NewHydrogen, Inc. [NEWH] Filings

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023

or

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM __________ TO __________

COMMISSION FILE NUMBER: 000-54819

NEWHYDROGEN, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

27936 Lost Canyon Road, Suite 202, Santa Clarita, California 91387

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number: (661) 251-0001

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act: None.

Securities registered under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act:

Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

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 definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “small reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐No ☒

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common stock of the issuer held by non-affiliates, computed by reference to the price at which the common stock was sold on June 30, 2023, was approximately $8,397,963.

The number of shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding, as of March 15, 2024 was 704,599,512 .

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

None.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

Overview

We are a developer of clean energy technologies. Our current focus is on developing a green hydrogen production technology that uses water and heat rather than electricity to produce the world’s cheapest green hydrogen.

Hydrogen is the cleanest and most abundant element in the universe, and we can’t live without it. Hydrogen is the key ingredient in making fertilizers needed to grow food for the world. It is also used for transportation, refining oil and making steel, glass, pharmaceuticals and more. Nearly all the hydrogen today is made from hydrocarbons like coal, oil, and natural gas, which are dirty and limited resources. Water, on the other hand, is an infinite and renewable worldwide resource.

Currently, the most common method of making green hydrogen is to split water into oxygen and hydrogen with an electrolyzer using green electricity produced from solar or wind. However, green electricity is and always will be very expensive. It currently accounts for 73% of the cost of green hydrogen. By using heat directly, we can skip the expensive process of making electricity, and fundamentally lower the cost of green hydrogen. Inexpensive heat can be obtained from concentrated solar, geothermal, nuclear reactors and industrial waste heat for use in our novel low-cost thermochemical water splitting process. Working with a world class research team at UC Santa Barbara, our goal is to help usher in the green hydrogen economy that Goldman Sachs (in a 2022 report) estimated to have a future market value of $12 trillion.

Industry Overview

Hydrogen is the most abundant and prevalent clean energy in the universe.

Hydrogen does not exist in its pure form, and must be extracted. According to a 2022 report from the U.S. Department of Energy, more than 95% of hydrogen in the world are made by steam reforming of natural gas (“Grey Hydrogen”) or coal gasification (“Brown Hydrogen”). Both sources of hydrogen are basically different forms of dirty, carbon heavy, and non-renewable fossil fuels. This does nothing to help fight climate change or lead to renewable energy and a sustainable planet.

According to a 2023 research report from Vantage Market Research, green hydrogen has an annual market size of more than $374 million in 2021, and is expected to hit $8.7 billion in 2028. Developing cost-competitive Green Hydrogen made from renewable resources such as solar, wind and water can significantly expand the market for hydrogen. At this time, the electrolyzer technology represents the most well understood way forward.

Solar or Wind Energy + Water + Electrolyzers = Green Hydrogen

Abundant sources of Green Hydrogen can power a clean energy world of fast charging fuel cell electric vehicles, light up our homes, make our fertilizers and ultimately replace many forms of fossil fuels.

An overwhelming amount of scientific evidence shows that carbon emissions from fossil fuels have contributed to increasing global climate change. Policymakers around the world have accelerated programs to enable the development and adoption of renewable energy. The U.S has been slow to adopt such programs but is quickly becoming a formidable force. According to the World Resources Institute, more than 14 U.S. states have legislative mandates requiring 100% renewable electricity, some as early as 2040. Both the U.K. and European Union are targeting net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

With this global backdrop and concerted actions toward climate policies and clean energy, we believe the Green Hydrogen revolution is ready to take off. The Sun does not always shine, and the wind does not always blow. Therefore, green energy from solar and wind power is inherently intermittent and unreliable as a primary source of power. However, by converting that green electricity into Green Hydrogen, it can be used anywhere and anytime for electricity, chemicals, heating and all necessities of life.

Because of the versatility of hydrogen, we believe Green Hydrogen has the potential to fundamentally improve the world economy and usher in a new era of economic prosperity, sustainability, and energy independence to those with access to solar, wind and water which describes most of the entire world.

Electrolyzer Technology

For more than 200 years, scientists have known how to split water into hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O₂). By placing two metal electrodes into a jar of salted water (electrolytic solution) and applying an electrical voltage between them, H₂ and O₂ will bubble up at the separate electrodes. This process is called electrolysis and the device is called an electrolyzer. If the source of electricity is renewable such as solar or wind, then the resulting hydrogen is a zero-greenhouse gas renewable resource - Green Hydrogen.

There are two primary types of commercial electrolyzers. The original alkaline electrolyzer and the modern proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. However, neither technology can currently produce Green Hydrogen at scale that is cost competitive with Grey or Brown Hydrogen sourced from fossil fuels. PEM electrolysis has the advantage of higher efficiency and quickly reacting to fluctuating input energy, which is ideally matched to the fluctuating nature of solar and wind energy. Its smaller footprint also makes it ideal for distributed systems, which is how most renewable energy systems are implemented.

PEM electrolyzers are expensive because they rely on rare materials such as platinum and iridium - which is akin to stardust found only in asteroids - as chemical catalysts for the water-splitting reactions. According to National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), these materials account for nearly 50% of the capital cost of PEM electrolyzers. Additionally, the cost of electricity contributes to over 70% of hydrogen production costs.

The Problem with Electrolyzer Technology

For more than 100 years, the gold standard for producing green hydrogen is through electrolysis, using electrolyzers with solar or wind energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. However, electrolyzers are very expensive and their efficiencies are fundamentally limited by the natural laws of thermodynamics. For example, the theoretical voltage required to split water is 1.23V, but in real life, the voltage required in an industrial electrolyzer is closer to 2V, sometimes more. This 60% or more of additional energy is wasted and not put into hydrogen molecules.

