diff --git a/backend/envs/prod/initialization/setup_prod_environment.py b/backend/envs/prod/initialization/setup_prod_environment.py
index 8a82264..8ec2da1 100644
--- a/backend/envs/prod/initialization/setup_prod_environment.py
+++ b/backend/envs/prod/initialization/setup_prod_environment.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from database.database_manager import DatabaseManager
+from database.organization_manager import OrganizationManager
 from database.user_manager import UserManager
+from models.organization import Organization
 from models.user import User, UserRole
 from security import get_password_hash
 from utils.utils import get_app_logger
@@ -7,6 +9,20 @@
 logger = get_app_logger(__name__)
 
 
+def create_docshow_ai_organization():
+    """Creates the DocShow AI organization if it doesn't already exist."""
+    organization = Organization(name="DocShow AI")
+
+    with DatabaseManager() as session:
+        org_manager = OrganizationManager(session)
+        existing_org = org_manager.get_organization_by_name(organization.name)
+        if not existing_org:
+            org_manager.create_organization(organization)
+            logger.debug("DocShow AI organization created.")
+        else:
+            logger.debug("DocShow AI organization already exists.")
+
+
 def create_admin_user():
     """Creates an admin user if it doesn't already exist."""
     admin_user = User(
diff --git a/backend/settings.py b/backend/settings.py
index e7a13a8..e383c12 100644
--- a/backend/settings.py
+++ b/backend/settings.py
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@
 
 DATABASE_URL = config("DATABASE_URL")
 
-EMAIL_VERIFICATION_EXPIRE_MINUTES = int(config("EMAIL_VERIFICATION_EXPIRE_MINUTES"))
+EMAIL_VERIFICATION_EXPIRE_MINUTES = int(
+    config("EMAIL_VERIFICATION_EXPIRE_MINUTES", default=15)
+)
 
 OPENAI_API_KEY = config("OPENAI_API_KEY")
 
diff --git a/backend/startup.py b/backend/startup.py
index 1621a17..f31bb42 100644
--- a/backend/startup.py
+++ b/backend/startup.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 )
 from envs.prod.initialization.setup_prod_environment import (
     create_admin_user as prod_create_admin_user,
+    create_docshow_ai_organization,
 )
 from envs.dev.utils import seed_db
 from settings import APP_ENV, JWT_SECRET_KEY
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@
 def run_startup_routines():
     check_jwt_secret_key()
 
-    if APP_ENV == "development":
+    if APP_ENV == "dev":
         create_sample_organization()
         dev_create_admin_user()
         seed_db()
@@ -36,11 +37,12 @@ def run_startup_routines():
         create_sample_dataprofile()
 
     if APP_ENV == "prod":
+        create_docshow_ai_organization()
         prod_create_admin_user()
 
 
 def check_jwt_secret_key():
-    if APP_ENV != "development" and JWT_SECRET_KEY == "mysecretkey":
+    if APP_ENV != "dev" and JWT_SECRET_KEY == "mysecretkey":
         raise EnvironmentError(
             "JWT_SECRET_KEY must be set in non-development environments"
         )
diff --git a/backend/utils/email.py b/backend/utils/email.py
index 36f9f46..0d38802 100644
--- a/backend/utils/email.py
+++ b/backend/utils/email.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ async def send_password_reset_email_with_sendgrid(email: List[str], token: str):
         html_content=f'Click on the link to reset your password: <a href="https://{APP_HOST}/reset-password?token={token}">https://{APP_HOST}/reset-password</a>',
     )
     # Disable click tracking in development
-    if APP_ENV == "development":
+    if APP_ENV == "dev":
         message.tracking_settings = TrackingSettings()
         message.tracking_settings.click_tracking = ClickTracking(False, False)
     try:
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ async def send_verification_email_with_sendgrid(email: List[str], token: str):
         html_content=f'Click on the link to verify your email: <a href="https://{APP_HOST}/verify-email?token={token}">https://{APP_HOST}/verify-email</a>',
     )
     # Disable click tracking in development
-    if APP_ENV == "development":
+    if APP_ENV == "dev":
         message.tracking_settings = TrackingSettings()
         message.tracking_settings.click_tracking = ClickTracking(False, False)
     try:
diff --git a/backend/utils/utils.py b/backend/utils/utils.py
index afdb803..aeab935 100644
--- a/backend/utils/utils.py
+++ b/backend/utils/utils.py
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ def get_app_logger(name):
     logger = logging.getLogger(name)
 
     # Set log level based on the environment
-    log_level = logging.DEBUG if os.getenv("APP_ENV") == "development" else logging.INFO
+    log_level = logging.DEBUG if os.getenv("APP_ENV") == "dev" else logging.INFO
 
     logger.setLevel(log_level)
 
diff --git a/k8s/backend-configmap.yaml b/k8s/backend-configmap.yaml
index 1ecb6c2..f61abaa 100644
--- a/k8s/backend-configmap.yaml
+++ b/k8s/backend-configmap.yaml
@@ -3,4 +3,10 @@ kind: ConfigMap
 metadata:
   name: backend-config
 data:
-  APP_ENV: "prod"
\ No newline at end of file
+  APP_ENV: "prod"
+  APP_HOST: "docshow.ai"
+  EMAIL_VERIFICATION_EXPIRE_MINUTES: "15"
+  PASSWORD_RESET_EXPIRE_MINUTES: "15"
+  SPACES_BUCKET_NAME: "docshowai"
+  SPACES_ENDPOINT_URL: "https://docshowai.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com"
+  SPACES_REGION_NAME: "fra1"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/k8s/backend-deployment.yaml b/k8s/backend-deployment.yaml
index 3ad340e..cb583fc 100644
--- a/k8s/backend-deployment.yaml
+++ b/k8s/backend-deployment.yaml
@@ -33,3 +33,18 @@ spec:
             secretKeyRef:
               name: jwt-secret
               key: JWT_SECRET_KEY
+        - name: SENDGRID_API_KEY
+          valueFrom:
+            secretKeyRef:
+              name: sendgrid-api-key
+              key: SENDGRID_API_KEY
+        - name: SPACES_ACCESS_KEY
+          valueFrom:
+            secretKeyRef:
+              name: spaces-access-key
+              key: SPACES_ACCESS_KEY
+        - name: SPACES_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY
+          valueFrom:
+            secretKeyRef:
+              name: spaces-secret-access-key
+              key: SPACES_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY