Am I an environmental entrepreneur? On the evolution of entrepreneurial identity

Environmental entrepreneurship as a field had gained attention in recent years, yet, although it represents a growing field of research, we still know little about identity of environmental entrepreneurs. On the foundations of identity theory and by applying the lens of identity work, the study investigates how entrepreneurial identity evolves over time. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and additional data from 36 entrepreneurs from the Italian wine industry, the findings highlight entrepreneurial identity evolves from an initial appearance to a developed self-consciousness as environmental entrepreneurs. This identity work includes moments of identity contestation and/or elaboration, triggered by the interplay of environmental and place identity. The article contributes to research on environmental entrepreneurship and identity work.