors and officers of the corporation, the rights conferred under this Article IX are present contractual rights and such rights are fully vested, and shall be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon adoption of these bylaws and such rights shall inure to the benefit of such person’s heirs, executors and administrators. With respect to any directors or officers of the corporation who commence service following adoption of these bylaws, the rights conferred under this provision shall be present contractual rights and such rights shall fully vest, and be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon such director or officer commencing service as a director or officer of the corporation. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article IX shall not adversely affect any right or protection (i) hereunder of any person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification, or (ii) under any agreement providing for indemnification or advancement of expenses to an officer or director of the corporation in effect prior to the time of such repeal or modification.

Not Applicable.

(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes

(1) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit, or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in Mason, Ohio, as of the 26^th day of July, 2023.

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Michael H. Carrel and Angela L. Wirick, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

Exhibit 5.1

July 26, 2023

AtriCure, Inc.

7555 Innovation Way

Mason, Ohio 45040

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to a registration statement on Form S-8 of AtriCure, Inc. (the “Company”) which is being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Registration Statement”). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Registration Statement.

The Registration Statement relates to 750,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001, of the Company (the “Shares”), which may be issued by the Company pursuant to the AtriCure, Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Amended and Restated Effective May 25, 2023) (the “ESPP”).

In connection with our representation of the Company, as a basis for our opinions hereinafter set forth, we have examined the Registration Statement, including the exhibits thereto, the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Fourth Amended and Restated Bylaws, the ESPP and such other documents as we have deemed appropriate in rendering this opinion. As to matters of fact, we have relied on representations of officers of the Company. In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as copies of originals.

Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when issued in accordance with the terms of the ESPP, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. This opinion is being furnished to you solely for submission to the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and, accordingly, may not be relied upon, quoted in any manner to, or delivered to any other person or entity, without in each instance our prior written consent.

The foregoing opinions are subject to the qualification that we express no opinion with respect to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware. We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion if any applicable law changes after the date hereof or if we become aware of any fact that might change the opinion expressed herein after the date hereof.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933 or the rules or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our reports dated February 22, 2023, relating to the consolidated financial statements of AtriCure, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”), and the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2022.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

Cincinnati, Ohio

July 26, 2023

Exhibit 107.1

Calculation of Filing Fee Table

Form S-8

(Form Type)

ATRICURE, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Table 1: Newly Registered Securities