UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 17, 2025

Banzai International, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (206) 414-1777

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

On September 16, 2025, Banzai International, Inc. (“Banzai” or the “Company”) entered into a Convertible Promissory Note (the “Note”) with YA II PN, LTD., a Cayman Islands exempt limited company (the “Investor”) in principal amount of $2,000,000 (the “Original Principal Amount”) to the Company, to be used as an advance under the outstanding Standby Equity Purchase Agreement entered into on December 14, 2023 by the Company and the Investor (the “SEPA”). The Company received $890,000 from the Investor on that same date (“Advance #1), which reflects 50% of the Original Principal Amount, 10% discount and certain fees owed at such time. Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement on Form S-1, originally filed with the SEC on September 12, 2025 (File No. 333-290241) and the delivery of a closing statement, the Investor shall remit an amount equal to 50% of the remaining Original Principal Amount, or $1,000,000, less a discount equal to 10% of the Original Principal Amount, netted from the purchase price due and structured as a purchase discount (“Advance #2”).

The Note was issued on September 16, 2025 (the “Issuance Date”) and the maturity date of the Note is March 16, 2026, but may be extended at the option of the Company (the “Maturity Date”). Beginning on the 30^th day from the Issuance Date, and continuing on the same day of each successive calendar month thereafter, (each, an “Installment Date”), the Company shall repay a portion of the outstanding balance of the Note in an amount equal to the sum of (i) $500,000 of principal (or the outstanding Principal if less than such amount), plus (ii) a payment premium in an amount equal to 4% of the Principal amount being paid (the “Payment Premium”), and (iii) accrued and unpaid interest hereunder as of each Installment Date (collectively, the “Installment Amount”). The Company maintains the right to pay each Installment Amount in cash or via an Advance Notice pursuant to the SEPA or any combination thereof. The Note bears an interest annual rate of 6%, which shall increase to 18% upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, as defined in the Note. The Note is convertible into shares of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”), at a conversion price of $2.50 per share (the “Conversion Price”). The Investor may elect to convert part or all of the outstanding balance of the Note at any time or from time to time after the Issuance Date. The Company maintains the right to redeem all or any part of the Note, at any time, provided that (i) the Company provides the Investor with at least 10 trading days’ prior written notice (each, a “Redemption Notice”) of its desire to prepay the outstanding amount (an “Optional Redemption”), and (ii) on the date the Redemption Notice is issued, the VWAP of the Class A Common Stock is less than the Conversion Price.

The foregoing description of the Note is qualified by reference to the full text of the Form of Convertible Promissory Note, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 2.03 Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement.

The information contained in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated in this Item 2.03 by reference.

Item 3.02. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities

The information contained in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated in this Item 3.02 by reference.

Item 9.01 Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Dated: September 17, 2025