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The objective of this study is to identify critical practices, i.e., practices leading to success or failure of an innovation cooperation between customers and suppliers, using the Necessary Condition Analysis approach. This study is based on a sample of 160 innovation cooperations. We identified twenty-three critical practices such as the absence of a contract, the precise definition of the roles and responsibilities of each partner in the innovation project, or the frequent involvement of the client’s marketing function. These results make it possible to recommend the appropriate contractual arrangements and coordination methods as well as those that should be avoided to maximize the chances of success of vertical innovation cooperations.