Cambridge – Nigerian American biomechanical engineer Yinka Ogunbiyi has secured 7 million US dollars in seed funding to bring HaloBraid, the first patented braid-assist robot, to salons worldwide.
The investment round was led by Seven Seven Six, a venture capital firm founded by Reddit co founder Alexis Ohanian, alongside backing from AlleyCorp and Bling Capital. Over 7,000 professional beauty salons have joined the waiting list to adopt the device ahead of its rollout.
Ogunbiyi, who holds a joint MS and MBA from Harvard Engineering School and Harvard Business School, designed the technology with co founder David Afolabi after experiencing long appointment times installing her own knotless braids during the COVID 19 pandemic.
The machine functions as a collaborative robot that works directly alongside human stylists rather than replacing them. In a standard appointment, the professional stylist parts the hair, sections the scalp, and weaves the foundational anchor knot manually to maintain natural tension. HaloBraid then attaches to handle the repetitive down shaft weaving motion before the stylist unhooks the unit to trim, seal, and style the ends.
The automated process cuts typical knotless braid service times roughly in half, allowing salon owners to double their daily appointment volume while reducing physical stress on beauty professionals.
“I don’t think anything will get lost from the experience. If anything, it enriches it. Technology simply assists with the repetitive movements that consume the most time and place the greatest strain on the body,” Yinka Ogunbiyi, Founder and CEO of HaloBraid said.
Long hours of continuous manual braiding often lead to occupational health issues among hair stylists, including carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic arthritis, and spinal strain. The secondary aim of the device is to mitigate these physical hazards and extend the career longevity of independent beauty entrepreneurs.
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