Dragon's Den was inspired by the Japanese business programme Money Tigers.
Money Tigers, known in Japan as Money no Tora, established the format in which entrepreneurs pitch businesses to wealthy investors. The investors question the presenters, assess the proposed deal, and decide whether to offer money for equity or another commercial arrangement.
The concept was later adapted for television audiences in many countries. In the United Kingdom, the adaptation became Dragon's Den, while the United States developed Shark Tank. The different titles reflect local branding rather than a fundamentally different premise.
A common mix-up is to identify Shark Tank as the original source. Shark Tank is an American adaptation of the broader format, not the Japanese programme that first created the televised investor-pitch structure. Money Tigers is therefore the specific originating show requested here.