On Monday, 16 2018, the family of Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen announced his demise at the age of 65. According to a statement released by his family, Allen died from complications of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer.
“Paul’s family and friends were blessed to experience his wit, warmth, his generosity and deep concern. For all the demands on his schedule, there was always time for family and friends,” the statement said.
While reacting to his demise, Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates said: “I am heartbroken by the passing of one of my oldest and dearest friends… Personal computing would not have existed without him.”
“From our early days together at Lakeside School, through our partnership in the creation of Microsoft, to some of our joint philanthropic projects over the years, Paul was a true partner and dear friend,” said Mr Gates.
Having said that, here are some facts you need to know about Paul Allen.
- The late US business magnate was the one who persuaded his school-friend, Bill Gates to drop out of Harvard to establish Microsoft in 1975.
- Paul Allen left Microsoft in 1983, just eight years after founding the company with Gates, but his share of their original partnership allowed him to spend the rest of his life and billions of dollars on yachts, art, rock music, sports teams, brain research and real estate.
- Paul Allen and Bill Gates go back to when they were students at the Lakeside School in Seattle, Washington. After graduating from high school, Allen enrolled at the Washington State University (WSU), only to drop out after two years into the course. However, he left behind an oversize presence on campus. He later donated $26 million to build the Paul G. Allen School of Global Animal Health at WSU.
- Paul Allen was No. 22 on Forbes’s Wealthiest Americans of 2017 list, with a net worth of around $21 billion dollars.
- Not only the 22 wealthiest American, according to Forbes, but he was also the 13 richest man in American tech and the forty-second richest American billionaire.
- Allen has given away more than $1.8 billion to charities and educational institutions. Through the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, he pledged $100 million to tackle the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. He has also donated to charities that work at improving health and sanitation in developing countries.
- Allen accused Gates and former CEO, Steve Ballmer of ripping him off in his 2011 book, “Idea Man: A Memoir by the Cofounder of Microsoft.” He was referring to an alleged conversation he overheard between Gates and Ballmer about schemes to reduce his share in the company.
- He owned a 414-foot yacht named Octopus that cost $200 million to build and is equipped with amenities like a recording studio, helipads and two submarines.
- Allen received his first guitar at the age of 16 as a musician and he was a big fan of Jimi Hendrix since seeing him in concert in the late 1960s.
- Throughout his life, Allen was a bachelor. He never got married, talk less of having children and he was known for his lavish parties which he sometimes reportedly makes attendees sign non-disclosure agreements to attend.
Which of these things you already know about Paul Allen? If there’s any other thing you know about the late tech amazon and business mogul and it’s not on the list, feel free to share.
Rest in Peace Paul Allen!!! The technology world will always remember you.