The British television series Dragon's Den is adapted from the Japanese business reality show Money Tigers.
Money Tigers was a Japanese programme in which entrepreneurs presented business proposals to wealthy investors. The format was created for television before being adapted in several countries, including the United Kingdom. The British version keeps the central idea: entrepreneurs seek investment by presenting their businesses and negotiating with a panel of investors.
Dragon's Den is therefore part of an international television format rather than an entirely original British concept. The United States adaptation is known as Shark Tank, while other countries use different local titles. A common mix-up is to identify Shark Tank as the original, but the format originated in Japan.
The British series premiered on BBC Two in 2005 and later became a long-running BBC business programme. Its title uses “Dragons” for the investors, reflecting the show’s presentation of them as formidable negotiators.