diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 737cbb136..8e4e69367 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ TEST_IMAGE_FOLDERS := autocalibration controller manager mapping cluster_analyti
 TEST_IMAGES := $(addsuffix -test, camcalibration controller manager mapping cluster_analytics)
 DEPLOYMENT_TEST ?= 0
 
+# Kubernetes demo variables
+DEMO_K8S_MODE ?= core
+
 # Observability variables
 CONTROLLER_ENABLE_METRICS ?= false
 CONTROLLER_METRICS_ENDPOINT ?= otel-collector.scenescape.intel.com:4317
@@ -68,6 +71,9 @@ build-core: init-secrets build-core-images install-models
 .PHONY: build-all
 build-all: init-secrets build-all-images install-models
 
+.PHONY: build-experimental
+build-experimental: build-experimental-images
+
 # ============================== Help ================================
 
 .PHONY: help
@@ -78,8 +84,10 @@ help:
 	@echo "Available targets:"
 	@echo "  build-core        (default) Build secrets, core images (excluding mapping and cluster_analytics), and install models"
 	@echo "  build-all                   Build secrets, all images, and install models"
+	@echo "  build-experimental          Build experimental images only (mapping and cluster_analytics)"
 	@echo "  build-core-images           Build core microservice images (excluding mapping and cluster_analytics) in parallel"
 	@echo "  build-all-images            Build all microservice images in parallel"
+	@echo "  build-experimental-images   Build experimental microservice images (mapping and cluster_analytics) in parallel"
 	@echo "  init-secrets                Generate secrets and certificates"
 	@echo "  <image folder>              Build a specific microservice image (autocalibration, controller, etc.)"
 	@echo ""
@@ -87,7 +95,7 @@ help:
 	@echo "  demo-all                    Start the SceneScape demo with all services using Docker Compose"
 	@echo "                              (the demo targets require the SUPASS environment variable to be set"
 	@echo "                              as the super user password for logging into Intel® SceneScape)"
-	@echo "  demo-k8s                    Start the SceneScape demo using Kubernetes"
+	@echo "  demo-k8s                    Start the SceneScape demo using Kubernetes (DEMO_K8S_MODE=core|all, default: core)"
 	@echo ""
 	@echo "  list-dependencies           List all apt/pip dependencies for all microservices"
 	@echo "  build-sources-image         Build the image with 3rd party sources"
@@ -133,7 +141,7 @@ help:
 	@echo ""
 	@echo "Usage:"
 	@echo "  - Use 'SUPASS=<password> make build-all demo' to build Intel® SceneScape and run demo using Docker Compose."
-	@echo "  - Use 'make build-all demo-k8s' to build Intel® SceneScape and run demo using Kubernetes."
+	@echo "  - Use 'make build-all demo-k8s DEMO_K8S_MODE=all' to build Intel® SceneScape and run demo using Kubernetes with all services."
 	@echo ""
 	@echo "Tips:"
 	@echo "  - Use 'make BUILD_DIR=<path>' to change build output folder (default is './build')."
@@ -199,11 +207,6 @@ endef
 build-all-images: $(BUILD_DIR)
 	$(call parallel-build, $(IMAGE_FOLDERS))
 
-# Parallel wrapper for core images (excluding mapping and cluster_analytics)
-.PHONY: build-core-images
-build-core-images: $(BUILD_DIR)
-	$(call parallel-build, $(CORE_IMAGE_FOLDERS))
-
 # Parallel wrapper for core images (excluding mapping and cluster_analytics)
 .PHONY: build-core-images
 build-core-images: $(BUILD_DIR)
@@ -213,6 +216,14 @@ build-core-images: $(BUILD_DIR)
 	$(MAKE) -j$(JOBS) $(CORE_IMAGE_FOLDERS)
 	@echo "DONE ==> Parallel builds of core folders: $(CORE_IMAGE_FOLDERS)"
 
