Nigerian-American engineers were awarded $7 million to launch the world’s first braid-assisted robot

Nigerian-American engineer and Harvard University graduate, Yinka Ogunbiyi, is making waves in the beauty technology industry with the development of HaloBraid, an innovative robotic system designed to help professional hairdressers by automating the most repetitive stages of the braiding process.

This innovation, described as the world’s first braid-assisted robot, has attracted significant investor confidence, raising $7 million in seed funding while listing more than 7,000 professional salons on waiting lists ahead of its commercial launch.

Announcing the achievement on Friday, the United States Mission in Nigeria highlighted the global impact of this innovation in a post on X.

“Nigerian-American engineer & Harvard graduate Yinka Ogunbiyi built HaloBraid, the world’s first braid-assisted robot, taking the burden off stylists & saving salons time.

“$7 million raised, 7,000+ salons on waiting lists. American innovation, global impact. #AmericanExcellence in action,” the mission states.

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. This investment is expected to accelerate the commercial launch of HaloBraid as demand from salons continues to increase.

Ogunbiyi, who holds a Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Harvard Business School, previously built his career developing connected smart home appliances and consumer electronics products before turning his attention to the beauty industry.

Also read: Budget Office: No funds released for controversial PFIPC as Representatives intensify investigation

HaloBraid’s inspiration came during the COVID-19 pandemic after she spent four days putting knotless braids on herself. The experience exposed the physical demands and lengthy processes involved in braiding professionally, prompting him to explore how robotics could simplify one of the industry’s most labor-intensive tasks.

He then partnered with co-founder David Afolabi to turn his idea into a patented mechanical technology capable of assisting, not replacing, professional hairdressers.

The robot assistant focuses on the repetitive stages of medium-length braiding, which takes up most of the time required in the salon. In the process, the stylist still carries out the creative and technical aspects of the hairstyle by parting the client’s hair, parting it, and manually creating the initial anchor knot.

Once that stage is complete, the HaloBraid device takes over a series of repeated braids before the hairstylist gets on with the job of finishing, trimming and sealing the hairstyle according to the client’s preferences.

Responding to concerns that introducing robotics into African heritage hairdressing could diminish its cultural significance, Ogunbiyi dismissed such fears, insisting that the technology was designed to complement, not replace, the skills of hairdressers.

“I don’t think anything is lost from this experience.

“In fact, technology actually enriches it. Technology only helps with repetitive movements that take up a lot of time and put the greatest stress on the body.”

In addition to reducing appointment times, HaloBraid is also intended to address the long-term physical stress associated with professional braiding. Hairdressers often experience repetitive movements involving the hands, wrists, shoulders and back, which over time can lead to fatigue and work-related injuries.

By automating the most physically demanding aspects of the process, the technology is expected to enable stylists to serve more clients, increase salon productivity and expand their professional careers.

Its development comes at a time when demand for protective hairstyles continues to increase worldwide. Industry research cited by the company shows that nearly 95 percent of Black women surveyed would opt for protective hairstyles more often if salon appointments were less tiring and time-consuming.

With new funding secured and thousands of salons having expressed interest, HaloBraid is now gearing up for full commercial deployment, positioning Ogunbiyi’s innovation as one of the most significant technological advances in the global beauty industry.