invester

An investor is an individual or organization that commits capital or resources to an asset, project, or enterprise with the expectation of earning a financial return or achieving strategic objectives. Investments can take many forms, including stocks, bonds, real estate, private equity, startups, or infrastructure projects. The term is commonly used across financial markets and investment management.

There are several types of investors, each with different objectives and risk tolerances. Individual investors buy securities for personal wealth accumulation or income. Angel investors provide early-stage capital to startups. Venture capitalists invest in higher-risk, growth-oriented companies. Institutional investors include pension funds, mutual funds, insurance companies, and endowments, often managing large pools of capital. Other categories include sovereign wealth funds and corporate venture arms, which invest on behalf of governments or corporations.

Key activities for investors include conducting due diligence, performing financial analysis and forecasting, and assessing risk-reward profiles. They select asset classes, build diversified portfolios, and monitor investments over time. Exit strategies—such as selling ownership stakes, asset dispositions, or initial public offerings—are planned to realize returns. Investors may also consider governance and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, especially among institutional and responsible investing programs.

Linguistically, the standard English term is “investor.” “Invester” is generally a misspelling or a non-English form; different languages may use cognate terms for the same concept.