+# Parallel wrapper for experimental images (mapping and cluster_analytics)
+.PHONY: build-experimental-images
+build-experimental-images: $(BUILD_DIR)
+	@echo "==> Running parallel builds of experimental folders: mapping cluster_analytics"
+	@set -e; trap 'grep --color=auto -i -r --include="*.log" "^error" $(BUILD_DIR) || true' EXIT; \
+	$(MAKE) -j$(JOBS) mapping cluster_analytics
+	@echo "DONE ==> Parallel builds of experimental folders: mapping cluster_analytics"
+
 # ===================== Cleaning and Rebuilding =======================
 .PHONY: rebuild-core-images
 rebuild-core-images: clean-core-images build-core-images
@@ -575,7 +586,7 @@ demo-all: build-all init-sample-data
 
 .PHONY: demo-k8s
 demo-k8s:
-	$(MAKE) -C kubernetes DEPLOYMENT_TEST=$(DEPLOYMENT_TEST)
+	$(MAKE) -C kubernetes DEPLOYMENT_TEST=$(DEPLOYMENT_TEST) DEMO_K8S_MODE=$(DEMO_K8S_MODE)
 
 .PHONY: docker-compose.yml
 docker-compose.yml:
diff --git a/kubernetes/Makefile b/kubernetes/Makefile
index b79d83169..627479d88 100644
--- a/kubernetes/Makefile
+++ b/kubernetes/Makefile
@@ -4,8 +4,13 @@
 MANAGERIMAGE=scenescape-manager
 CAMCALIBIMAGE=scenescape-camcalibration
 CONTROLLERIMAGE=scenescape-controller
-# optional image for cluster analytics component
 CLUSTERANALYTICSIMAGE=scenescape-cluster-analytics
+MAPPINGIMAGE=scenescape-mapping
+
+# Image groupings for flexible builds
+CORE_IMAGES=$(MANAGERIMAGE) $(CAMCALIBIMAGE) $(CONTROLLERIMAGE)
+EXPERIMENTAL_IMAGES=$(CLUSTERANALYTICSIMAGE) $(MAPPINGIMAGE)
+ALL_IMAGES=$(CORE_IMAGES) $(EXPERIMENTAL_IMAGES)
 
 VERSION:=$(shell cat ../version.txt)
 NAMESPACE=scenescape
@@ -38,18 +43,36 @@ RELEASE=scenescape-release-1
 FORCE_VAAPI?=0
 CHART_DEBUG?=0
 
+# Demo mode variable for Kubernetes deployments (core or all)
+DEMO_K8S_MODE?=core
+
 # Proxy settings: if http_proxy, https_proxy, or no_proxy environment variables are set,
 # they will be automatically passed to the Helm chart during installation
 # Chart debug: set CHART_DEBUG=1 to enable chartdebug=true in Helm deployment
 
 # start kind, then install SceneScape with helm
-default: install-deps clean-kind kind build-all install
+default: install-deps clean-kind kind build-demo install
+
+# Helper target to select build based on DEMO_K8S_MODE
+.PHONY: build-demo
+build-demo:
+	@if [ "$(DEMO_K8S_MODE)" = "all" ]; then \
+		$(MAKE) build-all; \
+	else \
+		$(MAKE) build-core; \
+	fi
 
 # publish to ITEP by building, packaging, then pushing
-build-and-package: build-all package
+build-and-package: build-core package
 
 # build scenescape images and push everything to a registry, then generate Chart.yaml
-build-all: build push
+build: build-core
+
+build-core: docker-build-core push-core
+
+build-all: build-core build-experimental
+
+build-experimental: docker-build-experimental push-experimental
 
 kind: generate-kind-yaml start-kind install-cert-manager
 
@@ -135,10 +158,13 @@ install-cert-manager:
 
 # build scenescape docker images, download models for init-models
 # note, will make unneeded secrets in secrets/ as well
-build:
+docker-build-core:
 	make -C .. CERTPASS=$(CERTPASS) FORCE_VAAPI=$(FORCE_VAAPI)
 
