KINGSTON, R.I. – Dec.18, 2025 – It’s been nearly two decades since Christian Apollon walked the halls of the University of Rhode Island. His time on campus was punctuated by many notable achievements. He not only earned a degree in biomedical engineering; he also served as an orientation leader, resident assistant, National Society of Black Engineers URI Chapter president, received the William Gould Award for All-Around Outstanding Achievement and was named Homecoming King in 2007. 

Recently, Apollon returned to the place he called home for four years. As he would describe it, his return was far from happenstance. He called it a “Kairos” moment referring to a critical or opportune moment in time. 

Apollon’s kairos moment came as he announced a new collaboration between the University of Rhode Island and Cranium Inc., a startup he co-founded alongside Jerisa Upton, Romario Wallace, and Mark Mulder.

“My life has been a series of kairos moments disguised in chronos,” says Apollon. “And I believe that this is one of those kairos moments where we’re entering into a pivotal moment for us as Cranium and in this partnership with URI.” 

Cranium Inc. is the brainchild of Wallace, a military veteran, determined to revolutionize headgear for both military and civilian use. 

Traditional combat helmets are cumbersome, often brandished with attachments like cameras. Wallace and his team envision a streamlined alternative: a smart helmet equipped with a digital interface that consolidates data and communication tools, reducing both weight and cost.

Their generation 1 helmet looks like a baseball helmet. Whereas their generation two helmet looks more futurist—something right out of the popular video game Halo.

It was Wallace’s own motorcycle accident, coupled with his military experience, that served as the catalyst for the design. For motorcyclists, the helmet can offer real-time road conditions and integrated audio, eliminating the need for a separate device. 

It was pure happenstance and not kairos that brought Wallace together with Apollon who was a technical program manager for a robotics company at the time. Wallace sent him a LinkedIn message for advice. 

“I met his CEO, Jerisa Upton. And in speaking to them I was like, man, I think that we could have something really cool here,” says Apollon. “And for me, I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit and wanted to spur other entrepreneurs on.”

They took several meetings and ultimately Apollon was brought in to help on the business side. He had the experience needed to ensure the success of their startup by developing partnerships and figuring out ways to take their product to market.  

Though Cranium’s founders hail from diverse regions and alma maters, one relationship anchored the venture to URI: Apollon’s enduring connection with Assistant Dean Chuck Watson. 

Watson works to mentor and recruit students of underrepresented communities into engineering fields. One of Watson’s first group of students, Apollon says that URI—and Watson’s mentorship—had a lasting impact on him. 

As Apollon and the team were developing their gen-1 helmet along the way, Apollon turned to his old mentor for help. 

“I’m like, Chuck, listen, I got something. I know that I’m coming to you at the 11th hour, but I’m asking you for help,” said Apollon.

The request was significant. Apollon was working on securing government clearance to advance helmet development, and he needed someone who could speak to his education, professional background and the project’s viability. Apollon approached Watson and the mentor delivered. That act of support later evolved into a partnership with URI.

“He was able to vouch for me to say, ‘hey, this is an alumnus who has a stellar track record at the university. He’s gone on to do some great things in his professional career, and he’s come to us saying he’s looking to partner,’” says Apollon.

For Apollon, this collaboration represents more than a strategic alliance—it is a full-circle moment.

While his career largely unfolded in manufacturing, business and industrial robotics across the U.S. and France, Cranium allows Apollon to return to his engineering roots, contributing to technology that safeguards lives. 

“I feel like I’m coming back full circle, where now I get to talk about biometrics and get to learn from different labs at URI, about what they’re using and how we can implement that into our product,” says Apollon.

Launching a startup is no small feat, and Apollon hopes to leverage URI’s laboratories—the same ones he once used as a student—to propel Cranium’s smart helmet to industry prominence. His message to aspiring engineers is simple yet profound: “If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough. So, think big and don’t settle for someone else’s dream”

Apollon hopes this partnership will become a pipeline for students, allowing them to intern, and eventually become a part of the Cranium startup.