Rocket Fuel Grants Equity Awards Under Its 2016 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan

Rocket Fuel (NASDAQ: FUEL), a leading programmatic marketing platform provider, today announced that it granted equity awards to its new chief revenue officer and to two new employees who are not executive officers of the company on August 17, 2016, under its 2016 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan was originally adopted by the board of directors of the company effective March 4, 2016 in accordance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The company granted (i) nonstatutory stock options to purchase an aggregate of up to 9,000 shares of Rocket Fuel common stock to two new employees and (ii) a nonstatutory stock option to purchase up to 200,000 shares of Rocket Fuel common stock to Rick Song, who joined the company as chief revenue officer on July 25, 2016. Each option has a 10-year term and an exercise price of $3.19 per share, which was the closing price of Rocket Fuel’s common stock on the grant date. Each option will vest as to 25% of the award on the first anniversary of its vesting start date and as to 1/48th of the award each month thereafter, subject to continued employment through each vesting date. The company also granted 32,500 restricted stock units (“RSUs”) to Mr. Song. The RSUs will vest as to 25% of the awards one year from the vesting start date and as to 12.5% of the award every six months thereafter, subject to continued employment through each vesting date.

The grants were approved by the compensation committee of the company’s board of directors on August 17, 2016. As required by NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4), each grant was made as a material inducement for the employee entering into an employment relationship with the company.

About Rocket Fuel

Rocket Fuel applies artificial intelligence and big data to predict the potential of every moment and make marketing more meaningful and accountable. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, the company has more than 20 offices worldwide and trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol "FUEL." Rocket Fuel, the Rocket Fuel logo, Moment Scoring, Advertising That Learns and Marketing That Learns are trademarks or registered trademarks of Rocket Fuel Inc. in the United States and other countries.

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