Nigerian Engineer Yinka Ogunbiyi’s HaloBraid Wins $75,000 Harvard Innovation Prize
Nigerian-born engineer and Harvard graduate Yinka Ogunbiyi has won the $75,000 grand prize in the Alumni and Affiliates Open category of the 2025 Harvard President’s Innovation Challenge for HaloBraid. HaloBraid is an automated braid-assist device designed to speed up the repetitive stages of braiding while allowing professional stylists to retain control of the process. The company says the device can help complete hand-started braids up to five times faster and reduce the physical strain associated with long salon sessions. Ogunbiyi developed the idea after spending days installing her own knotless braids during the COVID-19 lockdown. HaloBraid says it has raised more than $7 million, has over 7,000 salons on its waiting list, and plans a commercial launch through select professional salons in autumn 2026.
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