The wealthy investors who hear pitches on the British programme Dragon's Den are called Dragons.
Entrepreneurs enter the Den, present their businesses and request investment in exchange for equity. The panel members then question the founders about sales, costs, valuation, intellectual property and plans for growth. A Dragon may make an offer, negotiate with another Dragon, or decline to invest.
The terminology reflects the British title and distinguishes the UK version from other adaptations. In the United States, the comparable investors are called Sharks on Shark Tank. Other countries use their own names, but “Dragons” is the canonical British term.
The word refers to the investor panel, not the entrepreneurs, the production team or the programme's presenter. Individual Dragons have changed over the years, while the collective label has remained part of the show's branding. The distinction is useful because the format is internationally familiar but its investor terminology varies by version.