Nigerian-American biomechanical engineer and Harvard graduate, Yinka Ogunbiyi, has raised $7 million in seed funding to commercialise HaloBraid, the world’s first patented braid-assist robot designed to help professional hairstylists cut braiding time in half while reducing work-related inj¥ries.
The funding round was led by Seven Seven Six, the venture capital firm founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, with backing from AlleyCorp and Bling Capital. The startup is already attracting significant interest, with more than 7,000 professional salons reportedly on its commercial waiting list.
Ogunbiyi, who holds a joint MS/MBA from Harvard Engineering School and Harvard Business School, conceived the idea during the COVID-19 pandemic after spending four days installing her own knotless braids.
She later teamed up with co-founder David Afolabi to develop HaloBraid, a collaborative robot designed to work alongside, not replace, professional braiders.
The device handles the repetitive mid-shaft braiding process, which typically consumes most of a braiding appointment, while the stylist remains responsible for sectioning the hair, creating the foundation braid, and completing the final styling.
“I don’t think anything will get lost from the experience. If anything, it enriches it. Technology simply assists with the repetitive movements that consume the most time and place the greatest strain on the body,” Ogunbiyi said.
The company said the innovation could help salon owners serve more clients daily while extending the careers of beauty professionals.
