Fundador

Fundador is a noun used in Spanish and Portuguese to refer to a person who establishes or creates something, especially a company, organization, institution, or city. It denotes the originator or initiator of an entity. The feminine form is fundadora in both languages. When several people share the founding role, cofounded terms are common: cofundador or cofundadora. The verb related to the noun is fundar, meaning to found or to establish.

In Portuguese, fundar can also describe the act of establishing foundations or institutions, and the word fundação (foundation) is used for organizations created to support a cause or activity. In Spanish, fundación serves similarly as the noun for a foundation or philanthropic organization. Although similar, fundación and Fundação refer to distinct kinds of foundations, not to the act of founding itself.

Usage notes: fundadores are typically identified in business histories, biographies, and organizational records. The term is formal and common in corporate, historical, and biographical contexts. It is not synonymous with “financier” or “backer,” which would be financiar or financiador in Spanish, and financiador in Portuguese.

Etymology: fundar derives from Latin fundare, from fundus meaning bottom or base, with the sense of establishing a base or foundation. The noun fundador ultimately denotes one who lays the foundations of something.

Examples:

- Spanish: “María es la fundadora de la ONG.” “Juan y Ana son cofundadores de la startup.”

- Portuguese: “Carlos é o fundador da empresa.” “Ela é a fundadora do instituto.”