qualified investor

(i) any investment company registered with the Commission under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–8];

(ii) any issuer eligible for an exclusion from the definition of investment company pursuant to section 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–3(c)(7)];

(iii) any bank (as defined in paragraph (6) of this subsection), savings association (as defined in section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act [12 U.S.C. 1813(b)]), broker, dealer, insurance company (as defined in section 2(a)(13) of the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77b(a)(13)]), or business development company (as defined in section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–2(a)(48)]);

(iv) any small business investment company licensed by the United States Small Business Administration under section 301(c) [15 U.S.C. 681(c)] or (d) 1 of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958;

(v) any State sponsored employee benefit plan, or any other employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 [29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.], other than an individual retirement account, if the investment decisions are made by a plan fiduciary, as defined in section 3(21) of that Act [29 U.S.C. 1002(21)], which is either a bank, savings and loan association, insurance company, or registered investment adviser;

(vi) any trust whose purchases of securities are directed by a person described in clauses (i) through (v) of this subparagraph;

(vii) any market intermediary exempt under section 3(c)(2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–3(c)(2)];

(viii) any associated person of a broker or dealer other than a natural person;

(ix) any foreign bank (as defined in section 1(b)(7) of the International Banking Act of 1978 [12 U.S.C. 3101(7)]);

(x) the government of any foreign country;

(xi) any corporation, company, or partnership that owns and invests on a discretionary basis, not less than $25,000,000 in investments;

(xii) any natural person who owns and invests on a discretionary basis, not less than $25,000,000 in investments;

(xiii) any government or political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of a government who owns and invests on a discretionary basis not less than $50,000,000 in investments; or

(xiv) any multinational or supranational entity or any agency or instrumentality thereof.

(i) any investment company registered with the Commission under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–8];

(ii) any issuer eligible for an exclusion from the definition of investment company pursuant to section 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–3(c)(7)];

(iii) any bank (as defined in paragraph (6) of this subsection), savings association (as defined in section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act [12 U.S.C. 1813(b)]), broker, dealer, insurance company (as defined in section 2(a)(13) of the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77b(a)(13)]), or business development company (as defined in section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–2(a)(48)]);

(iv) any small business investment company licensed by the United States Small Business Administration under section 301(c) [15 U.S.C. 681(c)] or (d) 4 of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958;

(v) any State sponsored employee benefit plan, or any other employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 [29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.], other than an individual retirement account, if the investment decisions are made by a plan fiduciary, as defined in section 3(21) of that Act [29 U.S.C. 1002(21)], which is either a bank, savings and loan association, insurance company, or registered investment adviser;

(vi) any trust whose purchases of securities are directed by a person described in clauses (i) through (v) of this subparagraph;

(vii) any market intermediary exempt under section 3(c)(2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–3(c)(2)];

(viii) any associated person of a broker or dealer other than a natural person;

(ix) any foreign bank (as defined in section 1(b)(7) of the International Banking Act of 1978 [12 U.S.C. 3101(7)]);

(x) the government of any foreign country;

(xi) any corporation, company, or partnership that owns and invests on a discretionary basis, not less than $25,000,000 in investments;

(xii) any natural person who owns and invests on a discretionary basis, not less than $25,000,000 in investments;

(xiii) any government or political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of a government who owns and invests on a discretionary basis not less than $50,000,000 in investments; or

(xiv) any multinational or supranational entity or any agency or instrumentality thereof.

(i) any investment company registered with the Commission under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–8];

(ii) any issuer eligible for an exclusion from the definition of investment company pursuant to section 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–3(c)(7)];

(iii) any bank (as defined in paragraph (6) of this subsection), savings association (as defined in section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act [12 U.S.C. 1813(b)]), broker, dealer, insurance company (as defined in section 2(a)(13) of the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77b(a)(13)]), or business development company (as defined in section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–2(a)(48)]);

(iv) any small business investment company licensed by the United States Small Business Administration under section 301(c) [15 U.S.C. 681(c)] or (d) 5 of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958;

(v) any State sponsored employee benefit plan, or any other employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 [29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.], other than an individual retirement account, if the investment decisions are made by a plan fiduciary, as defined in section 3(21) of that Act [29 U.S.C. 1002(21)], which is either a bank, savings and loan association, insurance company, or registered investment adviser;

(vi) any trust whose purchases of securities are directed by a person described in clauses (i) through (v) of this subparagraph;

(vii) any market intermediary exempt under section 3(c)(2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–3(c)(2)];

(viii) any associated person of a broker or dealer other than a natural person;

(ix) any foreign bank (as defined in section 1(b)(7) of the International Banking Act of 1978 [12 U.S.C. 3101(7)]);

(x) the government of any foreign country;

(xi) any corporation, company, or partnership that owns and invests on a discretionary basis, not less than $25,000,000 in investments;

(xii) any natural person who owns and invests on a discretionary basis, not less than $25,000,000 in investments;

(xiii) any government or political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of a government who owns and invests on a discretionary basis not less than $50,000,000 in investments; or

(xiv) any multinational or supranational entity or any agency or instrumentality thereof.

(i) any investment company registered with the Commission under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–8];

(ii) any issuer eligible for an exclusion from the definition of investment company pursuant to section 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–3(c)(7)];

(iii) any bank (as defined in paragraph (6) of this subsection), savings association (as defined in section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act [12 U.S.C. 1813(b)]), broker, dealer, insurance company (as defined in section 2(a)(13) of the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77b(a)(13)]), or business development company (as defined in section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–2(a)(48)]);

(iv) any small business investment company licensed by the United States Small Business Administration under section 301(c) [15 U.S.C. 681(c)] or (d) ¹ of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958;

(v) any State sponsored employee benefit plan, or any other employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 [29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.], other than an individual retirement account, if the investment decisions are made by a plan fiduciary, as defined in section 3(21) of that Act [29 U.S.C. 1002(21)], which is either a bank, savings and loan association, insurance company, or registered investment adviser;

(vi) any trust whose purchases of securities are directed by a person described in clauses (i) through (v) of this subparagraph;

(vii) any market intermediary exempt under section 3(c)(2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–3(c)(2)];

(viii) any associated person of a broker or dealer other than a natural person;

(ix) any foreign bank (as defined in section 1(b)(7) of the International Banking Act of 1978 [12 U.S.C. 3101(7)]);

(x) the government of any foreign country;

(xi) any corporation, company, or partnership that owns and invests on a discretionary basis, not less than $25,000,000 in investments;

(xii) any natural person who owns and invests on a discretionary basis, not less than $25,000,000 in investments;

(xiii) any government or political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of a government who owns and invests on a discretionary basis not less than $50,000,000 in investments; or

(xiv) any multinational or supranational entity or any agency or instrumentality thereof.