diff --git a/firmware/.cargo/config.toml b/firmware/.cargo/config.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4b8eb47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/firmware/.cargo/config.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+[build]
+target = "xtensa-esp32s3-espidf"
+
+[target.'cfg(target_os = "espidf")']
+linker = "ldproxy"
+runner = "espflash flash --monitor"
+rustflags = [ "--cfg",  "espidf_time64"]
+
+[unstable]
+build-std = ["std", "panic_abort"]
+
+[env]
+MCU = "esp32s3"
+ESP_IDF_VERSION = "v5.5.3"
+ESP_IDF_TOOLS_INSTALL_DIR = "workspace"
+
+# Uncomment this if you have moved the target dir by setting CARGO_TARGET_DIR or similar.
+# Required for now due to embuild limitations.
+#CARGO_WORKSPACE_DIR = { value = "", relative = true }
diff --git a/firmware/.gitignore b/firmware/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..73a638b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/firmware/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+/.vscode
+/.embuild
+/target
+/Cargo.lock
diff --git a/firmware/Cargo.toml b/firmware/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d1af9b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/firmware/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+[package]
+name = "firmware"
+version = "0.1.0"
+authors = ["Julien Calixte <julien.calixte@theodo.com>"]
+edition = "2024"
+resolver = "2"
+rust-version = "1.85"
+
+[[bin]]
+name = "firmware"
+harness = false # do not use the built-in cargo test harness -> resolve rust-analyzer errors
+
+[profile.release]
+opt-level = "s"
+
+[profile.dev]
+debug = true    # Symbols are nice, and they don't increase the size on Flash
+opt-level = "z"
+[patch.crates-io]
+esp-idf-sys = { git = "https://github.com/esp-rs/esp-idf-sys.git" }
+esp-idf-hal = { git = "https://github.com/esp-rs/esp-idf-hal.git" }
+esp-idf-svc = { git = "https://github.com/esp-rs/esp-idf-svc.git" }
+
+[dependencies]
+anyhow = "1"
+log = "0.4"
+esp-idf-svc = { version = "0.52.1", features = ["critical-section", "embassy-time-driver", "embassy-sync"] }
+# Remove `generic-queue-8` if you plan to use `embassy-time` WITH `embassy-executor`
+embassy-time = { version = "0.5", features = ["generic-queue-8"] }
+
+[build-dependencies]
+embuild = "0.33"
diff --git a/firmware/README.md b/firmware/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f0b81f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/firmware/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+# Typoena firmware
+
+Rust crate targeting `xtensa-esp32s3-espidf`. See the project root
+[`README.md`](../README.md) and
+[`docs/v0.1-mvp-technical.md`](../docs/v0.1-mvp-technical.md) for the wider
+context.
+
+## Current state
+
+**Spike 1 — Blink.** Toggles GPIO 2 every 500 ms and logs `blink N` to the
+USB-serial console. This proves three things only:
+
+1. The Espressif Rust toolchain (Xtensa) is installed and on PATH.
+2. The crate links against `esp-idf-svc` and compiles for
+   `xtensa-esp32s3-espidf`.
+3. Basic GPIO output works on real silicon (verified post-flash, once the
+   board is on the bench).
+
+Everything past that — EPD, SD, USB host, partial refresh, Wi-Fi/TLS,
+gitoxide push — is its own follow-up spike per
+[`docs/v0.1-mvp-technical.md`](../docs/v0.1-mvp-technical.md#hardware-bring-up-order).
+
+## Build
+
+Once per shell session, source the espup env (sets `LIBCLANG_PATH` and adds
+the Xtensa GCC to `PATH`):
+
+```sh
+. ~/export-esp.sh
+```
+
+Then from this directory:
+
+```sh
+cargo build --release
+```
+
+The first build is slow (the esp-idf C sources are checked out and built
+under `.embuild/`). Subsequent builds are incremental.
+
+## Flash (when hardware is on the bench)
+
+`cargo run --release` triggers `espflash flash --monitor` via the runner
+configured in `.cargo/config.toml`. With the ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 connected
+over USB you should see:
+
+```
+[…] blink 0
+[…] blink 1
+[…] blink 2
+…
+```
+
+at 1 Hz on the serial monitor, and — if an LED is wired from GPIO 2 → 330 Ω
+→ GND — the LED blinks in lockstep.
+
+## Pin choice
+
+GPIO 2 is a safe general-purpose pin on the ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1: it's not
+tied to a strapping function at boot and not muxed to the USB or PSRAM
+peripherals. If you want to drive the on-board addressable LED instead,
+that's WS2812 on GPIO 48 and needs a different driver — out of scope for
+Spike 1.
