Five investors formed the original panel in Britain's Dragons' Den.
The first British panel consisted of Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh, Doug Richard and Simon Woodroffe. Together, they evaluated entrepreneurs' proposals and could offer money in return for an agreed share of a business.
The panel structure is central to the programme because a pitch can attract one Dragon, several Dragons or no investment at all. Each investor brings a different business background, so entrepreneurs must address both the financial request and the Dragon's particular expertise.
Later series changed the membership of the panel, introducing investors such as Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis. Those later line-ups are why viewers may remember a different group when thinking of the programme, but the launch panel contained five Dragons.