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This article investigates technological innovation in traditional crafts through the case of a smart irrigation system in the landscaping craft. This collective project, driven by an innovation intermediary that facilitates the stages of the innovation process, was finally abandoned following its design phase. Culture reticence related to both professionals and marketplace’s attachment to tradition are generally mentioned to explain the failure of too radical innovations. Through this study, we show that the innovation intermediary involved in this context has specific roles to play in the management of both tradition and learning.