The UK television show Dragon's Den was adapted from Japan's Money Tigers format.
Money Tigers, known in Japan as Money no Tora, was created by Nippon Television and first broadcast in 2001. Entrepreneurs presented business proposals to successful investors, seeking funding in exchange for a share of their company. The format's central idea became the foundation for Dragon's Den in several countries.
The BBC launched the British version in 2005, retaining the presentation, questioning and negotiation structure while replacing the Japanese investors with British business figures. The title also changed from the original tiger imagery to dragons, a symbol associated with wealth and power in the programme's branding.
The format is sometimes confused with Shark Tank, but Shark Tank is the American adaptation of the same broader franchise, not the source of the UK programme. Dragon's Den has subsequently been adapted in many territories.