The Japanese television format that inspired the BBC programme Dragon's Den is called Money Tigers.
Money Tigers established the central structure later used by Dragon's Den: entrepreneurs present business proposals to a group of wealthy investors and seek funding in return for an ownership stake. The British programme adapted that idea for a UK audience rather than creating the format independently.
The title refers to the investors as “tigers”, whereas the British version uses “Dragons”. This difference in branding is one reason the international franchise can have very different names while retaining a recognisable pitch-room structure.
Dragon's Den is also related to other licensed versions around the world. The best-known American adaptation is Shark Tank, but it is not the Japanese original. The Japanese source format is therefore an important part of the programme’s international television history.