Dragon's Den is based on a television format that originated in Japan.
The original Japanese programme was Money Tigers, known in Japan as Money no Tora. It introduced the central idea of entrepreneurs pitching for investment before a panel of wealthy businesspeople, a structure later adapted in many countries.
The format travelled internationally under titles including Dragons' Den and Shark Tank. Although the investors, presenters and rules vary by territory, the essential exchange remains the same: a founder proposes a business, requests money and offers a share of ownership.
The UK title is sometimes assumed to have originated in Britain because of its long-running BBC version. In fact, the British programme is one national adaptation of a Japanese television concept.