The British television programme Dragon's Den is adapted from a business reality format that originated in Japan.
The original programme was called Money Tigers, or Money no Tora in Japanese. Its central idea was straightforward: entrepreneurs present business proposals to wealthy investors, who decide whether the opportunity merits an investment. This structure became the foundation for adaptations in numerous countries.
The British version uses the title Dragon's Den and refers to its investors as Dragons. Other territories have used different names, including Shark Tank in the United States. Although the titles and panel members vary, the key ingredients remain the pitch, the requested investment, the offered equity and the investors' questioning.
The format's Japanese origin is sometimes overlooked because the British and American versions became especially prominent internationally. The concept therefore predates both of those English-language programmes.