The electrolyzer was first Invented in 1789 and its basic chemistry and architecture hasn’t changed much since then, despite many materials and manufacturing advancements. Nearly all electrolyzers suffer from the following disadvantages:

According to the 2022 Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, The biggest problem with electrolyzers is the use of electricity, which accounts for nearly 73% of the cost of Hydrogen production.

The Solution – Using Heat Instead of Electricity is a Better Way

Cheap, widely available green hydrogen could revolutionize global energy systems and presents a $12 trillion market opportunity. NewHydrogen aims to play a leading role in capturing a share of this enormous potential market by developing a whole new way to reduce the cost of green hydrogen.”

NewHydrogen is developing ThermoLoop^TM, a novel low-cost thermochemical process to split water using inexpensive heat, instead of expensive electricity. Previous thermochemical approaches use extremely hard to manage temperatures such as 2,000°C, or an inefficient series of step reactions at different temperatures to split water into oxygen and hydrogen. Using heat to split water isn’t new, but our goal with ThermoLoop^TM is to develop an elegant and highly efficient chemical looping redox process operating at normal industrial temperatures ranges (below 1000°C).

One step oxidizes (changes) the material to facilitate hydrogen production, the other step(s) reduce (recover) the material and produce oxygen. These steps operate in a continuous process loop that splits an incoming supply of steam (water). This type of redox chemistry is simple on paper but hard in practice. The magic lies in the redox properties of certain multiphase materials, and this has not been done before and represents an exciting development that may enable substantial cost reduction by skipping expensive electricity. Inexpensive heat can be obtained from concentrated solar, geothermal, nuclear reactors or industrial waste heat.”

Applications of Green Hydrogen

Unlike lithium-ion where it is simply a battery technology, Green Hydrogen is an economy. There are many applications for Green Hydrogen, some with larger markets than others. Here are just a few.

(Source: U.S. Department of Energy)

Research and Development

NewHydrogen is developing ThermoLoop™ – a breakthrough technology that uses water and heat rather than electricity to produce the world’s lowest cost green hydrogen. Hydrogen is the cleanest and most abundant element in the universe, and we can’t live without it. Hydrogen is the key ingredient in making fertilizers needed to grow food for the world. It is also used for transportation, refining oil and making steel, glass, pharmaceuticals and more. Nearly all the hydrogen today is made from hydrocarbons like coal, oil, and natural gas, which are dirty and limited resources. Water, on the other hand, is an infinite and renewable worldwide resource.

Currently, the most common method of making green hydrogen is to split water into oxygen and hydrogen with an electrolyzer using green electricity produced from solar or wind. However, green electricity is and always will be very expensive. It currently accounts for 73% of the cost of green hydrogen. By using heat directly, we can skip the expensive process of making electricity, and fundamentally lower the cost of green hydrogen. Inexpensive heat can be obtained from concentrated solar, geothermal, nuclear reactors and industrial waste heat for use in our novel low-cost thermochemical water splitting process. Working with a world class research team at UC Santa Barbara, our goal is to help usher in the green hydrogen economy that Goldman Sachs estimated to have a future market value of $12 trillion.

Marketing Strategy

We will begin marketing our ThermoLoop^TM technology as soon as a tangible form of quantitative performance demonstration becomes available. Our marketing plan includes engaging with manufacturers of existing thermochemical hydrogen production component and delivery infrastructure, as well as identifying and developing relationships with potential licensing partners with large scale hydrogen generation and supply logistics all over the world.

We are currently outsourcing our promotion efforts to a public relations firm that is assisting us with comprehensive advertising and promotion of the Company.

Backlog of Orders

We do not have any backlog of orders.

Government Contracts

We do not have any government contracts at this time.

Compliance with Environmental Laws and Regulations

Our operations are subject to local, state and federal laws and regulations governing environmental quality and pollution control. To date, our compliance with these regulations has had no material effect on our operations, capital, earnings, or competitive position, and the cost of such compliance has not been material. We are unable to assess or predict at this time what effect additional regulations or legislation could have on our activities.

Manufacturing and Distribution

On February 2, 2022, we entered into a Manufacturing Supply Agreement with Verde LLC providing for the future commercial production of hydrogen generation plants. The term of the Agreement continues through December 31, 2024, unless earlier terminated pursuant to the terms thereof. Additionally, the Agreement contemplates that the quantities, pricing and delivery date and other terms will be set forth in purchase orders issued under the Agreement.

We may enter into additional agreements for the manufacture and distribution of our own technology products in the future.

Intellectual Property

On May 19, 2011, we filed a U.S. patent to protect the intellectual property rights for “Photovoltaic Module Backsheet, Materials for Use in Module Backsheet and Process for Making the Same,” application number 13/093,549. The inventor listed on the patent application is Stanley Levy, our former Chief Technology Officer. The Company is listed as assignee. This patent was issued on July 14, 2015. Our BioBacksheet^R is currently available for licensing only.

On March 26, 2018, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University filed a U.S. patent application U.S. Serial No. 62/473,772 titled “Prelithiated Silicon Particles for Lithium Ion Batteries”, and we currently have option to negotiate for a non-exclusive License Agreement for the use of the technology. The patent was issued on December 29, 2020.

Competition

There are a number of companies developing green hydrogen technologies including ITM Power, Clean Power Hydrogen Group, Sunfire, Greenway Energy, Amalyst, and AFC Energy. We expect a high level of competition, but the market opportunity is very large. Once we implement the prototype demonstration of our technology for commercial application, we plan on seeking partnership or licensing arrangements for our green hydrogen technology with a select group of equipment manufacturers of green hydrogen.

