Rising Tides Lift All Ships, Or What I learned at Startup Festival Montreal` Many startups ignore obvious takeaways from events such as the one described, including getting good advisors who have time for them and regularly evaluating their value. Avoiding waste by quickly prototyping ideas and testing them in the real world can also be beneficial. It's also essential to empower the community around a startup, giving before asking and avoiding exploitation of support networks. Building strong relationships with advisors, leveraging existing technologies, and fostering a supportive community are key to success.