M-SCAN, a startup from Uganda that develops low cost PC, tablet and mobile compatible portable mobile ultrasound devices (ultrasonic probes), has won the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield Africa 2018 held this week in Lagos.

Judges noted the startup's scalability potential to make many other medical access devices affordable for Africa, awarding it the title of Sub-Saharan Africa's Most Promising Start-up.

South Africa's Bettr, a virtual banking experience powered by the smartphone and data, was runner up.

The Facebook-sponsored competition looked to identify Sub-Saharan Africa's best innovators, makers and technical entrepreneurs.

The Lagos edition was Africa's second TechCrunch Startup Battlefield and featured 15 start-ups from across the continent competing for a $25,000 cash prize and a trip for two to compete in Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch's flagship event, Disrupt in 2019.

The first edition was held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2018.

"This is a valuable boost for the winner in a continent where funding - particularly venture capital investment - is in short supply," stated the organisers.

Describing Africa's tech landscape, Mike Butcher, Editor at Large, TechCrunch said it is coming into its own as successful entrepreneurs scale up their businesses and achieve good exits and IPOs.

"The strength of the entries for this year's Startup Battlefield Africa 2018 confirms that there is no shortage of creative inventors, makers and entrepreneurs in Sub -Saharan Africa," Butcher said.

Emeka Afigbo, Head of Developer Programmes at Facebook, added, "There is some world-class technology coming out of Africa, which promises to help drive prosperity across the continent and position it as an important player in the digital economy of the future."