S-8 1 ea0291542-s8_merlin.htm REGISTRATION STATEMENT

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 20, 2026

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Under

The Securities Act of 1933

Merlin, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

98-1797826

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

100 Causeway St., Floor 23

Boston, MA 02114

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip Code)

Merlin, Inc. 2026 Incentive Award Plan

Merlin, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan

Merlin, Inc. 2026 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

(Full title of the plan)

Ryan Carrithers

Chief Financial Officer

100 Causeway St., Floor 23

Boston, MA 02114

(617) 226-9968

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

Copies to:

Stephen W. Ranere

Nick S. Dhesi

John J. Slater

Latham & Watkins LLP

200 Clarendon Street

Boston, MA 02116

(617) 948-6000

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.

Large accelerated filer	☐	Accelerated filer	☐
Non-accelerated filer	☒	Smaller reporting company	☒
		Emerging growth company	☒

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

The information specified in Item 1 and Item 2 of Part I of Form S-8 is omitted from this Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the introductory note to Part I of Form S-8. The documents containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8 will be delivered to the participants as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. Such documents are not required to be, and are not, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) either as part of this Registration Statement or as a prospectus or prospectus supplement pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act. These documents and the documents incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this Registration Statement, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

References in this Registration Statement to “we,” “us,” “our,” and the “Registrant,” or similar references, refer to Merlin, Inc. unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires.

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents, which have been filed by the Registrant with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are hereby incorporated by reference in, and shall be deemed to be a part of, this Registration Statement:

	(a)	the prospectus, dated May 13, 2026, filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act relating to the registration statement on Form S-1 filed May 6, 2026 (File No. 333-295578) (the “424(b) Prospectus”);

	(b)	the Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 12, 2026, March 20, 2026, and April 29, 2026;

	(c)	the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 12, 2026;

	(d)	the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 15, 2026; and

	(e)	the description of the Registrant’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), contained in the Registrant’s 424(b) Prospectus and any other amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement that indicates that all securities offered have been sold or that deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and to be a part thereof from the date of the filing of such documents.

For purposes of this Registration Statement, any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained herein or in a subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated herein by reference modifies or supersedes such statement. Any 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 shall any information furnished under Item 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.

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Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Not applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Subsection (a) of Section 145 of the DGCL empowers a corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or who is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person 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 expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful.

Subsection (b) of Section 145 empowers a corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person acted in any of the capacities set forth above, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

Section 145 further provides that to the extent a director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith; that indemnification provided for by Section 145 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the indemnified party may be entitled; and the indemnification provided for by Section 145 shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of such person’s heirs, executors and administrators. Section 145 also empowers the corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of 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 liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liabilities under Section 145. Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL provides that a corporation’s certificate of incorporation may contain a provision eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that such provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (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 DGCL, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

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Additionally, our Charter limits the liability of our directors to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, and our by-laws provide that we will indemnify them to the fullest extent permitted by such law. We have entered into and expect to continue to enter into agreements to indemnify our directors, executive officers and other employees as determined by our board of directors. Under the terms of such indemnification agreements, we are required to indemnify each of our directors and officers, to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the state of Delaware, if the basis of the indemnitee’s involvement was by reason of the fact that the indemnitee is or was our director or officer or was serving at our request in an official capacity for another entity. We must indemnify our officers and directors against all reasonable fees, expenses, charges and other costs of any type or nature whatsoever, including any and all expenses and obligations paid or incurred in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in, participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness or participate in any completed, actual, pending or threatened action, suit, claim or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, or establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification under the indemnification agreement. The indemnification agreements also require us, if so requested, to advance all reasonable fees, expenses, charges and other costs that such director or officer incurred, provided that such person will return any such advance if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to indemnification by us. Any claims for indemnification by our directors and officers may reduce our available funds to satisfy successful third-party claims against us and may reduce the amount of money available to us.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

Incorporated by Reference

Exhibit Number

Description of Exhibit

Form

File No.

Exhibit

Filing date

Filed Herewith

3.1

Certificate of Incorporation of Merlin, Inc.

8-K

001-42392

3.2

3/20/26

3.2

Bylaws of Merlin, Inc.

8-K

001-42392

3.3

3/20/26

4.3

Specimen Common Stock Certificate of Merlin, Inc.

S-4/A

333-292719

4.5

02/12/26

5.1

Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP.

23.1

Consent of WithumSmith+Brown, PC.

23.2

Consent of BDO USA, P.C. (formerly HORNE LP).

23.3

Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

24.1

Power of Attorney (included on signature page).

99.1

Merlin, Inc. 2026 Incentive Award Plan.

99.1.1

Form of Stock Option Grant Notice and Stock Option Agreement under the Merlin, Inc. 2026 Incentive Award Plan.

99.1.2

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice and Restricted Stock Unit Agreement under the Merlin, Inc. 2026 Incentive Award Plan.

99.2

Merlin, Inc. 2026 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

99.3

Merlin, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan.

99.3.1

Form of Stock Option Grant Notice and Stock Option Agreement under the 2018 Equity Incentive Plan.

107.1

Filing Fee Table.

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Item 9. Undertakings.

(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 of 1933, as amended (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;

(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 Registration Statement is on Form S-8, and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this 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 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement 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.

(C) 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 SEC 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 of 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.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, 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 the City of Boston, State of Massachusetts, on this 20th day of May, 2026.

	Merlin, Inc.

	By:	/s/ Matthew George
	Name	Matthew George
	Title	Chief Executive Officer and President

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints each of Matthew George and Ryan Carrithers, acting alone or together with another attorney-in-fact, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all further amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement (and any additional registration statement related hereto permitted by Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933 (and all further amendments, including post-effective amendments, thereto)), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, 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 might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities held on the dates indicated.

Signature	Title	Date

/s/ Matthew George Matthew George	Chief Executive Officer, President and Director (Principal Executive Officer)	May 20, 2026

/s/ Ryan Carrithers Ryan Carrithers	Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)	May 20, 2026

/s/ Michael Blitzer Michael Blitzer	Director	May 20, 2026

/s/ Kelyn Brannon Kelyn Brannon	Director	May 20, 2026

/s/ Michael Montelongo Michael Montelongo	Director	May 20, 2026

/s/ Dr. Robert H. Smith Dr. Robert H. Smith	Director	May 20, 2026

/s/ Carolyn Trabuco Carolyn Trabuco	Director	May 20, 2026

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SEC Form S-8 filed by Merlin Inc.