Merino Energy’s Merino Mono is a compact, all‑in‑one wall‑mounted heat pump that eliminates the outdoor unit and plugs into a standard 120V outlet, mounting to the wall through two small holes; the company is selling it for a flat $3,800 including installation in SF and LA. Founded by Mary‑Ann Rau (ex‑Quilt) and Brad Hall (ex‑Gradient), Merino emphasizes installer experience and transparent pricing, operates a network of six California partner installers, and completed its first commercial installs at an affordable housing site in Richmond. The Mono is designed for rooms ≤350 sq ft, installs in about an hour, and aims to cut labor‑driven costs that make traditional heat pump projects run into tens of thousands of dollars. Merino concedes performance trade‑offs—its current unit targets mild climates and smaller spaces—and positions the product against similar AIO offerings (Ephoca) while claiming it could materially speed up California’s heat‑pump rollout.