diff --git a/.changeset/rotten-dolls-sing.md b/.changeset/rotten-dolls-sing.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..039b287a77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/rotten-dolls-sing.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-plugin-api': patch
+---
+
+Added new experimental `featureDiscoveryServiceRef`, available as an `/alpha` export.
diff --git a/.changeset/serious-singers-vanish.md b/.changeset/serious-singers-vanish.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e1f4a754a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/serious-singers-vanish.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-app-api': patch
+---
+
+Added new experimental `featureDiscoveryServiceFactory`, available as an `/alpha` export.
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/alpha-api-report.md b/packages/backend-app-api/alpha-api-report.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..488feedf2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/alpha-api-report.md
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+## API Report File for "@backstage/backend-app-api"
+
+> Do not edit this file. It is a report generated by [API Extractor](https://api-extractor.com/).
+
+```ts
+import { FeatureDiscoveryService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
+import { ServiceFactory } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+
+// @alpha (undocumented)
+export const featureDiscoveryServiceFactory: () => ServiceFactory<
+  FeatureDiscoveryService,
+  'root'
+>;
+
+// (No @packageDocumentation comment for this package)
+```
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/package.json b/packages/backend-app-api/package.json
index d1aa511794..d1f3f8ac43 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/package.json
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/package.json
@@ -5,13 +5,26 @@
   "main": "src/index.ts",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
   "publishConfig": {
-    "access": "public",
-    "main": "dist/index.cjs.js",
-    "types": "dist/index.d.ts"
+    "access": "public"
   },
   "backstage": {
     "role": "node-library"
   },
+  "exports": {
+    ".": "./src/index.ts",
+    "./alpha": "./src/alpha.ts",
+    "./package.json": "./package.json"
+  },
+  "typesVersions": {
+    "*": {
+      "alpha": [
+        "src/alpha.ts"
+      ],
+      "package.json": [
+        "package.json"
+      ]
+    }
+  },
   "homepage": "https://backstage.io",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
@@ -36,6 +49,7 @@
     "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-tasks": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/cli-common": "workspace:^",
+    "@backstage/cli-node": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/config": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/config-loader": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/errors": "workspace:^",
@@ -73,6 +87,7 @@
     "@types/node-forge": "^1.3.0",
     "@types/stoppable": "^1.1.0",
     "http-errors": "^2.0.0",
+    "mock-fs": "^5.2.0",
     "supertest": "^6.1.3"
   },
   "files": [
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a334214738
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2023 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+export { featureDiscoveryServiceFactory } from './alpha/featureDiscoveryServiceFactory';
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha/featureDiscoveryServiceFactory.test.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha/featureDiscoveryServiceFactory.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5a5917dd3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha/featureDiscoveryServiceFactory.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2023 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import mockFs from 'mock-fs';
+import { resolve as resolvePath, dirname } from 'path';
+import { startTestBackend, mockServices } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
+import { featureDiscoveryServiceFactory } from './featureDiscoveryServiceFactory';
+import {
+  coreServices,
+  createServiceFactory,
+} from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+
+const rootDir = dirname(process.argv[1]);
+
+describe('featureDiscoveryServiceFactory', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    mockFs({
+      [rootDir]: {
+        'package.json': JSON.stringify({
+          name: 'example-app',
+          dependencies: {
+            'detected-plugin': '0.0.0',
+            'detected-module': '0.0.0',
+          },
+        }),
+      },
+      [resolvePath(rootDir, 'node_modules/detected-plugin')]: {
+        'package.json': JSON.stringify({
+          name: 'detected-plugin',
+          main: 'index.js',
+          backstage: {
+            role: 'backend-plugin',
+          },
+        }),
+        'index.js': `
+        const { createBackendPlugin, coreServices } = require('@backstage/backend-plugin-api');
+        exports.detectedPlugin = createBackendPlugin({
+            pluginId: 'detected',
+            register(env) {
+              env.registerInit({