-push:
+docker-build-experimental:
+	make -C .. build-experimental CERTPASS=$(CERTPASS) FORCE_VAAPI=$(FORCE_VAAPI)
+
+push-core:
 	docker tag $(MANAGERIMAGE):$(VERSION) $(REGISTRY)/$(ORGANIZATION)/$(MANAGERIMAGE):$(VERSION)
 	docker push $(REGISTRY)/$(ORGANIZATION)/$(MANAGERIMAGE):$(VERSION)
 	docker tag $(CAMCALIBIMAGE):$(VERSION) $(REGISTRY)/$(ORGANIZATION)/$(CAMCALIBIMAGE):$(VERSION)
@@ -146,9 +172,14 @@ push:
 	docker tag $(CONTROLLERIMAGE):$(VERSION) $(REGISTRY)/$(ORGANIZATION)/$(CONTROLLERIMAGE):$(VERSION)
 	docker push $(REGISTRY)/$(ORGANIZATION)/$(CONTROLLERIMAGE):$(VERSION)
 
-push-all: push
+push-experimental:
+	# optional images for cluster analytics and mapping components
 	docker tag $(CLUSTERANALYTICSIMAGE):$(VERSION) $(REGISTRY)/$(ORGANIZATION)/$(CLUSTERANALYTICSIMAGE):$(VERSION)
 	docker push $(REGISTRY)/$(ORGANIZATION)/$(CLUSTERANALYTICSIMAGE):$(VERSION)
+	docker tag $(MAPPINGIMAGE):$(VERSION) $(REGISTRY)/$(ORGANIZATION)/$(MAPPINGIMAGE):$(VERSION)
+	docker push $(REGISTRY)/$(ORGANIZATION)/$(MAPPINGIMAGE):$(VERSION)
+
+push-all: push-core push-experimental
 
 # generate Chart.yaml with appropriate version.txt
 chart.yaml:
@@ -211,8 +242,12 @@ install: copy-files
 	if [ "$(DEPLOYMENT_TEST)" = "1" ]; then \
 		docker system prune --all --force --volumes; \
 	fi; \
+	MODE_ARG=""; \
+	if [ "$(DEMO_K8S_MODE)" = "all" ]; then \
+		MODE_ARG="--set mapping.enabled=true --set clusterAnalytics.enabled=true"; \
+	fi; \
 	REPOSITORY_ARG="--set repository=$(REGISTRY)"; \
-	helm upgrade $(RELEASE) --install scenescape-chart/ -n $(NAMESPACE) --create-namespace --timeout $(INSTALL_TIMEOUT) $${DEBUG_ARGS} $${REPOSITORY_ARG} $${SUPASS_ARG} $${PGPASS_ARG} $${VALUES_FILE} $(VALIDATION_FLAG) $(TEST_FLAGS);
+	helm upgrade $(RELEASE) --install scenescape-chart/ -n $(NAMESPACE) --create-namespace --timeout $(INSTALL_TIMEOUT) $${DEBUG_ARGS} $${REPOSITORY_ARG} $${SUPASS_ARG} $${PGPASS_ARG} $${MODE_ARG} $${VALUES_FILE} $(VALIDATION_FLAG) $(TEST_FLAGS);
 	@if [ -f "/tmp/scenescape-proxy-values.yaml" ]; then \
 		rm -f /tmp/scenescape-proxy-values.yaml; \
 	fi
@@ -233,7 +268,28 @@ wait-for-ready:
 
 # below targets work if registry and kind are already running
 # building and reinstalling (during development)
-rebuild: uninstall delete-namespace build-all-tests install
+rebuild: rebuild-demo
+
+rebuild-demo:
+	@if [ "$(DEMO_K8S_MODE)" = "all" ]; then \
+		$(MAKE) rebuild-all; \
+	else \
+		$(MAKE) rebuild-core; \
+	fi
+
+rebuild-core: uninstall delete-namespace build-core install
+
+rebuild-all: uninstall delete-namespace build-all install
+
+build-validation: build-validation-demo
+
+build-validation-demo:
+	@if [ "$(DEMO_K8S_MODE)" = "all" ]; then \
+		$(MAKE) build-validation-all; \
+	else \
+		$(MAKE) build-validation-core; \
+	fi
+
+build-validation-core: delete-namespace build-core install wait-for-ready
 
