Money Tigers was the Japanese programme that provided the original format for Dragons' Den.
The Japanese show, known as Money Tigers, was created by Nippon Television and featured entrepreneurs presenting business ideas to wealthy investors. The British adaptation retained the central structure: a founder makes a pitch, investors ask questions, and offers depend on valuation and equity.
The name refers to the investors as “tigers,” whereas the British version uses “dragons.” This difference reflects the way the format was localized for each market rather than indicating two unrelated programmes.
The format spread internationally after the Japanese original. Different countries adopted their own titles, presenters, investors, and broadcasting arrangements, but the core negotiation between entrepreneurs and private backers remained recognizable.