wildcatter

/ˈwaɪldˌkætər/
noun
  1. A person who drills for oil or gas in areas not known to have deposits, often taking big financial risks.
    • The wildcatter spent his life savings drilling in a remote field.
    • She was known as a fearless wildcatter who never gave up on a promising site.
    • Many wildcatters became rich during the oil boom of the early 1900s.
  2. A person who starts a new, risky business or project, especially in a bold or unconventional way.
    • The young entrepreneur was a wildcatter, always chasing the next big idea.
    • Critics called him a wildcatter, but his risky ventures often paid off.
    • In the tech world, he was a wildcatter, launching startups in untested markets.
Antonyms
What does "wildcatter" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean