HaloBraid, a robotics startup, publicly launched on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, announcing it had raised $7 million in a seed funding round. Seven Seven Six led the investment, which also included participation from AlleyCorp and Bling Capital.

Yinka Ogunbiyi founded HaloBraid. The company's first device, a braiding assistant for professional stylists, is expected to launch later in 2026. This device is designed to assist stylists by finishing braids in seconds after the stylist begins the process. It is compatible with both knotless and box braids.

Ogunbiyi stated that patents for the device are pending. She estimated that people spend 8 billion hours braiding hair each year. A survey of 2,000 people conducted by Ogunbiyi found that 95% of respondents would increase the frequency of braiding their hair if the time commitment were reduced. "It took me four days," Ogunbiyi said. She described hair as one of the "trickiest substrates in the world to manipulate." Ogunbiyi added, "HaloBraid is our first product, but our larger vision is to create breakthrough technology that makes textured haircare faster, easier, more comfortable, and more joyful."

Alexis Ohanian, founder of Seven Seven Six and co-founder of Reddit, described the product as "genuinely differentiated, with a clear go-to-market." Ohanian cited the time involved in traditional braiding, noting, "I've studied exactly how long these braiding sessions take. My oldest daughter loves the ritual for the first few hours, but by hour nine, everyone's ready to call it a night."

Why It Matters

The launch of HaloBraid and its seed funding round introduces a new robotics company into the haircare market. The focus on automating parts of the braiding process could impact professional stylists and consumers by reducing the time required for elaborate hairstyles. The investment from entities like Seven Seven Six indicates interest in applying technological solutions to personal care services. This development fits into the broader trend of robotics being integrated into consumer and service industries, potentially altering labor practices and consumer access to specialized services.