On this episode of the Sports Tech HQ Podcast, host Jeff Hintz sits down with Rhys Ryan, Co-Founder & CEO of Ekkobar, to explore how AI is transforming social media from “noise” into social decision intelligence.

Rhys shares Ekkobar’s origin story (including a Star Trek moment that inspired the name) and dives into MIRA, their breakthrough platform that turns social media into an intelligent, searchable database. From helping brands find the right athlete with the right voice for the right message to supporting universities with NIL-era challenges, Reese explains how Ekkobar is building tools that enable “superhuman decisions.”

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why traditional social listening tools miss the conversation (context matters)
• How MIRA can identify ideal athlete/brand matches in seconds (not weeks)
• What “Echo Score” measures beyond basic engagement rate
• How Ekkobar is partnering with universities (including Horizon League pilots + masterclass content)
• Lessons from Reese’s startup journey—and advice for founders navigating “sharks”