Technology Development Partners

On September 28, 2017, the Company entered into an Exclusive License Agreement (the “License Agreement”) with the North Carolina A&T State University related to the use of the University’s intellectual property in the Company’s business of developing, producing and marketing lithium-ion batteries. Within thirty (30) days after entering into the License Agreement, the Company paid to the University a one-time, non-refundable license fee in the sum of $15,000. Pursuant to the terms of the License Agreement, the Company is obligated to pay all costs of preparing, filing, prosecution, issuance and maintenance related to the patents underlying the intellectual property licensed by the Company. In addition, the Company is obligated to make certain annual royalty payments and sub-licensing fees. On September 28, 2020, the Company again paid to the University annual non-refundable licensee fee of $15,000. On September 28, 2021, the Company chose not to renew the exclusive licensing arrangement. The Company retains option for a nonexclusive license to use the technology.

On June 14, 2018, the Company executed a joint development agreement with Silicio Ferrosolar SLU, a subsidiary of Ferroglobe, PLC (NASDAQ:GSM), for collaborative efforts to assess, develop, and/or market silicon anode materials for high power, high energy lithium ion batteries by integrating BioSolar technology and Ferroglobe silicon materials. The agreement expired on June 14, 2022 pursuant to the original terms of the agreement.

On March 6, 2020, the Company executed a joint development agreement with Soelect, Inc, for collaborative efforts to assess, develop, and/or market a processing technology to produce silicon oxide anode materials for electric vehicle lithium ion batteries. The Company ended the joint development relationship in June 2021 and has pivoted away from pursuing battery technology to focus on pursuing Green Hydrogen Opportunities. On May 27, 2021, the Company terminated the joint development agreement.

On December 14, 2020, the Company executed a sponsored research agreement with the University of California, Los Angeles, for collaborative efforts to discover and develop efficient and stable earth-abundant material-based catalysts for hydrogen production through water electrolysis. On October 30, 2022, the Company entered into Sponsored Research Agreement Third Amendment (the “Amendment Agreement”). Pursuant to the Amendment Agreement, the Sponsored Research Agreement was further amended to among other things (i) extend the term of the Sponsored Research Agreement to December 31, 2025; (ii) increase the consideration payable to the University under the Sponsored Research Agreement to $2,797,368; (iv) amend the scope of work under the Sponsored Research Agreement; and (iii) update the schedule of payments to the University. On December 1, 2023, the Company exercised its option to conclude its sponsored research that was being conducted pursuant to the Sponsored Research Agreement with the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), as amended (the “Agreement”). Sponsored research under the Agreement, which resulted in successful development of non-precious metal-based oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst that uses an order of magnitude less platinum, concluded effective December 31, 2023. In the future, the Company may choose to negotiate with UCLA to license intellectual property arising from the sponsored research under the Agreement. The Company made the decision to conclude the Agreement to fully focus its research efforts and financial resources on the development of its ThermoLoop^TM technology at UC Santa Barbara (UCSB).

On June 28, 2023, the Company entered into a Research Agreement (the “Agreement”) with The Regents of the University of California (the “University”), on behalf of its Santa Barbara Campus. Pursuant to the Agreement, the University will perform certain research with respect to Thermochemical Water Splitting for Hydrogen Production from Water. The Agreement provides that the research will be completed under the direction of Professors Phillip Christopher and Eric McFarland, who will serve as principal Investigators. The Agreement also sets forth the rights to any data or information developed by the University under the Agreement, as well as the ownership of any patentable developments or discoveries arising from the Agreement. The effective date of the Agreement is August 1, 2023 and the term of the Agreement runs through July 31, 2025.

To assist us in the development of our technology, we intend to seek out and enter into technology development agreements with other entities with testing and materials expertise.

Corporate Information and History

We were incorporated in the State of Nevada on April 24, 2006, as BioSolar Labs, Inc. Our name was changed to BioSolar, Inc. on June 8, 2006, and to NewHydrogen, Inc. on April 30, 2021.

Our principal executive offices are located at 27936 Lost Canyon Road, Suite 202, Santa Clarita, California 91387, and our telephone number is (661) 251-0001.

Our fiscal year end is December 31.

Available Information

We file annual, quarterly, and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). These filings are available to the public on the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

We maintain our corporate website at http://newhydrogen.com (this website address is not intended to function as a hyperlink and the information contained on our website is not intended to be a part of this Report).

Human Capital Resources

As of March 15, 2024 we had two (2) full time employees. We have not experienced any work stoppages and we consider relations with our employees to be good.

WE HAVE A LIMITED HISTORY OF LOSSES AND HAVE NEVER REALIZED REVENUES TO DATE.

Since inception, we have incurred losses and have negative cash flows from operations and have realized only minimal revenues. From inception through December 31, 2023, we have an accumulated deficit of $176,279,264. These factors, among others discussed in Note (1) to the financial statements included in this Annual Report, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. We expect to continue to incur net losses until we are able to realize revenues to fund our continuing operations. We may fail to achieve any or significant revenues from sales or achieve or sustain profitability. Accordingly, there can be no assurance of when, if ever, we will be profitable or be able to maintain profitability.

WE ARE A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY AND MAY BE UNABLE TO MANAGE OUR GROWTH OR IMPLEMENT OUR EXPANSION STRATEGY IF WE ARE ABLE TO LAUNCH OUR PRODUCT AND SERVICE OFFERINGS.

We are a development stage company that was formed on April 24, 2006 and may not be able to launch our product and service offerings or implement the other features of our business strategy at the rate or to the extent presently planned. If we are able to launch our product and service offerings, our projected growth will place a significant strain on our administrative, operational and financial resources. If we are unable to successfully manage our future growth, establish and upgrade our operating and financial control systems, recruit and hire necessary personnel or effectively manage unexpected expansion difficulties, our financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY DEVELOP AND COMMERCIALIZE OUR TECHNOLOGIES WHICH WOULD RESULT IN CONTINUED LOSSES.

While we have made progress in the development of our products, we have generated only minimal revenues and are unable to project when we will achieve profitability, if at all. As is the case with any new technology, we are a development stage company and expect the development process to continue. We may not be able to develop our product offering, develop a customer base and markets, or implement the other features of our business strategy at the rate or to the extent presently planned. Growth beyond the product development stage will place a significant strain on our administrative, operational and financial resources. In addition, our operations will not be able to move out of the development stage without additional funding.

