diff --git a/fedn/cli/run_cmd.py b/fedn/cli/run_cmd.py
index 123f17320..20836cf96 100644
--- a/fedn/cli/run_cmd.py
+++ b/fedn/cli/run_cmd.py
@@ -45,6 +45,36 @@ def run_cmd(ctx):
     """
     pass
 
+@run_cmd.command("startup")
+@click.option("-p", "--path", required=True, help="Path to package directory containing fedn.yaml")
+@click.pass_context
+def startup_cmd(ctx, path):
+    """Execute 'startup' entrypoint in fedn.yaml.
+
+    :param ctx:
+    :param path: Path to folder containing fedn.yaml
+    :type path: str
+    """
+    path = os.path.abspath(path)
+    yaml_file = os.path.join(path, "fedn.yaml")
+    if not os.path.exists(yaml_file):
+        logger.error(f"Could not find fedn.yaml in {path}")
+        exit(-1)
+
+    config = _read_yaml_file(yaml_file)
+    # Check that startup is defined in fedn.yaml under entry_points
+    if "startup" not in config["entry_points"]:
+        logger.error("No startup command defined in fedn.yaml")
+        exit(-1)
+
+    dispatcher = Dispatcher(config, path)
+    _ = dispatcher._get_or_create_python_env()
+    dispatcher.run_cmd("startup")
+
+    # delete the virtualenv
+    if dispatcher.python_env_path:
+        logger.info(f"Removing virtualenv {dispatcher.python_env_path}")
+        shutil.rmtree(dispatcher.python_env_path)
 
 @run_cmd.command("build")
 @click.option("-p", "--path", required=True, help="Path to package directory containing fedn.yaml")