In 1975 Paul Allen and Bill Gates founded Microsoft, which grew into one of the great success stories of the personal computer era. Allen left the company in 1983 after a bout with Hodgkin's disease; he remained a member of Microsoft's board of directors until 2000, and his company stock has made him one of the world's richest men. On his own he made a name for himself as a founder of and shrewd investor in hi-tech firms like Starwave, America Online and Ticketmaster, and as the enthusiastic owner of the NBA's Portland Trailblazers and the NFL's Seattle Seahawks. Paul Allen published a memoir in 2011, Idea Man: A Memoir by the Cofounder of Microsoft.

Extra Credit: Allen has bankrolled a Seattle museum, the Experience Music Project, inspired by late guitarist Jimi Hendrix.