OUR REVENUES ARE DEPENDENT UPON ACCEPTANCE OF OUR PRODUCTS BY THE MARKET; THE FAILURE OF WHICH WOULD CAUSE TO CURTAIL OR CEASE OPERATIONS.

We believe that virtually all of our revenues will come from the sale or license of our products. As a result, we will continue to incur substantial operating losses until such time as we are able to sell and license our products and generate revenue. There can be no assurance that businesses and customers will adopt our technology and products, or that businesses and prospective customers will agree to pay for or license our products. In the event that we are not able to significantly increase the number of customers that purchase or license our products, or if we are unable to charge the necessary prices or license fees, our financial condition and results of operations will be materially and adversely affected.

WE DO NOT MAINTAIN THEFT OR CASUALTY INSURANCE, AND ONLY MAINTAIN MODEST LIABILITY AND PROPERTY INSURANCE COVERAGE AND THEREFORE WE COULD INCUR LOSSES AS A RESULT OF AN UNINSURED LOSS.

We do not maintain theft or casualty insurance and we have modest liability and property insurance coverage. We cannot assure you that we will not incur uninsured liabilities and losses as a result of the conduct of our business. Any such uninsured loss or liability could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

IF WE LOSE KEY EMPLOYEES AND CONSULTANTS OR ARE UNABLE TO ATTRACT OR RETAIN QUALIFIED PERSONNEL, OUR BUSINESS COULD SUFFER.

Our success is highly dependent on our ability to attract and retain qualified scientific, engineering and management personnel. We are highly dependent on our Chairman and President, Dr. David Lee, who has been critical to the development of our technologies and business. The loss of the services of Dr. Lee could have a material adverse effect on our operations. We do not have an employment agreement with Dr. Lee and do not maintain key man insurance with respect to Dr. Lee. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that Dr. Lee will remain associated with us. His efforts will be critical to us as we continue to develop our technology and as we attempt to transition from a development stage company to a company with commercialized products and services. If we were to lose Dr. Lee, or any other key employees or consultants, we may experience difficulties in competing effectively, developing our technology and implementing our business strategies.

THE LOSS OF STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS USED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGY COULD IMPEDE OUR ABILITY TO COMPLETE OUR PRODUCT.

We may rely on strategic relationships with technology development partners to provide personnel, and expertise in the research and development of our technology and manufacturing process underlying our product. A loss of these relationships for any reason could cause us to experience difficulties in completing the development of our product and implementing our business strategy. There can be no assurance that we could establish other relationships of adequate expertise in a timely manner or at all.

OUR CURRENT AND POTENTIAL COMPETITORS, SOME OF WHOM HAVE GREATER RESOURCES THAN WE DO, MAY DEVELOP PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT MAY CAUSE DEMAND FOR, AND THE PRICES OF, OUR PRODUCTS TO DECLINE.

While there are a number of companies developing green hydrogen production technologies including electrolyzers, we do not know of any employing anything similar to our ThermoLoop^TM technology. We may face competition from these companies as they may expand or extend their product offering to incorporate new thermochemical water splitting technologies.

Many of our current and potential competitors have longer operating histories, significantly greater financial, technical, product development and marketing resources, greater name recognition and larger customer bases than we do. Our present or future competitors may be able to develop products comparable or superior to those we offer, adapt more quickly than we do to new technologies, evolving industry trends and standards or customer requirements, or devote greater resources to the development, promotion and sale of their products than we do. Accordingly, we may not be able to compete effectively in our markets, competition may intensify and future competition may harm our business.

WE ARE CONTROLLED BY CURRENT OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS.

Our directors and executive officers beneficially own approximately 39% of the outstanding shares of our common stock as of December 31, 2023. Accordingly, our executive officers, directors, principal stockholders and certain of their affiliates will have the ability to control the election of our Board of Directors and the outcome of matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders.

Risks Related to Our Common Stock

BECAUSE THERE IS A LIMITED MARKET IN OUR COMMON STOCK, STOCKHOLDERS MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY IN SELLING OUR COMMON STOCK AND OUR COMMON STOCK MAY BE SUBJECT TO SIGNIFICANT PRICE SWINGS.

There is a very limited market for our common stock. Since trading commenced in February 2007, there has been little activity in our common stock and on some days, there is no trading in our common stock. Because of the limited market for our common stock, the purchase or sale of a relatively small number of shares may have an exaggerated effect on the market price for our common stock. We cannot assure stockholders that they will be able to sell common stock or, that if they are able to sell their shares, that they will be able to sell the shares in any significant quantity at the quoted price.

OUR COMMON STOCK IS SUBJECT TO THE “PENNY STOCK” RULES OF THE SEC AND THE TRADING MARKET IN OUR SECURITIES IS LIMITED, WHICH MAKES TRANSACTIONS IN OUR STOCK CUMBERSOME AND MAY REDUCE THE VALUE OF AN INVESTMENT IN OUR STOCK.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has adopted Rule 15g-9 which establishes the definition of a “penny stock,” for the purposes relevant to us, as any equity security that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share or with an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. For any transaction involving a penny stock, unless exempt, the rules require:

In order to approve a person’s account for transactions in penny stocks, the broker or dealer must:

The broker or dealer must also deliver, prior to any transaction in a penny stock, a disclosure schedule prescribed by the SEC relating to the penny stock market, which, in highlight form:

Generally, brokers may be less willing to execute transactions in securities subject to the “penny stock” rules. This may make it more difficult for investors to dispose of our common stock and cause a decline in the market value of our stock.

Disclosure also to be made about the risks of investing in penny stocks in both public offerings and in secondary trading and about the commission payable to both the broker-dealer and the registered representative, current quotations for the securities and the rights and remedies available to an investor in cases of fraud in penny stock transactions. Finally, monthly statements to be sent disclosing recent price information for the penny stock held in the account and information on the limited market in penny stocks.

