The Venini company originates from a joined venture of Paolo Venini, by trade a lawyer, the Venetian antique dealer Giacomo Cappellin and two investors Luigi Ceresa and Emilio Hochs. The partners in 1921 established the "Vetri Soffiati Muranesi Cappellin Venini & C." firm. Disagreements caused Giacomo Cappellin to withdraw in 1925 and Paolo Venini takes over leadership of the company from then on until his death in 1959. He actively involves himself in the the design process and takes under contract famous artists such as Napoleone Martinuzzi, Tommaso Buzzi, Fulvio Bianconi and Carlo Scarpa who by trade was an architect. The firm worked in close partnership with leading architects and in the mid 1950s produce innovative light fixtures. Important names to mention as designers during that time period are Gio Ponti, Franco Albini, Massimo Vignelli, Tyra Lundgren and Tapio Wirkkala. The fine quality of Veninis products and aesthetically pleasing designs make the company one of the leading firms in the mid-century Murano Glass production. After the death of Paolo Venini in 1959 the firms leadership transfers to his son in law, architect Ludovico Diaz de Santillana who had been assisting Paolo Venini in his later years. Under direction of Santillana the company is able to maintain its spirit of innovation and research which had been hallmark of the Venini company. They attract young artists, such as Thomas Stearns who came to Murano on a scholarship and stayed. His designs were introduced at the 1962 Venice Biennale and receive great acclaim. 
In 1972 the Venini work shop gets destroyed by fire and almost all samples and prototypes were destroyed. Amongst it also the firms archives, which included historic photographs and original drawings.