Black folks —and women in particular — are familiar with the exhausting process of getting our hair braided, or worse, receiving a “Hey girl” text from our stylists, meaning our hair’s not getting done on the day we had planned. But what if we told you that one Black woman might have changed the game and solved all of these issues? Here’s what’s up.
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Every year, Harvard hosts the President’s Innovation Challenge, made to celebrate students and alumni from each of the Harvard colleges and inspire innovation. The winners receive a share of $517,000, with five winners receiving $75,000 and the five runners-up getting $25,000, as well as the support needed for their startup venture, according to The Harvard Gazette.
This year, Harvard University graduate Yinka Ogunbiyi, was one of the five winners who won a share of the $75,000. Ogunbiyi is helping to revolutionize the braiding field with her company Halo Braid, a braiding robot that helps cut styling time from hours to minutes!
Ogunbiyi’s win was announced on the Harvard Innovation Labs TikTok page, where she explained how it works and what inspired her to create Halo Braid.
“Braiding hasn’t seen innovation since braiding was invented 5,000 years ago. That’s why we’re building Halo Braid. The first patent-pending hair braiding robot that saves time for stylists and their clients… We use machine learning to match professional quality, but to do it five times faster.”
Some folks in the TikTok comments were skeptical about the idea and the impact Halo Braid could have on small businesses and the Black community.
“It’s not a miserable process. It’s part of our culture and keeps the community going! I don’t want a machine near my head,” added one user.
“Sad… braiding was time spent with mother to daughter… to build a relationship and to communicate with daughters… just another way to remove the process,” wrote another
However, others could not hide their excitement about the idea and how much Halo Braid might improve the braiding process.
“Now THIS is the innovation I’m talking about,” commented one user.
“I need her robot! Cos I’m tired,” added another.
“YESSS! I WOULD SAVE A PAYCHECK FOR THIS! Boho braids in minutes?!? Girl, yesssssss,” added another.
But before anyone runs out and gets themselves a new braiding robot, Halo Braid hasn’t actually hit the market yet. Currently, there is a waiting list on the Halo Braid website where you can be one of the first to know when the product launches.
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