Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, 65

Paul Allen, who co-founded Microsoft with his childhood friend Bill Gates before becoming a billionaire philanthropist, has died aged 65.

He died in Seattle from complications of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, his company Vulcan Inc announced.

Mr Gates said he was heartbroken about the loss of one of his “oldest and dearest friends”.

“Personal computing would not have existed without him,” Mr Gates said.

“But Paul wasn’t content with starting one company. He channelled his intellect and compassion into a second act focused on improving people’s lives and strengthening communities in Seattle and around the world. He was fond of saying, ‘If it has the potential to do good, then we should do it’,” Mr Gates wrote.

Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella called Mr Allen’s contributions to the company, community and industry “indispensable”.

“As co-founder of Microsoft, in his own quiet and persistent way, he created magical products, experiences and institutions, and in doing so, he changed the world,” Mr Nadella wrote on Twitter.

Mr Allen, who was an avid sports fan, owned the Portland Trail Blazers and the Seattle Seahawks, while partly owning the Seattle Sounders.

He and Mr Gates met while attending a private school in north Seattle.

Mr Gates so strongly believed in their dream that he left Harvard University in his junior year to devote himself full-time to his and his friend Mr Allen’s business start-up, originally called Micro-Soft.

Mr Allen spent two years at Washington State University before dropping out as well.

Picture: AP. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has died aged 65.