Unfortunately, I think part of the reason your idea was rejected was that it's just a bad idea.
The thing is, you -- non-collegiate, over 35 -- are nonetheless capable of doing enough research yourself to determine if an idea is very good. One thing to consider is the cross-sectional area of the funnel -- the size of the mouth. Another is a relation mentioned here: the power available (dF/dT) in wind is proportional to v^3. You can look up "power available in wind" here:
You'll be able to test your idea by considering a few scenarios, like "how does the force on the funnel (~area v^2) relate to the power generated (~area v^3) and is this practical?" and "Where would wind farms most likely be located, based on power availability (remote high-wind areas)?".
I say this not [primarily] as a criticism, but to hopefully recommend to people that they can use simple math to test their ideas using pubically available information. It helps you form ideas with a closer relationship to reality. Doing research can be good for you, and elementary physics shouldn't be daunting, especially if you're taking things as far as applying for angel funding. Having a broader knowledge base doesn't hurt for coming up with ideas, either.
The thing is, you -- non-collegiate, over 35 -- are nonetheless capable of doing enough research yourself to determine if an idea is very good. One thing to consider is the cross-sectional area of the funnel -- the size of the mouth. Another is a relation mentioned here: the power available (dF/dT) in wind is proportional to v^3. You can look up "power available in wind" here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power
You'll be able to test your idea by considering a few scenarios, like "how does the force on the funnel (~area v^2) relate to the power generated (~area v^3) and is this practical?" and "Where would wind farms most likely be located, based on power availability (remote high-wind areas)?".
I say this not [primarily] as a criticism, but to hopefully recommend to people that they can use simple math to test their ideas using pubically available information. It helps you form ideas with a closer relationship to reality. Doing research can be good for you, and elementary physics shouldn't be daunting, especially if you're taking things as far as applying for angel funding. Having a broader knowledge base doesn't hurt for coming up with ideas, either.