Hello,
When this circuit is for start up only, can you disconnect the resistor from ground after the main process runs?
Other method is to store some energy in a capacitor and use an external pulse or thyristor/diac like circuit to generate the current pulse required for starting the main process.
The thyristor like approach works independently of input dV/dt as you need a minimum stored charge before the thyristor fires. I use this approach in power oscillators to start them.