WE DO NOT EXPECT TO PAY DIVIDENDS IN THE FUTURE; ANY RETURN ON INVESTMENT MAY BE LIMITED TO THE VALUE OF OUR COMMON STOCK.

We do not currently anticipate paying cash dividends in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends on our common stock will depend on earnings, financial condition and other business and economic factors affecting it at such time as the board of directors may consider relevant. Our current intention is to apply net earnings, if any, in the foreseeable future to increasing our capital base and development and marketing efforts. There can be no assurance that the Company will ever have sufficient earnings to declare and pay dividends to the holders of our common stock, and in any event, a decision to declare and pay dividends is at the sole discretion of our board of directors. If we do not pay dividends, our common stock may be less valuable because a return on your investment will only occur if its stock price appreciates.

OUR ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION ALLOW FOR OUR BOARD TO CREATE NEW SERIES OF PREFERRED STOCK WITHOUT FURTHER APPROVAL BY OUR STOCKHOLDERS, WHICH COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE RIGHTS OF THE HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK.

Our board of directors has the authority to fix and determine the relative rights and preferences of preferred stock. Our board of directors has the authority to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of our preferred stock without further stockholder approval. As a result, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of a series of preferred stock that would grant to holders of preferred stock the right to our assets upon liquidation, or the right to receive dividend payments before dividends are distributed to the holders of common stock. In addition, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of a series of preferred stock that has greater voting power than our common stock or that is convertible into our common stock, which could decrease the relative voting power of our common stock or result in dilution to our existing stockholders.

ADDITIONAL STOCK OFFERINGS IN THE FUTURE MAY DILUTE THEN-EXISTING STOCKHOLDERS’ PERCENTAGE OWNERSHIP OF THE COMPANY.

Given our plans and expectations that we will need additional capital, we anticipate that we will need to issue additional shares of common stock or securities convertible or exercisable for shares of common stock, including convertible preferred stock, convertible notes, stock options or warrants. We anticipate that our issuance of additional common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable into common stock in the future will dilute the percentage ownership of then current stockholders.

None.

Risk Management and Strategy

We recognize the critical importance of developing, implementing, and maintaining robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard our information systems and protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our data.

Managing Material Risks & Integrated Overall Risk Management

We have strategically integrated cybersecurity risk management into our broader risk management framework to promote a company-wide culture of cybersecurity risk management. This integration ensures that cybersecurity considerations are an integral part of our decision-making processes at every level. Our management team works closely with our IT department to continuously evaluate and address cybersecurity risks in alignment with our business objectives and operational needs.

Oversee Third-party Risk

Because we are aware of the risks associated with third-party service providers, we have implemented stringent processes to oversee and manage these risks. We conduct thorough security assessments of all third-party providers before engagement and maintain ongoing monitoring to ensure compliance with our cybersecurity standards. The monitoring includes annual assessments of the SOC reports of our providers and implementing complementary controls. This approach is designed to mitigate risks related to data breaches or other security incidents originating from third-parties.

Risks from Cybersecurity Threats

We have not encountered cybersecurity challenges that have materially impaired our operations or financial standing.

Our headquarters are located at 27936 Lost Canyon Road, Suite 202, Santa Clarita, California 91387. We lease our facility under a month-to-month lease without an expiration date. Our monthly lease payment is $550. The size of our office is 144 square feet.

We are not currently a party to, nor are any of our property currently the subject of, any pending legal proceeding that will have a material adverse effect on our business.

Not applicable.

PART II

Our common stock is quoted on the OTC Pink maintained by the OTC Markets Group, Inc. under the ticker symbol “NEWH”.

Common Stock

We are authorized to issue 6,000,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share.

Holders of the Company’s common stock are entitled to one vote for each share on all matters submitted to a stockholder vote. Holders of common stock do not have cumulative voting rights. Therefore, holders of a majority of the shares of common stock voting for the election of directors can elect all of the directors to our board of directors. Subject to the rights of our preferred stock, holders of the Company’s common stock representing a majority of the voting power of the Company’s common stock issued, outstanding and entitled to vote, represented in person or by proxy, are necessary to constitute a quorum at any meeting of stockholders. A vote by the holders of a majority of the Company’s outstanding shares is required to effectuate certain fundamental corporate changes such as a liquidation, merger or an amendment to the Company’s articles of incorporation.

Subject to the rights of preferred stockholders (if any), holders of the Company’s common stock are entitled to share in all dividends that the Board of Directors, in its discretion, declares from legally available funds. In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up, each outstanding share entitles its holder to participate pro rata in all assets that remain after payment of liabilities and after providing for each class of stock, if any, having preference over the common stock. The Company’s common stock has no pre-emptive rights, no conversion rights, and there are no redemption provisions applicable to the Company’s common stock.

As of March 15, 2024, our common stock was held by 87 stockholders of record and we had 704,599,512 shares of common stock issued and outstanding. We believe that the number of beneficial owners is substantially greater than the number of record holders because a significant portion of our outstanding common stock is held of record in broker street names for the benefit of individual investors.

Dividend Policy

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock. We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends to stockholders in the foreseeable future. In addition, any future determination to pay cash dividends will be at the discretion of the board of directors and will be dependent upon our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, and such other factors as the board of directors deem relevant. There are no restrictions in our articles of incorporation or bylaws that restrict us from declaring dividends.

Transfer Agent

The Company’s registrar and transfer agent is Clear Trust, LLC, 16540 Pointe Village Dr, Suite 210 Lutz, Florida 33558.

Equity Compensation Plan

On April 11, 2022, the Company’s Board of directors adopted the NewHydrogen, Inc. 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The stated purposes of the Plan are to (a) enable the Company, to attract and retain the types of employees, consultants and directors who will contribute to the Company’s long range success; (b) provide incentives that align the interests of Employees, Consultants and Directors with those of the stockholders of the Company; and (c) promote the success of the Company’s business.

