[sampo]

> What chances would a person claiming that have had for getting funding?

Einstein didn't get funding, i.e. an academic position. He did his initial groundbreaking work while having a day job in a patent office. He published his four groundbreaking papers in 1905 and was offered a lecturer position only on 1908.

[jamesrcole]

I'm aware of that, the question was about the sorts of research that are likely to recieve funding.