diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 38aff7b3..9aaa4d65 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "turnstone"
-version = "1.7.0rc1"
+version = "1.8.0a1"
 description = "Multi-node AI orchestration platform with tool use, agent routing, and cluster simulation."
 readme = "README.md"
 license = "Apache-2.0"
diff --git a/turnstone/__init__.py b/turnstone/__init__.py
index 09e18369..45d65a68 100644
--- a/turnstone/__init__.py
+++ b/turnstone/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 """turnstone - Multi-node AI orchestration platform with tool use, agent routing, and cluster simulation."""
 
-__version__ = "1.7.0rc1"
+__version__ = "1.8.0a1"
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 2c5d0cea..6b31ec72 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -2475,7 +2475,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "turnstone"
-version = "1.7.0rc1"
+version = "1.8.0a1"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "alembic" },