Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to explore how female academic entrepreneurs navigate and negotiate their changing role identities. In particular, we are interested in the coping strategies (identity work) undertaken by female academic entrepreneurs (micro-level) as they navigate and negotiate their changing role identities (and ensuing role conflict) within the university environment. We draw upon empirical evidence that reveals that female academics have to undertake a specific type of identity work in order to be deemed legitimate and credible as academic entrepreneurs, such as belonging, overcoming, visibility and invisibility.