Japan created the original television format on which the British programme Dragons' Den is based.
The format began with the Japanese programme Money Tigers, known in Japanese as Money no Tora. Entrepreneurs presented business proposals to wealthy investors and sought funding in exchange for a stake in their companies. That pitch-and-negotiation structure became the foundation for later versions around the world.
The British adaptation retained the central idea but gave the investors the nickname “dragons.” The entrepreneurs normally state how much money they want and what percentage of their business they are prepared to offer. The investors then question the proposal, negotiate, or decline to participate.
A common mix-up is to assume that the British programme invented the format because its version became especially well known in the United Kingdom. In fact, the concept was licensed internationally, producing related programmes such as the Canadian and Australian versions.