Apoorv Dwivedi
About Apoorv Dwivedi
Apoorv S. Dwivedi is Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Secretary of Knightscope, Inc., serving as CFO since January 2024 and appointed Secretary in April 2024; age 44. He holds a Bachelor’s in Finance from Loyola University Chicago and an MBA from the Yale School of Management, with 20+ years of finance leadership across GE, Workiva, Cox Automotive, and Nxu (which he took public in 2022) . Knightscope’s 2024 executive bonus framework emphasized liquidity—“cash available to meet the Company’s budgeted operations”—and Mr. Dwivedi received no cash bonus for 2024; his compensation was primarily equity-linked via options, reinforcing alignment with long-term outcomes .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nxu, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | 2022–2023 | Took company public (IPO) in 2022; built finance function for energy storage/charging technology |
| Cox Automotive (Manheim Logistics) | Director of Finance | 2019–2022 | Led financial operations for Manheim Logistics; operational finance leadership in mobility services |
| Workiva | Director of Presales (Finance Solutions) | 2018–2019 | Supported enterprise finance solution sales and implementations |
| General Electric (GE Capital and GE Industrial) | Senior finance roles | 2010–2017 | Progressive finance roles across capital and industrial businesses |
External Roles
Skip – no public company directorships or committee roles disclosed for Mr. Dwivedi .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | FY 2024 |
|---|---|
| Contract Base Salary ($) | $350,000 |
| Salary Paid ($) | $332,500 |
| Target Bonus (%) | Not disclosed |
| Executive Benefits ($) | $12,158 |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Bonus (2024) | Cash available to meet budgeted operations | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | $0 (no bonus paid for 2024) | N/A |
| Stock Options (Grant 4/23/2024) | Time-based service vesting | N/A | N/A | N/A | Grant-date FV: $960,000 | 50% on 4/23/2025; 50% on 4/23/2026; expires 4/22/2034; strike $24.00 |
2024 Option Grant Details
| Grant Date | Shares | Strike ($) | Vesting | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/23/2024 | 40,000 | $24.00 | 50% on first anniversary (4/23/2025); 50% on second anniversary (4/23/2026) | 4/22/2034 |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item (as of 6/20/2025 unless noted) | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total Beneficial Ownership (Class A) | 20,005 shares; less than 1% |
| Vested Options (from 4/23/2024 grant) | 20,000 (vested on 4/23/2025; currently exercisable or within 60 days of 6/20/2025) |
| Unvested Options (from 4/23/2024 grant) | 20,000 (scheduled to vest on 4/23/2026) |
| Cumulative Options Granted under 2022 Plan (through 3/31/2025) | 40,000 |
| Shares Pledged as Collateral | None disclosed |
| Ownership Guidelines / Compliance | Not disclosed |
Employment Terms
| Provision | Terms |
|---|---|
| Employment Start | Appointed CFO January 2024; Secretary April 2024 |
| Base Salary | $350,000 (established January 2024) |
| Annual Bonus Eligibility | Discretionary, based on Board/Comp Committee criteria |
| Equity Awards | Eligible under 2022 Plan; received 40,000 options on 4/23/2024 |
| Severance (Outside Change in Control) | 6 months base salary continuation; up to 6 months COBRA |
| Change-in-Control (Double Trigger within 1 year post-CiC) | Lump sum 12 months base salary + 100% target bonus; up to 12 months COBRA; full acceleration of unvested equity; performance goals deemed at greater of actual (if determinable) or 100% of target |
| Clawbacks / Non-compete / Non-solicit | Not disclosed |
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- One late Section 16 Form 4 filing (FY 2024) for Apoorv Dwivedi, per company’s delinquent report disclosure .
- Related party transactions: None .
- Equity award timing policy explicitly discourages grants around MNPI events; 2024 option grants and grant-date market movement disclosed (2.188% change) .
Compensation Committee Analysis
- As of Feb 19, 2024, Compensation Committee members: William G. Billings (Chair), Robert A. Mocny, and Melvin W. Torrie—also serving on Audit; initial director options fully vested upon approval .
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance alignment: CFO’s 2024 compensation was predominantly equity via time-based options ($960k grant-date FV), with no cash bonus paid under a liquidity-focused framework—aligns incentives with preservation of cash and long-term equity value .
- Retention and selling pressure: Two-year vesting creates concentrated unlocks (20k options vested on 4/23/2025; another 20k on 4/23/2026), a potential catalyst for tax-driven sells/exercises; monitor Form 4 filings for activity around vest dates .
- Change-in-control economics: Double-trigger terms including full equity acceleration and 1x salary + 100% target bonus could be meaningful in M&A scenarios; performance awards deemed at least at target, increasing realized value and signaling protective management terms .
- Alignment and governance: Beneficial ownership is <1%, but significant option exposure ties upside to share appreciation; no pledging disclosed and no related party transactions noted, reducing alignment red flags .
- Execution risk: Background spans IPO execution (Nxu) and operational finance at Cox/GE, suggesting capability in capital markets and operating finance; Knightscope’s bonus metrics centered on liquidity indicate near-term focus on runway and cash discipline under his stewardship .