diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 304c08b5..db76c21e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# hyperhive
+# <img src="branding/hyperhive.svg" alt="" width="38" align="top"> hyperhive
 
 > a swarm of claude-code agents, each in its own nspawn cage, gossiping
 > over unix sockets. config changes flow as git commits, the operator
diff --git a/branding/hyperhive.png b/branding/hyperhive.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..731d2533
Binary files /dev/null and b/branding/hyperhive.png differ
diff --git a/branding/hyperhive.svg b/branding/hyperhive.svg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..81d931c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/branding/hyperhive.svg
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
+  <title>HyperHive</title>
+  <desc>HyperHive icon — hexagonal hive, amber on dark</desc>
+  <defs>
+    <clipPath id="clipH"><circle cx="150" cy="150" r="140"/></clipPath>
+  </defs>
+
+  <g clip-path="url(#clipH)">
+    <rect x="0" y="0" width="300" height="300" fill="#0a0600"/>
+    <g stroke="#ffb300" stroke-width="0.35" opacity="0.07">
+      <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="10"  y2="10"/>  <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="20"  y2="20"/>
+      <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="30"  y2="30"/>  <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="40"  y2="40"/>
+      <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="50"  y2="50"/>  <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="60"  y2="60"/>
+      <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="70"  y2="70"/>  <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="80"  y2="80"/>
+      <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="90"  y2="90"/>  <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="100" y2="100"/>
+      <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="110" y2="110"/> <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="120" y2="120"/>
+      <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="130" y2="130"/> <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="140" y2="140"/>
+      <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="150" y2="150"/> <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="160" y2="160"/>
+      <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="170" y2="170"/> <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="180" y2="180"/>
+      <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="190" y2="190"/> <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="200" y2="200"/>
+      <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="210" y2="210"/> <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="220" y2="220"/>
+      <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="230" y2="230"/> <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="240" y2="240"/>
+      <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="250" y2="250"/> <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="260" y2="260"/>
+      <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="270" y2="270"/> <line x1="0" x2="300" y1="280" y2="280"/>
+    </g>
+
+    <circle cx="150" cy="150" r="118" fill="none" stroke="#ffb300" stroke-width="1" opacity="0.4"/>
+    <circle cx="150" cy="150" r="104" fill="none" stroke="#ff8f00" stroke-width="0.5" opacity="0.25" stroke-dasharray="4 6"/>
+
+    <!-- RING 2 — 6 between-axis hexes, centered on (150,150) instead of (170,170) -->
+    <g fill="#0e0800" stroke="#ffb300" stroke-width="0.7" opacity="0.4">
+      <polygon points="254,105 241,127.5 215,127.5 202,105 215,82.5  241,82.5"/>
+      <polygon points="98,105  85,127.5  59,127.5  46,105  59,82.5   85,82.5"/>
+      <polygon points="176,60  163,82.5  137,82.5  124,60  137,37.5  163,37.5"/>
+      <polygon points="254,195 241,217.5 215,217.5 202,195 215,172.5 241,172.5"/>
+      <polygon points="98,195  85,217.5  59,217.5  46,195  59,172.5  85,172.5"/>
+      <polygon points="176,240 163,262.5 137,262.5 124,240 137,217.5 163,217.5"/>
+    </g>
+
+    <!-- RING 1 — 6 hexes -->
+    <g fill="#150c00" stroke="#ffb300" stroke-width="1.2" opacity="0.8">
+      <polygon points="228,150 215,172.5 189,172.5 176,150 189,127.5 215,127.5"/>
+      <polygon points="202,105 189,127.5 163,127.5 150,105 163,82.5  189,82.5"/>
+      <polygon points="150,105 137,127.5 111,127.5 98,105  111,82.5  137,82.5"/>
+      <polygon points="124,150 111,172.5 85,172.5  72,150  85,127.5  111,127.5"/>
+      <polygon points="150,195 137,217.5 111,217.5 98,195  111,172.5 137,172.5"/>
+      <polygon points="202,195 189,217.5 163,217.5 150,195 163,172.5 189,172.5"/>
+    </g>
+
+    <!-- CENTER hex -->
+    <polygon points="176,150 163,172.5 137,172.5 124,150 137,127.5 163,127.5"
+             fill="#1a0f00" stroke="#ffb300" stroke-width="1.8"/>
+
+    <!-- connections -->
+    <g stroke="#ffb300" stroke-width="1" opacity="0.6">
+      <line x1="176" y1="150" x2="202" y2="150"/>
+      <line x1="124" y1="150" x2="98"  y2="150"/>
+      <line x1="163" y1="128" x2="176" y2="105"/>
+      <line x1="137" y1="128" x2="124" y2="105"/>
+      <line x1="163" y1="173" x2="176" y2="195"/>
+      <line x1="137" y1="173" x2="124" y2="195"/>
+    </g>
+
+    <!-- CENTER node -->
+    <circle cx="150" cy="150" r="10" fill="#ffb300" opacity="0.95"/>
+    <circle cx="150" cy="150" r="5"  fill="#0a0600"/>
+
+    <!-- ring 1 nodes -->
+    <g fill="#ff8f00" opacity="0.9">
+      <circle cx="202" cy="150" r="6"/>
+      <circle cx="176" cy="105" r="6"/>
+      <circle cx="124" cy="105" r="6"/>
+      <circle cx="98"  cy="150" r="6"/>
+      <circle cx="124" cy="195" r="6"/>
+      <circle cx="176" cy="195" r="6"/>
+    </g>
+    <g fill="#0a0600">
+      <circle cx="202" cy="150" r="2.5"/>
+      <circle cx="176" cy="105" r="2.5"/>
+      <circle cx="124" cy="105" r="2.5"/>
+      <circle cx="98"  cy="150" r="2.5"/>
+      <circle cx="124" cy="195" r="2.5"/>
+      <circle cx="176" cy="195" r="2.5"/>
+    </g>
+
+    <rect x="0" y="143" width="300" height="2" fill="#ffb300" opacity="0.07"/>
+  </g>
+
+  <circle cx="150" cy="150" r="140" fill="none" stroke="#ffb300" stroke-width="2.5"/>
+  <circle cx="150" cy="150" r="145" fill="none" stroke="#ff8f00" stroke-width="0.5" opacity="0.4" stroke-dasharray="8 4"/>
+  <g stroke="#ffb300" stroke-width="1.5" fill="none" opacity="0.8">
+    <path d="M44,44 L20,44 L20,70"/>
+    <path d="M256,44 L280,44 L280,70"/>
+    <path d="M44,256 L20,256 L20,230"/>
+    <path d="M256,256 L280,256 L280,230"/>
+  </g>
+</svg>