Nigerian-American Engineer Raises $7m for AI Braiding Robot
Nigerian-American Engineer Raises $7m for AI Braiding Robot
By Divine Macaulay ยท
According to the US Mission in Nigeria, the innovation has already generated strong industry interest, with more than 7,000 salons joining its waitlist ahead of commercial rollout.
Nigerian-American biomechanical engineer Yinka Ogunbiyi has secured $7 million in seed funding to commercialise HaloBraid, a robotic braiding assistant designed to help hairstylists complete braids in nearly half the usual time.
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.
According to the US Mission in Nigeria, the innovation has already generated strong industry interest, with more than 7,000 salons joining its waitlist ahead of commercial rollout.
Ogunbiyi, a Harvard University graduate, developed HaloBraid alongside David Afolabi after an experience during the COVID-19 pandemic inspired the idea. She said spending four days installing her own knotless braids highlighted the need for technology that could reduce the time and physical demands of the braiding process.
Described as a collaborative robot, or "cobot", HaloBraid is designed to work alongside professional stylists rather than replace them. The device automates the repetitive weaving stage of braiding, easing physical strain while allowing stylists to focus on the more creative aspects of the service.
"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," Ogunbiyi said.
The braiding process begins with a stylist manually sectioning the hair and creating the foundation knot. HaloBraid is then attached to perform the repetitive weaving, cutting the time required for knotless braids by about 50 percent.
Once the weaving is complete, the stylist removes the device and finishes the braid by sealing, trimming and styling the hair according to the client's preference.