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Gabe Newell, born November 3, 1962, is an American businessman, programmer, and co-founder of a successful video game empire. He first studied at Harvard University but dropped out to join Microsoft as head of sales. During his years at Microsoft, Newell learned a lot about software development and was later inspired to start his own business. In 1996, Newell and Mike Harrington founded Valve, which is now known as one of the largest video game companies in the world.
In 2013, as Newell’s success continued to grow, he was inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame. That same year, he received a BAFTA Fellowship for his contributions to the video game industry. By 2017, he appeared on the Forbes “100 richest people in the United States” list.