Yinka Ogunbiyi, a Nigerian-American engineer and Harvard graduate, has developed HaloBraid, the world’s first braid-assist robot, designed to reduce physical strain on hairstylists and cut braiding time significantly. The US Mission in Nigeria commended Ogunbiyi on Friday, noting the innovation’s global impact and growing commercial interest. HaloBraid has raised $7 million in seed funding from a round led by Seven Seven Six, the venture capital firm founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, with additional investments from AlleyCorp and Bling Capital. The funding is expected to support the product’s market rollout, as over 7,000 professional salons have joined its waiting list.