diff --git a/cmd/mdatagen/main_test.go b/cmd/mdatagen/main_test.go
index ce56247a78f..bcb884ea19f 100644
--- a/cmd/mdatagen/main_test.go
+++ b/cmd/mdatagen/main_test.go
@@ -199,6 +199,23 @@ Some info about a component
 			componentClass: "extension",
 			distros:        []string{"contrib"},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "readme with status with codeowners and seeking new",
+			markdown: `# Some component
+
+<!-- status autogenerated section -->
+<!-- end autogenerated section -->
+
+Some info about a component
+`,
+			outputFile:     "readme_with_status_codeowners_and_seeking_new.md",
+			componentClass: "receiver",
+			distros:        []string{"contrib"},
+			codeowners: &Codeowners{
+				Active:     []string{"foo"},
+				SeekingNew: true,
+			},
+		},
 		{
 			name: "readme with status with codeowners and emeritus",
 			markdown: `# Some component
diff --git a/cmd/mdatagen/statusdata.go b/cmd/mdatagen/statusdata.go
index ebe60dc4b78..d65a5c20f58 100644
--- a/cmd/mdatagen/statusdata.go
+++ b/cmd/mdatagen/statusdata.go
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ type Codeowners struct {
 	Active []string `mapstructure:"active"`
 	// Emeritus codeowners
 	Emeritus []string `mapstructure:"emeritus"`
+	// Whether new codeowners are being sought
+	SeekingNew bool `mapstructure:"seeking_new"`
 }
 
 type Status struct {
diff --git a/cmd/mdatagen/templates/readme.md.tmpl b/cmd/mdatagen/templates/readme.md.tmpl
index 364d3ad484d..ad41f11dd42 100644
--- a/cmd/mdatagen/templates/readme.md.tmpl
+++ b/cmd/mdatagen/templates/readme.md.tmpl
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 {{- if .Status.Codeowners }}
 {{- $codeowners := userLinks .Status.Codeowners.Active }}
 {{- $emeritus := userLinks .Status.Codeowners.Emeritus }}
-| [Code Owners](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#becoming-a-code-owner)    | {{ stringsJoin $codeowners ", " }} |
+| [Code Owners](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#becoming-a-code-owner)    | {{ stringsJoin $codeowners ", " }} {{ if .Status.Codeowners.SeekingNew }}\| Seeking more code owners! {{ end }}|
 {{- if $emeritus }}
 | Emeritus      | {{ stringsJoin $emeritus ", " }} |
 {{- end }}
diff --git a/cmd/mdatagen/testdata/readme_with_status_codeowners_and_seeking_new.md b/cmd/mdatagen/testdata/readme_with_status_codeowners_and_seeking_new.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f396db459d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/mdatagen/testdata/readme_with_status_codeowners_and_seeking_new.md
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# Some component
+
+<!-- status autogenerated section -->
+| Status        |           |
+| ------------- |-----------|
+| Stability     | [beta]: metrics   |
+| Distributions | [contrib] |
+| Issues        | [![Open issues](https://img.shields.io/github/issues-search/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib?query=is%3Aissue%20is%3Aopen%20label%3Areceiver%2Ffoo%20&label=open&color=orange&logo=opentelemetry)](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3Areceiver%2Ffoo) [![Closed issues](https://img.shields.io/github/issues-search/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib?query=is%3Aissue%20is%3Aclosed%20label%3Areceiver%2Ffoo%20&label=closed&color=blue&logo=opentelemetry)](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/issues?q=is%3Aclosed+is%3Aissue+label%3Areceiver%2Ffoo) |
+| [Code Owners](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#becoming-a-code-owner)    | [@foo](https://www.github.com/foo) \| Seeking more code owners! |
+
+[beta]: https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector#beta
+[contrib]: https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-releases/tree/main/distributions/otelcol-contrib
+<!-- end autogenerated section -->
+
+Some info about a component