Social and solidarity economy (SSE) organizations as intermediaries for social innovation: their contributions... and limitations.

Summary SSE organizations are considered as essential actors of social innovation within territories, not only by being at their origin, but also by their intermediation role coordinating different categories of stakeholders. By mobilizing the literature on innovation intermediation, this article analyzes the contributions and limitations of SSE structures in their intermediation function. We apply this analysis grid to the study of the role of a cooperative cellar in the diffusion of a social innovation concerning the transmission-takeover of wine farms in the Burgundy vineyards of the Mâconnais. We show that the cooperative fulfills its intermediation role thanks to its privileged position in the local relational network while encouraging proximity between the stakeholders. Nevertheless, its capacity to act is limited due to strategic choices, but also to changes in the local environment. These limitations emphasize the need for concerted intermediation with other public and para-public actors.