Paul Allen

Paul Allen
Born	Paul Gardner Allen 21 1, 1953
Birthplace	Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Died	Template:Death date and age Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Businessman, investor, philanthropist, computer programmer
Known for	Co-founding Microsoft, philanthropy, sports team ownership
Education	Washington State University (attended)
Awards	Time 100 (2007, 2008); Vanguard Award; National Medal of Arts nominee

Paul Gardner Allen (January 21, 1953 – October 15, 2018) was an American businessman, computer programmer, investor, and philanthropist who co-founded Microsoft Corporation with his childhood friend Bill Gates in 1975. The partnership between the two would produce one of the most consequential technology companies of the twentieth century, fueling the microcomputer revolution that transformed modern life. Beyond Microsoft, Allen built a sprawling portfolio of ventures spanning technology, real estate, scientific research, professional sports, aerospace, and the arts. He owned the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League and the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association, and held a partial ownership stake in Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer. Through the Allen Institutes and direct giving, he donated more than $2 billion to causes including education, wildlife and environmental conservation, healthcare, the arts, and community services. He was named to the Time 100 Most Influential People list in both 2007 and 2008. At the time of his death in October 2018, Forbes ranked Allen among the wealthiest individuals in American history.

Early Life

Paul Gardner Allen was born on January 21, 1953, in Seattle, Washington, to Kenneth Sam Allen and Edna Faye Allen. His father worked as an associate director at the University of Washington libraries. Growing up in Seattle, Allen developed an early interest in science and technology. He attended Lakeside School, a private preparatory school in Seattle, where he met Bill Gates, who was two years his junior. The two shared a fascination with computers and spent considerable time working on the school's teletype terminal, which connected to a General Electric mainframe computer.

At Lakeside, Allen and Gates honed their programming skills, taking advantage of every opportunity to access computer time. Their collaboration at the school laid the intellectual groundwork for what would eventually become Microsoft. Allen was known among peers for his broad curiosity, reading voraciously across subjects including science, electronics, and music. His early exposure to computing technology at Lakeside—at a time when few secondary schools had any access to computers—proved formative in shaping his career trajectory.

Allen's childhood in Seattle also fostered a lifelong attachment to the Pacific Northwest, a connection that would later manifest in his extensive investments in the region's real estate, cultural institutions, sports teams, and civic life.

Education

After graduating from Lakeside School, Allen enrolled at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. He studied for two years but ultimately chose to leave college before completing a degree. His departure was motivated by the rapidly expanding opportunities he perceived in the nascent personal computer industry. Allen relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, where he took a position as a programmer with Honeywell.

While in Boston, Allen remained in close contact with Bill Gates, who was then attending Harvard University. Allen's conviction that the personal computer revolution was imminent proved instrumental in persuading Gates to leave Harvard, and the two soon embarked on the venture that would become Microsoft.

Career

Founding of Microsoft

In 1975, Allen and Gates read a January cover story in Popular Electronics magazine featuring the Altair 8800 microcomputer, manufactured by MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Allen recognized the machine's significance and urged Gates to write software for it. Together, they developed a version of the BASIC programming language for the Altair—known as Altair BASIC—and demonstrated it successfully to MITS founder Ed Roberts in Albuquerque.

On April 4, 1975, Allen and Gates formally established Microsoft (originally styled "Micro-Soft") in Albuquerque, where MITS was headquartered. Allen served in multiple technical and strategic roles during the company's formative years. The company's early focus on programming languages for personal computers positioned it to take advantage of the explosive growth in the microcomputer market during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Allen is widely credited with suggesting the company's name, a portmanteau of "microcomputer" and "software."

Microsoft's breakthrough came in 1980 when IBM selected the company to supply the operating system for its first personal computer. The resulting product, MS-DOS, became the dominant operating system for IBM-compatible PCs and established Microsoft as a central force in the technology industry.

Departure from Microsoft

In early 1983, Allen was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. The diagnosis prompted his departure from day-to-day operations at Microsoft, though he remained on the company's board of directors as vice-chairman. Allen underwent successful treatment for the disease and entered remission, but his relationship with the company shifted permanently. He retained a significant ownership stake in Microsoft, and the value of those shares grew enormously as the company expanded through the 1980s and 1990s.

