Improving the startup time of a Node.js application can greatly enhance user experience, especially in serverless environments where cold start times matter. One key method is to delay non-essential tasks until after the server has started, such as loading configuration or establishing database connections. This allows the application to start serving requests more quickly. Another technique is to optimize dependencies, including removing unused modules and switching to lighter alternatives when possible. You can also consider bundling and minifying your code using tools like `webpack` or `esbuild` to reduce the amount of JavaScript that needs to be parsed and executed on startup. Precompiling assets, such as views or static files, can also help reduce startup overhead. Finally, profiling the startup process using Node.js’s built-in `--inspect` flag or tools like `clinic` can help identify specific bottlenecks in your application’s boot process. By addressing these issues, you can significantly improve startup time and reduce the overall latency of your application.