Paul Gardner Allen was the co-founder of Microsoft and a philanthropist. He was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, to parents who were both librarians. He was always interested in science and computers and attended Lakeside School in Seattle. It was there that he met Bill Gates at the age of 14, and both computer enthusiasts started experimenting with different programming languages and computer systems. He attended Washington State University but dropped out and later convinced Gates to drop out of Harvard. Together, they created Microsoft in 1975 in New Mexico. After the initial work and handling of the company, Allen left because he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and had to undergo a series of painful radiation therapies. After recovering, he began investing in non-profit organizations for the benefit of the general public in the fields of health and science. He also owned two professional sports teams in America. His charitable philanthropic work earned him many awards and accolades. He was known to be the kind of billionaire who liked to share his wealth with those in need. A well-known recluse, he kept his personal life very private.