When you think of innovation, your mind might go to sleek tech or billion-dollar valuations. But for Ashley Crafton, founder of Boise-based Galena Innovations, innovation is about something much deeper: solving real problems that affect real people.
Ashley’s journey didn’t start in a lab or a startup accelerator. It began in hospital rooms—supporting families facing the unimaginable. With decades of experience in women’s health, from OB rotations in high school to working with perinatal bereavement teams, Ashley had a front-row seat to the heartbreak of preterm birth. And she had one pressing question: Why aren’t we doing more to prevent this?
That question turned into a mission—and eventually, a company.
From Kitchen Prototype to Startup Traction
Galena Innovations is developing the Hannah Cervical Cup, a device designed to improve cervical stiffness—a factor that plays a key role in preventing early labor. Developed with no formal business or product development background, Ashley’s first prototype came together in her own kitchen, fueled by late-night research and sheer determination.
Initial testing showed promising results: the cup increased cervical stiffness and collagen content in cadaver studies, validating its potential. Further, first-in-human trials were completed last year. Now, Galena is preparing for its Early Feasibility Study in 2025, with an eye on FDA approval by 2028.
Over 15 million babies are born prematurely every year, and 1.1 million die as a result—making preterm birth the leading cause of death for children under five. For Ashley, these aren’t just statistics. They’re a call to action.
Entrepreneurial Wins in a Crowded Field
In 2022, Galena Innovations entered the Trailhead Pitch Competition during Boise Entrepreneur Week—and came out on top, earning a $50,000 award for research and development. It was a bold showing for a women’s health startup in a field often dominated by consumer apps and enterprise software.
“Trailhead helped validate that we were on the right path,” Ashley says. “It gave us a boost of confidence—and real resources to keep going.”
This win wasn’t just about funding. It signaled to the startup community—and to investors—that women’s health innovation isn’t just meaningful, it’s investable.
Building Health Equity, One Step at a Time
Galena’s work is part of a bigger conversation: the urgent need for more research, funding, and innovation in women’s health. Ashley is raising awareness around overlooked issues like the lack of cervix sizing studies, menstrual product fit challenges, and how maternal health outcomes vary dramatically based on access and geography.
For Ashley, progress isn’t about quick wins—it’s about incremental, persistent effort. Each step forward brings Galena closer to a world where fewer families face the trauma of preterm birth and more women have access to tools that support healthy pregnancies.
A Startup with Global Reach
Though rooted in Boise, Galena’s impact reaches far beyond Idaho. From working with birth workers in low-resource settings to advancing solutions that could reduce poverty and improve GDP through better maternal health, Ashley is thinking globally. She’s part of a growing movement of mission-driven entrepreneurs using startup tools to solve systemic problems.
And that’s the power of entrepreneurship: when someone sees a problem so clearly—and cares so deeply—they’re willing to build the solution from scratch.
This blog is written by Liz Raphael, a writer, actor, and producer in Boise, Idaho.