diff --git a/apps/cli/src/commands/create.ts b/apps/cli/src/commands/create.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4a6125c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/cli/src/commands/create.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/**
+ * `claudemesh create` — Create a new mesh with an optional template.
+ * Lists available templates if --list-templates is passed.
+ */
+import { listTemplates, getTemplate } from "../templates/index.js";
+
+export function runCreate(args: Record<string, unknown>): void {
+  if (args["list-templates"]) {
+    console.log("Available mesh templates:\n");
+    for (const t of listTemplates()) {
+      console.log(`  ${t.name}`);
+      console.log(`    ${t.description}`);
+      console.log(`    Groups: ${t.groups.map((g) => g.name).join(", ") || "(none)"}`);
+      console.log(`    State keys: ${Object.keys(t.stateKeys).join(", ") || "(none)"}`);
+      console.log();
+    }
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const templateName = args.template as string | undefined;
+  if (templateName) {
+    const template = getTemplate(templateName);
+    if (!template) {
+      console.error(`Unknown template "${templateName}". Use --list-templates to see available options.`);
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+    console.log(`Template "${template.name}" loaded:`);
+    console.log(`  Groups: ${template.groups.map((g) => `@${g.name}`).join(", ")}`);
+    console.log(`  State keys: ${Object.keys(template.stateKeys).join(", ")}`);
+    console.log(`  Hint: ${template.systemPromptHint.slice(0, 80)}...`);
+    console.log();
+    console.log("Template applied. Use `claudemesh launch` with --groups to join the predefined groups.");
+    // Future: wire into actual mesh creation API
+    return;
+  }
+
+  console.log("Usage: claudemesh create --template <name>");
+  console.log("       claudemesh create --list-templates");
+}
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/index.ts b/apps/cli/src/index.ts
index d799f71..436ea1c 100644
--- a/apps/cli/src/index.ts
+++ b/apps/cli/src/index.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import { runStateGet, runStateSet, runStateList } from "./commands/state";
 import { runRemember, runRecall } from "./commands/memory";
 import { runInfo } from "./commands/info";
 import { runRemind } from "./commands/remind";
+import { runCreate } from "./commands/create";
 import { VERSION } from "./version";
 
 const launch = defineCommand({
@@ -141,6 +142,14 @@ const main = defineCommand({
   },
   subCommands: {
     launch,
+    create: defineCommand({
+      meta: { name: "create", description: "Create a new mesh from a template" },
+      args: {
+        template: { type: "string", description: "Template name (dev-team, research, ops-incident, simulation, personal)" },
+        "list-templates": { type: "boolean", description: "List available templates", default: false },
+      },
+      run({ args }) { runCreate(args); },
+    }),
     install,
     uninstall: defineCommand({
       meta: { name: "uninstall", description: "Remove MCP server and hooks" },
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/templates/dev-team.json b/apps/cli/src/templates/dev-team.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b6fbf0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/cli/src/templates/dev-team.json
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+{
+  "name": "dev-team",
+  "description": "Software development team with frontend, backend, and devops groups",
+  "groups": [
+    { "name": "frontend", "roles": ["lead", "member"] },
+    { "name": "backend", "roles": ["lead", "member"] },
+    { "name": "devops", "roles": ["lead", "member"] },
+    { "name": "qa", "roles": ["lead", "member"] }
+  ],
+  "stateKeys": {
+    "sprint": "current",
+    "deploy-frozen": "false",
+    "pr-queue": "[]"
+  },
+  "suggestedRoles": ["lead", "member", "reviewer"],
+  "systemPromptHint": "You are part of a dev team. Coordinate with @frontend, @backend, @devops groups. Check state keys for sprint status and deploy freezes before making changes."
