The UK show Dragon’s Den is adapted from a business television format that originated in Japan.
The original Japanese programme was called Money Tigers and began in 2001. Its central idea was to bring entrepreneurs before wealthy investors who could offer money in return for an ownership stake. That structure was subsequently adapted for television audiences in other countries.
The British version premiered in 2005 and retained the essential pitch-and-investment mechanism while giving it a specifically British panel, setting and presentation style. The investors became known as Dragons, a name that distinguishes the format in the UK and several other territories.
The programme is often compared with Shark Tank because both shows descend from the same international format family. The names differ by country, but the underlying concept—entrepreneurs seeking equity investment from experienced businesspeople—remains recognisable.