Merino

pre-seed
Industry

Mary-Ann Rau
CEO & Co-Founder
Brad Hall
CPO & Co-Founder

The founders are experts in the second wave of heat pumps, with experience building consumer tech at Apple and Square.

Installing a heat pump in your home shouldn’t be a construction project.

Merino Energy was built by engineers from Apple and Square who couldn't electrify their own homes. Their product, the Merino Mono, installs in under an hour through two holes in the wall, plugs into a standard 120V outlet, and costs $3,800 installation included. No outdoor unit, no refrigerant lines, no electrical upgrade. A single leak from a conventional mini-split can erase the climate benefit of 50 homes switching off fossil fuels Merino charges refrigerant at the factory, so that risk never exists.

Website

investors

Marble
ReGen
Dangerous Ventures
SBXi

1.4t CO2/year

avoided per Merino heat pump.

Eight times faster to install. Three times cheaper. Same heat pump. Merino redesigned everything except the technology

Problem

Heat pumps have a green premium problem. Installation alone costs 4× the price of the hardware making heat pumps 3× more expensive than fossil fuel alternatives. California needs 6 million installs by 2030 and is already 2 million units behind. Traditional mini-splits require outdoor units, multi-day projects, and 240V electrical upgrades. HVAC companies spend hours quoting jobs homeowners can't afford to accept.

Portrait of a calm woman in a sleeveless turtleneck standing by a neutral-toned wall, reflecting the quiet strength and natural aesthetics behind Merino Energy’s innovation.

Solution

Merino Energy has redesigned the heat pump around the installation. The Merino Mono combines everything into a single indoor unit no outdoor condenser, no refrigerant lines on site, no electrical upgrade required. Two vents drilled between studs, a standard 120V outlet, installed in under an hour. Refrigerant is charged at the factory, eliminating on-site leaks that can erase the climate benefit of up to 50 homes switching off fossil fuels. At $3,800 flat rate installation included the Mono is designed for the buildings conventional systems can't reach: apartments, condos, historic homes, low-income housing. Up to 50,000 units could be manufactured this year alone.

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