In 2000, Allen resigned from Microsoft's board of directors and assumed the title of senior strategy advisor to the company's management team. Although he was no longer involved in the company's daily management, his founding role and continued shareholding meant that Microsoft's success remained a primary source of his wealth for decades.

Vulcan Inc. and Investment Activities

In 1986, Allen and his sister, Jody Allen, founded Vulcan Inc., a privately held company based in Seattle that served as the primary vehicle for managing Allen's diverse business and philanthropic interests. Through Vulcan, Allen assembled a multi-billion-dollar investment portfolio that spanned technology companies, media ventures, real estate, scientific research, and private spaceflight.

Allen invested in a broad array of technology and media companies over the years. His portfolio included stakes in numerous firms across sectors, reflecting his interests in emerging technologies and communications. Vulcan also managed significant real estate holdings, particularly in the Seattle metropolitan area, where Allen's investments contributed to the development of the South Lake Union neighborhood and other urban projects.

Professional Sports Ownership

Allen was a prominent figure in American professional sports as the owner of multiple franchises. He purchased the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League in 1997, a move credited with keeping the team in Seattle at a time when relocation was considered a possibility. Under Allen's ownership, the Seahawks reached multiple Super Bowls. The team won Super Bowl XLVIII and, under the Allen Estate's stewardship following his death, won Super Bowl LX. The team also appeared in Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIX.

Allen also owned the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association, maintaining the franchise for more than two decades. Additionally, he held a partial ownership stake in Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer.

Following Allen's death, the Allen Estate continued to manage the Seahawks and other sports properties. In February 2026, the Estate announced a formal sale process for the Seattle Seahawks, consistent with Allen's wishes. Reports indicated that the franchise could be valued between $7 billion and $8 billion. Allen's sister, Jody Allen, who served as chair of the Seahawks and executor of the Allen Estate, indicated that proceeds from the sale would be directed toward charitable purposes.

Aerospace and Space Ventures

Allen had a longstanding interest in aerospace and space exploration. In 2004, he funded SpaceShipOne, which became the first privately funded crewed spacecraft to reach suborbital space. The vehicle, designed by Burt Rutan and built by Scaled Composites, won the Ansari X Prize by completing two flights to suborbital altitude within a two-week period. The achievement marked a milestone in the development of commercial spaceflight.

Allen also founded Stratolaunch Systems, a company that developed the Stratolaunch Roc, an aircraft designed to serve as an airborne launch platform for rockets. The aircraft, which has the largest wingspan of any aircraft ever built, completed its maiden flight in April 2019—several months after Allen's death.

Additionally, Allen had a deep interest in aviation history. He established the Flying Heritage Collection (later renamed the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum), a museum near Seattle that houses a collection of restored wartime aircraft and military vehicles.

Scientific Research and the Allen Institutes

Allen made substantial investments in scientific research, establishing several research institutes that bear his name. He founded the Allen Institute for Brain Science in 2003, dedicating an initial $100 million to the project. The institute, based in Seattle, focused on mapping the human brain and making its data freely available to researchers worldwide. Its work included the creation of the Allen Brain Atlas, a comprehensive map of gene expression in the mouse and human brain. In 2010, Allen announced an additional $300 million donation to the Allen Institute for Brain Science, bringing his total commitment to the institute to $500 million.

Allen subsequently founded the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI2) and the Allen Institute for Cell Science, broadening his philanthropic investment in fundamental scientific research. These institutes operated as independent, nonprofit research organizations, reflecting Allen's belief in the importance of large-scale, open-access scientific projects.

Allen also contributed to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence through his support of the Allen Telescope Array at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory in California. The array, originally a joint project of the SETI Institute and the University of California, Berkeley, was designed to search for radio signals from extraterrestrial civilizations.

Education and Technology Ventures

Allen founded Apex Learning, an online education company focused on providing digital curricula for high school students. The venture reflected his interest in using technology to improve educational access and outcomes. He also founded the Living Computer Museum (later named the Living Computers: Museum + Labs) in Seattle, which housed a collection of vintage computers, many of them restored to working condition, allowing visitors to interact with computing technology from previous decades.

