diff --git a/apps/web/src/app/[locale]/dashboard/(user)/page.tsx b/apps/web/src/app/[locale]/dashboard/(user)/page.tsx
index 5fa9182..6b13a78 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/app/[locale]/dashboard/(user)/page.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/app/[locale]/dashboard/(user)/page.tsx
@@ -6,8 +6,13 @@ import {
 } from "@turbostarter/api/schema";
 import { handle } from "@turbostarter/api/utils";
 import { db } from "@turbostarter/db/server";
-import { meshTopic } from "@turbostarter/db/schema/mesh";
-import { and, count, inArray, isNull } from "drizzle-orm";
+import {
+  meshMember,
+  meshTopic,
+  meshTopicMember,
+  meshTopicMessage,
+} from "@turbostarter/db/schema/mesh";
+import { and, count, eq, inArray, isNull, or, sql } from "drizzle-orm";
 
 import { appConfig } from "~/config/app";
 import { pathsConfig } from "~/config/paths";
@@ -58,9 +63,61 @@ export default async function UniversePage() {
         .groupBy(meshTopic.meshId)
     : [];
   const topicMap = new Map(topicCounts.map((r) => [r.meshId, Number(r.n)]));
+
+  // Aggregate unread per mesh for the viewing user. Every topic_message
+  // not authored by one of the viewer's member rows, in a topic whose
+  // last_read_at by the viewer is null or older than the message,
+  // counts as unread. The LEFT JOIN on topic_member is restricted to
+  // the viewer's own member ids so a NULL row reliably means "viewer
+  // never opened this topic" — every message in such a topic is unread.
+  const myMembers = user && meshIds.length
+    ? await db
+        .select({ id: meshMember.id })
+        .from(meshMember)
+        .where(
+          and(
+            eq(meshMember.userId, user.id),
+            inArray(meshMember.meshId, meshIds),
+            isNull(meshMember.revokedAt),
+          ),
+        )
+    : [];
+  const myMemberIds = myMembers.map((m) => m.id);
+
+  const unreadRows = myMemberIds.length
+    ? await db
+        .select({
+          meshId: meshTopic.meshId,
+          n: count(meshTopicMessage.id),
+        })
+        .from(meshTopicMessage)
+        .innerJoin(meshTopic, eq(meshTopic.id, meshTopicMessage.topicId))
+        .leftJoin(
+          meshTopicMember,
+          and(
+            eq(meshTopicMember.topicId, meshTopicMessage.topicId),
+            inArray(meshTopicMember.memberId, myMemberIds),
+          ),
+        )
+        .where(
+          and(
+            inArray(meshTopic.meshId, meshIds),
+            isNull(meshTopic.archivedAt),
+            sql`${meshTopicMessage.senderMemberId} <> ALL(${myMemberIds})`,
+            or(
+              isNull(meshTopicMember.lastReadAt),
+              sql`${meshTopicMessage.createdAt} > ${meshTopicMember.lastReadAt}`,
+            ),
+          ),
+        )
+        .groupBy(meshTopic.meshId)
+    : [];
+  const unreadMap = new Map(unreadRows.map((r) => [r.meshId, Number(r.n)]));
+
   const meshesWithTopics = activeMeshes.map((m) => ({
     ...m,
     topicCount: topicMap.get(m.id) ?? 0,
+    unreadCount: unreadMap.get(m.id) ?? 0,
   }));
 
   return (
diff --git a/apps/web/src/modules/dashboard/universe/meshes-grid.tsx b/apps/web/src/modules/dashboard/universe/meshes-grid.tsx
index d375824..390bf99 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/modules/dashboard/universe/meshes-grid.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/modules/dashboard/universe/meshes-grid.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ interface MeshSummary {
   isOwner: boolean;
   memberCount: number;
   topicCount?: number;
+  unreadCount?: number;
   archivedAt: Date | string | null;
 }
 
@@ -113,15 +114,26 @@ const MeshCard = ({
             {isHero ? ` · id ${mesh.id.slice(0, 8)}…` : ""}
           </p>
         </div>
-        <span
-          className={[
-            "whitespace-nowrap rounded-sm border px-2 py-0.5 font-mono text-[10px] uppercase tracking-[0.14em]",
-            roleClass(mesh.isOwner, mesh.myRole),
-            "border-[var(--cm-border)]",
-          ].join(" ")}
-        >
-          {mesh.archivedAt ? "archived" : mesh.isOwner ? "owner" : mesh.myRole}
-        </span>
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+          {mesh.unreadCount && mesh.unreadCount > 0 ? (
+            <span
+              className="inline-flex h-5 min-w-5 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-[var(--cm-clay)] px-1.5 text-[10px] font-medium text-white"
+              style={{ fontFamily: "var(--cm-font-mono)" }}
+              aria-label={`${mesh.unreadCount} unread across topics`}
+            >
+              {mesh.unreadCount > 99 ? "99+" : mesh.unreadCount}
+            </span>
+          ) : null}
+          <span
+            className={[
+              "whitespace-nowrap rounded-sm border px-2 py-0.5 font-mono text-[10px] uppercase tracking-[0.14em]",
+              roleClass(mesh.isOwner, mesh.myRole),
+              "border-[var(--cm-border)]",
+            ].join(" ")}
+          >
+            {mesh.archivedAt ? "archived" : mesh.isOwner ? "owner" : mesh.myRole}
+          </span>
+        </div>
       </div>
 
       <div className="mb-4 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-1.5">