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Common Forge Ventures
Common Forge Ventures was formed in 2019 by Chris Onan and Ari Newman, two figures deeply embedded in Colorado's technology ecosystem.
Common Forge Ventures
Common Forge Ventures was formed in 2019 by Chris Onan and Ari Newman, two figures deeply embedded in Colorado's technology ecosystem. Onan spent over a decade as an investor at Foundry Group, while Newman previously served as an investment partner at Techstars, giving the firm a distinctive blend of institutional venture discipline and accelerator-native sourcing. The firm is headquartered in Denver and invests almost exclusively in North American companies. The firm targets pre-seed and seed-stage technology companies, writing initial checks that typically range from $500,000 to $1.5 million with significant reserves for follow-on. Its portfolio spans enterprise software, AI/ML applications, digital health, fintech infrastructure, cybersecurity, and climate technology. Publicly disclosed investments include Denver-based AMP Robotics, which builds AI-guided sorting systems for the recycling industry, and Pana, a corporate travel platform acquired by Coupa Software in 2020 (per the firm's official communications). Common Forge concentrates its capital in the US and Canada, with a particular density of portfolio companies in the Colorado Front Range. The firm operates with a lean partnership structure, deliberately avoiding the multi-stage, multi-strategy expansion that reshaped many of its venture peers. Onan and Newman were the named partners as of the firm's launch, though total team size remains undisclosed. Common Forge has not publicly disclosed a second fund close, and its total capital under management is not publicly reported. The firm's community ties are reinforced through active mentorship in the Rockies Venture Club and the broader Colorado startup corridor. Common Forge's structural differentiator is its synthesis of two distinct venture lineages: the thesis-driven, concentrated portfolio construction of Foundry Group and the high-volume, mentor-dense model of Techstars. This positions the firm as a bridge between Colorado's accelerator graduates and the institutional Series A market, filling a capital gap that opened as larger funds migrated upstream.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
2019
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Denver
Corporate office
Denver, CO, United States
Principals
Chris Onan
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Ari Newman
Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who makes investment decisions at Common Forge Ventures?
Co-founders Chris Onan and Ari Newman make all investment decisions. Onan brings over a decade of experience from Foundry Group, where he focused on early-stage software investments. Newman's background includes a partnership role at Techstars, where he evaluated thousands of startups and led dozens of investments. The partnership structure remains intentionally small, with no publicly announced additions to the investment committee since the firm's 2019 founding (per public record).
How does Common Forge source its deal flow?
The firm sources primarily through the Colorado and broader Rocky Mountain technology networks, leveraging Onan's relationships from Foundry Group and Newman's extensive Techstars alumni network. Common Forge also draws referrals from the Rockies Venture Club and the dense concentration of startup accelerators in the Denver-Boulder corridor. The firm does not publicly operate a scout program or formal co-investor syndicate.
What investment stages does Common Forge target?
Common Forge focuses on pre-seed and seed-stage companies, typically leading or co-leading rounds with initial checks between $500,000 and $1.5 million. The firm reserves capital for follow-on investments through the Series A stage. It does not publicly participate in growth-stage rounds or late-stage secondaries, maintaining a deliberately concentrated early-stage mandate.
Does Common Forge invest outside the United States?
The firm's disclosed investments are concentrated in the United States and Canada, with a particular density in Colorado. No publicly disclosed portfolio companies are headquartered outside North America. Common Forge's partnership network and sourcing model are built around the US venture ecosystem, and the firm has not indicated plans for geographic expansion beyond its current footprint.
Is Common Forge currently investing out of an active fund?
Common Forge launched in 2019, but the firm has not publicly announced a specific fund vehicle or disclosed its total assets under management. The partnership structure and investment pace suggest a single fund or rolling capital vehicle, though the firm has made no formal announcement of a Fund I close or a subsequent fundraise. All investment activity should be verified through direct inquiry with the firm.
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