diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1d2475303f20..e0777206f22d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 ### Features
 
+- `[jest-worker]` Add `start` method to worker farms ([#13937](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/13937))
+
 ### Fixes
 
 ### Chore & Maintenance
diff --git a/packages/jest-worker/README.md b/packages/jest-worker/README.md
index 1277ed824bf2..f796d27889b5 100644
--- a/packages/jest-worker/README.md
+++ b/packages/jest-worker/README.md
@@ -140,11 +140,17 @@ Returns a `ReadableStream` where the standard output of all workers is piped. No
 
 Returns a `ReadableStream` where the standard error of all workers is piped. Note that the `silent` option of the child workers must be set to `true` to make it work. This is the default set by `jest-worker`, but keep it in mind when overriding options through `forkOptions`.
 
+#### `start()`
+
+Starts up every worker and calls their `setup` function, if it exists. Returns a `Promise` which resolves when all workers are running and have completed their `setup`.
+
+This is useful if you want to start up all your workers eagerly before they are used to call any other functions.
+
 #### `end()`
 
 Finishes the workers by killing all workers. No further calls can be done to the `Worker` instance.
 
-Returns a Promise that resolves with `{ forceExited: boolean }` once all workers are dead. If `forceExited` is `true`, at least one of the workers did not exit gracefully, which likely happened because it executed a leaky task that left handles open. This should be avoided, force exiting workers is a last resort to prevent creating lots of orphans.
+Returns a `Promise` that resolves with `{ forceExited: boolean }` once all workers are dead. If `forceExited` is `true`, at least one of the workers did not exit gracefully, which likely happened because it executed a leaky task that left handles open. This should be avoided, force exiting workers is a last resort to prevent creating lots of orphans.
 
 **Note:**
 
diff --git a/packages/jest-worker/__benchmarks__/test.js b/packages/jest-worker/__benchmarks__/test.js
index b2aae08a35f0..86ee6dcb7efb 100644
--- a/packages/jest-worker/__benchmarks__/test.js
+++ b/packages/jest-worker/__benchmarks__/test.js
@@ -87,11 +87,10 @@ function testJestWorker() {
 
     async function countToFinish() {
       if (++count === calls) {
-        farm.end();
         const endTime = performance.now();
 
         // Let all workers go down.
-        await sleep(2000);
+        await farm.end();
 
         resolve({
           globalTime: endTime - startTime - 2000,
@@ -110,7 +109,7 @@ function testJestWorker() {
     farm.getStderr().pipe(process.stderr);
 
     // Let all workers come up.
-    await sleep(2000);
+    await farm.start();
 
     const startProcess = performance.now();
 
diff --git a/packages/jest-worker/__typetests__/jest-worker.test.ts b/packages/jest-worker/__typetests__/jest-worker.test.ts
index 14d634ea8068..e87be50c8edf 100644
--- a/packages/jest-worker/__typetests__/jest-worker.test.ts
+++ b/packages/jest-worker/__typetests__/jest-worker.test.ts
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ expectError(typedWorkerFarm.runTestAsync());
 expectError(typedWorkerFarm.setup());
 expectError(typedWorkerFarm.teardown());
 
+expectType<Promise<void>>(typedWorkerFarm.start());
+
 expectError<Promise<void>>(typedWorkerFarm.end());
 expectType<Promise<{forceExited: boolean}>>(typedWorkerFarm.end());
 
diff --git a/packages/jest-worker/src/__tests__/index.test.ts b/packages/jest-worker/src/__tests__/index.test.ts
index b1d1fc755fbc..35acffc3c197 100644
--- a/packages/jest-worker/src/__tests__/index.test.ts
+++ b/packages/jest-worker/src/__tests__/index.test.ts
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ it('exposes the right API using passed worker', () => {
     getStdout: jest.fn(),
     getWorkers: jest.fn(),
     send: jest.fn(),
+    start: jest.fn(),
   }));
 
   const farm = new WorkerFarm('/tmp/baz.js', {
diff --git a/packages/jest-worker/src/base/BaseWorkerPool.ts b/packages/jest-worker/src/base/BaseWorkerPool.ts
index 56394f4457f4..92896aab5b2c 100644
--- a/packages/jest-worker/src/base/BaseWorkerPool.ts
+++ b/packages/jest-worker/src/base/BaseWorkerPool.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 import mergeStream = require('merge-stream');
 import {
+  CHILD_MESSAGE_CALL_SETUP,
   CHILD_MESSAGE_END,
   PoolExitResult,
   WorkerInterface,
@@ -87,6 +88,29 @@ export default class BaseWorkerPool {
     throw Error('Missing method createWorker in WorkerPool');
   }
 
