Kevin Starr - independent advisor, Board of Directors, Konarka Technologies, Inc.

Seattle, WA, USA--(Jobwerx)--APRIL 4, 2005--Konarka Technologies, headquartered in Lowell, Mass., U.S.A., has added an independent director to its board of directors this morning. Kevin Starr is a financial executive out of the biopharmaceutical and high tech industries. Most recently, he served as COO and CFO at Millennium Pharmaceuticals, where he was instrumental in raising capital through strategic alliances and public financing and driving growth through mergers and acquisitions. While at Biogen, Starr was a key driver for a number of US and European launch activities for that company's first proprietary product.

Starr will provide insight and strategic guidance to Konarka's senior executive team, drawing on the significant financial, technology, business and operating management expertise he gained in the pharmaceutical and high technology industries.

In addition, Konarka Technologies, Inc., an innovator in developing and commercializing power plastics that convert light to energy has research and development subsidiaries in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

Starr has put his proven leadership, management and technical skills, especially in helping earlier stage organizations evolve into commercial, product-driven enterprises, to work for two of the leading biopharmaceutical companies in the world. At Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: MLNM), he was the chief operating officer and chief financial officer. During his tenure, Starr was instrumental in raising critical capital through strategic alliances and public financing and driving growth through mergers and acquisitions. Prior to being named COO and CFO, he served as vice president, finance, of Millennium BioTherapeutics, Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary of Millennium, where he led strategic financial planning and operations and played a leadership role in business development and creating the financial infrastructure for the company.

At Biogen, Inc. (now Biogen Idec, Nasdaq: BIIB), Starr was corporate controller and manager of financial analysis and was a key driver for a number of US and European launch activities for the company's first proprietary product. He also held several senior finance positions at Digital Equipment Corp., which is now part of Hewlett Packard Company (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ). He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and Business from Colby College and a Master of Science degree in Corporate Finance from Boston College.

"Helping Konarka execute on its vision for low cost, universally available renewable energy is an exciting opportunity," said Starr. "I'm looking forward to being part of such a strong team with an innovative technology."

Konarka builds products that convert light to energy - anywhere. Konarka is the leading developer of polymer photovoltaic products that provide a source of renewable power in a variety of form factors for commercial, industrial, government and consumer applications. Konarka's photovoltaic nanotechnology is focused on delivering lightweight, flexible, scalable and manufacturable products.

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