+                deps: { identity: coreServices.identity },
+                async init({ identity }) {
+                  identity.getIdentity('detected-plugin');
+                },
+              });
+            },
+        });
+        `,
+      },
+      [resolvePath(rootDir, 'node_modules/detected-module')]: {
+        'package.json': JSON.stringify({
+          name: 'detected-module',
+          main: 'index.js',
+          backstage: {
+            role: 'backend-module',
+          },
+        }),
+        'index.js': `
+        const { createBackendModule, coreServices } = require('@backstage/backend-plugin-api');
+        exports.detectedModuleDerp = createBackendModule({
+            pluginId: 'detected',
+            moduleId: 'derp',
+            register(env) {
+              env.registerInit({
+                deps: { identity: coreServices.identity },
+                async init({ identity }) {
+                  identity.getIdentity('detected-module');
+                },
+              });
+            },
+        });
+        `,
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    mockFs.restore();
+  });
+
+  it('should detect plugin and module packages', async () => {
+    const fn = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({});
+
+    await startTestBackend({
+      services: [
+        createServiceFactory({
+          service: coreServices.identity,
+          deps: {},
+          factory: () => ({ getIdentity: fn }),
+        }),
+        featureDiscoveryServiceFactory(),
+        mockServices.rootConfig.factory({
+          data: { backend: { packages: 'all' } },
+        }),
+      ],
+    });
+
+    expect(fn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-plugin');
+    expect(fn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-module');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha/featureDiscoveryServiceFactory.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha/featureDiscoveryServiceFactory.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f9ee7edc5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha/featureDiscoveryServiceFactory.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2023 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import {
+  BackendFeature,
+  RootConfigService,
+  coreServices,
+  createServiceFactory,
+} from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import {
+  featureDiscoveryServiceRef,
+  FeatureDiscoveryService,
+} from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
+import { resolve as resolvePath, dirname } from 'path';
+import fs from 'fs-extra';
+import { BackstagePackageJson } from '@backstage/cli-node';
+
+const LOADED_PACKAGE_ROLES = ['backend-plugin', 'backend-module'];
+
+/** @internal */
+async function findClosestPackageDir(
+  searchDir: string,
+): Promise<string | undefined> {
+  let path = searchDir;
+
+  // Some confidence check to avoid infinite loop
+  for (let i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
+    const packagePath = resolvePath(path, 'package.json');
+    const exists = await fs.pathExists(packagePath);
+    if (exists) {
+      return path;
+    }
+
+    const newPath = dirname(path);
+    if (newPath === path) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+    path = newPath;
+  }
+
+  throw new Error(
+    `Iteration limit reached when searching for root package.json at ${searchDir}`,
+  );
+}
+
+/** @internal */
+class PackageDiscoveryService implements FeatureDiscoveryService {
+  constructor(private readonly config: RootConfigService) {}
+
+  async getBackendFeatures(): Promise<{ features: Array<BackendFeature> }> {
+    if (this.config.getOptionalString('backend.packages') !== 'all') {
+      return { features: [] };
+    }
+
+    const packageDir = await findClosestPackageDir(process.argv[1]);
+    if (!packageDir) {
+      throw new Error('Package discovery failed to find package.json');
+    }
+    const { dependencies } = require(resolvePath(
+      packageDir,
+      'package.json',
+    )) as BackstagePackageJson;
+    const dependencyNames = Object.keys(dependencies || {});
+
+    const features: BackendFeature[] = [];
+
+    for (const name of dependencyNames) {
+      const depPkg = require(require.resolve(`${name}/package.json`, {
+        paths: [packageDir],
+      })) as BackstagePackageJson;
+      if (!LOADED_PACKAGE_ROLES.includes(depPkg?.backstage?.role ?? '')) {
+        continue;
+      }
+      const depModule = require(require.resolve(name, { paths: [packageDir] }));
+      for (const exportValue of Object.values(depModule)) {
+        if (isBackendFeature(exportValue)) {
+          features.push(exportValue);
+        }
+        if (isBackendFeatureFactory(exportValue)) {
+          features.push(exportValue());
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    return { features };
+  }
+}
+
+/** @alpha */
+export const featureDiscoveryServiceFactory = createServiceFactory({
+  service: featureDiscoveryServiceRef,
+  deps: {
+    config: coreServices.rootConfig,
+  },
+  factory({ config }) {
+    return new PackageDiscoveryService(config);
