In the BBC series Dragons' Den, the investors call the people who pitch to them entrepreneurs.
Each entrepreneur enters the Den to present a business, product or idea and to request investment. The pitch normally includes a requested amount of money and a percentage of equity, although the terms may change during negotiation. The Dragons then question the entrepreneur about sales, costs, valuation and plans for growth.
The word “entrepreneur” is the programme’s standard description, rather than “contestant.” Dragons' Den is not structured as a competition with one winner, and entrepreneurs can leave with no investment, accept an offer or negotiate a deal subject to further checks.
A televised agreement is not necessarily the final legal investment. Offers can change or collapse during due diligence after filming. That distinction is important because the programme presents the dramatic negotiation, while the completed business arrangement may involve different terms or no completed deal at all.