diff --git a/pkg/interface/contacts/src/js/components/lib/new.js b/pkg/interface/contacts/src/js/components/lib/new.js
index b4fcdb1ee..93314f51d 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/contacts/src/js/components/lib/new.js
+++ b/pkg/interface/contacts/src/js/components/lib/new.js
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import React, { Component } from 'react'
 
 import { Route, Link } from 'react-router-dom';
+import { deSig } from '/lib/util';
+import urbitOb from 'urbit-ob';
 
 export class NewScreen extends Component {
   constructor(props) {
@@ -9,8 +11,10 @@ export class NewScreen extends Component {
     this.state = {
       groupName: '',
       invites: '',
-      color: ''
-    }
+      color: '',
+      groupNameError: false,
+      inviteError: false
+    };
 
     this.groupNameChange = this.groupNameChange.bind(this);
     this.invChange = this.invChange.bind(this);
@@ -35,13 +39,87 @@ export class NewScreen extends Component {
   //   });
   // }
 
+  onClickCreate() {
+    const { props, state } = this;
+    if (!state.groupName) {
+      this.setState({
+        groupNameError: true,
+        inviteError: false
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+    let group = `/~${window.ship}` + `/${state.groupName}`;
+
+    let aud = [];
+    let isValid = true;
+
+    if (state.invites.length > 2) {
+      aud = state.invites.split(',')
+      .map((mem) => `~${deSig(mem.trim())}`);
+
+      aud.forEach((mem) => {
+        if (!urbitOb.isValidPatp(mem)) {
+          isValid = false;
+        }
+      });
+    }
+
+    if (!isValid) {
+      this.setState({
+        inviteError: true,
+        groupNameError: false
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (this.textarea) {
+      this.textarea.value = '';
+    }
+    this.setState({
+      error: false,
+      success: true,
+      invites: ''
+    }, () => {
+      props.setSpinner(true);
+      props.api.contactCreate(group);
+      //TODO add YOU to the group, but without invites
+      aud.forEach((ship) => {
+        if (ship !== `~${window.ship}`) {
+          props.api.invite.invite(group, ship);
+        }
+      });
+    });
+  }
+
   render() {
+
+    let groupNameErrElem = (<span />);
+    if (this.state.groupNameError) {
+      groupNameErrElem = (
+        <span className="f9 inter red2 ml3 mt1 db">
+          Group must have a valid name.
+        </span>
+      );
+    }
+
+    let invErrElem = (<span />);
+    if (this.state.inviteError) {
+      invErrElem = (
+        <span className="f9 inter red2 ml3 mb5 db">
+          Invites must be validly formatted ship names.
+        </span>
+      );
+    }
+
     return (
       <div className="h-100 w-100 flex flex-column overflow-y-scroll">
-        <div className="w-100 w-50-l w-50-xl mb4">
+        <div className="w-100 dn-m dn-l dn-xl inter pt1 pb6 pl3 pt3 f8">
+          <Link to="/~contacts/">{"⟵ All Groups"}</Link>
+        </div>
+        <div className="w-100 w-50-l w-50-xl mb4 pr6 pr0-l pr0-xl">
           <h2 className="f8 pl3 pt4">Create New Group</h2>
           <h2 className="f8 pl3 pt6">Group Name</h2>
-          <p className="f9 pl3 gray2 lh-copy">Alphanumeric characters only</p>
+          <p className="f9 pl3 gray2 lh-copy">Alphanumeric characters and hyphens only</p>
           <textarea
             className="f7 ba b--gray3 w-100 pa3 ml3 mt2"
             rows={1}
@@ -51,7 +129,8 @@ export class NewScreen extends Component {
               height: 48,
               paddingTop: 14
             }}
-          />
+            onChange={this.groupNameChange}/>
+          {groupNameErrElem}
           {/* <h2 className="f8 pl3 pt6">Group Avatar</h2>
           <p className="f9 pl3 gray2 lh-copy">
             Select a color to represent your group
@@ -68,31 +147,34 @@ export class NewScreen extends Component {
           /> */}
           <h2 className="f8 pl3 pt6">Add Group Members</h2>
           <p className="f9 pl3 gray2 lh-copy">
-            Search for ships to invite to your group
+            Invite ships to your group
           </p>
           <div className="relative">
             <textarea
-              className="f8 ba b--gray3 w-100 pa3 pl7  ml3 mt2 mb7"
+              className="f8 ba b--gray3 w-100 pa3 pl3 ml3 mt2 mb2"
               rows={1}
-              placeholder="Search for ships..."
+              placeholder="~zod, ~dopzod, ~ravmel-ropdyl"
               style={{
                 resize: "none",
                 height: 48,
                 paddingTop: 15
               }}
-            />
-            <span className="f5 gray3 absolute"
+              onChange={this.invChange}/>
+            {invErrElem}
+            {/* <span className="f5 gray3 absolute"
             style={{transform: "rotate(-45deg)",
                     left: 21,
                     top: 18}}>
                     ⚲
-            </span>
+            </span> */}
           </div>
-          <button className="ml3 f8 ba pa2 b--green2 green2">
+          <button 
+          onClick={this.onClickCreate.bind(this)}
+          className="ml3 f8 ba pa2 b--green2 green2 pointer">
             Start Group
           </button>
           <Link to="/~contacts">
-            <button className="f8 ml3 ba pa2 b--black">Cancel</button>
+            <button className="f8 ml3 ba pa2 b--black pointer">Cancel</button>
           </Link>
         </div>
       </div>