Nigerian-American engineer Yinka Ogunbiyi, described as a Harvard graduate, has developed HaloBraid, a braid-assist robot intended to help professional hairstylists make braids faster and with less physical strain. Nigerian outlets report that the invention is presented as the world’s first braid-assist robot and is covered by patents.
According to multiple sources, Ogunbiyi has secured about $7 million in funding to commercialise the technology. One report says the seed round is led by venture capital firm Seven Seven Six, founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, with other investors participating. Another report adds that the effort is already drawing significant interest from salons, citing 7,000 or more.
In addition, Nigeria’s NIDCOM is reported to have publicly celebrated Ogunbiyi’s achievement, highlighting the role of the Nigerian-American engineer in creating HaloBraid and the funding raised to move the project toward wider adoption. The sources collectively emphasize the robot’s purpose, its commercialisation pathway, and the recognition it has received.
