Shark Tank is the title of the United States adaptation of the British TV format Dragon's Den.
The programmes share the same broad premise: entrepreneurs pitch businesses to a panel of wealthy investors and seek capital in exchange for equity. The British investors are called Dragons, while the American programme uses “sharks,” creating the title Shark Tank.
Shark Tank premiered in the United States in 2009 on ABC. Its panel has included investors such as Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O’Leary, Daymond John, Robert Herjavec and Lori Greiner. The exact panel has changed over time, just as the British Dragon line-up has changed.
The two shows are related but are not the same production. Dragon's Den is the British version, while Shark Tank is the American title and presentation. Similar adaptations have appeared in many other countries, often translating the animal metaphor into a local title.