The BBC business series Dragon's Den first premiered in the United Kingdom in 2005.
The British programme adapted the Japanese format Money Tigers and brought entrepreneurs before a panel of wealthy investors. Contestants present a business idea or established company and ask for money in exchange for equity.
The first episode of the UK series aired on 4 January 2005. The format became a long-running BBC property, with entrepreneurs pitching products, services and technology to the Dragons.
The launch date is sometimes confused with the start of the wider Dragons' Den franchise. Versions of the format existed in other countries, while the British series itself began in 2005.