New Hair-Braiding Robot Speeds Up Salon Appointments

The $7M-backed startup plans to deploy robots to partner salons in fall 2026 to automate repetitive weaving tasks.

Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Robotics

New Hair-Braiding Robot Speeds Up Salon Appointments

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Would you trust a robot to assist in providing personal beauty or hair services?

HaloBraid has raised $7 million in seed funding to launch a hair-braiding robot designed to assist professional stylists. The company plans to roll out the technology through salon partnerships beginning in fall 2026.

Why it matters

The development aims to address the significant labor time associated with intricate hair styles, which currently require six to 12 hours of manual work. By automating the physical braiding process, the technology seeks to increase salon throughput and reduce appointment duration.

The Halo robot performs 80% of the physical labor required for a braid, allowing stylists to complete the process five times faster than manual methods. The system operates by weaving the length of the hair, while the stylist remains responsible for parting, sectioning, anchoring, and sealing the ends.

The players

Yinka Ogunbiyi

Co-founder of HaloBraid and a Harvard University graduate who developed the robotic hair-braiding concept.

David Afolabi

Co-founder of HaloBraid who is scaling the robotics startup following its $7 million seed round.

Seven Seven Six

The venture capital firm that led the $7 million seed funding round for the robotics startup.

The details

The Halo system uses a collaborative robotic approach where the stylist performs the precision work, including creating the initial anchor knot, while the machine handles the repetitive weaving mechanics. This division of labor maintains stylist oversight for hair health and scalp comfort while delegating the time-intensive length processing to the machine. The robot is designed to integrate into standard professional salon workflows, acting as a force multiplier for stylists who typically spend up to 12 hours on a single client.

The concept was initiated during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The company plans to roll out the robot to partner salons in fall 2026.

The Tech Race

HaloBraid is entering the emerging segment of service-oriented robotics aimed at automating labor-intensive personal grooming tasks. The startup is moving to capture market share among the 7,000 salons currently on its waitlist, positioning itself against traditional manual service standards.

Professional stylists can expect the rollout of the robot in partner salons starting in fall 2026, which may eventually reduce typical appointment times from 6-12 hours. Costs for consumers, which currently range from $200 to $300, will depend on how individual salons price the use of the technology.

The takeaway

HaloBraid is attempting to modernize a service market that has historically relied on high-intensity manual labor. Interested salon owners should monitor the company's progress toward the fall 2026 rollout for opportunities to join the pilot deployment program.