Harvard Graduate Yinka Ogunbiyi Raises $7 Million To Launch Hair Braiding Robot

(Yinka Ogunbiyi. Photo Credit: Vanguard News)

Nigerian-American biomechanical engineer Yinka Ogunbiyi, a Harvard graduate, has raised $7 million in seed capital to bring HaloBraid, her patented robotic braiding assistant, to market.

The device is built to help professional braiders speed up their work and ease the physical toll of the job.

The funding round was headed by Seven Seven Six, the venture capital firm started by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, with additional backing from AlleyCorp and Bling Capital.

Ahead of its official rollout, the startup has already attracted a waiting list of more than 7,000 professional salons, an indication of strong early interest in the technology.

Ogunbiyi holds a combined MS/MBA from Harvard’s engineering and business schools and had previously worked in smart kitchen appliances and IoT devices before shifting her focus to haircare.

The concept behind HaloBraid took shape during the COVID-19 lockdown, after Ogunbiyi spent four days doing her own knotless braids at home.

That experience led her to team up with co-founder David Afolabi to build a robotic tool tailored for professional braiders.

Rather than replacing stylists, HaloBraid functions as a “cobot” working in tandem with them.

It handles the repetitive mid-length weaving motions that typically take up most of the time during a knotless braiding session, while stylists continue to handle the creative and technical portions of the work.

In practice, the stylist begins by parting and sectioning the hair and laying the foundation of each braid.

HaloBraid then takes over the repetitive weaving, cutting overall appointment time roughly in half, before the stylist finishes by sealing, trimming, and styling the braids.

Ogunbiyi described the technology as a support tool rather than a substitute for professional braiders, saying she doesn’t believe the experience loses anything if anything.

She believes it enhances it since the technology only takes on the repetitive motions that consume the most time and put the greatest strain on the body.

Beyond cutting down appointment times, HaloBraid is also intended to tackle the occupational health issues common among braiders, many of whom develop conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, and chronic back pain after years of repetitive movement.

By taking over the most physically taxing part of the process, the company hopes stylists will be able to work longer in their careers while also serving more clients per day.

The company also pointed to consumer demand for quicker service, noting that a survey found 95% of Black women would opt for protective styles more often if salon appointments took less time.

The new funding round is set to support HaloBraid’s push to expand commercially and bring the technology to salons internationally.