VENIS is a project to create a Virtual Enterprise by Networked Interoperability Services for SMEs. The project aims to 1) create a common repository to unify scattered enterprise information, 2) enable distributed data sharing through smart data exchange mechanisms, and 3) provide a business process handler with an interactive assistant for joint projects using automatically collected and merged information from enterprises. The goal is to preserve past investments through seamless integration with existing legacy systems and work procedures.