Ex-MySQL chief joins entrepreneur foster home

Former MySQL boss Marten Mickos, who left the free-database outfit just over a year after its acquisition by Sun Microsystems, has enrolled in a venture capital foster home for between-job entrepreneurs.

Mickos has been hired by the Silicon Valley VC firm, Benchmark Capital, as an "Entrepreneur in Residence." Benchmark describes the role as giving "a select few of the industry's top entrepreneurs the time to think about the next move while they work with us to evaluate investments and advise portfolio companies."

Benchmark said Entrepreneurs in Residence typically spend time advising on the company's existing portfolio while they ponder a new business to launch.

The firm adds that his employment doesn't commit Mickos to accepting an investment from Benchmark should a new idea strike him, but he's "expected to at least let Benchmark have serious first consideration." Friends with benefits, basically.

"I'd like to take this oppty to thank all MySQL dolphins, past and present. You made me what I am today," Mickos wrote on Twitter.

The ex-MySQL chief left his gig at Sun after expressing his dissatisfaction with the corporate bureaucracy and desire to call the shots. Mickos joined MySQL in 2001 and stayed on board after its purchase by Sun as senior vp of the database group until March 2009. ®

Correction: Mickos informs us we had incorrectly stated he stayed with Sun less than a year after the acquisition. Mikos actually remained aboard just over a year. The story has been changed to reflect the temporal adjustment.