Julie Bevacqua is an entrepreneur, investor, and growth strategist with over 25 years of experience helping businesses scale and succeed. She has co-founded multiple ventures, including Function, a platform transforming financial clarity for startups, and Uphealth, which uses AI to address workplace mental health.

Julie previously played a key role in scaling global businesses. At Aptean, a billion-dollar software company, she led global marketing and business development and brought 20+ acquisitions together into a unified go-to-market strategy, driving growth across its enterprise solutions. At QuickMobile (acquired by Cvent), she repositioned the brand to win Fortune 1000 clients and unlock new revenue opportunities. She then built Rise People, Canada's first complete HR, payroll, and benefits platform, which secured backing from Sun Life.

As Partner and Chief Platform Officer at Venture Forward Capital, Julie combines her enterprise growth experience and founder journey to help portfolio companies accelerate their path to success. She's passionate about partnering with ambitious founders to build category-defining companies.

What types of companies do you find most interesting?

I'm passionate about founders who see beyond profit. The most exciting companies are those democratizing powerful technologies - whether giving people access to better financial tools, healthcare, or education. It's about making transformation accessible to all.

What do you think surprises founders most when they start companies?

Many expect the big challenges, but it's really about daily persistence and adaptation. Having a great product isn't enough - it’s the small improvements that end up shaping success more than anything else.

Which mentor has influenced your work the most?

I’ve been shaped by leaders who prioritize vision and empathy. It’s the collective wisdom of those who challenge the norm that has driven my approach to creating value.

Five things you couldn’t live without?

Family and friends, morning walks with my dogs, wandering through Italy, notebooks full of ideas, and the opportunity to create meaningful work that makes a difference.

What are your favorite books?

"Atomic Habits" by James Clear - it shows how daily choices create extraordinary outcomes. And "Zero to One" by Peter Thiel - because seeing possibilities others miss creates value in the world.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

The power of 1% improvements every day. It's my daily mantra - it's why I never skip my morning routine, why I do one more thing every day, why I believe small actions compound into something greater.