Brand guide

How we look, sound and show up.

For partners, press, volunteers, and anyone writing about Humans In Common. Take what you need, and ask us when something isn't covered.

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Version 1.0 · November 2026Colorado Startup Resources has its own guide

01 · Our story

Big challenges, in common.

Good ideas exist. So do the resources. But they're often disconnected. Humans In Common brings people, resources, and possibilities together to test ideas, build solutions, and create a future where more people can thrive.

Who we're for

Entrepreneurs and founders

People starting something, whether it's a company, a co-op, or a side project, who want to test it with real people.

Nonprofit and community leaders

Organizations working on a shared challenge who want new partners and a structured way to try new responses.

Funders

Foundations, investors, and sponsors who want to back experiments and see what was learned, not just what was spent.

Public and civic partners

Governments, economic developers, universities, and libraries who host, convene, or carry what works forward.

Participants and volunteers

Neighbors, testers, mentors, and makers who give time and ideas, and choose what to try and what to share.

Other regions

People in other states and countries who want to start Humans In Common where they live.

What we stand for

In common

We start with what people share, not their industry or title. An ecosystem should make connections more accessible, not extract value from people and their networks.

Learn by doing

Ideas get tested in real settings, at a small scale first. Every experiment ends with a decision to adapt, expand, or stop, and stopping counts as a result.

Open by default

We share what we learn, including what didn't work. Resources like the Ecosystem Library are free to use, and our methods are written down so others can repeat them.

Rooted anywhere

Colorado is where we began, not a boundary. Each place builds from its own strengths, so nothing in our name, look, or methods should depend on one landscape.

Tagline

Shared ideas. Real-world experiments.

Use it in titles, profiles, presentations, and event signage. For a one-sentence description in listings and bios, use: Humans In Common connects people, resources, and possibilities to test ideas and build solutions.

02 · Our names

One name, many initiatives.

Humans In Common is the organization. Each initiative is a distinct way to act on the same mission, and each carries the same label so people can see they belong together.

Write	Not	Notes
Humans In Common	Humans in Common, Humans-In-Common, HumansInCommon	Capital I in “In”. Spell it out the first time in any piece.
HIC	H.I.C., hic, Hic	Fine after the full name, or where space is tight.
An initiative of Humans In Common	A project within HIC, an HIC initiative, a division of, powered by	The one label for every initiative. Status, when needed, follows on its own: In development.
Humans In Common, a Colorado corporation	Humans In Common LLC, Humans In Common Inc.	Legal text, agreements, and the site footer only.

Our initiatives

Name	What it is	Where
Colorado Startup Resources	The statewide directory of support for people building things in Colorado. Our first initiative; it keeps its own logo and guide.	coloradostartupresources.com
Ecosystem Library	Core texts, research, tools, and maps on how innovation ecosystems and their communities grow.	library.humansincommon.com
Commons Atlas	An interactive map of how organizations, programs, and communities connect.	In development
Trial Garden	Where builders ask for testers and community members try early-stage products, programs, and ideas.	In development
Common Ground Lab	A focused, collaborative experiment on a shared challenge, documented openly. Always “the Common Ground Lab” in running text.	Proposed pilot

Always write an initiative's name in full, with capitals: Trial Garden, not the garden; Commons Atlas, not the atlas.

03 · Our voice

Like a good host.

Someone who brings the right people to the table, makes the introductions, and keeps the conversation honest. We sound the same to a first-time founder, a county commissioner, and a foundation officer.

Plain

Everyday words and short sentences. Say “test an idea with real people,” not “leverage cross-sector innovation synergies.”

Hopeful, not hyped

Confident about what people can do together, without exclamation marks, superlatives, or promises we can't keep.

Curious

We ask before we answer. Questions, real examples, and named places beat claims.

Honest about the unknown

Experiments can fail. We say what we're testing, what we learned, and what we don't know yet.

In practice

Say	Not
Test ideas with real people, in real places.	Disrupt the innovation landscape.
We're testing this with a small group first.	We're transforming communities everywhere.
The first pilot didn't work as planned. Here's what we changed.	Our proven model guarantees results.
Humans In Common (HIC) connects people, resources, and possibilities.	HIC is a best-in-class ecosystem platform.

House style

Serial comma: Yes: “people, resources, and possibilities.” (Colorado Startup Resources doesn't use it; each brand keeps its own.)
Headings: Sentence case. Use italics in the serif for the one phrase that matters: Start small. Learn together. Build what works.
Numbers: Numerals for 10 and up, words for one to nine, except in data and stats.
Dashes: Em dashes sparingly, with no spaces. Prefer a comma or a new sentence.
Dates: November 3, 2026. Not 11/3/26.

04 · Our logo

Leaf, unbroken.

Three equal leaves grow from one point: different people, ideas, and resources sharing the same root. No piece is larger than the others, and none is broken off.

Logo. Use it in headers, on documents, and as the first choice everywhere.

Wide logo. For narrow strips, footers, and banners.

Symbol. For profile pictures, favicons, merch, and small spaces where the name appears nearby.