Naval Exploration

Allen pursued a notable avocation in undersea exploration, using his private research vessel, the RV Petrel, to locate the wrecks of historically significant warships. Among his most prominent discoveries were the wrecks of the Japanese battleship Musashi (IJN Musashi) and the USS Indianapolis, both lost during World War II. These expeditions combined Allen's interests in military history, technology, and exploration, and received widespread media attention.

Philanthropy

Allen donated more than $2 billion over the course of his lifetime to a variety of causes, including education, scientific research, wildlife and environmental conservation, the arts, healthcare, and community services. His philanthropic activities were managed primarily through Vulcan Inc. and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.

Among his most significant contributions were his investments in the Allen Institutes for Brain Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Cell Science. He also supported the University of Washington with significant gifts, including $14 million toward a new center at the university. Allen's support extended to the University of Washington Libraries, reflecting his family's long connection to the institution through his father's career there.

His sister, Jody Allen, continued his philanthropic legacy as executor of the Allen Estate. When the Estate announced the sale of the Seattle Seahawks in 2026, Jody Allen indicated that the proceeds would be directed toward charitable purposes, consistent with Paul Allen's wishes.

Personal Life

Allen was a lifelong resident of Seattle, Washington, where he maintained deep ties to the local community through his sports teams, cultural institutions, and philanthropic endeavors. He never married and had no children.

Allen was an avid music enthusiast. He played guitar and was known for his passion for Jimi Hendrix and rock music more broadly. He contributed to the founding of the Museum of Pop Culture (originally called the Experience Music Project) in Seattle, a museum dedicated to music and popular culture.

He was also a noted art collector. Newsweek profiled Allen's art collection, describing his extensive holdings of paintings and other works.

Allen was first diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 1983, prompting his withdrawal from daily work at Microsoft. He was treated successfully and entered remission. In 2009, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. On October 15, 2018, Allen died in Seattle of septic shock related to his cancer. He was 65 years old.

Recognition

Allen received numerous awards and honors over the course of his career. He was named to Time magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in both 2007 and 2008.

He received the Vanguard Award from the National Cable & Telecommunications Association.

In 2008, he received the 70th Annual Citizen Award, honoring his civic contributions.

Allen was recognized by Americans for the Arts with its annual National Award in 2012 for his contributions to arts and culture in the United States.

The École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland also recognized Allen's contributions to science and technology.

A species in the Syrphidae family of flies was named in Allen's honor, an unusual form of recognition reflecting his contributions to scientific research.

Legacy

Paul Allen's legacy spans multiple domains. As co-founder of Microsoft, he played a foundational role in the personal computer revolution that reshaped the global economy and daily life. The software company he and Bill Gates created grew into one of the most valuable corporations in the world, and its products—from MS-DOS to Windows—became ubiquitous.

Beyond technology, Allen's impact is visible in the scientific research institutions he established. The Allen Institutes for Brain Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Cell Science continue to operate as significant contributors to their respective fields, carrying forward his commitment to open-access research. His funding of SpaceShipOne helped demonstrate the viability of privately funded spaceflight, opening a path that subsequent commercial space ventures would follow.

In professional sports, Allen's ownership of the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers left a lasting mark on those franchises and their home cities. The Seahawks' Super Bowl victories under Allen's ownership and the subsequent stewardship of the Allen Estate cemented the team's place among the NFL's successful franchises. The announced sale of the Seahawks in 2026, with proceeds directed to philanthropy, represents a continuation of Allen's charitable vision.

Allen's contributions to arts and culture—including the Museum of Pop Culture, the Living Computers: Museum + Labs, and the Flying Heritage Collection—enriched the cultural landscape of the Pacific Northwest. His art collection, his support for music, and his investments in museums reflected a breadth of interests uncommon among technology entrepreneurs of his generation.

His undersea exploration efforts brought renewed attention to important episodes in naval history, locating the wrecks of warships that had been lost for decades. These discoveries provided closure for families of servicemembers and contributed to the historical record of World War II.

Through more than $2 billion in charitable giving and the establishment of enduring research institutions, Allen's philanthropic impact extended well beyond his lifetime. The ongoing work of the Allen Institutes and the planned disposition of his sports franchises for charitable purposes ensure that his resources continue to be directed toward the causes he supported.