diff --git a/src/kiwi/subcommands/__init__.py b/src/kiwi/subcommands/__init__.py
index e3b6ed4..b265b46 100644
--- a/src/kiwi/subcommands/__init__.py
+++ b/src/kiwi/subcommands/__init__.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from .logs import LogsCommand
 from .net import NetUpCommand, NetDownCommand
 from .sh import ShCommand
 from .show import ShowCommand
+from .up import UpCommand
 
 __all__ = [
     'CmdCommand',
@@ -14,4 +15,5 @@ __all__ = [
     'NetDownCommand',
     'ShCommand',
     'ShowCommand',
+    'UpCommand',
 ]
diff --git a/src/kiwi/subcommands/up.py b/src/kiwi/subcommands/up.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f3e3753
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kiwi/subcommands/up.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# system
+import logging
+
+# local
+from ._subcommand import ServiceCommand
+from .utils.dockercommand import DockerCommand
+from .utils.project import list_projects
+
+
+class UpCommand(ServiceCommand):
+    """kiwi up"""
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__(
+            'up', num_projects='?', num_services='*',
+            description="Start the whole instance, a project or service(s) inside a project"
+        )
+
+    def run(self, runner, config, args):
+        if args.projects is None:
+            # "up" for all projects
+            for project_name in list_projects(config):
+                logging.info(f"Bringing up project '{project_name}'")
+                args.projects = project_name
+
+                runner.run('up')
+
+            return
+
+        runner.run('net-up')
+        DockerCommand('docker-compose').run(
+            config, args, ['up', '-d', *args.services]
+        )
diff --git a/src/kiwi/subcommands/utils/project.py b/src/kiwi/subcommands/utils/project.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ae02225
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kiwi/subcommands/utils/project.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import os
+
+
+def get_project_name(args):
+    """get project name from CLI args"""
+
+    if args is not None and 'projects' in args:
+        if isinstance(args.projects, list) and len(args.projects) > 0:
+            return args.projects[0]
+        else:
+            return args.projects
+
+    return None
+
+
+def get_project_dir(config, project_name):
+    """get project directory"""
+
+    return f"{project_name}{config['markers:project']}"
+
+
+def list_projects(config):
+    """list projects in current instance"""
+
+    # complete dir listing
+    content = os.listdir()
+
+    # filter directories
+    dirs = [d for d in content if os.path.isdir(d)]
+
+    # filter suffix
+    project_dirs = [p for p in dirs if p.endswith(config['markers:project'])]
+
+    # remove suffix
+    projects = [p[:-len(config['markers:project'])] for p in project_dirs]
+
+    return projects