The British television programme Dragon's Den is adapted from the Japanese business show Money Tigers.
Money Tigers supplied the core format later used by the British series: entrepreneurs present business proposals to a group of wealthy investors, who question the founders and decide whether to offer funding. The deal normally involves exchanging money for a percentage of the business.
The format became internationally successful because its central conflict is easy to understand across markets. Investors must judge a founder's product, finances, valuation and ability to build a company, while entrepreneurs must defend their requested terms under pressure.
Money Tigers should not be confused with the American programme Shark Tank. Shark Tank is another adaptation of the same broad format, while Dragon's Den is the established British title. The Japanese origin also explains why the show's investor-panel structure appears in many national versions.