-# validation build (blocks until scenescape is ready)
-build-validation: delete-namespace build-all-tests install wait-for-ready
+build-validation-all: delete-namespace build-all install wait-for-ready
diff --git a/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/_helpers.tpl b/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/_helpers.tpl
index cc0934e39..124384cac 100644
--- a/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -55,6 +55,13 @@
           path: scenescape-camcalibration.key
         - key: tls.crt
           path: scenescape-camcalibration.crt
+    - secret:
+        name: {{ .Release.Name }}-mapping-tls
+        items:
+        - key: tls.key
+          path: scenescape-mapping.key
+        - key: tls.crt
+          path: scenescape-mapping.crt
     - secret:
         name: {{ .Release.Name }}-scenescape-ca.pem
         items:
diff --git a/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/cluster-analytics/deployment.yaml b/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/cluster-analytics/deployment.yaml
index 1b4870084..f4a3a1afb 100644
--- a/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/cluster-analytics/deployment.yaml
+++ b/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/cluster-analytics/deployment.yaml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ spec:
       containers:
         - name: cluster-analytics
           image: {{ .Values.repository }}/{{ .Values.clusterAnalytics.image }}:{{ .Chart.AppVersion }}
-          pullPolicy: {{ .Values.clusterAnalytics.pullPolicy }}
+          imagePullPolicy: {{ .Values.clusterAnalytics.pullPolicy }}
           args:
             - "--broker"
             - "broker.{{ .Release.Namespace }}.svc.cluster.local"
diff --git a/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/mapping/certificate.yaml b/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/mapping/certificate.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..60f90225f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/mapping/certificate.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: (C) 2025 Intel Corporation
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+---
+apiVersion: cert-manager.io/v1
+kind: Certificate
+metadata:
+  name: {{ .Release.Name }}-mapping-cert
+spec:
+  secretName: {{ .Release.Name }}-mapping-tls
+  issuerRef:
+    name: {{ .Release.Name }}-ca-issuer
+    kind: Issuer
+  commonName: "mapping.scenescape.intel.com"
+  dnsNames:
+  - "mapping.scenescape.intel.com"
+  - "mapping"
+  - "mapping.{{ .Release.Namespace }}"
+  - "mapping.{{ .Release.Namespace }}.svc.cluster.local"
+  duration: 8760h
+  renewBefore: 720h
diff --git a/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/mapping/deployment.yaml b/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/mapping/deployment.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..84e8524c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/mapping/deployment.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: (C) 2025 Intel Corporation
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+---
+{{- if .Values.mapping.enabled }}
+apiVersion: apps/v1
+kind: Deployment
+metadata:
+  name: {{ .Release.Name }}-mapping
+  labels:
+    app: {{ .Release.Name }}-mapping
+spec:
+  replicas: 1
+  selector:
+    matchLabels:
+      app: {{ .Release.Name }}-mapping
+  template:
+    metadata:
+      labels:
+        app: {{ .Release.Name }}-mapping
+    spec:
+      securityContext:
+        runAsUser: 1000
+        runAsGroup: 1000
+      containers:
+        - name: mapping
+          image: {{ .Values.repository }}/{{ .Values.mapping.image }}:{{ .Chart.AppVersion }}
+          imagePullPolicy: {{ .Values.mapping.pullPolicy }}
+          env:
+          - name: PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE
+            value: "1"
+          {{ include "proxy_envs" . | indent 10 }}
+          ports:
+            - containerPort: 8444
+          securityContext:
+            {{ include "defaultContainerSecurityContext" . | indent 12 }}
+            runAsUser: 1000
+            runAsGroup: 1000
+          readinessProbe:
+            exec:
+              command:
+              - sh
+              - -c
