Dragon's Den was first broadcast in the United Kingdom in 2005.
The BBC launched the British version as an adaptation of the Japanese business-investment format Money Tigers. Entrepreneurs present business ideas to a panel of wealthy investors, known as dragons, and seek financial backing in exchange for a share of their company.
The first series established the programme's central format: contestants make a short pitch, answer questions about sales and valuation, and negotiate if one or more investors are interested. The show quickly became a regular BBC Two business programme and later moved to BBC One.
The 2005 launch is sometimes confused with the dates of later international adaptations. The American version, Shark Tank, began in 2009, while the British programme itself predates it by four years. The series has also changed its panel and presenter over time, but its investment-pitch structure has remained consistent.