Money Tigers provided the original format for the UK television show Dragons' Den.
Money Tigers was a Japanese programme in which entrepreneurs presented business proposals to wealthy investors. The British adaptation retained the essential idea of a formal pitch followed by questioning, negotiation and a possible exchange of investment for equity.
The UK version premiered in 2005 and became part of a large international franchise. Its investors are called Dragons, a name that distinguishes the format from the American adaptation Shark Tank, even though both programmes descend from the same underlying concept.
The format also explains why the programme is built around a stark presentation space and direct financial questioning. Entrepreneurs must state a specific valuation and funding request, allowing the investors to judge both the product and the proposed ownership terms.