Paul Allen, before his death on 15th October 2018, was a U.S business mogul, investor, researcher, and Philanthropist. He was the co-founder of Microsoft, the biggest software company in the world. Aside from Microsoft, Allen had other business interest areas which include technology, real estate, Media and Sports.
In addition to co-founding Microsoft alongside his close friend Bill Gate, Allen also founded Vulcan Capital Inc and was the owner of NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers and part-owner of Seattle Sounders FC, which in 2009 became a member of the Major League Soccer.
The business mogul was also interested in research, thus, he founded some research institutes like the Institute for Artificial Intelligence, the Allen Institute for Brain Science, Stratolaunch Systems, and the Institute for Cell Science.
Brief Bio
Allen was born in Seattle, Washington on the 21st day of January 1953 to Edna Faye and Kenneth Sam Allen. His full name was Paul Gardner Allen. He attended a private school in Seattle, Lakeside School, where he met his close pal and future business partner, Bill Gate.
The two were bound by their love and passion for computers. After high school, Allen headed to Washington State University to study Computer Science and Bill went to Harvard. After two years Paul Allen dropped out of the university and convinced Bill to also drop out so they both pursue their passion for computers and software.
Inspired by an article published on “Popular Electronics” which featured the new Altair microcomputer kit manufactured by MITS computer, the two friends relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the headquarters of MITS was located. After working for some time and saving up $16,000, they established the biggest software in the world in 1975.
Their journey to success wasn’t a smooth ride all the way but vision, persistence and hard work had kept them going and today, that little company that was started with just $16,000 has a revenue of 89.95 billion as at 2017 and the two friends have found their names on the list of the world’s richest men.
Aside from Microsoft, Paul Allen had a chain of other businesses and investments. He was the founder of Vulcan Capital Inc – a private asset management company, which he established in 1986, with the mission of finding solutions for some of the world’s toughest challenges. In 2013, he opened a new office in Palo Alto, California with the aim of investing in young and emerging technology and internet companies. His most recent investment ventures include Decide.com, Audience Inc and Redfin,
His real estate company is into development and portfolio management services and had developed over 6 million square feet of office retail, biotechnology and residential space. In 2012, it sold an office space worth $1.16 billion to Amazon.
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Paul Allen was the owner of the National Football League franchise, Seattle Seahawks; which he purchased in 1996 from Ken Behring. He also owns NBA team Portland Trail Blazers which he bought for $70 million in 1988 from real estate developer Larry Weinberg, and he partly owns Seattle Sounders FC of the Major League Soccer.
The business magnate was also a force to reckon with in the media industry, together with his sister, Jody Allen, he established Vulcan Productions – a TV and film production company headquartered in Seattle. They both serve as the company’s executive producers.
His love and passion for aviation also led him to establish Vulcan Aerospace, under which he funded the SpaceShipOne project, which was the first private aircraft to put a civilian in suborbital space. He was pursuing other aerospace interests under his Stratolaunch Systems before his death
Allen was a renowned philanthropist who invested over $2 billion of his earnings in the advancement of wildlife conservation, education, Arts, community services, science, and technology. All of these, he had done under several foundations like the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Institute for Artificial Intelligence, the Allen Institute for Brain Science, Stratolaunch Systems, and Institute for Cell Science. In 2014, he gave about $100 million toward the fight to end the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa.
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Net Worth: How Much Was Paul Allen Worth?
In 2018, Paul Allen was named the 43rd-richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $20.3 billion at the time of his death. His earnings were not just as a result of his shares in the software company but also from his other business endeavors.
Who was Paul Allen’s Wife? – Girlfriend, Family
Paul Allen had never been married and had no children. The business mogul had been romantically linked to a couple of women who never graduated to becoming his wife. The first was tennis champ Monica Seles, who he reportedly dated for several years before calling it quits in 1998 and then Jerry Hall who he reportedly dated briefly in 1999.
He was also linked to TV executive and vice president of programming and development at CBS Television Distribution, Leigh Colier, who he reportedly began dating since 2011.
Allen’s sexual orientation had been questioned by some who believe he was gay or at least bisexual who had not gathered enough courage to come out of the closet. But there had not been any substantial proof to back up the claims.
His Death
He died on Monday, the 15th of October, 2018 in Seattle, following complications of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. 2 weeks prior to his death, he announced that he was receiving treatment for the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, cancer affecting the lymphatic system which he was diagnosed with since 1983. He was aged 65 at the time of his death.