The original Japanese format that inspired Dragon's Den was called Money Tigers.
Money Tigers, known in Japan as “マネーの虎,” was created as a business-investment television format in which entrepreneurs sought funding from successful business people. The format later travelled internationally and became known in Britain as Dragon's Den.
The British version retained the central structure: a founder gives a presentation, states how much money is wanted and offers a percentage of the company. The investors then question the entrepreneur and may make competing offers, combine their bids or decline to invest.
The title “Money Tigers” is important because “Dragons” is not the original global name of the concept. Different countries adapted the idea with local titles and investor labels, including “Shark Tank” in the United States. Those programmes share the same broad format but are separate national productions with different presenters, panels and business deals.