The British television series Dragons' Den first aired on BBC Two in 2005.
The programme premiered on 4 January 2005, bringing entrepreneurs into a studio to pitch business ideas to a panel of wealthy investors. Contestants seek investment in return for an agreed share of their company, although a televised offer is normally subject to later checks and negotiation.
The British series was adapted from the Japanese programme Money Tigers, known in Japan as Money no Tora. Its format later became part of an international franchise, with versions produced in countries including Canada, Australia and the United States.
The opening year is sometimes confused with the dates of later Dragons joining the panel. Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones and other familiar investors did not all appear from the first episode, while the show itself began in 2005.