+
+## Editor / rust-analyzer
+
+The repo-level `.zed/settings.json` configures `rust-analyzer` for this
+crate:
+
+- `cargo.target` is pinned to `xtensa-esp32s3-espidf` with
+  `allTargets = false`, so RA doesn't try to also check the crate for the
+  host target (which can't build `esp-idf-sys`).
+- `binary.path` is pinned to the **rustup-managed** rust-analyzer
+  (`stable` toolchain), not Zed's bundled one. Reason: recent Zed builds
+  ship a rust-analyzer that calls `cargo metadata --lockfile-path`, which
+  is still gated behind `-Z unstable-options` in cargo 1.95 and fails on
+  both the `stable` and `esp` toolchains. The rustup-managed RA is
+  version-locked to the cargo it ships with and avoids the flag.
+
+If a contributor on a different machine has issues, regenerate the path:
+
+```sh
+rustup component add rust-analyzer --toolchain stable
+rustup which rust-analyzer --toolchain stable
+# put the printed path into .zed/settings.json under lsp.rust-analyzer.binary.path
+```
+
+Two things rust-analyzer still needs from the **environment Zed was
+launched in**:
+
+- `LIBCLANG_PATH` — required by `bindgen` inside `esp-idf-sys`.
+- The Xtensa GCC on `PATH` — required by `embuild` during `cargo check`.
+
+Both are set by `~/export-esp.sh`. The pragmatic workflow:
+
+```sh
+. ~/export-esp.sh
+zed /Users/julien/jclab/typewriter   # or: open from this shell
+```
+
+If Zed is launched from Finder/Dock instead, rust-analyzer will report
+`bindgen` errors on the first `esp-idf-sys` check. Close Zed, source the
+env in a terminal, and relaunch from there.
+
+## Toolchain pins
+
+`rust-toolchain.toml` pins the channel to `esp` (installed by `espup
+install`). Cargo.toml currently includes git `[patch.crates-io]` overrides
+for `esp-idf-sys` / `esp-idf-hal` / `esp-idf-svc` (template default). These
+follow master and may need pinning to released versions if a master commit
+breaks the build.
diff --git a/firmware/build.rs b/firmware/build.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..112ec3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/firmware/build.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+fn main() {
+    embuild::espidf::sysenv::output();
+}
diff --git a/firmware/rust-toolchain.toml b/firmware/rust-toolchain.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a2f5ab5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/firmware/rust-toolchain.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[toolchain]
+channel = "esp"
diff --git a/firmware/sdkconfig.defaults b/firmware/sdkconfig.defaults
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ca7a8a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/firmware/sdkconfig.defaults
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# Rust often needs a bit of an extra main task stack size compared to C (the default is 3K)
+# You might have to increase this further if you allocate large stack variables in the main task
+CONFIG_ESP_MAIN_TASK_STACK_SIZE=8192
+
+# Increase a bit these stack sizes as they are also a bit too small by default
+CONFIG_ESP_SYSTEM_EVENT_TASK_STACK_SIZE=4096
+CONFIG_FREERTOS_IDLE_TASK_STACKSIZE=4096
+
+# You might have to increase this further if you spawn your own Rust threads 
+# that allocate large stack variables; or better yet - use 
+# `std::thread::Builder::new().stack_size(XXX)` for spawning
+CONFIG_PTHREAD_TASK_STACK_SIZE_DEFAULT=4096
diff --git a/firmware/src/main.rs b/firmware/src/main.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc230f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/firmware/src/main.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+use esp_idf_svc::hal::delay::FreeRtos;
+use esp_idf_svc::hal::gpio::PinDriver;
+use esp_idf_svc::hal::peripherals::Peripherals;
+
+fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    // Required once before any esp-idf-svc call; some runtime patches
+    // only link if this symbol is referenced. See esp-idf-template#71.
+    esp_idf_svc::sys::link_patches();
+    esp_idf_svc::log::EspLogger::initialize_default();
+
+    let peripherals = Peripherals::take()?;
+    let mut led = PinDriver::output(peripherals.pins.gpio2)?;
+
+    log::info!("Typoena Spike 1 — Blink on GPIO 2");
+
+    let mut n: u32 = 0;
+    loop {
+        led.set_high()?;
+        log::info!("blink {n}");
+        n = n.wrapping_add(1);
+        FreeRtos::delay_ms(500);
+
+        led.set_low()?;
+        FreeRtos::delay_ms(500);
+    }
+}