+  },
+});
+
+function isBackendFeature(value: unknown): value is BackendFeature {
+  return (
+    !!value &&
+    typeof value === 'object' &&
+    (value as BackendFeature).$$type === '@backstage/BackendFeature'
+  );
+}
+
+function isBackendFeatureFactory(
+  value: unknown,
+): value is () => BackendFeature {
+  return (
+    !!value &&
+    typeof value === 'function' &&
+    (value as any).$$type === '@backstage/BackendFeatureFactory'
+  );
+}
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
index ec4b2a79ac..6bc4e995e2 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import { EnumerableServiceHolder, ServiceOrExtensionPoint } from './types';
 // eslint-disable-next-line @backstage/no-forbidden-package-imports
 import { InternalBackendFeature } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/src/wiring/types';
 import { ForwardedError } from '@backstage/errors';
+import { featureDiscoveryServiceRef } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
 
 export interface BackendRegisterInit {
   consumes: Set<ServiceOrExtensionPoint>;
@@ -87,6 +88,10 @@ export class BackendInitializer {
     if (this.#startPromise) {
       throw new Error('feature can not be added after the backend has started');
     }
+    this.#addFeature(feature);
+  }
+
+  #addFeature(feature: BackendFeature) {
     if (feature.$$type !== '@backstage/BackendFeature') {
       throw new Error(
         `Failed to add feature, invalid type '${feature.$$type}'`,
@@ -129,6 +134,18 @@ export class BackendInitializer {
   }
 
   async #doStart(): Promise<void> {
+    const featureDiscovery = await this.#serviceHolder.get(
+      featureDiscoveryServiceRef,
+      'root',
+    );
+
+    if (featureDiscovery) {
+      const { features } = await featureDiscovery.getBackendFeatures();
+      for (const feature of features) {
+        this.#addFeature(feature);
+      }
+    }
+
     // Initialize all root scoped services
     for (const ref of this.#serviceHolder.getServiceRefs()) {
       if (ref.scope === 'root') {
diff --git a/packages/backend-next/package.json b/packages/backend-next/package.json
index af4f483db0..f36f90998b 100644
--- a/packages/backend-next/package.json
+++ b/packages/backend-next/package.json
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@backstage/backend-defaults": "workspace:^",
+    "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-tasks": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/plugin-adr-backend": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/plugin-app-backend": "workspace:^",
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/alpha-api-report.md b/packages/backend-plugin-api/alpha-api-report.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..81b378a671
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/alpha-api-report.md
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+## API Report File for "@backstage/backend-plugin-api"
+
+> Do not edit this file. It is a report generated by [API Extractor](https://api-extractor.com/).
+
+```ts
+import { BackendFeature } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { ServiceRef } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+
+// @alpha (undocumented)
+export interface FeatureDiscoveryService {
+  // (undocumented)
+  getBackendFeatures(): Promise<{
+    features: Array<BackendFeature>;
+  }>;
+}
+
+// @alpha
+export const featureDiscoveryServiceRef: ServiceRef<
+  FeatureDiscoveryService,
+  'root'
+>;
+
+// (No @packageDocumentation comment for this package)
+```
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/package.json b/packages/backend-plugin-api/package.json
index 5d0bfe08fb..555c60c8e4 100644
--- a/packages/backend-plugin-api/package.json
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/package.json
@@ -5,13 +5,26 @@
   "main": "src/index.ts",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
   "publishConfig": {
-    "access": "public",
-    "main": "dist/index.cjs.js",
-    "types": "dist/index.d.ts"
+    "access": "public"
   },
   "backstage": {
     "role": "node-library"
   },
+  "exports": {
+    ".": "./src/index.ts",
+    "./alpha": "./src/alpha.ts",
+    "./package.json": "./package.json"
+  },
+  "typesVersions": {
+    "*": {
+      "alpha": [
+        "src/alpha.ts"
+      ],
+      "package.json": [
+        "package.json"
+      ]
+    }
+  },
   "homepage": "https://backstage.io",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/alpha.ts b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/alpha.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..baee739f49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/alpha.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2023 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import {
+  BackendFeature,
+  createServiceRef,
+} from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+
+/** @alpha */
+export interface FeatureDiscoveryService {
+  getBackendFeatures(): Promise<{ features: Array<BackendFeature> }>;
+}
+
+/**
+ * An optional service that can be used to dynamically load in additional BackendFeatures at runtime.
