Nigerian-American engineer develops world's first braid-assist robot

Yinka Ogunbiyi

United States: Nigerian-American engineer and Harvard graduate Yinka Ogunbiyi is gaining international recognition after developing HaloBraid, an artificial intelligence-powered robotic assistant designed to help professional hairstylists braid hair faster while reducing the physical strain associated with the craft.

The innovation has already attracted $7 million in seed funding and generated strong market interest, with more than 7,000 salons joining the waiting list ahead of its commercial rollout later this year.

The achievement was spotlighted by the United States Mission in Nigeria, which praised Ogunbiyi's innovation in a post shared on X on Friday.

The Mission wrote: "Nigerian-American engineer & Harvard grad Yinka Ogunbiyi built HaloBraid, the world's first braid-assist robot, easing strain on stylists & saving salons time. $7M raised, 7,000+ salons waitlisted."

The funding 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 investment is expected to accelerate HaloBraid's commercial launch and product development.

Ogunbiyi earned both a Master of Science and a Master of Business Administration through a joint programme at Harvard Engineering School and Harvard Business School. Before venturing into robotics, she built a career designing consumer electronics and smart home appliances.

The inspiration for HaloBraid came during the COVID-19 pandemic after Ogunbiyi spent four days installing her own knotless braids. The experience prompted her to rethink braiding as an engineering challenge, eventually leading her to partner with co-founder David Afolabi to develop an automated solution for one of the industry's most repetitive tasks.

Yinka Ogunbiyi Halobraid robot 

Unlike conventional automation that replaces human labour, HaloBraid is designed to complement the work of hairstylists. A stylist begins by sectioning the client's hair and creating the initial anchor knot, after which the robotic device takes over the repetitive braiding process. The stylist then completes the hairstyle by finishing, trimming and securing the ends.

The company says the technology is intended to shorten appointment times, reduce fatigue and help salons serve more clients without compromising the stylist's role or creativity. Industry estimates cited by the startup suggest people collectively spend billions of hours each year braiding hair, highlighting the scale of the problem HaloBraid aims to solve.