The UK television show Dragons' Den was adapted from a format that originated in Japan.
The original Japanese programme was called Money Tigers, or Money no Tora. It established the central format: entrepreneurs present business proposals to wealthy investors, hoping to secure funding in exchange for a share of their company.
The concept was later adapted for television markets around the world. In the United Kingdom, the adaptation became Dragons' Den, with the investors given the title “Dragons.” The first UK episode aired in 2005.
A common mix-up is confusing Japan, where the format began, with the United Kingdom, where Dragons' Den became one of the best-known versions. The related American adaptation is Shark Tank, which uses different terminology for its investors.