Paul Gardner Allen (1953–2018) was an American business magnate, computer programmer, and researcher who co-founded Microsoft alongside Bill Gates in 1975. While Gates became the face of the company’s business dominance, Allen was the “Idea Man” and technologist who coined the name “Micro-Soft” and led the acquisition of the operating system that would eventually become MS-DOS. After leaving Microsoft in 1983 following a cancer diagnosis, he became one of the world’s most prolific polymath-philanthropists, investing his billions into everything from neurobiology to space travel.
Key Biographical Information
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Paul Gardner Allen |
| Born | January 21, 1953, Seattle, Washington |
| Died | October 15, 2018 (aged 65), Seattle, Washington |
| Education | Washington State University (dropped out) |
| Known For | Co-founding Microsoft (1975) |
| Holding Company | Vulcan Inc. (founded with sister Jody Allen) |
| Sports Teams | Seattle Seahawks (NFL), Portland Trail Blazers (NBA) |
| Cause of Death | Septic shock related to non-Hodgkin lymphoma |
The Microsoft Era (1975–1983)
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Lakeside Connection: Allen and Bill Gates became friends at Seattle’s Lakeside School, where they spent hours in the computer lab. Allen was the one who famously convinced Gates to drop out of Harvard to start a software company.
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The “Idea Man”: It was Allen who spotted the Altair 8800 on a magazine cover, leading to their first BASIC interpreter. He also spearheaded the 1980 deal to buy QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System) for $50,000, which they licensed to IBM, effectively launching the PC revolution.
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Departure: He resigned as an executive in 1983 after being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, though he remained on the Board of Directors until 2000.
Sports and the Pacific Northwest
Allen was a “hometown hero” in Seattle and Portland for his commitment to local sports and culture.
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Portland Trail Blazers (NBA): He bought the team in 1988 for $70 million, transforming them into a consistent contender and funding the development of the Moda Center.
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Seattle Seahawks (NFL): In 1997, he purchased the Seahawks to prevent the team from moving to California. Under his ownership, the team built a new stadium (Lumen Field) and won its first Super Bowl (XLVIII) in 2014.
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Seattle Sounders (MLS): He was part of the original ownership group that brought Major League Soccer to Seattle in 2009.
Philanthropy and Frontiers (The Allen Institutes)
Allen dedicated billions to “hard science” and ambitious projects through Vulcan Inc. and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.
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Brain Science: He founded the Allen Institute for Brain Science in 2003 with $100 million, making its massive neurological maps free to the public to accelerate global research.
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Artificial Intelligence: In 2013, he launched AI2 (Allen Institute for AI) to research “AI for the common good.”
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Space Exploration: He funded SpaceShipOne, the first privately-backed manned spacecraft to reach suborbital space, winning the Ansari X-Prize in 2004.
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Pop Culture: He founded the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) in Seattle, originally as a tribute to his idol, Jimi Hendrix.
Current Status (Late 2025)
As of December 2025, Paul Allen’s estate is in the final stages of a multi-year administrative process managed by his sister, Jody Allen.
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The New Foundation: In mid-2025, a new $3.1 billion nonprofit called the Fund for Science and Technology (FFST) was launched using proceeds from his estate. It has already begun deploying grants to Seattle-based institutions like Fred Hutch and Seattle Children’s to fight cancer and autoimmune diseases.
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Team Sales: Rumors continue to swirl regarding the eventual sale of the Seahawks and Trail Blazers as part of the trust’s mandate. In early 2025, the estate reportedly reached a deal to sell the Blazers to a new ownership group for over $4 billion.
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Legacy: His name continues to be a staple in the Pacific Northwest, from the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington to the ongoing work of his research institutes.