Nigerian-American Harvard Graduate Raises $7m to Launch World's First Braid-Assist Robot
- The US Mission Nigeria has highlighted Yinka Ogunbiyi's success after her startup secured multimillion-dollar backing
- Her braid-assist robot is designed to support professional stylists while addressing a long-standing industry challenge
- The innovation has also attracted strong interest from salons ahead of its wider rollout
The US Mission Nigeria has spotlighted the success of Nigerian-American engineer and Harvard graduate Yinka Ogunbiyi after she raised $7 million to launch HaloBraid, the world's first braid-assist robot.
The mission shared the achievement on Friday, July 24, through its official X handle, @USinNigeria.
In its post, the mission said Ogunbiyi built the robot to make work easier for professional braiders and salon owners.
Source: Twitter
"Nigerian-American engineer & Harvard grad Yinka Ogunbiyi built HaloBraid, the world's first braid-assist robot, easing strain on stylists & saving salons time," the post read.
The U.S. Mission also said the startup has raised $7 million and already has more than 7,000 salons on its waiting list.
According to the mission, the innovation is an example of "American innovation, global impact."
How HaloBraid was developed
Ogunbiyi, according to BusinessDay, is a biomechanical engineer who holds a joint MS/MBA from Harvard Engineering School and Harvard Business School.
Before founding HaloBraid, she worked on smart kitchen appliances and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
Ogunbiyi conceived the project during the COVID-19 lockdown after spending four days braiding her own hair, an experience that exposed how much time and physical effort the process required. She later partnered with co-founder David Afolabi to develop the technology for the Black hair and protective styling market.
The funding round was led by Seven Seven Six, the venture capital firm founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. AlleyCorp and Bling Capital also participated in the investment.
How HaloBraid works alongside professional stylists
The company says the machine is not intended to take over a stylist's job. It works alongside hair professionals by handling the repetitive part of the braiding process.
The robot works beside a stylist and takes over the repetitive braiding movements that consume a large part of a braiding appointment. Stylists still prepare the hair, create the foundation braid, and complete the final styling after the robot finishes its part.
Ogunbiyi said the technology is meant to improve the salon experience instead of taking away the role of the stylist.
"Technology simply assists with the repetitive movements that consume the most time and place the greatest strain on the body," the founder was quoted as saying.
According to the company, the system can reduce the time needed for a standard knotless braid appointment by about half.
The bigger problem HaloBraid was built to solve
HaloBraid was also created to help tackle health problems many professional braiders face after years of repetitive work.
It also reported that many hairstylists develop conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic arthritis, and spinal strain because of the physical demands of braiding hair.
By handling the repetitive section of the braiding process, the robot is expected to reduce the strain on stylists and help them remain in the profession for longer.
The report also cited a survey which found that 95% of Black women said they would wear protective hairstyles more often if salon appointments did not take an entire day.
With $7 million in fresh funding and more than 7,000 professional salons already waiting to use the technology, HaloBraid is set to introduce robotics into the Black haircare industry while keeping professional stylists at the centre of the service.
Nigerian students win Spelling Bee World Cup gold
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Team Nigeria made history by winning the Gold Award in the Middle School Group category at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, China, during the country's first appearance at the competition.
The four-member team qualified through the Nigeria Spelling Bee and the African Spelling Bee Championship. Two students from Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin, Maryam Yusuf and Abdurrahman Yusuf, also won medals at the event.
Source: Legit.ng