+}
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/templates/index.ts b/apps/cli/src/templates/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e71ed59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/cli/src/templates/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import devTeam from "./dev-team.json" with { type: "json" };
+import research from "./research.json" with { type: "json" };
+import opsIncident from "./ops-incident.json" with { type: "json" };
+import simulation from "./simulation.json" with { type: "json" };
+import personal from "./personal.json" with { type: "json" };
+
+export interface MeshTemplate {
+  name: string;
+  description: string;
+  groups: Array<{ name: string; roles: string[] }>;
+  stateKeys: Record<string, string>;
+  suggestedRoles: string[];
+  systemPromptHint: string;
+}
+
+export const TEMPLATES: Record<string, MeshTemplate> = {
+  "dev-team": devTeam,
+  research,
+  "ops-incident": opsIncident,
+  simulation,
+  personal,
+};
+
+export function listTemplates(): MeshTemplate[] {
+  return Object.values(TEMPLATES);
+}
+
+export function getTemplate(name: string): MeshTemplate | undefined {
+  return TEMPLATES[name];
+}
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/templates/ops-incident.json b/apps/cli/src/templates/ops-incident.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da5a779
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/cli/src/templates/ops-incident.json
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+{
+  "name": "ops-incident",
+  "description": "Incident response team with oncall, comms, and engineering groups",
+  "groups": [
+    { "name": "oncall", "roles": ["primary", "secondary"] },
+    { "name": "comms", "roles": ["lead", "scribe"] },
+    { "name": "engineering", "roles": ["lead", "responder"] }
+  ],
+  "stateKeys": {
+    "incident-status": "investigating",
+    "severity": "unknown",
+    "commander": "",
+    "timeline": "[]"
+  },
+  "suggestedRoles": ["commander", "primary-oncall", "scribe", "responder"],
+  "systemPromptHint": "INCIDENT MODE. Priority: now for all messages. Update incident-status state. Commander coordinates. Scribe maintains timeline. Engineering fixes."
+}
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/templates/personal.json b/apps/cli/src/templates/personal.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..41a3603
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/cli/src/templates/personal.json
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  "name": "personal",
+  "description": "Private mesh for a single user — all sessions auto-join",
+  "groups": [],
+  "stateKeys": {
+    "focus": "",
+    "todos": "[]"
+  },
+  "suggestedRoles": [],
+  "systemPromptHint": "Personal workspace. All your Claude Code sessions share this mesh. Use state keys to track focus and todos across sessions."
+}
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/templates/research.json b/apps/cli/src/templates/research.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7e53d72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/cli/src/templates/research.json
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+{
+  "name": "research",
+  "description": "Research and analysis team focused on deep investigation and knowledge sharing",
+  "groups": [
+    { "name": "analysis", "roles": ["lead", "analyst"] },
+    { "name": "writing", "roles": ["lead", "writer", "reviewer"] },
+    { "name": "data", "roles": ["engineer", "analyst"] }
+  ],
+  "stateKeys": {
+    "research-topic": "",
+    "phase": "exploration",
+    "findings-count": "0"
+  },
+  "suggestedRoles": ["lead", "analyst", "writer", "reviewer"],
+  "systemPromptHint": "You are part of a research team. Share findings via remember(), use recall() before starting new analysis. Coordinate phases through state keys."
+}
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/templates/simulation.json b/apps/cli/src/templates/simulation.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c2118c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/cli/src/templates/simulation.json
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+{
+  "name": "simulation",
+  "description": "Load testing simulation with configurable time multiplier and user personas",
+  "groups": [
+    { "name": "personas", "roles": ["admin", "user", "customer"] },
+    { "name": "observers", "roles": ["monitor", "analyst"] },
+    { "name": "control", "roles": ["orchestrator"] }
+  ],
+  "stateKeys": {
+    "clock-speed": "x1",
+    "sim-status": "paused",
+    "tick-count": "0",
+    "scenario": ""
+  },
+  "suggestedRoles": ["orchestrator", "persona", "monitor"],
+  "systemPromptHint": "SIMULATION MODE. Follow the clock-speed state for time multiplier. Act according to your persona role and the simulated time. Report actions to @observers."
+}