HaloBraid braid-assist robot seed funding

Nigerian-American engineer Yinka Ogunbiyi, a Harvard graduate, has developed HaloBraid, the world's first braid-assist robot designed to help professional hairstylists by automating the repetitive mid-shaft braiding process, reducing appointment times by about half and alleviating physical strain. The startup has raised $7 million in seed funding led by Seven Seven Six, the venture capital firm founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, with participation from Kevin P. Ryan and Bling Capital. Over 7,000 salons have joined the waiting list ahead of the commercial launch planned for late 2026. Ogunbiyi conceived the idea during the COVID-19 pandemic and partnered with co-founder David Afolabi to build over 450 prototypes. The robot works as a collaborative tool: stylists manually start each braid, then HaloBraid completes the length, and stylists finish the style. The technology aims to address occupational health issues like carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis among braiders, and to meet consumer demand for faster salon visits, as 95% of Black women surveyed said they would wear protective styles more often if appointments took less time. The U.S. Mission in Nigeria highlighted the achievement.