Bark & Co entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire Northern Star Acquisition Corp. for $1.5 billion in a reverse merger transaction on December 16, 2020. As a result of the transaction, the Barkbox valued at an enterprise value of approximately $1.6 billion and its projects revenue of approximately $365 million and gross profit of approximately $221 million as of fiscal year ending March 31, 2021. Northern Star will issue 150 million new shares to acquire Bark subject to adjustments. The combined company expects to receive up to $454 million of gross cash proceeds at closing, assuming no redemptions of Northern Star's existing public stockholders, including an upsized fully-committed $200 million private placement of common stock at $10.00 per share led by Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC, Senator Investment Group, the Federated Hermes Kaufmann Funds, and affiliates of the Santo Domingo Group among other top-tier institutional investors. Post-closing ownership will be 74.3% existing BARK shareholders;9.9% PIPE investors;15.8% Northern Star and founder shares. BarkBox will be surviving the merger. BARK will become a publicly listed company on the New York Stock Exchange under the new ticker symbol, “BARK” and the name will change to “Barkbox Inc.” As per filing on May 28, 2021 the common stock and warrants of the combined company, which will be renamed "The Original BARK Company", are set to commence trading on the New York Stock Exchange on June 2, 2021 under the new ticker symbols, "BARK" and "BARK WS", respectively.

Upon completion, Matt Meekerwill serve as Executive Chairman and Director, Manish Joneja will serve as Chief Executive Officer and Director, John Toth will serve as Chief Financial Officer and Henrik Werdelin will serve as Chief Strategy Officer and Director of the combined company. Jonathan J. Ledecky, Joanna Coles, Jim McGinty and Elizabeth McLaughlin will serve Directors of the combined company.

The transaction is subject to the required approval by the stockholders of Northern Star and Bark & Co and the fulfillment of satisfaction or waiver of other customary closing conditions including, covenants providing for Northern Star and BarkBox to cooperate in the preparation of the Registration Statement on Form S-4 required to be prepared, Northern Star having at least $5,000,001 of net tangible assets remaining immediately prior to or upon consummation of the merger after taking into account the holders of Northern Star's public shares that properly demanded that Northern Star redeem their public shares for their pro rata share of the trust account, all specified waiting periods under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, regulatory approval, Northern Star common stock to be issued to the BarkBox stockholders in the merger shall have been approved for listing on the NYSE, the approval of certain changes to Northern Star Acquisition's charter documents, completion of the PIPE, certain officers and directors of Northern Star having resigned as of the closing date, Northern Star's initial stockholders executing the lock-up agreement, each officer and director of Northern Star will vote to adopt and approve the merger and the registration rights agreement shall have been executed. The Northern Star and BARK Boards of Directors have unanimously approved the proposed merger. Northern Star's board of directors unanimously recommends that its stockholders vote “FOR” the business combination proposal. Annual meeting of stockholders of Northern Star Acquisition Corp. will be held to approve the transaction. Northern Star shareholders approved the transaction at its Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on May 28, 2021. The merger is expected to be consummated early in the second quarter of 2021. As of May 28, 2021 The merger is scheduled to close on June 1, 2021.

David Alan Miller and Jeffrey M. Gallant of Graubard Miller acted as legal advisors to Northern Star. Michael J. Mies of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Brooks Stough, Melissa B. Marks, John Olson, Katie Gardner, James Hauser and Keith Scherer of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP are acting as legal counsels to BARK. Dan Coyne, Jason Partenza, Wesley Rossiter, Jen Pardi and Brian O'Connor of Canaccord Genuity LLC are acting as financial advisors to BARK. Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) is acting as sole financial and capital markets advisor to Northern Star. D.F. King & Co., Inc. acted as proxy solicitor to Northern Star and will receive a fee of $25,000 for its services. Mark Zimkind of Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acted as depository bank and the transfer agent for shares of Northern Star common stock.

Bark & Co completed the acquisition of Northern Star Acquisition Corp. (NYSE:STIC) in a reverse merger transaction on June 1, 2021. As a result of the closing, the combined company being renamed "The Original BARK Company", with its common stock and warrants to commence trading on the New York Stock Exchange at the opening of trading on June 2, 2021 under the new ticker symbols "BARK" and "BARK WS", respectively. In connection with the merger and related private placement, BARK received approximately $427 million in cash proceeds. Manish Joneja will serve as Chief Executive Officer alongside BARK Founders Matt Meeker, Henrik Werdelin and Carly Strife.