The maximum number of shares of common stock initially available for issuance under the Plan is 500,000,000 shares of common stock and thereafter shall automatically be increased on the first day of the Company’s fiscal year beginning in 2023 so that the total number of shares issuable under the Plan shall at all times equal fifteen percent (15%) of the Company’s fully diluted capitalization on the first day of the Company’s fiscal year, unless the Company’s Board of Directors adopts a resolution providing that the number of shares issuable under the 2022 Plan shall not be so increased. The shares of common stock subject to stock awards granted under the Plan that are canceled, forfeited or expire prior to exercise, either in full or in part, shall again become available for issuance under the 2022 Plan. Shares subject to a stock award under the Plan shall not again be made available for issuance or delivery under the Plan if such shares are (a) shares tendered in payment of an option or (b) shares delivered or withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation.

In the event of a change in control, the Company may, but shall not be obligated to: (a) accelerate, vest or cause the restrictions to lapse with respect to all or any portion of any stock award; (b) cancel stock awards and cause to be paid to the holders of vested stock awards the value of such stock awards, if any, as determined by the Company, in its sole discretion, it being understood that in the case of any option with an option exercise price that equals or exceeds the price paid for a share of common stock in connection with the change in control, the Company may cancel the option without the payment of consideration therefor; (c) provide for the issuance of substitute stock awards or the assumption or replacement of such stock awards; or (d) provide written notice to the holders that for a period of at least ten days prior to the change in control, such stock awards shall be exercisable, to the extent applicable, as to all shares of common stock subject thereto and upon the occurrence of the change in control, any stock awards not so exercised shall terminate and be of no further force and effect.

The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. The Plan is scheduled to terminate automatically in ten (10) years following the effective date. No rights may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is terminated. The Board may amend or modify the Plan at any time. To the extent required by applicable law or regulation, and except as otherwise provided in the Plan, stockholder approval will be required for any amendment that (a) materially increases the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan, (b) materially expands the class of individuals eligible to receive stock awards under the Plan, (c) materially increases the benefits accruing to the participants under the Plan or materially reduces the price at which shares of common stock may be issued or purchased under the Plan, (d) materially extends the term of the Plan, or (e) expands the types of awards available for issuance under the Plan.

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities

None.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

None.

Special Note on Forward-Looking Statements.

Certain statements in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis or Plan of Operation” below, and elsewhere in this annual report, are not related to historical results, and are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements present our expectations or forecasts of future events. You can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements frequently are accompanied by such words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue,” or the negative of such terms or other words and terms of similar meaning. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance, achievements, or timeliness of such results. Moreover, neither we nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of such forward-looking statements. We are under no duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this annual report. Subsequent written and oral forward looking statements attributable to us or to persons acting in our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements and risk factors set forth below and elsewhere in this annual report, and in other reports filed by us with the SEC.

You should read the following description of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with the financial statements and accompanying notes included in this Annual Report beginning on page F-1.

Overview

We are a developer of clean energy technologies. Our current focus is on developing a thermochemical green hydrogen production technology to lower the cost of Green Hydrogen production.

Hydrogen is the cleanest and most abundant element in the universe, and we can’t live without it. Hydrogen is the key ingredient in making fertilizers needed to grow food for the world. It is also used for transportation, refining oil and making steel, glass, pharmaceuticals and more. Nearly all the hydrogen today is made from hydrocarbons like coal, oil, and natural gas, which are dirty and limited resources. Water, on the other hand, is an infinite and renewable worldwide resource.

Currently, the most common method of making green hydrogen is to split water into oxygen and hydrogen with an electrolyzer using green electricity produced from solar or wind. However, green electricity is and always will be very expensive. It currently accounts for 73% of the cost of green hydrogen. By using heat directly, we can skip the expensive process of making electricity, and fundamentally lower the cost of green hydrogen. Inexpensive heat can be obtained from concentrated solar, geothermal, nuclear reactors and industrial waste heat for use in our novel low-cost thermochemical water splitting process. Working with a world class research team at UC Santa Barbara, our goal is to help usher in the green hydrogen economy that Goldman Sachs estimated to have a future market value of $12 trillion.

We have previously developed an innovative material technology to reduce the cost per watt of electricity produced by Photovoltaic, or PV, solar modules.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023 COMPARED TO THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative (“G&A”) expenses decreased by $(8,016,619) to $2,972,266 for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to $10,988,885 for the prior period December 31, 2022. This decrease in G&A expenses was the result of a decrease in non-cash stock compensation of $(8,262,368), with an increase in salaries of $72,115, an increase in professional fees of $31,054, an increase in investor relations of $56,610, an increase in insurance of $33,155, with an overall decrease of $52,815 in other G&A expenses.

Research and Development

Research and Development (“R&D”) expenses decreased by $(892,605) to $202,878 for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to $1,095,483 for the prior period ended December 31, 2022. This overall decrease in R&D expenses was the result of a decrease in corporate outside services.

Depreciation and amortization Expense

Depreciation and amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $4,106 and $4,214, respectively.

Other Income/(Expenses)

Other income and (expenses) decreased by $(1,336) to $1,718 of other expense for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to $3,054 of other income for the prior period ended December 31, 2022. The decrease of $1,336 consisted of interest income and cash discounts combined.

Net Loss

Our net loss was $3,177,532 for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to a net loss of $12,085,528 for the prior period ended December 31, 2022. The decrease of $8,907,996 in net loss was due to a decrease in non-cash change in stock compensation expense. The Company has not generated any revenues.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

As of December 31, 2023, we had $3,678,942 in working capital as compared to $6,655,953 for the prior year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease in working capital was due primarily to a decrease in cash, prepaid expenses, and accounts payable.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company used $1,156,256 of cash for operating activities, as compared to $1,812,013 for the prior year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease in the use of cash for operating activities was a result of a decrease in research and development and professional fees in the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to December 31, 2022. The Company is focused on development of silicon anode additive technology for next generation lithium-ion batteries.

