Not all research is fund through grants. Additionally, not all grants are optimising for real world impact. Not saying that this is bad. I just wonder if those post docs were put in a business context with the same runway of money, but a more strict business outcome as success criteria, would focus their work on the same things in the academia.

I'm also realising, as I'm writing that this is a very well know objection to industry vs academia, and possibly my knowledge is limited enough that I'm most likely wrong :)