Saying the quiet part out loud: VC for both research and product startups runs on trust. To get funding you will mostly likely need someone trusted to vouch for you, and/or to have legible, hard-to-fake accomplishments in a related field, that obviates the need for trust. (Writing up a high quality AI alignment research agenda could be such an accomplishment!). If you DM me with more details about your situation, I might be able to help route you.
Yes, definitely possible.
Saying the quiet part out loud: VC for both research and product startups runs on trust. To get funding you will mostly likely need someone trusted to vouch for you, and/or to have legible, hard-to-fake accomplishments in a related field, that obviates the need for trust. (Writing up a high quality AI alignment research agenda could be such an accomplishment!). If you DM me with more details about your situation, I might be able to help route you.