The British series Dragons' Den premiered on BBC Two in 2005.
The programme brought entrepreneurs into a studio to pitch businesses to a panel of investors. A successful entrepreneur could receive funding, advice and commercial connections, but only by agreeing to give the investor an equity stake in the company.
The UK series adapted the Japanese format Money Tigers and quickly became a recognisable part of British television. Its early panel included Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Theo Paphitis, Rachel Elnaugh and Simon Woodroffe. Several later dragons became equally prominent, including Deborah Meaden.
The year 2005 is sometimes confused with the launch dates of international versions. Shark Tank, the American adaptation, premiered later, in 2009. The Canadian version, Dragon's Den, also has its own separate broadcast history, so the question must be tied specifically to the British BBC Two programme.