Powell joins venture capitalist firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has a new role as a venture capitalist, joining Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) as a strategic limited partner, the venture capital firm announced Wednesday.“[I] have known KPCB entrepreneurs and partners for years,” Powell said in a press release. “Those entrepreneurs have passion for clear missions — building innovative, global businesses that better the world.”“We will work together to help social and tech entrepreneurs innovate across the planet — whether helping a venture ‘go global’ or bringing micro-credit and health care to remote communities in Africa,” Brook Byers of KPCB said in the release. Powell has had some previous involvement in the high-tech world, at one time serving on the board of management of America Online (AOL). While at the State Department, he pledged to provide Internet-accessible computers to the entire department and to all U.S. embassies around the world. Powell’s son, Michael, served as chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission from early 2001 until he resigned this January.Powell, 68, was U.S. secretary of state from 2001 until announcing his resignation in November of last year. Prior to that appointment, he had a 35-year career in the U.S. military, which saw him become a four-star general and later chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.KPCB was founded in 1972 and has backed many IT companies including AOL, Amazon.com, Sun Microsystems, and Symantec. Technology Industry