diff --git a/frontend/src/components/app-layout/NavBar.test.tsx b/frontend/src/components/app-layout/NavBar.test.tsx
index a390d4bc..cce0e6cc 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/app-layout/NavBar.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/app-layout/NavBar.test.tsx
@@ -1,37 +1,31 @@
-import { render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { screen } from "@testing-library/react";
 import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
 import NavBar from "./NavBar";
+import { renderWithProviders } from "../../tests/test-utils";
 
 describe("NavBar", () => {
-  it("renders Working Groups link with correct URL", () => {
-    render(<NavBar />);
+  it("renders an explicit homepage link", () => {
+    renderWithProviders(<NavBar />);
 
-    const workingGroupsLink = screen.getByRole("link", {
-      name: /working groups/i,
+    const homeLink = screen.getByRole("link", {
+      name: /gpu mode home/i,
     });
 
-    expect(workingGroupsLink).toBeInTheDocument();
-    expect(workingGroupsLink).toHaveAttribute("href", "/working-groups");
-    // Internal link should not have target="_blank" or rel="noopener"
-    expect(workingGroupsLink).not.toHaveAttribute("target", "_blank");
-    expect(workingGroupsLink).not.toHaveAttribute("rel", "noopener");
+    expect(homeLink).toHaveAttribute("href", "/home");
+    expect(homeLink).toHaveTextContent("Home");
   });
 
   it("renders all expected navigation links in correct order", () => {
-    render(<NavBar />);
+    renderWithProviders(<NavBar />);
 
     const links = screen.getAllByRole("link");
     const navigationLinks = links.filter((link) =>
-      ["News", "Working Groups", "Events", "Resources", "Docs"].includes(
-        link.textContent || "",
-      ),
+      ["News", "Events", "Projects"].includes(link.textContent || ""),
     );
 
-    expect(navigationLinks).toHaveLength(5);
+    expect(navigationLinks).toHaveLength(3);
     expect(navigationLinks[0]).toHaveTextContent("News");
-    expect(navigationLinks[1]).toHaveTextContent("Working Groups");
-    expect(navigationLinks[2]).toHaveTextContent("Events");
-    expect(navigationLinks[3]).toHaveTextContent("Resources");
-    expect(navigationLinks[4]).toHaveTextContent("Docs");
+    expect(navigationLinks[1]).toHaveTextContent("Events");
+    expect(navigationLinks[2]).toHaveTextContent("Projects");
   });
 });
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/app-layout/NavBar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/app-layout/NavBar.tsx
index 8f10edbf..541503ca 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/app-layout/NavBar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/app-layout/NavBar.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import ArrowOutwardIcon from "@mui/icons-material/ArrowOutward";
 import LightModeIcon from "@mui/icons-material/LightMode";
 import DarkModeIcon from "@mui/icons-material/DarkMode";
 import SettingsBrightnessIcon from "@mui/icons-material/SettingsBrightness";
+import HomeRoundedIcon from "@mui/icons-material/HomeRounded";
 import { useTheme } from "@mui/material/styles";
 import {
   flexRowCenter,
@@ -60,15 +61,42 @@ export default function NavBar() {
   ];
 
   const Brand = () => (
-    <Box sx={brandStyle}>
-      <Link href="/" underline="none" color="inherit">
-        <Box sx={{ ...flexRowCenter }}>
+    <Box
+      sx={{
+        ...brandStyle,
+        position: { xs: "sticky", sm: "static" },
+        left: 0,
+        zIndex: 1,
+        bgcolor: "background.paper",
+      }}
+    >
+      <Link
+        href="/home"
+        aria-label="GPU MODE home"
+        underline="none"
+        color="inherit"
+        sx={{ display: "block" }}
+      >
+        <Box
+          sx={{
+            ...flexRowCenter,
+            display: { xs: "flex", sm: "none" },
+            minHeight: 44,
+            px: 0.5,
+            fontSize: "1rem",
+            fontWeight: 600,
+          }}
+        >
+          <HomeRoundedIcon sx={{ fontSize: 22 }} />
+          Home
+        </Box>
+        <Box sx={{ display: { xs: "none", sm: "flex" } }}>
           <Box
             component="img"
             src={logoSrc}
-            alt="GPU MODE"
+            alt=""
             sx={{
-              height: { xs: 24, sm: 32 },
+              height: 32,
               maxWidth: "100%",
             }}
           />
@@ -80,12 +108,19 @@ export default function NavBar() {
   return (
     <AppBar position="fixed" sx={appBarStyle}>
       <ConstrainedContainer>
-        <Toolbar sx={{ px: 0, gap: 2, overflowX: "auto" }}>
+        <Toolbar sx={{ px: 0, gap: { xs: 1, sm: 2 }, overflowX: "auto" }}>
           {/* Left: Brand */}
           <Brand />
 
           {/* Middle: Links */}
-          <Box sx={{ ...flexRowCenterMediumGap, ml: 3, flexShrink: 0 }}>
+          <Box
+            sx={{
+              ...flexRowCenterMediumGap,
+              gap: { xs: 2.5, sm: 5 },
+              ml: { xs: 0, sm: 3 },
+              flexShrink: 0,
+            }}
+          >
             {links.map(({ label, href, external }) => (
               <Link
                 key={label}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/app-layout/styles.tsx b/frontend/src/components/app-layout/styles.tsx
index 3d60f257..22c3434d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/app-layout/styles.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/app-layout/styles.tsx
@@ -15,9 +15,10 @@ export const brandStyle: SxProps<Theme> = {
   ...flexRowCenter,
   ...mediumText,
   fontWeight: "bold",
-  ml: -2, // Negative left margin to reduce space from left edge
+  flexShrink: 0,
+  ml: { xs: 0, sm: -2 }, // Keep the mobile home control fully visible
   mr: {
-    xs: 2, // margin on extra-small screens
+    xs: 1, // margin on extra-small screens
     sm: 4, // margin on small screens
     md: 8, // margin on medium screens
     lg: 16, // margin on large screens