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Embracing an open approach to innovation invites us to better understand the factors fostering the circulation of knowledge, in particular the role of intermediaries acting as enablers in the innovation processes. However, very little research has been conducted on the concrete means that innovation partners use to interact, as well as on the particular role of these intermediaries in the territorial framework of business clusters. This article aims to characterize the determining factors within the cooperation dynamics of partners involved in collaborative projects categorized as competitiveness clusters in the agri-food industry. The analytical framework is based on the joint use of partners’ internal resources, forms of inter-partner proximity, and intermediary enablers. The methodology is based on in-depth study of six projects through twenty-two semi-structured interviews. The novel aspect to this research is the exploration of the role that resources play throughout the projects’ life cycle (emergence, implementation, assessment). The findings underline the enabling role of intermediaries in activating internal resources, in particular the cluster involved in the setup phase and the consultants providing a coordination role in the implementation phase.