The standard British format of Dragon's Den usually features five Dragons on the investment panel.
Entrepreneurs enter the den and pitch their business to five investors, each of whom can question the founder and decide whether to make an offer. The panel’s members are high-profile entrepreneurs or business figures, and the programme’s drama comes from their differing opinions about valuation, risk and growth.
Five is the normal panel size, although occasional episodes or special circumstances may vary the visible lineup. The number should not be confused with the number of entrepreneurs in a pitch: businesses may be presented by one founder or by a team.
The five-Dragon arrangement also distinguishes the British programme from some international versions of the franchise, where the investor panel can have a different size or use a different name. The central negotiation format remains the same: a founder seeks money in exchange for equity or another agreed business arrangement.