Reversed. On Forest or Ink. Use the white version on photos.

Clear space

Keep space on every side equal to the height of the symbol's middle leaf, x. Nothing else, text, edges, or other logos, goes inside it.

Minimum size

Logo: 140 px wide on screen, 35 mm in print
Wide logo: 180 px wide on screen, 45 mm in print
Symbol: 24 px on screen (16 px for favicons only), 8 mm in print

Initiative logos

Initiatives share the leaf symbol. The initiative's name sits beside it in Playfair Display, with Humans In Common below in small caps. Colorado Startup Resources keeps its own established logo, with A project of Humans In Common beneath it.

Commons AtlasHumans In Common

Ecosystem LibraryHumans In Common

Trial GardenHumans In Common

Common Ground LabHumans In Common

Please don't

Recolor the leaves or swap their order
Separate, rotate, or rearrange the three leaves
Add a break, slash, or outline to the symbol
Stretch, squash, or add effects like shadows
Set the wordmark in another font
Add people shapes, mountains, or landmarks

Logo files

Every version in SVG and transparent PNG, with a short README. Download all (ZIP, 1 MB), or pick a single file.

05 · Color

From the three leaves.

Teal, Leaf, and Ochre come straight from the symbol. Ink and Forest carry text and weight, and warm neutrals keep pages calm. Click a color to copy its code.

Core colors

Neutrals and text

Logo on dark

Lighter leaves for the reversed logo. Don't use them elsewhere.

Balance

Paper, SandInk, ForestLeaf

Mostly light and quiet. Ochre is a spark, never a background for text.

Accessible pairings

AaInk on Paper13.2:1 · All text

AaSlate on Paper8.2:1 · All text

AaLeaf on Paper6.6:1 · All text, links

AaPebble on Paper4.9:1 · Body text and up

AaTeal on white4.6:1 · Body text and up

AaWhite on Forest9.3:1 · All text, buttons

AaLight Ochre on Forest4.9:1 · Body text and up

AaOchre on Paper2.9:1 · Shapes only, never text

Imagery

Real over staged: photos of actual sessions, places, and the people who agreed to be in them. Avoid mountain scenes and landmarks that tie us to one place, and avoid generic stock crowds. Until we have our own photos, use the colors and simple leaf and garden shapes instead.

06 · Typography

A serif voice, a sans for work.

Playfair Display gives headings warmth and a human hand. DM Sans keeps everything else clear and easy to read. Both are free under the SIL Open Font License, so partners can use them too.

DisplayPlayfair Display Regular 400 · 48–80 · −2%

Big challenges. Shared ideas.

HeadingPlayfair Display Regular 400 · 32–48 · −2%

One shared mission. Distinct ways to act.

SubheadingDM Sans Semibold 600 · 20/26

Learn by doing

EyebrowDM Sans Bold 700 · 12 · caps · +14%

An initiative of Humans In Common

BodyDM Sans Regular 400 · 17/1.65

Humans In Common brings people, resources, and possibilities together to test ideas, build solutions, and create a future where more people can thrive.

CaptionDM Sans Medium 500 · 12–15

In development · Commons Atlas

Fallbacks

Where you can't install the fonts: Georgia for headings, and Arial or your system font for text.

The wordmark

The wordmark is Playfair Display Medium 500, converted to outlines. Always use the logo files instead of typing the name in the font.

07 · Partners

Alongside, never above.

We work with many organizations, and every one keeps its own name and look. Shared materials should show partners as equals.

How to describe us, short

Humans In Common connects people, resources, and possibilities to test ideas and build solutions.

How to describe us, longer

Humans In Common (HIC) is an open innovation ecosystem that brings people together across sectors to test ideas in real-world settings and share what they learn. Its initiatives include Colorado Startup Resources, the Ecosystem Library, Commons Atlas, Trial Garden, and the Common Ground Lab.

Co-branded materials

Partner logo

Logos sit side by side at the same visual height, divided by a thin Stone rule, with clear space around each. On an HIC-led pilot, write In partnership with before the partner's name. On a partner's materials, the partner leads and our logo is never larger than theirs.

Using our logo

You're welcome to use the logo to link to us, to show that you're part of an HIC initiative or pilot, or in news coverage. Please don't use it to suggest that we endorse a product, service, or candidate, and ask us first for merchandise or anything you'll sell. Questions: jscarantino@humansincommon.com.

08 · Decisions

What we've settled.

The choices behind this first version, published in November 2026. We'll keep the guide up to date as our initiatives launch.

Decision	Outcome
Tagline	Shared ideas. Real-world experiments. Kept as is.
Values	In common carries over from Colorado Startup Resources, joined by three of our own.
The initials HIC	Fine in public, after the full name the first time.
Initiative label	One label for all: An initiative of Humans In Common.
Initiative logos	Initiatives share the leaf symbol with their own name. Colorado Startup Resources keeps its established logo.
Legal name	Humans In Common, a Colorado corporation.
Who this guide is for	The general public: partners, press, volunteers, and anyone writing about us.
Photography	Not settled yet. Until it is, follow the interim rule in section 05.