For generations, braiding has been more than a hairstyle for millions of Black women around the world. It is a cultural tradition, a form of self-expression, and often a time-intensive process that can take anywhere from six to twelve hours in a salon chair. Now, a new technology startup, HaloBraid, is looking to change that experience.
HaloBraid, a robotics startup founded by Nigerian-born engineer and entrepreneur, Yinka Ogunbiyi, has secured $7 million in seed funding to develop what it describes as the world’s first robotic braiding assistant for professional hair salons.
The funding round was led by Seven Seven Six, the venture capital firm founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, with participation from AlleyCorp and Bling Capital.
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Bringing Technology to a Centuries-Old Practice
The idea for HaloBraid emerged during the COVID-19 lockdown when Ogunbiyi attempted to braid her own hair while living in London. What should have been a routine beauty task stretched into four days, sparking a question that would eventually become a business.
Rather than accepting braiding as a process that had to remain entirely manual, Ogunbiyi approached it as an engineering challenge.
Drawing on her background as a Harvard-trained engineer and entrepreneur, she spent years researching how robotics could assist with textured haircare. The result is a patent-pending device designed to work alongside professional braiders rather than replace them.
According to the company, stylists will begin the braid by hand before handing the strands to HaloBraid, which completes the mechanical weaving process in seconds. The technology is designed to support popular styles such as box braids and knotless braids while significantly reducing the time required for appointments.
The company plans to launch the device in select partner salons later this year.
Solving a Real Industry Challenge
Braiding remains one of the most popular protective hairstyles globally, but it comes with significant demands on both clients and stylists.
Research conducted by HaloBraid estimates that people spend approximately eight billion hours braiding hair every year. The company also found that 95 percent of surveyed consumers would braid their hair more frequently if the process took less time.
For professional stylists, the challenge goes beyond long working hours. Repetitive hand movements can contribute to health issues such as arthritis, hand fatigue, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
HaloBraid believes its technology can help reduce those risks by automating the most physically demanding part of the braiding process. The company says the device can complete braids roughly five times faster than traditional methods while helping stylists serve more clients without increasing physical strain.
Interest in the technology appears strong. Reports indicate that more than 6,000 salons and professional stylists have already joined the company’s waitlist ahead of the commercial launch.
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A New Chapter for Beauty and Hardware Innovation
The investment highlights growing confidence in startups developing specialised hardware solutions for underserved markets.
Alexis Ohanian said the opportunity stood out because textured haircare remains largely overlooked despite serving millions of loyal consumers worldwide. He compared HaloBraid’s potential impact to how companies such as Dyson transformed traditional beauty tools through engineering and innovation.
For Ogunbiyi, however, the vision extends beyond a single product. The startup is already exploring additional technologies, including devices that could help remove braids, another process that often requires hours of manual work.
As technology continues to reshape industries ranging from healthcare to transportation, HaloBraid is betting that beauty services could be next. If successful, the company may help transform an experience familiar to millions while opening a new chapter for innovation in the global textured haircare market.
For many women who have spent entire days getting their hair braided, that future may arrive sooner than expected.
Innovation often happens when people decide to solve everyday problems in extraordinary ways. Follow RefinedNG for more stories spotlighting African innovators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers shaping the future across industries.