+ * @alpha
+ */
+export const featureDiscoveryServiceRef =
+  createServiceRef<FeatureDiscoveryService>({
+    id: 'core.featureDiscovery',
+    scope: 'root',
+  });
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/wiring/factories.ts b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/wiring/factories.ts
index 928c933af0..ecaccdc6de 100644
--- a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/wiring/factories.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/wiring/factories.ts
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@
 import {
   BackendModuleRegistrationPoints,
   BackendPluginRegistrationPoints,
-  BackendFeature,
   ExtensionPoint,
-  InternalBackendFeature,
   InternalBackendModuleRegistration,
   InternalBackendPluginRegistration,
+  BackendFeatureFactory,
+  BackendFeature,
 } from './types';
 
 /**
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ export function createBackendPlugin<TOptions extends [options?: object] = []>(
   config: BackendPluginConfig | ((...params: TOptions) => BackendPluginConfig),
 ): (...params: TOptions) => BackendFeature {
   const configCallback = typeof config === 'function' ? config : () => config;
-  return (...options: TOptions): InternalBackendFeature => {
+
+  const factory: BackendFeatureFactory<TOptions> = (...options) => {
     const c = configCallback(...options);
 
     let registrations: InternalBackendPluginRegistration[];
@@ -144,6 +145,9 @@ export function createBackendPlugin<TOptions extends [options?: object] = []>(
       },
     };
   };
+  factory.$$type = '@backstage/BackendFeatureFactory';
+
+  return factory;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -178,7 +182,7 @@ export function createBackendModule<TOptions extends [options?: object] = []>(
   config: BackendModuleConfig | ((...params: TOptions) => BackendModuleConfig),
 ): (...params: TOptions) => BackendFeature {
   const configCallback = typeof config === 'function' ? config : () => config;
-  return (...options: TOptions): InternalBackendFeature => {
+  const factory: BackendFeatureFactory<TOptions> = (...options: TOptions) => {
     const c = configCallback(...options);
 
     let registrations: InternalBackendModuleRegistration[];
@@ -223,4 +227,7 @@ export function createBackendModule<TOptions extends [options?: object] = []>(
       },
     };
   };
+  factory.$$type = '@backstage/BackendFeatureFactory';
+
+  return factory;
 }
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/wiring/types.ts b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/wiring/types.ts
index c81ee3ceb7..028c2b87da 100644
--- a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/wiring/types.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/wiring/types.ts
@@ -67,6 +67,14 @@ export interface BackendModuleRegistrationPoints {
   }): void;
 }
 
+/** @internal */
+export interface BackendFeatureFactory<
+  TOptions extends [options?: object] = [],
+> {
+  (...options: TOptions): BackendFeature;
+  $$type: '@backstage/BackendFeatureFactory';
+}
+
 /** @public */
 export interface BackendFeature {
   // NOTE: This type is opaque in order to simplify future API evolution.
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 4d87a85578..84a1db2846 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -3292,6 +3292,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@backstage/backend-test-utils": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/cli": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/cli-common": "workspace:^"
+    "@backstage/cli-node": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/config": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/config-loader": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/errors": "workspace:^"
@@ -3319,6 +3320,7 @@ __metadata:
     logform: ^2.3.2
     minimatch: ^5.0.0
     minimist: ^1.2.5
+    mock-fs: ^5.2.0
     morgan: ^1.10.0
     node-forge: ^1.3.1
     selfsigned: ^2.0.0
@@ -25161,6 +25163,7 @@ __metadata:
   resolution: "example-backend-next@workspace:packages/backend-next"
   dependencies:
     "@backstage/backend-defaults": "workspace:^"
+    "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/backend-tasks": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/cli": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/plugin-adr-backend": "workspace:^"