Paul Allen

Paul Allen was an entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist known for co-founding Microsoft with Bill Gates. Allen worked at Microsoft from its founding in 1975 until 1983, shortly after being diagnosed with early-stage Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After stepping away from day-to-day activities at Microsoft, Allen remained on the board of the company until 2000.

Allen was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma again in 2009 and 2018. After the second diagnosis, he wrote his memoir, Idea Man. Allen passed away on October 15, 2018, at the age of 65, from complications caused by cancer. Allen's philanthropic contributions during his life were more than $2.65 billion, funding a range of projects in conservation, climate science, ocean health, technology, museums, epidemics, neuroscience research, and more.

Paul Allen was born in Seattle on January 21, 1953, to parents Ken and Faye Allen. Ken Allen was associate director of libraries at the University of Washington and Faye Allen was a teacher. Allen had a younger sister called Jody. Both of Allen's parents were avid readers and they encouraged their children to read and develop a range of interests, taking them to museums, libraries, and concerts. Allen's love of science began at an early age and he spent hours reading science fiction and drawing rockets and astronauts. At ten years old, he started a science club for his friends in his basement.

Allen began attending Lakeside School in 1965, developing a passion for computer science and learning to write code. He would spot glitches in computer programs and work on correcting them. While at school, Allen made friends with Bill Gates a fellow computer enthusiast. In 1971 he went to college at Washington State University. He dropped out to found Microsoft with Bill Gates.