Cash used in investing activities for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $0, respectively.

Cash provided from financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2023 was $0 as compared to $1,000 for the prior year ended December 31, 2022. Our capital needs have primarily been met from the proceeds of convertible debt offerings and equity financing. We are currently in the development stage of our business and have no revenues.

Our financial statements as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 have been prepared under the assumption that we will continue as a going concern. Our independent registered public accounting firm has issued their report dated March 20, 2024 that included an explanatory paragraph expressing substantial doubt in our ability to continue as a going concern without additional capital becoming available. Our ability to continue as a going concern ultimately is dependent on our ability to generate a profit which is dependent upon our ability to obtain additional equity or debt financing, attain further operating efficiencies and, ultimately, achieve profitable operations. Our financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

PLAN OF OPERATION AND FINANCING NEEDS

We are engaged in the development of clean energy technologies to lower the cost of producing green hydrogen. The Company’s current focus is on developing ThermoLoop™, a breakthrough technology that uses water and heat rather than electricity to potentially produce the world’s lowest cost green hydrogen.

Our plan of operation within the next twelve months is to utilize our cash balances to maintain the existing ThermoLoop^TM technology development program at UCSB.

We believe that our current cash and investment balances will be sufficient to support development activity and general and administrative expenses for the next twenty-four months. Management estimates that it will require additional cash resources during second half of 2025, based upon its current operating plan and condition. We do not expect increased expenses until early 2026 when we ramp up prototyping efforts related to our thermochemical water splitting technology.

As a “Smaller Reporting Company”, this Item and the related disclosure is not required.

All financial information required by this Item is attached hereto at the end of this report beginning on page F-1 and is hereby incorporated by reference.

None.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures.

We maintain “disclosure controls and procedures,” as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the issuer in the reports that it files or submits under the Act (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.) is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. These disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

In designing and evaluating our disclosure controls and procedures, management recognized that disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance that the objectives of the disclosure controls and procedures are met. Additionally, in designing disclosure controls and procedures, our management necessarily was required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible disclosure controls and procedures. The design of any disclosure controls and procedures also is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.

As of December 31, 2023, we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures. Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by us in our periodic reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified for each report by the SEC, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Management’s Report of Internal Control over Financial Reporting.

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as such term is defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a - 15(f). Our internal control system was designed to provide reasonable assurance to our management and the Board of Directors regarding the preparation and fair presentation of published financial statements. All internal control systems, no matter how well designed have inherent limitations. Therefore, even those systems determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation. Our management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023. In making this assessment, our management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”) in Internal Control - Integrated Framework - Guidance for Smaller Public Companies (the COSO criteria). Based on our assessment we believe that, as of December 31, 2023, our internal controls over financial reporting is effective based on those criteria.

This annual report does not include an attestation report by M&K CPAS, PLLC, our independent registered public accounting firm, regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report was not subject to attestation by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm pursuant to temporary rules of the SEC that permits the Company to only provide management’s report in this Form 10-K.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2023 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

None.

Not applicable.

PART III

The following table sets forth information about our executive officers, key employees and directors.

The principal occupations for the past five years (and, in some instances, for prior years) of each of our executive officers and directors, are as follows:

David Lee - Chairman of the Board, President and Acting Chief Financial Officer of the Company since inception (April 24, 2006). Dr. Lee has over 35 years of engineering, marketing, sales, and corporate management experience in the areas of military and consumer communication systems, automotive electronics, software development and consulting. From 2004 to 2006, he was with Ramsey-Shilling Co. in the business of Commercial Real Estate Investment and Brokerage. From 2000 to 2004, he served as Chief Operating Officer for Applied Reasoning, Inc., a Delaware company engaged in the business of Internet Software Development. From 1994 to 2000, he served as Vice Present and General Manager for RF-Link Technology, Inc., a California company engaged in the business of Wireless Technology Development and Manufacturing. Dr. Lee received a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in 1989, a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from University of Michigan in 1986 and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1984.

The Board of Directors has concluded that Dr. Lee is qualified to serve as a director of the Company because of his diverse experience in technology, marketing, and executive management.

Steven Hill – Chief Executive Officer of the Company since June 15, 2023 and Vice President and a Director of the Company since March 20, 2023. Mr. Hill is an accomplished sales executive with over 20 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and over 6 years of experience in the real estate industry. From March 2022 to February 2023, Mr. Hill served as a sales associate for Alemann and Associates Realty in Santa Barbara, CA. From October 2016 to February 2023, he served as a managing member of Hill Investments, LLC, a real estate investment and design group during which time Mr. Hill consulted on property development and managed real estate investments. From December 2015 to October 2021, he served as a regional account manager for Relypsa Inc, a biopharmaceutical start-up in Redwood City, CA. Mr. Hill’s experience in the pharmaceutical industry leading up to Relypsa began in 2000 with roles varying from sales to marketing and leadership with AstraZeneca, Organon, Schering-Plough and Daiichi Sankyo. Mr. Hill received a Master of Business Administration degree from IE Business School, a Bachelor of Science in Technology Management degree from Utah Valley University and an Associate of Science in Aviation Science degree from Utah Valley University.

The Board of Directors has concluded that Mr. Hill is qualified to serve as a director of the Company because of his diverse experience in technology, marketing, and executive management.

COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD

We currently do not maintain any committees of the Board of Directors. Given our size and the development of our business to date, we believe that the board through its meetings can perform all of the duties and responsibilities which might be performed by a committee. We do not currently have an audit committee financial expert.

INDEBTEDNESS OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

No executive officer, director or any member of these individuals’ immediate families or any corporation or organization with whom any of these individuals is an affiliate is or has been indebted to us since the beginning of our last fiscal year.

