Two Sports Tech HQ Collective Companies Win Big at TechPoint’s 2026 MIRA Awards

On April 24th, the Indianapolis tech community gathered for TechPoint’s annual MIRA Awards — and two Sports Tech HQ collective companies came home with hardware.

Ekkobar took home Startup of the Year, and RefReps founder Kyle Armstrong was named Rising Entrepreneur of the Year at the 27th annual gala, held at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The MIRA Awards are widely considered the “Oscars of Indiana tech,” with 17 awards presented this year from a field of 106 finalists.

Ekkobar: Startup of the Year

Founded by Rhys Ryan and Amber Dodson, Ekkobar helps clients in the sports and entertainment industries analyze social media data to make smarter business decisions. The company launched its first product in 2024 and has built early traction fast. TechPoint recognized the company for its “sophisticated product, strong early traction, and a team with deep experience in the entertainment industry.”

Rhys Ryan shared his gratitude after the win:

“We’re so grateful to the Sports Tech HQ team for everything they’ve done to champion us here in Indianapolis. Behind the mission are genuinely good people who care about what they do — and that means everything to a company like ours.”

— Rhys Ryan, Co-Founder, Ekkobar

Earlier this year, Ekkobar partnered with Sports Tech HQ to launch The Social Combine, a first-of-its-kind digital platform that measured NFL Draft prospects beyond the field. Just as the 40-yard dash measured speed, The Social Combine measured social media influence. Powered by Ekkobar’s proprietary Social Decision Intelligence technology, it transformed complex online conversations into real-time insight around audience resonance, cultural relevance, sponsorship value, and digital risk. Guests at the Sports Tech HQ Showcase at the NFL Combine experienced live demonstrations of the platform, gaining a first look at which prospects were driving authentic fan connection, who was shaping cultural conversation, where brand alignment felt natural versus forced, how influence translated into sponsorship value, and early indicators of reputational opportunity and risk.

Kyle Armstrong, RefReps: Rising Entrepreneur of the Year

Kyle Armstrong is on a mission to transform how the next generation of sports officials are trained. As the founder and CEO of RefReps, he has built a digital curriculum now taught in more than 1,300 high schools and organizations across 46 states and four countries, training over 47,000 new officials since the platform’s formal launch in 2022. Through interactive, point-of-view video training across 14 sports, RefReps is helping the world see the game through the eyes of the officials — addressing the national referee shortage while reshaping how fans, athletes, and coaches view the role. Judges at the MIRA Awards cited Armstrong’s “strong growth strategy and commitment to strengthening the sports officiating ecosystem” as what set him apart.

Kyle took to LinkedIn after the win to share the news — and made a point to recognize Sports Tech HQ:

“More than 15 years ago, I sat in the TechPoint Mira Awards audience watching incredible founders and companies take the stage. At the time, that world seemed a million miles away. Friday night, the journey came full circle… While my name may be on the award, this belongs to everyone who committed to the mission and stayed relentless in the face of every challenge we’ve hit along the way. And a special thank you to Sports Tech HQ. Thank you for your support and the opportunities you’ve given us over the years. We couldn’t have done it without you.”

— Kyle Armstrong, Founder, RefReps

RefReps is exactly the kind of company the Sports Tech HQ Collective is built to support: founders solving real problems with real technology, backed by a community invested in their growth. In 2024, Sports Tech HQ teamed up with the Indianapolis Indians to give RefReps a platform to showcase their technology directly to fans through an interactive experience on the Victory Field jumbotron — putting the game in the hands of the crowd and letting them make the call.

You can hear Kyle share more about his mission, the explosive growth of RefReps, and his vision for the future of officiating on the Sports Tech HQ podcast.

A Big Night for Sports Tech in Indiana

The wins were the headline, but the full story is even bigger. Six Sports Tech HQ collective companies were named MIRA finalists this year — Ares Elite Sports Vision, Cracked Racquets, Ekkobar, Motion, RefReps, and ScoutSync — and Sports Tech HQ itself was nominated for the Community Impact Award. Every single one of them was on that MIRA stage for the first time. That kind of showing — across six different companies in a single year, for an awards program in its 27th year — is a testament to how fast Indiana’s sports tech ecosystem is growing.

Sports Tech HQ is an Indianapolis-based sports technology organization connecting innovators, athletes, and organizations to accelerate the future of sports. Learn more at sthq.org.