Meet Nigerian Engineer Yinka Ogunbiyi, Behind a Machine That Braids Hair Five Times Faster

Nigerian-born biomechanical engineer and Harvard graduate Yinka Ogunbiyi developed HaloBraid, an automated device designed to help professional stylists braid hair up to five times faster and reduce the physical strain of long appointments. Stylists prepare the hair and start the braid by hand; the machine handles the repetitive weaving before the stylist finishes the ends. Inspired by her own experience and the challenges faced by stylists and clients, Ogunbiyi developed the device with hairstylists, designers and other professionals. HaloBraid has raised $7 million in seed funding in a round led by Seven Seven Six and previously won a $75,000 Harvard Innovation Prize.