In BBC’s Dragon’s Den, a standard pitch is limited to three minutes before the Dragons question the entrepreneur.
The pitch is the entrepreneur’s opening presentation to the panel. During that period, they explain the product or service, state the amount of money sought and offer the percentage of the business they are willing to exchange. After the initial presentation, the Dragons ask questions about sales, costs, valuation, intellectual property and the proposed deal.
The three-minute limit creates a consistent structure across episodes and forces entrepreneurs to communicate the core opportunity quickly. It also distinguishes the opening pitch from the much longer discussion that follows. Some televised pitches may be edited for broadcast, so the finished episode is not a complete record of every second of the original filming.
The format is adapted from the Japanese programme Money Tigers and is related to the international Shark Tank franchise. The UK programme’s “Dragons” terminology is part of its branding, while other adaptations use different names for the investors.