John Hartnett, founder of the Irish Technology Leadership Group, has left his Silicon Valley job as CEO of G24 to work full time at the Irish Innovation Center in downtown San Jose.

Hartnett has left G24 to help grow the $100 million venture fund attached to the center which targets investments in Irish companies.

The Irish Technology Leadership group is an organization started by senior Irish executives in Silicon Valley to help with investment in Ireland.

The center “is my passion and it’s what I’ve been driving at,” the Limerick-born Hartnett. told Silicon Valley Biz Blog “We’re really only at the start of the process in selecting cream of the crop companies. We’re taking a very targeted approach.”

Hartnett, was formerly senior vice president of worldwide sales at Palm Inc. He joined G24 in November 2008. and he will remain on the board of directors at the solar company.