A Nigerian-American engineer, Yinka Ogunbiyi, has developed what is being described as the world’s first braid-assist robot, an innovation aimed at reducing the physical demands of professional hair braiding while improving efficiency in salons.
The device, known as HaloBraid, recently attracted $7 million in seed funding and has already drawn interest from more than 7,000 salons ahead of its commercial launch.
The investment round was led by Seven Seven Six, the venture capital firm founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, with participation from AlleyCorp and Bling Capital. The funds will be used to expand production and introduce the technology to the market.
Ogunbiyi, a graduate of Harvard University with combined master’s degrees in engineering and business administration, conceived the idea during the COVID-19 pandemic after spending several days braiding her own hair. She later partnered with co-founder David Afolabi to develop the robotic assistant.
Rather than replacing hairstylists, HaloBraid is designed to support them by taking over the repetitive mid-length braiding process, one of the most physically demanding stages of a braiding appointment. Stylists still perform key tasks such as sectioning the hair, creating the foundation braid, and completing the final styling.
Speaking about concerns that automation could diminish the cultural significance of braiding, Ogunbiyi said the technology is intended to complement the stylist’s expertise, allowing professionals to focus more on creativity and client interaction while the machine handles repetitive motions.
The innovation is also expected to help address occupational health challenges faced by braiders, including hand, wrist and back strain caused by years of repetitive work. By easing that burden, the company believes salons will be able to serve more clients and extend the careers of professional stylists.
Growing demand for protective hairstyles has increased interest in technologies that can reduce the time spent in salons. Company data indicates that many Black women would choose protective styles more often if the process were faster and less physically taxing.
With fresh funding secured and thousands of salons expressing interest, HaloBraid is preparing for its commercial rollout as it seeks to introduce robotic assistance into professional hair braiding without replacing the role of human stylists.
