“Nigerian American Engineer Yinka Ogunbiyi Builds HaloBraid, a Robot Designed to Transform Hair Braiding”
Nigerian American engineer and Harvard graduate Yinka Ogunbiyi is attracting international attention after developing HaloBraid, a robotic hair braiding assistant designed to reduce the physical strain and lengthy hours associated with professional braiding.
The innovation, described by the United States Mission in Nigeria as the world’s first braid assist robot, is designed to support hairstylists rather than replace them. The technology is intended to handle repetitive sections of the braiding process after a stylist has manually parted the hair and started the braid.
According to reports, HaloBraid has secured $7 million in seed funding and attracted more than 7,000 professional salons to its waiting list ahead of its commercial rollout. The funding round was led by Seven Seven Six, the venture capital firm founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, with additional backing from AlleyCorp and Bling Capital.
Ogunbiyi, who holds a joint Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard’s engineering and business schools, previously worked on smart home appliances and Internet of Things devices before turning her attention to the haircare industry.
The idea for HaloBraid reportedly emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic after Ogunbiyi spent four days installing her own knotless braids. The experience prompted her to examine hair braiding as an engineering challenge and ultimately led to the development of an automated tool capable of assisting with the repetitive aspects of the process.
HaloBraid is designed to work alongside professional stylists. While the stylist remains responsible for tasks such as sectioning the hair, creating the initial anchor and completing the final styling, the robot assists with the repetitive braiding process. The model is intended to reduce physical fatigue, shorten salon appointments and improve efficiency without eliminating the human expertise and creativity central to hairstyling.
The development has generated significant interest within the beauty and technology sectors, highlighting the growing intersection between African innovation, robotics and everyday consumer needs. For Ogunbiyi, the project also demonstrates how personal experiences can inspire technological solutions to long standing challenges in industries that have traditionally received limited attention from the engineering sector.
As HaloBraid moves closer to wider market availability, its reception could help shape the future of salon technology and raise broader questions about how automation can support skilled workers while preserving the human element of personal services.