Black women in STEM are changing the game again.
Engineer and entrepreneur Yinka Ogunbiyi has unveiled HaloBraid, a braid-assist device designed to help professional stylists finish braids faster while reducing some of the repetitive work that can make long appointments physically demanding.
The idea came from a very personal place.
During the pandemic, Ogunbiyi decided to do her own knotless braids. Yahoo Tech reports that the process took her four days, prompting her to wonder why there was not already a device that could make the repetitive part of braiding faster.
That question eventually turned into HaloBraid.
The device is not designed to replace the hairstylist. Instead, the stylist still parts the hair, creates the size and pattern, and starts each braid by hand. The braid is then guided into HaloBraid, which continues the repetitive weaving portion before the stylist returns to finish the style.
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HaloBraid reports that the device can finish individual braids up to five times faster than manual braiding. The company says its goal is to reduce appointment times while also helping stylists deal with less strain on their hands and bodies.
For Ogunbiyi, that distinction matters.
“We built it to assist, not to replace,” she wrote when announcing a $7 million seed round for the company, explaining that the goal is to help stylists grow their businesses without putting as much wear on their bodies.
And the project has been years in the making.
Ogunbiyi developed HaloBraid with co-founder David Afolabi while connected to Harvard’s innovation ecosystem. Harvard Innovation Labs reports that both founders attended Harvard Business School and that the company participated in the university’s Launch Lab X program.
In 2025, Halo Braid won the Harvard President’s Innovation Challenge, earning a $75,000 grand prize. Harvard Engineering School reports that the team had already gone through hundreds of prototype iterations while trying to create a device capable of handling one of the most difficult materials to engineer around: human hair.
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The company has continued refining the technology with direct input from professional braiders and clients.
Allure reports that HaloBraid went through more than 600 prototypes and was built with feedback from stylists, with particular attention paid to reducing tension and repetitive strain.
Now, HaloBraid is moving closer to salon use through a phased rollout with professional stylists and salons.
HaloBraid says participating stylists will be among the first to use the device through its Founding Stylist Program, with the company continuing to expand access as it gathers more feedback.
For Ogunbiyi, the mission goes beyond making one appointment shorter.
“My ultimate goal is to give people this time back,” she said.
From spending four days braiding her own hair to building technology meant to change the salon experience, Ogunbiyi is bringing engineering directly into a space Black women know well.
Safe to say, the braiding chair is getting a serious tech upgrade.
