The value creation of research activities is a fully fledged mission at university. This article examines the various issues arising from this requirement and the nature of the organizational mechanisms likely to be implemented to meet it. It describes the NanoMem case – based on a promising technology in the semi conductor sector-, the initial value creation project as well as its risks and limitations. It then attests to the collaborative arrangement set up during companion research in order to extend the perspectives for enhancing this technology as regards applications and markets. Our work demonstrates that this mechanism can be more generally extended and that this type of collaborative workshop makes it possible : 1) to guide the exploration of a concept both concerning the technical and value dimensions, 2) to better manage this upstream phase in innovation projects and 3) to identify the groups that must be mobilized.