+              - curl -k -s https://localhost:8444/health
+            periodSeconds: 10
+            timeoutSeconds: 60
+            failureThreshold: 5
+            initialDelaySeconds: 10
+          volumeMounts:
+          - mountPath: /run/secrets/certs/scenescape-ca.pem
+            subPath: scenescape-ca.pem
+            name: certs
+            readOnly: true
+          - mountPath: /run/secrets/certs/scenescape-mapping.crt
+            subPath: scenescape-mapping.crt
+            name: certs
+            readOnly: true
+          - mountPath: /run/secrets/certs/scenescape-mapping.key
+            subPath: scenescape-mapping.key
+            name: certs
+            readOnly: true
+          - mountPath: /tmp
+            name: model-storage
+          - mountPath: /workspace/.cache/huggingface
+            name: huggingface-cache
+          - mountPath: /workspace/.cache/torch
+            name: torch-cache
+          - mountPath: /workspace/model_weights
+            name: model-weights
+      volumes:
+        {{- include "certs_volume" . | nindent 8 }}
+        - name: model-storage
+          emptyDir:
+            sizeLimit: "1Gi"
+        - name: huggingface-cache
+          emptyDir:
+            sizeLimit: "5Gi"
+        - name: torch-cache
+          emptyDir:
+            sizeLimit: "2Gi"
+        - name: model-weights
+          emptyDir:
+            sizeLimit: "1Gi"
+{{- end }}
diff --git a/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/mapping/service.yaml b/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/mapping/service.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..03ffb9186
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/mapping/service.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: (C) 2025 Intel Corporation
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+---
+{{- if .Values.mapping.enabled }}
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Service
+metadata:
+  name: mapping
+  annotations: {{- toYaml .Values.service.annotations | nindent 4 }}
+spec:
+  selector:
+    app: {{ .Release.Name }}-mapping
+  ports:
+  - name: "8444"
+    protocol: TCP
+    port: 8444
+    targetPort: 8444
+{{- if .Values.loadBalancer.enabled }}
+---
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Service
+metadata:
+  name: mapping-lb
+  annotations: {{- toYaml .Values.loadBalancer.annotations | nindent 4 }}
+spec:
+  type: LoadBalancer
+  selector:
+    app: {{ .Release.Name }}-mapping
+  ports:
+  - name: "8444"
+    protocol: TCP
+    port: 8444
+    targetPort: 8444
+  externalTrafficPolicy: {{ .Values.loadBalancer.externalTrafficPolicy }}
+  {{- if (default .Values.loadBalancer.loadBalancerIP false) }}
+  loadBalancerIP: {{ .Values.loadBalancer.loadBalancerIP }}
+  {{- end }}
+{{- end }}
+{{- end }}
diff --git a/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/web-app/deployment.yaml b/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/web-app/deployment.yaml
index 79a442a11..95be062d4 100644
--- a/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/web-app/deployment.yaml
+++ b/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/templates/web-app/deployment.yaml
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ spec:
             - --camcalibration
             - camcalibration.{{ .Release.Namespace }}.svc.cluster.local:8443
           env:
+          {{- if .Values.mapping.enabled }}
+          - name: MAPPING_SERVICE_URL
+            value: https://mapping.{{ .Release.Namespace }}.svc.cluster.local:8444
+          {{- end }}
           - name: WEBSERVER_URL
             value: https://web.scenescape.svc.cluster.local
           - name: MODEL_CONFIGS_FOLDER
diff --git a/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/values.yaml b/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/values.yaml
index cad951ee0..e597141d1 100644
--- a/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/values.yaml
+++ b/kubernetes/scenescape-chart/values.yaml
@@ -132,6 +132,11 @@ clusterAnalytics:
   webUI:
     enabled: false
 
+mapping:
+  enabled: false
+  image: intel/scenescape-mapping
+  pullPolicy: IfNotPresent
+
 # Used as init container in some deployments to wait for dependent services
 busyboxImage:
   repository: docker.io