At times a company may need a specialized expert in an industry from overseas. For example, if a company uses or sells specialized technology purchased from a foreign country, an engineer who is well-versed with that technology may greatly benefit the company. In another example, a non-US company with a US subsidiary may decide it needs to send one of its key employees to the US for a number of years of head up a certain aspect of its operations because of the existing internal company know-how of that individual.
In other instances, a foreign individual may be ready and willing to contribute significant capital to a US entity, becoming an owner as well as a key employee. A range of visas exist for such situations and the best option will need to be determined. Furthermore, the circumstances of the employment and investment will need to conform to fit the requirements of the selected visa.