In Dragons' Den, the percentage of a company offered to an investor is a stake.
A stake is an ownership share in a business. When an entrepreneur offers a Dragon a particular percentage for an investment, that percentage is the Dragon’s proposed stake. The size of the stake is central to the negotiation because it determines how much of the company the investor would own if the deal is completed.
A stake is different from turnover, which is the revenue generated by a business, and from margin, which describes the difference between revenue and costs. It is also different from a royalty, which is a payment linked to sales or the use of intellectual property rather than ordinary ownership.
The stake discussed on screen may change during bargaining. A Dragon might request a larger share than the entrepreneur initially offered, and final terms can still be subject to due diligence after filming.