Associates of Alexes Hernandez display products from Wild Pup & Co., a business she started while attending the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). Hernandez, who moved to Colorado Springs in 2020 for college, did not expect to become an entrepreneur. However, with support from UCCS entrepreneurship programs, her company now has a broad reach on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
Hernandez’s idea for Wild Pup & Co. came from her dissatisfaction with existing dog bandanas, which she described as “low-quality” and “high-price.” She explained, “They’d get wrinkly, muddy and basically fall apart.” As a high school student trying to save money, she began making her own bandanas. The concept evolved into a business after she volunteered at the National Mill Dog Rescue.
“I wanted to help, but I didn’t have the money to donate,” Hernandez said. “So I thought, why not start a business and give part of the proceeds to dog rescues?” In October 2024, she launched Wild Pup & Co., pledging 10% of sales each month to different dog rescue organizations.
Hernandez credits The Garage at UCCS—a resource within the Center for Entrepreneurship—for providing crucial support. The Garage offers students opportunities to meet regularly, set goals, and receive guidance from mentors. “It’s easy to get stuck in your own head,” Hernandez said. “The Garage gave me outside perspectives that helped me think about my business in ways I wouldn’t have on my own.”
While completing her accounting degree at UCCS earlier this year, Hernandez managed classes alongside running her business and working part-time. She was recently accepted as a vendor for the Goldens in Golden event scheduled for February 2026.
“I’ve never felt like an innovator. I’m just a girl making bandanas and having fun,” she said. “But every once in a while, I step back and realize, wait, this is actually something.”
More details about Hernandez are included in the CU Innovation and Entrepreneurship Impact Report for 2024-25. This report features profiles of student entrepreneurs across all four campuses of the University of Colorado system and highlights data showing how CU’s innovation initiatives support student success.
The University of Colorado offers several entrepreneurship programs across its campuses:
At CU Boulder, students can participate in programs through the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship or the Entrepreneurship Center for Music—both nationally recognized initiatives (https://www.colorado.edu/innovate/).
UCCS provides unique opportunities including its Bachelor of Innovation degree program and C3 Innovation hub that encourages collaboration among students, faculty, and community members.
CU Denver offers Colorado’s only statewide Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship (https://business.ucdenver.edu/ms/entrepreneurship).
At CU Anschutz Medical Campus, students engage with translational programs via organizations such as the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI), CU Innovations, and the Healthcare Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative.
For further information about these efforts or to read more stories like Hernandez’s profile by Pablo Diaz del Castillo—as well as additional statistics regarding impact—visit the full 2024-25 Impact Report: https://www.cu.edu/doc/ie-impact-report-2024-25pdf
