Who were the group of English merchants who obtained a charter from King James I to establish a colony?

The group of English merchants who obtained a charter from King James I to establish a colony were known as the Virginia Company. Founded in 1606, the Virginia Company was tasked with establishing settlements in the New World, leading to the founding of Jamestown in 1607, the first permanent English settlement in North America. The company's goals included profit through trade and the expansion of English influence.