This paper describes a case of collaboration between academia and business firms in supporting innovation processes based on the CILO method, named after the CILO project (communication in learning organizations). The CILO method is an example of firm-supportive research approach. We describe the outcomes related to enhancing enterprise performance from applying the CILO-method in relation to one of the partner companies. The aim of the paper is to describe and discuss the concept of firm-supportive research in relation to the concept of innovation and to demonstrate how the specific characteristics of this research approach can enhance enterprise performance in one of our partner companies, Flower Systems Ltd.