The British TV show Dragon's Den is based on a format created in Japan.
The original Japanese programme was called Money Tigers (マネーの虎, Money no Tora). It placed entrepreneurs before wealthy investors who could offer funding in exchange for a stake in their businesses. The format was later adapted in several countries, with the investors receiving different names.
The British version uses “dragons” because the investors are presented as powerful business figures capable of transforming a company. In the United States, the closely related adaptation is called Shark Tank, while many other countries retained the Dragon's Den title.
A common mix-up is to identify the British programme as an entirely original BBC invention. Its presentation, investor-pitch structure and equity negotiations derive from the Japanese format, although the British version developed its own panel, presenters and production style.