+  async start(): Promise<void> {
+    await Promise.all(
+      this._workers.map(async worker => {
+        await worker.waitForWorkerReady();
+
+        await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+          worker.send(
+            [CHILD_MESSAGE_CALL_SETUP],
+            emptyMethod,
+            error => {
+              if (error) {
+                reject(error);
+              } else {
+                resolve();
+              }
+            },
+            emptyMethod,
+          );
+        });
+      }),
+    );
+  }
+
   async end(): Promise<PoolExitResult> {
     // We do not cache the request object here. If so, it would only be only
     // processed by one of the workers, and we want them all to close.
diff --git a/packages/jest-worker/src/index.ts b/packages/jest-worker/src/index.ts
index ebc7e910834c..c5f5b46bf524 100644
--- a/packages/jest-worker/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/jest-worker/src/index.ts
@@ -174,6 +174,10 @@ export class Worker {
     return this._workerPool.getStdout();
   }
 
+  async start(): Promise<void> {
+    await this._workerPool.start();
+  }
+
   async end(): Promise<PoolExitResult> {
     if (this._ending) {
       throw new Error('Farm is ended, no more calls can be done to it');
diff --git a/packages/jest-worker/src/types.ts b/packages/jest-worker/src/types.ts
index 4f6e1c1dac23..dbd1f2b430a1 100644
--- a/packages/jest-worker/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/jest-worker/src/types.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ export const CHILD_MESSAGE_INITIALIZE = 0;
 export const CHILD_MESSAGE_CALL = 1;
 export const CHILD_MESSAGE_END = 2;
 export const CHILD_MESSAGE_MEM_USAGE = 3;
+export const CHILD_MESSAGE_CALL_SETUP = 4;
 
 export const PARENT_MESSAGE_OK = 0;
 export const PARENT_MESSAGE_CLIENT_ERROR = 1;
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ export interface WorkerPoolInterface {
   getWorkers(): Array<WorkerInterface>;
   createWorker(options: WorkerOptions): WorkerInterface;
   send: WorkerCallback;
+  start(): Promise<void>;
   end(): Promise<PoolExitResult>;
 }
 
@@ -223,11 +225,14 @@ export type ChildMessageEnd = [
 
 export type ChildMessageMemUsage = [type: typeof CHILD_MESSAGE_MEM_USAGE];
 
+export type ChildMessageCallSetup = [type: typeof CHILD_MESSAGE_CALL_SETUP];
+
 export type ChildMessage =
   | ChildMessageInitialize
   | ChildMessageCall
   | ChildMessageEnd
-  | ChildMessageMemUsage;
+  | ChildMessageMemUsage
+  | ChildMessageCallSetup;
 
 // Messages passed from the children to the parent.
 
diff --git a/packages/jest-worker/src/workers/processChild.ts b/packages/jest-worker/src/workers/processChild.ts
index 9eb1016ce715..647f5baa2a04 100644
--- a/packages/jest-worker/src/workers/processChild.ts
+++ b/packages/jest-worker/src/workers/processChild.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 import {isPromise} from 'jest-util';
 import {
   CHILD_MESSAGE_CALL,
+  CHILD_MESSAGE_CALL_SETUP,
   CHILD_MESSAGE_END,
   CHILD_MESSAGE_INITIALIZE,
   CHILD_MESSAGE_MEM_USAGE,
@@ -61,6 +62,28 @@ const messageListener: NodeJS.MessageListener = (request: any) => {
       reportMemoryUsage();
       break;
 
+    case CHILD_MESSAGE_CALL_SETUP:
+      if (initialized) {
+        reportSuccess(void 0);
+      } else {
+        const main = require(file!);
+
+        initialized = true;
+
+        if (main.setup) {
+          execFunction(
+            main.setup,
+            main,
+            setupArgs,
+            reportSuccess,
+            reportInitializeError,
+          );
+        } else {
+          reportSuccess(void 0);
+        }
+      }
+      break;
+
     default:
       throw new TypeError(
         `Unexpected request from parent process: ${request[0]}`,
diff --git a/packages/jest-worker/src/workers/threadChild.ts b/packages/jest-worker/src/workers/threadChild.ts
index d2703c9480a8..2380e1afd23c 100644
--- a/packages/jest-worker/src/workers/threadChild.ts
+++ b/packages/jest-worker/src/workers/threadChild.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {isMainThread, parentPort} from 'worker_threads';
 import {isPromise} from 'jest-util';
 import {
   CHILD_MESSAGE_CALL,
+  CHILD_MESSAGE_CALL_SETUP,
   CHILD_MESSAGE_END,
   CHILD_MESSAGE_INITIALIZE,
   CHILD_MESSAGE_MEM_USAGE,
@@ -63,6 +64,28 @@ const messageListener = (request: any) => {
       reportMemoryUsage();
       break;
 
+    case CHILD_MESSAGE_CALL_SETUP:
+      if (initialized) {
+        reportSuccess(void 0);
+      } else {
+        const main = require(file!);
+
+        initialized = true;
+
+        if (main.setup) {
+          execFunction(
+            main.setup,
+            main,
+            setupArgs,
+            reportSuccess,
+            reportInitializeError,
+          );
+        } else {
+          reportSuccess(void 0);
+        }
+      }
+      break;
+
     default:
       throw new TypeError(
         `Unexpected request from parent process: ${request[0]}`,