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

There are no family relationships among our executive officers and directors.

CODE OF ETHICS

We have adopted a Code of Ethics that applies to all of our directors, officers and employees. The text of the Code of Ethics is filed as an exhibit to this annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 25, 2008. The Company will provide to any person without charge, upon request to the Company at its office, a copy of the Code of Ethics. Any waiver of the provisions of the Code of Ethics for executive officers and directors may be made only by the Audit Committee and, in the case of a waiver for members of the Audit Committee, by the Board of Directors. Any such waivers will be promptly disclosed to our stockholders.

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

During the past ten years, none of our directors, executive officers, promoters, control persons, or nominees has been:

Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight

Although we have not adopted a formal policy on whether the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer positions should be separate or combined, we have traditionally determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to combine these roles. Due to the small size and early stage of the Company, we believe it is currently most effective to have the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer positions combined. In addition, having one person serve as both Chairman and Chief Executive Officer eliminates potential for confusion and provides clear leadership for the Company, with a single person setting the tone and managing our operations. The Board oversees specific risks, including, but not limited to:

Board of Directors Meetings and Attendance

We have no formal policy regarding director attendance at the annual meeting of stockholders. The Board of Directors held seven (7) meetings in 2023 including three (3) meetings prior to filing our quarterly reports and one (1) meeting prior to filing this Annual Report. All Board members were present at all of the meetings.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires the Company’s directors, executive officers and persons who own more than 10% of the Company’s stock (collectively, “Reporting Persons”) to file with the SEC initial reports of ownership and changes in ownership of the Company’s common stock. Reporting Persons are required by SEC regulations to furnish the Company with copies of all Section 16(a) reports they file. To the Company’s knowledge, based solely on its review of the copies of such reports received or written representations from certain Reporting Persons that no other reports were required, the Company believes that during its fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 all Reporting Persons timely complied with all applicable filing requirements.

The following table summarizes all compensation recorded by us in each of the last two completed fiscal years for the named executive officers.

Employment Agreements

On March 11, 2023, the Company and Mr. Hill entered into an employment offer letter (the “Employment Offer Agreement”). Pursuant to the terms of the Employment Offer Agreement, Mr. Hill is entitled to an annual base salary of $250,000. Mr. Hill will also receive 50,000,000 stock options, each to vest over a three-year period and subject to a six-month cliff.

On March 14, 2023, the board of directors approved an increase to the base salary of David Lee, the Company’s President and Acting Chief Financial Officer, resulting in a base salary of $300,000, effective March 1, 2023. The Company currently has no employment agreement with Mr. Lee.

Employee Benefit Plans

The Company currently has no benefit plans in place for its employees.

Director Compensation

Directors receive compensation for their services and reimbursement for their expenses as shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board. Currently, our directors do not receive monetary compensation for their service on the Board of Directors.

The following table sets forth, as of March 15, 2024, the number of and percent of our common stock beneficially owned by:

We believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock beneficially owned by them.

A person is deemed to be the beneficial owner of securities that can be acquired by him within 60 days from March 11, 2024, upon the exercise of options, warrants or convertible securities. Each beneficial owner’s percentage ownership is determined by assuming that options, warrants or convertible securities that are held by him, but not those held by any other person, and which are exercisable within 60 days of March 15, 2024 have been exercised and converted. Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each of the following beneficial owner is c/o NewHydrogen, Inc., 27936 Lost Canyon Road, Suite 202, Santa Clarita, CA 91387.

Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plan

The following table sets forth information about our equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2023.

Other than compensation arrangements, there were no material related party transactions which were entered into during the last two fiscal years.

Director Independence

We currently do not have any directors who are “independent” as defined under the NASDAQ Marketplace Rules.

Audit Fees

The following table shows that fees that were billed to the Company by our independent registered public accounting firm for professional services rendered in 2023 and 2022.

The audit fees represent fees for professional services performed by M&K CPAS, PLLC (“M&K”) as applicable, for the audit of our financial statements and the review of our quarterly financial statements, as well as services that are normally provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.

Audit-Related Fees

We did not incur assurance and audit-related fees during 2023 and 2022, to M&K as applicable, nor in connection with the audit of our financial statements for the reviews of registration statements and issuance of related consents and assistance with SEC comment letters.

Tax Fees

We did not incur fees for tax compliance, tax advice, or tax planning for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

All Other Fees

There were no other fees billed to us by M&K as applicable, for services rendered to us during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, other than the services described above under “Audit Fees” and “Audit-Related Fees.”

As of the date of this filing, our current policy is to not engage our independent registered public accounting firm to provide, among other things, bookkeeping services, appraisal or valuation services, or international audit services. The policy provides that we engage our independent registered public accounting firm to provide audit and other assurance services, such as review of SEC reports or filings, as set forth above.

None.

SIGNATURES

In accordance with Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Los Angeles, State of California, on March 20, 2024.

In accordance with the Exchange Act, this Report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NEWHYDROGEN, INC.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of NewHydrogen, Inc.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of NewHydrogen, Inc. (the Company) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the related statements of operations, shareholders’ deficit, and cash flows for the two-year period then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

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

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

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

Critical Audit Matters

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinion on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.

As discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements, the Company issues equity-based awards in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation. Auditing management’s calculation of the fair value of equity-based awards can be a significant judgment given the fact that the Company uses management estimates on various inputs to the calculation. Other less complex equity awards are based upon the closing market price.

To evaluate the appropriateness of the fair value determined by management, we examined and evaluated the inputs management used in calculating the fair value of the equity-based award. We also ensured that the Company properly used the correct closing market price for other equity-based awards.

/s/ M&K CPAS, PLLC

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2019

The Woodlands, TX

March 20, 2024

NEWHYDROGEN, INC.

BALANCE SHEETS

NEWHYDROGEN, INC.

STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023 AND 2022