In this episode of Cyber & Sake, host Mackenzie Jackson sits down with Maarten Mortier, former CTO of Shopad, now co-founder and managing partner at Entourage VCThey discuss Maarten’s early love for programming, how Ghent became a thriving European tech hub, and why builders make the best investors. Maarten shares his insights into what he looks for during startup due diligence, how AI is reshaping both development and venture capital, and why healthy security should be baked into company culture — not siloed off.This is a deep and candid conversation about technology, product, and philosophy — from scaling startups to the evolving role of AI in coding, investing, and innovation.Pour yourself a glass of sake and join us for an episode that blends code, capital, and curiosity.⏱️ Chapter ListTime Chapter Title00:00 Introductions & Sake Tasting01:10 From Early Coding Days to CTO Success04:07 Why Ghent is Becoming a European Tech Hub07:58 Building and Investing: The Story of Entourage VC11:02 Inside VC Due Diligence and the Founder Relationship18:03 Tech Health, Security, and Red Flags for Startups25:16 What Makes a Real Moat in the Age of AI32:03 AI, Product Building, and the Future of Venture Capital39:36 Final Thoughts, Security Advice & The Sake Game