November 5, 2025 - An East Liberty startup has raised $12.6 million in Series A financing to accelerate research and development of real-time software that is used in underground mining.

Mine Vision Systems CEO Michael Smocer called 2025 a “breakout year” for the Carnegie Mellon University spinout, adding that the funding round exceeded the company’s $10 million goal. Rockwell Venture Capital led the round.

“The team’s execution over the past three years has translated into real operational impact for customers,” Rockwell founder and CEO Kent Rockwell said in a prepared statement. “We are enthusiastic to lead this round and support the next phase of growth.”

MVS was spun out of Carnegie Mellon’s National Robotic Engineering Center in 2015. FaceCapture, the company’s flagship product, is a lightweight advanced vision technology that allows geologists to capture highly accurate mapping data of rock and mineral formations, eliminating the need for mine personnel to work in unsupported or dangerous areas.FaceCapture was released after 50 consulting projects with 24 mining companies between 2018 and 2021. The mining software has been used in mines in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and elsewhere.