He is founder of The Allen Institute for Brain Science, a foundation dedicated to research on brain functions and the Experience Music Project a music museum in Seattle and the Paul G.

FORBES: Allen Steps Up to Buffett and Gates' Billionaire Challenge

Private collaborators include the Allen Institute for Brain Science, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Kavli Foundation, and Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

FORBES: President Obama Pledges $100 Million To The Human BRAIN Initiative

The money to study the brain would support research by the National Institutes of Health, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the National Science Foundation.

CNN: Obama seeks $100M to unlock mysteries of the brain