diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/team-pilot.yml b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/team-pilot.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e502e2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/team-pilot.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+name: Team pilot
+description: Share team workflow needs before TaskBound grows a hosted product.
+title: "[team pilot]: "
+labels: ["team-validation"]
+body:
+  - type: textarea
+    id: current-use
+    attributes:
+      label: Current use
+      description: Describe where you want to run TaskBound and what AI-agent review problem you need it to catch.
+    validations:
+      required: true
+  - type: textarea
+    id: team-layer
+    attributes:
+      label: Team-layer need
+      description: Which team capability would help most: shared policy packs, org-wide baselines, Slack/Jira routing, saved reports, reviewer assignment, or something else?
+    validations:
+      required: true
+  - type: textarea
+    id: pilot-shape
+    attributes:
+      label: Pilot shape
+      description: Share the smallest pilot that would prove value for your team, including repo count, users, timeline, and success criteria.
+    validations:
+      required: true
+  - type: dropdown
+    id: willingness
+    attributes:
+      label: Commercial signal
+      description: This helps validate whether a paid team layer should exist before SaaS is built.
+      options:
+        - Internal evaluation only
+        - Interested in a free pilot
+        - Interested in a paid pilot
+        - Budget owner or buyer
+    validations:
+      required: true
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1094748..1ef7a89 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -214,6 +214,18 @@ TaskBound is intentionally small right now. If a warning is noisy, open a
 If your team uses another scope signal, open a
 [missing-signal request](https://github.com/Conalh/TaskBound/issues/new?template=missing-signal.yml).
 
+## Team Pilots
+
+TaskBound is validating the team layer before building a SaaS product. If the
+free Action is useful but your team needs shared policy packs, org-wide
+baselines, Slack or Jira routing, saved reports, or reviewer assignment, open a
+[team pilot request](https://github.com/Conalh/TaskBound/issues/new?template=team-pilot.yml).
+
+The current validation gate is tracked in
+[Validate paid team layer from OSS Action traction](https://github.com/Conalh/TaskBound/issues/8):
+external installs first, real feedback next, paid or pilot demand before hosted
+product work.
+
 ## Development
 
 ```powershell