Shark Tank is the American adaptation of the television format used by the British series Dragon's Den.
Shark Tank premiered in the United States on ABC in 2009. Like Dragon's Den, it presents entrepreneurs to a panel of wealthy investors who may offer money in exchange for an ownership stake. The main difference in branding is the animal metaphor: the British and many international versions use Dragons, while the US programme calls its investors Sharks.
The American series is based on the international Dragons' Den format, which ultimately derives from Japan's Money Tigers. Mark Burnett developed the US adaptation, and the programme became a major part of ABC's unscripted schedule. Its panel has included investors such as Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, Daymond John and Robert Herjavec.
The Profit is a different US business programme associated with Marcus Lemonis. “American Den” is not the official title. Shark Tank is therefore the canonical name of the US adaptation, not merely an informal description of the format.