What is the UK television format Dragon's Den based on?

The UK television format Dragon's Den is based on the Japanese programme Money Tigers.

Money Tigers was created in Japan and supplied the format in which entrepreneurs pitch business proposals directly to wealthy investors. The UK adaptation retained the central drama of the pitch, interrogation, valuation, and negotiation, while giving the investors the title “Dragons.”

The format became internationally successful and generated versions in many countries. In the United States, the related adaptation is known as Shark Tank, but Shark Tank is not the original Japanese programme. The two shows share the basic pitch-and-invest structure while using different titles and panel identities.

The title Dragon's Den also differs from the Japanese title in tone and imagery. The British name presents the investors as formidable dragons guarding a den, whereas the Japanese format name refers to the investors as tigers.