diff --git a/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/build.go b/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/build.go
index 69364c5fbdc..e67dae1a7e3 100644
--- a/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/build.go
+++ b/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/build.go
@@ -16,15 +16,14 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 
+	"github.com/operator-framework/operator-sdk/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/cmdutil"
 	cmdError "github.com/operator-framework/operator-sdk/commands/operator-sdk/error"
 	"github.com/operator-framework/operator-sdk/pkg/generator"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	yaml "gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
 )
 
 func NewBuildCmd() *cobra.Command {
@@ -74,14 +73,7 @@ func buildFunc(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	}
 	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stdout, string(o))
 
-	c := &generator.Config{}
-	fp, err := ioutil.ReadFile(configYaml)
-	if err != nil {
-		cmdError.ExitWithError(cmdError.ExitError, fmt.Errorf("failed to read config file %v: (%v)", configYaml, err))
-	}
-	if err = yaml.Unmarshal(fp, c); err != nil {
-		cmdError.ExitWithError(cmdError.ExitError, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal config file %v: (%v)", configYaml, err))
-	}
+	c := cmdutil.GetConfig()
 	if err = generator.RenderOperatorYaml(c, image); err != nil {
 		cmdError.ExitWithError(cmdError.ExitError, fmt.Errorf("failed to generate deploy/operator.yaml: (%v)", err))
 	}
diff --git a/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/cmdutil/util.go b/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/cmdutil/util.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cd9137fc81f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/cmdutil/util.go
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+package cmdutil
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+
+	cmdError "github.com/operator-framework/operator-sdk/commands/operator-sdk/error"
+	"github.com/operator-framework/operator-sdk/pkg/generator"
+	yaml "gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
+)
+
+const configYaml = "./config/config.yaml"
+
+// MustInProjectRoot checks if the current dir is the project root.
+func MustInProjectRoot() {
+	// if the current directory has the "./config/config.yaml" file, then it is safe to say
+	// we are at the project root.
+	_, err := os.Stat(configYaml)
+	if err != nil && os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		cmdError.ExitWithError(cmdError.ExitError, fmt.Errorf("must in project root dir: %v", err))
+	}
+}
+
+// GetConfig gets the values from ./config/config.yaml and parses them into a Config struct.
+func GetConfig() *generator.Config {
+	c := &generator.Config{}
+	fp, err := ioutil.ReadFile(configYaml)
+	if err != nil {
+		cmdError.ExitWithError(cmdError.ExitError, fmt.Errorf("failed to read config file %v: (%v)", configYaml, err))
+	}
+	if err = yaml.Unmarshal(fp, c); err != nil {
+		cmdError.ExitWithError(cmdError.ExitError, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal config file %v: (%v)", configYaml, err))
+	}
+	return c
+}
diff --git a/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/root.go b/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/root.go
index 2f09596d755..4424872b0d3 100644
--- a/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/root.go
+++ b/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/root.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ func NewRootCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd.AddCommand(NewNewCmd())
 	cmd.AddCommand(NewBuildCmd())
 	cmd.AddCommand(NewGenerateCmd())
+	cmd.AddCommand(NewUpCmd())
 
 	return cmd
 }
diff --git a/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/up.go b/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/up.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3549f4f8968
--- /dev/null
+++ b/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/up.go
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"github.com/operator-framework/operator-sdk/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/up"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+func NewUpCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	upCmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "up",
+		Short: "Launches the operator",
+		Long: `The up command has subcommands that can launch the operator in various ways.
+`,
+	}
+
+	upCmd.AddCommand(up.NewLocalCmd())
+	return upCmd
+}
diff --git a/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/up/local.go b/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/up/local.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..95f2a3780d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/up/local.go
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+package up
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"os/user"
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/operator-framework/operator-sdk/commands/operator-sdk/cmd/cmdutil"
+	cmdError "github.com/operator-framework/operator-sdk/commands/operator-sdk/error"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+func NewLocalCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	upCmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "local",
+		Short: "Launches the operator locally",
+		Long: `The operator-sdk up local command launches the operator on the local machine 
+by building the operator binary with the ability to access a 
+kubernetes cluster using a Kubernete config file.
+`,
+		Run: upFunc,
+	}
+
+	upCmd.Flags().StringVar(&kubeConfig, "kubeconfig", "", "The file path to kubernetes configuration file; defaults to $HOME/.kube/config")
+
+	return upCmd
+}
+
+var (
+	kubeConfig string
+)
+
+const (
+	gocmd             = "go"
+	run               = "run"
+	cmd               = "cmd"
+	main              = "main.go"
+	defaultConfigPath = ".kube/config"
+)
+
+func upFunc(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+	mustKubeConfig()
+	cmdutil.MustInProjectRoot()
+	c := cmdutil.GetConfig()
+	up(c.ProjectName)
+}
+
+// mustKubeConfig checks if the kubeconfig file exists.
+func mustKubeConfig() {
+	// if kubeConfig is not specified, search for the default kubeconfig file under the $HOME/.kube/config.
+	if len(kubeConfig) == 0 {
+		usr, err := user.Current()
+		if err != nil {
+			cmdError.ExitWithError(cmdError.ExitError, fmt.Errorf("failed to determine user's home dir: %v", err))
+		}
+		kubeConfig = filepath.Join(usr.HomeDir, defaultConfigPath)
+	}
+
+	_, err := os.Stat(kubeConfig)
+	if err != nil && os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		cmdError.ExitWithError(cmdError.ExitError, fmt.Errorf("failed to fine the Kubernetes config file (%v): %v", kubeConfig, err))
+	}
+}
+
+func up(projectName string) {
+	dc := exec.Command(gocmd, run, filepath.Join(cmd, projectName, main))
+	dc.Stdout = os.Stdout
+	dc.Stderr = os.Stderr
+	dc.Env = append(os.Environ(), fmt.Sprintf("KUBERNETES_CONFIG=%v", kubeConfig))
+	err := dc.Run()
+	if err != nil {
+		cmdError.ExitWithError(cmdError.ExitError, fmt.Errorf("failed to run operator locally: %v", err))
+	}
+}