The first episode of the BBC programme Dragons' Den was broadcast in 2005.
The British series launched on BBC Two as an adaptation of the Japanese business-pitching format Money Tigers. It brought entrepreneurs into a studio to present their companies to wealthy investors, who could offer money in return for an ownership stake. The format combined business assessment, negotiation and entertainment.
The programme became part of a wider international franchise. Versions using the Dragons' Den title have appeared in several countries, while other adaptations use different local names. The British show is separate from the similarly structured American programme Shark Tank, although both ultimately descend from the same Japanese format.
The 2005 launch also established the basic visual and editorial conventions that remain associated with the show: a walk into the pitch room, a timed presentation, questioning from investors and a negotiation over valuation and equity. The investor line-up has changed repeatedly since the first series.