diff --git a/desktop/src/app/components/start-menu/start-menu.component.html b/desktop/src/app/components/start-menu/start-menu.component.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b1c2bd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src/app/components/start-menu/start-menu.component.html
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+<div class="start-menu-backdrop" (click)="close.emit()"></div>
+<div class="start-menu">
+  <div class="start-header">
+    <span class="start-logo">🦋</span>
+    <span class="start-title">Butterfly</span>
+  </div>
+
+  <div class="start-search">
+    <input type="text" placeholder="Type to search..." class="search-input" />
+  </div>
+
+  <div class="app-grid">
+    @for (app of apps; track app.id) {
+      <button class="app-tile" (click)="onLaunch(app.id)">
+        <span class="app-tile-icon">{{ app.icon }}</span>
+        <span class="app-tile-title">{{ app.title }}</span>
+      </button>
+    }
+  </div>
+
+  <div class="start-footer">
+    <span class="version">Butterfly Desktop v0.1</span>
+  </div>
+</div>
diff --git a/desktop/src/app/components/start-menu/start-menu.component.scss b/desktop/src/app/components/start-menu/start-menu.component.scss
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..623a31d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src/app/components/start-menu/start-menu.component.scss
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+:host {
+  display: contents;
+}
+
+.start-menu-backdrop {
+  position: fixed;
+  inset: 0;
+  z-index: 8000;
+}
+
+.start-menu {
+  position: fixed;
+  bottom: 56px;
+  left: 50%;
+  transform: translateX(-50%);
+  width: 520px;
+  max-height: 580px;
+  background: #2d2d2d;
+  border: 1px solid #444;
+  border-radius: 12px;
+  box-shadow: 0 8px 48px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5), 0 2px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
+  z-index: 8500;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  animation: slideUp 0.2s ease-out;
+}
+
+@keyframes slideUp {
+  from {
+    opacity: 0;
+    transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(20px);
+  }
+  to {
+    opacity: 1;
+    transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(0);
+  }
+}
+
+.start-header {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 10px;
+  padding: 20px 24px 12px;
+}
+
+.start-logo {
+  font-size: 28px;
+}
+
+.start-title {
+  font-size: 20px;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  color: #e0e0e0;
+}
+
+.start-search {
+  padding: 0 20px 12px;
+}
+
+.search-input {
+  width: 100%;
+  height: 36px;
+  padding: 0 12px;
+  border: 1px solid #555;
+  border-radius: 6px;
+  background: #383838;
+  color: #e0e0e0;
+  font-size: 13px;
+  outline: none;
+  box-sizing: border-box;
+
+  &::placeholder {
+    color: #888;
+  }
+
+  &:focus {
+    border-color: #0078d4;
+    box-shadow: 0 0 0 1px #0078d4;
+  }
+}
+
+.app-grid {
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
+  gap: 4px;
+  padding: 4px 20px 16px;
+  flex: 1;
+}
+
+.app-tile {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 6px;
+  padding: 16px 8px;
+  border: none;
+  background: transparent;
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  transition: background 0.15s;
+  color: #e0e0e0;
+
+  &:hover {
+    background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.06);
+  }
+
+  &:active {
+    background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.03);
+  }
+}
+
+.app-tile-icon {
+  font-size: 32px;
+}
+
+.app-tile-title {
+  font-size: 12px;
+  text-align: center;
+  max-width: 100%;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  text-overflow: ellipsis;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+}
+
+.start-footer {
+  padding: 8px 24px 14px;
+  border-top: 1px solid #3a3a3a;
+}
+
+.version {
+  font-size: 11px;
+  color: #666;
+}
diff --git a/desktop/src/app/components/start-menu/start-menu.component.ts b/desktop/src/app/components/start-menu/start-menu.component.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5085248
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src/app/components/start-menu/start-menu.component.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { Component, output } from '@angular/core';
+import { CommonModule } from '@angular/common';
+
+@Component({
+  selector: 'app-start-menu',
+  standalone: true,
+  imports: [CommonModule],
+  templateUrl: './start-menu.component.html',
+  styleUrl: './start-menu.component.scss',
+})
+export class StartMenuComponent {
+  readonly launchApp = output<string>();
+  readonly close = output<void>();
+
+  apps = [
+    { id: 'file-explorer', icon: '📁', title: 'File Explorer', description: 'Browse files and folders' },
+    { id: 'terminal', icon: '⬛', title: 'Terminal', description: 'Command-line interface' },
+    { id: 'text-editor', icon: '📝', title: 'Text Editor', description: 'Edit text and code files' },
+    { id: 'browser', icon: '🌐', title: 'Web Browser', description: 'Browse the web' },
+    { id: 'settings', icon: '⚙️', title: 'Settings', description: 'System configuration' },
+    { id: 'remote-display', icon: '🖥️', title: 'Remote Desktop', description: 'Connect to a VM session' },
+  ];
+
+  onLaunch(id: string): void {
+    this.launchApp.emit(id);
+    this.close.emit();
+  }
+}