Jorge Barragan
Co-Founder & CEO | The Picklr
Jorge Barragan transformed The Picklr from 27 locations to 64 in a single year, earning the Utah-based indoor pickleball franchise the #43 spot on the Inc. 5000 with an astonishing 6,124 percent three-year growth rate — and with plans for 150+ new locations by the end of 2026.
Jorge Barragan deserves to take a break.
At the start of 2025, The Picklr — a franchise of indoor pickleball facilities offering everything from court reservations to tournaments — already had 27 locations throughout the state and country. An impressive feat, especially considering the company only opened in 2021. The company went on to more than double that number to 64 by year’s end.
Barragan confirms that new Picklr locations are set to open in Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Canada in the coming months. He and his team are looking into building in Dubai, Malaysia and Vietnam next. Worldwide, they’re projected to have 150+ new Picklr locations open before the end of December 2026 and a whopping 387 in the next five years.
“A year from now, we’re going to help dictate pickleball worldwide,” Barragan says.
The drive to build is part of Barragan’s overall plan to get more people — millions of people — off their couches and onto pickleball courts. To say it’s working in his favor thus far is an understatement. The Utah-based company recently ranked No. 43 on the Inc. 5000, an annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The publication reported the company’s three-year growth at an incredible 6,124 percent.
As much as Barragan tries to keep pace, the sport of pickleball itself is poised to grow even faster than he can fully keep up with, and he embraces that challenge. When the Pickleball World Cup happened in Florida last year, for example, 80 countries were represented. The year prior, The Picklr was a sponsor, and only 32 countries participated.
An uptick in numbers means more opportunity for the sport, and Barragan is cognizant of that. He’s as much a budding leader as he is an active cheerleader for pickleball. He wants it to be included in the Olympics, possibly as soon as the 2032 Games. That would allow it to be viewed as more than a high school club sport, but rather one that could include future collegiate scholarships.
Because he was so focused on new growth, Barragan was unable to play the spot as much last year as he normally does. During one of those games, however, he lost to an 11-year-old. He wasn’t mad about it. It represents an expanding interest in the sport, which bodes well for keeping current and future Picklr courts busy.
“The game has evolved. The paddles have evolved. It’s even gotten faster. But it’s made it more exciting,” Barragan says. “It’s always what I envisioned [for the sport].”
As for being recognized as a Utah Business 2025 Leader of the Year, Barragan is quick to point the spotlight away from himself.
“Behind every individual award is a team helping accomplish everything. Every quarter, we’ve had a dual theme of ‘change equals opportunity’ and ‘pressure is a privilege,’” Barragan says. “The team has adapted to so much, sometimes having to open an average of one new location a week. All our progress was inspired by a lot of people who came together and said they were willing to do what’s needed and best for the company.”