He played a mean guitar and believed in the creative spark in all of us
He was the son of an elementary-school teacher and a librarian
He established institutes to unlock the mysteries of the brain, bioscience, and advance AI for the common good
He empowered scientists to push the boundaries of discovery
He almost never missed a Seattle Seahawks or Portland Trail Blazers home game
His greatest satisfaction came from working to make the world a better place
He was a pioneer in privatizing modern space exploration
He believed that when smart people work together with vision and determination, there is little that can’t be accomplished
He believed in the power of new ideas and helping creative thinkers accelerate discovery
He changed the trajectory of modern computing
By nature, I am attracted to tough problems—problems that, by definition, require innovative and dramatic solutions.
— Paul Allen
About
Paul G. Allen
Paul Allen lived a life motivated by a love of ideas and the urge to put them into motion. His philanthropic contributions of more than $2.65 billion during his life have helped save endangered species, deepened our understanding of bioscience, shared art and music, developed new technologies, tackled epidemics, and explored the ocean floor. He loved learning from others and was driven to connect great minds, so, together, big things could happen.
Lifelong
Pursuits

Innovative<br />Explorer
Innovative
Explorer
Whether equipping teams to venture deep below the ocean or reach low-earth orbit, Paul's focus was to leverage the power of data and technology to explore and improve our world.
Science-Minded<br />Optimist
Science-Minded
Optimist
Paul was fueled by his faith in science and technology to help create lasting change. 
Intuitive<br />Futurist
Intuitive
Futurist
While it's not that unusual to run across an individual who can anticipate trends and challenges before they arrive, it is exceedingly rare for someone to be able to see two, three, or more steps down the road.  
Champion of the<br />Pacific Northwest
Champion of the
Pacific Northwest

Paul was a hometown boy who felt deeply connected to the culture, land, and community in Seattle and across the Pacific Northwest. 

Creative<br />Catalyst
Creative
Catalyst
Paul recognized the creative spirit that lives in all of us. He believed within it lies the secret to having an impact large and small.
A Lifetime<br />of Impact
A Lifetime
of Impact
Paul was a true polymath, a person whose knowledge and skills spanned a wide range of disciplines. He realized early on that his exceptional resources could be deployed to make the world a better place. And that's exactly what he did.