HQ Trivia app’s cofounder found dead in NYC

NP NEWS 24 ONLINE – 34-year-old Colin Kroll, the co-founder and chief executive officer of the HQ Trivia quiz app, was found dead in his New York apartment in a suspicious condition.

Detective Ahmed Nasser from New York City Police Department said, “Kroll was found unconscious and unresponsive early Sunday morning. Emergency medical services responded to 56 Spring Street following a wellness check and soon after pronounced him dead.”

A spokesperson for HQ released a statement confirming Kroll’s death. “We learned today of the passing of our friend and founder, Colin Kroll, and it’s with deep sadness that we say goodbye. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”

The Medical Examiner still to disclose the exact cause of death.

Kroll became a big name in the tech world after co-founding Vine, the now-defunct looping video platform that launched the careers of numerous social media stars. Twitter bought Vine in 2012 and shuttered the platform four years later. Kroll and business partner Rus Yusupov went on to form Intermedia Labs, the company behind HQ Trivia.

The HQ trivia app became a viral sensation last year when it garnered more than 1 million users who competed for cash prizes by correctly answering trivia questions. The game is hosted by Scott Rogowsky and the company had recently announced themed trivia games and a new words game.

Users can usually tune in twice a day to play and cash prizes are split between all who correctly answer multiple-choice questions in under 10 seconds. A special New Year’s Eve episode last year had a cash prize of $18,000. The company has raised $15 million since its founding, according to CrunchBase.