diff --git a/android/VmLauncherApp/AndroidManifest.xml b/android/VmLauncherApp/AndroidManifest.xml
index 67b7a45..583fce7 100644
--- a/android/VmLauncherApp/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/android/VmLauncherApp/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.USE_CUSTOM_VIRTUAL_MACHINE" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />
+    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE" />
+    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_SPECIAL_USE"/>
     <uses-feature android:name="android.software.virtualization_framework" android:required="true" />
 
     <permission android:name="com.android.virtualization.vmlauncher.permission.USE_VM_LAUNCHER"
@@ -26,6 +28,21 @@
                 <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
             </intent-filter>
         </activity>
+        <service
+            android:name=".VmLauncherService"
+            android:enabled="true"
+            android:exported="true"
+            android:permission="com.android.virtualization.vmlauncher.permission.USE_VM_LAUNCHER"
+            android:foregroundServiceType="specialUse">
+            <property
+                android:name="android.app.PROPERTY_SPECIAL_USE_FGS_SUBTYPE"
+                android:value="Run VM instances" />
+            <intent-filter>
+                <action android:name="android.virtualization.START_VM_LAUNCHER_SERVICE" />
+                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
+            </intent-filter>
+        </service>
+
     </application>
 
 </manifest>
diff --git a/android/VmLauncherApp/java/com/android/virtualization/vmlauncher/VmLauncherService.java b/android/VmLauncherApp/java/com/android/virtualization/vmlauncher/VmLauncherService.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ec98f4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/android/VmLauncherApp/java/com/android/virtualization/vmlauncher/VmLauncherService.java
@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2024 The Android Open Source Project
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.android.virtualization.vmlauncher;
+
+import android.app.Notification;
+import android.app.NotificationChannel;
+import android.app.NotificationManager;
+import android.app.Service;
+import android.content.Intent;
+import android.os.Bundle;
+import android.os.Handler;
+import android.os.IBinder;
+import android.os.Looper;
+import android.os.ParcelFileDescriptor;
+import android.os.ResultReceiver;
+import android.system.virtualmachine.VirtualMachine;
+import android.system.virtualmachine.VirtualMachineConfig;
+import android.system.virtualmachine.VirtualMachineException;
+import android.util.Log;
+
+import java.io.BufferedReader;
+import java.io.FileInputStream;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.InputStreamReader;
+import java.nio.file.Path;
+import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
+import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
+
+public class VmLauncherService extends Service {
+    private static final String TAG = "VmLauncherService";
+    // TODO: this path should be from outside of this service
+    private static final String VM_CONFIG_PATH = "/data/local/tmp/vm_config.json";
+
+    private static final int RESULT_START = 0;
+    private static final int RESULT_STOP = 1;
+    private static final int RESULT_ERROR = 2;
+    private static final int RESULT_IPADDR = 3;
+    private static final String KEY_VM_IP_ADDR = "ip_addr";
+
+    private ExecutorService mExecutorService;
+    private VirtualMachine mVirtualMachine;
+    private ResultReceiver mResultReceiver;
+
+    @Override
+    public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    private void startForeground() {
+        NotificationManager notificationManager = getSystemService(NotificationManager.class);
+        NotificationChannel notificationChannel =
+                new NotificationChannel(TAG, TAG, NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_LOW);
+        notificationManager.createNotificationChannel(notificationChannel);
+        startForeground(
+                this.hashCode(),
+                new Notification.Builder(this, TAG)
+                        .setChannelId(TAG)
+                        .setSmallIcon(android.R.drawable.ic_dialog_info)
+                        .setContentText("A VM " + mVirtualMachine.getName() + " is running")
+                        .build());
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
+        mExecutorService = Executors.newCachedThreadPool();
+
+        ConfigJson json = ConfigJson.from(VM_CONFIG_PATH);
+        VirtualMachineConfig config = json.toConfig(this);
+
+        Runner runner;
+        try {
+            runner = Runner.create(this, config);
+        } catch (VirtualMachineException e) {
+            throw new RuntimeException(e);
+        }
+        mVirtualMachine = runner.getVm();
+        mResultReceiver =
+                intent.getParcelableExtra(Intent.EXTRA_RESULT_RECEIVER, ResultReceiver.class);
+
+        runner.getExitStatus()
+                .thenAcceptAsync(
+                        success -> {
+                            if (mResultReceiver != null) {
+                                mResultReceiver.send(success ? RESULT_STOP : RESULT_ERROR, null);
+                            }
+                            if (!success) {
+                                stopSelf();
+                            }
+                        });
+        Path logPath = getFileStreamPath(mVirtualMachine.getName() + ".log").toPath();
+        Logger.setup(mVirtualMachine, logPath, mExecutorService);
+
+        startForeground();
+
+        mResultReceiver.send(RESULT_START, null);
+        if (config.getCustomImageConfig().useNetwork()) {
+            Handler handler = new Handler(Looper.getMainLooper());
+            gatherIpAddrFromVm(handler);
+        }
+        return START_NOT_STICKY;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void onDestroy() {
+        super.onDestroy();
+        mExecutorService.shutdownNow();
+    }
+
+    // TODO(b/359523803): Use AVF API to get ip addr when it exists
+    private void gatherIpAddrFromVm(Handler handler) {
+        handler.postDelayed(
+                () -> {
+                    int INTERNAL_VSOCK_SERVER_PORT = 1024;
+                    try (ParcelFileDescriptor pfd =
+                            mVirtualMachine.connectVsock(INTERNAL_VSOCK_SERVER_PORT)) {
+                        try (BufferedReader input =
+                                new BufferedReader(
+                                        new InputStreamReader(
+                                                new FileInputStream(pfd.getFileDescriptor())))) {
+                            String vmIpAddr = input.readLine().strip();
+                            Bundle b = new Bundle();
+                            b.putString(KEY_VM_IP_ADDR, vmIpAddr);
+                            mResultReceiver.send(RESULT_IPADDR, b);
+                            return;
+                        } catch (IOException e) {
+                            Log.e(TAG, e.toString());
+                        }
+                    } catch (Exception e) {
+                        Log.e(TAG, e.toString());
+                    }
+                    gatherIpAddrFromVm(handler);
+                },
+                1000);
+    }
+}