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Why is software executive Paul Maritz investing in the technologies of a defunct airline?

TechFlash has learned that the chief executive of VMware and former Microsoft vice president is part of an investor group backing DayJet Technologies, a Florida startup that recently spun out of the passenger airline DayJet Services. DayJet, which described itself as the "world's first operator of per-seat, on-demand jet service," shut down passenger service on Sept. 19 after it failed to raise capital.

It may seem odd for Maritz, who has spent the bulk of his career in the software industry, to get involved with aviation technologies.

But there was a lot more to DayJet than pilots, planes and passengers. Behind the airline was a complex routing technology that allowed DayJet to schedule flights in real time, one of the reasons why founder Ed Iacobucci claimed in a Fast Company story last year that it was "a software and logistics company that only happens to make money flying planes." 

Obviously, the company didn't make enough money. But the complex mathematical algorithms behind DayJet are finding new life.
 
Maritz, who spent 14 years at Microsoft and founded Seattle startup Pi Corp., lends credibility and prestige to DayJet's new approach. The VMware boss declined to comment for this story, as did Eyal Levy, who also is believed to be part of the investor syndicate.

But there are some interesting clues as to why Maritz and others in the technology industry are excited about DayJet.

Georgia Tech professor George Nemhauser, who helped develop DayJet's technology, said via phone that the system could help airlines, trucking firms and other transportation companies plan more-efficient routes between locations. Or, he said, it could be used by government agencies to plan evacuation routes during public emergencies. The original promise of the DayJet airline, he said, was to allow travelers to book flights when they wanted them rather than relying on an airline's set schedule.

"The whole idea is disruption technology," said Nemhauser. "You get a plan for something, and then a disruption occurs -- weather or something else -- and you have to make a new plan very quickly."

Nemhauser is not directly involved in DayJet Technologies, but he said he hosted a group of investors and executives from the company at Georgia Tech about a month ago to "brainstorm" ideas. Maritz was not at the meeting, but Nemhauser said the VMware CEO is one of the backers.

DayJet Technologies' bare-bones Web site provides a few additional details. It says the startup's mission is "to develop and commercialize real-time optimization and resource management technology in a socially and environmentally responsible manner..." Calls and e-mails to the company were not returned.

DayJet's roots in the technology industry go even deeper, with ties to other former Microsoft executives. Its board members include former Microsoft chief financial officers Michael Brown and Gregory Maffei, according to documents filed with the state of Florida last month after the airline service shut down.

It was unclear whether Brown or Maffei were involved in the new entity, DayJet Technologies. Brown also sits on the board of VMware.

DayJet's founder Iacobucci -- who also could not be reached for comment -- is a former IBM executive who co-founded Citrix Systems. (Interestingly, Citrix and VMware  are rivals in the virtualization arena of computing.)

Before its closure in September, DayJet had raised more than $50 million in financing. It's not clear how much the new entity, DayJet Technologies, has pulled in.

--Eric Engleman contributed to this report.