Shark Tank is the American adaptation of the business-investment format behind Dragon's Den.
The US series premiered on ABC in 2009 and features entrepreneurs presenting companies and products to a panel of wealthy investors called Sharks. Like the British programme, it centres on valuation, equity, negotiation and the possibility of a deal. The two shows share an international format lineage rather than being unrelated copies.
Dragon's Den began in Britain in 2005, while Shark Tank arrived in the United States several years later. Their terminology differs: British investors are Dragons, whereas American investors are Sharks. The panel members and business stories also differ because each version is produced for its own national market.
A common mistake is to reverse the relationship and call Shark Tank the original. The format originated with the Japanese programme Money Tigers. Dragon's Den and Shark Tank are separate national adaptations of that earlier concept, with the British and American titles reflecting their different branding.