The American adaptation Shark Tank first premiered in 2009.
Shark Tank is the United States version of the international entrepreneur-investor format associated with Dragons' Den. It presents business owners to a panel of investors, called sharks, who question the pitch and may offer money in exchange for equity or another financial arrangement.
The American programme was broadcast by ABC and became a major television franchise in its own right. Its name differs from the British title, but the basic structure comes from the same format lineage that began with Japan's Money Tigers.
The date is sometimes confused with the launch of the British programme, which began in 2005, or with other national adaptations. Shark Tank therefore provides a clear example of how the same pitch format was localised through different titles, presenters and investor panels.