BBC’s Dragon’s Den first premiered in 2005.
The British version debuted on BBC Two on 4 January 2005. It adapted the Japanese reality format Money Tigers and gave entrepreneurs the opportunity to present businesses to wealthy investors, known on the programme as Dragons.
The format is built around a pitch followed by questioning about sales, ownership, valuation and growth plans. Entrepreneurs may receive investment offers, but an agreement reached in the studio is not necessarily completed: due diligence takes place after filming, and some deals do not proceed.
Dragon’s Den is often confused with the similarly formatted BBC programme The Apprentice, but the two shows have different purposes. Dragon’s Den focuses on entrepreneurs seeking investment, while The Apprentice centres on candidates competing in business tasks. The British series later became part of an international franchise, with versions produced in many countries.