diff --git a/product/HEARTBEAT.md b/product/HEARTBEAT.md
index e2fce37..2741add 100644
--- a/product/HEARTBEAT.md
+++ b/product/HEARTBEAT.md
@@ -75,3 +75,14 @@ Review the open issue backlog:
 - Close stale issues (no activity in 30+ days, low priority)
 - Re-prioritize based on what's changed
 - Identify high-priority unspecced work and write specs for it
+
+### 6. Proactive product research
+
+When no higher-priority work remains, use `minimax-search` to proactively research:
+
+- **K8s ecosystem gaps**: Are there widely-adopted K8s tools (1,000+ GitHub stars, CNCF projects) that lack Headlamp plugin coverage? Check ArtifactHub for existing plugins before proposing new ones.
+- **Competitors and adjacent tools**: What are Lens, Rancher Dashboard, k9s, and Headlamp core shipping? Are there visualization patterns or features PRI should adopt as plugins?
+- **Community signals**: Search Kubernetes Slack, Reddit (r/kubernetes, r/devops), CNCF discussions, and HN for platform engineer pain points that a Headlamp plugin could address
+- **Headlamp upstream**: Check Headlamp's GitHub releases, plugin SDK changes, and roadmap for opportunities or breaking changes that affect existing plugins
+
+If you find a viable plugin opportunity, file a GitHub issue with a full spec using the plugin evaluation framework from SOUL.md. If you find something worth explicitly rejecting, document why. Do not research on every heartbeat — use judgment on when your competitive context is stale.