UTEP Graduate Powers the Future with Penny-Sized Energy Innovation  

September 2025
By Sandra Ramirez '08, '21

In today’s high-tech era, many of us spend a lot of time charging our phones, laptops, and for some, even our cars. But what if you could go weeks, or even months, without needing to recharge? It’s possible and a University of Texas at El Paso graduate is at the forefront of that technology.

Ekhi Muniategui '04 is the CEO of Direct Kinetic Solutions (DKS), an El Paso-based company that develops and manufactures advanced battery power sources.

“The easiest explanation is we basically build power plants the size of a penny,” Muniategui said.

The tech firm has built a reputation for creating long-lasting, maintenance-free power sources designed to operate in places where traditional batteries and power plants cannot.

“These devices do great for sensing applications in remote environments. Think the Arctic, deserts, pipeline monitoring. Those are our customers right now. Anyone who has an asset in a remote location and they want to make sure it's working, and they don't want to send a team to change batteries,” Muniategui explained.

The CEO graduated from UTEP in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering. He credits the University’s hands-on engineering program with shaping his career. 

“I got my first work experience at UTEP. I had the opportunity to intern with Sandia National Labs when I was a student,” Muniategui recalled. “I would meet and work with different manufacturing facilities here in El Paso, allowing you to see what goes on in those facilities,” he said. “We are a manufacturing company. We build our devices in-house, so having that exposure is great.”

Direct Kinetic Solutions (DKS) has secured major grants and contracts from the National Science Foundation and expanded its innovative power technology into space, partnering with the U.S. Air Force and NASA. 

Muniategui said he is committed to advancing research at UTEP. DKS sponsored a research project with NASA to develop a compact power system for a small satellite flight mission. While the technology is still a work in progress, Muniategui said he is determined to continue finding ways to fund this research and others at the University. 

He also offered some advice for students who are working toward their own professional goals.

“You should challenge yourself. Major in something hard and push your boundaries,” he said, emphasizing the importance of making and maintaining relationships.  

“The alumni connections, whether that is your friends or just picking someone from the alumni directory to get advice or to look for a job, they are there for you,” he said. “To me, that support system is everything. I’m here because I don’t know a lot, but I know a lot of people who know everything.”