ADHD and Innovation- Douglas M. Katz on the Tools That Fit Us

Our guest today Douglas Katz is a West Point graduate, disabled Army veteran, inventor, and entrepreneur. He is the creator of NULU, an adaptive kitchen knife designed to align cutting tools with human biomechanics, and continues to pursue other innovations focused on improving how people interact with everyday tools. In addition to his work as an inventor, Douglas speaks about the intersection of human capability, design, and performance. Drawing on experiences in the military, corporate leadership, and product development, he explores how physical limitations, aging, and cognitive differences influence the way people solve problems and build better tools. Living with ADHD has been both a catalyst and a challenge throughout that journey. The same nonlinear thinking and curiosity that can create headwinds in structured environments has also fueled his ability to question assumptions and see connections others overlook.

Through his talks and writing, Douglas introduces audiences to ideas like the Ability Curve—the concept that human capability isn't binary but shifts across a lifetime—and how designing with that reality in mind leads to better tools, systems, and outcomes for everyone. Enjoy!

Peter's bodybuilding competition journey on substack is here!

01:50 - How far is West Point from Manhattan?

02:30 - Intro and welcome Douglas Katz!  Ref: his cutlery invention, Nulu

03:30 - On West Point jumpers

04:00 - First of all, tell us your story and when you got diagnosed?  Ref: GEN X

05:35 - Tell us about the rigidity of West Point Academy in relation to your ADHD?

06:00 - Ref: BIOS

06:20 - The Military and ADHD/Neurodiversity guardrails

07:30 - Above as compared to the corporate world

08:35 - Beauty in structure