For our 200th episode anniversary, I invited returning guests to share what it was like to be in The Grant studio and what they carried back into their work. I used the opportunity for an in-person recording at The Grant Meet-Up in September 2025 in the midst of chats and drinks with a group of dedicated listeners to celebrate episode number 200. I brought back two former guests - Angels Orduna, Executive Director of A.SPIRE and Science Journalist Thomas Brent - to Place du Luxembourg to talk about the relief of having time to slow down and think out loud, the value of being asked the “follow-up questions” that never make it into panels, and the unexpected connections that came afterwards - new collaborations, clearer messages, and a better way of explaining complex roles to colleagues and stakeholders.

We also reflect on what makes The Grant a bit different: a long-form, people-centred format for the EU funding world that blends professional detail with honest, human conversation. Listeners tell us they return for the mix of practical takeaways and real stories - how proposals actually feel, how implementation really works, and why sharing missteps can be as useful as best practice. This episode is a thank-you to the community that has grown around the show and a recommitment to conversations that make the system a little clearer, one episode at a time.

Time codes:

00:00:17 A special opening

00:10:07 Fly in

00:12:45 200th episode recap

00:18:02 How was it to be on The Grant?

00:27:50 Reflections that the participation gave you.

00:40:05 The toughest challenge