diff --git a/doc/manual/index.rst b/doc/manual/index.rst
index 34baa6df9..f1459fd94 100644
--- a/doc/manual/index.rst
+++ b/doc/manual/index.rst
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ Contents:
 .. toctree::
     :maxdepth: 2
 
+    introduction
     installing
     getting_started
     developing_a_ndsp
diff --git a/doc/manual/introduction.rst b/doc/manual/introduction.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0b224f38c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/manual/introduction.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+Introduction
+------------
+
+.. this does not work because of relative paths for the logo:
+   .. include:: ../../README.rst
+   and including in README.rst does not work on github
+
+ARTIQ (Advanced Real-Time Infrastructure for Quantum physics) is a
+next-generation control system for quantum information experiments. It is
+being developed in partnership with the Ion Storage Group at NIST, and its
+applicability reaches beyond ion trapping.
+
+The system features a high-level programming language that helps describing
+complex experiments, which is compiled and executed on dedicated hardware with
+nanosecond timing resolution and sub-microsecond latency.
+
+Technologies employed include Python, Migen, MiSoC/mor1kx, LLVM and llvmlite.
+
+ARTIQ is licensed under 3-clause BSD.
+
+Website:
+http://m-labs.hk/artiq