Avatech Solutions Authorized by Autodesk to Sell to Higher Education Institutions and Students in 48 US States.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

OWINGS MILLS, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 10, 2002

Avatech Leverages Existing Infrastructures, Relationships

and Expertise with Fortune 1000 Customers to Benefit

Post-Secondary Educational Clients

Avatech Solutions (OTCBB:AVSO.OB), a leading provider of design automation and quality assurance solutions for the manufacturing, building design, civil engineering and GIS markets, today announced it has been authorized by Autodesk as an Authorized Educational Reseller (AER) to sell products and services to post-secondary educational institutions and students in 48 US states, previously authorized to sell in only 5 states. This new business opportunity leverages existing resources and best practices in the commercial space with top Fortune 1000 customers and enables Avatech to tap into the huge American educational market segment including colleges, universities and career schools. The initiative fulfils a key mandate of Avatech's to help further technology education in the US.

Avatech offers a unique multi-disciplined team approach to help institutions implement the latest design automation technology in their classrooms--created to keep students and institutions on the leading edge. Avatech will help students and companies come together through the endorsement of programs and services such as internships, co-op programs and identifying employment needs among its commercial clients.

John Olson, an educator for 21 years, is the newly appointed National Education Program Manager for Avatech Solutions and brings 20 years of experience in working with institutions to implement design solutions. Stated Olson, "We are hoping to expand our reach by providing the educator with more robust tools that will enable students to learn the design process, from the ground floor up. With the help of our team of experts skilled in a variety of disciplines, students will come away with the basics of design that they can apply to the field they want to specialize in--architecture, mechanical or civil engineering, GIS, or construction--using industry-standard Autodesk products to accomplish that."

Avatech will also host an ongoing series of guest presentations by Avatech experts and customers, designed to promote the professional field of engineering and provide more insight into the possibilities available by using the latest digital design software.

"With a national footprint and relevant programs already established, post-secondary educational institutions are now served by an industry professional solely committed to putting maximum value into their technology investments," said Gary Smith, National Education Sales Manager at Autodesk. "Avatech's commitment to servicing and growing the education market with its national team of experts, support and training centers, will help fulfill Autodesk's mandate to provide better service to our educational clients."

About Avatech Solutions

Avatech Solutions, Inc. is a leading provider of design automation and quality assurance solutions for the manufacturing, building design, civil engineering and GIS markets. Headquartered in Owings Mills, Maryland, the company specializes in software development, technical support, training and consulting aimed at improving design and documentation efficiencies and the seamless integration of workflow processes.

Avatech is one the largest integrators of Autodesk software worldwide and a leading provider of engineering document management solutions. The company is the developer of the award-winning PrescientQA(TM) quality assurance software and cycle time reduction products for the manufacturing supply chain.

Avatech serves 20,000 clients worldwide including the industry leaders from Fortune 1000 and Engineering News Record's Top 500 companies. Visit www.avatechsolutions.com for more information.

This press release contains forward-looking statements about the expectations, beliefs, plans, intentions and strategies of Avatech Solutions, Inc. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by any forward-looking information. A description of risks and uncertainties attendant to Avatech and its industry, and other factors that could affect Avatech's financial results, are included in the Securities and Exchange Commission filings of PlanetCAD, Inc., which merged with Avatech on November 19, 2002 including, but not limited to, PlanetCAD's annual report on Form 10KSB for the year ended December 31, 2001, its quarterly reports on form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, June 30, and September 30, 2002, and the proxy statement/prospectus relating to the merger of Avatech and PlanetCAD. Investors and shareholders may obtain a free copy of these documents at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov, or by contacting Gary Rever at Tel: [phone] or email [e-mail].